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FLIFF 20 16 Spot ligh t : Com edian s Cr aig Gass & Br ian Beau doin
SwedeFest Pu ppet m ast er Jim Ham m on d
Racist Right s Rem em ber in g Debbie Reyn olds
PBIFF is coming w w w.i n depen den t st r eak m agazi n e.com
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Th e Puppet M aster Ji m Hammond It took about a year to prepare for the 8th Annual Day of the Dead in Ft. Lauderdale, FL on Nov. 2, said founder Jim Hammond, who worked on writing the grant and filling out paperwork for sponsorships for at least nine months leading up to the big day. It took him about six months to work on the concept and design and then the last final eight weeks are crunch time. With just 750 attendees in 2010, the event swelled to over 13,000 participants in 2015. "We receive multiple grants but our first grant was 1 the CIP grant from the Brward Cultural Division. Our
first year, we received $2000 towards the event. Last year, over $19,000 went in CIP funds to our partner artists,? said Hammond. ?We are also proud to be one of the few Broward based organizations who has received the prestigious Knight Arts Challenge Grant two years in a row as well as several other grants and sponsorships.?
His big part of the puzzle are the puppets. With a Masters degree in Puppetry Design from The University of Connecticut, he created his Sideshow Productions in 1996. Since then, he has designed puppets for clients like Florida Grand Opera, New World Symphony, Florida Philharmonic, Broward Center for the Performing Arts, as part of the puppet department of Disney's The Lion King National Tour, has been a spokespuppeteer for a series of Allegiant Airlines national commercial were about 45 puppets and 1000 skeletons. He created seven ?super giant? puppets at 15 to 19 ft. tall, which requires seven operators each. They will have about 35 standard giant puppets ranging from nine to 12 ft. tall, as well a hundreds of other masks, banners and decorative objects . ?During the entire month of October the puppets go to over 25 events [around Florida] from Palm Beach to Homestead for pop up exhibitions, community events and free workshops.? said Hammond, who was selected to be part of for ArtServe's Men of Style Dec. 1. When asked how he got into puppetry, he said, ?I?ve been a puppeteer since my earliest memory. I would tell stories as a kid using sticks and stones and found objects as the characters. My dioramas in 3rd grade had moving puppets on rods so they could be animated. I even had a small puppet company in elementary school where I would create puppet shows each summer in our backyard.? He was inspired by the likes of Jim Henson, Shari Lewis and Captain Kangaroo. ?My first professional puppet gig was at 17 when I was hired by an amusement park in the Adirondacks called the Great Escape where I performed up to 21 shows a day over four years,? he said. ?As I matured as an artist, [the people I have connected with] most are often the unnamed craftsmen who created relics and icons of ancient peoples. This year, [my wife]
Shelly and I traveled to Teotihuacan and Tula, [and elsewhere] in Mexico. Currently, that wealth of imagery drives my creativity,? said Hammond. He added, ?Another huge inspiration to me every day in the studio are my design collaborators. For a fourth year, my lead puppet designers are Sonia Matthews and Ronni Gerstel with David Goboff as head puppet engineer. They take my initial concepts and plans so much further than I ever dream initially. Any artist who can find that collaborative team to expand their initial dreams into reality will expand beyond their vision ten-fold.? At this year's Day of the Dead, they added two gallery shows, one showcasing photographic highlights from their first six years in Gallery 31 at Broward College/ FAU and the second at New River Inn at the Fort Lauderdale Historical Center showcasing skeleton painter Heather Calderon. Fushu Daiko drummers performed connected with the
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Japanese Ghost Festival. The Mexican American Council brought their Youth Mariachi School and traditional Dancing Horses to do a performance that led into the Skeleton Processional . That is where Hammond's prowess comes into play as he showcased his puppets, along with Mariachi musicians, revelers and more. There was also arts & crafts, and traditional live music and dance performances. When not making puppets, Hammond and his wife of 23 years spend time with their four-legged kids Costello and Presley, renovating their 70+ year old antique Ft. Lauderdale home or doing some traveling. For more inf ormat ion on t he Day of t he Dead event , visit www.dayof t hedeadf l orida.com.
