2017 Duluth Superior Film Festival Program

JUNE 1-5, 2016

$5 WEDNESDAYS

@ZINEMA2

EVERY MOVIE. EVERY WEDNESDAY.

WWW.ZINEMA2.COM

2017 DSFF FILM SCREENING SCHEDULE All Films are FREE of Charge Orange=Visiting Guest in attendance

Thursday 6/1 7:00 PM

9:00 PM

6:30 Seeka.TV Showcase 7:00 PM 7:00 Brew North

Teatro Zuccone

N

8:00 First Daughter and The Black Snake 9:30 The BAKKEN 9:00 PM 9:00 Solatium

N

10:00 PM N

9:00 PM Sacred Heart Music Center

2n d

Av eE

9:00 PM

6:00 PM Twin Cities

8:05 The Scent of Rain and Lightning

St

Sacred Heart AICHO N N 2n 3r d

Av eW

Zinema/Teatro Zuccone Zeitgeist Atrium Fest HQ & Hospitality Center

d

Av eW

iga n

rio rS t

M ich

E

Su pe

ke Av e

E

1s tA ve W

La

St

3r d N

9:15 Americana

7:00 PM Teatro Zuccone

N

9:00 PM

7:00 Girl Flu

Av eE

St E

Zinema

h

Av eE

h 4t E

Friday 6/2 7:00 PM

4t

E

9:00 Pyrrha Live Accompaniment-Fall of the House of Usher

N 1s tA ve E

3r d

1s tS t

Zinema

rio rS t

Clyde Iron

The Rex Bar

Su pe

9:00 PM 8 PM- Rumble-Indians Who Rocked The World

E

7:00 PM

Mesaba Ave

Wednesday 5/31

Lake Superior

35

Saturday 6/3 1:00 PM 3:00 PM 5:00 PM Zinema 1:00 The Missing Sun 2:30 IPR Showcase 5:00 Regional Shorts 1:00 PM Teatro Zuccone

2 PM MN Magnified Panel Discussion

4:00 PM

4:00 Experimental Program-F(f)riction

3:00 PM AICHO

7:00 PM

9:00 PM 9:15 Following Seas

7:00 IFP Cinema Lounge

5:00 PM

5:00 The Other ManScipt Reading

7:00 PM

5:00 PM First Daughter and The Black Snake

If you would like to obtain priority seating, we recommend purchasing an ALL-ACCESS BADGE.

$30.00 - Festival All-Access Badge

entitles its holder the opportunity to be seated prior to the general public.

Sunday 6/4 1:00 PM Zinema 1:00 Long Form Documentary Shorts The Comet Theater in Cook, MN 3:00 PM 5:00 PM

FREE of Charge

7:00 Voice From The Stone

5:00 PM

3:00 PM Indigenous Shorts

All films at The 2017 Duluth Superior Film Festival are

3:00 PM

5:00 PM

3:00 EDU Showcase

7:00 PM 6 PM Blood Stripe

9:00 PM 8 PM Blood Stripe

'HOW IS THE FESTIVAL ABLE TO BE FREE OF CHARGE?' We get asked this question a lot.

In 2014 The Duluth Superior Film Festival made a rather bold and somewhat scary decision to not charge any admission to our festival film presentations. We had numerous reasons for why we thought this was the correct choice. Much of it was about expanding our audience and providing access to anyone who wanted to engage with the festival. We felt it took away the risk of attending something new and was a reward to those who supported us when we charged admission.

How can we survive doing this? Donations. Donations from people who come and enjoy the festival events.

Donations from local business who offer goods, services, and sometimes money. Donations of people's time and energy from our volunteers, donations of engagement and donations of word of mouth. Doantions are how we are able to provide a high quality film festival that does not charge admission.

PLEASE, IF YOU ENJOY THE FESTIVAL AND YOU WANT TO SEE IT CONTINUE...DONATE.

Please note that each film or event has a limited capacity and we strongly recommend purchasing an All-Access Badge in advance to assure priority seating.

FESTIVAL HQ AND HOSPITALITY CENTER:

Festival information and general lounging can be found here, in The Zeitgeist Arts Atrium.

You may also pick up All-Access Badges and mingle.

Zeitgeist Arts Atrium 222 E. Superior St. Duluth, MN 55802 PARKING INFO:

For maps and detailed parking information, we encourage you to visit Greater Downtown Duluth’s website at www.downtownduluth.com/maps.

