OFF 2010 Printed Program

This project partially funded by a grant from the Oxford Convention and Visitors Bureau

Festival Schedule 2010

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• Unless otherwise indicated, all films will screen at Malco’s Oxford Studio Cinema (s1 = screen 1, s2 = screen 2, s3 = screen 3, pl = public library) • All films contain adult content and are not recommended for children under 18 unless otherwise indicated.

• All times are tentative and subject to change. Refer to our website (oxfordfilmfest.com) for the latest info on guest scheduling, panel, and event info.

Screen 1

Screen 2

Screen 3

THURSDAY Two Screens

8:00 Welcome / Wonderful World 10:00 The Fairy Princess 10:30 Stingray Sam

8:15 Welcome / Wonderful World 10:00 Zombies and Cigarettes 10:20 Cigarette Girl

FRIDAY Three Screens

0:00 The Ballad of Friday and June 1 10:30 Bicycle Lane 12:00 Manual práctico del amigo imaginario 12:30 Happy Ending 2:00 Kivat Normali 2:25 Land Gewinnen 2:45 The Mountain The River and the Road 4:20 Birthday 4:45 A Quiet Little Marriage 6:20 Conversation with Elvis mitchell and Ray mckinnon 8:00 Blue Boy 8:30 The Vicious Kind 10:15 The Fairy Princess 10:40 Stingray Sam

10:00 For the Love of Movies 1:30 Refurbished 1 11:50 Handmade Nation 1:30 Where Life Is 2:15 D-Tour 4:15 Frequent Flyer 4:45 Naturally Obsessed: The Making of a Scientist 6:00 Among the Giants 6:35 Shooting Beauty 7:00 I am a Man: From Memphis, A Lesson in Life 7:45 Wheedle’s Groove 9:45 Winding Down 10:05 Cigarette Girl

10:00 ANIMATION BLOCK 1:15 Fledgling 1 11:35 Playground 1:15 Dive!

2:15 PANEL: SPEED PITCH 4:00 PANEL: ART OF CELEBRITY INTERVIEW 5:30 Streets of Plenty 7:00 Journey to the West 7:20 Made in China 9:15 Night of the Loup Garou

SATURDAY Three Screens

0:00 Journey to the West 1 10:20 Made in China 12:00 Ocean Invaders 12:25 The Last Survivor 2:15 Sissypants 2:35 Carried Away 4:30 ANIMATION BLOCK 5:50 True Beauty This Night 6:00 The Scenesters

0:00 Fledgling 1 10:20 Playground 12:00 Dive!

1:00 Streets of Plenty 2:30 Where Life Is 3:10 D-Tour 5:00 Family Matter 5:30 Mississippi Queen 7:00 Among the Giants 7:40 Shooting Beauty

10:00 MAKING AND SELLING YOUR FIRST FILM WORKSHOP 11:15 Mississippi Documentary Shorts 12:00 Thacker Mountain: A Documentary 1:00 EXPERIMENTAL BLOCK 3:00 Mississippi Narrative Shorts Block #1 5:00 Mississippi Narrative Shorts Block #2 7:00 For the Love of Movies

1:00 True Beauty This Night 1 11:10 The Scenesters 1:00 Blue Boy 1:30 The Mountain The River and the Road 3:00 I am a Man: From Memphis, A Lesson in Life 3:45 Wheedle’s Groove 5:30 Frequent Flyer 6:00 Naturally Obsessed: The Making of a Scientist

1:00 Family Matter 1 11:30 Mississippi Queen 1:00 Kivat Normali 1:25 Land Gewinnen 2:00 Zombies and Cigarettes 2:30 Ocean Invaders 3:00 The Last Survivor 5:00 Birthday 5:30 A Quiet Little Marriage

9:00 AWARD CEREMONY + PARTY @ Powerhouse (requires separate ticket) SUNDAY Three Screens

1:00 The Ballad of Friday and June 1 11:20 Bicycle Lane 12:45 Sissypants 1:05 Carried Away 3:00 Manual práctico del amigo imaginario 3:20 Happy Ending 5:00 Refurbished 5:20 Handmade Nation

Passes -- purchased on-site during the Festival One Day Pass $18 (Student $13) Two Day Pass $30 (Student $25) Four Day Pass $50 (Student $40) Tickets to individual films are not available.

Discounts available for tickets purchased online.

Our Children’s Film Block at the Lafayette County-Oxford Public Library (401 Bramlett Blvd.) is FREE for both children and adults on Saturday, February 6 from 10:15am to 4:00pm. See page 6 for more details.

Award Ceremony and Party at the Powerhouse Community Arts Center (corner of University Avenue and S. 14th Street) requires a separate ticket not included with the weekend pass.

Tickets are available online, at our merchandise table, and at the door. $20/person, $30/couple. Discounts available for tickets purchased online.

oxfordfilmfest.com

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a Welcome

to the Seventh Annual Oxford Film Festival! The festival is designed for both filmmakers and fans of independent film. To that end, we have gone to great lengths to create a diverse schedule of events.

There is something for almost everyone at this year’s festival.

The Oxford Film Festival has been blessed from the very beginning with unique and well-crafted independent films, and this year’s schedule is one of our best so far. As you read through the pages of the program, find the films that interest you (or that would interest someone you know) and make a special date to come take part in the screenings. This is a rare opportunity for you to see a film at the beginning of its journey, fresh off the press.

Many of the filmmakers will be here, and you’ll have the opportunity to meet them and discuss their work one on one. The festival needs your support through attendance, and these filmmakers enjoy nothing more than interacting with their audiences, something they cannot do outside of the festival environment.

So come on out, get your tickets early and bring a friend. There are over 75 great movies to watch this year, and there will be many talented directors, screenwriters, actors, and entertainment writers here taking part in Question and Answer sessions and panel discussions. Many of our films have more than one screening, so if you see a film you like, tell your friends and family not to miss the second show! Or see it yourself for a second time.

Saturday night, we will host our awards ceremony at the Powerhouse Community Arts Center. This is your chance to mix and mingle with the filmmakers before they leave Oxford.

Contact us if you have any questions – and give us your feedback – at info@oxfordfilmfest.com.

Get ready to see some great movies and hear some great stories!

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Roll Credits….

Seventh Annual Oxford Film Festival (2010) Co-directors: Michelle Emanuel, Molly Fergusson, Micah Ginn Assistant Director: Melanie Addington Technical Staff: Matthew Graves, Greg Gray, Andy Harper, Sarah Kellum, “Cookie” Chris Williams, Joe York Hospitality Staff: Wayne Andrews, Diala Chaney, Katherine Fields, Susan McPhail, Misty Phillips, Alice Walker Hospitality Intern: Kaitlin Posey Media Interns: Malcolm Barker-Kamps, Vanessa Brasher, Jillian Pecoraro Jury Wrangler: Arik Sokol Experimental Curator: Brooke White Staff Photographers: Kevin Felker, Danny Klimetz, Mary Beth Stanton Volunteer Coordinators: Meaghin Burke, Gregory Earnest Transportation Coordinator: Courtney Hall Ticket Coordinators: Mary McKenna, Antonio Reyes-Rodriguez Screening Tsar: Lance Herrington Screening Committee:

Allison Burkette, Maria Elisa Campaña, Michael Canerdy, Allen Clark, Amanda Devera, Marco Devera, Ron Fuentes, Georgia Fyke, Bryan Haley, Jess Haley, Christian Harrison, Lisa Harrison, Thomas Koslowski, Tracy Koslowski, Jason Kovari, Nelson Lopez, Derek Moreton, Velsie Pate, Evan Russell, Chris Sapp, Dinorah Sapp, Meg Shannon, Blake Shedd, Laura Sheppardson, Danielle Tanguis, Stalin Vallejo, Tamara Warhol

Awards Host and Hostess: Ron Shapiro, Beth Ann Fennelly Hoka Girls: Ruthie Fenger, Carolyn Free Q&A Coordinator: Rory Ledbetter Poster and Ad Design: Amy Woodward Evans / Wide Eye Design Program Design: Susan Bauer Lee / Cool Dog Creative Web Design: Steven Hopper / Distinct Image Special Thanks To:

Aidan Addington, Harry Addington, Lynda Addington, Bill Beckwith, Daisy Cheng, John Currence, Dianne Fergusson, Meta Poole Ginn, JoJo Ginn, Erik Jambor, Nathan McDaniel, Carol Mockbee, Karen Scott, Barton Segal, Kevin Stuart, Smith and Ethan Stuart, Kelly Williams, and the citizens of Oxford.

Standing: Jillian Pecoraro, Malcolm Barker-Kamps, Vanessa Brasher, Susan McPhail, Misty Phillips, Melanie Addington, Gregory Earnest, Katherine Fields. Seated: Courtney Hall, Wayne Andrews

The Oxford Film Festival is an independent non-profit organization with 501c3 status. All donations are tax-deductible.

Contact us! info@oxfordfilmfest.com or call 877-560-FILM www.oxfordfilmfest.com Find us on Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter....

february 4-7, 2010

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Dear Filmmakers and all, Welcome to Mississippi and the Seventh Annual Oxford Film Festival. The Mississippi Film Office has been a proud supporter of the festival since its inception and is happy to be a part of this great and growing festival.

In addition to providing a great venue for Mississippi filmmakers and presenting far ranging independent film to an audience from throughout the South, we are happy to show off Mississippi to all of the visiting filmmakers. Oxford and locations throughout the state have supported location film production for almost 100 years, and we look forward to supporting the industry long into the future, wherever and however filmmaking may advance.

Our Mississippi Motion Picture Incentive Program will be a part of that future. A cash rebate program, we return to you 20% of your local spend and non-resident payroll and 25% of your resident payroll within 45 days of completion of your production in Mississippi. Our low $20,000 minimum spend makes it possible for shorts, experimental, and ultra-low budget projects to participate. And there are additional tax exemptions and reductions dedicated to the development and support of the film industry. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 601-359-3297.

Have a great time in Oxford and in Mississippi…and for you filmmakers, we look forward to working with you on your next film.

Thanks for coming to the Oxford Film Festival; we’re glad you’re here.

The Mississippi Film Office Ward Emling Nina Parikh Betty Black

February 4, 2010 Oxford Film Festival Dear Visitors, On behalf of the Board of Aldermen and the citizens of Oxford, I wish to extend a warm welcome to you while you are here for the 2010 Oxford Film Festival. We are glad to have our own film festival as a place for sharing knowledge, educating viewers and artistic expression.

In addition to its charm and hospitality, Oxford offers excellent venues for film observation. We are proud of past festivals in terms of attendance and content and we are glad to see the event continue to grow.

While you will be occupied by the festival’s activities, we hope there will also be time for you to get acquainted with Oxford.

Please enjoy the natural beauty of the campus of the University of Mississippi, the friendly scale of our streets and neighborhoods, and the excellent restaurants and shops. Thank you for contributing to its growing list of things to do and see.

Enjoy your visit and please let us know if we can help you in any way while you are here.

With best wishes, Sincerely, George G. Patterson

Dear friends, Welcome to the Seventh Annual Oxford Film Festival.

This event is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our talented filmmakers, writers and producers in Mississippi. I hope you will enjoy your visit to one of my favorite towns.

The Oxford Film Festival is a chance to tell the stories of Mississippi, both those about the past and the present. After all, our citizens are known for their ability to tell a colorful tale. We hope you will learn a bit more about our state through the films shown here this weekend.

This festival also is a great way to show to North Mississippi to the world. Film lovers from all corners come here to sample our outstanding food, visit our rolling hills and see true Southern hospitality. Marsha and I appreciate your participation to make the Oxford Film Festival a great event. Enjoy the show.

Sincerely,

Haley Barbour

february 4-7, 2010

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662.832.9895

Last Rights: Facing End-ofLife Choices

Thursday, January 28 @ 6:00pm Powerhouse Community Arts Center (corner of University Avenue and S. 14th Street) FREE ADMISSION Join us as we co-present with Mississippi Public Broadcasting a special screening of the film Last Rights: Facing Endof-Life Choices, a moving documentary that asks the question, what is the most humane way to care for patients in their final days? A panel discussion will follow.

The documentary looks at questions such as: How does the treatment patients receive affect them and their families?

What about those patients who believe it is an individual right to hasten their own death? Would their numbers be reduced if their care were markedly improved? Should death with dignity (euthanasia) be legally sanctioned? This documentary looks at the rare call for hastened death as well as the impact on dying individuals of accessible, appropriate, and compassionate medical care.

Raising awareness of the complexity of end-of-life care and respect for individual choices, Last Rights: Facing End-ofLife Choices encourages conversations: honoring the sanctity of life while assuring ethical and moral treatment of the dying; the ability of medical technology to keep a patient alive while life is ebbing; individual rights versus society’s mandate to preserve life; and the importance of family; the role of physicians; and the value of honest communications.

Family members of four terminally-ill patients share riveting personal stories about their loved ones’ choices. Viewers learn about the complicated and emotional process surrounding very final decisions. Experts echo and amplify salient points.

Last Rights: Facing End-of-Life Choices is narrated by a physician, Dr. Scott Nelson, M.D., from Cleveland, Mississippi, where he heads a family medicine practice. He brings to Last Rights experiences typically faced by family doctors who care for patients from birth to death. His own father, Elbert Nelson, suffered a terminal illness. Relatives of the other three main characters tell their stories about the now-deceased patients: Merian Frederick, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, who was succumbing to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), an incurable and fatal disease; Peggy Sutherland in Oregon, terminally ill with lung cancer; and Doug Gladstone in Maryland, dying from liver cancer, spending his last days at home. His wife of 25 years tells about what she sees as a “typical hospice experience.” The youngest daughters of Peggy Sutherland and Merian Frederick each talk about their mothers’ hastened deaths, one sanctioned by law and the other illegal. Each shares riveting personal stories about their loved ones’ final days and the decisions they made.

Expert commentary is woven throughout the film to help viewers understand divergent viewpoints: religious, medical, philosophical, legal, and personal.