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Let t er f r om t h e Pu blish er Hope everyone has happy holidays and a Happy New Year! What will you create this year? Life is a blank slate. What will you create?
St ay i n -t h e-k n o w : SEE ARCHIVES ... - w w w.in depen den t st r eak m agazin e.com
--Rach el Galvin P.S. Looking for a new way to get out your film or showcase your acting ability? Check out www.indi.com. I just discovered this site. I am currently seeking writers and advertisers. If you are interested, email me at writerrachel@yahoo.com.
Wan t t o adver t ise? Get an ad as low as $25! Con t act u s at w r it er r ach el@yah oo.com
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SEPT./ OCT. 2016
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Sw edeFest A standing room only crowd filled the Kelsey Theatre in Lake Park on Oct. 15 for this year's SwedeFest. This is the place to go for those who love watching bad films (made by good people). Yes, these films are purposely bad remakes of some of your favs, including "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," by Jason Galotti, who has had a film in the fest every year since inception. Also shown was several takes on "Star Wars," "Alice and Wonderland," "Terminator," "Ghostbusters" and much more. The Improv group MOD 27 did their comedic stylings in between the films and the audience picked their favorites. Some directors received very unique awards. For example, one film received an award acknowledging the excessive use of stuffed animals, etc. (See the next page for details). Oh, the silliness of it all! Most of the films were made by kids, but a few adults jumped in. In the end, the top prize went to the winning film -"Forrest Gump." Following the film, many guests went next door to the very cool Brewhouse Gallery to watch live entertainment, look at art and grab a beer 5 with friends.
Above: (Lef t ) Winning t eam was "Forrest Gump," (right ) "Ferris Buel l er's Day Of f " t eam, Bel ow: (l ef t ) MOD 27 perf orm, (right ) The st af f behind SwedeFest .
WINNERS Over all w in n er : Mary Stucchi won for "Forrest Gump." Her prize was a year ?s membership for Larry Jordon's film editing training ($199 value) sponsored by the Th alo.com family of websites, and a gift card to the after party destination, The Brewhouse Gallery. She also won for use of Chocolate as a Metaphor.
before announcing the winner. Ready to make a Swede of your own? It is free to submit a film or claim a movie title at info@swedefestpalmbeach.com. For more information about the event, please visit www.swedefestpalmbeach.com.
Specialt y pr izes w er e also aw ar ded as f ollow s: Special(ish ) Ef f ect s: Edward Prinz won for "Terminator " and received a prize of two tickets to The Aluminum Show at the Kravis Center. Use of Ever yday Object s: Danielle Provencher won for "Ghostbusters." She won a gift card to the accessory store, Charming Charlies at CityPlace. Use of Alt er n at ive Tr an spor t at ion : Eleanor Brodrick won for "Mad Max: Fury Road (Rage)." She received a gift card to Bicycle World. Use of An im als (Im agin ar y, Real or St u f f ed): Filmmakers at The Benjamin School won for "Zootopia." They won a pair of tickets to Lion Country Safari.
Wh o is r espon sible f or t h is? Th e m adn ess t h at is Sw edef est w as pu t t oget h er by co-producers Jef f r ey Lan glois and Palm Beach Film Society Vice President Elizabet h Dash iel, w h o l thanked everyone for coming and recognized founder Belle For in o and longtime supporters Alch em y Com m u n icat ion s Gr ou p
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Racist Right s Jerome Anthony Larkin pushed some buttons with his newest film "Racist Rights." Similar to "Romeo & Juliet," this film focuses around a couple who struggles to be together because the families don't approve of their relationship, which happens to be interracial. It stars Mireya Kilmon, Jaquise Coleman, Chris Easey, Luke Cartwright, Brian Mahoney, Serge Mardy, Charlotte Adams, Frantz Deofils, & Jeff Malo. Director of photography is Anthony Dones. Find on Facebook.
