2013 Films: Life

Life by Lasse Lorenzen
Denmark (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 2  Minutes
Screening Time:  Opening Night 6:30pm, Oct 25th.
Tickets $10.00  Buy Tickets Here:

In a remote place in the not so distant past a family sits down for dinner. In this bleak Scandinavian tableau the children will learn the true meaning of life. Even though the harsh father looms over the silent room, the children's primitive thirst for color and fun punctures the prudent atmosphere.

Director Statement
Even in the bleakest and darkest of times life will find a way to add color and cheer.

LIFE is in short, a short film about the meaning of life.

The story had been flying around in my mind for quite a while. I always had the urge to show how I experience life in its essence. I remember being a kid and seeing all these extremely serious adult humanbeings who never seemed to have any FUN - and vowing to never end up like that. Now, being an adult myself I do feel that life is very serious and at its core not very fun at all. But the kid in me still pops up and tries to force me to puncture that bubble of adulthood. And often at the most inopportune moments in life.

As a result whenever life becomes to serious or organized I feel the urge to do or say something completely out-of-context, just to see what happens. More often than not this simply results in me being put in my place. I wanted to put this into cinematic context and with LIFE we have done just that. By striving to create an atmosphere as bleak and serious as possible, simply to burst this bubble by something completely out of context - like a Bergman film suddenly being invaded by Monty Python.

2013 Films: Luminosity

Luminosity by F- Stop WON
Milwaukee (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 10 Minutes
Screening Time: Oct 26th  5:15pm.
Tickets $10.00 But Tickets Here:

A solitary, slightly enchanted artist spends his time creating whatever comes to mind in his workshop in the woods. Although his creations bring him great satisfaction, he makes no attempt to present them to the world, he is content to simply surround himself with the objects of his making.

He's unaware that because of his innate compassion for humanity, as his creations come to fruition, his ideas go out into the collective consciousness and provide inspiration to the unsuspecting.

2013 Films: The Librarian and The Banjo

The Librarian and The Banjo by Jim Carrier
Milwaukee (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 56 Minutes
Screening Time: Oct 26th Noon.
Tickets $10.00  Buy Tickets Here:

The true story of music librarian Dena Epstein who spent 25 years documenting the musical contributions of Africans slaves to the New World. Her classic work shattered stereotypes and prejudices, legitimized the study of America’s biracial musical roots, proved that the banjo was a slave invention, and sparked a revival of black string band music. The film zooms from tranquil libraries to lively stages where banjos twang 300 years after slaves brought the instrument here. The film features Grammy-winning performers Bela Fleck, Eric Weissberg, and the Carolina Chocolate Drops.

Information about the film's Subject :

Dena Julia Polacheck Epstein was born November 30, 1916 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin film tells the story of Dena Epstein, a music librarian, now 96 years old, whose trailblazing scholarship was the first to take on the old myths about the banjo and prove its African-American origins and West African roots. Her work shattered myths about the roots of American music, and has been described as “monumental.” The film features interviews with Dena (as everyone calls her), academics, banjo historians and musicians including the Carolina Chocolate Drops, Bela Fleck, Tony Trischka and Eric Weissberg. The soundtrack, from dozens of banjo players, includes music on gourd akontings, minstrel instruments and bluegrass banjos. Among featured artists are Stephen Wade, Sule Greg Wilson and Pura Fe. Among music historians interviewed in the film are: Bill Ferris (former NEH chairman), Bob Winans, Tony Thomas, Greg Adams, Laurent Dubois, Bobby Fulcher and Daniel Jatta.

 

2013 Films: Catalyst

Catalyst by Matt Troge
Madison (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 24 Minutes
Screening Time: Oct 26th 5:15pm
Tickets $10.00  Buy Tickets Here:

Catalyst is a story of searching for lost love. In the aftermath of ending their relationship with their significant other, Vince and Brooke search for the right way to cope with themselves and their future after Brooke receives some heartbreaking poems written by Vince. They decide to meet in order to discuss where they will go from there, and just what exactly went wrong in the relationship.

2013 Films: Foreclosure

 

Foreclosure by Vassi Slavova
Milwaukee
Running Time: 7 Minutes
Screening Time: Oct 26th 3:15pm
Tickets $10.00 Buy Tickets Here:

 

While inspecting a building under foreclosure a realtor gets the surprise of her life.

2013 Films: Spaghetti für Zwei

Spaghetti für Zwei by Matthias Rosenberger
Germany (Milwaukee Premiere)
Running Time: 19 Minutes
Screening Time: Friday October 25th, Opening Night.
Tickets $10.00 Buy Tickets Here:

The likeable but lonesome man is on his way to lunch. Awaiting him, the outside world lurks menacingly: in his imagination it swarms with would-be crooks, hussies and criminals. What should have been a routine stroll develops into a dark odyssey, triggering a troubled conflict against himself and against the world... and ultimately, it is the underdog who is victorious

Director Statement
In a simple yet humorous fashion, 'Spaghetti for Two' illustrates how prejudices and racism can lead to catastrophe. Rather than pointing an accusatory finger, the episode is depicted as one in which anyone could find himself - for who has not at some point been guilty of labeling somebody as something, without thinking twice?

Screenings
Logan Film Festival
Logan, Utah, U S A
April 2012 (Film Festival)

Best Shorts Award
1st prize "Best of Show"
San Diego, U S A
April 2012 (Other)

Los Angeles Film & Script Festival
Best Narrative Short
Los Angeles, U S A
April 2012 (Film Festival)

NYLA International Film Festival
Award of Excellence
New York, U S A
April 2012 (Film Festival)
North America PREMIERE

2013 Films: Parfois

Parfois by Jaclyn Tyler Poeschl
Milwaukee
Running Time: 2 Minutes
Screening Time: Juried Films 7pm. Oct 26th
Tickets $10.00 Buy Tickets Here:

'Sometimes' is a surreal tale of love and it's ever changing presence in our modern culture, as told through 1950's French cinema. A young woman finds love, loses it, and finds it again in 90 seconds. This gain and loss of 'true love' represents the fickle, lightning flash obsessions of the Information Age.

Screenings Flying Car Gala
Golden Age Video Contest- 1st place
Milwaukee, U S A
June 2013 (Other)
North America PREMIERE