The panel to follow the film will include these professionals: • Moderator Sarah Moses, UM Instructor in Religion • Karen Cantor, filmmaker • Dr. Scott Nelson, MD, Family Practitioner and narrator of the film • Steve Edmonds, Director Pastoral Care, Baptist North Mississippi • Michelle McKay, North Mississippi Hospice nurse • Hale Freeland, attorney • Advisor, Jo Ann O’Quinn, UM Professor of Social Work and Pharmacy Administration Come to the Powerhouse on Thursday, January 28, at 6:00pm to see this moving documentary and discuss this difficult but important topic.

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Showcase Film (Thursday): Wonderful World An Interview with Writer/Director Josh Goldin

Photos courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

Q: What was your inspiration for the film?

Okay, I have to admit it. The inspiration for this film was me. I wanted to create a movie about a man who saw only the negative side of things (an emblematic character for our times I think) and I used the workings of my own brain for research. A lot of what Ben says in the movie reflects a kind of dark commentary that runs through my own head on the way to, say, the supermarket. Some of what Ben says are actual quotes.

I’m not a former children’s singer, guitarist, or divorcé, but I do have a three day growth of beard like that of Ben Singer in the film. Ben is both more honest and more unhappy than I am, and the negative part of me—the part I drew on to create Ben Singer— Luckily, I wrote the script with my Wonderful World, directed by Josh Goldin, is believes he is more unhappy because old pal Matthew Broderick in mind for a Magnolia Pictures release. 89 min. he is more honest. the main role and, even more luckily, Thursday, February 4 on two screens, 8:00 There’s a line in the movie that Matthew loved the script. The mo(S1) and 8:15 (S2) for various reasons was cut out, ment he signed on, Wonderful World Rated R for language, some drug use and “Behind every cynic is a disappointed went from being a Josh Goldin movie sexual content idealist” and this line marks where I to being a Matthew Broderick vehicle. and Ben Singer diverge. He may be a We got a great deal of help from CAA This film is not in competition, but is eligible disappointed idealist, but he’s still an who represents both Matthew and for our audience award. idealist. I am not. There’s a danger, the movie. We had a couple of false Producers Lampton Enochs and Kolie Wegner when we leave the unreal world of starts, during which my producer are scheduled to appear. idealism, that we also abandon our Glenn Williamson remained a stalwart better natures. This never happens to and thoughtful ally. Once Ambush Ben Singer. It’s what makes him a very flawed, wrong-headed Entertainment signed on, that company’s support (especially hero, but a hero. that of Ambush’s co-partner Miranda Bailey) has been unwavI sympathize totally with Ben’s plight and I’m glad he had ering. a catharsis. I believe these moments of catharsis are posIn Shreveport, I had a fantastic crew amassed and led sible. They are what keep us going. I think I’ve had one or two by our executive producer Lampton Enochs. Working with the myself. I know I have. One of them is making this movie. actors was pure fun.

I think I had an incredibly fortunate experience.

Q: Was it difficult to get the movie made?

I’m a “first time director” and it’s always hard for first time Q: As the film’s screenwriter, what do you think the essence directors. I tried to undercut this mark against me by mentionof the film and its characters are about? ing other first time directors in pitch meetings with finan The characters were just people I imagined into the movie. ciers—François Truffaut, Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, Barry They spoke a certain way. They behaved idiosyncratically.

Levinson, Woody Allen… You get the point. But I don’t think I They ended up expressing themes because that’s how movies helped my cause by being a smart ass. work. Maybe that’s how life works. Most of the characters have only a tenuous connection to society. They have fringe jobs or have married into security. They are people who, as the Navajo put it, will pass through life like fish passing through water, leaving no trace.

Their essential natures are inseparable from the feeling they have of being inconsequential; and to a large extent, their lives are dominated by their relationship (not reciprocated) with the behemoth culture around them. They are all fighting the good fight to get in, or in the main character’s case, to beat the alluring world of commerce and success.

Each employs different strategies in dealing with the hurly burly world that eludes them. But the one whose strategy I admire most and whom Ben Singer comes to admire most is that of Ibou. It’s pretty simple. He tries to enjoy it.

continued on page 34

february 4-7, 2010

Photos courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

The seventh annual Oxford Film Festival opens with a bittersweet comedy from first-time director Josh Goldin that includes lots of familiar faces, including Goldin’s childhood friend, Matthew Broderick.

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Conversation with Elvis Mitchell and Ray McKinnon Friday, 6:20pm (S1)

We are thrilled to bring you Lee Toland Krieger’s The Vicious Kind, a comedy-drama that has had great success on the independent film festival circuit since its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2009. It has been nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards -- one for Best Male Lead (Adam Scott (pictured) as the threatening yet fragile Caleb), and one for Best Screenplay for writer/director Krieger – which will be awarded the day before the Oscars at the end of this month.

Consider our fingers crossed!

The Vicious Kind is the first feature length film for Krieger, a 2005 graduate of USC’s School of Television and Cinema.

Though he was inspired to write the script after the first time he had his heart broken, he insists the film is not based on his own life. “The truth of the matter is that while all the characters are very personal to me, thankfully, this isn’t my story,” he explains.

“That said, I’d be lying if I said my experience with heartbreak, family dysfunction, and the inherent neurosis that often accompanies a first-born son, didn’t inform my story and characters.”

Co-producer Tim Harms began his career working for producer Steve Golin (Being John Malkovich) before moving to Contemptible Entertainment, Neil LaBute’s production company. In mid-2004, Harms and Krieger partnered in 72nd Street Productions and produced December Ends, The Wilton, and The Nature of Space and Time. In addition to The Vicious Kind, Harms is producing the Neil LaBute film Geography of Hope as well as Midnight Sun, the feature debut of Serbian playwright Dusan Ristic.

Executive producer LaBute, best known for the film adaptations of his plays such as In the Company of Men and The Shape of Things, says of Krieger and Harms, “they take some familiar themes like family dysfunction, the pains of growing up and the unpredictability of love and craft something very sharp and special out of them.”

“I hope that anyone who has felt heart-broken,” Krieger says, “or needed a second chance, or maybe just felt as though they were never going to live up to a parent’s expectations will find something they can relate to in The Vicious Kind.”

The Vicious Kind, written and directed by Lee Toland Krieger.

92 min.

Friday, February 5 at 8:30pm (S1), screening with Blue Boy This film is not in competition, but is eligible for our audience award.

Producer Tim Harms is scheduled to appear.

oxfordfilmfest.com

© 2009 Alcon Film Fund, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Showcase Film (Friday) The Vicious Kind

Esteemed entertainment critic and writer Elvis Mitchell sits down with actor Ray McKinnon, nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for That Evening Sun (Best Supporting Male) and featured in The Blind Side as Coach Cotton, to talk about their experiences both behind and in front of the camera.

Elvis Mitchell has been the host of “The Treatment” since 1996. Produced at KCRW, the show is nationally syndicated to 15 markets, and is the entertainment critic for NPR’s “Weekend Edition” with Scott Simon. Mitchell was a film critic for the New York Times from 2000-2004. Prior to that, he was film critic for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram for two years, starting in December 1997, where he won the 1999 AASFE Award for criticism. He was film critic for the Detroit Free Press, the LA Weekly and California magazine. In 1993, he was nominated for a Writer’s Guild of America award for his contributions to “The AFI Achievement Award Tribute to Sidney Poitier.”

Mitchell is a Visiting Lecturer on African and African American Studies and on Visual and Environmental Studies at Harvard University. In October of 2002, at the invitation of Dr. Henry Louis Gates, he gave the Alain Leroy Locke lectures for the African American studies department at Harvard University. A graduate of Wayne State University with a degree in English literature, Mitchell hosts the “Independent Focus” interview program for the Independent Film Channel. Mitchell is the former editor-at-large at Spin magazine. He has also written for Esquire and the New York Times Sunday Magazine. He is currently editor-at-large at Interview magazine.

Born and raised in Georgia, Ray McKinnon is an award-winning filmmaker and actor. In 2002, he won an Academy Award® for Best Live Action Short Film for the dark comedy The Accountant (OFF 2005) his first effort as a writer/director. In 2004, he turned to writing and directing independent feature films with the film Chrystal, which also marked his first producing effort. Starring Billy Bob Thornton, McKinnon and his wife and frequent muse Lisa Blount, the film premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival and was released theatrically in 2005. His next feature, Randy and the Mob, won awards at the Nashville Film Festival. That Evening Sun, which he produced and in which he co-stars with Hal Holbrook, debuted at the 2009 SXSW Festival in Austin, where it won the Audience Award and a Special Jury Prize for Best Ensemble Cast.

McKinnon’s previous film acting credits include The Missing, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Grass Harp, Apollo 13, A Perfect World and Bugsy. He also appeared in Come Early Morning (OFF 2007) and The Last Lullaby (OFF 2009). On the small screen, he had a recurring role on HBO’s acclaimed series “Deadwood” as the Reverend H.W. Smith. He has also guest starred on numerous series. McKinnon recently sold his original television pilot, entitled “Rectify,” to AMC and will serve as executive producer on the project.

This will be McKinnon’s first return to Oxford since filming The Gun in Betty Lou’s Handbag on the Square in 1992.

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a Children’s Programming: Saturday, February 6 For 25 Lucky Middle School Students The Oxford Film Festival will host a 3-hour workshop for middle school students, (grades 6-8) presented

by Don Tingle, Workshop Director for the Alabama Filmmakers Co-op. This is an in-depth seminar with emphasis on story, planning, creative shooting and editing, starting at the highest level with breaking the process down to the three phases of filmmaking: PreProduction (and Planning), Production, and Post-Production.

Unlike many others, this workshop focuses on movie making using consumer level (home) video equipment and items most novice filmmakers are likely to already have. The goal of this workshop is to teach sufficient information for participants to plan and shoot short narrative films. Enrollment will be limited to 25 students.

Workshop director Don Tingle says, “Filmmaking is both a great educational opportunity and a chance to compete in a competitive activity. Kids quickly learn that to tell stories they must read stories. To tell stories in film they need writing skills, organizational skills, team building and leadership skills, planning skills and technical skills. Filmmaking is a great way for kids to participate in competitions as more local and regional film festivals include competitions design specifically for kids.”

Please note: this year’s workshop is different from those of recent years.

When (is the workshop)? Saturday, Feb. 6, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Where (is the workshop)? Powerhouse Community Arts Center, at the corner of University Avenue and S. 14th Street.

How much (is it)? $20, includes lunch and t-shirt.

How to register? Email info@oxfordfilmfest.com to request an application, or stop by the Powerhouse during their business hours.

Need more info? Call 877-560-3456 or email info@oxfordfilmfest.com

This year’s Children’s Filmmaking Workshop is sponsored in part by the Rock River Foundation.

* Hey, what about older kids?!

If your child is in high school, and would like to work with other interested teenage filmmakers, please let us know (info@ oxfordfilmfest.com) so we can build a program for them. This particular workshop, however, is for middle school kids only.

For children of all ages 10:15am to 4:00pm Saturday Free Children’s Films at the Lafayette County/Oxford Public Library, 401 Bramlett Blvd.

Working with KidsFirst.org, as well as some selected filmmakers, we have selected a slate of family-friendly programming to screen at the Public Library. No ticket is required. Come and go as you like.

For more details on each title, please refer to the A-Z section of this program.

10:15am Narrative Shorts Program Appropriate for ages 5 and up • Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! * • Crazy Hair Day * • Do Unto Otters * • Building Imagination

11:00am The Velveteen Rabbit * Narrative Feature – ages 5+ 12:45pm Etienne!

Narrative Feature ages 8+ A roadtrip movie about a man and his best friend: his hamster.

2:30pm Zombie Girl (filmmaker scheduled to attend) Documentary Feature ages 10+ Imagine trying to make a feature-length movie. About zombies. When you still have to ask your mom for a ride to the set. * Based on the novel of the same name.

After the screening, Celery Studios filmmaker Nitin Mantena, Oxford High School graduate, will talk with interested students who want to learn more about filmmaking.

february 4-7, 2010

Showcase Films: After Dark Midnight movies are meant to make you cry, scream, laugh and sing and all three offerings this year will let you do just that. If you’re looking for something different, maybe even a bit twisted, then look no further than our late night offerings.

These films are not in competition, but are eligible for our Audience Award.

CIGARETTE GIRL Screening Thursday at 10:20pm (S2) after Zombies and Cigarettes, and Friday at 10:05pm (S2) after Winding Down.

In a future where the very act of smoking represents class struggle, the city of Metropolis is divided into two sections: smoking and non-smoking. Devoid of police and hospitals, the smoking area becomes the last refuge of crime, debauchery and unbridled freedom. After her Grandmother (Helen Bowman) comes down with terminal emphysema, Tobacco bootlegger Cigarette Girl (Cori Dials) has decided to kick the habit. Her employer, Ace (J. Lazarus Hawk), has grown weary of her side-dealings and plans to kill her after replacing her with a desperate runaway teen (Ivy McLemore). Plagued by withdrawal-induced hallucinations and a price on her head, Cigarette Girl decides to solve her problems with the last present her Grandmother ever gave her: a gun.

Cigarette Girl epitomizes guerrilla indie film by experimenting liberally with the medium. It employs hazy, green-toned imagery and dilapidated urban locales. The retro décor of the sets and the rockabilly-inspired costumes feel natural in the world McCarthy has created. It may look like a sleazy dystopian hell to the square crowd, but the progressive viewer will appreciate the detailed fantasy world, rich with atmosphere and attitude.

Keeping in line with the counterculture filmmakers of yesteryear, McCarthy’s style evokes the works of Russ Meyer, John Waters and Ed Wood. Misunderstood in their time (and even now), these infamous misfits excelled in their passion, vision and drive. Those of us who spent time in Hollywood know these virtues are the key ingredients to artistic, if not monetary, success in the world of cinema. Mike McCarthy, his investors, his crew and those who believe in him know this better than anyone.