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FLIFF 20 16 Opening N ight
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FLIFF opened on Nov. 4 at Seminole Hard Rock Casino with the opening night film "Dreamland" directed by Robert Schwartzman, starring Johnny Simmons, Beverly D'Angelo, Robin Thomas and Schwartzman's mother, Talia Shire, of "Godfather" and "Rocky" fame. The film follows Monty (played by Simmons), a piano player who is dissatisfied with his life. He struggles in his work life and home life. He is just not on the same page as his girlfriend and the couple live with her mother, (D'Angelo) -- not the best situation. When he finds an older woman who shows some interest, he slowly gravitates into a relationship, but it isn't what it's cracked up to be. The cinematography in the film brings the viewer into Monty's life in a unique way. Everything from the situation, the cinematography and even some of the wardrobe choices
for Monty are reiminscent of "The Graduate." The film gives D'Angelo a chance to play an unattractive and oversexed character as the mother. Shire is the opposite character as Monty's mother, portraying a warm and welcoming, and sane, presence. The cast and crew had the chance to introduce the film and do a Q&A for the audience. Then, they arrived at the party following, in their own VIP area. The party honored old cinema and featured snacks like cotton candy and popcorn, as well as an excellent band called The French Horn Collective. Also, D'Angelo and Shire were both honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards.
Ch at w i th Cast & Crew
the plays "Orphans"
of " Dreaml and"
and "True West."
By Rachel Gal vin Some of the cast & crew of "Dreamland" chatted with I.S. about their careers and the film.
This young actor is not just about acting, but hopes to be well-rounded. He is currently going to school and studying bio-chemistry.
Johnny Simmons, who plays the leading role of Monty in the film, was born in Montgomery, Alabama. and grew up in
Talia Shire played his mother in the film, directed by her son, Robert. Of the film, she said, "I was so scared," adding she was afraid to mess it up, wanting to make sure she made her son proud. This sounded funny coming from a legendary actress like Shire, who is known for her roles in such epics as the "Godfather" movies and "Rocky."
Dallas. He always wanted to be an actor. He moved to Los Angeles in 2005 when he was 18. "I told my parents at age 5 that is what I wanted to do," said Simmons, who started sending out letters to casting directors and eventually joined SAG. He is known for movies like "Perks of Being a Wallflower," "21 Jump Street" and "Jennifer's Body," among others, but he wants to do some theatre, including
About the character of Monty, she said, "He encounters all these awful women and his mother ends up being sweet. You see the purity of the relationship and you know he is going to be fine."
L t o R: IS f ou n der Rach el Galvin & Rober t Sch w ar t m an ; pr esiden t & CEO Gr egor y von Hau sch & Bever ly D'An gelo; Galvin & Joh n n y Sim m on s; Von Hau sch & Talia Sh ir e.
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She is not surprised he got involved in the business; after all, he grew up in it. She made sure sure he watched all the best films, such as "Thief of Baghdad" and "Red Shoes," which she said she has watched probably 500 times. He has learned from her everything from how films are produced and financed to post production and distribution. Next for Shire? She hopes to really dive into writing plays. Robin Thomas, who plays Allen in the film, hasn't always been an actor. He actually started out as an artist working in sculpture. He talked about working on renovating John Lennon's apartments and being made breakfast every day. When he was 30, this Carnegie Mellon graduate decided to get into acting. He has been known for working on soap operas like "As the World Turns" and "Another World." He was working in New York, but his agent told him to go to Los Angeles. He did not want to, but eventually started working there, acting in film, TV and theater. "I have worked with everyone from Talia Shire to Kathy Bates," he said. He got involved in this film because his daughter, Zoey Grossman, is dating the director and Robert asked him to get involved.