Hospitality Center is generously sponsored by:

HIGHLIGHTED EVENTS

HIGHLIGHTED EVENTS

OPENING NIGHT FILM AND RECEPTION:CELEBRATE CANADA RUMBLE:THE INDIANS WHO ROCKED THE WORLD

CLOSING NIGHT PRESENTATION BLOOD STRIPE

DATE: WEDNESDAY May 31st, 2017 TIME: 7:00PM/doors, 8:00PM/show, 9:30 PM reception VENUE: Clyde Iron Works Event Center and Mezzanine FREE admission, FREE beer from Lake Superior Brewing, FREE food from Clyde Iron!

DATE: Sunday June 4th, 2017 TIME: 6 and 8 PM VENUE: The Comet Theater in Cook, MN FREE admission Director Remy Auberjonois and Actress Kate Nowlin IN ATTENDANCE!

RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World tells the story of a profound, essential, and, until now, missing chapter in the history of American music: the Indigenous influence. Featuring music icons Charley Patton, Mildred Bailey, Link Wray, Jimi Hendrix, Jesse Ed Davis, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Robbie Robertson, Randy Castillo, and others, RUMBLE shows how these talented Native musicians helped shape the soundtracks of our lives.

Our Sergeant returns home after a third tour with the Marines. Unable to sleep, wracked by paranoia and anxiety, it is clear that in addition to the scars she bears on her torso, Our Sergeant carries unseen wounds. When a boisterous homecoming party provokes an explosive outburst, Our Sergeant has nowhere to turn, and so she runs... deep into the North Woods. Discovering a picturesque summer camp on a lake, Our Sergeant seeks refuge and at first, finds solace. But she cannot outrun her own heart of darkness and the pristine wilderness becomes fraught with peril.

Opening Night Presentation is made possible with the support of the Consulate General of Canada in Minneapolis, in celebration of #Canada150 and the Canada-Minnesota partnership.

THE OTHER MAN-Script Reading

Join us as we celebrate the OPENING NIGHT OF THE 2017 DULUTH SUPERIOR FILM FESTIVAL! SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS.

Saturday June 3 Teatro Zuccone 5:00 PM FREE

Come join us at the Teatro for The Duluth Superior Film Festival’s first-ever dramatic script reading of the award-winning screenplay The Other Man. Local screenwriter Matthew Dressel will be presenting his intense thriller about an inebriated hunter who accidentally shoots a passing motorist and then discovers a man bound-and-gagged in the trunk of his car.

The screenplay was the recent recipient of the 2017 IFP Minnesota Screenwriting Residency award. The script is RATED R for harsh language.

HIGHLIGHTED EVENTS

HIGHLIGHTED EVENTS

CENTERPIECE PRESENTATION GIRL FLU Director Dorie Barton in attendance!

Friday, June 2 at 7PM Zinema 2 FREE

Bird, a thoughtful twelve-year-old, is becoming a woman whether she wants to or not. During the worst week of her life, she gets her first period (in front of her entire sixth grade class), is ditched by her impulsive, free-spirited mom, and learns that you can never really go back to the Valley.

Devastated that her childhood is over and still reeling from a recent move to Echo Park from Reseda, Bird struggles through her new reality along with some helpful, and some not-so-helpful, friends and family.

First-time writer/director Barton sets a lighthearted backdrop for this story of both a mother and daughter coming-of-age, offering a sweet perspective on a universal, yet underrepresented experience. We all have to grow up… and half of us do it by getting a case of the Girl Flu. Writer/Director: Dorie Barton With Jade Pettyjohn, Katee Sackhoff Jeremy Sisto, Heather Matarazzo

Special Performance PyrrhaThe Fall of The House of Usher Thursday, June 1 at 9PM Sacred Heart Music Center Duluth, MN FREE

Pyrrha will perform a live original score to Jean Epstein's 1928 silent film The Fall of the House of Usher. Based on Edgar Allen Poe's gothic horror story of the same name, the film seeths with surreal imagery and dreamlike juxtapositions. Epstein's cinematic vision is adventurous and influential enough to feel fresh almost 90 years later. As a psychological tale of ambiguity between reality and pictures, The Fall of the House of Usher might actually be the perfect camp melodrama for the age of social media.

