Festival Program - SouthSide Film Institute
Transcription
Festival Program - SouthSide Film Institute
S S F F D I R E C T O R’S M E S S A G E Welcome to thirteenth annual SouthSide Film Festival! After living in the Lehigh Valley my entire life, I finally moved to SouthSide Bethlehem a few years ago after being in love with it for a long time. Since then, I’ve become increasingly engaged in the community through my new job as a Marketing and Outreach Coordinator at the National Museum of Industrial History as well as through my work as the director of the SouthSide Film Institute. What has struck me most about being here, making friends, and being a part of the fabric of this town is the sense of community and volunteerism that runs throughout Bethlehem. Over a year ago the board of the SouthSide Film Institute decided to commission a film to highlight our yearly fundraiser at Molinari’s. Five spectacular chefs from across the Lehigh Valley donate their time and energy, Molinari’s graciously hosts, South Italy Imports pours the wine, and benefactors for the SouthSide Film Institute get to enjoy a meal unlike any other in the area. What started out as a film to highlight our small fundraiser and the people that make it happen was crafted by the filmmakers into a larger, more important story about our community and what makes it great. Volunteers, in particular, are what make this community thrive. It’s easy to say that Bethlehem wouldn’t be what it is without volunteers. There would be no Musikfest. There would be no Main Street festivals. There would be no Spring on SouthSide festival. There would be no SouthSide Film Festival. People that volunteer their time, their money, or their resources are what make this town what it’s become, and give it a bright future for what it can become. So on opening night or closing night, as you watch SouthSide, consider your role in your community and what you can help do to make it better. If everyone pitched in an extra hour, or an extra pair of jeans to the local clothing drive, or an extra dollar, think where we could be. – glenn koehler festival director W H A T ’S I N S I D E Venue Map 2 Film Listings 3 Filmmakers 16 Schedule at Glance 22 Festival Events 31 Acknowledgements 32 Sponsors 33 Eat | Shop | Entertainment | Sleep 34 BOARD AND JURY SSFI Working Board of Directors Glenn Koehler, festival director Jeff Vaclavik, president John Saraceno, vice-president Gary Krall, treasurer Ann Knerr, secretary Ben Bertalan Kathryn Dyer Donald Flad, Jr. Pattie Giordani Lorraine Pasquali Founding Board of Directors Graham Stanford, president Jeff Vaclavik, vice president Sally Handlon, treasurer Rob Dougherty, secretary Office Staff SSFF Film Jury Ben Bertalan Kevin Brennan Jenn Cotto Carol Gilmore Glenn Koehler Gary Krall Gisela Leck Cleo Smith Jeff Vaclavik Eric Ziegenfus Children’s Film Committee Kevin Brennan Sarabeth Brockley Brady Vaclavik Georgeann Vaclavik Jeff Vaclavik Kim Hall This SouthSide Film Festival was supported in part by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. The Lehigh Valley Arts Council serves as the regional partner of Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts to administer these grants in Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon Counties. Thank you! 610.882.4300 | 26 East Third Street, Bethlehem PA 18015 W W W .S S F F . ORG MAP VENUE REFERENCE 1) Sinclair Auditorium (film screening) 2) Campus Square (filmmaker village) 3) Deja Brew (headquarters & tickets) 4) FunHouse (late night) 5) Godfrey Daniels (children’s film screening) 6) 26 E. Third St. (closing night party) 7) Cleo’s (tickets) 8) Color Me Mine (opening night party) 9) Charter Arts (film screening) 10) Victory Firehouse (film screening) Gre enw ay Columbia St. P Metered parking 2 1) Sinclair Auditorium (film screening) 2) Campus Square (filmmaker village) Bus Station Indicates venue entrance Indicates entrance FILM LISTINGS Accidents, Blunders, and Calamities | Animated Short | Animation Block Directed by: James Cunningham 2015 | New Zealand | 5m A father possum reads his kids a story that’s an alphabet of the most dangerous animal of all – HUMANS! Screening Times: Sinclair: 7:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 7:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 ACCIDENTS, BLUNDERS, AND CALAMITIES Added | Comedy Short | Comedy Block Directed by: David Ledwith 2014 | USA | 8m Driven by a lack of space, students transmogrify into creatures hungry not for blood, but for a seat in the class. Screening Times: Sinclair: 9:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Sinclair: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 ADDED Adventures of a Secret Kidd: The Mass Hallucination of Kenn Kweder | Documentary Feature Directed by: John Hutelmyer 2015 | USA | 107m Kenn Kweder has been playing music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania since the 1970s with an unapologetic and unforgettable style and attitude. His Secret Kidds completely changed the music scene for local artists but never took off on the national stage. Take a glimpse inside the world of a true rock and roller – still playing gigs and drinking the city under the table. Kenn Kweder is a rock star. It says so on his business card. Screening Times: Victory: 5:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Charter Arts: 1:20pm Saturday, June 18 ADVENTURES OF A SECRET KIDD...KENN KWEDER Alex & Sylvia | Animated Short | Animation Block Directed by: Christian Lachel 2015 | USA | 9m When Sylvia, a successful scientist, must take over her grandmother’s small-town bakery she discovers that life sometimes has different plans for you. Screening Times: Sinclair: 7:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 7:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 ALEX & SYLVIA Alibi | Drama Short | Drama Block 1 Directed by: Noni Salma (Habeeb Lawal) 2015 | USA | 22m A man accused of murdering his autistic daughter pleads the “sleepwalking” alibi. Two hard-boiled detectives want him to pay for the blood on his hands. Is the alleged killer innocent, insane...or was he really awake the whole time? Screening Times: Sinclair: 5:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 1:20pm Saturday, June 18 American Girl | Drama Short | Drama Block 1 ALIBI Directed by: Rebecca Murga 2016 | USA | 14m After being hit, a U.S. soldier flashes back to her Guatemalan childhood and the dangerous 2,000 mile journey to reach the American border. The ending reveals the sacrifice that immigrants make. Written and directed by a US Army veteran and graduate of the AFI Directing Workshop for women. Screening Times: Sinclair: 5:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 1:20pm Saturday, June 18 AMERICAN GIRL 3 FILM LISTINGS continued Apprentice of the Year | Comedy Short | Comedy Block Directed by: Justin Evans 2015 | Australia | 8m When a builder takes advantage of his apprentice, he finds out the hard way to never underestimate anyone. Screening Times: Sinclair: 9:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Sinclair: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 APPRENTICE OF THE YEAR The Ballad of the Dreadnought | Documentary Short | Art Doc Block Directed by: Denis Aumiller and John Sterling Ruth 2015 | USA | 38m The Ballad of the Dreadnought documentary traces the rise of the Martin Dreadnought from selling only a few dozen guitars for its first 20 years to becoming the musical companion played in almost every musical genre in every corner of the world. Screening Times: Charter Arts: 7:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Charter Arts, 7:20pm Thursday, June 16 THE BALLAD OF THE DREADNOUGHT Borrowed Time | Animated Short | Animation Block Directed by: Lou Hamou-Lhadj and Andrew Coats 2015 | USA | 7m A weathered Sheriff returns to the remains of an accident he has spent a lifetime trying to forget. With each step forward, the memories come flooding back. Faced with his mistake once again, he must find the strength to carry on. Screening Times: Sinclair: 7:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 7:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 BORROWED TIME Breathe | Drama Short | Drama Block 1 Directed by: Youssef Ouarrak 2015 | Poland | 7m During the 1944 Warsaw Uprising, a young group of scouts march stealthily through the dark claustrophobic sewers. As the Germans bring complete destruction and chaos to the city above, a teenager boy follows the footsteps of a brave scout girl. Screening Times: Sinclair: 5:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 1:20pm Saturday, June 18 Bunny | Drama Short | Drama Block 1 BREATHE Directed by: Megha Ramaswamy 2014 | USA | 14m Bunny is a love letter to the fantastical childhood we leave behind. The story explores a delicate relationship between a little girl and her pet toy – Bunny. Things take a sad turn when Bunny is found ‘dead’ under mysterious circumstances on a rainy afternoon. An adventure explodes when the eagerto-please boy next door buries Bunny in the neighboring woods, only to discover later that Bunny has disappeared from his soggy grave... Screening Times: Sinclair: 5:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 1:20pm Saturday, June 18 BUNNY Canary | Drama Short | Drama Block 1 Directed by: Marie Schlingmann 2016 | USA | 12m When a couple from out of town stops at her gas station, Midge’s world is plunged into chaos. Screening Times: Sinclair: 5:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 1:20pm Saturday, June 18 CANARY 4 continued FILM LISTINGS Cat Killer | Animated Short | Animation Block Directed by: Jeff Dorer 2015 | USA | 10m An exterminator clearing an abandoned building of feral cats takes his job personally in this nightmarish animated fable. Screening Times: Sinclair: 7:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 7:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 CAT KILLER Coffin Cruisin | Documentary Short | Misc Block Directed by: Brenton Richardson 2015 | USA | 15m The Carolina Coffin Cruisers are a taboo-breaking Charlotte-based club of macabre motorists. These creepy classic car enthusiasts convoy the Carolinas to share their appreciation of hearses and all things Halloween. Screening Times: Victory: 5:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 5:20pm Friday, June 17 COFFIN CRUISIN Dad in Mum | Comedy Short | Comedy Block Directed by: Fabrice Bracq 2014 | France | 7m The middle of the night. Moans are heard behind the parents’ door. Two young sisters are asking questions... Screening Times: Sinclair: 9:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Sinclair: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 Daisy Chain | Animated Short | Animation Block Directed by: Galvin Scott Davis DAD IN MUM 2015 | Australia | 5m The story of Daisy Chain follows a little girl named Buttercup Bree who just doesn’t fit in. She spends her day plucking Daisies and creating chains in the hope of spreading a message of togetherness to the bullies that watch her every step. The story has been narrated by Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet. Screening Times: Sinclair: 7:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 7:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 Decomposition No 1 | Experimental Short | Drama Block 3 Directed by: Adrianne Finelli and Bryan Boyce DAISY CHAIN 2015 | USA | 3m A decomposing homage to fungi, the king of kingdoms, fueled by trash, pollution, death and disaster. Produced for Termite TV Collective in Philadelphia, PA. Screening Times: Victory: 9:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Victory: 5:20, Saturday, June 18 Denali | Documentary Short | Misc Block Directed by: Ben Knight 2015 | USA | 7m DECOMPOSITION NO 1 Denali is the story of the relationship between photographer Ben Moon and his beloved dog, Denali. This short film is about friendship, loss and the beautiful fight for life. A true collaboration between director Ben Knight, producer Ben Moon and cinematographer Skip Armstrong, Denali celebrates the human-dog bond and illuminates the incredible resilience we can conjure up with the help of friends. Screening Times: Victory: 5:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 5:20pm Friday, June 17 DENALI 5 FILM LISTINGS continued The Detectives of Noir Town | Animated Short | Animation Block Directed by: Andrew Chambers 2015 | Australia | 7m In a town where people and puppets walk the streets, a puppet detective is on the case of his missing uncle. Though he has competition from every man, woman and dummy wanting to be named Noir Town’s top detective. THE DETECTIVES OF NOIR TOWN Screening Times: Sinclair: 7:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 7:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 