The film that intrigued and fascinated me more than any other at this year’s festival is Arcadia Lost, directed by the acclaimed cinematographer Phedon Papamichael (Sideways, Walk the Line, 3:10 To Yuma, The Pursuit of Happyness). Haley Bennett, who was wonderfully odd in her film debut inMusic and Lyrics plays Charlotte, a teenager who demonstrates her resentment of her mother re-marrying after her father’s death by being disruptive and promiscuous at the couple’s honeymoon in Greece while ignoring her same-age stepbrother Sye (Carter Jenkins). When sightseeing with their parents the car runs off the road and crashes into the ocean where, apparently, the two teenagers survive. As they search for help they meet Benerji, an intelligent but somewhat flaky spiritual guide played by Nick Nolte. (Go figure.) That’s when things begin to get strange. Did they really survive the crash, or are they in some sort of transitory realm of the afterlife? Benerji doesn’t elaborate but, instead, takes them on a journey that is both beautiful and disturbing. Sye and Charlotte become more consumed with exploring their identities than they do in finding help. Bennett expertly reveals the sensuality of Charlotte as she alternates between searching for answers and just going with the flow, When she meets and follows an attractive young man he suggests that she’s on a journey of discovery. “No, it’s not a journey of discovery,” she says nonchalantly. “It’s just a journey.” Shot on the Peloponnese peninsula we are exposed to the grandeur of the Greek countryside. Sometimes it feels like a modern travelogue; other times there’s the feeling of being dropped into an historical Greek myth. Filmmakers are always dabbling in various methods of revealing the world of our dreams, and in Arcadia Lost the journey of its revealing is as satisfying as its ending.
What starts out as an insider’s look at the world of stand up comedy I Am Comicturns into a comeback story for the interviewer/semi-retired comic, Ritch Shydner. The personal accounts alone, told by countless comedians like Lewis Black, Phyllis Diller, Sarah Silverman, Roseanne, Bobby Slayton and Tim Allen are enough to make it an absorbing and hilarious film. But watching Shydner as he decides to take a stab at stand up again is like watching a train wreck in slow motion. You can see disaster coming but you can’t look away. Director Jordan Brady does, however, give Shydner enough footage to show off the re-sharpening of his act, which at one time was one of the best stand up routines in the business. Praise also goes to editor Karoliina Tuovinen who took the old adage that timing is everything in comedy and applied it to this fast paced and engaging film.
If you’ve ever been curious about the story behind the story of Disney Animation see Waking Sleeping Beauty. Focusing primarily on the time period of 1984-1994 we see how the famed studio that had fallen into a devastating decline rises again to become the gold standard in animation. The lowest point comes with The Black Cauldron which was embarrassingly knocked out at the box office by The Care Bears Movie. But Walt Disney’s nephew Roy takes dramatic steps to turn things around. The film focuses on the impact made by Roy and the three men he hired, all instrumental in stirring things up: Michael Eisner, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Frank Wells. During those ten years Disney cranks out box office successes like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King and The Little Mermaid. The film’s director Don Hahn, who produced a few of those animated hits, has created a documentary that plays out like the story of a washed up boxer who suddenly turns things around and fights back to become champ of the world. You’ll find yourself cheering for the comeback. The film reveals the dedication and sacrifice made by the studio’s employees. Yes, they come back. But it comes at a monumental cost to the animators and their families.
Little Rock Film Festival 2010: War is Still Hell “I don’t know what they did in the four or five thousand years of civilized history before we had film,” said Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe at the festival’s closing night gala where filmmakers were present for the awards ceremony. “I’m sure they told some kind of stories but they never could tell them as well as you all could. They never could, I think, penetrate the depths of people’s souls the way you can penetrate those depths.” Beebe’s support has led to more favorable tax incentives for filmmakers wanting to work in Arkansas. And he’s right about their abilities to penetrate the soul–evident in this year’s documentaries.
Two insightful viewpoints are shared in two separate documentaries about the war in Afghanistan. In Restrepo (above) we follow a platoon of U.S. soldiers deployed in the Korengal Valley, what CNN once called the deadliest place on earth. Dealing with at least four fire fights per day instills a comradery among the troops that is especially evident when one of them is killed in action. (The film’s title comes from a fallen comrade.) Plenty of full force, in-your-face action with some wrenching emotion. Camp Victory, Afghanistan offers another perspective of the war with its look at the Afghan army. Whereas American troops regularly reenlist, voluntarily, the Afghan army must contend with soldiers leaving and going home. When the commanding officer is begging his troops to not run away during a battle it shines a light on the quandary of fighting a war for the defense of a country whose citizens won’t even take action themselves.