Pyrrha is the collaboration of Minneapolis based musicians Jackie Beckey, Jonathan Kaiser, and Adam Wozniak. Using a core instrumentation of viola, cello, and bass, Pyrrha also brings an array of electronic and experimental sound-making tools into the mix. With a blend of acoustic strings and technology, the band explores a sonic spectrum from ethereal sensitivity to densely layered amplified sound. In their individual work with Brute Heart, Myrrh, Dark Dark Dark, and other bands, each member of the trio has honed an idiosyncratic creative voice and an unconventional style of playing that defies easy categorization. With influences ranging from folk tunes to ambient drone, their lush score to The Fall of the House of Usher brings this silent film alive for a contemporary audience.

IPR Presents PRODUCTION IN MN RECEPTION AND AWARD CEREMONY Saturday June 3 Zeitgeist Atrium 8:00-11:00 PM FREE

DSFF is going to invite every organization, production company, filmmaker, producer, actor, film exhibitor, institute of higher education, politician, lobbyist, or interested party who cares about the current climate of film production in MN to come to the lobby of Zeitgeist and talk about it. It is the goal of DSFF to have all of these interested parties come together and discuss what must be done to continue to advance the art of filmmaking in MN and The Arrowhead Region.

With drinks. And food provided by Whole Foods COOP. Like everything else at DSFF…It is FREE.

INDIGENOUS PROFILE FILM FIRST DAUGHTER AND THE BLACK SNAKE

Two showings!

Director Keri Pickett and subject Winona LaDuke IN ATENDANCE! Thursday, June 1st at 8 PM at Zinema 2 and Saturday June 3 at 5 PM at AICHO's Dr. Robert Powless Cultural Center FREE ​ inona LaDuke believes Big Oil is the black snake predicted in indigenous prophecy to bring the W earth’s destruction. When proposed new oil pipelines threaten sacred wild rice lakes, Winona dreams of organizing a spiritual ride, riding her horse against the current of oil “because a horse can kill a snake.”

Director: Keri Pickett #MNMade

SPECIAL EVENT ELLIPSIS PRESENTS: DSFF AT THE REX BAR

Thursday June 1 9PM-Midnight Launched in 2014, ELLIPSIS has become the go-to online gude to what is happening in Duluth. DSFF is pleased to partner with ELLIPSIS for this very special night.

In association with the Duluth produced documentary 'Brew North: A Beer Story , DSFF and Ellipsis are very excited to present a night of music at The Rex Bar. Performance by Superior Siren.

Free with DSFF identifier!

HIGHLIGHTED EVENTS IFP CINEMA LOUNGE -DULUTH

SATURDAY JUNE 3 7 PM ZINEMA MULTIPLE FILMMAKERS IN ATTENDANCE FREE Featuring shorts films by Emily McNeill, Jonathan Thunder, and something fun from Matthew Dressel For over 25 years IFP Minnesota has presented Cinema Lounge, a monthly screening series of Minnesota-made short films that features filmmakers in conversation about their work and careers.

For the third straight year, IFP MN is bringing Cinema Lounge to Duluth!

Cinema Lounge features works by filmmakers from across the state--showcasing the best work being created in Minnesota, and connecting filmmakers--and filmmaking communities.

Come for the screenings and conversations and then join us for a reception in the Zeitgeist Lobby.

Appetizers provided by Whole Foods Coop!

HIGHLIGHTED EVENTS MINNESOTA FILM MAGNIFIED

FILMMAKER PANEL DISCUSSION 'WOMEN IN CHARGE' SATURDAY JUNE 3RD 2:00 PM TEATRO ZUCCONE FREE

Minnesota Film Magnified filmmaker panel features a discussion centered on woman in charge of film productions. With the current and long standing disparity of women in positions of power in the film industry, this year's DSFF Panel discussion will focus on directors and producers overcoming those barriers.

Each of these panelists gives a unique perspective on their own personal approach to succeeding in their chosen profession.

Attendees learn how each panelist came to be involved in their current roles in the film industry, what resources they’ve used to develop their careers, and what they would encourage others to use today.

These resources include: schools; non-profit organizations; grants, scholarships & tax incentives; classes & workshops; and networking opportunities & career building techniques among others.

This panel discussion will also look to engage, inspire and educate the community about what is currently happening with film and video production in Minnesota and in the Arrowhead area.

Panelists include: Dorie Barton- Director of DSFF's Centerpiece Presentation GIRL FLU Nicole Brending-2016 McKnight Fellow and creator of the short film EMPATHY AROUSAL Keri Pickett-Director of FIRST DAUGHTER AND THE BLACK SNAKE Moderated by Jordan Brown - DSFF Assistant Director

ENJOY THE SHOW!