– Coop Cooper, smalltowncritic.com

NIGHT OF THE LOUP GAROU Screening Friday at 9:15pm (S3) A displaced Cajun werewolf, drunken sorority girls, and two battling teams of paranormal researchers make for a wild night in Taylor, Mississippi. The first feature-length narrative film by Micah Ginn and Matthew Nothelfer takes readers back to the days of grind house cinema and bad drive-in movies that scared the crap out of you for a buck. The movie was

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filmed completely in Taylor – except for a wild flashback by a Russian bounty hunter to the depths of Siberia.

Rhes Low plays obsessed scientist Dax Wingo, fighting a rival team trying to track the mythic werewolf – whom we learn came to Taylor after Hurricane Katrina – killing off grazing livestock and gogo dancing sorority girls. Locals Ginn, Thad Lee, Ace Atkins, Haven Nutt, Tiffany Kilpatrick, Scott Morris and the great Johnny McPhail play supporting roles in the film billed as “The Greatest Werewolf Epic Ever Filmed in Taylor, Mississippi.”

Be sure to stay past the credits as the Loup Garou story continues with the threat of the beast’s move from Taylor to the Oxford Square and the tease of a possible sequel by gonzo filmmakers Ginn and Nothelfer. If you love late-night B-movies, Southern pop culture, and hairy beasts, this is the movie for you. Be sure to bring a colander and a frog – you’ll understand after you see the film.

– Ace Atkins sometimes writes books but mainly looks forward to reprising his role as Russian bounty hunter, Ernie Sokalov, in the upcoming Night of the Loup Garou sequel.

STINGRAY SAM The first thing you need to know is that Stingray Sam is not a hero. Yet, he does the things that others won’t do when he embarks on a dangerous mission that reunites Stingray Sam with his long lost accomplice, The Quasar Kid. The two space-convicts travel the universe in order to rescue a young girl held captive by the genetically designed figurehead of a wealthy planet. The film, broken into six segments, is narrated by David Hyde Pierce (Frasier) and stars Cory McAbee, Crugie, Joshua Taylor, Willa Vy McAbee, Bobby Lurie, Frank Swart, Caleb Scott, Jessica Jelliffe, Ron Crawford, Michael DeNola and Michael Wiener.

McAbee’s film is entertainment at its best, a movie lover’s Holy Grail. Only once in a great while does a film such as this come along that instantly becomes a cult classic favorite to be seen over and over. By the second segment, you should be singing along. By the end, you should be attempting to have the Fredward song memorized. You’ll always remember your first Stingray Sam experience, but it is not likely to be the only one you will ever have. The music, the comedy, and Cory McAbee are infectious. The charming nature of McAbee and the rambunctious music from The Billy Nayer Show make this rich fantasy world, despite its wacky and incredible nature, one to which you will always return.

– Melanie Addington, Assistant Director, twitter.com/oxfordfilmfreak

aa The Ballad of Friday and June

Documentary Short, 23 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Cory Tomascoff Screening: Friday 6:00pm (S2), and Saturday 7:00pm (S2) with Shooting Beauty Among the Giants tells the story of the Adaptive Design Association, a nonprofit organization in New York City that builds customized equipment for kids and adults with disabilities, mainly using cardboard. The film portrays the organization’s mission through the compelling stories of two fascinating individuals: a woman named Tamara Morgan and a young girl named Raven DeSayles.

Tamara is a twenty-three year old woman with brittle bone disease who lives in New York City. Being only three-foot two, she gets around in a tiny wheelchair and struggled with life in the city before finding Adaptive Design. With two unusable legs, 9-year-old Raven uses her powerful arms to move around when she is not confined to her wheelchair.

Raven struggled to participate with the other students her age in school, until she found Adaptive Design. Now, both of these individuals use a variety of customized equipment built for them by Adaptive Design. Additionally, the film tells the story of how a woman named Alex Truesdell started the organization at the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Mass., and why the company eventually moved to its current home in New York City.

Narrative Short, 10 minutes Directed by: Tate English Screening: Friday 10:00am (S1), and Sunday 11:00am (S1) with Bicycle Lane June, a struggling ukulele player, lives alone with her talkative dog Friday. When June’s career takes a turn for the worse, the stress begins to damage the most important relationship she has.

Filmmaker scheduled to attend.

Animation Shorts Block Screening: Friday 10:00am (S3), and Saturday 4:30pm (S1) in the following order: WSIM: What Suffered Inside Me Eve’s Awakening Split Second Splat Pause Replay Topi Lightheaded Skylight To the Moon Pigeon: Impossible The Mouse That Soared

Art of the Celebrity Interview Panel Discussion: Friday, 4:00pm (S3) We scan the headlines while waiting in line at the grocery store. We watch Entertainment Tonight and gossip about the faces more familiar to us than our own neighbors. The art of the celebrity interview will be examined with those who work to get us the news of what our favorite on screen faces are doing. Moderator Lisa Rosman, film journalist for US Weekly will guide film journalists Shawn Levy, James Rocchi, and Jen Yamato in a robust discussion about getting the scoop.

To read more about our panelists, see their bios on pages 33-34.

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2010 Films

Among the Giants

Narrative Feature, 1 hour 5 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Jeffrey Ruggles Screening: Friday 10:30am (S1), and Sunday 11:20am (S1) with The Ballad of Friday and June Don is in a predicament. His car won’t start and it’s absolutely essential that he get across Los Angeles for a birthday party. But it’s not just any birthday party. This is a party for Alli, the girl he’s had a crush on for months now.

After a series of failed attempts to get a ride, he’s forced to ask his crazy neighbor for her car and despite the awkwardness, she is willing to help by offering him the only thing her ex-boyfriend didn’t take – an embarrassingly pink beach cruiser with a basket on the front. With that Don sets off on his journey across a city where everyone drives.

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

The Big Hang Up Mississippi Short (Narrative), 5 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Richard Ward Screening: Saturday 3:00pm (S3) with Mississippi Narrative Shorts Block #1 When she sees a young man speaking on his cell phone and ignoring his girlfriend, Mary reflects on her own life -- and the solution she found with her cell phone-obsessed spouse.

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

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Birthday Narrative Short, 11 minutes Directed by: Hans Stiritz Screening: Friday 4:20pm (S1), and Sunday 5:00pm (S3) with A Quiet Little Marriage A portrait of quiet grief, a precious memory, and the love between a mother and child.

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

Blue Boy Narrative Short, 16 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Alex Jablonski Screening: Friday 8:00pm (S1) with The Vicious Kind, and Sunday 1:00pm (S2) with The Mountain, The River, and the Road Invisible to the moneyed moms and girls who populate the country club where he lifeguards, 17-year-old Kenny spends his working hours stoned, fantasizing about the women around him.

One in particular, Mrs. Jordan, has always caught his eye. After an act of heroism brings them together, he finds himself alone with her and decides to try to act on his daydreams.

Building Imagination Children’s Film (Short) / Non-Competition, 5 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Mark Potts and Cole Selix Screening: Saturday 10:15am (PL) with Children’s Shorts Program A young boy, surrounded by city noises and tall buildings, finds a way to escape it all with the help of a cardboard box.

See page 8 to read more about our children’s programming.

Appropriate for ages 5 and up.

The Butterflies Mississippi Short (Narrative), 29 minutes Directed by: Winsor Yuan Screening: Saturday 3:00pm (S3) with Mississippi Narrative Shorts Block #1 John Fisher is a closeted artist in a loveless relationship. He creates and films a project made completely of paper about butterflies and their environment. While watching his creation

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on the television, a stunningly beautiful woman -- that he did not film -- appears.

Throughout the film, as everything around him slowly falls apart, he tries to find her.

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

Cantata in C Major Experimental Short, 8 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Ronnie Cramer Screening: Saturday 1:00pm (S3) with Experimental Shorts Block Six hundred five film clips are assembled and used to create a piece of electronic music. As the visual component appears in the center of the screen, the original analog audio is sent to the left channel while it is simultaneously converted into digital music data and sent to the right channel. The digital data is also transposed into traditional musical notation and displayed on the screen as it is converted. The film includes an animated “chalkboard” introduction that explains the entire process.

Carried Away Narrative Feature, 1 hour 40 minutes, World Premiere Directed by: Tom Huckabee Screening: Saturday 2:35pm (S1), and Sunday 1:05pm (S1) with Sissypants Ed Franklin, a young man pursuing his dreams in Hollywood, returns home to Texas at Christmas to find his family in turmoil. His parents’ marriage is on the rocks. His younger brother Davy awaits trial for selling drugs. His older brother Steve holds a bitter grudge against him. Worst of all, his beloved paternal grandmother has been committed to a nursing home after suffering a stroke which has left her mentally disabled. In defiance of his father Rex, and with Granny’s full cooperation, he abducts her, intending to take her back with him to Los Angeles. Rex, Steve and Davy set out after Ed and Granny in a cross-country pursuit that comes to a surprising conclusion in the Californian desert. Features Oxonians Thad Lee and Johnny McPhail (Ballast).

Filmmaker, cast and crew are scheduled to attend.

february 4-7, 2010

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Cigarette Girl Late Night Feature / Non-Competition, 1 hour 19 minutes Directed by: Mike McCarthy Screening: Thursday 10:20pm (S2) with Zombies and Cigarettes, Friday 10:05pm (S2) with Winding Down.

In the year 2035, when cigarettes sell for $63.49 a pack and the “minority habit” of tobacco is restricted to ghettoized ‘smoking sections’ of cities, “Cigarette Girl” quits smoking and starts killing three days later. Originally from Tupelo, Miss., director Mike McCarthy lives in Memphis, Tenn.

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

The Collectors Mississippi Short (Narrative), 10 minutes Directed by: Daniel Lee Screening: Saturday 5:00pm (S3) with Mississippi Narrative Shorts Block #2 A strange, fantastic vision of a girl who suffers from sleep deprivation.

She begins to see things that normal people cannot, and follows two bizarre beings who seem to be on a mission of their own. Filmed in Tupelo, Mississippi by award-winning filmmaker Daniel Lee, this nightmare-like short evokes the surreality of German Expressionism and the unsettling dischord of film noir. Lee’s dark, left-of-field artistic visions have prompted numerous people to compare him to Tim Burton, and inspired one film critic to call him “The Edgar Allan Poe of filmmaking.”

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

Conversation with Elvis Mitchell and Ray McKinnon Panel Discussion: Friday, 6:20pm (S1) Esteemed entertainment critic and writer Elvis Mitchell sits down with actor/filmmaker Ray McKinnon (The Blind Side) to discuss their life, their role in film, and more.

See their bios on page 7.

Crazy Hair Day Children’s Film (Short) / Non-competition, 11 minutes Directed by: Virginia Wilkos Screening: Saturday 10:15am (PL) with Children’s Shorts Programs Stanley arrives at school, all set to celebrate Crazy Hair Day, only to find out he has mixed up the date with School Picture Day. In this uplifting story of friendship and kindness, what

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starts out as a worst-ever experience takes a surprising turn as Stanley’s best friend and his classmates concoct a creative show of solidarity.

Narrated by Zach Braff, with music by Barney Saltzberg and Eric Eckstein.

Appropriate for ages 5 and up See page 8 to read more about our children’s programming.

D-Tour Documentary Feature, 1 hour 39 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Jim Granato Screening: Friday 2:15pm (S2), and Saturday 3:10pm (S2) with Where Life Is As a multi-instrumentalist, Pat Spurgeon is an integral part of the indie pop band Rogue Wave. They have performed all over the world, increasing their fan base with every tour in support of their three critically acclaimed albums to date. In addition to the excitement of his band’s accomplishments, Pat has had to deal with kidney failure and the parameters that have been set for him by his situation. Pat has been dealing with his preexisting condition most of his life. After the success of his first kidney transplant 13 years ago, the kidney started to fail just as Rogue Wave started to take off. The film chronicles Pat’s search for a living organ donor and the challenges associated with finding a viable match. Pat’s choice to keep touring and working toward the band’s goals is put to the test; the absolute need to perform dialysis daily and to focus on his health become top priority while being on the road. D-tour also addresses issues with the U.S. health care system, the lack of affordable insurance, the importance of organ donation, and much more. Featuring live performances from Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie), Nada Surf, Ryan Miller (Guster), John Vanderslice, The Moore Brothers, and of course Rogue Wave.

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

Danse / Florae Experimental Short, 6 minutes, National Premiere Directed by: Tripp and Jenna Trouchet-Watt Screening: Saturday 1:00pm (S3) with Experimental Shorts Block Choreographed dance piece meshing human form with organic compositions.

february 4-7, 2010

aaa Dinner On The Grounds: A Soul Reviving Feast Mississippi Short (Documentary), 17 minutes Directed by: Sarah Freeland Simonson, Melanie Young, and Miles Laseter Screening: Saturday 11:15am (S3) with Thacker Mountain Radio: A Documentary This documentary presents a three-part discussion of the tradition of “dinner on the grounds” in Mississippi through Sacred Harp Singings, church homecomings, and Memorial Day celebrations.

Filmmaker is scheduled to appear.

Dive!

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Documentary Short, 45 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Jeremy Seifert Screening: Friday 1:15pm (S3) before the Distribution Panel, and Saturday 12:00pm (S2) with Streets of Plenty Grocery stores around the country are filling their dumpsters with food. Not rotten, spoiled food, but billions of pounds of good, edible food. Why? Because the expiration date is nearing? Because it costs less to toss it rather than donate it? Whatever the answer, the contradiction is profound: good food is being thrown away and people are going hungry. Follow filmmaker Jeremy Seifert and his circle of friends as they “dumpster dive” in the back alleys and gated garbage receptacles of L.A.’s supermarkets. In the process they uncover thousands of dollars of food and an ugly truth about waste in America: grocery stores know they are wasting and most refuse to do anything about it. In the meantime, Seifert and friends no longer spend money on groceries.

With nothing more than a big appetite and a strong stomach, they “dive” for Pacific Salmon, New Zealand Lamb Chops, FreeRange Chicken, Pork Loins, and loads of fruit, vegetables, and bread. Totally edible, totally free, and totally illegal.

