Manchester International Film Festival Program

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WElcome Welcome to the Inaugural Manchester International Film Festival at The Rex Theatre. This festival is a celebration of a returning Manchester Icon; The Rex, where generations have come to watch movies such as “His Girl Friday” starring Carey Grant and Disney’s “Cinderella”. New Hampshire filmmakers and the region’s best directors will usher in a new era for The Rex and film in Manchester. It’s an exciting time for film in New Hampshire and we stand on the shoulders of giants that have paved the way for us today.

The Manchester International film festival will champion local film, New Hampshire film, and be a venue for our filmmakers to see their work on the big screen. We strived this opening year to find a balance between the cult favorites that gets us excited about coming out to see a movie, and the amazing new work, some making their festival debut this weekend. In addition to the robust world cinema program we’re excited to showcase curated sections of short films from Concord to Auckland.

We thank the unwavering support of our lead sponsor Cambridge Trust Charitable Foundation, their dedication to the arts in Manchester and state-wide is vital and at the core of their work.

So sit back, relax, laugh and remember the simple joy of watching a movie on the big screen.

Sincerely, Peter Ramsey President & CEO

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Our Mission The Mission of The Manchester International Film Festival is to celebrate the return of movies to Manchester, to celebrate the history of The Rex Theatre and to spotlight local filmmakers. To celebrate the international diversity in the City of Manchester through film. To bring together film makers and film lovers for a weekend of movies, documentaries, International offerings, showcase emerging talent and celebrating Big Screen Classics.

Our TEAM CREATIVE TEAM Festival Director Warren O’Reilly

Development Assistant Colleen Shields

Technical Director Jamie Quinn

Graphic Designer Rachel Stone

Technical Coordinator John Ropple

Creative Designer Jacob Stanley Butler

Director, Corporate and Community Partnerships Shannon Sullivan

Festival Coordinator Delaney Flanagan

JUDGES PANEL Brooks Young Warren O’Reilly Mike Daley

David Humphreys Amber DiPietro Eliza Sigel

Jacob Butler Tim Corley SNHU Film Students

CATEGORIES Best Narrative Short Best Documentary Short Best of New Hampshire Award Best New England Short Best Comedy Film

Best LGBTQ+ Film Best Animation Best International Feature Best International Short Audience Choice Award

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 12th

FOUR PINS

Directed by Matthew Betlz

14 Mins • Best of New England Short Film

A young man named Tommy Graves spends his days tending to the declining lanes of the local bowling alley. In this place time feels stuck, as does Tommy.

THE EGG

Directed by Terrence Fitzgerald Hayes 15 Mins • Best of New England Short Film

Days into a pandemic, Tristan sets sail to escape a world wrought with violence, racism and greed in search for a fresh start.

A story of torment, isolation and introspection.

SLAP SHOT

Directed by George Roy Hill 183 Mins • Special Presentation

Coach Reggie Dunlop (Paul Newman) lets his failing mill town minor league Ice Hockey team play their distinct brand of violent hockey, in hopes of drawing a big crowd. Presented by Friday Night Comedy - Starring Jimmy Dunn.

6:30PM

A film projectionist longs to be a detective, and puts his meagre skills to work when he is framed by a rival for stealing his girlfriend’s father’s pocket-watch.

Live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis.

7:00PM

45 Mins • Special Presentation

7:30PM

SHERLOCK JR.

Directed by Buster Keaton

5:30PM

OPENING CEREMONY - 5:00PM

90 Mins • Special Presentation

20th Anniversary Edition featuring John Lithgow as the voice of Lord Farquaad.

A mean lord exiles fairytale creatures to the swamp of a grumpy ogre, who must go on a quest and rescue a princess for the lord in order to get his land back.

THE LAST AMERICAN COLONY

Directed by Bestor Cram

90 Mins • Feature Documentary Presentation The Last American Colony traces the life of Juan Segarra, who graduates from Harvard and sets off on a treacherous path to fight for Puerto Rico’s independence—a struggle that he rightly assumes will lead to either jail or death.

