2018 Woodstock Film Festival commemorative program by Woodstock Film Festival

poster design by John Cuneo

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GIGANTIC PICTURES PROUD SPONSOR

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

“I tried to put together an image that spoke to the collaborative effort of film making and alluded to the Catskills and the eclectic whimsy of the Woodstock creative community. Also, I really wanted to draw dancing bears.” - John Cuneo, renowned humorous illustrator, whose work appears in many national publications, including Atlantic Monthly, The New Yorker and Esquire Magazine

2 Introduction 6 Staff 7 Volunteers 11 Special Thanks 11 Advisory Board 11 Board of Directors 12 WFF: Year-Round Programming 14 About WFF 15 Endorsement 16 About Hudson Valley

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The official 2018 WOODSTOCK FILM FESTIVAL poster was created by John Cuneo.

Film Commission

CONTACT INFO Woodstock Film Festival, Inc. email: info@woodstockfilmfestival.com website: www.woodstockfilmfestival.org facebook.com/woodstockfilmfestival twitter: woodstockfilm instagram.com/woodstockfilmfest

Box Office Location:

13 Rock City Road Woodstock, NY 12498 (Right in the center of town across from the Chamber of Commerce booth and next to two municipal parking lots) phone#: 845-810-0131 email: tickets@woodstockfilmfestival.com For TICKETS and the most up-to-date info including SCHEDULES, added screenings and OTHER EVENTS, visit

www.woodstockfilmfestival.org All information is subject to change.

2018

19 Sponsors 22 Awards 28 Awards Jury 31 Narratives 62 Documentaries 90 Shorts 100 Special Events 101 Panels 107 Host Town - Woodstock 111 Host Town - Kingston 115 Host Town - Rhinebeck 117 Host Town - Rosendale 119 Host Town - Saugerties 122 Thirty Mile Map 123 Two Mile Map 124 Ticket Information 125 Schedule at a Glance WoodstockFilmFestival.org

INTRODUCTION WELCOME TO THE 19TH ANNUAL WOODSTOCK FILM FESTIVAL Angela P. Schairoz

Line outside Upstate Films Woodstock during the festival

It was September of 2000 when the Woodstock Film Festival burst onto the scene . I remember the sense of wonderment that took hold of me throughout that inaugural film festival as if it were yesterday. “I am so excited,” was what I blurted out to anyone who asked, and “I have no idea how this is all going to happen,” was what I kept on fearfully thinking from the moment I woke up each morning to the moment I would drop into a brief yet heavy sleep each night. But it did all happen, and happened beautifully, thanks to the countless and amazing volunteers who lent their heart and hard work, thanks to the wonderful filmmakers, most of whom travelled to Woodstock that year for the first time from literally all corners of the country and the world, and thanks to the community and the film industry who embraced it right from the start. That year, I danced with the legendary cinematographer Haskell Wexler to the beating sound of Stop

Keanu Reeves and Vera Farmiga

Making Sense, listened to filmmakers D.A Pennebaker and Albert Maysles talk about their decades of creating some of the most profound and seminal documentaries of our times, took in the scent of cooking garlic as it filled the theater where maverick filmmaker Les Blank was presenting his film Garlic is as Good as Ten Mothers, and got the chain of my glasses momentarily entangled in those of iconic film composer Elmer Bernstein as we John Mazlish

Melissa Leo, Meira Blaustein, Rachel Brosnahan

embraced. It was indeed a magical year, and if it did not happen again, I would have been fine merely with those treasured memories. Little did I know then, when the impossible happened, that I would sit here, 19 years later, getting ready to welcome so many amazing new filmmakers, industry members and audiences alike to a fabulous new edition of the Woodstock Film Festival. Yet here we are, at the foot of the 19th annual festival, and after so many years and so many memories, I still couldn’t be more excited, though now I think I have a better idea of how its all going to happen…

Dion Ogust

Giancaro Esposito along with cast and crew of Stuck

And so it is, with a deep sense of gratitude for all who have been here before, and with great anticipation for what is to come, that I welcome all of you to this year’s Woodstock Film Festival. During this time of world turmoil, we are more thrilled than ever to have the many creative and fearless visual storytellers who are participating, from those who are still in their teens, to those who have experienced the changes of life for decades; thank you all for sharing your powerful and thoughtful works with us, we can’t wait to have you here. And to all the audience members, welcome. I hope you

Ben Caswell

Alejandro González Iñárritu, Meira Blaustein and David Linde

will see as many films as possible and meet as many filmmakers as possible. There is so much to look forward to. The short films created by teenagers, including three made by this year’s Woodstock Film Festival Summer Youth Film Lab; the 20+ films made by women directors; the numerous films made by filmmakers of color, three of which were curated by our guest programmer Roger Ross Williams; films made in the

David Morris Cunningham

Meera Gandhi, Mark Ruffalo

Hudson Valley and films made in far away places -- from the Faroe Islands to Israel, from Iceland to Somalia; the VR and 360 experiences offered at our Virtual Reality Lounge; and so much more. There is a rich abundance of inspired films to choose from. I hope you will get to experience many of them.

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

Topnotch panels and special talks, including intimate chats with our Maverick Award honoree Julie Taymor and with our Filmmaker Award of Distinction recipient Matthew

Laura Revercomb

INTRODUCTION

Bill Pullman at 2017 Woodstock FIim Festival

Heineman, a Virtual Reality panel preceding the official opening of the Virtual Reality Lounge, a special conversation with filmmakers and activists in conjunction with the screening of Lessons from a School Shooting, Notes from Dunblane, and more, complement this year’s outstanding array of films.

the festival with an improvisational jazz performance following the North American premiere of the film Karl Berger – Music Mind, and separately we will welcome musician Michael Franti for an acoustic live performance following the screening of his film Stay

Ben Rosser

And no Woodstock Film Festival would be complete without music. This year we open

Human.

Jennifer Connelly, Natalie Portman, Darren Aronofsky

We are thrilled to bring you all of this and so much more, not only in the colony of the arts of Woodstock, but also in the neighboring towns of Rhinebeck, Rosendale,

In addition to experiencing the many movies, panels, concerts, and special events, do take time also to enjoy the beautiful Hudson Valley, with its spectacular hiking trails and swimming holes, farms and fields; its many art galleries, unique shops, exquisite

Laura Revercomb

Kingston, and Saugerties. This is a region-wide celebration and event.

Lisa France, Lauri Andretta and cast and crew of Roll with Me

restaurants, bars and cafes. The Hudson Valley/Catskills is an area rich in beauty and culture.

viduals, organizations and companies who support us and make this festival happen, the hundreds of volunteers, our board of directors and our advisory board, the filmmaking community, as well as the local towns, businesses, and communities, our filmmakers’ hosts, our sponsors and individual contributors and, of course, our staff. There would not be a Woodstock Film Festival without all of you. Thank you!

Giacobazzi Yanez

Before I sign off and wish you all a happy festival, I want to thank the countless indi-

Alec Baldwin at 2016 Woodstock FIim Festival

Welcome to the 2018 Woodstock Film Festival everyone. See you at the movies. Meira Blaustein

Dion Ogust

Co-Founder / Executive Director

Chris Recek

Rebecca Miller

2018

Audience at Awards

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

STAFF Photo: Franco Vogt

ALL CREDITS AS OF SEPTEMBER 14

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CO-FOUNDER Meira ADMIN DIRECTOR/CO-FOUNDER DEPUTY DIRECTOR OFFICE MANAGER

Blaustein Laurent Rejto Nikki Goldbeck Sage Higgins

FESTIVAL PROGRAMMING FEATURES & DOCUMENTARIES

Meira Blaustein, Nikki Goldbeck Laurent Rejto, Emily Suttmeier, Lisa Myers, Jeff Economy, Lucia O’Corozine ANIMATION Joy Buran, Noelle Melody SCREENERS Jeff Morris, Evan Thomas, Jessica Peeters, Dainara Delija, Sierra Slaughter, Forrest Miller, Andrew Heitzman, Jack Fessenden, Jack Warren, James Bruckner, Deborah Chai, Jenn Moskowitz, Trisha Feliciano, Amanda Shuttleworth PANELS, JURY & HONORARY AWARDS Meira Blaustein ADDITIONAL PANELS Doreen Ringer Ross (BMI), Cynthia Kane GUEST PROGRAMMER Roger Ross Williams VIRTUAL REALITY LOUNGE Carol Silverman, Dario Laverde CONSULTANT Victoria Ashley SHORTS

FESTIVAL OPERATIONS OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

Jacob Hutchings Sage Higgins OPERATIONS MANAGER DEPUTY Avery Davenport EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Morgan Malecki VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR Elizabeth Raum TRANSPO COORDINATOR Elizabeth Zink ART DEPARTMENT Stacey Anderson PIPE & DRAPE Jeremiah Wenutu COMMUNICATION SERVICES Greg Carttar, Char Harner (3rd St R&D Production Services) PRINT TRAFFICKING COORDINATOR James Bruckner MAVERICK AWARDS PRODUCER Frank Riley, Norton Edwards Productions SPECIAL EVENTS Lauri Andretta TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Jeff Kantor (Canus Major Prods) TECHNICAL DIRECTOR ASSTS Lisa Burklund TECHNICAL-PROJECTIONISTS George Naytowhowcon, Mike O’Brien, Justin Peone, Arby Schulman, Tim Sullivan, Sven Torgeson, Zoot Damnit TRAILER Wheelhouse NYC VIDEO PREP & PANELS Jeff Economy YOUTH INITIATIVE COORDINATOR David Nelsen Epstein, Onteora High School OPERATIONS/TRAFFIC ASSTS Jessica Peeters, Jason Vasquez, Thomas Pistor Eisenman AD & SPONSORSHIP SUPPORT Beth Troxell OPERATIONS MANAGER

FESTIVAL SERVICES GUEST RELATIONS DIRECTOR GUEST RELATIONS HOSPITALITY CATERING REGISTRATION BADGE HOSPITALITY CPA

BOX OFFICE BOX OFFICE

Nikki Goldbeck Nancy Caigan, Gabrielle Kleinmann, Maggie Mitchell, Barbara Silver Deb Markes, Natalie Chau Tracy Kamien Sam Kandel Pattison, Koskey, Howe & Bucci, CPAs, PC Michael Winsor (Manager) Wynn Eggleston, Joan Quigley

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PROGRAM

GRAPHIC DESIGN (PROGRAM/ADS) PUBLICATION EDITOR BLURB WRITERS

DATA SOLUTIONS WEBSITE

PUBLIC RELATIONS PRESS TEAM

PRESS ASSISTANTS VIDEOGRAPHY PHOTOGRAPHY COORDINATOR PHOTOGRAPHY CONSULTANT PHOTOGRAPHERS

STAFF

STAFF Naomi Schmidt (Naomi Graphics) Nikki Goldbeck Jeff Morris, Barbara Pokras, Ben F. Fischer, Evan Thomas, Svetlana Krotek, Monique Ray, Max Wexler, James Bruckner, Gene Fischer, Avery Davenport, Dainara Delija, Jessica Peeters Diana Simonson Laurent Rejto

Sierra Slaughter, Lon Haver Aaron Bush, Amanda Marcano, Caroline Rowley Gregory Bray PhD, and SUNY New Paltz Students Joe Vlachos Naomi Schmidt Serena Acquisto, Pat Angehr, Zack Bell, Catharina Christiana, Laurie Feldman, Alanna Gill, Leslie Hill, Isabella Hawkins, Lauren Jinete, Brian Labas, Deana LeBlanc, Nadine Lewis, John Mazlish, Nia Oglesby, Laura Revercomb, David Rosenberg, Angela Schapiro, Lorin Taylor, Maria Uribe, Chloe White, Dale Wolfield

SITE MANAGEMENT BEARSVILLE THEATER

Marie Caruso, Sydelle Freed, Richard Folger , Eleanor Minsky, Jules Minsky UPSTATE FILMS WOODSTOCK Gerry Habib, Sandra Harris, Veronia Medina , Debra DeWan WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE Alice K Lotosky, Francine Xavier WOODSTOCK COMMUNITY CENTER Debbie Burklund, Tom Cherwin, Tanya Garraghan, Andrea Mythen KLEINERT/JAMES ART CENTER Noa Jones ROSENDALE THEATRE Lynn Bauer, Donna Perry, Jill Lehman, Joanne Gelb, David Gelb ORPHEUM THEATER SAUGERTIES Veronica Medina, Mira D’Agostino, Kimberly Jorgensen UPSTATE FILMS RHINEBECK Joanne Gelb, David Gelb, Irene McMahon, Willis Williams

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT AWARD TROPHIES

Steve Heller (Fabulous Furniture)

Volunteers as of September 17 Norman Aaronson Ron Aja Robert Alsdorf Sandi Arbelli Jerilynn Babroff Mel Babroff Tracy Baglivio Jeff Bauml Beth Baylis Frank Beresheim Jim Boyd Deb Brindis Beth Brown Leah Brown Erica Bunin Ann Byer Kevin Callahan Anne Canzonetti Alexander Carlson Barbara Cazakoff

2018

Janet Chapman Karen Charman Tom Cherwin Diane Christi Robyn Clery Jason Cohen Joel Craig Barbara Davenport Shayla Dawkins JoJo Demirel Lynn Dennison Jillian Duffield Renee Englander Sandi Eppy Michael Farr Emily Farrar Sacha Fleming Alan Fliegel Bob Frick Peggy Fusco

Peter Gadsby Daisy Gadsby Gail Grice Siouxzanne Harris Jim Haskin Asher Heard Edwina Henderson Sara Higgins Timothy Higgins Aidan Higgins Jenny Hodes Ethan Hoffman-Sadka Autumn Holladay Nija Huba Allison Irwin Fran Jacobson Ben Johansen Marcus Jones Kimberly Jorgensen Jay Kahn

Joyce Kahn Matthew Kamien Risa Kamien Laura Katz John Kaufman Kevin Koniewicz Tris Korol Lou LaConture Jamie Lazan Tracy Leavitt Jill Lehmann Debbie Lukaszewski Kiana MacClellan Marilyn MacClellan Betty MacFarlane Isler Cecilia Maillet Marijo Mallon Sherry Masters Kevin McAleer Mike McCabe

Nicole McClaine Sydney McClaine Terence McCorry Jeremy McLaughlin Alec Meiklejohn Kathy Mellert Gregory Merigliano Stephen Mihic Megan Mirabito Mae Mitchell Sion Mitrany Candace Mixon Mardi Montgomery Emily Mortensen Randy Mundi Andy Mundi Grace Murphy Andrea Mythen Susan Nathan Marianne Neifeld

Monica Neubauer Raji Nevin Andrea NewmanWinston Julie Nicholls Barbara O’Brien Kara O’Neill Margo Obourn Jerry Obourn Kathryn Ornstein Ron Parker Jessica Peeters Donna Perry Connie Pinkosz Lauren Piperno Thomas Pistor Eisenman Pamela Priestley Lisa Purcell Sharon Reich Fern Revzin

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

Rita Rosenberg Scott Ross Dena Roy Kara Sabbagh Greg Safris Lesley Sawhill Cathy Scala Margery Schab Juliana Sebben Jeffrey Seitz Phyllis Serrur Yvonna Sewall Brendan Sheridan Julia Sheridan Laura Shulman Mark Sidgwick Paula Silbey Diane Silverberg Adelaide Simon Linda Sirkin

Michael Sofokles Jan Sosnowitz Geri Stein David Sumliner Sherry Tesler Beth Troxell Aaron Trummer William Tubby Jason Vasquez Wil Vatkin Kristi Jo Weber McCabe Roni Wilder Sarah Wilkinson Mandi Willett Kathleen Wise Jamey Wolff Sue Worthman Laura Zinn Cookie Zucker

MAKE YOUR NEXT FILM HERE Alec Baldwin, Bill Murray, Parker Posey, Jim Jarmusch, Whoopi Goldberg, Giancarlo Esposito, Emma Stone and other A-listers make movies in Ulster County—you can too!

ULSTER COUNTY IS CAMERA READY This is the most affordable place to make films in New York State. Filming and post-production costs are eligible for generous 45% tax credits. Factor in low overhead for services and a stunning diversity of locations. Hire experienced, reasonably priced talent. It all adds up to easy and affordable—and we are ready to help. Ulster County Film Oﬃce • (845) 340-3556 • UlsterForFilm.com Photos courtesy of the Woodstock Film Festival and the Hudson Valley Film Commission

ULSTER COUNTY CAMERA READY

chronogram.com

A CREATIVE LOVE AFFAIR

in print and online

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

SPECIAL THANKS SPECIAL THANKS

SPECIAL THANKS

If we forgot to thank you, please forgive our oversight and know that your help and support is very much appreciated. MOVIE LEGENDS Mark Braunstein & Katharine McKenna Brian S. & Brian Devine Sarah Johnson & Greg Cornell Alan Siegel SUPERSTARS Lauri &retta Jonathan Gray Stephen Hays Phyllis Stevenson PRODUCERS Bill Goldstein Martin & Perry Granoff Jennifer Hicks Lowell Miller Doreen Ringer-Ross SCREENWRITERS Michael Brody Ilene Marder Hinchey Gill & Augusta Brown Holl& Dyan Machan & Johan A. De Meij Ron Mann

David Miller Samantha Quartin Joan Quigley John Swab GAFFERS Joni Elenson Greg Meola Thomas Morton Sabine Schenk Nurit Spector Anthony Stracquadanio Laurie Ylvisaker SPECIAL THANKS Adam & Daniel Susan Alex&er Detective John Amaroso &retta Foundation Terry & Mark Antman Aviron Brian Barney Jeff Bauml Bleecker Street Entertainment Janet Bogardus Gail Bradney Blair Breard

Jimmy Buff Anne & Matt Canzonetti Cargo Releasing Jeff Dann Bridget Dawson Jimmy DeMarco Donnalee DermadyMinney Dogwoof Jen Dragon Wynn Eggleston Mary Anne & Richard Erickson Barbara Farcher Joe Felece Film Fatales Collective Film Sale Company March Gallagher Allison Garskof Go 2 Films Dick & Susan Goldman Governor’s Office of Motion Picture & Television Development Gravitas Ventures Paul Green

Greenwich Entertainment Char Harner County Executive Mike Hein Edwina & Marty Henderson Janet Hicks Daniel Hoffman Suzanne Holt William Horberg Hotel Woodstock Richard & Amy Hutchings IFC Films Frances Jacobson Marilyn Janow Cynthia Kane Marc Kanner Bryn Kelsey Vera Kuipers Dr. Brian Leggiere Dede Leiber Steve Leiber Brian Mahoney Bob Malkin Susan Manuel Vivian Hodges & Stuart Margolis

Sarah Mecklem Susan & Alec Meiklejohn Kate Miller Paul Mullen, MD Jim Murray Elizabeth Nealon David Nelsen Epstein Neon Netflix Kathleen Nolan Gail Nussbaum Michael O’Brien Margo Obourn Ric Orlando Darya Panesoff Marlyn Park Steve & Elise Pittleman Barbara Pokras Eran Polishuk Phyllis Prinz Leann & Neil Ratner Michele Rejto Barbara & R&y Rissman Lynn Ritchie Leah & Dan Rubenstein