Diagnostic | Comedy Short | Comedy Block Directed by: Fabrice Bracq 2013 | France | 9m Dr. Semyc is a specialist of a widespread disease for which there is no cure to date. Announcing the diagnosis is a difficult exercise, however, he has mastered it to perfection. Screening Times: Sinclair: 9:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Sinclair: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 DIAGNOSTIC Dive | Drama Short | Drama Block 2 Directed by: Matthew Saville 2014 | USA | 13m George’s reflection has turned its back on him and he’ll go to great depths to get it back. Screening Times: Sinclair: 9:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 3:20pm Saturday, June 18 Echo Lake | Drama Feature Directed by: Jody McVeigh-Schultz 2015 | USA | 86m DIVE Will, a 30-year old who is losing control of his life, inherits his father’s cabin and with it a new perspective on his family, childhood and relationships. Screening Times: Sinclair: 5:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Sinclair 5:20 Friday, June 17 Eggventure | Animated Short | Animation Block Directed by: Danielle Johnson 2015 | USA | 3m A penguin and a polar bear fight over their love for the same egg. ECHO LAKE Screening Times: Sinclair: 7:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 7:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 The End of Blessings | Drama Short | Drama Block 3 Directed by: John Rice 2015 | USA | 10m The End of Blessings follows an African American cyclist on his weekly Sunday ride past an older Italian couple who sit on their porch after church. This quiet, understated film deals with the nuance of their exchanges as it takes us on a series of uphill journeys that reflect the life journeys of us all. EGGVENTURE THE END OF BLESSINGS Screening Times: Victory: 9:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Victory: 5:20, Saturday, June 18 6 continued FILM LISTINGS Fatum | Drama Short | Drama Block 1 Directed by: Radek Pietruczuk 2015 | Poland | 22m FATUM Adam Nowak, a young resident of Polish countryside, is coming back home after a long and tiring recruitment process. Adam is going by almost an empty long-distance train but has no chance to travel alone. The beginning of his journey seems to be hard but in the middle of the night the young traveller meets a mysterious man. Adam gets off the train half-conscious and with some fresh wounds on his face. With time going on, under the influence of the new incentives, Adam gradually reminds himself of the last night’s tragic events. Screening Times: Sinclair: 5:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 1:20pm Saturday, June 18 Frail | Drama Short | Drama Block 2 Directed by: Ares Ceylan 2015 | Switzerland | 18m FRAIL Ruben lives with his strict father in a remote forest house, without any contact to the outside world. One morning, he hears how some children from the village are telling spinechiller stories about his father and decides to get to the bottom of these scary rumours. Screening Times: Sinclair: 9:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 3:20pm Saturday, June 18 Goodnight Sweetheart | Drama Short | Drama Block 2 Directed by: Bec Peniston-Bird 2014 | Australia | 11m When Barb embarks on a drastic course of action she must confront her feelings for an old friend. Anything is possible when there is nothing left to lose. Screening Times: Sinclair: 9:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 3:20pm Saturday, June 18 GOODNIGHT SWEETHEART Growing Up Smith (fka Good Ol’ Boy) | Dramedy Feature Directed by: Frank Lotito 2015 | USA | 102m In 1979, an Indian family moves to America with hopes of living the American Dream. While their 10-year-old boy Smith falls head-over-heels for the girl next door, his desire to become a “good old boy” propels him further away from his family’s ideals than ever before. Screening Times: Charter Arts: 8pm Tuesday, June 14 | Charter Arts: 7:20pm Friday, June 17 GROWING UP SMITH (FKA GOOD OL’ BOY) Hobart | Animated Short | Animation Block Directed by: Hajnalka Harsányi 2015 | Hungary | 9m Hobart the little boy, a flying pig, and a Hunter fly through the mysterious world of the clouds with unexpected happenings. Screening Times: Sinclair: 7:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 7:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 How to Lose Weight in 4 Easy Steps | Comedy Short | Comedy Block HOBART Directed by: Benjamin Berman 2016 | USA | 7m Losing weight and getting fit has never been easier! Shed those unwanted pounds with these simple tricks your gym doesn’t want you to know about. You won’t believe what happens next! Screening Times: Sinclair: 9:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Sinclair: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT IN 4 EASY STEPS 7 FILM LISTINGS continued How to Survive a Breakup | Comedy Short | Comedy Block Directed by: Deena Adar and Kai Collins 2015 | USA | 12m How to Survive a Breakup is a comedy short featuring a his and hers guide to coping with a soul-crushing split. Screening Times: Sinclair: 9:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Sinclair: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 HOW TO SURVIVE A BREAKUP It Had to Be You | Comedy Feature Directed by: Sasha Gordon 2015 | USA | 85m Sonia is a neurotic jingle writer who’s always dreamt of a big and exciting life. Surprised by a sudden proposal and subsequent ultimatum from her easy-going boyfriend, Chris, Sonia has to decide whether she’ll join the ranks of her married friends or take a leap and pursue her fantasies. A whimsical romantic comedy that’s raunchy and yet gentle, It Had To Be You explores the choices women face today while satirizing cultural expectations of gender and romance. IT HAD TO BE YOU Screening Times: Charter Arts: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 | Charter Arts 3:20pm Saturday, June 18 Je suis un Crayon (I Am a Pencil) | Animated Short | Animation Block Directed by: Joe D’Arcy 2015 | Australia/Denmark/France | 6m JE SUIS UN CRAYON (I AM A PENCIL) Je suis un Crayon (I am a Pencil) was inspired by the three million people in France who marched in support of unity, peace, and the freedom of expression on January 11th 2015 after the Charlie Hebdo massacre. Whilst the pencil experiences its life, it draws the world ‘as it is-as it sees it’. The pencil (like the artist) has an innate drive to create and it will always express, irrespective of whether it is granted permission or not. Screening Times: Sinclair: 7:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 7:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 K-SHOP | Horror Feature Directed by: Dan Pringle 2015 | UK | 112m A kebab shop owner’s son, Salah, turns vigilante after his father’s death in an effort to clean up the relentless onslaught of boozed up thrill seekers waging war on his doorstep. K-SHOP Screening Times: Victory: 11:00pm Friday, June 17 | Charter Arts: 5:20pm Saturday, June 18 The King and I | Comedy Short | Comedy Block Directed by: Joshua Lederman 2015 | USA | 11m A hopeless young man is reluctant to bring his new girlfriend back to his apartment, because every time he does bring a girl home she inevitably falls in love with his mysterious roommate. Screening Times: Sinclair: 9:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Sinclair: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 THE KING AND I 8 continued FILM LISTINGS The Life of Death | Animated Short | Misc Block Directed by: Marsha Onderstijn 2012 | Netherlands | 5m Death goes about his daily job of taking the lives of animals in the forest when he comes across a lovely doe. He falls in love with her and can’t bring himself to take her life and so they slowly become close friends. But in the end, the doe will teach Death that dying is also part of Life. Screening Times: Victory: 5:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 5:20pm Friday, June 17 THE LIFE OF DEATH The Loneliest Stoplight | Animated Short | Misc Block Directed by: Bill Plympton Narrated by Patton Oswalt 2015 | USA | 6m The life and times of a neglected stoplight. Screening Times: Victory: 5:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 5:20pm Friday, June 17 Lost Colony | Drama Feature THE LONELIEST STOPLIGHT Directed by: Christopher Holmes 2015 | USA | 84m While navigating life with his hyper-protective mother along the enigmatic Outer Banks of North Carolina’s coast, a conflicted teen must reassemble his broken pieces after a near tragic accident. A searchlight cast upon the earliest traces of America and the mystery of settlers vanished, Lost Colony scans a once virgin watershed for signs of life. Screening Times: Victory: 9:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Charter Arts: 5:20pm Friday, June 17 Lunch Time | Comedy Short | Comedy Block LOST COLONY Directed by: Robert Byrne 2015 | Ireland | 5m When a humble beggar visits an empty restaurant day after day, the frustrated Chef rises to the challenge of preparing the perfect dish. Screening Times: Sinclair: 9:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Sinclair: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 Made You Look | Documentary Short | Art Doc Block Directed by: Sigal Yona 2012 | Israel | 14m LUNCH TIME A portrait of two street artists who turn utilitarian structures and objects into works of art reflecting nature. Screening Times: Charter Arts: 7:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Charter Arts, 7:20pm Thursday, June 16 malefemale | Documentary Short | Doc Block 1 Directed by: Kristin Adair and Carey Averbook 2016 | USA | 9m MADE YOU LOOK Frances Reed identifies as gender non-conforming. Although they love their body, they have struggled with pain and injury connected to their gender presentation. Frances’ story is about the challenges and joys of living in one’s body, while also seeking to connect and grow in relationship and service to others. This short documentary follows Frances and their long-time partner Jessica as they navigate life together, running an evolving community wellness space called Freed Bodyworks, and being who they are. Screening Times: Victory: 7:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Victory: 3:20pm Saturday, June 18 MALEFEMALE 9 FILM LISTINGS continued The Mink Catcher | Drama Short | Drama Block 3 Directed by: Samantha Buck 2015 | USA | 12m Dallas, Texas, 1980: A gossip columnist hunts down Dallas’s new First Lady to unearth the truths underneath her legendary mink coat. Screening Times: Victory: 9:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Victory: 5:20, Saturday, June 18 THE MINK CATCHER The Mobile Stripper | Comedy Short | Misc Block Directed by: Shirlyn Wong 2014 | USA | 15m On what seems to be a normal and routine day, a lonely security guard discovers a bouncing bright pink RV in the parking lot. What begins as an innocent gesture and friendly ride to the gas station soon develops into an unforeseen adventure with a wild mouth woman known as the Mobile Stripper. Screening Times: Victory: 5:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 5:20pm Friday, June 17 THE MOBILE STRIPPER My Mom’s Motorcycle | Documentary Short | Misc Block Directed by: Douglas Gautraud 2015 | USA | 6m This is a short film about how my mom became the owner of a motorcycle for the My Rode Reel competition. More deeply it is about how people use objects to connect with times, ideas and people. Screening Times: Victory: 5:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 5:20pm Friday, June 17 One, if by Land | Documentary Short | Misc Block MY MOM’S MOTORCYCLE Directed by: Nandini Sikand 2015 | USA | 14m One, if by Land… is an experimental short film that explores the politics of undocumented immigration to the global North via land, sea and air. Screening Times: Victory: 5:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 5:20pm Friday, June 17 Opposite Field | Documentary Feature Directed by: Jay Shapiro 2015 | Uganda | 100m ONE, IF BY LAND Jay Shapiro’s classic underdog sports story follows a baseball team with a dream. In its nearly 70-year history, the Little League World Series has never hosted a team from Africa. Ugandan coach George Mukhobe, mentoring his preteen players with a deep love and respect for America’s pastime, hopes to change that. Filmed over three years, this willing film captures the team as they encounter truly unexpected tips and downs in their quest to make history. Screening Times: Sinclair: 7:20pm Friday, June 17 | Sinclair: 5:20pm Saturday, June 18 Opt Out | Comedy Short | Comedy Block Directed by: Steve Utaski OPPOSITE FIELD 2015 | USA | 2m Just another crazy (as in seriously psycho) day in the office. Screening Times: Sinclair: 9:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Sinclair: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 OPT OUT 10 continued FILM LISTINGS Out of Sight | Documentary Feature | Doc Block 1 Directed by: Kyle Mahaney, Aimee Bender, and Jessie Minor 2016 | USA | 68m Out of Sight strives to shine a light on the plight of thousands of teenagers denied mental healthcare or discouraged from seeking it. It explores the stigmas surrounding adolescent mental health conditions and why so many young people are left alone and in the dark. It rejects the idea that these matters are best left out of sight. OUT OF SIGHT Screening Times: Victory: 7:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Victory: 3:20pm Saturday, June 18 Pant Suits | Comedy Short | Comedy Block Directed by: Saralyn Armer 2015 | USA | 9m In 1972, an ambitious female computer programmer must maneuver the minefield of a man’s world and finds herself suddenly risking her budding career to make a necessary change for the women in her office. Screening Times: Sinclair: 9:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Sinclair: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 PANT SUITS Portal to Hell | Comedy Short | Misc Block Directed by: Vivieno Caldinelli 2015 | Canada | 12m Jack (Roddy Piper) is a building superintendent, Jack is a simple man with simple needs. He just wants to be left in peace so that he can get on with reading his book. But the tenants living in his building are always in need of him for something. However, when the power goes out in the building the culprit is not a blown fuse or faulty wiring. It is two of the tenants who have opened a portal to hell in the basement of the building. PORTAL TO HELL Screening Times: Victory: 5:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 5:20pm Friday, June 17 The Present | Animated Short | Misc Block Directed by: Jacob Frey 2015 | USA | 4m Jake spends most of his time playing video games indoors until his mum decides to give him a present. Screening Times: Victory: 5:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 5:20pm Friday, June 17 THE PRESENT The Rainbow Kid | Drama Feature Directed by: Kire Paputts 2015 | USA | 91m Eugene, a young man with Down Syndrome, embarks on the journey of a lifetime: he’s going to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and save the day. Screening Times: Charter Arts: 5:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Charter Arts 5:20pm Thursday, June 16 Right Mind | Drama Short | Drama Block 2 THE RAINBOW KID Directed by: Timothy Marc Hopper 2013 | USA | 9m Teenage drop out keeps his sister out of the ghetto by stealing to pay for her private school. Screening Times: Sinclair: 9:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 3:20pm Saturday, June 18 RIGHT MIND 11 FILM LISTINGS continued Rosso Papavero | Animated Short | Animation Block Directed by: Martin Smatana 2015 | Slovakia | 5m Once upon a starry night, a small boy with the head full of fantasies witnesses dreamlike circus performances. Dazed by endless chain of glittering attractions he realizes that the price for a ticket to the fantastic circus tent is too high and gate between reality and dream is closing. ROSSO PAPAVERO Screening Times: Sinclair: 7:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 7:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 Setting Them Straight | Comedy Short | Comedy Block Directed by: Kaleb McKenna 2015 | Australia | 6m Joshua’s new relationship forces him to reveal to his parents some delicate news about his sexuality. He’s jumping from one side of the fence to the other at the expense of the support of his extremely supportive family. But he has to do it, he’s decided to do it; he has to set them straight. Screening Times: Sinclair: 9:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Sinclair: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 SETTING THEM STRAIGHT Since: The Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 | Feature Documentary Directed by: Phil Furey 2015 | UK/USA | 84m The 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, killed 270 innocent people and began the new age of terrorism. Bound together in tragedy, the victim’s relatives fought for justice, only to watch it unravel for Libyan oil. Screening Times: Victory: 7:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 7:20pm Friday, June 17 SINCE: THE BOMBING OF PAN AM FLIGHT 103 Slash | Comedy Feature Directed by: Clay Liford 2016 | USA | 100m Freshman Neil’s Vanguard stories are all he cares about...until he meets the older Julia, who pushes him to put his own fan fic online. When the website’s moderator takes a special interest in Neil’s work, it opens up a whole new universe. Screening Times: Charter Arts: 9:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Charter Arts: 9:20 Thursday, June 16 SLASH Sleepy Steve | Animated Short | Animation Block Directed by: Meghann Artes 2015 | USA | 4m A fuzzy bachelor has engineered his wacky morning routine with robotic precision. Screening Times: Sinclair: 7:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 7:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 The Soul of a Tree | Documentary Short | Art Doc Block Directed by: Mari Walker SLEEPY STEVE 2016 | USA | 17m World famous woodworker George Nakashima’s path crosses twice with a man in Eden, Idaho named Bill Vaughn: once when George was interned during World War II... and decades later, when Bill picked up the book The Soul of a Tree… Screening Times: Charter Arts: 7:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Charter Arts, 7:20pm Thursday, June 16 THE SOUL OF A TREE 12 continued FILM LISTINGS SouthSide | Documentary Short Directed by: Jennifer Suwak & Steve Abruzzese 2016 | USA | 18m SOUTHSIDE SouthSide is a film about the annual ‘Southside Film Festival’ that takes place in historic Bethlehem, PA. It reveals the teamwork and community pride that go into making the Festival happen every year. The history of the area, its growth and changes, and the incredible community spirit and camaraderie of this spectacular but small city are explored through a look at this notoriously filmmaker-friendly festival. Screening Times: Charter Arts: 8pm Tuesday, June 14 | Charter Arts: 7:20pm Saturday, June 18 Sunflowers | Drama Short | Drama Block 2 Directed by: Quek Shio Chuan 2015 | Malaysia | 34m SUNFLOWERS A struggling makeup artist, Ping who has the ambitious dream to be famous amongst the fashion industry and wanted to go to overseas to be the famous celebrities makeup artist. Despite living in the highly competitive environment, she finally lands a job that is not makeup for the living. With the dilemma she has within, she soon had been enlightened and understand more about the meaning of this new job, funeral make up artist. Screening Times: Sinclair: 9:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 3:20pm Saturday, June 18 T.P. | Animated Short | Animation Block Directed by: Bob Blevins and Bradly Werley 2015 | USA | 10m T.P. A naive roll of toilet paper awakens in a disgusting gas station bathroom, and is horrified to discover what fate has in store for his kind. Inspired by his traumatized but well intentioned companion, he resolves to escape captivity and determine for himself how his destiny will unravel. Screening Times: Sinclair: 7:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 7:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 Taco Terror | Animated Short | Animation Block Directed by: Tyler Rice 2015 | USA | 4m Two dudes watching TV get the munchies for some tacos. It gets weird from there. TACO TERROR Screening Times: Sinclair: 7:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 7:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 The Teacup | Animated Short | Animation Block Directed by: Elif Boyacioglu 2015 | Ireland | 5m Once there was a man who was afraid to go out… Screening Times: Sinclair: 7:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Sinclair: 7:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 9:20pm Friday, June 17 THE TEACUP The Telegram Man | Drama Short | Drama Block 3 Directed by: James Francis Khehtie 2011 | Australia | 14m During the long years of World War II, Australia’s small farming communities paid a terrible price. In the rural towns of New South Wales, one family each week discovered that their son or husband or brother or father would not be coming home. In the throes of such grief, one seldom considers the man who delivers the news. Screening Times: Victory: 9:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Victory: 5:20, Saturday, June 18 THE TELEGRAM MAN 13 FILM LISTINGS continued Time 2 Split | Drama Short | Drama Block 3 Directed by: Fabrice Bracq 2012 | France | 5m A couple, a young child. Life is such that sometimes it is time to separate and live life. Screening Times: Victory: 9:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Victory: 5:20, Saturday, June 18 Tiny Town | Animated Short | Misc Block TIME 2 SPLIT Directed by: Howard Cook 2015 | USA | 9m As the ice-cream man runs his rounds in Tiny Town he is unexpectedly met with a giant magic 8 ball. Upon further investigation of its prophetic message, he narrowly escapes a disastrous train collision. When a giant doll emerges through the wreckage, the ice-cream man tries to flee the town. When all escape routes are destroyed, he returns to his ice-cream truck, transforming into a massive robot to defeat the massive doll. Will the ice-cream man be able save his town? Screening Times: Victory: 5:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 5:20pm Friday, June 17 TINY TOWN Tower | Documentary Feature Directed by: Keith Maitland 2016 | USA | 96m Nearly fifty years ago, a gunman rode the elevator to the twenty-seventh floor of the University of Texas Tower and opened fire. Tower, an animated and action-packed documentary, shares the untold story of that day – when the worst in one man brought out the best in so many others. Screening Times: Charter Arts: 7:20pm Saturday, June 18 TOWER Trucker | Drama Short | Drama Block 3 Directed by: Timothy Marc Hopper 2014 | USA | 2m A trucker fantasizes about being a dancer while smoking a cigarette and maintaining his machismo. Screening Times: Victory: 9:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Victory: 5:20, Saturday, June 18 Walt Disney’s Taxi Driver | Experimental Short | Misc Block Directed by: Bryan Boyce TRUCKER 2011 | USA | 5m Walt Disney’s re-imagineering of Martin Scorsese’s classic film “Taxi Driver” follows Mickey Mouse-obsessed Travis Bickle as he looks for love in a rapidly transforming New York City. Screening Times: Victory: 5:20pm Thursday, June 16 | Victory: 5:20pm Friday, June 17 We Sit. We Drink. No Guns. | Drama Short | Drama Block 3 Directed by: Nicci Thompson and Matt Hielsberg 2015 | USA | 13m WALT DISNEY’S TAXI DRIVER As hope begins to fade in a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, two companions are struggling to survive when they discover the last remaining bottle of Whiskey on Earth. Screening Times: Victory: 9:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Victory: 5:20, Saturday, June 18 WE SIT. WE DRINK. NO GUNS. 14 continued FILM LISTINGS Where They Wander | Drama Short | Drama Block 3 Directed by: Bobbie Koek 2015 | Netherlands | 22m Melle returns to his native religious village for the funeral of his childhood friend Lucas, whose suicide has been ignored by the community. While Melle struggles with himself, his family and the death of Lucas, he is forced by his other childhood friend Oscar to face his own fear of life and death. WHERE THEY WANDER Screening Times: Victory: 9:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Victory: 5:20, Saturday, June 18 Young Bull | Drama Short | Drama Block 3 Directed by: Nathaniel Lezra 2015 | USA | 15m JJ, a recovering drug addict, approaches his family members and friends looking to rebuild each broken relationship. But, always weighed down by personal baggage and a drug debt owed to a local gang, JJ is willing to go to any length to avoid accepting the consequences of his actions, or coming to terms with his flaws. YOUNG BULL Screening Times: Victory: 9:20pm Wednesday, June 15 | Victory: 5:20, Saturday, June 18 15 FILMMAKERS Abruzzese, Steve | SouthSide Steve Abruzzese is a dog-loving local filmmaker from Bangor, Pennsylvania that focuses primarily on documentary style of filmmaking. He is working with Jen Suwak on several new documentaries and animations that they hope to release by the end of the year. Check them out at roamingdingoproductions.com for new productions. Adair, Kristin | malefemale Kristin Adair is a Washington, DC-based documentary photographer and filmmaker. She believes deeply in the power of visual stories to inform and educate but also to encourage dialogue, promote