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1:45PM

SHREK

Directed by Andrew Adamson & Vicky Jenson

12:00PM

SATURDAY, AUGUST 13th

MEET THE MILLENNIALS: LOOKING FOR LOVE

Directed by Joep van Osch

26 Mins • Best Documentary Short The documentary ‘Looking for Love’ takes us along the search for love and intimacy of millennials in Asia, from a marriage market in Shenzhen to the love motels of Tokyo.

MARSH CLOUDS

Directed by Kevin Mannens

14 Mins • Best Documentary Short The Timmons family has been picking oysters in Harris Neck, GA for more than 100 years.

The land they call home has a tragic history. Marsh Clouds tells a story of trauma and racism – and the perseverance to overcome against all odds.

ALICE?

Directed by Grace Hood-Edwards

13 Mins • Best International Narrative Short A starry-eyed plus size teenager actively reimagines the world around her as she experiences first love and first heartbreak.

MILK

Directed by Celia Jaspers

5 Mins • Best International Narrative Short When she sees an old man unable to pay for his milk, a young girl has a change of heart. Winner of The Tokyo Short Film Festival award for Message of Hope.

CONSERVATIVE HORSES

Directed by David Manitsky

13 Mins • Best Documentary Short In the mid 1950s, a local Los Angeles television show that does weekly interviews with B-list, Hollywood celebrities, is going to Vermont to interview Hollywood’s premiere horse trainer, Richard Turgidson (Jack Barron) and his wife, Kitty (Delaney Spink).

3:35PM

Little boy scared toilet. His father – military soldier – taught him “A real man should pee in the toilet not the pot”. Father went at war at the East of Ukraine and didn’t come back home. Son should become man now.

3:50PM

6 Mins • Best International Narrative Short

4:30PM

MAN

Directed by Oksana Artemenko

5:00PM

This film was shot during the air raid on the 77th day of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Proceeds from this double-feature will go towards the New Hampshire Relief efforts in support of Ukraine. To support text NH4Ukraine to 41444

5:15PM

1 Min • Best International Documentary Short

5:20PM

THUNDER

Directed by Orest Smylanetz

3:30PM

SATURDAY, AUGUST 13th

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SUMMER

Directed by Anna A. Belmonte & Nick Czerula 19 Mins • Best Narrative Short

PREMIERE

Following the death of their Father, a set of siblings find a figurative skeleton in his closet. Together, they must find a way to discreetly dispose of it, so as not to tarnish their family’s good name. Additional showing on Sunday, August 14 at 5pm.

Meet local celebrities and walk the red carpet for the New England Premiere of Finding Sandler.

FINDING SANDLER

Directed by David Seth Cohen

78 Mins • Best New Hampshire Short Director David Seth Cohen embarks on a quest to find Adam Sandler and finally have that beer Adam asked him to have.

5:40PM 6:00PM

Dark comedy. Adapted from the short story by New Jersey author Adele Schwartz. The story of a lonely woman trying to find her soulmate in the personal ads of newspapers.

6:30PM

13 Mins • Best New Hampshire Short

7:00PM

ABOUT HIM

Directed by Rick Dumont

AN EVENING WITH JOHN LITHGOW*

WOMAN OF THE WOODS

Directed by Olivier Frigon

4 Mins • Best International Narrative Short

A woman goes into the woods to enjoy the peaceful nature only to be disturbed by a vile polluter so she decides to take matters into her own hands.

AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON

Directed by John Landis

97 Mins • Special Presentation

Two American college students on a walking tour of Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists.