Ilene & Neil Rubenstein Margery Schab Angela Schapiro Christine Rollet & Issar Smith Luan Steinhilber Jason Stern Khalil Sullins Bill Topazio Town of Woodstock Trimboli Twin Gables Brigid Walsh Bruce Weiss White Dove Rockotel Woodstock Inn on the Millstream Bob Wyatt Zeitgeist Films Allen & Ellen Zerkin

ADVISORY BOARD Judy Arthur

Publicity/Consultant (Philadelphia, The Silence of the Lambs)

Melissa Leo

Oscar-winning Actor (I’m Dying Up Here, The Fixer, The Fighter, Frozen River, 21 Grams, Treme)

Joe Berlinger

Filmmaker (Brother’s Keeper, Paradise Lost Trilogy, Metallica: Some Kind of Monster)

Ron Mann

Filmmaker (Grass, Going Further, Altman), Distributor (Films We Like)

Eamonn Bowles President of Magnolia Pictures Robin Bronk

Stephen Nemeth Executive Producer / Producer (Magnificent Burden, The Three Hikers, Fields of Fuel, Fear, Loathing in Las Vegas)

CEO of The Creative Coalition

Vincent D’Onofrio Actor (Daredevil, Men in Black, Full Metal Jacket)

Annie Nocenti

Journalist/Screenwriter/Teacher/Filmmaker

Ron Nyswaner

Screenwriter/Director (Homeland, Ray Donovan, She’s The Best Thing In It, Freeheld, Philadelphia)

Bill Plympton

Animator (Cop Dog, Cheatin’, Idiots & Angels)

Aidan Quinn

Actor/Producer (Elementary, Legends of the Fall)

Peter Saraf

Producer, Executive Producer, Big Beach Productions (Our Idiot Brother, Little Miss Sunshine)

Griffin Dunne

Director/Producer/Actor (Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold, Fierce People, Dallas Buyers Club)

Leon Gast

Filmmaker ( When We Were Kings, The Grateful Dead)

Senior partner at Gray Krauss Stratford Des Rochers LLP

Ethan Hawke

Director/Actor (The Magnificent Seven, Boyhood, Before Sunrise, Chelsea Walls)

Sabine Hoffman

Editor (Story of a Girl, Elvis & Nixon, Maggie’s Plan)

Liev Schreiber

Actor/Director (Ray Donovan, The Painted Veil)

Gill Holland

Producer, The Group Entertainment (Beauty Mark, Look & See: A Portrait of Wendell Berry, Were the World Mine)

Lori Singer

Actror (Footloose) Dancer, Cellist

John Sloss

Ted Hope

Head of Production, Amazon Original Movies: Amazon Studios, Amazon Studios, Amazon Studio

Attorney/Producer, Sloss Law & Cinetic Media (Boyhood, Bernie, Pieces of April, Far From Heaven)

Fisher Stevens

William

Producer (Crash Pad, The Promise, Milk, Cold Mountain, Adventureland, Death at a Funeral)

Founding Partner, Greene Street Films, Actor/Producer/ Director (The Grand Budapest Hotel, Awake)

David Strathairn Actor (The Debt, Lincoln, Good Night and Good Luck)

Barbara Kopple

Director (Miss Sharon Jones!, Woodstock: Now & Then, Shut Up & Sing, My Generation, Harlan County USA)

Christine Vachon Producer and founder of Killer Films (Still Alice, I Shot Andy Warhol, Boys Don’t Cry, Far from Heaven)

Michael Lang

Producer/Promoter (1969, 1995, 1999 Woodstock Festival)

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Lauri Andretta

2018

David Baldwin

Mdeira Blaustein

Jennifer Hicks

Claude dal Farra

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

Ilene Marder

Joan Quigley

Brigid Walsh

YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMMING YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMMING

The Woodstock Film Festival celebrates emerging and established voices in independent film with screenings, panels and concerts throughout the Mid-Hudson Valley. The festival is centered in the historic arts colony of Woodstock, as well as the nearby towns of Rhinebeck, Rosendale, Boiceville, Saugerties, and Kingston.

As a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization, Woodstock Film Festival’s mission is to present an annual program and year-round schedule of film, music and art-related activities that promote artists and culture and inspired learning and diversity. Its sister organization, the Hudson Valley Film Commission, promotes sustainable economic development by attracting and supporting film, video and media production.

YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMMING The Woodstock Film Festival and the Hudson Valley Film Commission work year round offering screenings, workshops, mixers, economic development initiatives, and special events in the Hudson Valley, New York City and elsewhere.

Our year-round programming featured two special screenings, our annual Taste of Woodstock, a Summer Youth Film Lab, and our Launch Party.

John Cuneo by the poster he created

Taste of Woodstock

Every fall, film and music lovers from around the world gather in Woodstock for an exhilarating variety of films, concerts, celebrity-led seminars, workshops, an awards ceremony, and superlative parties. Visitors find themselves in a relaxed, receptive atmosphere surrounded by some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. The range of films presented includes feature narratives, documentaries and shorts, many of which are premieres from the U.S and abroad. Filmmakers often attend and follow up screenings with Q&As. Specialty programming includes Exposure, Films of the Hudson Valley, Focus on Music, LGBTQ, Spotlight on Women, World Cinema, Dutch Focus, Filmmakers of Color, and the Youth Initiative.

In May, the Woodstock Film Festival hosted the 6th Annual Taste of Woodstock, celebrating the culinary diversity and delicacies that the region has to offer. Over 20 restaurants and hosts participated, including A&P Bar, Bread Alone, Calmbucha, Catskill Mountain Pizza, Colony, Founders, The Green Palate, Joshua’s, Lenny Bee Productions, Little Apple, Mountain Gate Indian Restaurant, Nancy’s Artisanal Creamery, Oriole 9, The Reservoir Inn, Santa Fe Woodstock, Shindig, Sunflower Café, T Salon, Woodstock Meats, Woodstock Pizza Theater, Woodstock Wine & Liquors, and Yum Yum Noodle Bar. Please support these wonderful establishments. On June 23, the Woodstock Film Festival, in collaborations with Upstate Films Woodstock, presented a special screening of Leave No Trace followed by an in-depth Q&A conversation with director Debra Granik and Woodstock Film Festival executive director Meira Blaustein. Leave No Trace opened theatrically on June 29, 2018, via Bleecker Street.

Taste of Woodstock

James Bruckner.

Leave No Trace Audience

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

Youth Film Lab

2018

Youth Film Lab

Photo: johnmazlish.com

Debra Granik & Meira at the Leave No Trace Q&A

YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMMING

“Wow, Meira, what a loyal, focused and outstandingly engaged cinema culture you and the festival have solidified! I will not forget this night with the fullness and presence of interacting with film supporters and appreciators.” - Debra Granik

Finding Oscar Screening

“It was a pleasure to participate as a mentor in the Woodstock Film Festival Youth Film Lab. The students were attentive, engaged and surprisingly sophisticated... The team of teachers and mentors assembled by Meira Blaustein and Morgan Sperry include some of the most prestigious and accomplished film professionals in the Hudson Valley, setting high standards for the students to aspire towards and be inspired by.” - Janel Grillo, Writer & Director

“What an extraordinary film. We were deeply moved to the point of wordlessness, really. Driving home, we simply stared at the road and processed internally all we had heard and seen. The talk-back afterwards helped cushion the horrors documented in the film. Having Oscar actually in the house with his family...hearing his gentle words...feeling the possibility of hope...grasping the huge influene of Freddy’s work... all of it was tremendoulsy humbling. I bow my head and thank you, thank you, thank you.” - Anonymous

Finding Oscar Screening

Photo:

On September 8, the Woodstock Film Festival and WacBiz co-presented the powerful documentary Finding Oscar at the Rosendale Theatre Collective. The screening was followed by an informative and moving panel featuring the film’s subject Oscar Ramirez Castaneda, producer and attorney Scott Greathead, and world renowned forensic anthropologist Freddy Peccerelli. The program was moderated by Shari Turitz, Vice President for Programs at the American Jewish World Service.

Richard Hutchings

In July, the Woodstock Film Festival Summer Youth Lab, created by Meira Blaustein and underwritten by an anonymous donor, was held at the Center for Creative Education in Kingston, NY. Over a three-week span, ten Hudson Valley high school students had the opportunity to learn about the filmmaking process from film industry professionals. The three short films produced by the students will be shown at the Woodstock Film Festival.

Youth Film Lab

In September, the Woodstock Film Festival Launch Party was hosted at a new venue, Tuttles Bar & Grill, in New York City. Featuring beverages courtesy of Ketel One, Ca’ Di Rajo and Barterhouse, Woodstock Film Festival friends, filmmakers, alumni, actors, and industry representatives from near and far convened for the evening, and it was one to remember. As the night drew to a close, one could sense the excitement in the air as guests planned their meetups and activities at the 19th Annual Woodstock Film Festival. Taste of Woodstock

2018

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

ABOUT WFF ABOUT WFF

FOCUS ON DUTCH CINEMA Sponsored by the Netherlands Consulate and the Department of Love Revisted Dutch Culture USA. The program features three outstanding selections from top contemporary Dutch filmmakers: Craving by Saskia Diesing, Love Revisited by Nicole van Kilsdonk and Younger Days by Paula van der Oest.

The Woodstock Film Festival is proud to present the WORLD Paris Song CINEMA program to further our commitment to sharing experiences across continents. 2018 highlights include Julia Blue (Ukraine), Dreams by the Sea (Faroe Islands), Swimming with Men (United Kingdom), Here and Now (Israel), and Paris Song (Kazakhstan), among others. These films offer a rare opportunity to expand our global consciousness.

FOCUS ON MUSIC showcases films about music and musicians, simultaneously exploring Stay Human the role that music plays in film. Several of this year’s films illustrate how music can be an important and powerful tool for expression. The film Karl Berger - Music Mind kicks off the festival, followed by a live performance. Music is also featured in Carmine Street Guitars, Paris Song, Here and Now, Wheels, Up to Snuff, and Michael Franti’s Stay Human. For the 2017 BMI Music Panel, filmmaker Mark Maxey and composer W.G. ‘Snuffy’ Walden will discuss Snuffy’s legendary career in film and TV scoring.

The Woodstock Film Festival’s What They Had SPOTLIGHT ON WOMEN IN FILM & MEDIA initiative highlights exciting new works by some of today’s most talented, established and up-and-coming female directors. The aim is to feature the works of female directors and empower women of all ages who want to work in film and media to follow their dreams and carve their path in an industry that is still dominated by men. There are 22 female-directed feature length films in the 2018 program, including Barbara Kopple’s A Murder in Mansfield, Jessica Blank’s Almost Home, Rachel Carey’s Ask For Jane, Dominique Cardona and Laurie Colbert’s Keeley and Du, Nia DaCosta’s Little Woods, Alyssa Rallo Bennett’s ReRun, Suzi Yoonessi’s Unlovable, and Elizabeth Chomko’s What They Had, among others.

Programming at the WOODSTOCK FILM FESTIVAL encourages those Somaliland who use film as a way to explore social, environmental and political themes, while challenging their inherent boundaries. In this year’s EXPOSURE PROGRAM we are proud to present a lineup of films that represent the myriad challenges our world faces in these times of uncertainty, with the voices of our diverse planet and the heroes who dedicate themselves to changing the worldview against the status quo. Among others, the program includes Dreaming of a Vetter World, The Feeling of Being Watched, Ghost Fleet, Give Us This Day, The Interpreters, Personal Statement, Somaliland, Suicide: The Ripple Effect, and What is Democracy? Additional programming, including panels and year-round events, cover a broad range of socioeconomic and political topics. This year, there will be a special panel discussion following the screening of Lessons From A School Shooting: Notes From Dunblane to discuss the issue of school shootings, including Newtown and Stoneman Douglas High.

THE HUDSON VALLEY AND CATSKILLS have been a hotbed of creative energy and artistic Then Came You vibrancy for over a century. In addition to attracting production talent from all over the world, many established and emerging filmmakers have now made the Hudson Valley their home. The 2018 WFF schedule has programmed several locally produced films, including Then Came You, For The Birds and We Only Know So Much.

LGBTQ FO C U S

Since its inception, the Woodstock Film Festival has explored and celebrated LGBTQ voices with Socrates an exciting slate of films, concerts and special guests. 2018 highlights include Socrates, Shakedown, and Lez Bomb.

GUEST PROGRAM

FILMMAKERS

OF COLOR

A new category in 2018, FILMMAKERS OF COLOR, Shakedown curated by filmmaker Roger Ross Williams, features 3 films that demonstrate the scope, depth and creativity that is possible when black filmmakers tell their own stories. This year’s picks include RaMell Ross’ Hale County This Morning, This Evening, Leilah Weinraub’s Shakedown, and from Melissa Haizlip and Sam Pollard, Mr Soul!

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ENDORSEMENTS

ENDORMENTS

2018

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ABOUT HVFC For additional info about filming in the Mid-Hudson Valley, visit www.hudsonvalleyfilmcommission.org

ABOUT HVFC

On location with The Dead Don’t Die

Join us Oct 10-14,

then come back to produce or post your next film in the beautiful Mid Hudson Valley & Catskills.

“Shooting our film in the Hudson

Valley was a truly wonderful experience. The cities and towns welcomed us with open arms, the people were kind and generous, and our local crew of remarkably talented artists and professionals were simply incredible. The Hudson Valley Film Commission was a fantastic resource, standing by for assistance every step of the way. We are so grateful for the support!“

- Joshua Astrachan & Carter Logan, Producers (The Dead Don’t Die)

“Our work in the Hudson Valley

was a tremendous success, and we couldn’t have done it without your support. Your cooperation and efforts throughout the process helped us to find and create a unique aesthetic here in the Hudson Valley“

- Paramount Pictures (A Quiet Place)

A Quiet Place

On location with Furlough

The Hudson Valley Film Commission (HVFC) creates JOBS and sustainable economic development by attracting, supporting and promoting local film, video and media production in the Hudson Valley/Catskills. Since 2000, the Hudson Valley Film Commission has worked with over 500 productions, helping to secure locations, crew, cast, soundstages, catering, vendors, lodging, post facilities, and more! Over $100-million in direct local spending has resulted including thousands of jobs, and new businesses that cater to production.

 Additional film tax incentives were granted to the Mid-Hudson Valley region on November 4, 2016. As a result, the Hudson Valley Film Commission has seen significant increases in production and post work. 2017 total revenue saw a 300% increase over 2016. We expect 2018 totals to be even higher thanks to large productions like The Dead Don’t Die, directed by Jim Jarmusch.  Actors who have appeared in local films over the past year include (among others), Emily Blunt, Steve Buscemi, Asa Butterfield, Brian Dennehy, Adam Driver, Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Selena Gomez, Jonah Hill, Jeremy Holm, John Krasinski, John Leguizamo. Melissa Leo, Chloë Grace Moretz, Elisabeth Moss, Bill Murray, Anna Paquin, Estelle Parsons, Mary Kay Place, Iggy Pop, Kurt Russell, Chloë Sevigny, Emma Stone, Michael Stuhlbarg, Tilda Swinton, Marisa Tomei, Tom Waits, and Maisie Williams.  Regional productions have also experienced critical success. Kent Jones’ Diane, starring Mary Kay Place, won the Grand Jury Prize at the Tribeca Film Festival, while The Miseducation of Cameron Post received top honors at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. John Krasinsky’s A Quiet Place received critical acclaim and broke box office records, and we are hopeful for a sequel. On the TV front, 2004 WFF Best Student Short Winner Cary Fukunaga filmed part of Maniac (starring Jonah Hill and Emma Stone) in the region and foleys were handled by Jay Peck of Stepping Stone Foley.  On the post production side, sound effects editing for 2014 WFF Maverick Award recipient Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! (starring Jennifer Lawrence) was done at at C.A. Sound in Bearsville, NY. Sound mixing for 2008 WFF Best Feature Winner Sean Baker’s Oscar® nominated The Florida Project was also handled by Coll Anderson. Sound effects editing for the much anticipated Roma by Alfonso Cuarón was handled by Wyatt Sprague in Glenford.

HVFC provides services free of charge with support from Ulster County IDA - Whether you’re interested in relocating,

expanding, starting a business or producing your next film, you’ll find Ulster County a great place to work and live. Nestled between the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains, Ulster County boasts a strong and diversified economy that encourages collaboration, innovation, and growth. Dutchess Tourism, Inc. - (DTI) brings tourism dollars to area businesses by marketing and promoting the assets of Dutchess County to the nation and the world. Orange County IDA - The Orange County Industrial Development Agency has assisted numerous companies and not-for-profit organizations with new business and capital expansions. As a direct result of the assistance provided by the IDA, companies have become more competitive by locating or expanding their facilities within Orange County, NY. Markertek.com is a video/audio supply house serving the media industry with over 60,000 unique solutions at reasonable prices, supported with dependable advice from actual pro-audio and vivideo professionals.

Enclosure set buid at Woodstock Film Studios

Propmaster Joe James on Christmas Camp

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

In 2018, we lost one of our own. Joe James worked on many local films beginning with Debra Granick’s Down To The Bone in 2004. He is dearly missed.

2018

On location with THE DEAD DON’T DIE

On location with SHIRLEY Emily Carragher

ASK US ABOUT THE NY FILM TAX CREDITS

BRING YOUR NEXT PRODUCTION & POST WORK TO THE HUDSON VALLEY

Jon Keeyes

www.hudsonvalleyfilmcommission.org On location with LAST VERMONT CHRISTMAS

filmcommission@me.com

On location with BLONDIE Music Video

HVFC is supported in part by the Ulster County IDA, Dutchess County Tourism, and the Orange County IDA

Amazing Reservoir Views 150 High Rocks Road, Glenford, NY $2,995,000

• 25.4 acres • 4 bedrooms • 8300 sq ft • 4½ bathrooms • tennis court • 2 pools Take a tour: goo.gl/Cmr5MY Contact Lauri at 845-389-0418

SPONSORS SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSOR

Ulster County Film Office UlsterForFilm.com

BRONZE SPONSORS

SUPPORTING SPONSORS

STATE SUPPORT The Woodstock Film Festival is made possible in part with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency

FOUNDATION & PRIVATE SUPPORT Thompson Family Foundation � Greg Cornell and Sarah Johnson � Bill Goldstein Donor Fund High Rocks Charitable Trust � Jennifer Hicks Family Foundation

2018

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SPONSORS SPONSORS

MEDIA SUPPORT

EVENT SUPPORT

FOOD & BEVERAGE SUPPORT Bistro To Go Bread Alone Catskill Mountain Pizza

Deisings Bakery Hannaford Supermarkets Lox of Bagels Shindig

Terrapin Restaurant Yum Yum Woodstock Meats

CREATIVE & TECHNICAL SUPPORT R&D Production Services

Canus Major Productions

Naomi Graphics

Viva La Data

SOUVENIRS WFF Caps

2018 T-Shirts Ladies Short Sleeve Unisex Short Sleeve

2018 WFF POSTER 18” x 24”

WFF Mugs

2018 Limited Edition Giclée On Archival 24” x 32” Paper

Available at Box Office • 13 Rock City Road • Woodstock, NY

www.woodstockfilmfestival.org

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2018

You Focus On The Shot

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll Focus On The Rest Congratulations To The Filmmakers www.panavision.com

Proud Supporter of the

Woodstock Film Festival

Focused on Income-Producing Equities Since 1991 845-679-9166 | www.mhinvest.com

2018

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AWARDS AWARDS

J O I N T H E W O O D S TO C K F I L M F E S T I VA L I N C E L E B R AT I N G

8:00pm: Cocktail Party 9:00pm: Awards Ceremony

THE 19TH ANNUAL MAVERICK AWARDS CEREMONY Saturday, October 13 at Backstage Studio Productions IN KINGSTON

All trophies are handcrafted by STEVE HELLER, a self-taught artist who works in wood, found metal and Cadillacs from the 1950s. He shows at his Fabulous Furniture gallery (www.fabulousfurnitureon28. com) in Boiceville, NY.