Do Unto Otters Children’s Film (Short) / Non-Competition, 12 minutes Directed by: Galen Fott Screening: Saturday 10:15am (PL) with Children’s Shorts Program When the Otters move in next door to Mr. Rabbit, he does not know how to act with them. This is a story that highlights how to be a good neighbor and friendjust simply follow the Golden Rule! Featuring music and voices

by Jack Sundrud and Rusty Young, with additional voices by Diana Canove and David de Vries.

Appropriate for ages 5 and up.

See page 8 to read more about our children’s programming.

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aa a Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!

Children’s Film (Short) / Non-Competition, 5 minutes Directed by: Pete List Screening: Saturday 10:15am (PL) with Children’s Shorts Program When a bus driver takes a break from his route, a very unlikely volunteer springs up to take his place -- a pigeon! But you’ve never met one like this before.

Narrated by Mo Willems and Jon Scieszka.

Appropriate for ages 5 and up.

See page 8 to read more about our children’s programming.

Drawing Lilly Mississippi Short (Narrative), 10 minutes Directed by: Noor Atarji Screening: Saturday 3:00pm (S3) with Mississippi Narrative Shorts Block #1 Dawn, an artist, took care of her younger sister Lilly until her own drug addiction led to her premature death. Years later, Lilly is healthy, popular and talented, but remains haunted by her sister’s death. The film’s cast and crew are from Jackson and Hattiesburg, Miss.

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

Etienne!

Children’s Film (Feature) / Non-Competition, 1 hour 28 minutes Directed by: Jeff Mizushima Screening: Saturday 12:45pm (PL) After Richard’s best and only friend, a dwarf hamster named Etienne, is diagnosed with terminal cancer, he decides to take him on a bicycle road trip up the California coast to show him the world before he must put him to sleep.

Appropriate for ages 8 and up.

See page 8 to read more about our children’s programming.

Experimental Shorts Block Screening: Saturday 1:00pm (S3) in the following order: Giri Chit La Luz del Perdon With a Can of Tuna in a Sock Cantata in C Major Danse/Florae Utsav Mela Fire Westhope: Above and Below Severing the Soul

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Eve’s Awakening Animated Short, 7 minutes Directed by: Hannelie and François Driessen Screening: Friday 10:00am (S3), and Saturday 4:30pm (S1) with Animated Shorts Block An animation that explores the frailty of finding happiness and security in the emptiness of Consumerism.

The Fairy Princess Narrative Short, Regional Premiere, 15 minutes Directed by: Stephen Lyman Screening: Thursday 10:00pm (S1), and Friday 10:15pm (S1) with Stingray Sam A dark Halloween night in a quiet suburban neighborhood. Trick or treaters out with their parents. A little girl dressed as a fairy making the rounds alone.

Seeing his opportunity, a neighbor snatches the girl, takes her into his basement where their game of cat and mouse begins. And ends.

Family Matter Documentary Short, 12 minutes Directed by: Jarratt Taylor, Taylor Johnston, and Tom Ivancie Screening: Saturday 5:00pm (S2), and Sunday 11:00am (S3) with Mississippi Queen Who did what when, and how certain events played out, is often disputed amongst family members. ‘Family Matter’ explores the hits and misses of a collective family memory as the three filmmakers make sense of certain blurry memories connected to their own parents. Co-director Jarratt Taylor hails from Jackson, Miss.

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

Fire Experimental Short, 11 minutes Directed by: Thad Keel Screening: Saturday 1:00pm (S3) with Experimental Shorts Block A look at eight fires made

by Dusty Sinclair over a year at Eula Acres.

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

february 4-7, 2010

aaa Fledgling Documentary Short, 7 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Tony Gault and Elizabeth Henry Screening: Friday 11:15am (S3), and Saturday 10:00am (S2) with Playground Fledgling explores the relationship between Kevin and a baby crow he finds on the street one stormy night.

Kevin’s backyard provides the rich setting for a story about his conflicted relationship to nature.

The Flight of Calvin Waters

125 courthouse square

• oxford, mississippi 38655

662.234.6641 toll free 1.800.845.7990

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1/4/10 1:49:12 PM

Mississippi Short (Narrative), 28 minutes Directed by: Arjun Kaul Screening: Saturday 3:00pm (S3) with Mississippi Narrative Shorts Block #1 Calvin Waters, the Mississippi Basketball Player of the Year, struggles to decide whether to go to college locally or far away. Calvin does his best to reconcile his needs with the desires of his community. Filmmaker Arjun Kaul lives in Columbus, Miss.

Footsteps Mississippi Short (Narrative), 11 minutes Directed by: Matthew Graves Screening: Saturday 5:00pm (S3) with Mississippi Narrative Shorts Block #2 An editor working late on Halloween will need more than energy drinks to stay awake tonight.

Matthew Graves’ previous short film, Dummy, screened in OFF 2007.

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

For the Love of Movies: The Story of American Film Criticism Documentary Feature, 1 hour 21 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Gerald Peary Screening: Friday 10:00am (S2), and Saturday 7:00pm (S3) This film is the first documentary to dramatize the rich history of American film criticism, from the raw beginnings before The Birth of a Nation to the current battle for audience between youthful website populists and the veteran print establish-

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ment. Gerald Peary, veteran film critic for The Boston Globe and other publications, is a native of Jackson, Miss. Film critics Elvis Mitchell and Scott Weinberg, interviewed in the documentary, are scheduled to appear at the festival.

Narrated by Patricia Clarkson.

Like listening to film critics? Don’t miss our Media Panel Discussion, “Art of the Celebrity Interview,” on Friday at 4:00pm (S3)

Frequent Flyer Documentary Short, 21 minutes Directed by: Gabriel Leigh Screening: Friday 4:15pm (S2) and Sunday 5:30pm (S2) with Naturally Obsessed: The Making of a Scientist A look at the world of frequent flyer miles and some of its most enthusiastic participants, this documentary examines how miles and points have become an important world currency and, in turn, an obsession for those who have figured out ways to earn them in the millions. The film charts the filmmaker’s own discovery of miles while introducing some of the top mileage experts in the world, most of them found on the website flyertalk.com, a central online hub for people in pursuit of miles.

Giri Chit Experimental Short, 15 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Simon Tarr Screening: Saturday 1:00pm (S3) with Experimental Shorts Block Giri Chit tells an epic tale. A worker driving a mobile sweeper in hypnotic circles across an already immaculate surface.

The high drama of cosplay aficionados clamoring to be seen. A cast of thousands toiling hundreds of feet above the street. Giri translates as “duty” in Japanese, but the concept is in fact far more complicated. Giri is a sort of interpersonal political capital that informs careers, family relations, and much more. Its presence and flow is palpable in Japan, where this film was shot. A “giri chit” then may be a hypothetical voucher for this intangible flow (with a tip of the cap to Thomas Pynchon’s “Vineland”).

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Handmade Nation Documentary Feature, 1 hour 5 minutes Directed by: Faythe Levine Screening: Friday 11:50am (S2) and Sunday 5:20pm (S1) with Refurbished Handmade Nation documents a movement of artists, crafters, and designers that recognize a marriage between historical techniques, punk and DIY ethos while being influenced by traditional handiwork, modern aesthetics, politics, feminism and art. Fueled by the common thread of creating, the film explores a burgeoning art community that is based on creativity, determination and networking.

Happy Ending Narrative Feature, 1 hour 30 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Atsuhiro Yamada Screening: Friday 12:30pm (S1) and Sunday 3:20p (S1) with Manual Práctico del Amigo Imaginario (abreviado) A young girl obsessed with horror movies and a strong dislike for romantic comedies sees her life turn into a movie cliché of its own when the shopkeeper of a deserted rental video store begins to have mixed feelings for her. Lacking experience in love and romance, she turns to the one place where she has learned everything up till now: the cinema.

In Japanese with English subtitles.

I Am a Man: From Memphis, a Lesson in Life Documentary Short, 27 minutes Directed by: Jonathan Epstein Screening: Friday 7:00p (S2), and Sunday 3:00pm (S2) with Wheedle’s Groove Their signs read, ‘I Am a Man.’ It was 1968. Cameras captured thousands of African-American men, marching through the streets of Memphis, Tennessee, demanding overdue respect.

But who were these men? And what did their signs mean? In the long shadow of the slaying of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the stories of the average men and women who made one of the civil rights

february 4-7, 2010

aaa movement’s most pivotal, historic stands have long been skipped. I Am a Man is set in modern-day Memphis, and follows Elmore Nickleberry, one of the original 1968 protesters, who, at 77, is continuing to drive his trash truck through the streets of downtown Memphis. In this film, the families behind the 1968 strike speak out, some for the first time, telling stories filled with pain, determination and sometimes even laughter. The film introduces audiences not only to Mr. Nickleberry and his family, but to the principles which he and others adhered to as they faced seemingly insurmountable adversity, only to quietly change the course of history. Cameras also capture a surprisingly emotional moment as Mr. Nickleberry, for the first time, speaks with middle school students in innercity Memphis about his hard but ultimately rewarding life. The uplifting soundtrack is filled with original Memphis soul music, including a new song from former Stax Records recording artist Deanie Parker.

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

A Journey to the West Narrative Short, 6 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Lawrence Chen Screening: Friday 7:00pm (S3), and Saturday 10:00am (S1) with Made in China Every day, a rural cobbler goes to work in the village of Baixingzhuang, carrying with him an orange shoebox containing his earnings and an unusual collection of magazine clippings.

One day, the cobbler sets up shop and waits for business as usual. Just as he pulls out the latest addition to his collection, a crumpled magazine ad for an athletic shoe, he finally receives a customer. After fixing her boots, the cobbler counts his earnings and closes shop at once. He eagerly purchases a train ticket with the money he has earned and heads, for the first time, into the city of Beijing. Like many rural Chinese who have never left their villages before, the cobbler discovers a world completely unlike his own. In his quest to find shoes that he has only dreamed about, the cobbler must confront the forces of westernization, modernization, and class conflict that are sweeping through China and the Chinese people.

Kimat Normali / Almost Normal Narrative Short, 23 minutes, National Premiere Directed by: Keren Ben Rafael Screening: Friday 2:00pm (S1), and Sunday 1:00pm (S3) with Land Gewinnen / Gaining Ground Tel Aviv, summer. Shai is about to turn 12. All he wants is a normal birthday.

In Hebrew with English subtitles.

M-F 7-2:30 Sat&Sun: 8-3

719 North Lamar Oxford, MS 38655 (662) 236-2666

OXFORD

UNIVERSITY TRANSIT OXFORD

662.234.3540 www.outransit@oxfordms.net

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aa Luz Del Perdon / The Light of a La Forgiveness Experimental Short, 15 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Eileen Richardson Screening: Saturday 1:00pm (S3) with Experimental Shorts Block La Luz del Perdon is an experimental film, shot on 16mm, about the fear of rejection impeding a person’s ability to be openly gay with loved ones.

With use of hand processing and hand manipulation, the film is a powerful, colorful, visual translation of the emotions felt by the filmmaker throughout the process of coming out.

Starting from her discovery of her own homosexuality, the film uses symbols and abstract imagery to reveal the loneliness and alienation felt from untruthfulness, ending with the final reconciliation experienced with her parents. Through examined memories and reconstructed family footage, this alternative personal documentary reveals the importance of forgiveness and acceptance within a family.

Land Gewinnen / Gaining Ground Narrative Short, 20 minutes Directed by: Marc Brummund Screening: Friday 2:25pm (S1), Sunday 1:25pm (S3) with Kivat Normali / Almost Normal Andrej and his family have been living in Germany illegally for years. When his son reaches school age, he can’t hide them any longer. Mischa’s future is at stake.

In German and Ukrainian with English subtitles.

The Last Survivor Documentary Feature, 1 hour 30 minutes Directed by: Michael Pertnoy and Michael Kleiman Screening: Saturday 12:25pm (S1), Sunday 3:00pm (S3) with Ocean Invaders The Last Survivor presents the stories of genocide survivors and their struggle to make sense of tragedy by working to educate, motivate and promulgate a civic response to mass atrocity crimes. Consulting Producer Jeff Scheftel also produced TV Junkie and Darius Goes West: The Roll of His Life (both in OFF 2007).

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

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Lightheaded Animated Short, 5 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Mike Dacko Screening: Friday 10:00am (S3), and Saturday 4:30pm (S1) with Animated Shorts Block Temperature sensitive candle creatures sacrifice what they know to become who they are.

Made in China Narrative Feature, 1 hour 27 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Judi Krant Screening: Friday 7:20pm (S3), and Saturday 10:20am (S1) with A Journey to the West Whoopie cushions, rubber chickens, pet rocks, slinkys... behind each of those great novelties is the story of a great Novelty Inventor.

This is the story of one such inventor.

Johnson, a 20-something, self-styled “novelty inventor”, is determined in his quest to bring the world his big little idea. When his pitch falls flat at home, he realizes there is only one logical place to turn – China. A rocky arrival, coupled with the realization that his hired help (along with a good chunk of his money) has disappeared, delivers Johnson into the hands of English ex-pat gadabout, Magnus.

Fluent in the language, flush with contacts and possessing a gift for persuasion, Magnus agrees to help Johnson... for a price. Charmed by Magnus, but unable to catch a break, Johnson is the quintessential stranger in a strange land, with bad luck seeming to dog him every step of the way. From cosmopolitan night clubs, to ancient gardens, to the teeming market streets, Shanghai is a puzzle that Johnson must unravel if he is to succeed. With determination, inspiration and hard work, Johnson just might finally realize the American dream. A dream that can only be – Made In China.

Making and Selling Your First Film Workshop: Saturday, 10:00am (S3) David Basulto will provide the basics of what new filmmakers need to know in an abbreviated version of his online film school (FilmmakingCentral.com) at the Oxford Film Festival.

His one-hour seminar will explain how to begin thinking of how to sell a film before it is finished, providing real world guidance and secrets of the industry.