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"I have played everyone's boyfriend," he laughed. "I was Murphy Brown's baby daddy [talking about the
'80s TV show]." He added, "I like playing dark characters." He changed his name from Grossman to Thomas back when he started acting, something he said he would not do if he had the chance again. Above: (Top l ef t ): IS f ounder Rachel Gal vin, Johnny Simmons, Robert Schwart zman. (Top right ): Gal vin & Robin Thomas, (bot t om l ef t ): Doug Sol omon, board chairman, wit h cast , (bot t om right ): Gal vin & Tal ia Shire.
Cent er piece "Custody" Well-known actresses Viola Davis, Hayden Panettiere and Ellen Burstyn are among those in the film "Custody," which was shown at the Ft. Lauderdale Film Festival's Centerpiece Party on Nov. 12. The film centers on a woman, Sara Diaz (Cantalina Sandino Moreno), who loses custody of her children and has to fight for them. But the judge (Davis) has issues of her own in her personal life, and Diaz's lawyer (Panettiere) does as well. To go into any more detail would lead to spoilers. The storyline ends up being complex and with high caliber actresses in the film, the level of acting, as well as the production value is high. Following the film, there was a party, as usual, in the courtyard. Pict u r ed: Gu est s en joyin g t h e even t .
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Chair man's Cr uise The Chairman's Cruise left Gallery One in Ft. Lauderdale on Nov. 6 at 10 a.m. and did its three hour cruise up aand down the Intracoastal with plenty of board members, celebrities, filmmakers and more on board. They enjoyed a delicious breakfast and plenty of great conversation.
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Pict ured: (L t o R): Guest s on cruise, Neil Cohen, Zack Norman and f riend wit h IS f ounder Rachel Gal vin, Hernan Guerschuny and f am and Zack shows of f post er.
Closing Night
On Nov. 20, the film "The Red Maple Leaf" was shown at Bailey Hall in Davie, FL, followed by the festival wrap party. In attendance were cast member Michael Pare and friend Robert Miano , as well as the director Frank D'Angelo. One of the cast members was Martin Landau, who was unable to attend, but received a Lifetime Achievement Award. As part of the wrap party, D'Angelo got up and sang with the band and Miano joined him for a few songs. (Pict ured: Robert Miano wit h IS f ounder Rachel Gal vin; The cast & crew of "Tomorrow Ever Af t er" wit h FLIFF pres./ CEO Gregory von Hausch; Cinema Dave; Audrey Lynn & Gal vin, [in f ront ] St anl ey Isaacs, Cinema Dave, Gal vin & Al yn Darnay; guest s, cast & crew of "Red Mapl e Leaf ," Gal vin wit h Michael Pare.) 14
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Film Car pet M ixer On Nov. 10, guests gathered at Piano Hollywood in the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, FL for a special Film Carpet mixer. Besides enjoying appetizers and drinks, they also enjoyed good company, and could win a prize from raffle. Th e n ext Film Car pet even t , Film Car pet 9.0 w ill be on Apr il 6. Ch eck it ou t on Facebook .
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Cr aig Gass Com edian Cr aig Gass per f or m s at Am er ican Rock By Rach el Galvin
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show, but also got them on the field and they met Dan Marino. Also members of the Dolphins attended the show. The ?bromance,? as Beaudoin puts it, began in 1999 when he did his first show at age 18 and Gass was in the audience. They have been friends ever since. Beaudoin has since worked with the likes of David Atell, David Alan Greer, Jim Breuer, Jim Norton and others.