Music performed live by

Chris Recek

The Paul Green Rock Academy

MAVERICK AWARD FOR BEST NARRATIVE FEATURE, BEST NARRATIVE SHORT & BEST STUDENT SHORT SPONSORED BY GIGANTIC PICTURES The MAVERICK AWARD sponsored by GIGANTIC PICTURES recognizes the director of the jury’s choice for best feature narrative, best narrative short and best student short. GIGANTIC PICTURES is an active producer of low and mid-level budgeted feature films and documentaries. They can take you from idea to delivery, supervising all aspects of the filmmaking process, including budgeting, scheduling, pre-production, production and post-production.

MAVERICK AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE SPONSORED BY FILMS WE LIKE The MAVERICK AWARD supported by FILMS WE LIKE recognizes the director of the jury’s choice for best documentary feature. FILMS WE LIKE is a Canadian distribution company, founded in 2003 by award-winning documentary filmmaker Ron Mann. Fifteen years and over 162 films later, Films We Like has established itself as a boutique distributor of alternative entertainment.

WOODSTOCK FILM FESTIVAL ULTRA INDIE AWARD SPONSORED BY GRAY KRAUSS SANDLER DES ROCHERS LLP The WFF ULTRA INDIE AWARD is presented to an outstanding film with a budget of less than $200K. The films nominated raise the art of low budget filmmaking to a remarkable level. The award, sponsored by GRAY KRAUSS SANDLER DES ROCHERS LLP, rewards the best of these ultra low budget selections from the 19th Annual Woodstock Film Festival. The winner also receives a BLACK MAGIC DESIGN URSA 4K.

ANIMATION AWARD The ANIMATION AWARD, presented for Best Animated Short, is selected by New York-based animation and design duo Joy Buran and Noelle Melody (JOY + NOELLE) and multi-faceted animator Jessica Milazzo.

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AWARDS

AWARDS HASKELL WEXLER AWARD FOR BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY SPONSORED BY PANAVISION The Woodstock Film Festival HASKELL WEXLER AWARD FOR BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY, with support from Panavision, provides film camera equipment rentals to the winner of this esteemed award. Panavision is the leading designer, manufacturer and supplier of high precision camera systems, comprised of cameras, lenses and accessories for the motion picture, television series and television commercial markets in North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region.

The Haskell Wexler Award for Best Cinematography, named after the legendary cinematographer and two-time Academy Award winner, continues under the guardianship of Wexler’s friend and colleague Ellen Kuras. Kuras is one of the most important pioneering filmmakers of the last two decades, known for her visually stunning work in films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Blow and Summer of Sam. One of the first women invited to join the American Society of Cinematographers, she has worked with directors Michel Gondry, Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee, and Jonathan Demme, “One of the most inventive and unique voices in cinema of our time, Haskell was a rebel and advocate of progressive causes who lived his politics through his work and his work through his spirited beliefs,“ wrote Kuras. “We continue to honor Haskell and his work by recognizing filmmakers who reflect his passion.”

WORLD CINEMA AWARD The WORLD CINEMA AWARD recognizes the jury’s choice for best foreign language film made by a director outside the U.S.

THE JAMES LYONS EDITING AWARD FOR NARRATIVE & DOC FEATURES SPONSORED BY TECHNICOLOR POSTWORKS NY Originally established by editor Sabine Hoffman, the JAMES LYONS EDITING AWARD was named in honor of the accomplished editor who had a home near Woodstock. James Lyons was best known as a film editor and particularly for his long collaboration with Todd Haynes on the award-winning features Poison, Safe, Velvet Goldmine (for which he also co-wrote the story) and Far from Heaven. He also edited Sofia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides, Jesse Peretz’s First Love, Last Rites and The Chateau, Tom Gilroy’s Spring Forward, Peter Friedman’s Silverlake Life, and more than a half-dozen other features and documentaries. The award is sponsored by TECHNICOLOR POSTWORKS NY, a cornerstone of the New York film and television industry, providing essential post-production services and expertise to motion picture studios, broadcasters, television producers, and independent filmmakers worldwide.

MAVERICK AWARD FOR BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY SPONSORED BY MARKERTEK.COM MARKERTEK.COM is a video/audio supply house serving the media industry with over 60,000 unique solutions at reasonable prices, supported with dependable advice from actual pro-sudio and video professionals.

THE CARPE DIEM ANDRETTA AWARD for living life to its fullest honors VINCENT “JAY” ANDRETTA III THE CARPE DIEM ANDRETTA AWARD is presented to a film that best exemplifies living life to the fullest through character and story development in a full length narrative or documentary film. The Carpe Diem Andretta Award honors longtime area resident VINCENT “JAY” ANDRETTA III, who passed away in December 2014. The Glenford resident is remembered as a successful businessman, a driven, avid athlete and a loving, dedicated husband, father, son, and great friend to many, including the Woodstock Film Festival. Jay’s favorite quote was "Carpe Diem (Seize the Day)." His life was a testament to the phrase.

2018

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AWARDS

On the four year anniversary of the Focus on Dutch Cinema at the Woodstock Film Festival, Ironworks Productions and Bruce Weiss would like to thank the Netherlands Consulate and Dutch Culture USA for their ongoing generous support.

Congratulations to this year’s films & filmmakers: YOUNGER DAYS – directed by Paula van der Oest LOVE RE VISITED – directed by Nicole van Kilsdonk CRAVING – directed by Saskia Diesing

Wij wensen u veel success!

Introducing Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K

Next generation 4K camera with 4/3 HDR sensor, dual native ISO 25,600 and direct recording to USB-C disks.

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AWARDS J O I N T H E W O O D S TO C K F I L M F E S T I VA L I N C E L E B R AT I N G T H E 19 T H A N N UA L

MAVERICK AWARDS CEREMONY Saturday, October 13th at Backstage Studio Productions IN KINGSTON

MAVERICK AWARD /mav·er·ick / 1. Being independent in thought and action or exhibiting such independence. 2. One who refuses to abide by the dictates of a group.

JULIE TAYMOR photo by Marco Grob

The Woodstock Film Festival’s Maverick Award is traditionally given to an innovator and independent spirit in film and media arts who has demonstrated a unique vision and creative path, bringing a strong and widespread appreciation of quality and substantive change to the arts. As a Tony®, Emmy® and Grammy®-winning, and Oscar®-nominated filmmaker, Julie Taymor has conquered both stage and screen with her innovative direction. Her award-winning films include Fool’s Fire, Oedipus Rex (starring Jessye Norman), Titus (starring Anthony Hopkins and Jessica Lange, with Harry Lennix), Frida (starring Salma Hayek), her musical Across the Universe, The Tempest (starring Helen Mirren), and a cinematic version of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, filmed during her critically acclaimed, sold-out stage production at Theatre for a New Audience in Brooklyn. She is currently prepping a feature film of Gloria Steinem’s My Life On The Road, starring Julianne Moore, and a TV Series, Hackabout, based on Erica Jong’s book, Fanny. Perhaps most known for her Tony award-winning Broadway adaptation of The Lion King, Taymor also received awards for Best Director and Costume Designer. The show has played over 100 cities in 19 countries, and its worldwide gross exceeds that of any entertainment title in box office history. Other theatrical achievements include Grounded (starring Anne Hathaway), Broadway’s Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, The Green Bird and Juan Darien: A Carnival Mass, which earned five Tony Award nominations, including one for her direction. Operas include Oedipus Rex, The Flying Dutchman, Salome, Die Zauberflote, The Magic Flute (which inaugurated a PBS series entitled Great Performances at the Met), and Elliot Goldenthal’s Grendel. Most recently, she directed M Butterfly, starring Clive Owen, on Broadway. Taymor is a recipient of the 1991 MacArthur Genius Fellowship, a 2015 inductee into the Theater Hall of Fame for Lifetime Achievement in the American Theater, the recipient of the 2015 Shakespeare Theatre Company’s William Shakespeare Award for Classical Theatre, and a 2017 Disney Legends Award honoree.

PRESENTER

HARRY LENNIX Harry Lennix is a distinguished film, TV, and stage actor and director. He currently stars in NBC’s The Blacklist. Recent moviegoers have seen him in Man of Steel, Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, and The Five Heartbeats. But Lennix’s acting career actually spans decades; in 1999, he received a Golden Satellite Award as Aaron in Julie Taymor’s Titus. In Feb. 2018, he made his off-Broadway NY directorial debut with A Small Oak Tree Runs Red at The Billie Holliday Theatre. Lennix co-founded the movie production company Exponent Media Group, producing Revival!, a joyful blend of fantasia, Broadway musical and epic historical drama, re-telling the gospel according to John the Apostle, premiering in limited release in December 2018. Other projects include Mr. Sophistication, about a brilliant but self-destructive stand-up comedian, and H4, a fresh interpretation of Shakespeare’s Henry IV with an all black cast. In addition to his prolific career, Lennix is active in numerous civic andcharitable groups.

2018

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

Mark&Jay Benny&Josh Lana&Lilly Joel&Ethan Rosanna& Patricia&David David&Nathan

From sharing a bathroom to sharing the spotlight. If you could make it through sibling rivalry, navigating film production is a snap. For more than two decades, SAGindie has been guiding independent filmmakers through the SAG-AFTRA signatory process, making it even easier to hire top talent regardless of budget. When it comes to deciding who gets the top bunk, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re on your own. www.sagindie.org

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8/23/18 12:24 PM

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AWARDS

FILMMAKER AWARD OF DISTINCTION

MATTHEW HEINEMAN Director/Producer/Cinematographer/Editor Matthew Heineman is an Academy Award®-nominated and Emmy Award®winning filmmaker who has won two Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary Awards from the Directors Guild of America (DGA), one of only three directors to win the prestigious honor twice. Known for his courageous documentaries, Heineman has now brought his empathetic sensitivity to his first narrative feature, A Private War, the story of legendary war reporter Marie Colvin. The film stars Oscar nominees Rosamund Pike and Stanley Tucci, as well as Jamie Dornan and Tom Hollander. Heineman recently directed and executive produced The Trade, an acclaimed five-part docu-series that chronicles the opioid crisis through the eyes of those most affected – growers, cartel members, users, and law enforcement. The Trade premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival before airing on Showtime. His 2017 documentary feature City Of Ghosts follows a group of citizen-journalists exposing the horrors of ISIS. In addition to winning him a second DGA award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary, the film also won the Courage Under Fire Award “in recognition of conspicuous bravery in the pursuit of truth,” was listed on over 20 critic and year-end lists for Best Documentary, and was nominated for a BAFTA Award, PGA Award, and IDA Award for Best Documentary Feature. His 2015 DGA award-winning documentary Cartel Land explores vigilantes taking on the Mexican drug cartels. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, won three primetime Emmy Awards, garnered Heineman Best Director Award and Special Jury Prize for Cinematography at Sundance 2015, as well as the Courage Under Fire Award from the International Documentary Association, and the George Polk Award in Journalism. Previously, Heineman co-directed and produced the feature-length, Emmy-nominated documentary Escape Fire: The Fight To Rescue American Healthcare, collaborated for two years on the Emmy-nominated HBO series The Alzheimer's Project, and directed and produced Our Time – a feature length documentary about what it’s like to be young in today’s America.

2018

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FEATURE NARRATIVE

FEATURE DOCUMENTARY

AWARDS JURY

CATHERINE CURTIN is an actress who joined the 2018 cast of Homeland and the second season of Stranger Things. Curtin is also a member of the casts of Insecure (3 seasons) and Orange is the New Black (5 seasons). Her current films include: Beauty Mark, When We Grow Up, The Light of the Moon, Crazy Famous, Breaking Brooklyn, and Catfight. Her theater work includes Burning, Consent, The Lady from Dubuque, So Help Me God, Love Janis, and more.

Catherine Curtin

LORI SINGER is a Golden Globe-winning actress, known for Ariel Moore in Footloose. She has acted in Short Cuts, The Falcon and the Snowman, Warlock, The Man with One Red Shoe, Equinox, and Experimenter. She executive produced the Peabody and Emmy-winning Silence in the House of God, and was featured in God Knows Where I Am. Singer starred in the TV series Fame and VR5. An inspired concert cellist, she performed on film with Yo Yo Ma in Atom Egoyan’s Inspired by Bach, and as an orchestra soloist, most recently at Carnegie Hall.

Lori Singer

CARTER LOGAN is a film producer and musician from Rockford, Illinois. He currently runs Jim Jarmusch’s production company in NYC. Producing Carter Logan credits include Jarmusch. Directed films The Limits Of Control (2009), Only Lovers Left Alive (2013), Paterson (2016), Gimme Danger (2016), and the upcoming film The Dead Don’t Die. Additionally, Logan executive produced Ron Mann’s acclaimed new documentary, Carmine Street Guitars (2018). As a musician and composer Logan is a member of the band SQÜRL.

SHORT DOCS

RICHARD ROWLEY, is an Oscar-nominated director and Sundance-winning cinematographer with 20 years experience producing, directing and shooting for screen and television. His most recent documentary, Dirty Wars, won him festival awards and an Academy Award nomination. He created, directed and executive produced the America Divided series about inequality in America, and has directed, produced and filmed dozens of TV documentaries and series for Showtime, PBS Frontline, Channel 4 Dispatches, BBC Newsnight, EPIX, Canal +, ARD, CBC, CNN International, Al Jazeera, and others. SUSAN MARGOLIN is a pioneer of home entertainment and digital distribution, and a dedicated supporter of independent filmmaking. Her company, New Video, was a leading global force in independent home entertainment, enabling Margolin to champion over 400 award-winning documentaries. She recently launched St. Marks Productions LLC, and is currently producing Alexandra Codina’s upcoming feature documentary Unaccompanied Children. Recent productions include The Rape of Recy Taylor Generation Startup.

Richard Rowley

Susan Margolin

JOE BERLINGER is an Emmy-winning and Academy Award-nominated filmmaker and producer. A pioneer in the genre of True Crime documentaries, Berlinger Joe Berlinger draws attention to social justice issues in the U.S. and abroad in his films such as The Paradise Lost Trilogy, Crude, and Intent to Destroy.He is currently finishing his feature film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, starring Zac Efron and Lily Collins, which wrapped production in early 2018.

NARRATIVE EDITING

JEN HECK is an award-winning filmmaker based in New York City and Saugerties, NY. She has had work at festivals and events around the world, from Sundance to the Whitney Biennial. Her most recent film was a collaboration with Van Jones about Prince’s secret philanthropic work. She studied film at both NYU and Columbia, and is currently a new mom and a senior creative on the TV show House Hunters International.

Jen Heck

CYNTHIA KANE created DOCday on Sundance Channel and shepherded over 150 international and U.S. co-productions for public media at ITVS. She helped launch Al Jazeera America with such acclaimed films as In Transit, Sporting Dreams, Shelter, Daisy and Max, Guantanamo’s Child, and Freeway: Crack in the System, the last two nominated for Emmy’s. Kane executive-produced New Eyes, was a creative consultant for Letters from Baghdad, and co-produced Lessons From a School Shooting: Notes from Dunblane.

Cynthia Kane

GENE FISCHER is an award-winning filmmaker and photographer whose work has been showcased in exhibitions and galleries throughout the world and been featured in such publications as The Advocate, Washington Life and Time Out New York, among others. His photography is held in private and corporate collections throughout the U.S. His documentary films Passing Ellenville and All About Amy have screened internationally and won multiple awards. He is currently producing a series on gender identity issues and perception.

Gene Fischer

JOE KLOTZ started in New York editing news, commercials, and music videos before working for Comedy Central on The Upright Citizen Brigade. His narrative feature work includes Junebug, Grace is Gone, Precious, Rabbit Hole, and Lee Daniels’ The Butler. He is currently working on Edward Norton’s Motherless Brooklyn, due out next year. MADELINE GAVINEDITS both narrative and documentary film. She was nominated for an Emmy for her work on the Academy Award-nominated documentary Which Way Home, and has edited several award-winning narrative films, including I Think We’re Alone Now and City of Joy. She has taught in the writing department at NYU and the Graduate Film Program at Columbia University. SABINE HOFFMAN, ACE, has edited award-winning feature films for 20 years, including Rebecca Miller’s Personal Velocity, The Ballad of Jack and Rose, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, and Maggie’s Plan; Alex Sichel’s All Over Me; Rodney Evan’s Brother to Brother; Richard LaGravenese’s The Last Five Years; Liza Johnson’s Elvis and Nixon, and Kyra Sedgwick’s Story of a Girl. She has also worked on numerous documentary films, including Academy Award–nominated Ferry Tales. She is a mentor to many filmmaker organizations, including the Sundance Institute, IFP and Reel Works, and serves as adjunct professor at Columbia University.

Joe Klotz

Madeline Gavin

Sabine Hoffman

CINEMATOGRAPHY ELLEN KURAS is one of the most important pioneering filmmakers of the last two decades, known for her visually stunning work in films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Blow and Summer of Sam. One of the first women invited to join the American Society of Cinematographers, she has worked with directors Michel Gondry, Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee, and Jonathan Demme. Kuras is the unprecedented three-time winner of the Best Dramatic Cinematography Award at the Sundance Film Festival. Her directorial debut, The Betrayal (Nerakhoon), which she shot and produced, was an Academy Award-nominee in 2009 Ellen Kuras

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SHORT NARRATIVES

JONATHAN GRAY has been producing and executive producing narrative and documentary films for over 20 years, including Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel, Words with Gods, Nightingale, and Dark Night. A practicing attorney concentrating on independent film and the founding partner of Gray Krauss Sandler Des Rochers LLP, he has acted as production counsel on hundreds of independent films, including The Station Agent, Precious, Black Swan, Beasts of the Southern Wild, and Moonlight. Gray is an adjunct professor at Columbia University School of the Arts and a frequent lecturer at NYU, SVA and other universities.