Tickets for the workshop are $10/person, or free with a fourday pass or VIP badge.

february 4-7, 2010

aaa Manual Práctico del Amigo Imaginario (abreviado) / Practical Guide for Imaginary Friends (Abridged) Narrative Short, 19 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Ciro Altabás Screening: Friday 12:00pm (S1), and Sunday 3:00pm (S1) with Happy Ending Fernando is a shy 27 year old young man who is visited by an old classmate, Iratxe. This arouses jealousy in his imaginary friend, Captain Kiloton, a superhero that had stood by Boure 1-8.indd his side since he was a kid, and who feels their friendship is now in jeopardy.

In Spanish with English subtitles.

Ciro Altabás also directed DVD (OFF 2008) and Made in Japan (OFF 2009).

M-Sat 11am-10pm 309 North Lamar

Oxford, MS 38655 (662) 234-1968

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Mississippi Documentary Shorts Screening: Saturday 11:15am (S3), before Thacker Mountain Radio: A Documentary Dinner on the Grounds: A Soul Reviving Feast Tortillas de Maiz

Mississippi Narrative Shorts #1 Screening: Saturday 3:00pm (S3) in the following order: The Butterflies Parted The Big Hang Up What Happened?

Drawing Lilly The Flight of Calvin Waters

Mississippi Narrative Shorts #2 Screening: Saturday 5:00pm (S3) in the following order: Now or Never The Collectors Room 327 Oxvegas Tricks and Treats Footsteps

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Mississippi Queen Documentary Feature, 1 hour 4 minutes Directed by: Paige Williams Screening: Saturday 5:30pm (S2), and Sunday 11:30am (S3) with Family Matter Mississippi Queen charts a woman’s mission to find muchneeded answers. Paige Williams travels across the country and through the years, as she explores the distance between her upbringing and her life now. The south stands as the backdrop and her parents as the main characters. Growing up a good Southern Baptist girl, Paige learned to love God and

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Bouré

Open for dinner / live music Wed – Sat nights Open for lunch Mon-Sat Rooms available for nightly rental www.groundzerobluesclub.com

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family. However, her senior year in high school would lead to a relationship with a girl, and all Baptist upbringing would turn on its head.

Over ten years later, she attempts to find balance in her marriage and commitment to a woman, their newborn and the fact that her parents run Mississippi’s only ex-gay ministry.

However, this story goes beyond just the Williams family. It is about the South, where a distinct queer culture manages to thrive despite religious fervor or, perhaps, because of it.

Paige interviews gays who find no incongruity with going to church and loving the Lord as well as those who feel they cannot take part in their religion without being judged. She talks to former homosexuals who converted due to their commitment to Christ and their wish to “no longer sin,” and meets with the people who want to help them change. At the heart of the film, though, is the middle ground where Paige and her parents attempt to meet. They don’t always get there, but the making of Mississippi Queen helps them get a little closer, both to God and each other.

The Mountain, The River and The Road Narrative Feature, 1 hour 17 minutes, Mississippi Premiere Directed by: Michael Harring Screening: Friday 2:45pm (S1) with Kivat Normali and Land Gewinnen, and Sunday 1:30pm (S2) with Blue Boy Jeff (Justin Rice) is a failing post-college writer whose parents are finally kicking him out. With this in mind, Jeff takes off on a road trip to Austin, Tex. with his friend, Tom (Joe Swanberg); a final grasp at youthful freedom. Their trip unravels when their beater car busts its timing belt and Tom’s ex-girlfriend intercepts Tom’s paycheck, forcing him to bus it home to resolve his relationship. Tom leaves with his tail between his legs while Jeff stays behind in Kernville, Calif. hoping to be struck with inspiration as he avoids the pressures of home. Unfortunately, all he ends up doing is wandering the sleepy small town and watching daytime television.

After locking himself out of his motel room one night, Jeff meets Cat (Tipper Newton), an attractive young woman also at a crossroads in her life, who just happens to work at the front desk of the motel. The two flirt awkwardly through a few encounters until Cat breaks the ice by inviting Jeff to help cut firewood for her Grandma. Learning how to use a chainsaw, exploring an abandoned mine, encountering a dead bear, and night sledding are just some of the adventures in store for Cat and Jeff as they begin to fall in love. Everything is in place for a great winter romance between the two, but the impending return of Tom, the continuation of the road trip, and the unshakable burden of responsibility hover as a reminder of how fleeting romance can be. Justin Rice has been seen in recent films such as Harmony and Me, and Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Joe Swanberg has been a mainstay on the

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film festival circuit, directing films such as Alexander the Last, Hannah Takes the Stairs, and LOL, as well as appearing in the films of others, including Aaron Katz’s Quiet City (OFF 2008).

Tipper Newton appeared in Hannah Takes the Stairs, and will be in 2010’s The Lie. Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

The Mouse That Soared Animated Short, 6 minutes Directed by: Kyle T. Bell Screening: Friday 10:00am (S3), and Saturday 4:30pm (S1) with Animated Shorts Block A young mouse is adopted by two well-meaning birds who expect of him what they would expect of any young bird -- that he learns to fly.

Naturally Obsessed: The Making of a Scientist Documentary Feature, 60 minutes Directed by: Richard Rifkind and Carole Rifkind Screening: Friday 4:45p (S2), and Sunday 6:00pm (S2) with Frequent Flyer An intriguing look into the world of academic research labs, where high stakes -- and even higher competition -- fuel grad students in their race to complete experiments and make discoveries. This documentary unveils the human side of scientific research, casting light on the devastating highs and lows the students face as their lives become consumed with their work. Under the guidance of their advisor, Larry, (who accurately points out that the Ph.D. structure is the last true form of apprenticeship) the graduate students struggle with a variety of problems, both in and outside of the lab.

Night of the Loup Garou Late Night Feature / Non-Competition, 1 hour 30 minutes Directed by: Micah Ginn and Matthew Nothelfer Screening: Friday 9:15pm (S3) Dr. Dax Wingo (Rhes Low) is a down-on-his-luck anthrozooologist who has long been discounted by the scientific community as a myth-chaser. But when six college students are found viciously murdered in the tiny town of Taylor, Miss., the clues left behind point to the mysterious Cajun werewolf lore known as the “Loup Garou.” Together with his savvy graduate assistant Shad (Thad Lee) and a sassy undergraduate

february 4-7, 2010

aaa student (Haven Nutt), Dax joins forces with Government Operative Richard English (Scott Morris) to face off with whoever, or whatever, lurks in the dark woods of Taylor.

But before the investigation can begin, Dax realizes he is being teamed with anthrozooological arch-rival, Dr. Doug-Clark Paulson (Nathan Buttrey), Russian big-game hunter Ernie Sokolov (Ace Atkins), and Dax’s estranged wife, Claudia (Tiffany Kilpatrick). The “team” is a powder-keg of emotions and crisscrossed interests as they set out to solve the mystery before the body count rises. Micah Ginn and Matthew Nothelfer previously directed the documentary Undefeated: The Chucky Mullins Story (OFF 2005).

Filmmaker and cast members are scheduled to attend.

Now or Never Mississippi Short (Narrative), 29 minutes Directed by: Angie Hill Screening: Saturday 5:00pm (S3) with Mississippi Narrative Shorts Block #2 What starts as an 110 Heritage Drive engagement party for the quirky, high mainteOxford, Mississippi nance Iris turns into an 662-232-2442 underground couples www.hampton.com game that pushes and prods the boundaries of love and loyalty between close friends.

Four couples are separated, blindfolded and escorted to confidential rooms with an anonymous partner Hampton-Holiday Inn 1-8.indd 1 to discover the magic or curse of this mysterious game. As the night unfolds we realize that nothing and nobody is what they seem, as the masks and layers are stripped away to the raw core of each character’s expectations and insecurities.

Producer Carlisle Forrester (who plays Mariah) is a native of Oxford, Miss.

112 Heritage Drive Oxford, Mississippi 662-236-2500 www.hiexpress.com/ oxfordms

12/30/09 5:09:24 PM

Ocean Invaders Documentary Short, 16 minutes Directed by: Mandee Mallonee Screening: Saturday 12:00pm (S1), and Sunday 2:30pm (S3) with The Last Survivor A unique and distinctive creature, the lionfish is certainly a beauty to behold, but best observed from a distance. Its venomous spines are used purely for defense, and can be very painful for humans. Having few if any natural predators, the population of the lionfish, once limited to the waters of southeast Asia, is projected to increase and expand. How will this affect the native fish populations of the Atlantic and Caribbean? And what are scientists doing to research this aquatic issue?

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

oxfordfilmfest.com

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Mississippi Short (Narrative), 25 minutes Directed by: Greg Giblin Screening: Saturday 5:00pm (S3) with Mississippi Narrative Shorts Block #2 After a stranger arrives in a small town, he is puzzled and accosted by its odd residents. Connected by television, the town becomes just plain silly as the stranger struggles for his freedom and life. Containing no less than one president accused of inappropriate contact with a squirrel, one corpse comedy hit television show, and one super-villain, Oxvegas has everything the undiscerning, half-drunk audience member needs. Filmed at Ajax Diner in Oxford, Miss.

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

Parted Mississippi Short (Narrative), 11 minutes Directed by: Michael Williams Screening: Saturday 3:00pm (S3) with Mississippi Narrative Shorts Block #1 After Adam is drafted into the Vietnam War, Lori is left behind to wait for her fiancé to return. Director Michael Williams lives in West Point, Miss.

Co-stars April Wren, who directed What Happened?

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

Pause Replay Animated Short, Regional Premiere, 6 minutes Directed by: Chan-Chia Chang Screening: Friday 10:00am (S3), and Saturday 4:30pm (S1) with Animated Shorts Block A love story about watching, memory, love and death between a camera and a camcorder.

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Pigeon: Impossible Animated Short, 7 minutes Directed by: Lucas Martell Screening: Friday 10:00am (S3), and Saturday 4:30pm (S1) with Animated Shorts Block The CIA trained Walter Beckett to deal with all threats to national security…but pigeons!?

Playground Documentary Feature, 1 hour 27 minutes Directed by: Libby Spears Screening: Friday 11:35am (S3), and Saturday 10:20am (S2) with Fledgling The number one destination for Americans to have sex with a child? The U.S.A. Playground is a sensitive, heavily-researched portrait of the childsex industry in the United States; our country’s most alarming, insidious secret.

Produced by Steven Soderbergh, Grant Heslov, and George Clooney.

A Quiet Little Marriage Narrative Feature, 1 hour 25 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Mo Perkins Screening: Friday 4:45pm (S1), and Sunday 5:30pm (S3) with Birthday Dax (Cy Carter) and Olive (Mary Elizabeth Ellis) are in a happy marriage. As her father disintegrates into Alzheimer’s, Olive decides she’s in a hurry to have a baby, but Dax doesn’t want their happy little world to change.

After one too many glasses of wine one night, Olive pokes a hole through her diaphragm. When Dax discovers her deception, he panics. Not wanting to lose the love of his life, but desperately not wanting a baby, he begins to slip Olive birth control in her morning coffee. For a time they are both happy, each thinking their plan is working but slowly their quiet little marriage begins to unravel.

Mary Elizabeth Ellis, a native of Laurel, Miss., has a recurring role as “The Waitress” on the hit comedy It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Actress Mary Elizabeth Ellis is scheduled to attend.

february 4-7, 2010

aaa Refurbished Documentary Short, 9 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: John Spottswood Moore Screening: Friday 11:30am (S2), and Sunday 5:00pm (S1) with Handmade Nation Furbies were once the most popular toys in the world.

They talked, they ate, and they seemed to love.

Today, however, you could get four on Craigslist for less than twenty bucks.

Refurbished tells the unique story of Thomas Fang and the Furby Youth Choir based in Austin, Tex. From the junk yard to the stage, this tinkerer gives these toys a new voice and a new life.

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

Room 327 Mississippi Short (Narrative), 19 minutes Directed by: Glenn Payne Screening: Saturday 5:00pm (S3) with Mississippi Narrative Shorts Block #2 The tension builds as the hostage situation goes bad. You wait for their demands in a sleazy hotel room. As the phone rings your heart pounds. Pick up, it’s for you. The cast and crew of this film hail from Blue Springs and Tupelo, Miss.

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

est. 1990

407 Jackson Avenue Mon. - Fri. 10-6 • Sat. 10-4 236.6507

Dunbar Davis, PLLC Attorneys at Law 324 Jackson Avenue East Oxford, Mississippi 38655

Phone 662.281.0001 Fax 662.281.1201

www.dunbardavis.com

The Scenesters Narrative Feature, 1 hour 36 minutes Directed by: Todd Berger Screening: Saturday 6:00pm (S1), and Sunday 11:10am (S2) with True Beauty This Night When a serial killer starts picking off beautiful young hipsters on the east side of Los Angeles, a couple of crime scene videographers hatch a plan to catch him before the cops do. The Scenesters is an innovative and quirky murder mystery that both honors and deconstructs the conventions of the classic “who-done-it?” film genre. Features Sherilyn Fenn (Twin Peaks) and the Los Angeles-based comedy group The Vacationeers.

oxfordfilmfest.com

Call 601.359.3297 For your Mississippi Location and Production Guide P. O. Box 849 Jackson, Mississippi 39205 www.mississippi.org/film

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Experimental Short, 18 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Barbara Klutinis Screening: Saturday 1:00pm (S3) with Experimental Shorts Block Found footage interweaves an account of Rosemary Kennedy’s lobotomy procedure in 1941 with an overview of the psychosurgery movement of the 1930’s-1960’s in the US.

Shooting Beauty Documentary Feature, 1 hour 3 minutes Directed by: George Kachadorian Screening: Friday 6:35pm (S2), and Saturday 7:40pm (S2) with Among the Giants Over a period of five years, fashion photographer Courtney Bent becomes completely enmeshed in the laughter and sometimes soul wrenching drama taking place inside a facility for people living with extreme disabilities. When she begins inventing cameras her new friends can use, a surprising story unfolds. Many of the photographers are non-verbal, and some take pictures using only their tongue. But when the group sets their sights on creating a museum-worthy exhibit of their work, they must overcome a skeptical public, significant relationship issues, and even death in the effort to bring their unique perspective to light. This surprising little film will make you rethink what it means to live with a disability--and without one.