GS

IN GOOD TH AWAIT...

DENFELD 2016

610 East 4th Street Duluth, MN 55805 218.728.0884

4426 Grand Avenue Duluth, MN 55807 OPENING IN 2016!

2016 DSFF JURY MEMBERS In 2013 DSFF presented its inaugural award for Best Film In Competition or as we like to call it-The Lepus Award. These jurors have agreed to view each of the films In Competition and award the 2017 prize. Thank you, Jurors!

Annie Dugan Anne Dugan is the Executive and Artistic director at the Duluth Art Institute. In 2004 she co-founded the Free Range Film Festival in her big old barn in Wrenshall, MN and she and her festival colleagues continue to program the festival with fresh alternatives to stale cinema. She holds a masters in Art History from Columbia University and has curated nationally recognized exhibitions.

Dugan also works as the wife of an organic vegetable farmer and the mother of 2 young children.

DULUTH SUPERIOR FILM FEST STAFF FESTIVAL DIRECTOR/FOUNDER Richard Hansen ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Jordan Brown FILMMAKER LIAISON Riki McManus VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR Letisha Rice EVENTS/SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Brittany Sanford TECH ADVISOR/LOGISTICS Tyler Johnson FISCAL AGENT Zeitgeist Arts FESTIVAL PROGRAM CONSULTANT Joellyn Gum

Matthew Dressel Matthew Dressel is a Duluth based screenwriter and founder of The Duluth Film Collective: an ever-growing group of filmmakers and film lovers in the Duluth area. Matthew was recently the recipient of the 2017 IFP Minnesota Screenwriting Residency award for his thriller script The Other Man. He currently has three feature screenplays under option.

Benjamin May

Director Benjamin May’s first feature film, The Legend of Swee’ Pea, premiered at DOC:NYC and played at over 40 festivals around the world garnering five Best Feature awards and two Best Director awards. The film follows the twists and turns of fortune in the life of NYC basketball prodigy, Lloyd “Swee’ Pea” Daniels.

Benjamin was the recipient of a Mcknight Foundation Grant for the film. The Legend of Swee' Pea is the 2016 DSFF Lepus Award winner. He lives in Minneapolis, and works in St. Paul as a Neuroradiologist.

FESTIVAL TRAILER and POSTER Jonathan Thunder A very special thanks to our volunteers and to anyone we might have missed!

Director's Statement I'll keep it breif this year. With the borderline surreal state of our American life, this year's festival started to reveal itself in an obvious fashion. While not overtly political in nature, DSFF inevitably starts to lean toward the more topical and hot button issue. We always try to let the festival tell its own story and let the work available do the talking. Women and Indigenous Issues rose to the forfront. Political statements aside, we feel these issues are not really even about gender or race, but about humanity. It feels obvious to us to highlight the world that surrounds us and shine a light on the great works of art that represent that world.

That all said, we feel that the bottom line is that this year's slate of films are as good as we've ever presented.

Thanks as aways to the sponsors, volunteers and staff who make this whole thing possible. We truly cannot do it with out you. If you love the festival, please take some time to donate to it with the gift of time, presence or a little money.

Looking forwardRichard

acknowledgements Joellyn Gum Al Milgrom Alex Giuliani ARAC Nick Hansen Grant Carlson Craig Samborski Andrew Peterson Reilly Tillman Clyde Iron Restaurant Oliver Gum Dorothy Gum Earl Gum Lucy Hansen Goldy Gum Paper White Gum

Deanna Hansen Christopher Hansen Buck Hansen Hansen Lake Doug Bremer Irene Synnott Ryan Kern The Jewels of The Nile Steve Grazier Terry Mattson Anna Tanski Bob Gustafson Scott Keenan Ed Newman Brad Nelson Barbara Berry

Jim Brunzell Christa Lawler Emily McNeill Tony Cuneo Andy Bennett Zeppa Family Foundation Dale Kleinschmidt Keith Hopkins Bob DeArmond Alison Wade Sara J. Zeleznikar Mary Somnis Mike Hanson Wide Range Films Troy Parkinson

MN Film & TV Board Susan Nash Allison Heitmiller Shawn McGlaughlin Robyn Pokorny Matt Dressel Duluth Film Collective Cheryl Reitan Susan Nash Mackenzie Astin Zach Shedd Anna Pearce Trey Wodele

The Duluth Superior Film Festival is made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, thanks to appropriations from the Minnesota State Legislature’s general and arts and cultural heritage funds.