STUDENT SHORTS

Jonathan Gray

RICHARD ABRAMOWITZ has been distributing and marketing independent films for nearly 40 years. His company, Abramorama, takes a personalized, focused approach, providing valuable distribution alternatives to Richard Abramowitz content makers and owners. Among his many distribution projects are the award-winning documentaries Jane, The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years, Heart of a Dog, Listen to Me Marlon, Exit Through the Gift Shop, and 4 Little Girls. He teaches at the film conservatory at Purchase College. BLAIR BREARD is a New York-based producer. She started her film career on John Sayles’ Passion Fish Blair Breard and has worked on numerous films with a variety of directors, including I Shot Andy Warhol, cult favorite Pootie Tang, Margaret, and Margot at the Wedding. Breard executive produced The Drop, Baskets, Better Things, Strangers, and the award-winning comedy series Louie, for FX. Her company Bossy Boots has a first look deal with FX and recently sold a pilot to Showtime.

ANIMATED SHORTS

JOY + NOELLE is New York-based animation and design duo Joy Buran and Noelle Melody. They are illustrators, animators and, as it happens, twins. They specialize in story-driven work, ranging from commercial video to independent short film Joy Buran & Noelle Melody and book illustration. Their select clients include NBC, Netflix, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Amazon Studios, Sesame Studios, and they most recently art directed an animated series for Facebook Watch called Human Kind Of. Joy and Noelle have been attending the Woodstock Film festival for over 10 years and began curating the Animation Program in 2016. Joy lives in Queens and Noelle lives in Kingston, NY; they keep rooms in each other’s house and nooks in each other’s brain. Each also keeps an exquisite collection of charming objects and pets, from which they draw inspiration. JESSICA MILAZZO is an independent animation director, animator, illustrator, and embroidery artist. For the last 14 years, she has directed, designed and animated pieces for children’s shows, advertising and music videos for such studios as Sesame Workshop, The Mill, Buck NY, and YesBoss. Clients include Yo Gabba Gabba, adidas, adult swim, and The History Channel. She acted as juror for the Animated Shorts category during the 2016 RiverRun International Film Festival season. Jessica is inspired by the big possibilities in small stories.

Jessica Milazzo

ISIL BAGDADI is an indie film producer, distributor and publicist. She is the co-founder and President of Distribution at CAVU Pictures, and the producer of the popular NY Film Critics Series. In 2001, Isil and business partner Michael Sergio started CAVU Pictures to produce and distribute cutting-edge, critically acclaimed and award-winning independent films. JANET GRILLO is an award-winning, critically acclaimed filmmaker, Emmy Award-winning producer, former studio executive at New Line Cinem,a and full time arts professor at NYU Tisch School of the Arts Undergraduate Film Program. She lives in NYC and Saugerties, and is working on Amity Falls, a new feature film to be shot in Catskills.

Isil Bagdadi

Janet Grillo

TIM GUINEE has acted in over 200 films, MOW’s and television episodes. He has directed documentaries for the Children’s Defense Fund (Produced by JJ Abrams) and the award-winning One Armed Man (written by Horton Foote and produced by Philip Seymour Hoffman). He stars in the upcoming film I’m Not A Bad Person. Tim Guinee

WORLD CINEMA WENDY LIDELL is Sr. VP, Theatrical/Nontheatrical Distribution & Acquisition at Kino Lorber Inc., a leader in independent art house distribution. Recent releases include Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami, Filmworker, Keep the Change, Custody, and What Will People Say. Previously, Lidell was founder and president of International Film Circuit, winning acclaim for introducing previously unknown filmmakers into the U.S. market. She has run campaigns for three documentaries that were nominated for Academy Awards. THELMA ADAMS is a prominent film critic. A two-time chair of the New York Film Critics Circle, she has been the in-house film critic for Us Weekly and The New York Post, and has written essays, celebrity profiles and reviews for many websites and magazines. She co-produced the Emmy-nominated Feud: Bette and Joan, and is the author of the bestselling historical novel, The Last Woman Standing and Playdate, Her forthcoming novel, Bittersweet Brooklyn, will be published in November 2018. SABINE SCHENK is a German-born producer based in New York, and owner of Schenk Productions, Inc., offering production services for local and international film and media projects in the United States. She co-produced the documentary Ferry Tales, which was nominated for an Academy Award, and line produced the New York unit for The Reader. In 2015, Schenk and Anja Murmann launched Shorelight Pictures to develop and produce narrative features. Recently, she produced the feature film Unintended, written and directed by Murmann.

Wendy Lidell

Themla Adams

Sabine Schenk

DOCUMENTARY EDITING

KEIKO DEGUCHI is a documentary and narrative film editor. She’s best known for editing Jeremiah Zagar’s films We the Animals and In a Dream, as well as Steven Shainberg’s film Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus, and numerous other award-winning documentary films that have aired on PBS and HBO. ANN COLLINS is a New York-based documentary film editor. This year, she was nominated for an American Cinema Editor’s Eddie award for her work on Griffin Dunne’s Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold. She also coproduced and edited Lara Stolman’s Swim Team, which premiered on the PBS POV series.

Keiko Deguchi

Ann Collins

SABINE HOFFMAN, See Editing, Narrative

2018

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NARRATIVES NARRATIVES

32 A Private war 33 Across The Universe 34 Almost Home 35 Ask For Jane 36 Beyond the Night 37 Cold Brook 38 Dorst (Craving) 39 Dreams by the Sea 40 Fort Maria 41 Ghost Light 42 Here and Now 43 Julia Blue 44 Keely and Du 45 Lez Bomb 46 Little Woods 47 Love Revisited 48 Only A Switch 49 Paris Song 50 Rerun 51 Socrates 52 Spell 53 Swimming With Men 54 Then Came You 55 Unlovable 56 We Only Know So Much 57 What They Had 58 Wheels 59 Wildlife 60 Younger Days 2018

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

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CLOSING NIGHT FILM

A PRIVATE WAR Directed by Matthew Heineman USA / 2018 / 106 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Rosamund Pike Jamie Dornan Stanley Tucci Tom Hollander EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Erica Lee Jonathan Fuhrman Ashley Schlaifer Jeffrey Sobrato Joe Gelchion Beth Kono A.J. Dix David Dinerstein Jason Resnick William Sadleir Wayne Marc Godfrey Robert Jones PRODUCERS

Basil Iwanyk Marissa McMahon Matthew George Matthew Heineman Charlize Theron SCREENWRITER Arash Amel CINEMATOGRAPHER Robert Richardson, ASC EDITOR Nick Fenton PRODUCTION DESIGNER Sophie Becher COMPOSER/MUSIC H. Scott Salinas BASED ON “Marie Colvin’s Private War” by Marie Brenner SHOWING AT WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE

Sun Oct 14  5:30pm

In a world where journalism is under attack, Marie Colvin (Academy Award-nominee Rosamund Pike) is one of the most celebrated war correspondents of our time. Colvin is an utterly

fearless and rebellious spirit, driven to the frontlines of conflicts across the globe to give voice to the voiceless, while constantly testing the limits between bravery and bravado. After being hit by a grenade in Sri Lanka, she wears a distinctive eye patch and is still as comfortable sipping martinis with London’s elite as she is confronting dictators. Colvin sacrifices loving relationships, and over time, her personal life starts to unravel as the trauma she’s witnessed takes its toll. Yet, her mission to show the true cost of war leads her — along with renowned war photographer Paul Conroy (Jamie Dornan) — to embark on the most dangerous assignment of their lives in the besieged Syrian city of Homs. Based on the extraordinary life of Marie Colvin, A Private War is brought to the screen by Academy Award-nominee and critically acclaimed documentary filmmaker Matthew Heineman in his pulse-pounding narrative feature debut. Matthew Heineman is an Academy Award-nominated and Emmy Awardwinning filmmaker who has twice won the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary Award from the Directors Guild of America, one of only three directors to win the prestigious honor twice. His two DGA wins, City of Ghosts and Cartel Land, both premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and won the Courage Under Fire Award from the International Documentary Association. City of Ghosts was nominated for a BAFTA Award, PGA Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. Cartel Land was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, won three Primetime Emmy Awards and the George Polk Award in Journalism. At Sundance, Heineman won the Best Director Award and Special Jury Prize for Cinematography. He recently directed and executive produced The Trade, a docu-series that also premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Previously, Heineman co-directed and produced the Emmy-nominated documentary Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare. A Private War is Heineman’s debut fiction film. COURTESY OF

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Matthew Heineman

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

Visit www.avironpictures.com

2018

NARRATIVES

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE Directed by Julie Taymor USA / 2007 / 133 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST T.V. Caprio Martin Luther McCoy Dana Fuchs Joe Anderson Jim Sturgess Evan Wood EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Derek Dauchy Rudd Simmons Charles Newirth PRODUCED BY Matthew Gross Jennifer Todd Suzanne Todd SCREENPLAY BY Ian La Frenais Dick Clement ORIGINAL SCORE BY Elliot Goldenthal

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Julie Taymor, Elliot Goldenthal

Across the Universe, from director Julie Taymor, is a revolutionary rock musical that re-imagines America in the turbulent late 1960s,

a time when battle lines were being drawn at home and abroad. When young dockworker Jude (Jim Sturgess) leaves Liverpool to find his estranged father in America, he is swept up by the waves of change that are re-shaping the nation. Jude falls in love with Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood), a rich but sheltered American girl who joins the growing anti-war movement in New York’s Greenwich Village. As the body count in Vietnam rises, political tensions at home spiral out of control and the star-crossed lovers find themselves in a psychedelic world gone mad. With a cameo by Bono, Across the Universe is “the kind of movie you watch again, like listening to a favorite album.” —Roger Ebert, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES Emmy® and Grammy®-winning, and Oscar®-nominated filmmaker Julie BIO Tony®, Taymor has conquered both stage and screen with her innovative direction.

Her award-winning films include Fool’s Fire, Oedipus Rex, Titus, Frida, Across the Universe, The Tempest, and William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She is currently prepping a film of Gloria Steinem’s My Life On The Road, starring Julianne Moore, and a TV Series, Hackabout, based on Erica Jong’s book, Fanny. Her Tony award-winning Broadway adaptation of The Lion King has played over 100 cities in 19 countries and its worldwide gross exceeds that of any title in box office history. Other theatrical achievements include Grounded, Broadway’s Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, The Green Bird, and Juan Darien: A Carnival Mass. Operas include Oedipus Rex, The Flying Dutchman, Salome, Die Zauberflote, The Magic Flute (which inaugurated the PBS series Great Performances at the Met), Elliot Goldenthal’s Grendel and M Butterfly. Taymor is a 1991 recipient of the MacArthur Genius Fellowship, a 2015 inductee into the Theater Hall of Fame, the 2015 recipient of Shakespeare Theatre Company’s William Shakespeare Award for Classical Theatre, and a 2017 Disney Legends Award honoree. COURTESY OF

SHOWING AT WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE

Sun Oct 14  10:15am

2018

Visit www.acrosstheuniverse.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

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W O RL D P RE MIE R E

ALMOST HOME Directed by Jessica Blank, Erik Jensen USA / 2018 / 90 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Hannah Marks Rachel Zimmermann Max Burkholder Sean Martini Sam Dillon Niko Guardado EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Stephen Braun Jack Rovner Ken Levitan PRODUCERS Ross Putman Jessica Blank Steak House SCREENWRITERS Jessica Blank Erik Jensen PRODUCTION DESIGNER Jeff Schoen COMPOSER/MUSIC David Robbins EDITOR Gordon Grinberg CINEMATOGRAPHER Arlene Muller

“This is the story of the girl who saved me,” the opening line of Almost Home, is the prelude to a captivating story of homeless ‘‘gutter

punk’’ kids living on the streets of LA. Based on the book of the same name by Jessica Blank, the film follows 13-year-old Elly, who runs away from a seemingly pleasant middle-class home to follow Tracy, a beguiling 18-year-old runaway she meets after being bullied at school. Thrust into the rough gutter punk subculture, the kids form an unlikely unit while trying to survive the harsh realities of living on the streets. Both jarring and endearing, the bond Elly makes with the wiser and worn Tracy challenges the definition of family and leaves us to revisit the opening line, asking who was saved and who was the savior? The film is paced by a beautiful soundtrack that moves us through this gripping story. —Gene Fischer

Blank and Erik Jensen are actors, writers and directors best known BIO Jessica for their award-winning play The Exonerated, which was made into a film starring

Susan Sarandon and Danny Glover. Their play How to be a Rock Critic, based on the writings of Lester Bangs, has played across the country with Jessica directing and Erik starring. They are currently developing the feature film version of the play with Likely Story. Almost Home marks their feature directing debut. They live in Brooklyn with their daughter, Sadie.

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Jessica Blank, Erik Jensen

SHOWING AT ORPHEUM SAUGERTIES

Fri Oct 12  1:00pm

UPSTATE FILMS WOODSTOCK

Sun Oct 14  5:45pm

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

NARRATIVES

ASK FOR JANE Directed by Rachel Carey USA / 2018 / 108 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Cody Horn Cait Cortelyou Sarah Steele Sarah Ramos Chloe Levine EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Cathleen Ihasz Nicole Ihasz PRODUCERS Cait Cortelyou Josh Folan Caroline Hirsch SCREENWRITER Rachel Carey CINEMATOGRAPHER Cait Machak EDITOR Ulysses Guidotti COMPOSER/MUSIC Two Twenty Two SOUND DESIGNER Will Whatley

What does it take to launch a movement? Just ask Jane — or

rather, ‘‘the Janes,’’ a group of courageous young women dedicated to providing abortion services pre-Roe vs. Wade. Based on a true story and spanning the years 1969 to 1973, director Rachel Carey delivers an informative and inspiring film that is as poignant as it is powerful. Willing to risk jail and put in jeopardy their personal safety, education, futures, and perhaps even their lives, we watch as one woman recruits another, who recruits another, and so on, to form an underground network willing to defy the authorities and ultimately help more than 11,000 Chicagoans secure safe, albeit illegal abortions. Passing the baton on as one crew replaces another, Ask For Jane reminds us that activism can bring about change and that sisterhood is powerful, something to hold onto at a time when Roe vs. Wade could be on the chopping block. —Barbara Pokras, ACE Rachel Carey is a writer and filmmaker based in New York City. Recent projects as writer/director include the 1-hour TV pilot Takers, which won an award for Best Actress at Seriesfest in 2016. The film continues to play at festivals nationwide, including the 2017 Hoboken International Film Festival, where it was nominated for Best Television Pilot. She has directed several short films and music videos that have won multiple awards, and her novel Debt was optioned to be turned into a TV series for ABC Family by Calamity Jane, Ellen Pompeo’s production company. She has an MFA in film directing from NYU and is a member of NYWIFT.

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Rachel Carey, Cait Cortelyou, Josh Folan

SHOWING AT WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE ORPHEUM SAUGERTIES

2018

Sat Oct 13  10:45am Sun Oct 14  12:00pm

Visit www.askforjane.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

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W O RL D P RE MIE R E

BEYOND THE NIGHT Directed by Jason Noto USA / 2018 / 98 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Zane Holtz Tammy Blanchard Chance Kelly Neal Huff Azhy Robertson EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Becky Newhall Ashton Newhall Jim Lim Robin Garvick Adrian Grenier PRODUCERS Robin Garvick Erik S. Weigel Michael Goodin SCREENWRITER Jason Noto CINEMATOGRAPHER Dan Sharnoff EDITOR Kathryn J. Schubert PRODUCTION DESIGNER Hannah Stoddard COMPOSER/MUSIC Erik Nickerson SOUND DESIGNER Ryan Billia

In a town with shocking secrets and long-standing crimes, could there be such a thing as redemption? After a tragic car acci-

dent where only his young son survives, U.S. soldier Raymond Marrow returns home to his forgotten coal mining town. But rather than consoling, returning home becomes dangerous when Raymond’s son shows signs of having information about the local gangster’s missing daughter. The underlying problem: Raymond’s son has never before stepped foot in this town, and he’s too young to know anything about the case. How does he know? With dark, gritty cinematography and a touch of the supernatural, Beyond the Night demonstrates the kind of bonds that form between family and what happens when people turn a blind eye towards tragedy. This family drama mixes multiple genres in an effortless way, leaving its audience with a feeling of unease, as well as reconcilable satisfaction. —Dainara Delija Jason Noto is an alumni of the Berlinale Talent Campus. His short films have screened and been nominated at numerous festivals, including Sitges International Film Festival, Butcher’s Hill, and Fantasia International Film Festival, La Ricetta. He won two short film awards and the audience award at the Philadelphia Film Festival. He wrote the feature films The Nail, The North Star, Addiction: A 60s Love Story, and Beyond the Night. Noto is as a member of the Writers Guild of America, East. Beyond the Night is his feature film directorial debut.

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change Jason Noto, Erik Weigel, Robin Garvick, Michael Goodin, Becky Newhall, Dan Sharnoff

SHOWING AT UPSTATE FILMS WOODSTOCK

Fri Oct 12  7:00pm

ORPHEUM SAUGERTIES

Sun Oct 14  2:45pm

Visit www.btnthefilm.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

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EAST C O A ST P R E M I E R E

COLD BROOK Directed by William Fichtner USA / 2018 / 100 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST William Fichtner Kim Coates Harold Perrineau Robin Weigert Mary Lynn Rajskub EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Cain DeVore Joe Ferraro Gary Drummond PRODUCERS William Fichtner Sara Shaak Shayne Putzlocher Kim Coates SCREENWRITERS William Fichtner Cain DeVore CINEMATOGRAPHER Edd Lukas EDITOR Kiran Pallegadda PRODUCTION DESIGNER David Butler COMPOSER/MUSIC Michael Deragon SOUND DESIGNER Nathan Ruyle

In his directorial debut, veteran actor William Fichtner brilliantly meshes past and present, as his look back in time offers guidance for the future. Cold Brook follows Ted (played by Fichtner) and Hilde

(co-star Kim Coates), two charismatic — albeit somewhat immature — colleagues and pals, who find themselves in the center of an otherworldly mystery. Upon encountering a confused stranger of unknown origin, the duo vows to find out who he is and bring him back to his home. To do this, they must unlock secrets from the distant past, placing their homes and everything they take for granted at risk. Fichtner’s time-bending tale affirms that everyone, regardless of origin, deserves love and peace, a unifying message delivered in an overwhelmingly entertaining package. This promising parable is a beacon of light in an increasingly dark world. It also raises an important question: How far would you go to help a stranger in need? —Max Wexler William Fichtner has appeared in a wide range of films, including Crash, Black Hawk Down, Go, The Perfect Storm, Heat, Elysium, 12 Strong, Finding Steve McQueen, All The Devil’s Men, and the upcoming OG to name a few. His directorial debut, Cold Brook, has been a labor of love for Fichtner and co-writer Cain DeVore for years. Fichtner directed, produced and starred in the film that was mostly shot in his beloved hometown of Buffalo, New York.