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

Sissypants Narrative Short, 9 minutes Directed by: Grainger David Screening: Saturday 2:15pm (S1), and Sunday 12:45p (S1) with Carried Away Tom and Zoe have a relationship problem: Tom can only bring himself to say “I Love You” in sign language. When Tom brings Zoe home to meet his parents for the first time, his overzealous dad reminds them both of Tom’s old nickname–“Sissypants”–and forces him to play a dreaded family game called Effortball, from which Tom’s fragile relationship may not survive. Grainger David’s previous short, George and Karl, appeared in OFF 2009.

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Skylight Animated Short, 5 minutes Directed by: David Baas Screening: Friday 10:00am (S3), and Saturday 4:30pm (S1) with Animated Shorts Block An animated mockumentary about the ecological plight of penguins in the Antarctic, possibly foretelling cataclysmic results for the rest of the world.

Speed Pitch Panel Discussion: Friday, 2:15pm (S1) Speed Pitch is a great way to meet lots of distributors in a quick, no-pressure environment. The “speed pitching” will take place in fast turnaround, one-to-one, round table sessions with representatives from production companies and independent distribution companies. You have 1-minute to pitch your film or idea. When done, we will have a panel discussion about what distributors saw that was good and ideas on how to improve your first impression with a distributor. You will have the opportunity to ask questions afterwards. Moderator Kim Voynar (MovieCityNews.com) will lead the discussion with Chris Holland, David Basulto, Steven Beckman, and Lee Caplin.

NOTE: Filmmakers must sign up in advance for the speed pitch session. Anyone is welcome to sit in and observe the panel without participating in the speed pitch session.

To read more about our panelists, see their bios on page 33.

Split Second Splat Animated Short, 5 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Chris Stacy Screening: Friday 10:00am (S3), and Saturday 4:30pm (S1) with Animated Shorts Block A new game that involves 1 parachute and 5 contestants fighting for survival during free fall. A gladiator type sport with a mixture of beauty, grace, and brutality.

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

Stingray Sam Late Night Feature / Non-Competition, 1 hour 2 minutes Directed by: Cory McAbee Screening: Thursday 10:30pm (S1), and Friday 10:40pm (S1) with The Fairy Princess A dangerous mission reunites Stingray Sam with his long

february 4-7, 2010

aaa lost accomplice, The Quasar Kid. Follow these two space convicts as they earn their freedom in exchange for the rescue of a young girl who is being held captive by the genetically designed figurehead of a very wealthy planet.

152 Courthouse Square Oxford, MS 38655 (662) 232-8080

M-Sat LUNCH: 11:30-2:30 Th-Sat DINNER: 6-10:30 M-W DINNER: 6-10

Streets of Plenty Documentary Feature, 1 hour 6 minutes Directed by: Corey Ogilvie Screening: Friday 5:30pm (S3) after the Distribution Panel, and Saturday 1:00pm (S2) with Dive!

With the 2010 Winter Olympics approaching, will the world get to know Vancouver’s darkest secret? “Streets of Plenty” chronicles City Grocery 1-8.indd one man’s perilous journey to live in Vancouver’s downtown eastside ghetto. The rules of this twisted social experiment? Starting with only a pair of underwear, he must survive the harsh winter streets for 31 days. He has no money, no friends, no family, and most importantly, no home. He must navigate the institutions, policies and services alongside the thousands of people that call Vancouver’s streets home.

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12/28/09 9:20:51 PM

Thacker Mountain Radio: A Documentary Mississippi Film (Documentary), 58 minutes Directed by: Mary Warner and Joe York Screening: Saturday 12:30am (S3) with Mississippi Documentary Shorts (Dinner on the Grounds and Tortillas de Maiz) In 1997, literature and music found a home on Oxford, Mississippi’s Thacker Mountain Radio.

This documentary provides insight into how the show began and what it means to the community.

Co-director Mary Warner served as producer of Thacker Mountain Radio for several years before leaving to pursue a master’s degree in Southern Studies at the University of Mississippi. This film was made to compliment her thesis project. Co-director Joe York’s documentary about Oxford’s Hoka Theater, Sorry We’re Open, played in OFF 2008; his films Whole Hog and Saving Willie Mae’s Scotch House played in OFF 2007.

Filmmakers are scheduled to attend.

SAVE THE DATE! 8th Annual Oxford Film Festival February 10-13, 2011

oxfordfilmfest.com

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aa a To the Moon

Animated Short, 9 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Jacob Ospa Screening: Friday 10:00am (S3), and Saturday 4:30pm (S1) with Animated Shorts Block A 19th century Englishman goes on a balloon voyage to the moon, and gets more than he bargained for.

Topi Animated Short, 7 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Arjun Rihan Screening: Friday 10:00am (S3), and Saturday 4:30pm (S1) with Animated Shorts Block Amidst the turbulent partition of India circa 1947, a young Hindu boy has a chance encounter with a stranger. Arjun Rihan’s previous film Arjuna screened in OFF 2008.

Tortillas de Maiz Mississippi Short (Documentary), 12 minutes Directed by: Ferriday Mansel, Alan Pike, and Duvall Osteen Screening: Saturday 11:15am (S3) with Thacker Mountain Radio: A Documentary Profiling the Hernandez family of New Albany, Miss. and their Tortillaria de Cinco Estrellas, this film investigates the ways that Mississippi and the larger South are influenced by Hispanic immigrants, specifically the ways that their traditional foodways are integrated into contemporary southern culture.

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

SAVE THE DATE! 8th Annual Oxford Film Festival February 10-13, 2011

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Tricks and Treats Mississippi Short (Narrative), 9 minutes Directed by: Matthew Graves Screening: Saturday 5:00pm (S3) with Mississippi Narrative Shorts Block #2 A young woman home alone on Halloween is terrorized by a mysterious stranger. Matthew Graves’ previous short film, Dummy, screened in OFF 2007.

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

True Beauty This Night Narrative Short, 10 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Peter Besson Screening: Saturday 5:50pm (S1), and Sunday 11:00am (S2) with The Scenesters Last night Rhett Somers, so far scraping by on good luck or just plain old ignorance, met the love of his life. The only thing left to do is convince her that she’s the one. Not an easy feat considering how they met.

Utsav Mela Experimental Short, 3 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Karl Mendonca Screening: Saturday 1:00pm (S3) with Experimental Shorts Block Utsav Mela is a meandering camera roll of a county fair in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh shot on a Bolex and later optically printed and hand painted to preserve the landscape from the exploitative lens of the camera while simultaneously document and (re)present the filmmaker’s personal experience of this cultural event.

The Velveteen Rabbit Children’s Film (Feature) / Non-Competition, 1 hr 27 minutes Directed by: Michael Landon, Jr. Screening: Saturday 11:00am (PL) Based on the best-selling classic book. Toby’s father has packed away in ice his grief over the death of his wife. When Toby is sent to stay with his very proper and somewhat forbid-

february 4-7, 2010

R&B Feder

Charitable Foundation for the Beaux Arts P.O. Box 1943 Ocean Springs, MS 39566 rnbfeder@cableone.net

Inspiring Diversity and Exploration

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ding grandmother over the Christmas holidays, he does not know what to do with himself. Then he discovers an attic filled with toys from the past and an unopened present from his angel mother. Inside the box is a velveteen rabbit that opens up the world of imagination for Toby. Rabbit along with Swan and Horse fill Toby’s world with exciting animated adventures. Their love and insights help Toby melt the heart of his grandmother, who calls his father home. Their world reaches a crisis when Toby contracts Scarlet Fever and his beloved rabbit must be burned. Through this loss Toby and the grownups in his life come to realize the importance of family and the power of love to make us real. This adaptation of The Velveteen Rabbit was produced in 2009.

Appropriate for ages 5 and up.

The Vicious Kind Showcase Feature / Non-Competition, 1 hour 32 minutes Directed by: Lee Toland Krieger Screening: Friday 8:30pm (S1) with Blue Boy Set in small town Rhode Island, this dramatic comedy brings together elements of depression, romance and self exploration among a dysfunctional family of men. Lonely and frustrated after a bitter break up, Caleb (Adam Scott) warns his younger brother Peter (Alex Frost) against women, especially the pretty young thing (Brittany Snow) he’s bringing home for the holidays. His indifferent opinion and steely resolve is put to the test as his attraction to Peter’s girlfriend begins to grow. Adam Scott (Step Brothers, Party Down) has been nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for this role. Alex Frost previously appeared in Gus Van Sant’s Elephant. Brittany Snow had roles in Hairspray and Prom Night. J.K. Simmons, who plays the father of Caleb and Peter, was recently in Up in the Air, as well as Juno, the three Spiderman movies, and TNT’s “The Closer.”

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

Read more about this film on page 5.

Westhope: Above and Below Experimental Short, 10 minutes Directed by: Shannon Benine Screening: Saturday 1:00pm (S3) with Experimental Shorts Block As wars in the Middle East, rising gas prices, and the search for alternative fuels transform American life, Westhope, North Dakota, rides the tail end of an oil boom. Rigs

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pepper the harsh prairie surrounding the town. But while drilling depletes this non-renewable resource, descendants of Midwestern farmers-turned-drillers face the challenge of a dwindling livelihood. Fifty years after the discovery of oil, Westhope residents live in the tension between crude and agriculture, between pump and harvest. As the oil slows, farmers begin to plant sunflowers, canola and other bio-diesel crops.

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

What Happened?

Mississippi Short (Narrative), 5 minutes Directed by: April Wren Screening: Saturday 3:00pm (S3) with Mississippi Narrative Shorts Block #1 Kate is in trouble and calls a good friend for help. He rushes to her side, but little does he know how messed up her situation really is.

WSIM: What Suffered Inside Me Animated Short, 3 minutes Directed by: Jennifer Hardy Screening: Friday 10:00am (S3), and Saturday 4:30pm (S1) with Animated Shorts Block The main character sees himself as an incomplete stick figure with a crossed line on his face. He visualizes simple figures wearing horizontal lines on their faces as unable to see his inner self. The feeling of loneliness, unhappiness and falling into darkness create clinical depression. The filmmaker uses acrylic paint, marker, and conté charcoal with classical animation techniques.

Wheedle’s Groove Documentary Feature, 1 hour 35 minutes Directed by: Jennifer Maas Screening: Friday 7:45pm (S2), and Sunday 3:45pm (S2) with I am a Man: From Memphis, a Lesson in Life Thirty years before grunge music put Seattle on the map, late 1960’s groups like Black on White Affair, The Soul Swingers, and Cold, Bold & Together filled airwaves and packed clubs every night of the week.

Many groups started to receive widespread attention with invitations to perform on national television and collaborate with mainstream acts.

february 4-7, 2010

aaa Just as many of the groups were on the verge of breaking out, the fickle public turned its ear to disco, and Seattle’s soul scene slipped into obscurity. In 2001, local collector DJ Mr. Supreme started uncovering Seattle’s soulful past after finding a dusty Black on White Affair 45 called “Bold Soul Sister� in a 99-cent bin at a Seattle Center record show. By 2003 he had a rough impression of a once-thriving scene and a hefty collection of Seattle soul and funk 45s, some of which were fetching upwards of $5,000 on the collector circuit. Supreme approached local record label Light In The Attic with the idea of releasing a Seattle soul and funk compilation. Light In The Attic spent twelve months tracking down artists and fleshing out the story of Seattle’s funky past, and the result was a CD compilation entitled Wheedle’s Groove. At the CD release party in August of 2004, a line of nostalgic 60-somethings and funk-hungry 20-somethings wrapped around the building as the musicians inside, now janitors, graphic designers, and truck drivers, look back at careers derailed and prepare to perform together for the first time in 30 years.

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

150 Courthouse Square Monday - Saturday: 10 - 6 Sunday: 12 - 5 www.southsideartgallery.com 662.234.9090

Where Life Is Documentary Short, 27 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Coyote Marino   Screening: Friday 1:30pm (S2), and Saturday 2:30pm (S2) with D-Tour As Operation Iraqi Freedom approaches its 7th year, the domestic legacy is now the return home for those who have been injured during their service. Where Life Is follows three severely injured veterans pursuing sport as a means of rehabilitation and readjustment to civilian life. The film follows these veterans, as they face the realities of making the Paralympics, swimming in the ocean, and riding a bicycle again for the first time; as well as when they face their demons and moments of despair. This is a privileged look into their lives -- a portrait of their courage to overcome their injuries with the help of friends, family, and sport. Coyote Marino is a graduate of the University of Mississippi.

Winding Down Mississippi Short (Narrative), 8 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Michael Usry, David Matthews, and Ryan Roy Screening: Friday 9:45pm (S2) with Cigarette Girl Winding Down follows a harried businessman through his after-work routine as he attempts to de-stress while dealing with his unusual household circumstances. The filmmakers live in Jackson, Miss.

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

oxfordfilmfest.com

4-midnight - M-Sat. 721 North Lamar Oxford, MS 38655 (662) 236-6363

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With a Can of Tuna Fish in a Sock Experimental Short, 6 minutes Directed by: Dwayne Butcher Screening: Saturday 1:00pm (S3) with Experimental Shorts Block This digital video is a semiautobiographical account of the filmmaker and his brother growing up in Arkansas. This piece is intended to be a witty account of their lives as citizens of the rural South and the competitions they had as children that continue today. The piece is presented in a scrolling poem format without an audio component.

Filmmaker is scheduled to attend.