LEPUS AWARD

LEPUS AWARD

The following 6 films are In Competition for The 2017 Duluth Superior Film Festival's Lepus Award for Best Film In Competition. Good luck to each of these outstanding films and thank you to our talented jury.

The following 6 films are In Competition for The 2017 Duluth Superior Film Festival's Lepus Award for Best Film In Competition. Good luck to each of these outstanding films and thank you to our talented jury.

FOLLOWING SEAS

THE BAKKEN

Saturday June 3 Zinema 2 9:15 PM FREE Director Araby Kelley In Attendance!

Thursday June 1 Zinema 2 9:30 PM FREE Directors Invited

​ On the heels of the Great Recession, fracking unlocks a sea of oil beneath rural North Dakota.

This series of intimate and interconnected portraits tells the human story of an oil boom and bust. ​ Directors: James Christenson, Lewis Wilcox Co-directors: Eliot Popko, Jonah Sargent #MNMade #MNFilmmaker

TWIN CITIES

Friday June 2 Teatro Zuccone 6:00 PM FREE Director David Ash IN ATTENDANCE!

Salvaging a marriage takes time and trust, two things that John and Emily no longer have.

Emily is a writer with a career threatening case of writer's block and deadlines approaching.

The pressure to finish her novel grows when John sinks into depression and quits his job ... right before their first baby is due. As they head toward a mutual meltdown, John is given a terminal diagnosis that forces him to reassess his life and attempt to save his marriage— before it’s too late. However, inner peace proves elusive, the marriage might be too far gone, and John's life may not be what it seems.

Director: David Ash ​#MNMade #MNFilmmaker

The dream: to be free—free from bosses, rent, and red tape. In 1960 Bob and Nancy Griffith set out on their 53-foot sailboat to chase that dream, literally to the ends of the earth. They spent decades navigating the relentless pull of family and adventure. Combining recent interviews with exquisitely textured archival 16-millimeter film—shot by Nancy in the 1960s and 1970s—Following Seas is not only a story of world records and sailing feats, but of a family who truly lived a self-determined life and made the sacrifices their dream demanded. ​Directors: Araby Kelley & Tyler J. Kelley​ #MNFilmmaker

THE SCENT OF RAIN & LIGHTNING Friday June 2 Teatro Zuccone 8:05 PM FREE

When a young woman (Maika Monroe, It Follows) in the Midwest learns her parents' killer has been released from jail, rumblings in her small town suggest he may be innocent. She begins questioning the police investigation and witnesses, and uncovers her own family secrets to piece together the shocking truth. Based on the bestselling novel by Nancy Pickard. ​Director: Blake Robbins

LEPUS AWARD

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

The following 6 films are In Competition for The 2017 Duluth Superior Film Festival's Lepus Award for Best Film In Competition. Good luck to each of these outstanding films and thank you to our talented jury.

FIRST DAUGHTER AND THE BLACK SNAKE Thursday June 1 Zinema 8:00 PM and Saturday June 3 AICHO: Dr. Robert Powless Auditorium 5:00 PM FREE Director Keri Pickett and Subject Winona LaDuke IN ATTENDANCE! ​ inona LaDuke believes Big Oil is the black snake predicted in indigenous prophecy to bring the W earth’s destruction. When proposed new oil pipelines threaten sacred wild rice lakes, Winona dreams of organizing a spiritual ride, riding her horse against the current of oil “because a horse can kill a snake.”

Director: Keri Pickett #MNMade

THE MISSING SUN

Saturday June 3 Zinema 1:00 PM FREE Director Brennan Vance IN ATTENDANCE!

After a solar flare powers down her remote community, Alma discovers her husband Terry comatose. Suspecting he is having an out-of-body affair with an ex-lover, Alma attempts to bring him back to reality with help from Terry’s estranged, drug-addled son and the leader of a new-age religion that specializes in astral travel.

Director: Brennan Vance ​#MNMade #MNFilmmaker

SEEKA.TV Showcase

Seeka.TV Showcase Minnesota-Made Web Series Hosted by Seeka TV

Thursday June 1 6:30 PM Zinema 2 FREE

Watch new pilots and episodes from five web series produced in Minnesota by five award-winning Minnesota filmmakers. Includes the world premiere screenings of Season 4 of “Theater People and the pilot for "Gods@Play".