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

William Fichtner, Kim Coates, Cain DeVore

SHOWING AT WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE ORPHEUM SAUGERTIES

2018

Fri Oct 12  4:30pm Sat Oct 13  5:00pm

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

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EA ST C O A ST P R E M I E R E

DORST (CRAVING) Directed by Saskia Diesing Netherlands / 2018 / 96 minutes Dutch with subtitles MAIN CREDITS CAST Elise van ‘t Laar Simone Kleinsma Leopold Witte Stefan de Walle Margôt Ros PRODUCERS Hanneke Niens Hans de Wolf SCREENWRITERS Saskia Diesing Esther Gerritsen CINEMATOGRAPHER Aage Hollander EDITOR Axel Skovdal Roelofs PRODUCTION DESIGNER Diana van de Vossenberg COMPOSERS/MUSIC Paul Eisenach Ryan Robinson SOUND DESIGNER Marco Vermaas

Lovely, young Coco has no idea what to do with her life. Plagued by numerous questions about her child-

hood, she is desperate for any kind of love. Based on the novel by one of Netherlands’ finest authors, Esther Gerritsen, who collaborated with director Saskia Diesing on the script, it is clear from the start that Coco’s relationship with her mother is strained, and her powerful older lover is rather dispassionate. When she learns her aloof, albeit charming mother is terminally ill, Coco decides to move in and dedicate herself to caring for her even though her mother isn’t interested in having her there. The timeless question of what it means to be ‘‘family’’ anchors Craving, and the three strong lead roles are perfectly cast in this very intimate, personal and lustful black comedy that runs the gamut from hilarious to, at times, outright uncomfortable. —Monique Ray Saskia Diesing graduated from HKU University of the Arts Utrecht in 1996 and directed several acclaimed TV movies at Dutch public broadcast, VPRO. She co-wrote Een goed leven, which was nominated for Best TV-Drama at the Netherlands Film Festival. In 2014, her first feature, Nena, was nominated for 5 awards at the Netherlands Film Festival and it won Best Actress and Best Director. Moreover, Nena was selected in 2015 for Berlinale Generation and won special mention. Craving was made with the assistance of Media Luna, the film’s sales agent.

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Saskia Diesing

SHOWING AT UPSTATE FILMS WOODSTOCK

Fri Oct 12  1:45pm

UPSTATE FILMS I RHINEBECK

Sun Oct 14 3:00pm

Visit www.medialuna.biz

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

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NO RT H A ME RICAN P R E M I E R E

DREAMS BY THE SEA Directed by Sakaris Stórá Faroe Islands / 2017 / 78 minutes Faroese with subtitles MAIN CREDITS CAST Juliett Nattestad Helena Hedinsdóttir Sámal Hansen Noomi Heradóttir Kunoy Levi R Mouritsen PRODUCERS Katja Adomeit Jón Hammer Ingun Skrivarastovu SCREENWRITER Marjun Syderbö Kjelnæs CINEMATOGRAPHER Virginie Surdej EDITOR Amalie Westerlin Tjellesen COMPOSER/MUSIC Poul Kristian SOUND DESIGNER Mick Raaschou

Where do you go when everyone knows who you are and your every move is whispered around town? On the remote Faroe

Islands, surrounded by the North Atlantic crashing onto the rocky shores, Ester goes about her mundane life, quietly obeying her religious parents. One day the rebellious Ragna moves to town and Ester is smitten. Through the summer, the girls roam the island together, dreaming of something different, something better. Dreams by the Sea is a visually stunning and emotionally gratifying exploration of our innate desire to stray from the ordinary and discover something new. It’s easier to follow the crowd when the unknown is literally a world away. ‘‘Use your wings,’’ Ragna tells Ester, a metaphor for taking life into your own hands and turning an undesirable situation around to work in your favor. Dreams by the Sea is an exciting directorial debut from one of the Faroe Islands most promising young filmmakers. —Jessica Peeters Sakaris Stórá lives in the small town of Skopun, Faroe Islands. Stórá directed the two short films, Summer Night and Winter Morning. Dreams by the Sea is his first feature film. His goal has always been to give the Faroese language a voice in cinema.

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Sakaris Stórá

SHOWING AT UPSTATE FILMS WOODSTOCK

Thur Oct 11 3:30pm

UPSTATE FILMS II RHINEBECK

Sun Oct 14 1:00pm

2018

Visit www.facebook.com/dreamsbytheseafilm

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

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EA ST C O A ST P R E M I E R E

FORT MARIA Directed by S. Cagney Gentry, Thomas Southerland USA / 2018 / 84 minutes English and Bulgarian with subtitles MAIN CREDITS CAST Katerina Stoykova Joan Brannon Jamie Hickman Meredith Crutcher EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Daniel Klemer Mark B. Greene Naomi Uechi PRODUCERS S. Cagney Gentry Thomas Southerland Paul Harrill SCREENWRITERS S. Cagney Gentry Thomas Southerland CINEMATOGRAPHERS S. Cagney Gentry Thomas Southerland EDITOR Thomas Southerland PRODUCTION DESIGNER Naomi Uechi COMPOSER/MUSIC Otto Helmuth SOUND DESIGNER Thomas Southerland

Through the use of improvised dialogue and deadpan delivery, this rendering of female friendship and caring delivers a ‘‘fly on the wall’’ look at the inner and outer aspects of its diverse characters’ lives. Set in the modern day south, Fort Maria slowly

and deliberately unspools the tale of a group of loosely connected women who all find themselves, in various ways, victims of isolation. First we meet Maria, a Bulgarian immigrant unable to leave her home after a traumatic incident. When her adopted daughter’s beloved dog dies, Maria forms an unexpected relationship with her helpful neighbor. Parallel to that, her adopted daughter, Meredith, is off on a quest to discover her biological family. With elegant cinematography, this black-and-white journey immerses viewers in a world that, like the women in it, is charming, engaging and totally distinct. It is a true testament to the ability of movies to provide a peek into others’ lives. —Max Wexler S. Cagney Gentry is a filmmaker from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He is a faithful Demon Deacon and a child of Appalachia. His debut feature, Harvest, was an exploration of aging and solitude deep in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The film played several festivals across the country and was awarded one of the top prizes at the Athens International Film + Video Festival.

BIO

Thomas Southerland’s first narrative feature, Proud Citizen, won the Jury Prize at the

New Orleans Film Festival in 2014. The film was awarded 8 other jury and audience awards at festivals around the country, and is streaming on Fandor. His two short documentaries, Lamp and Lonely Kingdom screened at numerous festivals in 2016 and 2017. Lonely Kingdom won the Best Documentary Short Jury Prize at the Charlotte Film Festival.

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Thomas Southerland

SHOWING AT BEARSVILLE THEATER WOODSTOCK

Fri Oct 12  1:00pm

UPSTATE FILMS II RHINEBECK

Sat Oct 13 7:00pm

Visit www.fortmariafilm.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

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EAST C O A ST P R E M I E R E

GHOST LIGHT Directed by John Stimpson USA / 2018 / 101 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Roger Bart Tom Riley Shannyn Sossamon Carol Kane Cary Elwes EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Jennifer Chisholm William Earon PRODUCERS Geoffrey Taylor John Stimpson SCREENWRITERS Geoffrey Taylor John Stimpson CINEMATOGRAPHER Terrence Hayes EDITOR John Stimpson PRODUCTION DESIGNER Chad Detwiller COMPOSER/MUSIC Ed Grenga SOUND DESIGNER Christopher Anderson

Something is rotten in the Berkshire Mountains of Western Massachusetts as a resentful understudy unleashes the curse of Macbeth upon his dysfunctional theatre troupe. While the actors

prepare for their production of the “Scottish Play,” love triangles and intergroup rivalries abound, resulting in an opening night where nothing is as it seems. Taking inspiration from director John Stimpson’s time in Harvard’s Hasty Pudding Theatricals and co-written by veteran producer Geoffrey Taylor, the movie’s script draws from real life thespian superstitions and the genres of both comedy and horror. As tradition dictates, the titular lamp is supposed to illuminate an unoccupied stage in order to safeguard it from evil spirits. Will its inevitable snuffing doom the rag-tag Shakespeareans? Starring an ensemble cast that includes Roger Bart, Tom Riley , Shannyn Sossamon, Carol Kane, and Cary Elwes, Ghost Light is a film that’s just as likely to make you giggle as it is to make you jump out of your seat. —Avery Davenport John Stimpson is a Massachusetts-based filmmaker dedicated to building the industry in his home state. A graduate of Harvard College and former president of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals, he did a stint in LA before returning home and building his career in Boston and now Worcester, MA. With 12 features under his belt as director and many others as writer, editor, producer or consultant, Stimpson believes that motion pictures are the ultimate collaborative creative medium, and that the work is too difficult for it not to be fun.

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

John Stimpson, Geoffrey Taylor

SHOWING AT WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE ROSENDALE THEATRE

2018

Sat Oct 13  4:00pm Sun Oct 14  12:00pm

Visit www.ghostlightmovie.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

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NO RT H A ME RIC AN P R E M I E R E

HERE AND NOW Directed by Roman Shumunov Israel / 2018 / 90 minutes Hebrew, Russian with subtitles MAIN CREDITS CAST Vlad Dubinsky Zura Kartvelishvili Renat Khasanov Eduard Khmelnitsky Mishel Vainberg EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Laila Films PRODUCER Itai Tamir SCREENWRITER Joel Alexis Alexander Plavnik CINEMATOGRAPHER Ziv Berkovich EDITORS Maor Keshet Haim Tabakman SOUND DESIGNER Michael Goorevich

In Ashdod, a sea-side city in Israel, home to a large Russian-speaking immigrant community,

Andrey and his buddies struggle to keep their families afloat while dreaming of success as a hip-hop band. “We have to move on though it’s not always easy, but the most important thing is to keep the spirit and the faith,” they rap in their native Russian at the edgy hip-hop clubs. But keeping the spirit gets harder and harder as Andrey’s life spirals out of control and the risk of losing the home he and his young sister live in becomes imminent. As he is forced to make dangerous choices in order to save his home and family, the musicians’ dream of making their voices heard at an international music festival and rising out of their harsh reality seems to fade. Gritty and tender, Here and Now is an authentic social drama that is as universal as it is human. —Svetlana Krotek 34 year-old Roman Shumunov is one of Israel’s most promising directors. He was born in Georgia but moved to Russia after fleeing the Georgian civil war at age 9. In 2001, Shumunov immigrated to Israel on his own for a student program. He started film studies at Sapir Academic College in 2008. He now dedicates his life to filmmaking.

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Roman Shumunov, Vlad Dubinsky

WITH SUPPORT FROM CONSULATE GENERAL OF ISRAEL, NEW YORK

SHOWING AT UPSTATE FILMS I RHINEBECK

COURTESY OF

Fri Oct 12 8:00pm

UPSTATE FILMS WOODSTOCK

Sat Oct 13  6:30pm

Visit www.hereandnowmovie.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

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NEW YO RK PRE M I E R E

JULIA BLUE Directed by Roxy Toporowych USA, Ukraine / 2018 / 89 minutes Ukrainian, Russian with subtitles MAIN CREDITS CAST Polina Snisarenko Dima Yaroshenko PRODUCER Nilou Safinya SCREENWRITER Roxy Toporowych CINEMATOGRAPHER Sashcko Roshchyn EDITOR Ben Kim COMPOSER/MUSIC Alex Church

All Julia has ever wanted was to do good.

Filmed just after the 2014 revolution in war-torn Ukraine, Julia, determined and vivacious, is an excellent student, a heartfelt volunteer and a passionate activist. While waiting to be accepted to photojournalism school in Germany, she unexpectedly finds herself falling for English, a handsome and brooding soldier who’s dealing with the physical and emotional devastation of war. Will Julia’s goals and dreams be thwarted by her soldier? Can she leave just when he needs her the most? Punctuated by stirring cinematography — depicting the post-revolution country from Kyiv to a remote Capathian village — Julia Blue serves as a reminder of the hardest choices humankind deals with: living or loving? It brings heart and compassion to war, and opens our eyes to how intense and fleeting love is when people are fighting for their lives. —Dainara Delija Roxy Toporowych is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and has worked in set decoration for 15 years. Credits include: Captain America: Winter Soldier, The Other Guys, A Most Violent Year, SNL and Marvel TV’s The Punisher. She also works as a documentary field producer, most recently on the features Batman & Bill and Believer. Previously, Toporowych directed a dance documentary, Folk! In 2014, she was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to Ukraine, where she researched and wrote Julia Blue, her narrative directing debut. She is a 2016 IFP Narrative Lab Directing Fellow and the recipient of the 2016 Calvin Klein 'Live the Dream' grant for emerging female directors.

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Roxy Toporowych, Ben Kim

SHOWING AT UPSTATE FILMS I RHINEBECK

Thur Oct 11 7:00pm

UPSTATE FILMS WOODSTOCK

Sun Oct 14  3:15pm

2018

Visit www.juliabluethemovie.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

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US P RE MIE RE

KEELY AND DU Directed by Laurie Colbert, Dominique Cardona Canada / 2018 / 80 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Laurence Leboeuf Nancy Palk Aidan Devine Peter Mooney EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Sarah E. Johnson Eve Lewis PRODUCERS Jennifer Mesich Laurie Colbert Rechna Varma SCREENWRITERS Dominique Cardona Laurie Colbert CINEMATOGRAPHER James Klopko EDITOR Gino Zolezzi PRODUCTION DESIGNER Vince Moskowec COMPOSER/MUSIC David Baron SOUND DESIGNER Wes Khurana

What lengths will the pro-life movement go to realize its goals? In this adaption of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated play by Jane Martin,

America’s ongoing debate about abortion takes the form of a pulse-pounding dramatic thriller. The film tracks the journey of Keely, a spirited young woman who awakens one day to find herself a captive of a mysterious religious duo. Going head-to-head with the stern woman guarding her, and showing herself to be a feisty foe to the man in charge, we witness the battle of wills that is familiar in communities all over this country. Will Keely free herself from her fanatic kidnappers or succumb to their dogma? Keely and Du brings one of this country’s most contested issues to life in a way that grips you from start to finish. Buried within all this excitement is a deeply humanist heart that is sure to resonate with viewers of all persuasions. —Max Wexler Winner of multiple awards, internationally acclaimed directors Dominique Cardona and Laurie Colbert create crowd-pleasing yet complex films about women. Their heartfelt and accessible style can be seen in Margarita, the touching story of two women whose passion reaches across a cultural and class divide. The film received the audience award at the Gay!La HERS | Palm Springs International Film Festival. Finn’s Girl received the Outstanding Emerging Talent Award at Los Angeles Gary & Lesbian Film Festival. Their short film Below The Belt (Berlin International Film Festival, TIFF, Genie nomination) was heralded by Cinemascope as “The story of first love, captured perfectly in all its naivete and confusion, runs headlong into the more cynical realities of adult relations as mothers and daughters catch each other in equally compromising positions.”

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Laurie Colbert, Dominique Cardona, Sarah E. Johnson, David Baron SHOWING AT UPSTATE FILMS I RHINEBECK

Fri Oct 12 5:45pm

UPSTATE FILMS WOODSTOCK

Sat Oct 13 4:15pm

Visit www.dykonfilms.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

NARRATIVES

LEZ BOMB Directed by Jenna Laurenzo USA / 2017 / 89 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Cloris Leachman Bruce Dern Kevin Pollak Steve Guttenberg Elaine Hendrix EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Bobby Farrelly PRODUCERS Martin Sprock Rob Moran Ryan R. Johnson Jenna Laurenzo SCREENWRITER Jenna Laurenzo CINEMATOGRAPHER Gabriel Stanley EDITOR Bill Saunders PRODUCTION DESIGNER David Allen Butler COMPOSER/MUSIC PT Walkley SOUND DESIGNER Tim Korn

Lauren, a closeted young woman, decides to bring her girlfriend home for Thanksgiving,

LGBTQ FOC U S

planning to come out of the closet while her entire family is together. When her long-time straight male roommate arrives unexpectedly, it sets off a chain of comical events that thwart her efforts. Starring Academy Award-winner Cloris Leachman, Academy Award-nominated Bruce Dern, and an ensemble cast including the likes of Steve Guttenberg and Emmy Award-winner Kevin Kane, Lez Bomb is a multigenerational comedy of errors about an eccentric collection of characters with their own string of surprises. The result is a hilarious turn of events, forcing the family to come together in a ceremonious series of coincidences. In a big, crazy family there is no good time to drop the Lez Bomb. Jenna Laurenzo’s feature directorial debut, executive produced by Bobby Farrelly (There’s Something about Mary and Dumb and Dumber), is assured in its delivery and poignant and humorous in its message. —Gene Fischer Lez Bomb is Jenna Laurenzo’s directorial debut and her follow-up to her short film Girl Night Stand, which went viral online, garnering well over 3M views on YouTube. Laurenzo most recently wrote and directed the narrative feature Lez Bomb, which made its world premiere this past May at Geena Davis’ Bentonville Film Festival, where it won the best narrative feature jury. Lorenzo was selected for Shoot Online’s 2018 New Directors Showcase and is currently developing her next feature.

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change Jenna Laurenzo

SHOWING AT UPSTATE FILMS WOODSTOCK

COURTESY OF

Thur Oct 11 8:45pm

ROSENDALE THEATRE

2018

Fri Oct 12  8:30pm

Visit www.lezbombmovie.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

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LITTLE WOODS Directed by Nia DaCosta USA / 2018 / 108 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Tessa Thompson Lily James James Badge Dale Lance Reddick Luke Kirby EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Lia Buman Brian Kavanaugh-Jones Fred Berger Tom Dolby Tessa Thompson PRODUCERS Rachael Fung Gabrielle Nadig Tim Headington SCREENWRITER Nia DaCosta CINEMATOGRAPHER Matt Mitchell EDITOR Catrin Hedstrom PRODUCTION DESIGNER Yvonne Boudreaux COMPOSER/MUSIC Brian McOmber

Breathtaking from start to finish, Little Woods is the compelling and compassionate story of two sisters, Ollie and Deb, driven to work outside the law to save their home and their desperate lives. However, despite the bleak premise, the film is a pleasure

to watch due to the magnetic performances of the two leads, Ollie (Tessa Thompson) and Deb (Lily James), the sensitive cinematography and the beautifully scripted story. Ollie has helped the struggling residents of Little Woods, North Dakota, gain access to Canadian healthcare by smuggling in medications, sneaking people across the border for procedures — and profiting from drug trafficking on the side. After she’s caught and put on probation, she plans to go legit. But just days away from freedom, she steps back into the underbelly of their oil boomtown. With the girls’ fate in question, first-time director Nia DeCosta’s socially conscious thriller is a true tour de force. Nia DaCosta is a writer and director based in New York City. DaCosta and her feature project, Little Woods, have been supported by the Sundance Institute, the San Francisco Film Society and the Time Warner Foundation. Little Woods, which stars Tessa Thompson and Lily James, is her first feature film.