Racing Dreams follows three young go-kart racers, ages 11-13, who are competing for the national championship of World Karting. These are not the go-karts I remember as a kid. The races are huge events on quality tracks and are considered to be an important step in these youngsters becoming NASCAR drivers. The filmmakers not only do an amazing job at building suspense in the actual races but they also let us into the kids’ homes and reveal the sacrifices by their families to keep their dreams alive. And there are some surprising results.
Another group of kids are featured in Louder than a Bomb. But instead of cars it’s poetry slam. This spoken-word competition climaxes with the largest high school slam in the world. The competitors come from “clubs” formed in high schools around the country. What hits you is how these kids, some from badly broken homes, can so eloquently reveal their inner emotions on stage.
I was not prepared for the outstanding quality of the short films at this year’s festival. The short comedy Antiquities, which won the Charles B. Pierce Award for Best Film Made in Arkansas, especially delighted moviegoers, and surprised critics considering it was writer/director Daniel Campbell’s first film. Centered around an antique mall where Terrance (Jason Thompson) works a low-wage job and is harried by a belittling, sarcastic boss, we learn that the boy has a crush on Marissa (Jennifer Pierce), one of the vendors. But Terrance (who reminds me of a young Warren Beatty) is much too shy to ask her out. The strength of the film is its fast paced dialogue, crisp editing and spot-on performances by a cast of mostly non-actors.
One of the most creative monologues of any short film this year comes from Spanola Pepper Sauce Company. With his excited elucidation on the merits of his business, founder Tookie Spanola (delightfully portrayed by Graham Gordy) brings an element of mystery as he drops the occasional reference to not driving past sundown and keeping garlic about one’s body. Smartly attired in his searsucker suit, bowtie and straw hat, Spanola stands in the middle of his far-as-the-eye-can-see Louisiana farmland and appears to be everything you would expect from a successful entrepreneur, except for the occasional reference to the importance of wooden stakes. Directed by Oscar winner Ray McKinnon and written by Gordy.
Named “Best Short Film”, The Greims reunites estranged brothers Howard (Francesco Saviano) and Donnie (Wes Bentley). It opens with a wonderful, almost musical, counterpoint of a phone conversation, a television playing and someone knocking on the door. Smartly performed with some witty dialogue and a fitting conclusion.
Having already snatched the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, Winter’s Bone opened the Little Rock festival and went on to win Best Narrative. Co-writer/director Debra Granik continues the high quality of recent Southern films with her gripping Appalachian tale of Ree, a 17 year old girl who faces a seemingly hopeless task to protect her disabled mother and younger brother and sister. After hearing that her criminal father has been released from prison and is mysteriously missing she is told by authorities that her family will lose their home if he doesn’t show up–dead or alive. Her only hope is a drug addicted uncle named Teardrop and a local godfather called Thump whose power mirrors that of Don Corleone himself. When they all refuse to help she pushes her nose into where it’s too dangerous to sniff. Jennifer Lawrence is wonderful as the determined Ree. When she tells the sheriff (Garret Dillahunt) that she’ll find her dad he sarcastically responds that he’s looked everywhere. “I said I’ll find him,” she replies. It’s not his heart that she melts with her piercing eyes. It’s his guts. But her Uncle (John Hawkes) is even tougher as he shows in one of this year’s most suspenseful scenes when he and the sheriff square off and Teardrop asks “Is this going to be our time?” Hawkes, who was so understatedly great in “Deadwood”, somehow reminds me of Levon Helm. Expect to see Hawkes, Lawrence and the film itself on some “best of” lists by the end of the year. I know they will be on mine.