Series being screened include: BLEED the Series - Paul von Stoetzel Shortly after Walt Blackmore moves into his fixer-upper house, he discovers a dark red spot on the ceiling. As it grows, he becomes obsessed with the spot. It morphs into something else.

Based upon the novel by Ed Kurtz.

Elemental - Simone LeClaire “Elemental” is a mini-series of four challenging portrayals of women from classic fairy tales.

The “Elemental" princesses (Ariel, Belle, Aurora, Snow White) are each of a different race, and seek honesty and freedom as they explore their romantic relationships.

Gods@Play (world premiere) - Andrew Hunt June 5th, 2057 - Retired Filmmaker Jonathan Parsons emerges from obscurity to claim knowledge of the attacks of April 12, 2019. His confession lies inside his forty-year-old documentary, a project that starts as an investigation into a missing friend, but quickly unravels into a web of conspiracies, murder, and the greatest discovery of the 21st century… A creation that leads to the near extinction of the human race.

Theater People (season 4 world premiere) - Matthew Anderson A comedy series that draws back the curtain on the theater world - from independent to sitespecific, regional to corporate, improv to outreach - and revels in all the beautiful, maddening, ridiculous glory that is a life on the stage.

Transylvania Television - Troy LaFaye The retro monster comedy that’s really not for kids. Meet Furry, Vampire le Shoc, and the rest of the puppet crew behind Transylvania Television.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

VOICE FROM THE STONE Saturday June 3 Teatro 7:00 PM Director Eric D. Howell IN ATTENDANCE! FREE

A haunting thriller set at an isolated castle in 1950s Tuscany, Voice From The Stone tells the story of Verena (Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones), a determined young nurse hired to help the mute young heir within. But the more she observes the boy, the more Verena becomes convinced he has fallen under the spell of a powerful and otherworldly persona trapped in the villa’s stone walls, one that seems to be rapidly entwining with her own.

Director: Eric D. Howell #MNFilmmaker

AMERICANA Friday June 2 Zinema 9:15 PM FREE

An alcoholic film editor pieces together the circumstances surrounding the murder of his actress sister. Director: Zachary Shedd

SOLATIUM

Thursday June 1 9:00 PM Teatro FREE Director Nick Hansen, cast & crew in attendance!

IN ATTENDANCE!

J​ ohn is recovering from a bipolar episode where he experienced a messiah complex. He witnesses Bill, a shipping magnate, commit a crime. This creates a chain reaction as John enters a "manic state". John meets Elijah and Father Luke, while John's ex--girlfriend and news reporter, Sandra, along with several of John's friends become entangled in the action as John flees from enemies and himself. SOLATIUM is a story of redemption, a psychological thriller with themes of mental illness and spirituality. With 25 characters and 34 locations across Duluth, the making of this movie was as manic as the content.

Director: Nick Hansen

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS Cellular Cinema presents F(f)riction Saturday June 3 4 PM Teatro Zuccone MULTIPLE FILMMAKERS IN ATTENDANCE FREE Cellular Cinema, a Minneapolis-based community of experimental film, video and expanded cinema artists, presents a program of new short-form moving image work on and around the theme of “F(r)iction.”

Much of the noise of modern marketing and entertainment concern the utopian idea of smooth, seamless digital effortlessness. And yet, no matter the tools and technologies, making good art continues to be a messy, complex and challenging pursuit.

This program celebrates the effort, struggle, work, and heat generated when objects and ideas rub up against one another in an uncomfortable and irresolvable ways.

Program includes: Text/Image John Akre, animation, 4 minutes Pradera, Cabello, Mujer.

Xavier Tavera, 16mm, 4 minutes Shooting at the O.K. CORRAL Dan Schneidkraut, digital, 7 minutes 8/21 6:22 Laska Jimsen & Jason Coyle, 16mm, 3 minutes Tree Work Kevin Obsatz, 16mm, 7 minutes Intruder Man Peter B. Nelson, stop motion animation, 10 minutes Joe Cool Black in 'What Do We Hear?’

Trevor Adams, 16mm,

IPR Showcase

Saturday June 3 2:30 PM Zinema 2 FREE

Guthrie theater and feature film actor Charles Hubbell has declared that IPR Digital Video and Instructor Andrew Hunt have, “changed the game when it comes to student films - high-quality images, knowledgeable student teams, and professional results.” This collection of IPR short films features work from current students and recent graduates.