connections within and among communities, and inspire social change. Drawing on a career in non-profit advocacy, Kristin comes to her current path as a multimedia storyteller with a passion for social justice advocacy through visual media and community-based social practice art. Kristin is currently completing a graduate degree in New Media Photojournalism at the Corcoran School of the Arts at the George Washington University in Washington, DC. Her first short film, Learning to Be Fearless, was featured in two international film festivals in 2015. STEVE ABRUZZESE Adar, Deena and Collins, Kai | How to Survive a Breakup KRISTIN ADAIR Partners Deena Adar and Kai Collins met in an improv class at The Groundlings in 2007. They were quickly drawn together by a shared appreciation for smart humor, funny voices, and guacamole. They parlayed their comedy backgrounds and viral success into creating awardwinning commercials for companies like Miracle Whip, PepsiCo, Aquafina, and Warner Brothers. Their ad for TMZ was nationally syndicated for over two years. They’d also managed to score dream gigsgetting paid to watch movies!as regular contributors to The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV. Eager to delve back into characters and dialogue, Collins and Adar wrote, produced, and directed their first TV pilot in 2012. thirty*ish* made its world premiere as an Official Selection of the New Filmmakers LA Film Festival in March 2013. It went on to win Best TV Pilot at the 2013 Mexico International Film Festival. Prior to joining forces as a writing/producing team, Adar and Collins got fancy degrees at UC Berkeley and Williams College respectively. They’ve also trained and performed at The Groundlings, Improv Olympic, The Second City, The Comedy Store, The Improv, The Icehouse, and American Conservatory Theatre, Their many years of independent producing have given them a true appreciation for the effort and craft of everyone on set. They’ve also become rather adept at bribing gardeners. DEENA ADAR KAI COLLINS Armer, Saralyn | Pant Suits Originally from upstate New York, Saralyn Armer found love for the West Coast when she moved to Los Angeles in 2006. Since landing in LA, Saralyn has worked on award-winning films Good Dick, Timer, and The Perfect Family. She has also worked along side Bryce Dallas Howard on such projects as the Canon-sponsored campaign Project Imagin8ion When You Find Me, Lifetime’s Call Me Crazy, Lucy, and the Canon-sponsored film Solemates. SARALYN ARMER Artes, Meghann | Sleepy Steve Meghann Arts is an award-winning filmmaker and animator who has worked with Sesame Street, Dreamworks, Nickelodeonm Bix Pix, Nick Jr., NBC, and ABC. Her short films have enjoyed success in festivals across the country and, in 2009, her work for Sesame Street was awarded both an Emmy and a Peabody. Meghann’s whimsical subject matter as well as her use of color and texture draw in audiences of all ages. Meghann holds an MFA from the Animation Workshop at UCLA and is currently an independent filmmaker and an assistant professor at DePaul University in Chicago. MEGHANN ARTES 16 continued FILMMAKERS Aumiller, Denis | The Ballad of the Dreadnought DENIS AUMILLER Denis Aumiller is Partner and Creative Director of Lehigh Mining & Navigation, a creative group based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Denis is passionate about finding the big idea, refining it and bringing it to life on paper or on screen. He’s known as a tireless prodder of talent – always pushing for better, smarter and more creative solutions. Denis has worn many hats during his 3 decades of experience: director, designer, art director, creative director and managing partner. He’s held senior creative positions at the region’s top agencies before starting Lehigh Mining & Navigation in 2004. Although he’s directed many commercial shorts, this is his first experience as a director of a film documentary. C.F. Martin & Co. and Lehigh Mining & Navigation spent two years developing this film about the iconic, dreadnought guitar. The Ballad of the Dreadnought has won six awards and distinctions from various film festivals and has been viewed over 25,000 times online since it was released in May 2016. Averbook, Carey | malefemale CAREY AVERBOOK Carey Averbook is a documentary photographer and multimedia producer who focuses on social and environmental issues in the Americas. Her practice is heavily influenced by anthropology, which she studied at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as an undergraduate. She splits her time between Bolivia and the D.C. area, where she is currently pursuing an M.A. in New Media Photojournalism at The George Washington University’s Corcoran School of the Arts. Bender, Aimee | Out of Sight Aimme Bender discovered the project in college. She began working with the team in 2012 and filled the position of co-director in 2014. Aimee has battled mental illness all through her teen years and still works on maintaining and improving her condition. As someone who can relate to struggling teens, she hopes to find a way to both educate parents and their children about mental health awareness. AIMEE BENDER Berman, Ben | How to Lose Weight in 4 Easy Steps Ben has worked primarily in comedy television. He’s worked closely with Tim & Eric, H. Jon Benjamin, Zach Galifianakis, Scott Aukerman, and Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy (Willl Oldham). Ben got his start as an editor on the adult swim show Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job. Ben went on to direct the pilots and the series of Jon Benjamin Has a Van (Comedy Central) and Comedy Bang! Bang! (IFC). How To Lose Weight in 4 Easy Steps is Ben’s second appearance at Sundance, his first being the short film I’m a Mitzvah, which was a 2014 Sundance Selection. Blevins, Bob | T.P. BEN BERMAN Bob Blevins is a writer, animator, and filmmaker from Chicago, Illinois. Having completed his 2009 student film Life on the Rocks at a local community college, Bob journeyed to San Francisco to study animation at the Academy of Art University. He dropped out after two semesters. After leaving school Bob met a fellow artist and dreamer named Bradly Weley at an animation networking event, and in 2010 they began collaborating on their first film T.P. Since then Bob has done his part to complete T.P. while also working as an animator for clients like Amazon Studios and Cartoon Network. Boyacioglu, Elif | The Teacup BOB BLEVINS Elif Boyacioglu (1982) has received her BA in Communication and Design, and MA and Ph.D. in European History from the Bilkent University, Ankara in 2003, 2007 and 2015, respectively. She has been a team member of the Festival on Wheels since 2001 and worked at the Turkish Films Stand during the Berlin and Cannes Film Festivals since 2010. She has completed her BA in Animation at the Irish School of Animation, BCFE, Dublin, May 2015. ELIF BOYACIOGLU 17 FILMMAKERS continued Boyce, Brian | Decomposition No. 1, Walt Disney’s Taxi Driver Bay Area artist Bryan Boyce works primarily with video, sound and still photography. Many of his projects reduce, recycle and re-use footage from a wide spectrum of sources to create hybrid critiques of politics and pop culture. Other projects consider the intersection of mental and physical landscapes. His award winning work has been screened in venues around the world including Ann Arbor Film Festival, Jakarta Video Art Festival, International Film Festival Rotterdam, Other Cinema, Pacific Film Archive and Sundance Film Festival. BRIAN BOYCE Bracq, Fabrice | Dad in Mum, Diagnostic, and Time 2 Split Fabrice Bracq started out filming “making of documentaries” for feature films. Then he went onto work for the ECPAD (The cinema organization for French Army) where he made a variety of films, for museums, for Ministry of Defense and for TV. During that time he also directed short films and documentaries. In 2012, he filmed Love Birds, a drama set in the near future. Then came the short films Split time and Time 2 Split which have now been officially selected in over 180 international festivals and have won several awards. These were followed by the comedy’s shorts Diagnosis and Dad in Mum selected by 80 and 95 international festivals respectively and the recipients of several audience awards. FABRICE BRACQ SAMANTHA BUCK Buck, Samantha | The Mink Catcher Samantha is an award-winning director, screenwriter and actor. She directed the Peabody Award winning documentary Best Kept Secret. Her directorial debut 21 Below earned critical acclaim and was broadcast on Channel 4. With her writing partner Marie Schlingmann, she is currently developing feature narrative projects as part of Sunfishing Films. As an actor, Samantha can next be seen in Martin Scorsese’s HBO series Vinyl as well as TNT’s Public Morals. Other television credits include Stella, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Big Apple, and Boardwalk Empire. She teaches documentary filmmaking and is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. She is currently completing her MFA in Directing at Columbia University’s School of the Arts. Byrne, Robert | Lunch Time After starting and selling a software development business, I’m getting back into filmmaking. Caldinelli, Vivieno | Portal to Hell ROBERT BYRNE A graduate from the Canadian Film Centre, Vivienne is a CSA and Gemini Award-winning writer/ director/producer. His films have been invited to festivals around the world including Berlin and TIFF. This summer Vivieno was at the helm of two films, the award-winning horror-comedy Portal to Hell starring Roddy Piper, which had its premiere at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, and a feature film, Go Jump in the Pool. Vivieno is currently wrapping up on his role as director/ executive producer on a new sketch comedy pilot, Humantown. Ceylan, Ares | Frail The young director Ares Ceylan won the Basel Film Prize and various audience awards for his short film Beware of Children and the 2. Jury Prize at Judgendfilmtage 2013. His principle of operation features detailed dramaturgy and precise observed character-painting. He understands to capture the audience’s imagination and to surprise us all in the end. VIVIENO CALDINELLI ARES CEYLAN 18 continued FILMMAKERS Chambers, Andrew | The Detectives of Noir Town ANDREW CHAMBERS Andrew (Sydney, Australia) has been a long-time fan of the making of movies nearly as much as watching them. Andrew attended filmmaking courses at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) and AFTRS Melbourne to round out his skill set. This gave him the confidence to write, produce and direct a full season of the television series 25 Frames (a movie review and comedy sketch show) for ‘TVS’ a community TV station in Australia. Several short films later, Andrew wrote, produced and directed his stand-out comedy short My Thoughts Exactly. In 2015 he wrote and directed a puppet short film titled The Detectives of Noir Town which he self funded. Andrew is currently developing the concept of The Detectives of Noir Town into a television series, which he will also direct. Cunningham, James | Accidents, Blunders, and Calamities JAMES CUNNINGHAM James Cunningham (born 1973) is a New Zealand film director and animator. He has directed ten award winning short films. He is based in Auckland, New Zealand. James is a Senior Lecturer at Media Design School, the premier Animation and Visual Effects new media school in New Zealand, where he produces and directs short films with his students. Prior to that he was Head of 3D at Digital Post working on Visual Effects for local and international TV Commercials, and he was a technical director on The Lord of the Rings at Weta Digital. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in photography and a Master of Fine Arts in digital animation from Elam School of Fine Arts (Auckland, NZ). D’arcy, Joe | I Am a Pencil JOE D’ARCY Joe D’Arcy is a Writer/Director of film and a Gestalt Psychotherapist. Joe runs a small digital film Production company (joedarcyFILMS) as well as a Psychotherapy Practice on the Gold Coast Qld, Australia. As a filmmaker and a therapist, Joe works with people in relationship at their most vulnerable moments whilst they risk to be more of themselves. As a film maker, Joe writes and directs films that are uplifting, entertaining and full of unexpected moments & humour. The characters in his films are often profoundly ordinary people surviving through extraordinary circumstances. Dorer, Jeff | Cat Killer Jeff Dorer is a graduate of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. He lives and works in Los Angeles. Digital Animation Center, University of Colorado Denver | Tiny Town JEFF DORER Created by the class of 2015 at the prestigious University of Colorado Denver’s Digital Animation Center The Digital Animation Center engages its students in a rigorous production-based threesemester/22-month capstone studio class series in which they are required to produce a highproduction value animated short film. This year’s result is I Need My Monster. For more information go to cu3d.org. Evans, Justin | Apprentice of the Year DIGITAL ANIMATION CENTER Justin found fulfillment in entertaining others with his stories at an early age and has had a deep passion for storytelling ever since. Justin was lucky enough to secure a place at R.M.I.T’s Advanced Diploma of Screenwriting for Film and TV which he studied full time for two years. Since then he has written and directed four short films that have been screened at international film festivals. Justin is currently working as a freelance Screenwriter/Director as well as developing two feature length screenplays and one short film to be produced in 2016. He brings passion and energy to every project he embarks on and couldn’t work any other way. JUSTIN EVANS 19 FILMMAKERS continued Finelli, Adrianne | Decomposition No. 1 Adrianne Finelli was born and raised in Bethlehem, PA. She works in film, video, installation, performance and printmaking. Her work has been on view in galleries and theaters across the U.S. and abroad. She has lectured in film and media arts at universities, conferences and museums. She has screened several works at SSFF and is proud to be back in her hometown to premiere her first collaboration with her partner, Bryan Boyce. She currently lives and works in the Bay Area. ADRIANNE FINELLI JACOB FREY Frey, Jacob | The Present Jacob Frey graduated from the Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg in Animation in 2014. During his studies he decided early on to specialize in character animation and directing. He helped animating on a broad variety of projects at the Filmakademie. In addition he also directed four shorts himself, inter alia BOB which was running on over 250 festivals worldwide. In 2011, Jacob took one year of from university, to gain international experience and worked as an animator for Psyop in Los Angeles. Coming back to Germany he started working on his final thesis script and animated on the Oscar nominated short Room on the Broom at Studio Soi. After that he fully concentrated on creating his final project The Present at the Filmakademie, which he finished in early 2014. Furey, Phil | Since: The Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 Phil Furey is a Los Angeles-based television news producer and reporter for the Reuters news agency, as well as a film score composer and vocalist. Since: The Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 is his first documentary feature film. Gautraud, Douglas | My Mom’s Motorcycle PHIL FUREY I am one of ten children; two girls and eight boys. My brothers and I spent most of our childhoods caught in the world of great cinema such as Indiana Jones and Back To The Future. My brothers and I gleaned as much as we could from the movies we were watching; which included lots of Alfred Hitchcock. We used what we learned to start making movies as kids. We ended up winning a national competition when I was eleven and it earned us a trip to Lego Land. This passion has stuck with me and at twenty-two years old it led me to win another national competition with a clothing company called Jack Wills. After winning this competition I decided to produce videos full time. Gordon, Sasha | It Had to Be You DOUGLAS GAUTRAUD Sasha Gordon is an award-winning filmmaker and composer. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, Sasha immigrated to the US in 1989. Sasha has scored over 50 features and shorts (among them the Oscar-winning God Of Love); directed several award-winning shorts (including Manhattan Melody, which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival and went on to play all over the world); and is thrilled to have just completed her debut feature, It Had To Be You, a subversive romantic comedy starring Cristin Milioti and Dan Soder. Sasha is currently scoring Amazon’s Gortimer Gibbon’s Life On Normal Street while writing her second feature. Harsányi, Hajnalka | Hobart Hajnalka Harsányi was born in Miskolc in 1987. She studied at the Hungarian University of Fine Arts as a graphic designer, got her degree in 2012. Hobart is her debut animated short film. SASHA GORDON HAJNALKA HARSÁNY 20 continued FILMMAKERS Hamou-Lhadj, Lou and Coats, Andrew | Borrowed Time LOU HAMOU-LHADJ ANDREW COATS Born in Peru of Colombian and Scottish parents, Andrew grew up around the world before settling in the US at the age of 16. Meanwhile, Lou’s childhood took root in the culturally rich suburbs of exotic southern New Jersey. Despite their different upbringings, their shared passions for fine arts and film led both to study film at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. It was here that they first met, and learned they could combine those passions into the most rewarding of art forms: animation. Kindred spirits in their love for bringing things to life one frame at a time, they both worked on each others shorts during school, and vowed to someday make a film together when the time was right. Lou enjoyed the next 8 years at Pixar as a Character Artist on films like WALL•E and Toy Story 3. Andrew then joined Pixar in 2010 where he has animated films like Brave and Inside Out. Reuniting at Pixar rekindled the pair to create something together. During their spare time over the past 5 years they have been learning, growing, failing, picking each other up, and ultimately crafting their directorial debut, Borrowed Time. Hielsberg, Matt | We Sit. We Drink. No Guns. MATT HIELSBERG Matt is a freelance writer and director who earned a BA in Film Studies and Creative Writing from St. Cloud State University and went on to attend the New York Film Academy where he earned a MFA in directing. His film, We Sit. We Drink. No Guns. has screened at Cannes. Holmes, Christopher | Lost Colony CHRISTOPHER HOLMES Christopher Holmes is an award-winning filmmaker and recent recipient of the North Carolina Arts Council’s $10,000 Individual Artist Fellowship in Film and Video (2010-2011). His films have been featured in more than 50 festivals around the world, including the Milano Film Festival, Slamdance, SF Indie, Cinequest, Sidewalk, the Maryland Film Festival, Wisconsin Film Festival, and IFF Boston, among several others. Christopher has served in the past as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Broadcasting and Cinema at UNC-Greensboro, and his ethnographic documentary work with The Unheard Voices Project has been featured on dozens of PBS stations nationwide. Christopher currently serves as Program Coordinator for the RiverRun International Film Festival, where he has worked since 2009. Hopper, Timothy Marc | Right Mind and Trucker TIMOTHY MARC HOPPER Timothy Marc Hopper creates films, media art, and writes. His films demonstrate how life extends beyond its own subjective limits and often tells a story by taking daily life as subject matter while commenting on the everyday aesthetic of middle-class values, he tries to increase the dynamic between audience and author by objectifying emotions and investigating the duality that develops through different interpretations. Timothy Marc Hopper currently lives and works in Los Angeles CA, alum of the California Institute of the Arts, and a former Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. Hutelmyer, John | Adventures of a Secret Kidd: The Mass Hallucination of Kenn Kweder JOHN HUTELMYER John Hutelmyer is a Temple University Film and Media Arts alum. He is an avid music fan who has worked with many of his favorite artists over the years. He first met Kenn Kweder, the subject of his first feature film, when he was a freshman in college and Kenn was in his late 50s, playing music at a bar across the street from John’s dorm. From that night on, John knew he wanted to make a movie on Kenn’s life. He could not have made the film without the help of his right hand man, Rob Nicolaides. Johnson, Danielle | Eggventure Danielle Johnson grew up in a small farming town in Pennsylvania and received her undergraduate degree from PSU in music. Having studied music for 15 years, Danielle had decided that she wanted to try something new. She had always had love for the Arts and Animation. After some research in 2011 Danielle was accepted into the Academy of Art University where she studied 2D Animation. In May 2015 she received her MFA in Visual Effects and Animation and plans to continue to educate herself in the Arts and Animation field. DANIELLE JOHNSON 21 2016 SSFF FILM LISTING GENERAL INFORMATION: Start times are exact!!! There are no previews. Latecomers must wait to be appropriately seated. Arrive early! PRICING: $5 PER FILM BLOCK AT VICTORY & SINCLAIR VENUES; $10 FOR FILMS AT CHARTER ARTS(including late nite on Friday). TUESDAY, June 14, 2016 OPENING NIGHT! • 6-7:30pm: Opening Nite Party at Color Me Mine (25 East Third Street) • 7:30–8pm: PROCESSION to Charter Arts for the opening film screening. OPENING NIGHT FILMS: 8PM at Charter Arts SouthSide* (18m) + Growing Up Smith* (fka Good Ol’ Boy) (102m) Admission: $10 (includes film + opening nite party) VENUE: Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Performing Arts (Charter Arts) 321 E. Third St. Sinclair Lab Auditorium 7 Asa Drive, Lehigh University (between Webster and Adams Sts.) Victory Firehouse 205 Webster St. (corner of Webster & Columbia) 5:20pm to 6:50pm 5:20pm to 6:50pm 5:20pm to 6:50pm • Rainbow Kid (91m) • Drama Block* 1 (82m 34s) •Adventures of a Secret Kid: The Mass Hallucination of Kenn Kweder* (107m) WEDNESDAY, June 15, 2016 Block 1 Block 2 7:20pm to 9pm 7:20pm to 9pm 7:20pm to 9pm • Art Doc Block* (69m) • Animation Block (90m 24s) Block 3 9:20pm to 10:55pm 9:20 to 10:55pm • Slash (110m) • Doc Block 1* (77m) 9:20pm to 10:55pm • Drama Block 2* (86m 35s) • Drama Block 3* (96m 33s) 5:20pm to 6:50pm 5:20pm to 6:50pm THURSDAY, June 16, 2016 Block 1 5:20pm to 6:50pm • Rainbow Kid (91m) • Echo Lake (86m) Block 2 7:20pm to 9pm 7:20pm to 9pm • Art Doc Block* (69m) •Misc Block* (99m 28s) 7:20pm to 9pm* • Animation Block (90m 24s) Block 3 9:20pm to 10:55pm 9:20 to 10:55pm • Slash (110m) • Comedy Block (82m 50s) •Since: The Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 (84m) 9:20pm to 11.15pm • Lost Colony* (84m) FRIDAY, June 17, 2016 Block 1 5:20pm to 6:50pm 5:20pm to 6:50pm • Lost Colony* (84m) • Echo Lake (86m) Block 2 7:20pm to 9pm 7:20pm to 9pm • Growing Up Smith (102m) 5:20pm to 6:50pm •Misc Block* (99m 28s) 7:20pm to 9pm • Opposite Field (100m) •Since: The Bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 (84m) Block 3 9:20pm to 10:55pm* 9:20pm to 10:55pm 9:20pm to 10:55pm • It Had to be You (85m) • Comedy Block (71m 50s) • Animation Block (90m 24s) Late Nite 11pm to 1am ($10) No Screening Scheduled No Screening Scheduled • K-Shop (112m) VENUE: Charter Arts 321 E. Third St. Sinclair Lab Auditorium 7 Asa Drive, Lehigh University Victory Firehouse 205 Webster St. & Columbia 1:20pm to 3pm 1:20pm to 3pm SATURDAY, June 18, 2016 Block 1 1:20pm to 3pm • Adventures of a Secret Kid: The Mass • Drama Block 1* (82m 36s) Hallucination of Kenn Kweder* (107m) Block 2 3:20pm to 5pm 3:20pm to 5pm Block 3 Block 4 9pm–12 • Animation Workshop Video Premiere. FREE 3:20pm to 5pm • It Had to be You (85m) • Drama Block 2* (86m 35s) • Doc Block 1* (82m 34s) 5:20pm to 6:50pm 5:20pm to 6:50pm 5:20pm to 6:50pm* • K-Shop (112m) • Opposite Field* (100m) •Drama Block 3* (96m 33s) 7:20pm to 9pm 7:20pm to 9pm 7:20pm to 9pm • SouthSide* (18m) • Tower (110m) • No Screening Scheduled • No Screening Scheduled CLOSING NIGHT PARTY AT 26 E. THIRD STREET Free for Festival Lanyard Pass holders, Volunteers & Filmmakers. Otherwise, admission is $10 (food + cash bar). *Of Note: A 5-15 minute Q&A may follow each screening with visiting filmmakers. (*) indicates filmmaker and or crew attending the Festival. VDA Advisory: Defining “objectionable” material is a highly individual thing. We recommend that, if you are concerned about content, you read through the synopses of the films you are considering attending. We will try our best to post appropriate warnings; however, we can make no guarantees. SHORT FILM BLOCKS Drama Block 1* (TRT 82m 34s) Documentary Block 1* (TRT 77m) Miscellaneous Block* (TRT 99m 28s) Alibi* (22m) Breathe (7m) Bunny (15m) Canary (11m 14s) Fatum (21m 45s) American Girl* (13m 35s) malefemale (9m) Out of Sight* (68m) Walt Disney’s Taxi Driver* (4m 31s) Portal to Hell (12m 20s) The Mobile Stripper (14m 11s) The Life of Death (5m) The Loneliest Stoplight (6m 17s) Denali (7m 46s) The Present (4m 18s) Tiny Town (9m) Coffin Cruisin (15m 46s) My Mom’s Motorcycle (6m 19s) One, if by Land* (14m) Art Documentary Block* (TRT 69m) Made You Look (14m) Ballad of the Dreadnought* (38m) The Soul of a Tree (17m) Drama Block 2* (TRT 86m 35s) Dive (13m 11s) Frail* (18m 36s) Goodnight Sweetheart (11m 48s) Right Mind* (9m) Sunflowers (34m) Drama Block 3* (TRT 96m 33s) Decomposition No 1* (2m 53s) The End of Blessings (10m) The Mink Catcher (12m 30s) The Telegram Man (14m) Time 2 Split (4m 38s) Trucker* (2m) We Sit. We Drink. No Guns* (13m 19s) Where they Wander (22m) Young Bull (15m) Comedy Block (TRT 82m 50s) Added (7m 45s) Apprentice of the Year (8m) Dad in Mum (6m 10s) Diagnostic (8m 17s) How to Lose Weight in 4 Easy Steps (7m 3s) How to Survive a Breakup (11m 46s) The King and I* (11m) Lunch Time (5m) Opt Out (2m 38s) Pant Suits (9m 14s) Setting Them Straight (5m57s) Animation Block (TRT 90m 24s) Accidents, Blunders, and Calamities (5m 18s) Alex & Sylvia (9m 28s) Borrowed Time (7m) Cat Killer (9m 50s) Daisy Chain (5m 41s) Detectives of Noir Town (7m) Eggventure (3m) Hobart (9m 15s) Je suis un Crayon (I Am a Pencil) (5m 38s) Rosso Papavero (5m) Sleepy Steve (4m 2s) TP (10m 3s) Taco Terror (4m) Teacup (5m 9s) FILMMAKERS continued Khehtie, James Francis | The Telegram Man JAMES FRANCIS KHEHTIE James Francis Khehtie has directed and produced several short films. He has also worked on a number of feature films, including Bruce Beresford’s Mao’s Last Dancer, Little Fish with Academy Awards® winner Cate Blanchett and Last Life in the Universe with Cannes-winning cinematographer Christopher Doyle HKSC. James is committed to directing his first feature film in the near future and sees the epic nature of his latest directorial piece The Telegram Man as a natural progression to that end. The Telegram Man has been adapted from a short story by John Boyne, the award-winning author of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, who has given his full support for the film and serves as Executive Producer. Knight, Ben | Denali BEN KNIGHT Travis and I started Felt Soul Media in 2005 — a pretty scary plunge into self-employment, but a choice we’ve never questioned. Tremendously influenced by a festival called Mountainfilm, we dreamed of telling stories that actually made you feel something. For lack of a better word, we wanted to make films that didn’t suck. After a decade of trial and error, we’re aware of our strengths, and acutely aware of our weaknesses. I think if someone asked me what we’re best at, I’d tell them we’re state champions at not taking ourselves too seriously. I think that somehow relates to our knack for transforming an obscure subject into something relatable and engaging. Koek, Bobbie | Where They Wander No biography on file Lachel, Christian | Alex & Sylvia BOBBIE KOEK Christian is an accomplished creative director and storyteller who brings creativity, leadership, design expertise, business acumen and strategic direction to BRC Imagination Arts – the company that conceives, designs and makes emotionally evocative brand destinations and cultural attractions that audiences love. Christian also spearheaded BRC Imagination Arts’ strategic and creative development for popular cultural destinations including The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, The Henry Ford, and The Museum of Liverpool. Christian is a graduate of the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA. His life and work have been further enriched by his leadership experience with the United States Navy and Special Warfare BUD/SEAL training. Lederman, Joshua | The King and I CHRISTIAN LACHEL Originally from Yonkers, NY, Joshua is a graduate of Freedom High School and Penn State University. After slogging around in the Los Angeles stand-up comedy scene for a while, he moved back east to give this filmmaking thing a shot. He currently splits his time between the Lehigh Valley and NYC, and has been the runner-up to People magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive” for the past three years ina-row. Ledwith, David | Added David Ledwith is a filmmaker and student based out of San Diego, California. As he completes his final semester at San Diego State he will be cataloging his experiences and providing samples of his past and present work. He will be doing this in order to hopefully catch the attention of future employers or at least impress some of his parent’s friends. JOSHUA LEDERMAN DAVID LEDWITH 24 continued FILMMAKERS Lezra, Nathaniel | Young Bull NATHANIEL LEZRA Nathaniel Lezra began making amateur films with his parents’ camcorder as a child in the midwest. His love for more serious filmmaking came with his family’s move to New York City at the age of fifteen, where he found himself immersed in the vibrancy and rhythms of urban life – this would influence him in his later film and written works. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Filmmaking from Emerson College, and attended New York University as a visiting student for a year, where he studied Sociology, Writing, and Film Production. In the past three years, Nathaniel has written and directed two critically acclaimed short films, both of which have screened in competition at major international film festivals. He currently works and lives in Los Angeles. Liford, Clay | Slash Clay Liford has written and directed three features, including Wuss (SXSW 2011, AFI 2011 Audience Award Winner) and Earthling (SXSW 2010). His comedy short, My Mom Smokes Weed, has played over forty festivals, including the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. As a DP, Clay has shot 20 features, including the award winning films St. Nick and Gayby. Lotito, Frank | Growing Up Smith (fka Good Ol’ Boy CLAY LIFORD FRANK LOTITO Originally an actor/comedian from Melbourne, Australia. Frank has kept busy on both sides of the camera acting, writing and producing for over 15 years. In 2007 he worked closely with Ian Thorpe producing a 2-hour documentary on the environment, titled Fish out of water. Since then Frank has gone on to produce The Phone hosted my Justin Melvey for Fox 8. Stefano’s Cooking Paradiso, An 8 part cooking series for Lifestyle Food, which was nominated for a TV Logy award and Vancouver Dreams a two hour special on the 2010 Winter Games. Frank has also produced feature films, including Big Mamma’s Boy, which he wrote and starred in, The Lookalike, starring Justin Long and Jerry O’Connell and Good Ol’ Boy, starring Jason Lee, which is also Frank’s directorial debut. Mahaney, Kyle | Out of Sight Kyle Mahaney is a photographer and filmmaker from the Pocono Mountains. He serves as Director and Producer of the film, in addition to working in numerous production and post-production roles. Growing up in a homeschooled environment, Kyle has recently graduated from DeSales University with a B. A. in Film Production. He works as a post-production technician while continuing photography of live music. Maitland, Keith | Tower KYLE MAHANEY Keith Maitland was drawn to the story of the Texas Tower shooting when he first heard about the shooting from an eye-witness -- his 7th grade history teacher. A graduate of the University of Texas, Keith began researching for Tower after the 40th anniversary of the shooting in 2006 and began production in 2012. Keith Maitland is the director of the ITVS-funded, Emmy-nominated, The Eyes of Me, a year-in-the-life of four blind teens. Eyes broadcast on PBS’s Independent Lens and was honored with a Barbara Jordan Media Award by the State of Texas. Director of documentary features, commercials, and TV series, his credits also include 7 seasons with NBC’s Law & Order as an AD. Keith is a graduate of the Director’s Guild of America Trainee Program and the PBS Producer’s Academy. McKenna, Kaleb | Setting Them Straight KEITH MAITLAND Kaleb McKenna is a Perth based writer director who holds a Masters degree in Screen Production from Curtin University. During his time at Curtin, Kaleb wrote and directed the short film Dinner Date which won best film at both the National and Western Australian Campus Film Festivals. The following year he and writing partner, Kristian Barron, wrote the Screen Australia funded web series Four Quarters. In 2015, his short film Setting Them Straight had its world premiere at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. This year he will write and direct the short film I Said Nothing which has been funded by ScreenWest under the Elevate30 initiative. KALEB MCKENNA 25 FILMMAKERS continued McVeigh-Schultz, Jody | Echo Lake Jody grew up near Philadelphia and attended USC for film production. In the past, he has worked in film and TV as an editor on everything from breakout reality hit Duck Dynasty to social justice documentaries to horror films, most recently editing Comedy Central’s Drunk History. Echo Lake is his directorial debut, self-funded and shot on trails he hiked as a child. Minor, Jessie | Out of Sight JODY MCVEIGHSCHULTZ Jessie Minor is a college student with interests in technical theatre and communications. After hearing the concept for this film, it struck home and she joined the early production planning. She’s always wanted to make a difference for those around her and hopes this film will serve as that opportunity. Jessie left the project in 2014 to pursue a career in the military. Murga, Rebecca | American Girl JESSIE MINOR Rebecca Murga is an award-winning filmmaker who works in Los Angeles as a writer and director. She produces and directs short films, commercials, and digital series in both English and Spanish and her work has been featured on Mundo Fox, ABC, CBS, and AFN. Currently serving as a Captain and Public Affairs Officer in the US Army Reserve, Rebecca has deployed to Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan. She is a 2014 recipient of the U.S. Army Keith L. Ware Award for excellence in broadcast journalism. A native of Chicago, Illinois (Go Bears!) Rebecca earned a BS in Electronic Media from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. Onderstijn, Marsha | The Life of Death REBECCA MURGA Marsha Onderstijn graduated in 2012 as a Bachelor of Design in Animation at the St. Joost Academy of Art and Design with her graduation film The Life of Death. Ever since she has worked as a freelance animator and storyboard artist, working on various commissioned and independent projects. In 2014 she co-directed and animated the short film Blue Moon and in 2015 she worked as a senior animator on the animated feature Woezel en Pip: Op zoek naar de Sloddervos!. Ouarrak, Youssef | Breathe MARSHA ONDERSTIJN Born in northern Europe and raised with Scandinavian values, award-winning director Youssef Ouarrak ended up living in four different continents in only 32 years. He started his Marketing career after completing his Business studies in Madrid, Spain. He got bored real quick and needed an immediate change. His dream took off in San Francisco when he attended the Academy of Art University. Breathe was his big short film that made its mark in the world. The award-winning short film that world premiered at the Oscar-Qualifying festival, Rhode Island International Film Festival and took home the Grand Prize for Best Editing was his first big step. He went on to win another award for Best Director and got seven selections so far. Paputts, Kire | The Rainbow Kid YOUSSEF OUARRAK Kire Paputts is an award winning Toronto producer/director who has experience in an array of film/ video industry roles. A Ryerson University Film Program graduate, he currently works in both the creative and corporate side of the industry. His latest feature film The Rainbow Kid, had its world premiere at TIFF 2015. His shorts have played around the world at such prestigious film festivals as TIFF, SXSW, VIFF, and The Edinburgh International Film Festival. His company Made By Other People was started in 2014 and is a boutique film production company that strives to create high quality and thought provoking entertainment no matter the scope of project or size of budget. KIRE PAPUTTS 26 continued FILMMAKERS Peniston-Bird, Bec | Goodnight Sweetheart Bec’s last short film, Summer Suit, made its European premiere at the 63rd Berlin International Film Festival. It has competed in more than 20 international film festivals. It was awarded Best Film at Sydney Mardis Gras Film Festival and has screened on Australian television. Goodnight Sweetheart is her first project to be funded by Screen Australia. Bec has made a number of documentaries on artists such as Nick Cave, Barry Humphries and iconic New York street artist Keith Haring. She is also the mother of three fantastic boys. BEC PENISTON-BIRD Pietruczuk, Radoslaw | Fatum Radoslaw Pietruczuk was born in 1970 in Białystok, Poland. In 1995 he graduated from Warsaw University of