Having already snatched the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, Winter’s Bone opened the Little Rock festival and went on to win Best Narrative. Co-writer/director Debra Granik continues the high quality of recent Southern films with her gripping Appalachian tale of Ree, a 17 year old girl who faces a seemingly hopeless task to protect her disabled mother and younger brother and sister. After hearing that her criminal father has been released from prison and is mysteriously missing she is told by authorities that her family will lose their home if he doesn’t show up–dead or alive. Her only hope is a drug addicted uncle named Teardrop and a local godfather called Thump whose power mirrors that of Don Corleone himself. When they all refuse to help she pushes her nose into where it’s too dangerous to sniff. Jennifer Lawrence is wonderful as the determined Ree. When she tells the sheriff (Garret Dillahunt) that she’ll find her dad he sarcastically responds that he’s looked everywhere. “I said I’ll find him,” she replies. It’s not his heart that she melts with her piercing eyes. It’s his guts. But her Uncle (John Hawkes) is even tougher as he shows in one of this year’s most suspenseful scenes when he and the sheriff square off and Teardrop asks “Is this going to be our time?” Hawkes, who was so understatedly great in “Deadwood”, somehow reminds me of Levon Helm. Expect to see Hawkes, Lawrence and the film itself on some “best of” lists by the end of the year. I know they will be on mine.
Passenger Pigeons is a much tamer Appalachian film but fascinating nonetheless. First time writer/director Martha Stephens presents us with a dramatic snapshot of an American mining town. Stephens, playing a college student who arrives to protest the mining company’s methods, finds that the protest is canceled because of a miner’s death. Her story runs parallel to those of others in the town: two mining officials who arrive to deal with the event, a young man who works in the mine and his girlfriend who both struggle with their feelings about the accident, and the miner’s widow and little boy who are consoled by the miner’s brother. I had expected the four stories to somehow come together as one with political viewpoints escalating to a climax of dispute. But instead, I was pleasantly surprised at how Stephens developed each story as almost a separate, apolitical vignette, and they remained that way. Their individual journeys were poignant and insightful. And the dialogue was simple, direct and absorbing. I left wanting more but content that I didn’t get it.
Although Winter’s Bone and Passenger Pigeons were both nominated, the festival’s award for “Best Southern Film” went to the documentary American: The Bill Hicks Story. Under the category of “Celebrities Who Died Too Young” Bill Hicks is not a name well known. But once you see this film you will always remember him. Hicks was quickly becoming one of the biggest comedians of his time when he died of pancreatic cancer in 1994 at the age of 33. Co-directors Matt Harlock and Paul Thomas employ a unique form of animation that compliments the footage of Hicks’ performances and numerous interviews with those who knew him. (I was fortunate to see Bill’s act in Austin in the early 90s.) Hicks had the talent that all great comedians have of putting a mirror up and allowing us to look at ourselves in a different light. The heart of the film, however, is in the film’s portrayal of Hicks’ relationship with his family and close friends–especially growing up and at the end of his life. His mother Mary and brother Steve were at both screenings during the festival and Mary told how Hicks had come home to have his mother take care of him in his last days. Without a doubt, one of the best documentaries of 2010.
LITTLE ROCK — Let me say this up front: I love the Little Rock Film Festival.
We’re in the middle of the fourth annual festival. That’s always a big week for me – I’m not ashamed to admit that I genuinely relish the festival and I try to hang around it as much as possible. I go to a lot of the films; I even go to the parties. It’s generally a blast.
Maybe I shouldn’t say that. I know that in some markets, a local film critic is expected to have, if not an adversarial relationship to the local festival, at least a more neutral approach. I know colleagues in New York and Toronto who don’t particularly enjoy their cities’ film festivals and don’t hesitate to say so. And maybe, if we were New York or Toronto, that would be an appropriate approach.
But the truth is, Little Rock is a relatively small city in a relatively small state, and I’m friendly with the people who put on all of our state’s film festivals. I know some of them pretty well – our Screen Gems columnist, Levi Agee is one of the programmers for the Little Rock Film Festival – and I’m glad they do what they do. I think the festivals play an important role in the cultural life of the state. If nothing else, they provide a venue for aspiring filmmakers to measure themselves against more established filmmakers and a place for moviegoers to see movies they wouldn’t otherwise have the chance to see. I want them to succeed.
And I think they’re doing a great job. I think the lineup at this year’s festival compares favorably with the lineup at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival in New York. I’m impressed with how organized the festival always seems to be, how competent the volunteers are and how well things run. (No festival is without glitches, but so far the LRFF has experienced only minor ones.) I don’t hear many complaints about the festival. You can’t even complain about the ticket prices – a festival pass is available for $30. An all-access VIP pass that will get you into all the parties and events as well as all the movies is $200. That’s about a tenth of what it would cost at most festivals.