BIO

SHOWING AT ORPHEUM THEATER SAUGERTIES

Sat Oct 13 7:45pm

COURTESY OF

BEARSVILLE THEATER WOODSTOCK

Sun Oct 14 8:00pm

Visit www.neonrated.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

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NO RT H A ME RICAN P R E M I E R E

LOVE REVISITED Directed by Nicole van Kilsdonk The Netherlands, Belgium / 2017 / 99 minutes Dutch with subtitles MAIN CREDITS CAST Beppie Melissen Eugene Bervoets Hadewych Minis Eva van der Gucht Halina Reijn PRODUCERS Ineke Kanters Jan van der Zanden SCREENWRITER Peer Wittenbols CINEMATOGRAPHER Gregg Telusa EDITOR Wouter Jansen PRODUCTION DESIGNER Max van Essche COMPOSER/MUSIC Chrisnanne Wiegel SOUND DESIGNER Thierry De Vries

It is said that true love never dies; you can put out the fire, but not the flame. In Love Revisited, Ton

and Fransje, both in their sixties and long divorced, are brought back together by the sudden death of their adult son. Compelled to console one another over the tragedy they share, old feelings get rekindled and before you know it, a love affair rages between them that is as tender as it is uncomfortable. They try to keep their renewed relationship to themselves, but things get complicated once their families become more and more involved. Directed assuredly by one of Netherlands’ most accomplished female directors, Love Revisited is delivered masterfully and with a lighthearted tone. —Svetlana Krotek

Nicole van Kilsdonk graduated from the screenwriting and BIO Director directing faculty of the Netherlands Film Academy in 1991. In 2004, her film Deining was awarded a Golden Calf for Best TV Drama and in 2011 she won the Cinekid Award with her youth film Patatje Oorlog. In 2015, the films Onder het Hart and Ventoux were released in Dutch cinemas. Her new youth film, Toen mijn vader een struik werd, had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in 2016 and was screened in Dutch cinemas in early 2017. The shooting of the feature film Love Revisited started in October 2016. Love Revisited, written by Peer Wittenbols, was screened in Dutch cinemas in November 2017.

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Nicole van Kilsdonk

SHOWING AT UPSTATE FILMS I RHINEBECK

Fri Oct 12 12:30pm

UPSTATE FILMS WOODSTOCK

Sat Oct 13 11:00am

2018

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

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W O RLD PRE MIE R E

ONLY A SWITCH Directed by Michael Vincent USA / 2018 / 75 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Lauren Molina Helen Rogers Larry Fessenden Nigel DeFriez Robert Olsen EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Peter Phok Jacob Jaffke Larry Fessenden Zach Spencer PRODUCERS Chadd Harbold Jenn Wexler Kelly Mackey Michael Vincent SCREENWRITER Michael Vincent CINEMATOGRAPHER Chadd Harbold EDITOR Michael Vincent COMPOSER/MUSIC Trevor Carol Williams SOUND DESIGNER Andrey Radovski

Only A Switch is an experimental fantasy about two starcrossed lovers who transcend identity, gender and the physical world as we know it in order to be together. After James saves

Emily’s life in a random mugging on the streets of New York, the two fall deeply in love. Their devotion to each other enrages Emily’s abusive father who is determined to keep them apart. The conflict escalates into a violent confrontation, which forces James to flee and seek a drastic transformation through a mystic. Will love triumph in this unlikely romance? Drawing inspiration from distinct cinematic voices such as Georges Méliès, Stan Brakhage and Jonathan Caouette, Only a Switch is a kaleidoscopic visual feast achieved through inventive digital manipulation, hand-painted film and old-school optical trickery. Tenderly romantic, delightfully weird and fiercely erotic, it is not just a film — it is an experience. Michael Vincent is an experimental and VR filmmaker working in Austin, Texas, and originally from Annapolis, Maryland. Only A Switch is his first feature film and was included in the IFP Narrative Labs. His short films Dream Girl, The Grass is Greener and Zoe, have all screened at the Woodstock Film Festival. Additionally, he co-edited Invisible, a VR experience produced by Doug Liman, and worked for Glass Eye Pix on several of its films, including Most Beautiful Island, I Sell the Dead and The House of the Devil. He wants to thank his grandfather Richard Townsend, who passed away in 2017, for inspiring his passion for film.

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Michael Vincent, Larry Fessenden, Chadd Harbold, Nigel DeFriez SHOWING AT UPSTATE FILMS WOODSTOCK

Fri Oct 12 10:00pm Visit www.glasseyepix.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

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W O RL D P RE MIE R E

PARIS SONG Directed by Jeff Vespa Kazakhstan, Latvia, USA / 2018 / 90 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Sanjar Madi Abbie Cornish Ben Aldridge Miha Rodman Christian Hillborg Phiilip Brodie EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Akhat Ibrayev Joel Michaely PRODUCERS Alidar Utemuratov Jeff Vespa Cary Granat Ed Jones SCREENWRITER Ben van der Veen CINEMATOGRAPHER Maksim Osadchiy EDITOR Brian Denny PRODUCTION DESIGNER Ekaterina Zaletaeva COMPOSER/MUSIC Dave Holden

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Based on a true story, Paris Song tells the story of small-town singer Amre Kashaubayev’s journey from Kazakhstan to Paris to compete in an international singing competition at the 1925 Paris Expo.

Unknown to most of the world, this shy performer with a remarkable talent steals the show every time he sets foot on the stage. Amre forms a beautiful and unlikely friendship with American songwriter George Gershwin and, surprisingly, is embraced by the high-culture Paris elite, who receive him with rapturous applause. In a strong directorial debut, Jeff Vespa’s story of this Kazakhstani folk hero, played magnificently by Sanjar Madi, illuminates what it means to be an outsider and to struggle against a repressive regime, and is proof that determination and talent can overcome adversity. —James Bruckner Jeff Vespa is one of the co-founders of the entertainment photo agency WireImage. His photography has been featured in numerous publications, including Vanity Fair, The New York Times and Vogue. In 2018, Vespa directed his first feature film, Paris Song, starring Abbie Cornish. He also directed the short film Nosebleed, starring David Arquette, which screened at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival during Critics Week. Vespa’s producing credits include the documentary $ellebrity, which focuses on the history of publicity, gossip and paparazzi in Hollywood. He also produced three films for the fine art photographer Alex Prager, whose short films Despair and Face in the Crowd screened at the Museum of Modern Art. Vespa previously worked at New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. He attended the Master’s Program for Producing at the American Film Institute.

BIO

Jeff Vespa, Sanjar Madi

SHOWING AT WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE

Fri Oct 12  7:15pm

UPSTATE FILMS I RHINEBECK

Sun Oct 14 5:45pm

2018

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

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W O RLD PRE MIE R E

ReRUN Directed by Alyssa Rallo Bennett USA / 2018 / 91 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Christopher Lloyd Rishon Salters Allison Frasca Teo Rapp-Olsson Amelia Dudley Andrew Bridges EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Stonestreet Studios Jamaad Productions PRODUCERS Alyssa Bennett Gary O. Bennett SCREENWRITER Gary O. Bennett CINEMATOGRAPHERS Fidel Ruiz-Healy Eric LaPlante EDITORS Veronica Pomilla Pati Ahlstrom COMPOSER/MUSIC Ethan Gustavson

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Alyssa Rallo Bennett, Christopher Lloyd

George (Christopher Lloyd, the eccentric Dr. Emmett “Doc” Brown, Back To The Future) is a man living with the physical pains of old age and the lingering sadness of youthful regrets.

He is haunted by his inability to save Violet, a beautifully flawed love interest from nearly six decades ago. One Christmas, surrounded by his solicitous family, opportunity comes knocking via a time portal in his grandson’s closet, giving George a chance to travel back to his twenties and face the ghosts of his past in the flesh. With an older, wiser mind inside a now younger body, can he save Violet from her inevitable fate before the laws of the universe catch up to him? Can he right the wrongs he made toward the woman who was the real love of his life? Situated in a vortex of past sorrows and present joys, ReRUN illustrates the faultiness of memory and how even the gravest of old mistakes aren’t as daunting in retrospect. — Avery Davenport

Rallo Bennett is the co-founder of Stonestreet Studios, an BIO Alyssa award-winning incubator for new content and talent with features, shorts, pilots, and branded MicroMovies. ReRUN, starring Christopher Lloyd, marks her second feature film collaboration with partner/writer Gary O. Bennett. She co-wrote and directed her first feature, The Pack, starring Lucie Arnaz and Elisabeth Moss. The Pack was accepted into many festivals, including Tribeca Film Festival and won multiple awards. It was released theatrically in NY and LA and distributed by FilmRise. She just completed a new pilot, Leading Story, and is in development with DOT, a series about women’s rights in 50 states that Danny Ramirez (Assassination Nation, Top Gun: Maverick) and Vanessa Marano (Switched at Birth) will star in. She co-produced and was featured in Rain Without Thunder, now on Amazon Prime. Bennett is an alum of NYU Tisch Drama and has an MA in Psychology and Theater.

SHOWING AT WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE

Sun Oct 14  8:15pm Visit www.alyssarallobennett.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

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EAST C O A ST P R E M I E R E

SOCRATES Directed by Alex Moratto Brazil / 2018 / 71 minutes Portuguese with subtitles MAIN CREDITS CAST Christian Malheiros Tales Ordakji Rosane Paulo Caio Martinez Pacheco Jayme Rodrigues EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Thais Badim Priscilla Santana PRODUCERS Tammy Weiss Ramin Bahrani Alex Moratto Jefferson Paulino SCREENWRITERS Alex Moratto Thayná Mantesso CINEMATOGRAPHERS João Gabriel de Queiroz EDITOR Alex Moratto PRODUCTION DESIGNERS Juh Guedes Thaianne Spinasi COMPOSERS/MUSIC Felipe Puperi Tiago Abrahão SOUND DESIGNER Miriam Biderman

LGBTQ

After his mother’s sudden death, 15-year-old FOC U S Socrates, living in the favelas of coastal São Paulo, must learn to survive on his own or be put into state care. This gritty, gripping story is told through his eyes as he

struggles to carry on. Desperate to make money, Socrates searches for work and takes occasional day jobs. Disowned by his estranged, abusive father because of his sexuality, he is left to survive on his own. An unlikely relationship with a male co-worker, Maicon, gives Socrates some hope, but Maicon’s homophobia gets in the way of their relationship evolving. As Socrates’ life begins to unravel, we reflect upon our own struggles and how we, as humans, pull through. Produced by Ramin Bahrani (99 Homes) and filmed with a micro budget of under $20,000, Socrates is the debut feature from Brazilian-American director Alex Moratto and was co-written, produced and acted by at-risk teenagers with the support of UNICEF. —Gene Fischer Alex Moratto is a Brazilian-American filmmaker. His award-winning short films Nowhere to Be Found, The Parting and The Other Side have screened at international film festivals. He was a Film Independent Directing Lab Fellow and a UNC Arts Council Artist Fellow and had a project in the Sundance Creative Producing Labs. He received his BFA from the UNC School of the Arts, where he was a Kenan Excellence full scholarship recipient and winner of the DGA Student Film Jury Award for his thesis. He resides in California and Sao Paulo.

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Alex Moratto

SHOWING AT ORPHEUM THEATER SAUGERTIES

Fri Oct 12  5:45pm

UPSTATE FILMS WOODSTOCK

Sun Oct 14 10:30am

2018

Visit www.socratesfilm.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

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EA ST C O A ST P R E M I E R E

SPELL Directed by Brendan Walter USA, Iceland / 2018 / 87 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Barak Hardley Jackie Tohn Magnus Jonsson Birna Run Eiriksdottir Tom Wright EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Jonathan Daniel Bob Mclynn PRODUCER Jon Lullo SCREENWRITER Barak Hardley CINEMATOGRAPHER Eric Bader EDITOR Sam Fuller PRODUCTION DESIGNER Victor Petur Olafsson COMPOSER/MUSIC Patrick Stump

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change Brendan Walter, Jon Lullo

Haunted by his fiancée’s drowning, American illustrator Benny Miller impulsively flies to Iceland without plans or preparation. Out of his OCD medication, he wanders aimlessly and discovers the

Museum of Sorcery and Witchcraft, where he hears the saga of Loftur – an ancient magician able to raise the dead. In his vulnerable state, Benny innocently tattoos a powerful stave on his chest and, after a puzzling night of lovemaking, is introduced to Steindor, a supposed guide who leads him into the wilderness. Following a bizarre ritual, Benny is abandoned and left to follow the steps of Loftur’s spell. Compelled to complete the journey alone, Benny is unsure if he is being led by his disorder or if he’s truly following a path to unlock ancient secrets. As reality falls apart, he is drawn to the dark and dangerous forces around him, leading to a final confrontation with his dead fiancée. Spell is an engrossing thriller, with just the right balance of humor and the mystical.

Walter is a director, writer and producer from the bowels of BIO Brendan Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After touring the world in a band for seven years, Walter saw the underground scene as becoming stagnant and more accessible to big league, capitalist pig, major labels. When asked if he felt a moral duty to fight this cancerous evil, he proudly proclaimed he wants to cash in and suck up to the big wigs. Walter brought his life on the road to a screeching halt, and has settled down into the quiet, hassle-free world of writing, directing and photography, where nothing ever goes wrong. However, award-winning music videos, worldwide photo publications and successful commercial campaigns for artists such as Sia, Green Day, Weezer, Lorde, and Fall Out Boy are not the end game for Walter. Plans for the future include action figures, Trapper Keepers’® lunch boxes and bed sheets. He currently resides in Los Angeles, CA, and is prudently burning the candle at one end.

SHOWING AT WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE

Thur Oct 11  12:00pm

COURTESY OF

UPSTATE FILMS I RHINEBECK

Visit www.brendanwalter.net

Sat Oct 13 1:30pm

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

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NEW YO RK PRE M I E R E

SWIMMING WITH MEN Directed by Oliver Parker United Kingdom / 2018 / 96 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Rob Brydon Rupert Graves Adeel Akhtar Jim Carter Jane Horrocks Thomas Turgoose Daniel Mays Charlotte Riley EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Ian Dawson Ben Friedman Guy Heeley Norman Humphrey Nadia Khamlichi Al Morrow Erik Pauser Jonny Persey Adrian Politowski Chris Reed Bastien Sirodot Marie Gabrielle Stewart Peter Watson Paul Webster Dylan Williams PRODUCERS Stewart Le Marechal Anna Mohr-Pietsch Maggie Moneith SCREENWRITER Ashclin Ditta CINEMATOGRAPHER David Raedeker EDITOR Liana Del Giudice PRODUCTION DESIGNER Amanda McArthur COMPOSER/MUSIC Charlie Mole SOUND DESIGNER Ben Baird

2018

His job is a drag, his wife may be cheating on him, and he’s not getting any younger. Accountant Eric (Rob Brydon) is simply treading

water when he discovers a newfound sense of purpose, thanks to an unexpected source: a group of similarly stuck-in-a-rut guys who have found camaraderie and selfworth through synchronized swimming. Sure, they may be a bit paunchy, but they’re determined to prove they have what it takes to be a whirling, twirling, scissor-kicking aquatic dream team. And they’ve set their sights on the ultimate prize: the world championship. Showcasing the sharp wit of The Trip series’ Rob Brydon, Swimming With Men is a bighearted, delightfully offbeat ode to answering your calling, no matter where you are in life. Oliver Parker was born on September 6, 1960 in London, England. He is an actor and director, known for An Ideal Husband (1999), Dorian Gray (2009) and Nightbreed (1990).

BIO

COURTESY OF

SHOWING AT WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE ROSENDALE THEATRE

Thur Oct 11  5:30pm Sat Oct 13  8:00pm

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

Visit www.ifcfilms.com

NARRATIVES NARRATIVES

WO RL D P RE MIE R E

THEN CAME YOU Directed by Peter Hutchings USA / 2018 / 97 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Maisie Williams Asa Butterfield Nina Dobrev David Koechner Tyler Hoechlin Ken Jeong PRODUCERS Claude Dal Farra Brice Dal Farra Nicolas Chartier Brian Keady Alissa Phillips Derrick Tseng SCREENWRITER Fergal Rock CINEMATOGRAPHER Andre Lascaris EDITORS Jacob Craycroft Jason Nicholson PRODUCTION DESIGNER Lisa Myers COMPOSER/MUSIC Spencer David Hutchings

Calvin (Asa Butterfield) is a hypochondriac who’s dropped out of college and is working as an airport baggage handler with his dad (David Koechner) and brother (Tyler Hoechlin). When his

doctor sends him to a cancer support group to gain some real perspective, he meets Skye (Maisie Williams), a British teenager with a terminal illness. She enlists him to help her carry out her eccentric bucket list, and in return she helps him talk to his crush, a flight attendant named Izzy (Nina Dobrev). Ken Jeong, Sonya Walger, Peyton List, and Tituss Burgess also star.

Hutchings is a New York-based filmmaker. Then Came You is his third BIO Peter feature. Previously, he directed the high school comedy The Outcasts, as well as Rhymes with Bananas, which was filmed in the Hudson Valley and premiered at the 2012 Woodstock Film Festival. As a screenwriter, Hutchings has adapted several novesl, including Sophie Kinsella’s bestseller Can You Keep a Secret. It is shooting this fall in the Hudson Valley, with Alexandra Daddario starring. Hutchings also adapted Becca Fitzpatrick’s megahit Hush, Hush, with production on the first film in the franchise set for this fall. In addition, he adapted Vanessa Diffenbaugh’s The Language of Flowers, which spent 70 weeks on the bestseller list. Tony-winner Michael Mayer will direct in 2019, with Kiersey Clemons starring.

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change Peter Hutchings, Brian Keady

SHOWING AT WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE

Fri Oct 129:45pm

UPSTATE FILMS I RHINEBECK

Sat Oct 139:15pm

Visit www.bcdfpictures.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

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W O RL D P RE MIE R E

UNINTENDED Directed by Alex Moratto USA / 2018 / 92 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Elizabeth Lail Nathan Keyes Hannah Westerfield Jay Jay Warren Sean Cullen Amy Hargreaves Jeremy Holm EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Sabine Schenk CINEMATOGRAPHER James Carman EDITOR Arnie Schissel PRODUCTION DESIGNERS Jaf Farkas Jesika Farkas COMPOSER/MUSIC Spencer Hutchings

Lea, an adventurous, free spirited thirteen-year-old, lives in idyllic Upstate New York with her academic parents. Her life

changes dramatically on the day the family relocates to Houston, Texas. Before their departure, in a tragic misstep, Lea is goaded into a fight with fifteen-year-old Bill. Acting out of frustration, she gets hold of the gun he has taken from his father. She accidentally fires a shot in his direction causing Bill to fall into a deep shaft. Not knowing if he survived, Lea is forced to leave. Twelve years later ... Lea, who has repressed the memory of that fateful day, is an emotional wreck. She is prescription drug dependent and on the verge of losing her apartment and her job in New York. Not ready to confront her demons, she ignores her problems until she almost drowns and ends up in a hospital. Her memories of that fateful night slowly drift back and torment her. Anja Murmann is a graduate from NYU film school. Her first short film, Wishful Thinking won the first prize at the NYU Student Film Festival in 1991 and the Otto Sprenger Prize in Hamburg, Germany. Her first feature film, Fifteen Months in May, won Best New Directorâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Special Mention at the San Sebastian International Film Festival in 1997. In 2014 she wrote and directed the short film Mistress which won Best Actress and Best Short at Asians On Film Festival. Unintended is the second feature film written and directed by Anja Murmann. Anja is now working on her next feature titled, If Not Now. She lives in New York with her three daughters.