American Rock Bar & Grill in Deerfield Beach has become known for its live performances, including its comedy acts. On Oct.14, nationally-known Craig ?I am very excited to be here. This Gass paid a visit, giving an intimate is my first time in Miami. [Craig] is performance with his friend and a good friend. He has been very fellow comedian Brian Beaudoin. ?I supportive of me,? said Beaudoin, was looking for a venue with the who lives in Rhode Island Gass right neighborhood, size, vibe I lives in Los Angeles, but originally Pict u r ed: Cr aig Gass & IS f ou n der Rach el Galvin was surprised I came across it. I lived in New York. Known for his saw the space was available and impressions, he said his favorite is called. One of my friends and favorite comedians, [Brian doing Tracy Morgan ?because he reminds me of everyone I Beaudoin] is a huge Dolphin fan but born and raised in New know in the Bronx.? He has been inspired by the likes of England. He will wear his Dolphin pajamas [outside and George Carlin and Richard Pryor, and later Robin Williams people will make fun of him]. I asked him if he had ever gone and Eddie Murphy. to a Dolphin game, he said he hadn't [so I decided to do a ?When someone said 'stand up,' I thought they meant couple shows down here and go to a game],? said Gass, who George Carlin and Richard Pryor. I didn't know anyone 16 not only took Beaudoin to a game the Sunday following the
else did comedy but them,? said Gass, who now gets to work with all his favorite comedians, including Chris Rock. Some of his gigs have fallen in his lap, including his being cast in Sex and the City as Miranda's donut-eating boyfriend as Tom ?Big Boned?and being on Family Guy as Al Pacino. He also did a stint of Howard Stern for a year, known for such stunts as impersonating Gene Simmons. Gass, who grew up with deaf parents, learned how to talk from outlets like television. He started doing standup over 20 years ago.
nights. They also have karaoke on Wednesdays, live jazz on Thursday nights and Samba on Sunday nights. They also rent space for private events and fundraisers. They have worked with St. Jude's Hospital in the past, as well as the Susan G. Komen Foundation. They also sponsor the Florida Atlantic University rugby team. Family owned and operated, this restaurant is all about rock & roll, not only their vive, but their menu items are even named after rock stars. Here they have a wide variety of entrees, including pizza, pasta, salad and they have big juicy 8 oz. burgers. Their NY Ribeye and skirt steak are also popular. They have early dinner specials from 4 to 7 p.m. with buy one, get one at ½ off, and steak specials Tuesdays through Thursdays. They also have a happy hour from 4 p.m. to close.
?Anything can be funny. It matters how you make it funny. The most delicate situation, I say I can make it funny, let me show you how,? said Gass, who said he used to be more formulaic in his sets and be upset when someone heckled him. Now, he hopes 'something horrible happens.' He says he likes to feel Pict u r ed: Br ian Beau doin & IS f ou n der Rach el Galvin conversational and loose. Beaudoin experienced heckling first-hand when a woman jumped up during the late show at American Rock and started talking about tales like eating a marijuana gummy bear in Colorado. Beaudoin certainly was able to roll with the punches. His tit for tat with her was hilarious.
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American Rock , which first opened in 2008 by Gustavo Pavone, has live comedy or music on Friday and Saturday
Am er ican Rock is locat ed at 1600 E. Hillsbor o Blvd. In Deer f ield Beach . For m or e in f or m at ion , call 954- 428-4539 or visit w w w.am er ican r ock bar .com .
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The 22nd Annual PBIFF M ar ch 29-Apr il 2, 2017 The Palm Beach Intl. Film Festival announced it will present five days filled with feature length films in all genres, along with the added bonus ?Day of Shorts? no pants allowed. Each day, feature length films will be showing and capping off the day with a cocktail party that will have some fun features such as bands, DJs, Fashion Shows and more. The Palm Beach International Film Festival has evolved over the years with their venues and sequence of events and guests; however, keeping their mission strong and continually striving for the entertainment to bring laughter, tears and all the emotions in between. Wednesday, March 29 will be the Opening Night Film & Celebration kicking off PBIFF's 22nd year with a Hollywood-style red carpet screening and party.
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For Thursday, March 30th, they will have a Q&A with many seasoned directors, producers, and talent attending many of these presentations and fielding questions from the audience, offering an interactive discussion about their careers and body of work. Later, a special fashion show by Ms. Latina International will occur during the cocktail party that evening sponsored by First Financial Guarantee. Friday, March 31 will be ?After Hours, Happy Hour" and Meet and Greet with Filmmakers and Press. On Saturday, April1st will be their ?Day of Shorts? no pants allowed then later is the PBIFF Spotlight Screening & signature Gala. Then the awards and closing night presentation and Gala event on will happen on April 2nd. For more information, visit www.pbifilmfest.org.