(Go to littlerockfilmfestival.org/purchase-passes tickets for complete ticket information; littlerock.bside.com/2010/schedule/week/ type/film for a complete schedule. Most of the films will screen at the Riverdale 10 Cinemas in the Riverdale Shopping Center on Cantrell Road; some documentaries will be screened at the Clinton School of Public Service on President Clinton Avenue near the Clinton library.)
Anyway, I don’t really have time or space to engage in too much more boosterism. Right now, I’m up to my neck in the festival. Last night, I had Get Him to the Greek (which opens everywhere today) and Jordan Brady’s I Am Comic. Tonight I’ll be doing a question-and-answer session with director Phaedon Papamichael and writer-producer David Ariniello after the world premiere of their film Arcadia Lost, starring Nick Nolte. (The film starts at 8 p.m. The best way to make sure you get into LRFF screenings is to buy a festival pass.) On Saturday, I’ll talk with director Carol Dysinger after a 5:30 p.m. screening of her film, Camp Victory Afghanistan.
I’m planning on catching Marcia Jarmel and Ken Schneider’s documentary Speaking in Tongues, at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, and then maybe I’ll catch the Arkansas Narrative Shorts Program at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. I’m torn between Mario Van Peebles’ feature Black, White and Blues and Tiny Furniture (in reality, thanks to modern technology, I’ll probably have a chance to see both films – which is another reason I love the festival.)
I’m also going to make time to see David Bogard’s 40-minute drama Irene on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. (I’ve seen the trailer for the film, and it’s highly intriguing.) At 3 p.m., I’m going to have to choose between Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington’s documentary Restrepo (about a year in the life of a U.S. Army platoon in Afghanistan’s Korengal Valley) and Davis Guggenheim’s public education wake-up call Waiting For Superman.
And I’ll definitely make it for the closing gala – and the screening of Philip Montgomery’s Regeneration. I might even make the afterparty.
Screen gems
By LEVI AGEE SPECIAL TO THE DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
LITTLE ROCK —
Tuesday the Little Rock Film Festival announced its lineup to a packed house of film fans at the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock. After an introduction from Clinton School Dean Skip Rutherford, Jack Lofton, festival executive director, spoke about the fourth annual festival’s program of films and special events.
The June 2 opening night film is Winter’s Bone, a harrowing drama set in the Ozarks along the Arkansas state line.
Winner of the Sundance Film Festival’s Grand JuryAward for US Dramatic Competition, Winter’s Bone will be competing for the Oxford American Best Southern Film Award against Mario Van Peebles’ Tennessee-set drama Black, White and Blues; Passenger Pigeons by Martha Stephens; and The Colonel’s Bride by Brent Stewart.
Other narrative feature films in the lineup include the world premiere of Phedon Papamichael’s Arcadia Lost, which stars Nick Nolte; Lena Dunham’s Tiny Furniture, which recently won the Best Narrative Feature at the South by Southwest film festival inAustin, Texas; Jeff Mizushima’s Etienne!, produced by the Little Rock team of Tim Jackson and Josh Miller; and Diane Bell’s Obselidia, which was edited by John-Michael Powell and Russ Galusha, both of central Arkansas.
The festival’s Made in Arkansas Narrative Features program includes University of Central Arkansas professor Joe Dull’s Table at Luigi’s; retired Circuit Judge David Bogard’s Irene; Warren McCullough’s Silent Night; and Hudson Dunlap’s Lost Dogs.
Made In Arkansas Narrative Shorts include The MountNebo Chicken Fry by Frances Titsworth; Sleepwalker by Jordan Faulknor; The Bloodstone Diaries: Sleeper by Gerry Bruno; Sleeping With Charlie Kaufman by J. Roland Kelly; Ouachita Rising by Brent Williamson; Six Feet of Separation by Kurt Armstrong; Rumby in the Jungy by Terrell Case, Matthew Corey Gattin and Timothy Lucas Wistrand; The Inner Path by Michael Sutterfield; Spanola Pepper Sauce Company by Ray McKinnon; and Antiquities by Daniel Campbell.
Made in-Arkansas documentary features are TimJackson’s Looking for Lurch; and Jerry Van Dyke’s Arkansas, directed by Shirley Van Dyke. The short documentaries include In Queso Fever: A Movie About Cheese Dip by Nick Rogers; Knocked Out? by Jesse Abdenour; and Crater People by John Sims.