Wonderful World Showcase Feature, 1 hour 25 minutes Directed by: Josh Goldin Screening: Thursday 8:00pm (S1), and 8:15pm (S2) Ben Singer (Matthew Broderick), a failed children’s folk singer, is a newly unemployed proofreader and an every-other-weekend dad to his young daughter (Jodelle Ferland), who prefers pretty much anything to listening to her dad’s pessimistic ramblings. Struggling in all aspects of his life, Ben’s only comforts come from smoking marijuana alone and playing regular chess games with his smart and opinionated Senegalese roommate Ibou (Michael Kenneth Williams). When Ibou is suddenly struck ill and an insensitive municipal employee exacerbates the emer-

gency situation, Ben pours his energy into a lawsuit against the city for depraved indifference. Ben’s life begins to turn around with the arrival of Ibou’s beautiful and sexy sister Khadi (Sanaa Lathan) from Senegal, who moves into Ibou’s room in Ben’s apartment. As Ben suspects that it is his own cynicism corroding the beauty around him, he realizes that it’s all a matter of perspective. Wonderful World is written and directed by Josh Goldin and stars Matthew Broderick (The Producers, Election, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off), Michael Kenneth Williams (The Wire, The Road), Sanaa Lathan (The Family That Preys, The Cleveland Show), Jodelle Ferland (to be seen as Bree in Twilight: Eclipse), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family), Ally Walker (Sons of Anarchy, Profiler), and Philip Baker Hall (The Loop). It features original music with a cameo performance by acclaimed musician Dan Zanes, the noted father of the modern independent kids’ music movement.

Read an interview with Josh Goldin on page 8.

Zombie Girl Children’s Film (Documentary Feature), 1 hour 29 minutes Directed by: Justin Johnson, Aaron Marshall, and Erik Mauck Screening: Saturday 2:30pm (PL) Emily Hagins is making a zombie movie.

It’s feature-length, it’s bloody, and the zombies don’t run. Just like it should be. But there’s one difference between her film and every other zombie movie you’ve ever seen: Emily is twelve.

Appropriate for ages 10 and up.

After the screening, Celery Studios filmmakers Nitin and Deepak Mantena, Oxford High School graduates, will talk with interested students who want to learn more about filmmaking.

NOTE: If your child is in middle school, like Emily, and is interested in filmmaking, check out our Children’s Filmmaking Workshop with Don Tingle.

Zombies and Cigarettes

Want to learn more about the 2010 festival films and the people who made them?

Head to the Oxford Film Festival blog (oxfordfilmfest.blogspot.com) and read the Take 5 With series where filmmakers answer five important questions about their films.

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Narrative Short, 18 minutes, Regional Premiere Directed by: Rafael Martínez and Iñaki San Roman Screening: Thursday 10:00pm (S2) with Cigarette Girl, and Sunday 2:00pm (S2) with Kivat Normali and Land Gewinnen Four people caught in a mall. Hordes of zombies around them. Only one exit....

In Spanish with English subtitles.

SAVE THE DATE! 8th Annual Oxford Film Festival February 10-13, 2011

february 4-7, 2010

Speed Pitch Panel Friday, 2:15pm (S1)

MODERATOR: Kim Voynar Kim Voynar is film critic and features editor for Movie City News, “Hollywood’s homepage,” where she reviews films and writes two regular columns. Prior to joining Movie City News, she was managing editor for Cinematical. When she’s not watching movies, traveling to film festivals or writing, she stays busy homeschooling her four youngest children.

Panelists Chris Holland, B-Side Distribution Chris Holland is the author of Film Festival Secrets: A Handbook for Independent Filmmakers (filmfestivalsecrets.com) and the Director of Festival Operations at B-Side (bside.com). He previously served as the Marketing Coordinator for the Austin Film Festival and has served on various programming committees and festival juries. Previous publications include Reel Shame: Bad Movies and the Hollywood Stars Who Made Them and The Radio Times Guide to Film. In 1996 Holland co-founded Stomp Tokyo (stomptokyo.com), one of the first web sites dedicated to fringe cinema. The site was touted as “a place to indulge one’s questionable taste” by the New York Times. Holland also served as a moderator for the distribution panel at last year’s Oxford Film Festival.

David Basulto, Clarity Pictures David Basulto began his career in Hollywood as an actor, but used his experience gained in a top Wall Street brokerage house, to form his first production company, Basulto Entertainment Group, soon followed by Clarity Pictures. His feature film production Love and Action in Chicago was an official selection to the 1999 Toronto Film Festival. His projects have included associations with Mel Gibson’s Icon Entertainment, Lifetime Television, and Maverick Entertainment. He recently produced his first documentary production, Hiding in Plain Sight: Tales of an American Predator, directed by wife Loren Basulto. David

oxfordfilmfest.com

is also the founder of the popular filmmaking podcast and website FilmmakingCentral.com and recently launched FilmSchoolOnDemand.com, an online film school that also offers students a first look deal with a distribution company.

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Panels

Speed Pitch is a great way to meet lots of distributors in a quick, no-pressure environment. The “speed pitching” will take place in fast turnaround, one-to-one, round table sessions with representatives from production companies and independent distribution companies. You have 1-minute to pitch your film or idea. When done, we will have a panel discussion about what distributors saw that was good and ideas on how to improve your first impression with a distributor. You will have the opportunity to ask questions afterwards.

NOTE: Filmmakers must sign up in advance for the speed pitch session. Anyone is welcome to sit in and observe the panel without participating in the speed pitch session.

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Steven Beckman, Cinetic Rights Management Steven Beckman focuses on domestic film acquisitions at Cinetic Rights Management, sister company of Cinetic Media. Steve identifies and acquires relevant film content for CRM, and strategizes the projects’ distribution and release into the marketplace.

Steve’s previous industry experience includes The Weinstein Company, DreamWorks, 20th Century Fox, Marc Platt Productions and Hock Films. He has also produced a number of independent documentaries and concert films.

Lee Caplin, Keystone-Cineville Entertainment Group/ Picture Entertainment Corporation Lee Caplin is Chairman and Founder of Picture Entertainment Corporation (Ali starring Will Smith), cofounder of Keystone-Cineville Entertainment Group, and the Executive Producer of the Literary Estate of Nobel Prize winning author William Faulkner. He has been a leader in the telecommunications and multimedia industry for over 20 years. An attorney, entrepreneur, and educator, Caplin has published over 200 titles of illustrated children’s and educational books, including his bestseller, The Business of Art. A Founding Faculty member of California State University’s high tech campus at Monterey Bay in the establishment of its program in telecommunications, he is a member of the International Advisory Board of the Monterey Institute for International Studies, Center for Non-Proliferation.

Art of the Celebrity Interview Friday, 4:00pm (S3) We scan the headlines while waiting in line at the grocery store. We watch Entertainment Tonight and gossip about the faces more familiar to us than our own neighbors. The art of the celebrity interview will be examined with those who work to get us the news of what our favorite on screen faces are doing. Moderator Lisa Rosman, film journalist for US Weekly will guide film journalists in a robust discussion about getting the scoop.

Moderator: Lisa Rosman Formerly the film editor of the the Brooklyn Rail, Lisa Rosman works as a film journalist for such publications as Movie City News, Premiere Magazine, New York Magazine, Time Out New York, Salon, Indiewire, and the national online weekly Flavorpill, where she served as film editor. Currently, she writes the

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film and television blog New Deal Sally (http://blogs.indiewire. com/lisarosman/), in addition to working as research chief and a film critic for Us Weekly. She has also commented on film for the radio network NPR, and the television networks the IFC and TNT. She has served as the official blogger for Roger Ebert’s Overlooked Film Festival for the last three years and ran the popular film blog The Broad View. She has also worked as a labor organizer for the garment workers’ union, and as an assistant for Elmo on Sesame Street (he was very grumpy).

Shawn Levy - The Oregonian Shawn Levy is the film critic for The Oregonian newspaper and the author of five books of biography and pop culture history, including the New York Times bestsellers Rat Pack Confidential and Paul Neman: A Life. He has written for just about every newspaper and magazine that publishes film commentary in the English language in the US and the UK, and he blogs and tweets daily about film culture and world soccer. His complete credentials and writings can be found at www.shawnlevy.com James Rocchi - MSN Movies James Rocchi is a film critic and entertainment journalist who’s covered the world of movies for outlets including MSN Movies (where he currently writes as a staff critic and columnist), Redbox’s redblog, AOL’s Cinematical.com AMCtv.com, E! Online, Mother Jones Magazine, Netflix and more. A member of the L.A. Film Critics Association, the Broadcast Film Critics of America and the Online Film Critics Society, he’s covered the Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, Tribeca, Oxford, Palm Beach, and South by Southwest Film Festivals, and has appeared as a critic and commentator on CBS-5 San Francisco, CNN, the Independent Film Channel and A&E’s “Biography.” Born in Hamilton, Ontario, he lives and works in Los Angeles.

Jen Yamato – Movies.com Jen Yamato spent four years as an editor for the movie review website Rotten Tomatoes, where she wrote about film and DVD news, interviewed celebrities, and covered film festivals including Sundance, Cannes, and Toronto as well as the annual ComicCon International. Having contributed to Cinematical, FEARnet, and Film. com, she now writes for the movie website Movies.com from her home in Los Angeles, where she lives with two adorable cats and a film critic.

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Workshop: Making and Selling Your First Film Saturday, 10:00am (S3) David Basulto will provide the basics of what new filmmakers need to know in an abbreviated version of his online film school at the Oxford Film Festival. His one-hour seminar will explain how to begin thinking of how to sell a film before it is finished, providing real world guidance and secrets of the industry.

David Basulto will also be taking part in our Speed Pitch panel on Friday. To read more about his experience in the film industry, check out his bio on page 33.

Tickets for the workshop are $10/person, or free with a fourday pass or VIP badge. continued from page 34

Wonderful World

Q: How long was the shoot? Where did you shoot?

We had a 23 day shoot, but because of Matthew’s schedule, we had only 21 days with the principal actors. 2 of the 23 days we spent shooting much needed second unit material.

We shot entirely in and around Shreveport, Louisiana, working 16-17 hour days. Creating Senegal out of a mowed cotton field just outside the city was challenging.

Q: What inspired you to write the Khadi and Ibou characters as Senegalese?

One of my first jobs out of college was that of a file clerk in a small insurance company. The only other worker in my office was a Senegalese man in his fifties. I was struck by a kind of Zen attitude he had toward the drudgery of the job. I was also struck by his high intelligence. We became good friends. He talked a lot about Senegal, which he had left at the age of eight. For him, it was a place of magic and wonder— he told me a story about fish falling from the sky when it rained. I came to believe that his detachment toward his job and toward the circumstances of his life (he lived in a welfare hotel) came from the fact that really he spent most of his time living in the Senegal of his mind. He was my inspiration for Ibou.

Khadi is a mystery. Maybe she is the sister I would imagine a man like Ibou to have. I also think she has a lot of traits I’ve seen in other women. I admire her. She’s not afraid of her own carnal nature.

Q: What is your favorite scene in the film?

I tend to think more in terms of sequences than scenes.

My favorite sequence begins with Ben storming into his estranged ex-wife’s house to pick up his daughter. He wants to prove to his daughter that she can have a good time with him. But once he has her in the car, he’s too angry to even look at her. He’s not angry at her, he’s angry at his ex-wife, at the world, at himself…but we know it’s going to be a horrible evening for her.

However, instead of having an awful evening, she has a great evening. She meets Khadi, they become friends…and the sequence ends with Ben and Khadi putting his daughter to bed and kissing over her sleeping figure.

I love the fact that in six or so minutes of movie time so many emotions snake through the narrative. Fury, wariness, reaching out to friendship, joy, reverence and finally love.

It’s a micro-version of the movie itself.

february 4-7, 2010

Our judges will determine winners in each of our catego-

Narrative Feature Judges Jack Barbera received a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1976, and began teaching the same year at The University of Mississippi where he is now a Professor of English. In addition to literature courses, he teaches several different film courses at the University, and last year directed the first film thesis in the Honors College. His only attempt at filmmaking, the nine-minute The Janitor, was accepted for screening and shown at the Silver Images Film Festival (Chicago) in 1997. Barbera has lectured on film at several scholarly conferences, and has published essays on the film, Tomorrow, and on the uses of the Vertigo Shot. In addition to serving as a judge for the Oxford Film Festival, he also serves as a judge for the Magnolia Film Festival in Starkville, Miss.

Elvis Mitchell is the entertainment critic for NPR’s “Weekend Edition” with Scott Simon and has been the host of “The Treatment” since 1996. Produced at KCRW, the show is nationally syndicated to 15 markets. Mitchell was a film critic for the New York Times from 2000-2004.

He is currently editor-at-large at Interview magazine. Don’t miss his “Conversation with” panel, where he interviews Ray McKinnon. To read more about his experiences in the film industry, check out his full bio on page 7.

Scott Weinberg is the author of over 1,900 movie reviews and is currently a member of the Online Film Critics Society. Scott is the Managing Editor of Cinematical.com, eFilmCritic.com, and HollywoodBitchslap.com, where he focuses on new theatrical releases, classics on DVD, cult films both obscure and atrocious, and extensive coverage of the Sundance, South By Southwest, Toronto, and Philadelphia film festivals. His reviews can also be found on websites such as DVD Talk, JoBlo’s Movie Emporium (DVD Clinic), Horror.com, Daily-Reviews.com, The Apollo Movie Guide, Monsters at Play, MrSkin.com, and Netflix, while his opinionated movie rants can regularly be heard on WGN radio in Chicago and WMET radio in Washington D.C. Scott also writes features (and the daily Newsday Reports) for Rotten Tomatoes as well as a DVD column for Femme Fatales Magazine.

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Documentary Feature Judges

Steve Montal is the Co-Founder and CEO of Caucho Technology, a global leader in web server software. Montal has collaborated with over 100 film festivals serving as board member, programmer, jury, organizer and panelist. Montal worked with the American Film Institute, where he launched the Silverdocs Film Festival and served as Director of Educational and Special Program Development. Montal’s producing credits include “Viva Terra Viva,” a television concert event for UNICEF that was broadcast to over 100 countries and seen by 500 million people for the benefit of the Amazon. Montal was the founding associate dean of the North Carolina School of the Arts School of Filmmaking, where he was part of the team that developed the curriculum of NCSA’s unique conservatory approach to film education. Montal is on the faculty of San Diego State University and lectures throughout the world at festivals and conferences.