IPR Showcase includes the following short films: A Rough Encounter A pair of burglars have no idea what they've stumbled into. Joe Hegle Affection A deluded couple works their way through a milestone. Danny Colburn Black Haven Don't forget to wash your hands. Nicole Luttrell Divided In the midst of a war, old friends need to choose sides. Collin Olevson If I Was There A young man will go to any lengths for true love. Jorge Fuentes Lotzo's Revenge What the... I'm not even sure. Nick Larner Custody A little girl goes to great lengths for a reunion with her father. Owen Seaton Surrender Music video for Loyde & Vagrant . Isaiah Canfield The Cafe A pair of millennials deals with a stalker. Derek Forsmark Virtual Reality An overworked therapist might just be losing it. Samuel Singh

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS BREW NORTH-A BEER STORY

EDU Showcase

Thursday June 1 Teatro Zuccone 7:00 PM FREE

Brew North explores the rise, fall and rebirth of brewing in northern Minnesota. From historic breweries in Duluth, Virginia, and Tower to the craft beer revolution underway, discover the pioneering spirit and passion that connects the brewing community throughout time in this original documentary by WDSE-TV. Featuring Fitger's Brewing Co., Iron Range Brewing, Duluth Brewing & Malting Co., Virginia Brewing Co., People's Brewing Co., Lake Superior Brewing, Fitger's Brewhouse Brewery and Grille, Castle Danger Brewery, Bent Paddle Brewing Co. and Blacklist Beer.

Join us immediately following the film at The Rex Bar for the Ellipsis Presents: DSFF after party with Performance by Superior Siren.

Free with DSFF identifier!

Indigenous Showcase

Saturday June 3 3:00 PM AICHO: Dr. Robert Powless Auditorium

It’s Genetic, Baby Trt: 20 mins Khayman Goodsky

Petaki

5:24 Written by Gyasi Ross Music by Calina Lawrence Animation by Jonathan Thunder

Standing Rock: An Insider’s Perspective Trt: 3:20 Savanna Thunder

Passion: A Dog Poem Trt: 1:26 Elizabeth Day

Advice to Myself Elizabeth Day. Trt: 4:35 Elizabeth Day

Wabooz

Trt: 20:04 Wenonah Wilms

The Sting of Memory

Trt: 1:04 Moira Villiard and Jonathan Thunder

The Hymns of Our Breaking Routine Moira Villiard and Jonathan Thunder 3:07 The Indian Headband “Black Snake Bleed” Trt: 6:00 Lyz Jaakola

Walking This Frozen Road

3:13 Jonathan Thunder Od'e Miikan/Heart Line_MooseTrack 3:00 Jonathan Thunder

Standing For Unity Trt: 4:36 Eugene Tapahe

Dodging Bullets Trt: 4:14 Bob Trench

Saturday June 3 1:00 PM Zinema 2 FREE

Having just completed it's 10th year, The EDU Film Festival has become a vital part of the emerging filmmaking community. By putting students together with filmmakers, industry professionals, and post high school educational institutions, the EDU Film Festival introduces the variety of film industry options available in Minnesota. The festival provides a time and place for emerging filmmakers to interact with each other, form friendships and partnerships, and to create a professional network of peers. EDU aims to provide young filmmakers with an authentic film festival experience, a valuable understanding of the film industry, and an opportunity to screen their movies on the big screen.

EDU Showcase includes the following short films:

Filmmaker Alyssa Castillo Simon Tolman Savanna Thunder McKinley Carlin Simon Broan Hannah Martin Jake Johnston Melanie Yang Josh Zeien Amal Flower Kay Peter Gosswiller Amal Flower Kay Joey Skare Kat St. Martin-Norburg Samantha Ballis Danielle Rogers Emma Nelson Yilan (Elanna) Tang Lucy Bowman Melissa Moua Simon Tolman

Title

End The Cycle Black & Blue Standing Rock: An Insider's Perspective The Exchange Alone Square Static Victim's Downfall Cheating Superheros Nucleus Snow Farmers Artist Spotlight: Jake Johnston From Justin The Third Place New Frontier My Hair Failure Poem Her Name When I See You Memories Drivers Test

REGIONAL SHORTS COLLECTION

DSFF presents a collection of short films whose themes are significantly influenced by the people and places of The Twin Ports.