The Little Rock Film Festival will team up again with Movies in the Park, screening the Coen Brothers’ film O Brother Where Art Thou? at Dickey-Stephens Park in North Little Rock. Among the festival’s other events are a fashion show at The Peabody Little Rock, a filmmaker riverboatcruise on the Arkansas Queen and a closing night gala and awards party.
Festival passes for the event can be bought online at littlerockfilmfestival.org. The full lineup and film schedule and synopses will also be posted on the website. For questions, e-mail info@littlero ckfilmfestival.org or call (877) 484-5733 or 205-0400.
Levi Agee is a programmer for the Little Rock Film Festival and the founder and host of Cameras on the Radio. E-mail him at:
levifilm@gmail.com
This article was published May 14, 2010 at 2:49 a.m.
MovieStyle, Pages 37 on 05/14/2010
Because everything is more fun when you gamble on it, here are our picks for the major prize at the Little Rock Film Fest. As the festival nears, we might revisit them.
The three judge panel deciding who gets The Oxford American Best Southern Film Award Competition for $10,000 includes festival co-founder Brent Renaud, the OA’s Marc Smirnoff and “Shotgun Stories” director Jeff Nichols.
“Winter’s Bone” (2-1). It won the Sundance Grand Jury Prize. Jennifer Lawrence’s drawn wide praise for her starring role. It’s set in the Ozarks. The always-excellent John Hawkes stars as a crank-addict.
“Racing Dreams” (3-1) If “Winter’s Bone” is too slow or to exploitative, look for this critically acclaimed documentary about semi-pro pre-teen go kart racers to step in the void.
“The Colonel’s Bride” (8-1) The trailer doesn’t reveal anything, but this Tennessee-set film, by Harmony Korine protege Brent Stewart, has a promising premise: A Vietnam veteran seeks redemption by acquiring a mail order bride from Vietnam.
“Citizen Architect” (15-1) This doc on an architectural movement aimed at low income, rural folks looks hugely provocative, but it’s a doc about an architectural movement.
Check the full slate of competitors after the jump.
OA prize
Narrative Features-
Black, White, and Blues (Dir. Mario Van Peebles) 91 min
Winter’s Bone (Dir. Debra Granik) 100 min
Passenger Pigeons (Dir. Martha Stephens) 107 min
The Colonel’s Bride (Dir. Brent Stewart) 74 min
Documentary Features-
Racing Dreams (Dir. Marshall Curry) 96 min
The Secret to a Happy Ending: A Documentary about the
Drive by Truckers (Dir. Barr Weissman) 101 min
Citizen Architect: Samuel Mockbee and the Spirit of the Rural Studio
(Dir. Sam Wainwright Douglas) 57 min
Posted by Lindsey Millar on May 13, 2010 11:10 AM | Permalink
Coming this June to Little Rock – the biggest thing to hit the city since Bill Clinton. He’s going to be there too.
The Little Rock Film Festival is an annual film and cultural event held each Spring in Downtown Little Rock, Arkansas. Back for its fourth year, the festival showcases the best narrative, documentary, and short films from around the world, and is set to take place from June 2nd-6th. Set in the historic River Market District, home to theWilliam Jefferson Clinton (Bill to you and me – more on him later) Presidential Library, the festival also hosts parties, panels, workshops, and youth programs. There are awards for the top films in each film category, and the LRFF also devotes programs and prizes specifically for Southern and Arkansas films. Every film in competition at the LRFF makes its Arkansas premiere there, with many also being regional, national or world premieres as well.
Each day ends with after-parties at the city’s hottest venues, including the annual festival gala in the Clinton Presidential Library, and get this – filmmakers presenting at the festival drink for free at every party!
After three years, the Little Rock Film Festival has hosted more than 250 films from three dozen countries, held panels with industry leaders, and hosted notable actors, directors, and producers from around the globe. Last year more than 20,000 people attended, and this year the organizers are expecting the festival to be even larger.
If this doesn’t already sound like the most enticing event in the going on in Little Rock next month, then perhaps former President Clinton can persuade you:
June 2nd-6th
Riverdale 10 Theater
2600 Cantrell Rd
Little Rock, AR 72202 Get tickets. Film passes from $30
This entry was posted by Mike Murphy on May 12, 2010 at 5:36 pm, and is filled under TicketLeap.