James Rocchi is a film critic and entertainment journalist who’s covered the world of movies for outlets including MSN Movies (where he currently writes as a staff critic and columnist), Redbox’s redblog, AOL’s Cinematical.com AMCtv.com, E! Online, Mother Jones Magazine, Netflix and more. A member of the L.A. Film Critics Association, the Broadcast Film Critics of America and the Online Film Critics Society, he’s covered the Cannes, Sundance, Toronto, Tribeca, Oxford, Palm Beach, and South by Southwest Film Festivals, and has appeared as a critic and commentator on CBS-5 San Francisco, CNN, the Independent Film Channel and A&E’s “Biography.”

Born in Hamilton, Ontario, he lives and works in Los Angeles.

Kim Voynar is film critic and features editor for Movie City News, “Hollywood’s homepage,” where she reviews films and writes two regular columns.

Prior to joining Movie City News, she was managing editor for Cinematical.

When she’s not watching a movie, traveling to a film festivals or writing, she stays busy homeschooling her four youngest children.

Short Narrative and Short Documentary Judges

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Who’s Judging Whom?

ries. The winning films will be announced at the awards ceremony at 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 6 at the Powerhouse Community Arts Center (separate ticket required) and the winners will receive The Spirit of the Hoka, a beautiful statuette in the likeness of the Chickasaw Princess Hoka created by renowned sculptor Bill Beckwith.

The judges work in seven categories – narrative feature, documentary feature, narrative short, documentary short, experimental short, animated short and Mississippi film. Festival winners are selected after each judge screens the films independently, then works with the group to determine the winner.

All films on the lineup – including those not in competition – are eligible for the coveted Audience Award, which will be announced after the Festival ends on Sunday, February 7.

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Julie Kaye Fanton graduated from Oxford High School where she caught the “theatre bug.” After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Arts from the University of Mississippi, she moved to Hollywood. Fanton has worked as a set decorator for several features and TV movies, as well as the Roger Corman studio. In the early 1980s, she designed music videos in the first videos years of MTV. Since 2000, Fanton has focused primarily on set decoration for television shows. A member of IATSE Local 44, Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Set Decorators Society of America, Fanton won an Emmy in 1998 for her work on “Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella,”

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and received nominations for “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” and “My Name is Earl.” When not designing sets, Fanton focuses on her ministry in Uganda where she serves on the Board of Directors for Uganda Christian Development Mission. She and her husband Bud Fanton work as a team on the set of “The Middle,” for Warner Brothers/ABC. Her son Nick has just begun college.

internationally and his short films have been included in numerous international film festivals. Chaney holds a B.F.A. from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California and an M.F.A. from Tufts University/The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. He has completed post-graduate studies in theology at the University of the South, Sewanee, Tenn.

Eric D. Snider has been a film critic since 1999, writing first for a daily newspaper in Utah and subsequently for various websites on what the kids call “the Internet.” His work is currently found at Film.com, Cinematical.com, in Salt Lake City Weekly, and at the aptly named EricDSnider.com. He has also written for the Seattle Stranger, Willamette Week, eFilmCritic. com, DVD Talk, and DVD Journal. Eric grew up in California, lived for ten years in Utah, and now resides in beautiful Portland, Ore., where many streets are named after “Simpsons” characters (or possibly vice versa).

Katherine Rhodes Fields is the Visiting Professor of Art in Printmaking at the University of Mississippi. Katherine, a Mississippi native, moved to Oxford in 2008 from St. Louis, Missouri where she is still an active contemporary artist. Amongst many national and international exhibitions, Katherine’s work pushes the print media beyond its traditional framework and her work is receiving notable acclaim for her successes. Katherine also writes as an art critic for regional publications and was selected as a featured artist on Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s “Southern Expressions,” a television series presenting some of the best visual artists in Mississippi.

Her work is featured at the Good Citizen Gallery in St. Louis, Missouri and you can view her work on line at http://www. katherine-rhodes-fields.com

Jen Yamato spent four years as an editor for the movie review website Rotten Tomatoes, where she wrote about film and DVD news, interviewed celebrities, and covered film festivals including Sundance, Cannes, and Toronto as well as the annual ComicCon International. Having contributed to Cinematical, FEARnet, and Film.com, she now writes for the movie website Movies. com from her home in Los Angeles, where she lives with two adorable cats and a film critic.

Experimental/Animation Judges Laura Antonow is the director of three educational travel programs at the University of Mississippi’s Division of Continuing Education – The Academic Traveler, Study USA and the New York Internship Experience. She continues to teach in the Department of Art as an Adjunct Assistant Professor. Originally from Oxford, Laura returned in 1994 after receiving her B.S. from the School of Architecture and Environmental Design at the University of Texas at Arlington, and her M.F.A. from Parsons School of Design in New York City. While in New York, she also served as the chief lighting designer in the exhibitions department at the Guggenheim Museum. Locally, she has served as President of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, on the Powerhouse Steering Committee, and on the screening committee of the Oxford Film Festival.

Michael Jackson Chaney is a professor of Film and Television and Sound Design at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia. Prior to teaching he worked as a television producer in New York City for clients such as Hearst Publications, the Seagram Company, and the New York Times. He has been a consultant and special events programmer for the Savannah Film Festival since it’s inception in 1998. His film and time based media work address the interplay of spirituality and social constructs. He uses multiple channel video, film and sound as well as performance. His time based media work has been exhibited

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Mississippi Film Judges Deborah Barker received her PhD in literature from Princeton University in 1991 and is a professor of English at the University of Mississippi. She teaches courses in American literature, southern film, and women’s writing. She has published essays on the southern chick flick and the filmic version of Faulkner’s Sanctuary. She co-edited with Kathryn McKee a collection of essays on southern film, American Cinema and the Southern Imaginary, forthcoming from University of Georgia Press.

John Beifuss has been a reporter at The Commercial Appeal, the daily newspaper in Memphis, since 1983; he’s been the movie reviewer there since 1996. He’s proud that his first professional article – titled “Twin Titans of Terror: The Co-starring Films of Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi” -- appeared in Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine. He has written for the New York Times, TV Guide, American Film and other publications. His movie blog is TheBloodshotEye.com, and he hosts a Monday morning radio show called “Welcome to the Working Week” on WEVL-FM 89.9 in Memphis. He was born in Chicago and is a 1981 graduate of Northwestern University.

Elizabeth Dollarhide has worked in film and video for nearly twenty years, beginning with Huck Finn in Natchez, MS. After working on several projects in Mississippi, Chicago and Baltimore with Llewellyn Wells, she moved to Los Angeles where she ran the production company of Lawrence Kasdan and was a producer on his last film Dreamcatcher. She also worked as a writer/producer of DVD documentaries for several movies, including Cinderella Man, Flags of Our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima, The Weather Man and re-releases of Backdraft, The Accidental Tourist, Wyatt Earp, Parenthood, as well as a HBO First Look show on Cinderella Man and promotional video for Silverado. She recently relocated from California to Oxford/ Taylor and has several projects in development, including two original feature animation films and two adaptations of novels.

february 4-7, 2010

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PACKAGE STORE

Presenting Malco Studio Cinemas Yoknapatawpha Arts Council Oak Hill Stables Oxford Convention and Visitors Bureau UM Media Productions

Wide Selection of Fine Wines & Liquors Convenient Location Major Credit Cards Accepted

Panel Donna Ruth Roberts Metrocast

308 Jackson Avenue ( 234.3331

Sponsor Captured Photography Papa John’s Pizza R&B Charitable Foundation for the Beaux Arts Wilson Roberts Mississippi Film Office B-Side

Star Package 1-8.indd 1

Award Kodak Nautilus Publishing Bullseye 95.5 Oxford University Transit Ground Zero Blues Club

Southside Gallery Claude Rives Rock River Foundation Sony The 512

Contributor Paul Lavender College Weekends Janie Fields Catering Oxford Bank Association Oxford University Bank Percy Law Firm Bouré City Grocery Snackbar Big Bad Breakfast

Janice & Walt Antonow Dunbar Davis, PLLC Oxford Bicycle Company Susan & Andy Howorth Holiday Inn/Hampton Inn Lazy Magnolia Brewery KidsFirst.org Leo Torres Ink Spot

Supporting American National Insurance Kaye Bryant Music in the Hall Enterprise Car Rental

LaRousse Salon & Spa Y’all Magazine Ken Wooten and Margaret Wylde

Donor Elliot Logic Living Blues Magazine Carter & Lydia Meyers Dianne Fergusson Lenoras Mike Overstreet Properties Dominos Pizza Oxford Dental Clinic The Chocolate Bar Ruth B. Else Shipley’s Donuts Laura Sheppardson Emileigh’s Old Venice Pizza Aramark Sugarees Bakery Bottletree Bakery Oxfordmississippi.com Square Books Alex Watson Star Package Lanell Barnes Chik-Fil-A Proud Larry’s Clayton O’Donnell & Walsh Newk’s Express Cafe The Oxford Film Festival Fan Club: Dallas Chapter • Birmingham Chapter • Rhodes Alumni Chapter

Friend Mississippi Cheese Straws Rowan Oak Callahan’s Quick Print G&M Pharmacy

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Julia Rholes Holli’s Sweet Tooth Farese Family Dental First National Bank

The Oxford Film Festival Fan 1/5/10 4:00:08 PM Club, Dallas Chapter is fired up and ready for another great weekend of movies and events.

If you would like to start your own fan club chapter, send an email to sponsor@ oxfordfilmfest .com

JOIN US! Help bring good films and cool people to our town: become a MEMBER of the Oxford Film Festival.

Get discounted passes, priority notification, street cred, and a tax deduction!

Learn more at oxfordfilmfest.com/ membership.html

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Notes:

Thacker Mountain Radio is on the air again….

The Oxford Film Festival and Thacker Mountain Radio have teamed up to bring a special radio show to kick off the weekend celebration of movies with a special show at the Lyric Theater on Thursday, February 4 at 6:00pm.

For more than ten years, Thacker Mountain Radio has broadcast literary readings and an eclectic mix of musical performances to “cheering, foot-stomping, applauding spectators” at Off Square Books, an annex of Square Books, one of America’s most prestigious independent bookstores. This episode’s guest author, Shawn Levy, is the film critic for The Oregonian newspaper and the author of five books of biography and pop culture history, including the New York Times bestsellers Rat Pack Confidential and Paul Neman: A Life. He has written for just about every newspaper and magazine that publishes film commentary in the English language in the US and the UK, and he blogs and tweets daily about film culture and world soccer. His complete credentials and writings can be found at www.shawnlevy.com Levy will also be speaking on our “Art of the Celebrity Interview” panel on Friday, February 5 at 4:00pm.

While the event is free, the film festival encourages donations to the Thacker Mountain Radio Show.

Fans of Thacker Mountain Radio will want to check out Mary Warner and Joe York’s Thacker Mountain Radio: A Documentary on Saturday, February 6 at 12:30pm.

Listen to Bullseye 95.5 all Film Festival weekend for film fest updates. The crew will be outside the Malco each evening to give away prizes and to recap each day of the festival including live filmmaker interviews and more....

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february 4-7, 2010

For screening times, please refer to alphabetical listing…. (* = Non-competition)

Animated Shorts

Children’s Films * (All at Lafayette County-Oxford Public Library) Building Imagination Crazy Hair Day Do Unto Otters Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! Etienne!

The Velveteen Rabbit Zombie Girl

Documentary Features D-Tour For the Love of Movies Handmade Nation The Last Survivor Mississippi Queen Naturally Obsessed: The Making of a Scientist Playground Shooting Beauty Streets of Plenty Wheedle’s Groove

Documentary Shorts Among the Giants Dive!

Family Matter Fledgling Frequent Flyer I am a Man: From Memphis, a Lesson in Life Ocean Invaders Refurbished Where Life Is

Narrative Features Bicycle Lane Carried Away Cigarette Girl * Happy Ending Made in China The Mountain, the River, and the Road Night of the Loup Garou * A Quiet Little Marriage The Scenesters Stingray Sam * The Vicious Kind * Wonderful World *

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Genre List

Eve’s Awakening Lightheaded The Mouse that Soared Pause Replay Pigeon: Impossible Skylight Split Second Splat Topi To the Moon WSIM: What Suffered Inside Me

Dinner on the Grounds: A Soul Reviving Feast Drawing Lilly The Flight of Calvin Waters Footsteps Now or Never Oxvegas Parted Room 327 Thacker Mountain Radio: A Documentary Tortillas de Maiz Tricks or Treats What Happened?

Winding Down

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Narrative Shorts The Ballad of Friday and June Birthday Blue Boy The Fairy Princess A Journey to the West Kivat Normali / Almost Normal Land Gewinnen / Gaining Ground Manual Práctico del Amigo Imaginario (abreviado) / Practical Guide for Imaginary Friends (Abridged) Sissypants True Beauty This Night Zombies and Cigarettes

Panels and Workshops Art of the Celebrity Interview Conversation with Elvis Mitchell Making and Selling Your First Film Speed Pitch Panel

Experimental Shorts Cantata in C Major Danse/Florae Fire Giri Chit La Luz Del Perdon / The Light of Forgiveness Severing the Soul Utsav Mela Westhope: Above and Below With a Can of Tuna in a Sock

Shannon Benine Lo-fi, Hi-fi: Butcher Contemporary Video Art Dwayne April Grayson

Anne Massoni Matt Moore Brooke White, Curator Saturday, January 30-Friday, February 5, 2009 Gallery Reception: Thursday, February 4, 2009, 4-6pm open to the public gallery hours: M-F 8-5pm art@olemiss.edu 662.915.7193 presented by:

Mississippi Films (Made by filmmakers currently residing in Mississippi) The Big Hang Up The Butterflies The Collectors

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in conjunction with

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