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Alex Moratto

SHOWING AT ROSENDALE THEATRE

Sat Oct 13 ď&#x20AC;´ 10:00am Visit www.unintendedfilm.com

2018

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

NARRATIVES NARRATIVES

UNLOVABLE Directed by Suzi Yoonessi USA / 2018 / 79 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Charlene deGuzman John Hawkes Melissa Leo Paul James Ellen Geer EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Mark Duplass Jay Duplass Suzi Yoonessi Sarah Smick Ian Michaels Cary Anderson PRODUCER Jen Roskind SCREENWRITERS Charlene deGuzman Sarah Adina Smith Mark Duplass CINEMATOGRAPHER Moira Morel EDITOR Kristina Davies PRODUCTION DESIGNER Nino Alicea COMPOSER/MUSIC Christopher French SOUND DESIGNER Jamie Burke Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Suzi Yoonessi

Drawing on personal experience, lead Charlene deGuzman portrays a quirky and colorful young woman — who happens to be a sex and love addict. After her compulsive behavior spirals out

of control, Joy commits to a 12-step program, where she finds a tough-love sponsor (Melissa Leo) and a place to live, as she struggles to get her life back on track. When Joy strikes an unlikely friendship with her musically-talented, reclusive neighbor Jim (John Hawkes), she learns there is more than one way to cope with her self-destructive tendencies. Exchanging her collection of sex toys for a pair of drumsticks, Joy and Jim embark on a musical journey that pushes them to awkwardly confront their individual quirks and excesses. Produced by the Duplass brothers and directed by Suzi Yoonessi, Unlovable, in the guise of a rom-com, uses humor — and great music — to shed light on dealing with addiction and finding companionship through shared hardship. —Avery Davenport director Suzi Yoonessi’s feature film Unlovable (2018) BIO Award-winning premiered at the 2018 SXSW Film Festival, winning a Special Jury Prize. Produced by the Duplass brothers, the film was picked up by Orion Classics for theatrical distribution. Yoonessi’s film Dear Lemon Lima premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival. The film was released by Phase 4 Films, HBO, Showtime and The Sundance Channel. Yoonessi most recently directed Daphne & Velma for Warner Bros. Yoonessi was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Directing of go90’s Relationship Status. She directs branded, short and commercial spots for Funny or Die, Conde Nast, Smart Girls, Attn:, Portal A, Retrofit and Super Deluxe and was nominated for a Streamy Award for her International Women’s Day spot #OwnYouVoice. Yoonessi received her BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute and her MFA from Columbia University where she was a recipient of the FMI Directing Fellowship.

SHOWING AT WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE ROSENDALE THEATRE

Fri Oct 12  11:00am Sat Oct 13  3:00pm

Visit www.facebook.com/unlovablemovie

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

NARRATIVES NARRATIVES

NEW YO RK PRE M I E R E

WE ONLY KNOW SO MUCH Directed by Donal Lardner Ward USA / 2018 / 88 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Jeanne Tripplehorn Damian Young Loudon Wainwright III Taylor Rose Noah Schnapp EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Linda Moran Rene Bastian PRODUCERS Nicole Cosgrove Donal Lardner Ward DIRECTOR Donal Lardner Ward SCREENWRITERS Elizabeth Crane Donal Lardner Ward CINEMATOGRAPHER George Wieser EDITOR Anthony Muzzatti PRODUCTION DESIGNER Know White COMPOSER/MUSIC Alex Kemp SOUND DESIGNER Isaac Derfel OTHER CREDITS Clean Slate Pictures

Upon moving into her husband’s childhood home to help take care of his elderly relatives, Jean Copeland, an emotionally withdrawn wife

and mother of two, becomes embroiled in an affair with a suicidal lover. Her husband, Gordon, is oblivious, too busy worrying that he’s losing his most prized possession, his mind, after a run-in with an ex-girlfriend he doesn’t remember. 19-year-old Priscilla, is a fashionista desperate to become a reality TV star, while 9-year-old crossword fanatic, Otis, has fallen in love for the very first time. With Gordon’s father, Theodore, fading into dementia, and 95-year old matriarch, Vivian, desperately clinging to control of the house, the six family members, at five stages of life, distill the dreams, worries and regrets of contemporary America. Donal Lardner Ward launched his professional career with an acting role in Whit Stillman’s 1990 breakout indie Metropolitan, then went on to co-write, co-produce, co-direct and co-star in 1994 indie hit My Life’s in Turnaround. Lardner Ward has been employed as screen and/or television writer by Sony, Warner Brothers, New Line Cinema, Universal, Paramount, Fox, IFC, HBO, Showtime, and Amazon, as well as various independent producers. We Only Know So Much is his fourth feature as director.

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Donal Lardner Ward, Jonathan Burkhart, George Wieser, Elizabeth Crane SHOWING AT UPSTATE FILMS I RHINEBECK

Fri Oct 123:15pm

UPSTATE FILMS WOODSTOCK

Sat Oct 139:00pm

2018

Visit www.facebook.com/weonlyknowsomuch

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

NARRATIVES NARRATIVES

OPENING NIGHT FILM

WHAT THEY HAD Directed by Elizabeth Chomko USA / 2018 / 101 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Hilary Swank Michael Shannon Robert Forster Taissa Farmiga Josh Lucas Blythe Danner EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Wayne Marc Godfrey Robert Jones Shafin Diamond Tejani Levi Sheck Mike Rowe Dean Buchanan David Grace Hilary Swank Michael Shannon Byron Wetzel PRODUCERS Keith Kjarval Bill Holderman Albert Berger Ron Yerxa Alex Saks Sefton Fincham Tyler Jackson SCREENWRITER Elizabeth Chomko CINEMATOGRAPHER Roberto Schaefer EDITOR Tom McArdle COMPOSER/MUSIC Danny Mulhern

First-time writer/director Elizabeth Chomko has assembled a remarkable pool of talent to present her touching story of a family in crisis in a film that moves you to tears, but not

before you‘ve had some great laughs along the way. At the focal point of What They Had are middle-aged siblings Bridget and Nicky, artfully portrayed by Hilary Swank and Michael Shannon. Bridget has returned home at her brother’s urging to deal with their ailing mother (Blythe Danner) and their stubborn father, Burt (Robert Forster). Burt is unwilling to let go of his marital life, despite his wife’s erratic and unpredictable memory, wavering without warning from loving mother to a little girl begging to go home. Added to the mix is Bridget’s acerbic daughter Emma (Taissa Farmiga), who’s been thrown out of her college dorm for drinking. The interpersonal dynamics, like any family’s, are complex and rife with moments of tension – and hilarity. The result is a film that feels both personal and universal. — Monique Ray Elizabeth Chomko is an American director, screenwriter, playwright, actress, and musician. Originally from Chicago, she is an alum of the Sundance Institute’s Screenwriters and Composers Lab, and an Academy Nicholl Fellowship winner for her screenplay What They Had. Her plays have been produced with LA’s The Blank Theatre, Inkwell Theatre’s LAB, and The Kennedy Center’s New Plays Festival. She has appeared as an actress in various films and television series and onstage in theaters across the U.S. and in London.

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Elizabeth Chomko COURTESY OF

SHOWING AT WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE

Thur Oct 11  8:15pm

Visit www.ifcfilms.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

NARRATIVES NARRATIVES

W O RL D P RE MIE R E

WHEELS Directed by Paul Starkman USA / 2018 / 80 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Sean Arnstar Kirkland Joshua Boone Shyrley Rodriguez Ioan Delice Kareem Savinon EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Jamin O’Brien PRODUCERS Patrick Gibbons Neal Usatin SCREENWRITER Paul Starkman CINEMATOGRAPHER Ariel Boles EDITOR Neal Usatin PRODUCTION DESIGNER Chris Potter COMPOSER/MUSIC Mario Grigorov

19-year-old Max longs to be a DJ. But in order to provide for his sick

grandmother, he has dropped out of high school and is working at a supermarket and DJing parties for Oscar, a neighborhood thug, as he struggles to make ends meet. Monty, a popular underground DJ, sees Max’s potential and pushes him to take DJing more seriously. Holding on to his dream, Max stashes away every spare cent to buy his own turntables. When his brother, Terry, shows up after a three-year prison stint for stealing cars, Max finds himself at a crossroads between trust, obligation and pursuing his dream. Shot in gorgeous black and white, with exhilarating backbeats, Wheels is a powerful ride; an earnest story with a magnetic young lead. We all have a dream until life gets in the way, but this Rocky-style underdog story shows us the importance of staying true to yourself and your art, no matter the adversity. —Evan Thomas Paul Starkman, a Brooklyn-based film and television director, is a graduate of the AFI Cinematography program. Starkman quickly worked his way up from camera operator on MTV’s The Real World to DP of America’s Next Top Model. In 2006, Starkman began shooting finales for Project Runway and was soon directing for the program, which led to his first Emmy nomination. He joined Bravo’s hit Top Chef, directing for seven seasons. In 2007, Starkman wrote and directed The Tree, a short film that told the story of one man looking for shade on a treeless block in Brooklyn. Other credits include Ink Master, The Glee Project 2, Work of Art, and Nailed it! Wheels is his first feature film.

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change Paul Starkman, Arnstar, Joshua Boone, Jamin O’Brien, Neal Usatin

SHOWING AT ORPHEUM THEATER SAUGERTIES

Sat Oct 13  11:45am

UPSTATE FILMS WOODSTOCK

Sun Oct 14 8:15pm

2018

Visit www.thewheelsfilm.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

NARRATIVES NARRATIVES

WILDLIFE Directed by Paul Dano USA / 2018 / 104 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Jake Gyllenhaal Carey Mulligan Ed Oxenbould Bill Camp EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Zoe Kazan Eddie Vaisman PRODUCERS Paul Dano Jake Gyllenhaal Riva Marker Oren Moverman Ann Ruark Alex Saks SCREENWRITER Zoe Kazan CINEMATOGRAPHER Diego Garcia EDITORS Louise Ford Matthew Hannam PRODUCTION DESIGNER Akin McKenzie COMPOSER/MUSIC David Lang SOUND DESIGNER Jacob Ribicoff

SHOWING AT WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE ROSENDALE THEATRE

Wildlike, the directorial debut of paul dano (there will be blood, little miss sunshine), co-written with Zoe Kazen (The Big Sick),

is elegantly adapted from Richard Ford’s novel of the same name. Carey Mulligan (Mudbound, An Education) delivers one of her finest performances to date as Jeanette, a complex woman whose self-determation and self-involvement disrupts the values and expectations of a 1960s nuclear family. Fourteen-year-old Joe, played by newcomer Ed Oxenbould, is the only child of Jeanette and Jerry (Jake Gyllenhaal) — a housewife and a golf pro — in a small town in Montana. Nearby, an uncontrolled forest fire rages close to the Canadian border, and when Jerrry loses his job — and his sense of purpose — he decides to join the cause of fighting the fire, leaving his wife and son to fend for themselves. Suddenly forced into the role of an adult, Joe witnesses his mother’s struggle as she tries to keep her head above water. With precise details and textures of its specific tme and place, Wildlike commits to the viewpoint of a teenage boy observng the gradual dissolution of his parents’ marriage. Paul Dano, highly acclaimed for his acting roles in There Will Be Blood and Little Miss Sunshine, among others, made his directorial debut in 2018 with Wildlife, which screened in competition at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. Dano wrote the adapted screenplay (with Zoe Kazan) from Richard Ford’s American classic. Dano also produced the film.

BIO

COURTESY OF

Sat Oct 13 9:45pm Sun Oct 14 5:30pm

Visit www.ifcfilms.com/films/wildlife

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

NARRATIVES NARRATIVES

EAS T C O A ST PR E M I E R E

DUTC H

YOUNGER DAYS Directed by Paula van der Oest The Netherlands / 2017 / 85 minutes Dutch with subtitles MAIN CREDITS CAST Johan Heldenbergh Monic Hendrickx Hannah Hoekstra Thijs Boermans Ariane Schluter Anniek Pheifer Cees Geel Steef Cuijpers Manoushka Zeegelaar Breeveld Bas Keijzer EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Ronald Versteeg PRODUCERS Sabine Brian Alain de Levita Paula van der Oest SCREENWRITERS Paula van der Oest Rifka Lodeizen CINEMATOGRAPHER Guido van Gennep EDITOR Eline Bakker PRODUCTION DESIGNER Harry Ammerlaan COMPOSER/MUSIC Schalk Joubert SOUND DESIGNER Alex Booy

focu s

From one of Netherlands’ most celebrated female directors comes the story of an eclectic group of middle-aged, former band mates who reunite at a large country house, decades after their band disbanded,

to scatter the ashes of their deceased front man on the anniversary of his birthday. As old relationships are quickly revisited and relived, the gathering is interrupted by the arrival of one of the friends’ striking, young, blonde girlfriend. The sharp contrast between those in their fifties and the attending twenty-something-year-olds is palpable as conversations about midlife crisis, addiction, infidelity, and loneliness traverse the generations. Guided by a strong cast, Younger Days is as thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is utterly entertaining. — Svetlana Krotek Paula van der Oest is a Dutch writer/director whose film credits are many and include the Academy Award-nominated Best Foreign Language Film Zus & Zo. Some of her recent projects include The Accused and Tonio, both of which were selected as the Dutch Oscar submission for those years. Other outstanding films include Black Butterflies, which received multiple awards both in the Netherlands and the U.S., The Domino Effect, which earned a Best Director award, and her lauded thriller Moonlight.

BIO

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Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Paula van der Oest SHOWING AT UPSTATE FILMS WOODSTOCK

Fri Oct 12  11:15am

UPSTATE FILMS I RHINEBECK

Sat Oct 13 11:00am

2018

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

DOCUMENTARIES 62 2030 63 A Murder In Mansfield 64 The Advocates 65 Carmine Street Guitars 66 Dreaming of a Vetter World 67 the Feeling of Being Watched 68 For The Birds 69 Ghost Fleet 70 Give Us This Day 71 Hale County

This Morning, This Evening

72 In Our bones 73 The Interpreters 74 Karl Berger - Music Mind

FOLLOWED BY: KARL BERGER, INGRID SERTSO & FRIENDs

75 Lessons from a School Shooting: Notes From Dunblane

FOLLOWED BY A CONVERSATION: ISSUES IN THE NEWS

76 Michelin Stars - Tales from the Kitchen 77 Mr. Soul! 78 Netizens 79 Personal Statement 80 Shakedown 81 Somaliland 82 Stay Human 83 Suicide: The Ripple Effect 84 Up to Snuff 85 What Is Democracy? 86 The World Before Your Feet 87 Wrestle 62

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

DOCUMENTARIES DOCUMENTARIES

WO RLD PRE MIE R E

2030 Directed by Johnny Boston USA / 2016 / 103 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST FM-2030 Johnny Boston Flora Schnall Jason Hefter Aubrey de Grey EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Flora Schnall Eric Falkenstein PRODUCERS Melissa Chesman Jason Hefter Pam Lubell Raw Media Network, Inc. CINEMATOGRAPHER Paul Dolzall EDITOR Paul Dolzall COMPOSER/MUSIC Cristhian Andrews

2030 is a film that defies easy categorization. FM 2030 (yes, this

is his legal name) was an author, futurist and self-described transhuman who died in 2000. Or did he? His body was cryogenically frozen and stored in a facility in Arizona. This is his story. Or rather, it is the story of documentary filmmaker Johnny Boston’s attempt to make a film about 2030. Science or science fiction? Facts or fantasies? Plots or paranoia? While the film seems to relish its conundrum-within-a-riddle-wrapped-inenigma posturing, 2030 makes for fun watching and provokes thinking on a mind-warping, deeply philosophical level. —Jeff Morris

Boston is the director of 2030. He has over twenty years of BIO Johnny experience in developing and producing television, film and web content. His eclectic background includes producing and directing music videos, feature documentaries, short-docs, tribute films, and corporate communication tools for global organizations. Boston utilizes his extensive experience in traditional film and video to create unique and cutting-edge new media content with a distinct visual flair and commitment to telling a compelling story.

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Johnny Boston, Kaila Reed, Jason Hefter, Flora Schnall, SHOWING AT UPSTATE FILMS WOODSTOCK

Thur Oct 11  6:00pm

UPSTATE FILMS I RHINEBECK

Sat Oct 13 6:30pm

2018

Visit www.2030thefilm.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

DOCUMENTARIES

A MURDER IN MANSFIELD Directed by Barbara Kopple USA / 2017 / 87 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Collier Landry EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Barbara Kopple David Cassidy Collier Landry John Morrissey Diana Sperrazza PRODUCERS Barbara Kopple David Cassidy Ray Nowosielski CINEMATOGRAPHERS Gary Griffin Tony Hardmon EDITOR Rob Kuhns

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Barbara Kopple

The search for truth and resolution is at the core of this riveting documentary about the gruesome murder of Noreen Boyle by her philandering and abusive physician husband and the

impact on their then 12-year-old son Collier and barely three-year-old Elizabeth. The doctor’s motive? To start a new life with his pregnant girlfriend. The celebrated trial played to a packed courtroom, and clips from Collier’s testimony, seated facing his father recounting the harrowing event with amazing composure, are heart wrenching. Now, returning home as an adult, Collier is obsessed with ferreting out the truth from his imprisoned father who, despite overwhelming evidence, continues to proclaim his innocence. Is it possible to forgive — let alone love— such a despicable person? “All I ever wanted was a father who loved me,” confesses Collier. In the hands of master documentarian Barbara Kopple, this superbly constructed film becomes a meditation on the quest for healing and forgiveness. —Barbara Pokras, ACE Barbara Kopple is a two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker. A director and producer of narrative films, documentaries and commercial spots, her most recent project is A Murder In Mansfield. Other recent projects include This Is Everything: Gigi Gorgeous, Miss Sharon Jones!, Shelter, Hot Type: 150 Years of the Nation, and Running from Crazy. Kopple produced and directed Harlan County USA and American Dream, both winners of the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Other films include The House of Steinbrenner, Woodstock: Now and Then, Shut Up and Sing, A Conversation with Gregory Peck, My Generation, Wild Man Blues, Fallen Champ: The Untold Story of Mike Tyson, for which she won a DGA Award for Outstanding Direction, and many more. Kopple directed the narrative feature Havoc. Her television work includes episodes of OZ on HBO and Homicide, for which she won a DGA Award for Outstanding Direction. She has directed spots for companies such as Sprint, Applebee’s, Dove, Target, The Tiger Woods Foundation, Pearl Vision and the Children’s Defense Fund.