Get Him to the Greek, a comedy about a wayward rock star that reunites Russell Brand and Jonah Hill with Forgetting Sarah Marshall director Nicholas Stoller, is among the films slated to appear at the Little Rock Film Festival June 2-June 6.
Opening the festival on June 2 will be Winter’s Bone, a drama about a young girl trying to hold her fractured Ozark Mountain family together. The cast includes Arkansas native Lauren Sweetser, who will be in attendance along with other cast members.
In its fourth year, the festival will offer more than 100 films and 160 screenings in addition to workshops, film panels and parties. This year’s lineup was chosen from 600 entries from 30 countries.
Among LRFF special events are an opening night reception at Cajun’s Wharf, a cookout at Dickey-Stephens Park followed by a Movies in the Park screening of O Brother Where Art Thou?, a fashion show at the Peabody Little Rock, a filmmaker riverboat cruise on the Arkansas Queen, and a closing night gala and awards party.
The Little Rock Film Festival, coming June 2-6 to various Little Rock locations, is offering the Oxford American Best Southern Film Award — complete with a $10,000 prize — to the film that best embodies Southern culture and conveys a genuine depiction of the South.
Competition for The Oxford American Best Southern Film Award is open to narrative features, documentary features, and short films. The LRFF also awards the Golden Rocks for Best Narrative and Documentary Feature Film as well as prizes for Best Short Film, Arkansas Times’ Audience Award and Best Arkansas Music Video.
Local filmmakers can compete for the Charles B. Pierce Made in Arkansas award for the best film made in-state and are automatically considered for every other applicable award.
Success on this level is a triumph not only for the organizers, but for the community itself, which has displayed a capacity for generosity and cultural inquisitiveness that belies the size of its population. The generous sponsors poured money into a cultural venture that immediately changes the tenor of Little Rock for the better. Arkansans showed up in droves for some challenging but rewarding fare. Filmmakers left our state with enough goodwill to challenge any of their assumptions. That should swell your pride to bursting.
'THAT EVENING SUN': Hal Holbrook stars in the Golden Rock Award winner
This year’s programming was uniformly strong, and competition for the inaugural Golden Rock must have been fierce. We didn’t catch a single documentary that didn’t seem like a good choice for the honor, and many of the narrative features screened were competitive in larger festivals. Unfortunately, we missed the winner of the documentary prize, “The Way We Get By,” but we did catch the opening night screening of the narrative feature winner, “That Evening Sun,” which was certainly deserving.
It’s the rare Southern film that, though populated by Abners and Lonzos and Thurls, never dips into stereotype or cliche. It’s hot in Tennessee in the summer and we can tell, but sweat doesn’t stand in for inner tumult. Instead, masterly performances, pretty much cast-wide, but particularly from 84-year-old Hal Holbrook, and nuanced direction from first-time director Scott Teems delve deep, uncovering quiet truths about life and death and old age that’ll leave you unsettled long after the credits roll.
The festival’s other major prize, the Charles B. Pierce Award for Arkansas Film, went to “Slumberland,” a film a group of friends who work at Pizza Cafe made with virtually no budget, experience or skill. It shows in the production quality, but past the shaky camera work and editing miscues, there’s a strong story, even stronger characters and a lot of smart, almost lyrical camera work. It’s a film a piece with the mumblecore movement — ultra-lo-fi, dialogue-heavy, concerned with drifting 20somethings struggling to relate — but much to its credit, “Slumberland” lacks the self-indulgence that derails a lot of those films. It’s funny — wacky even — and filled with promise.
The panels were again timely and well-planned, though dismal turnout on Sunday afternoon to the most important panel on the docket might have been avoided. Few people turned out for the premiere of Phil Chambliss’ newest film at the Chamber of Commerce, which was followed by a typically revelatory Q&A with the filmmaker. Chambliss is a living and breathing treasure, and Arkansas should fill every seat anywhere he shows a film. His art-brut surrealism isn’t for everybody, but he’d delight enough people in every house to account for collateral confusion. Word is he was a late entry on the schedule, so early Sunday afternoon might have been the best organizers could do. Film fans might have been dragging by then, recovering from four days straight or basking in the long-lost sun, but they shouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
By all accounts, the founders intend to keep expanding the festival, a tactic that might result in a little fatigue among the more determined viewership but would likely increase attendance in the long haul. The popularity of this year’s event indicates that Arkansans have been sold on marathon festivities. However, if the LRFF wants to attract film fans from out of state by putting on a South by Southwest-like festival, then their focus going into next year ought to be on developing a distinguished personality. Austin’s always been a film town, but SXSW became an important film event only after cornering the market on hip young independent cinema. Little Rock should carve out its own niche.