Technology as an engineer in electronics. He used to work as an analyst in petroleum industry, IT manager, and as a sports journalist. His hobby is mountaineering. So far he has climbed the highest mountains in Europe (2006), Africa (2013) and Americas (2015). But filmmaking is his greatest passion and he has fully devoted himself to the cinematic art. From 2011 to 2014 he studied film directing at Warsaw Film Academy and now he is a PhD student at Polish National Film School in Łódź. Plympton, Bill | The Loneliest Stoplight RADOSLAW PIETRUCZUK BILL PLYMPTON Bill Plympton is considered the King of Indie Animation, and is the first person to hand draw an entire animated feature film. Bill moved to New York City in 1968 and began his career creating cartoons for publications such as New York Times, National Lampoon, Playboy and Screw. In 1987, he was nominated for an Oscar® for his animated short Your Face. In 2005, Bill received another Oscar® nomination, this time for his short Guard Dog. Push Comes to Shove won the prestigious Cannes 1991 Palme d’Or; and in 2001, another short film, Eat, won the Grand Prize for Short Films in Cannes Critics’ Week. After producing many shorts that appeared on MTV and Spike and Mike’s, he turned his talent to feature films. Since 1991, he’s made ten feature films. Bill Plympton has also collaborated with Madonna, Kanye West and Weird Al Yankovic in a number of music videos and book projects. In 2006, he received the Winsor McCay Lifetime Achievement Award from The Annie Awards. Pringle, Dan | K-Shop As a writer and director, Dan has created shorts, viral videos and commercials before starting work on his debut feature film K-Shop. As co-owner of White Lantern Film, Dan has produced movies and documentaries including the multi-award winning Drying for Freedom and urban thriller Emulsion. After writing and directing successful award-winning advertising campaigns for brands including GARMIN, MIZUNO, and SONY, Dan makes his feature film writing and directorial debut with K-SHOP which recently received an ‘Honourable Mention’ from Industrial Scripts. His last short film, Ten Notes, debuted at Kinodot and he has benefited from support from Creative England. DAN PRINGLE Ramaswamy, Megha | Bunny Megha Ramaswamy is a screenwriter, director and producer based in Mumbai. Her hybrid short documentary, Newborns premiered at TIFF’14 and was reviewed as the Best Film of Programme Four. It takes a close, discomfiting look at the lives of survivors of acid attack violence. Newborns has since travelled to numerous festivals like Clermont Ferrand, Films de Femmes, Byron Bay, Flicker Fest, Cinequest, Filmmor, and Human Rights Film Festival, Paris. Winning awards and top honours for its powerful storytelling and innovative technique. Megha has also been a beneficiary of the prestigious Chicken & Egg Fund in collaboration with IDF for the film and for her work with the support group Stop Acid Attacks. Rice, John | The End of Blessings MEGHA RAMASWAMY John Rice began his career in feature films working on George Romero’s zombie classic, Dawn of the Dead. As Director and Director of Photography, John’s commercial work has garnered Clio, Addy, Mobius and Art Director’s Club awards. His work as Director of Photography for features and documentaries has been broadcast nationally on PBS and screened at the Sundance Film Festival and numerous other film festivals around the world. John’s recent work as Director of Photography on the documentary film, Ghosts of Amistad, is currently screening in the US. JOHN RICE 27 FILMMAKERS continued Rice, Tyler | Taco Terror Tyler Rice is a Los Angeles based artist and animator. She grew up in the suburbs of Dallas and survived the long summers eating hot pockets and watching cartoons. She is a 3rd year MFA candidate in the UCLA Animation Workshop and currently works at Titmouse Studios. Richardson, Brenton | Coffin Crusin TYLER RICE Brenton Richardson is a filmmaker interested in people who express their creativity and individuality in unusual or unexpected ways. He studied television production at the University of Central Florida before attending the graduate program for documentary film at Wake Forest University. Brenton currently produces multimedia for the University of Florida Foundation and teaches a production class at Santa Fe College in his hometown of Gainesville, Florida. Salma, Noni (Habeeb Lawal) | Alibi BRENTON RICHARDSON Noni Salma Lawal is a transgender writer, filmmaker, and avid film enthusiast whose passion and interest in film was inspired by her growing up experiences in the ever colorful city that is Lagos. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Lagos, Nigeria and majored in Theatre Arts. She subsequently studied filmmaking at the New York Film Academy in New York, majoring in Directing. Noni hopes to use her passion for visual storytelling to ignite the world with complex human events captured in moving images. Saville, Matthew | Dive Actor-director Matthew Saville is of Kiwi and South African ancestry. After studying acting and writing, his play Kikia te Poa won acclaim. Alongside acting roles, Saville created kid’s show Kune’s Kitchen. His directing debut – short film Hitch Hike – thumbed its way to film festivals in Durban and Finland. Surreal man-in-the-mirror follow-up Dive won Best Short at the Show Me Shorts Film Festival, and screened at Telluride in 2014. NONI SALMA MATTHEW SAVILLE Schlingmann, Marie | Canary Marie is a screenwriter and director from Berlin, Germany. She has a background in photography and art history. Her documentary Why We Were So Dangerous was on exhibition at the German Historical Museum as part of their internationally acclaimed Homosexuality_ies exhibition. With her filmmaking partner Samantha Buck, she co-wrote/produced the short The Mink Catcher and co-wrote/directed Canary. They are in development for their first feature film as co-directors. Marie is a graduate of Humboldt University in Berlin and Columbia University’s School of the Arts, and is a and is a recipient of the David Jones Memorial Award for Best Director and the ASCAP Scoring Fellowship (for Canary). Scott Davis, Galvin | Daisy Chain Galvin is the author of the ‘Dandelion’ series and an award-winning Director of one of Australia’s leading creative agencies, Protein. He is also a writer and director for Film and Television represented in the U.S and Australia. His short film Brother won Best Film at the Beverly Hills Film Festival and Los Angeles Silver Lake Film Festival. He is the father of three very creative young boys and splits his time for film, writing and design between Sydney, Los Angeles and his birth home, England. MARIE SCHLINGMANN GALVIN SCOTT DAVIS 28 continued FILMMAKERS Shapiro, Jay | Opposite Field JAY SHAPIRO Jay Shapiro is an avid baseball fan and filmmaker. He studied documentary and film production at Clark University. He was awarded a fellowship by the Anton Group to produce a documentary in Ghana entitled Like Me, I am Here. He also worked in the film industry on projects such as The F Word, The Final Season, Vintage Baseball, and Baseball Discovered. Jay has also written three screenplays, including a biopic of Josh Gibson. Most recently, he was Creative Marketing Director at MLB Advanced Media directing and producing baseball videos for television, Jumbotron, and multimedia outlets. He has spent three summers living in West Africa including Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Cote D’ Ivoire. Shio Chuan, Quek | Sunflowers QUEK SHIO CHUAN Quek Shio Chuan comes from the rural town of Batu Pahat situated at the Southern region of Malaysia. Graduated with a bachelor in communications (HONS) Broadcasting from Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman. At the young age of 30, he is currently committed to Reservoir Production Sdn Bhd, a commercial film production company. His passion in filmmaking has seen him taking up several positions in production whenever opportunity arises ranging from offline editor, graphic artist, assistant director & primarily film director. Shio Chuan is looking forward to advance his commercial film-making career and is currently working on a feature length film due to be released next year. Sikand, Nandini | One, if by Land Nandini Sikand is an anthropologist, filmmaker and Odissi dancer. Her films have screened and won awards at over a 100 domestic and international film festivals and aired on PBS. She has been awarded grants from The Jerome Foundation, the Center for Asian American Media and is two-time awardee of New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) grant. Sikand is an Assistant Professor of an interdisciplinary film and media studies program at Lafayette College, PA. NANDINI SIKAND Smatana, Martin | Rosso Papavero Martin was born in 1991 in Zilina, Slovakia. He has been studying Animation at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava and worked in Nukufilm Studio in Tallinn, Estonia and at a Private Art School LADON in Bratislava as a lecturer of animation. His debut animated short Rosso Papavero has premiered at Berlinale 2015 Generation Kplus. He is currently preparing the next short film The Kite. Sterling Ruth, John | The Ballad of the Deadnought MARTIN SMATANA John Sterling Ruth is widely recognized as one of the top commercial photographers in the United States. Best known for his powerful lifestyle, still life, and high action automotive imagery John has enjoyed the privilege of creating award winning campaigns for global brands like American Express, Coca Cola, Martin Guitar, Olympus, Master Card, Mack Trucks, Volvo, Crayola, Johnson & Johnson, and many more. John opened his studio over 28 years ago and currently produced a wide array of high-end photography and video that unleashes the creative potential of his clients’ brands. John’s iconic images and videos have been featured in product advertisements worldwide. Suwak, Jennifer | SouthSide JOHN STERLING RUTH Jennifer Suwak is a local filmmaker working in documentary, narrative and animation. Her filmmaking themes deals primarily with issues about memory, loss, animal communication and animal/human relationships. She is currently working on a new documentary and animation film. Check out upcoming projects at Roamingdingoproductions.com. JENNIFER SUWAK 29 FILMMAKERS continued Thompson, Nicci | We Sit. We Drink. No Guns. Nicci is a multi-award winning film director, screenwriter, and producer who has dedicated his life to making movies. He was accepted into the 2015 Talent Lab at the Edinburgh International Film Festival and his short film We Sit. We Drink. No Guns. has screened at the Cannes Film Festival. Utaski, Steve | Opt Out NICCI THOMPSON After a decade of battle in the trenches of ad agencies on both coasts, Steve switched to life behind the camera. In the decade that followed he wrote, directed and edited countless TV commercials, marketing videos and documentaries. His award-winning work has been acknowledged in AdWeek, Creativity Online, and screened on PBS. Opt Out, his debut short film, has screened at festivals around the globe. Walker, Mari | The Soul of a Tree Mari Walker has been working on films since 2007. Her work has screened from NY to London to Seoul to LA. She still doesn’t know how to ride a bike. Werley, Bradly | T.P. STEVE UTASKI Bradly Werley is an independent filmmaker originally from Ephtata, Pennsylvania. Inspired with a passion for character design and unique storytelling, he developed his love for filmmaking in the 8th grade after producing his first short film for a class project. He’s managed to produce several award-winning animated shorts throughout high school and continued to earn scholarship success with his films during his four years in college. Since obtaining his BFA in New Media and Sculpture from Main College of Art in Portland, ME, Werley has gone on to teach the art of stop motion animation and puppet fabrication at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, CA. Wong, Shirlyn | The Mobile Stripper MARI WALKER BRADLY WERLEY Shirlyn Wong was born in New York but likes to think of herself as a nomadic filmmaker. Her short films have played on the PBS affiliate OPB for the Oregon Lens Series and at film festivals such as the Palm Springs Shorts Fest, Bend Film Festival, Indie Memphis, Spokane International Film Festival, Bumbershoot and Seattle Shorts Film Festival. Shirlyn is also the 2013 US winner of Jameson First Shot where her winning short screenplay was produced by Kevin Spacey, Trigger Street and Jameson Whiskey. She went on to direct two-time Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe in the short, Love’s Routine, which has over 1.2 million views on YouTube. Shirlyn received her M.F.A. from New York University