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Debbie Reynolds Her st ar power shines on By Rachel Galvin The world was rocked in 2016 by a number of celebrities passing away unexpectedly. Among them was the beloved Debbie Reynolds, who passed away Dec. 28, the day after her daughter actress Carrie Fisher died from a heart attack. Reynolds had been well-known in the biz since the 1950s. This reporter was able to interview Ms. Reynolds back in 2004 when she was here for the Hard Rock Casinos?opening of their first Broadway show, Singin?in the Rain. Of course, she starred in the movie by the same name. Meeting Reynolds was quite the thrill as she was my first celebrity interview. Tiny and seemingly frail, the then 72-year-old was extremely polite, friendly and hospitable, wrapped up in a dress looking like a porcelain doll perfectly poised. She sat down with me one-on?one for a whole uninterrupted half hour in which we discussed her career and her family.
Stardom was an unexpected windfall for Reynolds. At
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a local beauty contest in Burbank, California in order to win the entry prize, a silk scarf, but she went home with much more, including a screen test at Warner Brothers. Not bad for a girl who had hoped to be a gym teacher and go to UNC. ?It was all very amusing to me. I had never acted. I did plays at home and on the block and I?d charge a penny. Nobody [in my family] was in the business so you didn?t think about being in show business,? said Reynolds. But Hollywood fell in love with this charming ingĂŠnue and she quickly learned the business moving from Warner Brothers to MGM. Louis B. Mayer asked her to be a part of Singin?in the Rain, Gene Kelly?s most difficult song and dance movie yet, even though she wasn?t a dancer. But Reynolds trained and, three weeks later, was tapping with the rest. Making movies was different in the old studio system; Reynolds preferred it. ?In the old days, you?d have the studio behind you. They paid you every week, although, not a lot versus what they pay today. But, it was steady and they gave you wonderful roles from the time you were young through your middle and into your old age,? she said.
Hollywood served her great roles, including Tammy in Tammy and the Bachelor, Julie Gillis in Tender Trap, Sister Ann in The Singing Nun, Molly Brown in The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Kathy Selden in Singin?in the Rain, Lillith Prescott in How the West Was Won and others.
That?s my business. That?s why I?m here,? said a smiling Reynolds. Her smile, her sensibility and her talent is not soon to be forgotten.
She did movies and television even into her senior years leaving the ingĂŠnue roles behind and taking on more motherly roles. She played Albert Brooks?mother in Mother, Kevin Kline?s mother in In & Out, and Debra Messing?s mother on NBC?s Will & Grace, to name a few. She worked with the best, including Bette Davis, Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire and John Wayne. ?I have never worked with anyone who was not wonderful. I just let them [the men] have top billing and they were very happy with that,? laughed Reynolds. Being immersed in a Hollywood crowd, Debbie was no stranger to Hollywood scandal. Her husband Eddie Fisher left Debbie and children behind to pursue Elizabeth Taylor causing a media frenzy over the couple?s subsequent high-profile divorce. But Debbie persevered and became great friends with ?Liz.? In fact, they worked together on a made for TV movie written by her daughter Carrie called These Old Broads, co-starring Joan Collins and Shirley MacLaine. When asked what it was like to work with that group, Reynolds answered, ?We had a lot of fun. Women bond together in the sense that we have all had similar unhappinesses [sic] in life.? Her life certainly was an inspiration. She worked happily until the end. At the time of the interview, she was touring the casino circuit, lecturing, singing and always showing her show-stopping smile. ?I just do everything I?m invited to do. I just like to entertain.
Debbie Reynol ds wit h Rachel Gal vin, 2004
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YOUR AD could be her e! Email : wr it er r achel @yahoo.com f or det ail s.
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