Undo

Saturday June 3 Zinema 5:00 PM FREE

A misanthropic woman discovers a possessed typewriter, which temporarily grants her a terrible power.

Director Keith Hopkins

499

Abe wanted to retire after reaching his goal but his former job kept creeping back into his life.

Director Sean Skinner

Empathy Arousal

Stuck behind a car door, a woman cries for help while meditating on her life before pain in this Beckett-esque dystopia.

Director Nicole Brending

Game Master

Haley joins Kyle and Sarah for her first game of Dungeons and Dragons. She’s enthusiastic, but the Game Master Zane doesn’t like when she strays from the predetermined role he sets for her. Upset at how she’s being treated, she decides to bring her fellow players together in rebellion against Zane, and she must battle him at every step.

Director Mikaela McParlan

LEVEL

Trapped inside a never ending nightmare, a cat & mouse game plays out between a man and a horrific beast lurking in the shadows.

Director Andrew Hunt

Tall Ships on Lake Superior

Tall ships festival as seen from on board the Appldore V shot and edited by Bodhi Werner, photography by Clare Cooley.

Director Clare Cooley

Lady Lillian

Lady Lillian is a seer of hidden destiny. Tim just wants to figure life out.

Director Amber Johnson

Little Red Squirrel

Music video by Nicholas Sunsdahl in support of Nick Robin's New LP HATCHET. Director Nicholas Sunsdahl

Throw It On A Wheel

Actor Sean Elmquist works through some ideas in this screen test for a TBA film by Director Nicholas Sunsdahl.

Director Nicholas Sunsdahl

Polo

She's watching television in a world that doesn't seem right. She repeats just one word. What is she watching? Is it some kind of game?

Director George Reese

Harvest

As we follow Jenni through a week, we join a growing audience interested in understanding who she is and the patterns that define her.

Director: Kevin Byrnes

REGIONAL SHORTS COLLECTION

DSFF presents a collection of short films whose themes are significantly influenced by the people and places of The Twin Ports.

Long Form Documentary Shorts Sunday June 4 1:00 PM Zinema 2 FREE

Some stories take just a bit longer to tell. For this reason, The 2017 DSFF has included these documentaries in order to give them a bit more time to tell important and engaging stories.

Films included:

I Can't Turn This Motor Off

At age 95 Duluth’s Mark Sertich is officially the oldest active hockey player in the world, with no intention of slowing down. After getting worldwide recognition online in May 2017 with Great Big Story, this short documentary features an in depth look of Mark growing up in Duluth, his love for the game and how he still plays hockey three times a week.

Director Marius Anderson

The Ragman

Michael Bork has lived his life straddling a fine line between the assumptions of societal norms and his own unique approach to happiness and survival. He may by odd to some, yet has a charmingly rare disposition in this day and age. Self-anointed as “The Ragman”, he makes an everlasting impression on most anyone who takes the time to truly get know him.

This character-driven film tells the untold tale of The Ragman - the storyteller, the vagabond, but most importantly the songwriter willing to unearth an entire lyrical catalog of his documented past. A collaboration of professional musicians transpires to create an outstanding sonic array of interpretations of Ragman’s original compositions. The sole goal: to bring Ragman’s songs and life stories to the masses.

Director Cy Dotsom

Standing Alone

For Anishinaabe elder, Jim Merhar, of Coleraine Minnesota, “Standing Alone” means many things besides his Ojibwe name. He has followed a path from being a country musician playing at the Duluth Armory with Johnny Cash, to being elected tribal chairman for the White Earth Reservation. He continues the traditional seasonal life cycle of the Anishinaabe from processing wild rice in the Fall to maple sugaring in the Spring. This intimate documentary portrait reveals Jim’s perseverance, humor, spiritual commitment, and connection to the land that he passes on to future generations. Jim collaborated with local Northland film maker Ariane Norrgard and her emmy award winning film advisor, Lorraine Norrgard, to create a work of art that encapsulates "a life worth living." The mother daughter duo was honored to complete the film together over the last two years with the help of editor, Jacob Swanson and Arrowhead Regional Arts Council. Local bartender Chaz Latson will be creating a specialty cocktail with alcoholic and non-alcoholic options made with Jim's own maple syrup at the Zeitgeist Restaurant next to Zinema 2 theater. Enjoy the taste of the film as you watch and take in the cinematic process of "Standing Alone."

Director Ariane Norrgard