The founders have trumpeted their determination to make the event a “filmmaker’s festival,” and that goal seems well on its way to being accomplished. But many heavy-hitters are in Cannes in May, and audiences only travel hundreds of miles for things they aren’t likely to see anywhere else. The challenge is to cater to the loyal Arkansas audience, maintain great relationships with filmmakers, and at the same time land more prestige pictures.
We might suggest focusing on major documentaries: a category largely ignored at Cannes and also an area the Renaud brothers should be especially equipped to program. The LRFF needn’t step on Hot Springs’ toes in order to land a few highly-anticipated documentaries every year. Documentary is more popular than ever, spawning many “celebrity” practitioners and being created by more and more narrative filmmakers. Another area where the LRFF might elbow out some room in the festival season might be Southern film. More and more independent filmmakers are producing films without moving to the West Coast, instead turning their lenses on their own communities. With Ray McKinnon on board and the Oxford American among its sponsors, that might be only natural.
LRFF organizers say attendance numbers have more than doubled over last year’s festival. Part of the reason has to be the high quality of films screening. Here are some of my favorites.
Daryl Wein (Breaking Upwards) & Logan Miller (Touching Home) at LRFF Picnic
Touching Home
Think about this scenario: You’ve never written a screenplay. You’ve never directed a film. You’ve never acted in a film. Heck, you’ve never even been a grip. Try taking that resume and making a film with it, starring veteran actor Ed Harris. That is exactly what co-directors Logan and Noah Miller have done with Touching Home. Based on the true story of the Miller Brothers’ relationship with their alcoholic father (played by Harris) the twin brothers play themselves and are surprisingly good. Filmed at and around their home in Marin County, north of San Francisco, the story focuses on the boys’ attempts to become professional baseball players while coping with the deterioration of their father’s life. If the film wasn’t enough, the Miller brothers have also penned a book about their journey called “Either You’re In Or You’re In the Way” and are plugging both through radio and television talk shows.
Breaking Upwards
Daryl Wein (writer/director/actor) and Zoe Lister Jones (writer/actor) have made a film loosely based on their real life relationship and the attempt to strategically implement an endgame to that relationship. Instead of just immediately calling it quits they take days off from each other while searching for whatever it is they feel they don’t already have. The film was an instant crowd favorite winning the Audience Award. Four Eyed Monsters displayed a similar storyline a few years ago although in a much more documentary style. Breaking Upwards succeeds at bringing the romantic comedy genre into the 21st century.
(500) Days of Summer
With bigger names, and a definitely larger budget, (500) Days of Summer covers some of the same territory as Breaking Upwards. The Zooey Deschanel/Joseph Gordon Levitt romcom has been impressing critics on the festival circuit over the past few months, beginning with Sundance where my Paste colleague Rob Davis saw it. Since his astute opinion pretty much echoes my own I suggest checking his review here.
SHORT FILMS
Like all festivals, there is a shorts program. The surprise is how popular they have been. Much of the emphasis falls on local films like these two:
Home Field Advantage
Graham Gordy, screenwriter for last year’s best narrative War Eagle, Arkansas, made his directorial debut with this entertaining piece on the interruption of a wedding. Written by Nick and Clay Rogers a disgruntled, drunken, “big hitter” ex-lover challenges the baseball pitcher bridegroom to a duel of pitches. Some able performances and an unexpected ending sold me on this one.
Birthday
Employing a simple story of a tragic loss as a vehicle for some dynamic imagery director Hans Stiritz makes creative use of the seasons to contrast life and death within a family. Some extremely thoughtful and expressive cinematography.
Raving about the city’s downtown restoration to a glammed up crowd at the Clinton Library Gala, Phil Donahue gave the keynote address for the Little Rock Film Festival declaring “You look like you bought a pretty prom dress.” The legendary talk show host had screened his documentary Body of War earlier in the day. Also, awards were distributed for best documentary The Way We Get By and best narrative That Evening Sun.