Tisch School of the Arts in 2014. Yona, Sigal | Made You Look Sigal Yona is a filmmaker based in Tel Aviv. She graduated with honors from the Film and Television department of Tel Aviv University; her first short film Made you Look exhibited and awarded in film festivals worldwide. Signal is currently a MA student in the Interdisciplinary Program in the Arts of Tel Aviv University, and has recently been an artist in residence in “Beita,” Jerusalem – an active arena of artistic practice examining the relationships between contemporary art, social issues, and the everyday urban experience. SHIRLYN WONG SIGAL YONA 30 FESTIVAL EVENTS SSFF Parties & Events! Fundraiser | Monday, June 13th | 6 to 10pm Five Local Chef’s at Molinari’s – It’s more than just popcorn! Molinari’s, 322 E. Third St. Opening Night Party | Tuesday, June 14th | 6pm to 7:30pm Color Me Mine | 25 East Third St. Kick off the SSFF with a fun opening night gathering. Food by Tapas on Main. The Opening Night Party is a free to Pass holders, Sponsors & Volunteers. Admission: $10 for party & film. Children’s Film Series | June 16th – June 18 | Opening Nite Thursday, June 16 | 6pm showings at 10am through 2:30pm on Friday and Saturday Godfrey Daniels — 7 E. Fourth Street Featuring films from the New York International Children's Film Festival and submitted films – FREE! Late Night Movie: Friday, June 17th | Victory FireHouse | 11pm K-Shop (Horror Feature) Directed by Dan Pringle 2015 | UK | 112m Portal to Hell (Comedy Short) Directed by Vivieno Caldinelli 2015 | Canada | 12m People 16 years or older permitted (15 and under must attend with a parent or guardian) (Admission: $10, FREE for SSFF Lanyard holders). Closing Night Party | June 18th | 9pm to midnight 26 E. Third St. Closing Night Party for the SSFF 2016 is open to the public and not just fest goers. (Food + Drinks) (Admission: $10, FREE for SSFF Pass holders, Sponsors and Volunteers). Live Music, Outdoor Deck Every Night of the Festival at The FunHouse, 5 E. Fourth St. *No cover for Lanyard Pass holders* Late night venue for live music and full bar. Be there! 31 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thanks to the following people for their advice and ongoing support Maciek Albrecht Winston Alosi Mary Kay Baker Ashton Blust Kim Bush Color Me Mine Alicia Creazzo Jon & Deja Brew Staff Alison DelRe John Harbove Chance Huskey, Gkids Mari Groller Dale Kochard Tina Kowalski Ramona LaBarre Diane LaBelle LV Arts Council Kenn Michael Anne Schauer Patricia Sittikul Amanda Steele (for putting up with Glenn) Tapas on Main & Cachette Donna Taggart Principal Sonia Vazquez Anna Vicoso Georgeann & Brady Vaclavik Adrianne Washington WDIY 88.1FM Paul Willistein Silagh White All of Our Wonderful Volunteers Past & Present! A very special thank you to the five chefs who participated in the Molinari’s Fundraiser Geo Dodig, Molinari’s Tim Widrick, Edge, Stephen Yaeger, Limeport Inn and Jamison Publick House, Dominic Lombardo, MINT Gastropub, Stacey Emenecker, Vegan Treats Bill Binczak Sr. & Bill Binczak Jr., South Italy Imports, wine for this event The SouthSide Film Festival is now in our 13th year of presenting an “International film festival with a small-town atmosphere.” To date we have screened over 1,200 films from 46 States and over 88 countries! We have also hosted over 150 filmmakers from around the world who have been welcomed by the Community and made to feel at home during their brief stays. We are proud to be a part of the amazing Arts scene in the City of Bethlehem and the Greater Lehigh Valley. 32 SPONSORS 2016 SSFF Sponsorships Executive Producer Fowler Family Foundation Producer Screenwriter Christmas City Printing Molinari’s The Sands Bethlehem Farmers’ Market at Campus Square Fox Optical The Funhouse Godfrey Daniels Originate Ventures WDIY Director Katie Dyer Larry & Kate Eighmy C.F. Martin & Company Shangri-La Productions The Stone House Group Tapas on Main Lead Actor/Actress Anne Schauer Design Artefact Cleo’s Silversmith Studio & Gallery Comfort Suites Deja Brew Lehigh Valley Apparel Creations Saraceno Design, Inc. The Swain School Taggart Associates Judith Wright Proud to provide production assistance to the SouthSide Film Festival. Congratulations to all! anne schauer design graphic design Event Planning | Live Sound Rentals | Recording Studios 610.838.5188 | [email protected] 610 216 2683 | anneschauerdesign.com 33 E A T, S H O P, P A R T Y & S L E E P On the SouthSide of Bethlehem, PA EAT | DRINK Oliverio’s 201 Mechanic Street | 610-866-1753 | Italian The Farmers’ Market at Campus Square New & Morton Streets Thursdays 11am – 3pm The Bookstore 336 Adams Street | 610-867-1100 Speakeasy, Dinner, Tapas, Exquisite cocktails Publick House 123 W. Fourth Street | 610-625-3898 Irish Pub Fox Optical & Gallery 28 E. Third Street | 610-332-2400 Featuring the best designer frames Broadway Social 217 Broadway | 610-868-2555 | Bar Quetzal Panaderia 736 E. Fourth Street | 610-865-2089 | bakery Homebase Skateshop 14 W. Fourth Street | 610-866-0540 Deja Brew 101 W. Fourth Street 610-865-BREW An eclectic eatery Sal’s Brick Oven Pizza 313 South New Street | 610-317-0400 Marla Duran Atelier 109 E. Third Street | 610-861-6818 Saxby’s Coffee 3 W. Morton Street | 610-865-2031 Coffeehouse Patti’s Petals, Inc 215 E. Third Street | 610-867-8699 Blue Sky Café 22 W. Fourth Street | 610-867-9390 Light & fresh, breakfast & lunch College Pub & Grill 123 W. Fourth Street | 610-625-3898 The Cup Campus Square | 610-865-4360 | Ice cream Easy Weenies 15 E. Third Street | street cart Edible Arrangements 11 W. Fourth Street | 610-866-6162 Full of Crepe 333 S. New Street | 610-419-6400 Creperies, Gluten-Free, Breakfast & Brunch The FunHouse 5 E. Fourth Street | 610-868-5311 Libations, food General Zapata 15 E. Fourth Street | 610-625-0090 Mexican/Caribbean George’s Light Lunch 127 E. Third Street | 610- 865-1866 Goosey Gander II 102 W. Fourth Street | 610-868-0176 | Deli Jenny’s Kuali 102 E. Fourth Street | 610-758-8088 Malaysian cuisine Johnny’s Bagels Campus Square | 484-895-3712 Bagels, coffee, soups & juices LaLupita 4 W. Fourth Street | 610-868-5733 Authentic Mexican food Lehigh Pizza Inc. 13 W. Third Street | 610-866-1088 Molinari’s 322 E. Third Street | 610-625-9222 Authentic Italian food, freshly made pasta Molly’s Irish Grill & Sports Pub 4 E. Fourth Street | 610-868-1313 Nawab 13 E. Fourth Street | 610-691-0388 | Indian 34 Olive Branch 355 Broadway | 610-814-0355 | Mediterranean Social Still 530 E. Third Street | 610-625-4585 Distillery/Restaurant Sotto Santi Pizzeria Pub 10 W. Fourth Street | 484-895-3111 Catering, banquets, deliveries SouthSide 313 313 E. Third Street | 610-882-2424 Steel Pub 320 E. First Street | 610-625-5005 | Beer/Food Tally-Ho 205 W. Fourth Street | 610-865-2591 One of Pennsylvania’s oldest taverns Thai Kitchen 347 Broadway | 610-814-2670 | Thai Tulum 17 W. Morton Street | 610-691-8300 Fresh Beth-Mex! Twenty-Four East 24 E. Third Street | 610-867-5979 Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar U & Tea 119 E 3rd Street | 610) 866-4900 | Chinese SHOP American Male Salon 316 E. Third Street | 610-625-4053 Apotheca 101 E. Third Street | 484-821-1497 | Salon Cleo’s Silversmith Studio & Gallery 21 E. Third Street | 610-868-7200 Voted Best Unique Gift Shop in the Valley! Cutters 418 E. Third Street | 610-419-4027 | Bike Shop Eskandalo 12 W. Fourth Street | 610-625-9100 Hair salon & gallery To’Makao Fine Cigars 17 E. Third Street | 610-867-2761 Handmade cigars, lounge hours Wadsworth & Co. 107 E. Third Street | 610-866-1577 Collectibles ENTERTAINMENT Godfrey Daniels 7 E. Fourth Street | 610-867-2390 Listening club PBS 39 – WLVT at SteelStacks Sands Event Center 77 Sands Boulevard | 888-892-6701 SteelStacks 101 Founders Way | 610-332-1300 Music, arts Touchstone Theatre 321 E. Fourth Street | 610-867-1689 WDIY 88.1FM 301 Broadway | 610-694-8100 Local public radio Zoellner Arts Center 420 E Packer Ave | 610-758-2787 SLEEP Comfort Suites 120 W. Third Street | 610-437-9100 Hotel Bethlehem 437 Main Street | 610-625-5000 Hyatt Plaza 45 W. North Street | 610-625-0500 Sands Casino Hotel & Resort 77 Sands Boulevard | 877-726-3777 The Sayre Mansion 250 Wyandotte Street | 610-882-2100 13 35 36 Each year for the past eleven years The Funhouse has been a supporter of the SSFF. We are so grateful to Tina Kowalski for the support she and her staff shows us! Please patronize this long-standing SouthSide establishment. 5 East Fourth Street | 610-868-5311 The Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts • 3rd Street and Polk Street SouthSide Bethlehem Artefact, Inc. Committed to Excellence in Design and Sustainability and to the SouthSide since 1986 26-28 E. 3rd Street Bethlehem, Pa 18015 www.artefactarchitecture.com 37 Godfrey Daniels is proud to support the Southside Film Festival. few the fine acts for coming up. JustJust a fewa of theof fine acts planned this summer. Girls, Guns & Glory | TheFrog Songs of Stan Rogers Eric Mintel Holler Fred Eaglesmith Band | Dina Hall with Trina Hamlin Butch Hancock KaiL Baxley John Beacher & JD Malone Chip Taylor Erin McDermott Guitar Night with Mark Stuart & Pete Kennedy Solas | Robin & Linda Williams usic YourOriginal live m. listening room 67.2390 0.8 godfreydaniels.org | 61 not-for-profit | volunteer run | member supported 38 Lehigh Valley Community Public Radio. Listen & Support. Definitely it’s you. 93.9 FM East • 93.7 FM West Indie Rock • Folk • Jazz • Blues • Classical • World Music • Public Affairs www.wdiy.org Proud to be a supporter of the SouthSide Film Festival Environmental Planning Community & Economic Development Project Funding Project Management Public Involvement Helping Communities Build Unique Urban Environments 26 E. Third Street Bethlehem, PA 18015-1304 Phone: (610) 882-1571 taggartassociates.com Supporting the SouthSide Film Festival From the Beginning An American Craft Gallery & Silversmith Studio Jewelry Glass . Ceramics . Metal Wood . Furniture . Fashion Wearables Buy Tickets and Passes here and use “flash your pass” and receive a 20% discount on your purchase in store. 21 E 3rd St. Bethlehem 18015 610.868.7200 cleosgallery.com 39 40 May 5 through October 27, 2016 41 BETHLEHEM proudly supports the 2015 SouthSide Film Festival proud sponsor of the Southside film festival Animation Workshop At Donegan Elementary School and Broughal Middle school 42 The Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts 2016 Summer Academy COME EXPLORE THE ARTS THIS SUMMER The 2016 Summer Academy program includes community classes, workshops and day camps in dance, music, acting, art, and more! The program offers options for children ages 9-18 and some workshops for adults too. This summer program is open to the community, a child does not have to be a current student at The Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts. • ‘Fun wIth the Arts’ Day Camp • Comedy Improv Workshop • Instrumental Jazz Camp • Dance Program- Modern, Ballet, Jazz PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS, FEES & REGISTRATION INFORMATION: VISIT WWW.CHARTERARTS.ORG QUESTIONS, CALL 610.868.2971 • Teen Theatre Intensive • Shakespeare Intensive Workshop • Jazz & Pop Vocal Performance Workshop • Opera & Classical Voice Workshop And MORE!!! 321 East 3rd Street, Bethlehem 18015 43 Thank you to our opening night party sponsors! 44 photo courtesy of Lisa Lake Photo & Design For the past twelve years, Beall and Marlene “Linny” Fowler have provided financial support to the SSFF both individually and through the Fowler Family Foundation. In addition to sponsoring the Festival, Linny and Beall have been very active film-goers. The Fowlers have seen dozens if not hundreds of films since our inaugural festival in 2004. Linny and Beall would often be seen chatting with and encouraging young filmmakers. Sadly, Linny Fowler passed away on February 4, 2013, leaving a legacy of generosity which will endure forever. Beall Fowler carries on the generous spirit of giving and we are honored to count him as a friend. In 2013, the SSFF presented our first ever filmmaker awards, named in honor of the Fowlers. The Linny and Beall Fowler Audience Awards were bestowed upon the favorite short film and favorite feature film as voted by the audience. These awards will be presented again this year. Please ask a Volunteer or Staff member for a ballot to select your favorite films. 2013 Winners Best Short: Burmese Refuge, directed by Michael Tacca Best Feature: Good Ol’ Freda, directed by Ryan White 2014 Award Winners Best Short (TIE): Greasepaint, directed by Daniel Espeut Beware of Children!, directed by Ares Ceylan Best Feature: Bachelor Weekend, directed by John Butler 2015 Winners Best Short: Letters to Frieda, directed by Amy Unger Best Feature: Artic Alchemy, directed by Nastia Tarasova