(Live Podcast Recording with A Dark Impressions Podcast)

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9:00PM

In a lively discussion, Lithgow reflects on the iconic roles that comprise his decades-long career, from cultural touchstones like The World According to Garp and 3rd Rock from the Sun to his more recent SAG-award-winning role as Winston Churchill in the smash-hit Netflix original series The Crown. Lithgow places social and political advocacy at the forefront of his public speaking, with an emphasis on the importance of the arts and education, as well as his recent forays into the world of political satire with the publishing of the New York Times best-selling Dumpty trilogy of books. Ever charming, John Lithgow dazzles audiences with his trademark wit and conversations full of heart.

9:05PM

Join the Tony and Emmy Award-winning actor for a heartwarming conversation to reflect on his life on stage and screen from his decades-long career.

7:30PM

*At the Palace Theatre

SPIN

Directed by Lisa Marie Tedesco 17 Mins • Best Narrative Short

When the curtain descends on their final performance of Romeo and Juliet in drama club, high school seniors Abigail and Sky bid a fair adieu to the stage they loved while letting their most deepest desires for one another surface at the cast party.

WHALE FALL

Directed by Katie McNeice 6 Mins • Best LBGTQ+ Feature

A glimpse beneath the surface of a relationship bonded by books, whales and love. “Poignant and powerful…making ample use of every second on screen.”

–– Film Ireland.

PARROT

Directed by Kyle B. Thompson 11 Mins • Best Narrative Short

A drag queen protects a child during a crisis as prejudices reach a breaking point.

LOVE IS STRANGE

Directed by Ira Sachs

94 Mins • Special Presentation

While struggling with the pain of separation, Ben and George are further challenged by the intergenerational tensions and capricious family dynamics of their new living arrangements.

HAUTE COUTURE

Directed by Sylvia Ohayon

119 Mins • Special Presentation

Instead of calling the police on the girl who stole her handbag, Esther decides to take her under her wing and pass on her skills, the craft of dressmaking.

Presented in Partnership with the New Hampshire Jewish Film Festival.

12:05PM

Stop-motion animation created by New Hampshire based Moon Bat Animation.

Created by Gregory Pierce and Mariana Martins, music by Paul Pierce.

Premiered at The Rock Water Film Festival in Dover, New Hampshire.

12:10PM

4 Mins • Best Animation

12:30PM

FRENZ

Directed by Gregory Pierce

12:40PM

After watching her gallant knight die at the end of the film, it’s up to the determined Princess Hilderose to take matters into her own hands to stop her love and earn her happily ever after.

1:00PM

3 Mins • Best Narrative Short

3:00PM

THE END

Directed by Alexandria Siah

12:00PM

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14th

CLOSING/AWARDS CEREMONY - 5:00PM

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History of the Rex The Rex served as a movie theater from the 1940’s to the 1980’s. The Rex opened May 30, 1940. The first pictures shown were “His Girl Friday” starring Cary Grant, and “The Amazing Mr. Williams” starring Joan Blondel. Billed as Manchester’s fist air conditioned theatre. 1989 saw the end of the Rex’s life as a movie theatre giving way to a series of nightclubs. In 2016, the building was purchased by the Manchester Development Corporation (MDC). The Palace Theatre Trust entered into a public-private partnership with MDC and in October 2018 the Rex Theatre reopened and the next chapter of this wonderful theatre begins. This weekend we bring The Rex Theatre back to it’s roots, dim the lights and watch a movie in a Manchester landmark.

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Sponsor

Partners

special Thanks Comedian Jimmy Dunn John Lithgow

Neal White “Roadkill”

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BROADWAY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

SEPT. 16 - OCT. 2

OCT. 21 - NOV. 12

NOV. 18 - 20

NOV. 25 - DEC. 23

JAN. 20 - FEB. 5

MARCH 3 - 19

APR. 21 - MAY 14

JUNE 2 - 25

603.668.5588

PalaceTheatre.org 11

Proud to Support the Palace Theatre’s Evening with John Lithgow

We applaud The Palace Theatre’s commitment to preserving its historic charm and being a driving force behind Manchester’s vibrant cultural scene.

CambridgeTrust.com 12