Festival Organizers Craig and Brent Renaud with Phil Donahue
The Way We Get By
Director Aron Gaudet follows three senior citizens who voluntarily spend their days, with others, greeting American troops as they arrive at Bangor, Maine’s airport on their way
home
from Iraq or on their way there. With close framed, emotional interviews Gaudet evokes a multitude of thoughts and opnions from his subjects. For example, 86 year old Bill at first appears to be winding his life down with a disastrously messy house filled with cats and trash. And his talks about death are heartbreaking. But I underestimated the strength of this guy who makes a major, positive turn. At 86! There is no apparent political standpoint in The Way We Get By. The troops obviously relish in the attention. The greeters obviously relish in the giving. And the audiences obviously relish in the opportunity to see one of the better “feel good” docs of the year.
Body of War
Donahue’s film, on the other hand, makes his POV extremely clear: Voting for the war in Iraq was a mistake. The film revolves around paraplegic Tomas Young who was permanently injured after a week long stint in Iraq. As the cameras follow Young through his wedding and the realities of catheters and wheelchairs and a sexless marriage we are reminded with intermittent graphics of which senators voted for the war, while those voting against are treated with historic and heroic reverence. But the heart of the film is Young who had only wanted to serve his country. With obvious cause he actively campaigns against the war. And regardless of one’s personal POV the pain inflicted upon veterans and their families, and the government’s inadequate treatment when they come home, is enough to affect the hearts of all of us.
Herb and Dorothy
Often times you’ll sit through a documentary waiting for a “payoff” that never comes, that ”ah ha” moment when the progression of multi-talking heads becomes worthwhile. Even though Herb and Dorothy takes a road a little too long travelled the payoff is well worth the trip. A nice New York couple who began collecting art 40 years ago builds a collection that is both invaluable and inconvenient. Director Megumi Sasaki peels back the film’s layers bit by bit to reveal some most satisfying revelations about art and its patrons, more specifically this couple who charms the heck out of the art world.
The boys of Slumberland getting a catfish fix
Slumberland
For the filmmakers of Slumberland it’s been a week of unexpected surprises. After being ecstatic on getting into the festival with their $500 film they were overjoyed upon receiving the “Made in Arkansas” award and getting contacted by famed mumblecore director Joe Swanberg. Though it’s a long way from reaching Swanberg status the film surrounding the broken heart of a going-nowhere youth and his deranged buddy’s attempt to revive him offered a lot of laughs in spite of some pretty low level camera work.
Arkansas has a rich cultural heritage and a long history of producing artists and original talent of international caliber. From singer-songwriters Johnny Cash and Levon Helm to influential poets and authors, like Maya Angelou and John Grisham, to native artisans who work with paint, canvas, and other media, we’ve left our mark on the creative and artistic landscape of America. And, when it comes to the movies, Arkansas’s star is on the rise. This month marks the annual return of the Little Rock Film Festival, which is helping Arkansas secure a growing stake in the motion picture industry.
In only its third year, the Little Rock Film Festival is fast becoming one of the South’s premier showcases for up-and-coming filmmakers and established stars, alike. Entries range from documentaries that shine a light on the grandeur and tragedy of our society, to full-length narratives and comedies that eventually lead to Hollywood fame. True to its roots, the festival also takes special care to ensure that Arkansas-born talent and films set in the State get a solid share of screen time.
As it grows, the Film Festival is poised to become a real economic boon for the tourism and hospitality industries in Central Arkansas. The film-and-digital production tax incentive, backed by the General Assembly in this year’s legislative session, will further work toward making Arkansas a destination for producing movies. Whether you’re a moviegoer looking to see world-class films, or a producer looking to film your next work of art, our gorgeous natural landscape and welcoming hospitality are added incentives. And attracting the film industry will further diversify our economy and keep Arkansans working.
But beyond the potential economic impact, the Little Rock Film Festival’s greatest attribute is its potential as a cultural incubator for Arkansans. It attracts renowned talent from both sides of the camera to the State. And it serves as an inspiration for our aspiring actors, writers, producers, directors and crew members who one day hope to attend the festival as the creative talent behind a praiseworthy entry. Most importantly, it gives star attention to the State of Arkansas herself, as the work of native Arkansans is highlighted against the backdrop of our scenic landscapes and natural history.
The Little Rock Film Festival is a proud addition to the cultural portfolio of Arkansas and the surrounding region. I applaud the work of the event’s organizers and staff and look forward to its continued growth. It may have only celebrated its third year in existence, but it’s been a great success so far, and I hope that partnership with Arkansas will enrich our lives for many years to come.