BIO

SHOWING AT UPSTATE FILMS WOODSTOCK

Sat Oct 13  1:45pm

UPSTATE FILMS I RHINEBECK

Sun Oct 14 12:30pm

Visit www.facebook.com/MansfieldDocumentary

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

DOCUMENTARIES DOCUMENTARIES

EAS T C O A ST PR E M I E R E

THE ADVOCATES Directed by Rémi Kessler USA / 2018 / 87 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Steve Lopez Claudia Perez Rudy Salinas Mel Tillekeratne Alisa Orduna EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Caroline Schweich PRODUCERS Remi Kessler Robert McFalls CINEMATOGRAPHER Beth Cloutier EDITOR Robert McFalls COMPOSER/MUSIC Omar Fadel SOUND DESIGNER Dicken Berglund

The Advocates is a sweeping look at the history and causes of the current homeless crisis in Los Angeles, a distressing situation throughout the U.S. But rather than focusing solely on the homeless

population, this story highlights the community of advocates who work tirelessly to create a better existence for their clients. Bringing us deep into the lives of some of the individuals they are fighting for, and with great compassion, the film goes behind debates and headlines with pragmatic, hopeful stories of real-life transformation from the trenches. Rudy Salinas, the Director of Outreach for Housing Works in Los Angeles asks, ‘‘Where is the crossroads? Where do we change direction?’’ It is time for everyone to look for answers and find solutions toward a more just and humane society. —Jessica Peeters

Kessler has produced numerous commercials, feature films, music videos, BIO Rémi television series, corporate films, and documentaries throughout the world. The films he produced with megastar David Guetta and iconic fashion designer Ozwald Boateng were huge successes and showed in festivals worldwide. For the last decade, Kessler has been pursuing his passion for documentary films, and among these, produced Shadows and Lights, a documentary celebrating the 100th anniversary of Orson Welles, which opened the classic documentary section of the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. Kessler began working on The Advocates in 2014 and the journey has changed his life.

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Remi Kessler, Caroline Schweich, Robert McFalls, William Gadea SHOWING AT BEARSVILLE THEATER WOODSTOCK

Sat Oct 13  11:15am

UPSTATE FILMS II RHINEBECK

Sun Oct 14 5:30pm

2018

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

DOCUMENTARIES

CARMINE STREET GUITARS Directed by Ron Mann Canada / 2018 / 80 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Jim Jarmusch Charlie Sexton Bill Frisell Rick Kelly Cindy Hulej EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Carter Logan Michael Hirsh PRODUCER Ron Mann SCREENWRITER Len Blum CINEMATOGRAPHERS John M. Tran Becky Parsons EDITOR Robert Kennedy PRODUCTION DESIGNER Craig Small COMPOSER/MUSIC The Sadies SOUND DESIGNER Ted Rosnick

Anyone who’s been part of the NY music scene knows — and has likely been to — Carmine Street Guitars, where such notables

as Bob Dylan, Lou Reed and Patti Smith, to name just a few, have coveted Rick Kelly’s custom-made guitars. With real-time footage, director Ron Mann captures the everyday activities of Rick and his young apprentice Cindy Hulej as they meticulously build oneof-a-kind, handcrafted guitars out of salvaged wood from historic New York buildings. Nothing looks or sounds quite like a Rick Kelly guitar, and throughout the course of five days in the life of the shop, the likes of Jim Jarmusch, the Sadies and Nels Cline of Wilco come in and out of the shop, pick up a guitar, play, and recount their personal guitar anecdotes, weaving a tapestry that is intimate and illuminating. Watching Carmine Street Guitars is like getting a private tour into the musical lives of some of the most talented artists of today. —Ben F. Fischer Ron Mann (Altman, Grass, Comic Book Confidential) is renowned for his genre-bending approach to documentary cinema that explores art forms and contemporary popular culture with vision and verve.

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Ron Mann

SHOWING AT UPSTATE FILMS WOODSTOCK

Fri Oct 12  4:30pm

ROSENDALE THEATRE

Sat Oct 13  5:30pm

Visit www.sphinxproductions.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

DOCUMENTARIES DOCUMENTARIES

EAS T C O A ST PR E M I E R E

DREAMING OF A VETTER WORLD Directed by Bonnie Hawthorne USA / 2018 / 77 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST David Vetter Donald Vetter Fred Kirschenmann Darci Vetter Allison Vetter EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Jo Andres Steve Buscemi Bobby Houston PRODUCER Bonnie Hawthorne SCREENWRITER Bonnie Hawthorne CINEMATOGRAPHER Bonnie Hawthorne EDITOR Bonnie Hawthorne COMPOSERS/MUSIC Robot Repair Kyp Malone SOUND DESIGNER IMRSV Sound

Journey to the American heartland in Bonnie Hawthorne’s intimate documentary about a visionary Nebraska farm family who understood that modern agriculture was ailing, and found a cure. From farmer’s son to soil scientist to missionary and back to farmer, organic

pioneer David Vetter has dedicated his life to a “ministry to the soil.” With camera and camper in tow, Hawthorne leaves her urban comforts in the rearview mirror to learn from the Vetters about what’s really going on in the Corn Belt. As interest in regenerating soil explodes worldwide, Hawthorne discovers that David Vetter is way ahead of the game. With both historical context and an eye to the future, Dreaming of a Vetter World shows it’s possible to jump off conventional agriculture’s pesticide treadmill. It’s also a story about love, hope and place; an inspiring example of perseverance and doing what you know is right — against all odds. Bonnie Hawthorne is the director, cinematographer, editor, writer, and narrator of Dreaming of a Vetter World. As a film student at NYU in the 1980s, her documentary teacher said there would come a day when one woman could go AWOL from her day job cutting television shows, take off in a tiny camper and make a film with cameras small enough to fit in a purse. That day finally arrived. This film is the result.

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Bonnie Hawthorne, Steve Buscemi, Jo Andres

SHOWING AT ROSENDALE THEATRE

Fri Oct 12  3:15pm

BEARSVILLE THEATER WOODSTOCK

Sun Oct 14  12:30pm

2018

Visit www.dreamingofavetterworld.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

DOCUMENTARIES

THE FEELING OF BEING WATCHED Directed by Assia Boundaoui USA / 2018 / 87 minutes

English and Arabic with subtitles MAIN CREDITS CAST Assia Boundaoui Rabia Boundaoui Sohib Boundaoui Iman Boundaoui Nouha Boundaoui Oussama Boundaoui EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Jim Butterworth Daniel J. Chalfen Dan Cogan Jenny Raskin Geralyn White Dreyfous Debra Mcleod Jay K. Sears Bill Harnisch Ruth Ann Harnisch Alexa Poletto Michael D. Mann Barry W. Rashkover Vijay Dewan PRODUCERS Jessica Devaney Assia Boundaoui SCREENWRITER Assia Boundaoui CINEMATOGRAPHER Shuling Yong EDITOR Rabab Haj Yahya COMPOSER/MUSIC Angélica Negrón SOUND DESIGNER Filipe Messeder

What is it like to live under constant surveillance? Just ask Assia Boundaoui, a Muslim and an investigative

journalist who grew up in Bridgeview, IL, a tight-knit community with a large Muslim population where the FBI seems to have taken up residence as early as 1990. Using the code name ‘‘Vulgar Betrayal,’’ a special agent launched an investigation into charitable funds he believed were being siphoned to terrorist organizations. Under the umbrella of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), Assia is determined to find the truth. Met with rejection at nearly every step, ‘‘...the thin letters are never good news,’’ Assia remarks as she opens the letters denying her requests. Undeterred, she continues to dig deeper, ultimately finding more than 33,000 heavily redacted surveillance documents. A true-life detective story, The Feeling of Being Watched utilizes flash frames and snappy editing to meticulously reveal racial profiling at its most extreme. Gripping and compelling filmmaking. —Barbara Pokras, ACE Assia Boundaoui is an Algerian-American journalist and filmmaker based in Chicago. She has reported for the BBC, NPR, PRI, AlJazeera, VICE, and CNN. Her debut short film about hijabi hair salons for the HBO Lenny documentary series premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival. Her feature-length debut, The Feeling of Being Watched, a documentary investigating a decade of FBI surveillance in Assia’s Muslim-American community, had its world premiere at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival. She is currently a fellow with the Co-Creation Studio at the MIT Open Documentary Lab, where she is iterating her most recent work, the Inverse Surveillance Project. Boundaoui has a Masters degree in journalism from New York University and is fluent in Arabic.

BIO

SHOWING AT UPSTATE FILMS II RHINEBECK

Sat Oct 13 4:15pm

BEARSVILLE THEATER WOODSTOCK

Sun Oct 14  5:30pm

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Rabab Haj Yahya

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

Visit www.feelingofbeingwatched.com

2018

DOCUMENTARIES

FOR THE BIRDS Directed by Richard Miron USA / 2018 / 92 minutes MAIN CREDITS EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS PRODUCERS

CINEMATOGRAPHER EDITORS COMPOSER/MUSIC

Brian Reed (S-TOWN) Cindy Meehl (BUCK) Richard Miron Jeffrey Star Holly Meehl Richard Miron Richard Miron Jeffrey Star Andrew Johnson

What will one woman risk in order to keep the 200 ducks, chickens, geese, and turkeys she’s raised and come to love? This

Hudson Valley-based documentary follows Kathy Murphy’s struggles with family and community as she juggles what many would consider to be too many birds. Kathy’s undying devotion to her animals has left her home in disarray and her marriage in jeopardy. The situation turns dire when a legal battle ensues between Kathy and the local animal advocacy organization (Woodstock Farm Sanctuary) over alleged neglect of her beloved birds. For the Birds explores the lasting changes forced onto its endlessly fascinating subjects. On one level, we have a story that is sure to provoke discussion among anyone interested in animal rights and the growing national debate over the mistreatment of animals. On a deeper level, this is a story about love and its power to give rise to heart-wrenching dilemmas. —Max Wexler

Miron assistant-edited Academy Award-nominated Life, Animated, BIO Richard as well as Art And Craft (Tribeca 2014, Academy Award shortlist). He was the lead

editor for the recent feature documentary The Surrounding Game. He received his B.A. in Art from Yale University, where he won the Howard Lamar Prize, Yale’s top film award. Miron was the Director of Programming for the Environmental Film Festival at Yale for two years, and has a background in animal rights. He received the Marcie Bloom Fellowship in Film and was a fellow in the 2016 IFP Documentary Labs.

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Richard Miron, Jeffrey Star

SHOWING AT BEARSVILLE THEATER WOODSTOCK

Thur Oct 11  5:45pm

ROSENDALE THEATRE

2018

COURTESY OF

Visit www.forthebirdsmovie.com

Sat Oct 13  12:30pm

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

DOCUMENTARIES

GHOST FLEET Directed by Shannon Service, Jeffrey Waldron USA / 2018 / 90 minutes Thai, Burmese, Bahasa, English with subtitles MAIN CREDITS CAST Patima Tungpuchayakul Tun Lin EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Paul G. Allen Carole Tomko Jannat Gargi Rocky Collins Shari Sant Plummer Shannon Joy Julia Ormond Geralyn Dreyfous PRODUCERS Jon Bowermaster Shannon Service CINEMATOGRAPHER Jeffrey Waldron EDITOR Parker Laramie COMPOSER/MUSIC Mark Degli Antoni SOUND DESIGNERS Mac Smith Skysound

Ghost Fleet tells a striking story of survival and redemption in the global seafood industry.

The film follows a small group of activists who risk their lives to find justice and freedom for the enslaved fishermen who feed the world’s insatiable appetite for seafood. Facing illness, death threats, corruption, and complacency, Thai abolitionist Patima Tungpuchayakul and her team embark on a hauntingly beautiful quest through remote Indonesian island jungles where enslaved men eke out survival and yearn to return home. Patima is fearlessly committed to justice and to bringing back these “lost” men. She rouses her nation and the world to the plight of these captives who go months, sometimes years, without setting foot on land, earning little to no pay to provide pet food, sushi and shrimp cocktail for unsuspecting consumers. Shannon Service found the story of fishing slaves and the Thai woman whose mission was to rescue them, as a reporter for National Public Radio. This is her first time in the director’s chair.

BIO

Jeffrey Waldron is a graduate of USC‘s prestigious Cinema-Television Production

program, with an MFA from the American Film Institute. Waldron earned a 2012 Independent Spirit Award Nomination for Outstanding Cinematography. He has received another ten awards and nominations for his directing and cinematography work in both narrative and documentary films. In 2013, he was nominated for Best Director (NonFiction) at the International Academy of Web TV Awards.

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Jon Bowermaster, Julia Ormond

SHOWING AT ROSENDALE THEATRE

Thur Oct 11  7:30pm

BEARSVILLE THEATER WOODSTOCK

Visit www.vulcanproductions.com/ghostfleet

Sun Oct 14  3:00pm

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

DOCUMENTARIES DOCUMENTARIES

NEW YO RK PRE M I E R E

GIVE US THIS DAY Directed by Jeff Zimbalist, Michael Zimbalist USA / 2018 / 119 minutes MAIN CREDITS PRODUCERS

SCREENWRITERS CINEMATOGRAPHER EDITOR COMPOSER/MUSIC

Michael Zimbalist Jeff Zimbalist John Ward Shane Elrod Vince Vaughn Peter Billingsley Victoria Vaughn Chris Long Colby Gottert Jeff Zimbalist Michael Zimbalist Adam Booher Jacob Kindberg John Hendicott

East St Louis is a post industrial city across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, MO, with deep racial divides and the highest homicide rate per capita in the U.S. Give Us This Day is an

unflinching look into the lives of three members of the local police and three city residents as each attempts to both survive and improve their own lives, as well as that of their city. Shot over the course of one year, the cinema vérité approach exposes a city with too many guns, too little education, excessive poverty, and a long history of racial tension. With no agenda to find easy explanations for complex problems, the film unsparingly documents the day-to-day realities of life in a broken urban system and attempts to cast some rays of hope and understanding on one of the biggest and seemingly least solvable problems in modern day America. —Jeff Morris Jeff Zimbalist and Michael Zimbalistt are Emmy and Peabody-winning writer/directors, whose films have appeared on HBO, Netflix, PBS, CBS, and theatrically worldwide. Their notable films The Two Escobars, Favela Rising, Pele, Youngstown Boys, and Bollywood; Greatest Love Story, have premiered at Cannes, won at Tribeca, and been shortlisted for the Oscar.

BIO

SHOWING AT UPSTATE FILMS II RHINEBECK

Thur Oct 11  7:30pm

BEARSVILLE THEATER WOODSTOCK

Visit www.alssgiveusthisday.splashthat.com

Sat Oct 13  9:00pm

2018

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

DOCUMENTARIES

HALE COUNTY

THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING

Directed by RaMell Ross

USA / 2018 / 77 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Quincy Bryant Daniel Collins Mary B. Collins Latrenda ‘Boosie’ Ash Kyrie Bryant EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Danny Glover Susan Rockefeller Bertha Foundation Laura Poitras Charlotte Cook PRODUCERS RaMell Ross Joslyn Barnes Su Kim SCREENWRITERS RaMell Ross Maya Krinsky CINEMATOGRAPHER RaMell Ross EDITORS RaMell Ross Robb Moss Joslyn Barnes Maya Krinsky COMPOSERS/MUSIC Alex Somers Scott Alario Forest Kelley Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

RaMell Ross, Roger Ross Williams

GUEST PROGRAM

FILMMAKERS

OF COLOR

In Hale County This Morning, This Evening, director and artist RaMell Ross gives us an intimate insight into a town in the Alabama Black Belt over a five year period. This film brings audiences inside a Southern Black com-

munity with profound depth and intimacy, achieved through a familiarity that only a black filmmaker can bring to this story. He asks the question ‘‘how do you not frame someone?’’ Instead we experience the people and the community with all the layers and complexity of real life. RaMell, the artist, tells these stories through a combination of fragmented scenes and compelling photography, creating a poetically structured narrative. Hale County This Morning, This Evening is a work of art as much as it is a document of this community. It belongs in a gallery as much as a theatre. It touches us as deeply as any film could and to watch this film is to witness a new form of documentary storytelling. —Roger Ross Williams

Ross earned a BA in both English and sociology from Georgetown BIO RaMell University and an MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design. His photographs have been exhibited internationally and his writing has appeared in such outlets as The New York Times and Walker Arts Center. He was part of Filmmaker Magazine’s — 25 New Faces of Independent Film — in 2015, and a New Frontier Artist in Residence at the MIT Media Lab. In 2016, he was a finalist for the Aperture Portfolio Prize, winner of an Aaron Siskind Individual Photographer’s Fellowship Grant and a Sundance Art of Nonfiction Fellow. In early 2017, he was selected for Rhode Island Foundation’s Robert and Margaret MacColl Johnson Artist Fellowship. Ross is currently on faculty at Brown University’s Visual Arts Department. Hale County This Morning, This Evening is his first feature documentary.

SHOWING AT BEARSVILLE THEATER WOODSTOCK

Sat Oct 13  1:45pm

UPSTATE FILMS II RHINEBECK

Visit www.halecountyfilm.com

Sun Oct 14 3:15pm

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

DOCUMENTARIES DOCUMENTARIES

EAS T C O A ST PR E M I E R E

IN OUR BONES Directed by Alex Kimura USA / 2018 / 72 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Sam Kimura Alex Kimura Taylor Shorten EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Gill Holland PRODUCERS Alex Kimura Robert Hoffman SCREENWRITERS Alex Kimura Sam Kimura Robert Hoffman CINEMATOGRAPHER Alex Kimura EDITORS Alex Kimura Chris Dallas-Feeney COMPOSER/MUSIC Zac Clark SOUND DESIGNER Rob Womack

In Our Bones is the inspiring tale of Sam Kimura, a young woman with a terminal bone marrow disease who sets off on a road trip around America with her sister, Alex, and best friend,

Taylor Shorten, in search of a donor match. Infused with humor and charm, her crusade for herself and for other patients needing transplants forces her to confront her mortality, uncover family secrets and get out of the passenger seat of her own life. Crowded together in the their vamped-up SUV for 24,000 miles, and hosting hundreds of bone marrow drives as they pursue their mission to turn adversity into a meaningful adventure, the girls experience moments of sheer beauty and wonder, generosity, compassion, exhilaration, depression, desperation, and overwhelming exhaustion. The strains on friendship and siblinghood bringing them to the edge and back again, their story is a testament to loyalty, trust, love, and commitment to something greater than themselves. — Monique Ray Alexandria (Alex) Kimura is a first-time filmmaker from Louisville, KY. Kimura is the co-founder of Sharing America’s Marrow (SAM), a grassroots campaign to register life-saving bone marrow donors. While planning a yearlong, 50 state road trip for SAM, Kimura saw the opportunity to document their journey and create a film that helped raise even more awareness for their cause.

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change Alex Kimura, Taylor Shorten

SHOWING AT UPSTATE FILM WOODSTOCK

Thur Oct 11  1:00pm

2018

Visit www.inourbones.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

DOCUMENTARIES NEW YO RK PRE M I E R E

THE INTERPRETERS Directed by Andrés Caballero, Sofian Khan USA, Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey / 2018 / 96 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Phillip Morris Paul Braun Malik Mujtaba George Packer EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Carrie Lozano PRODUCERS Sofian Khan Andrés Caballero Mark Steele Simon Taufique SCREENWRITER Sam Osterhout CINEMATOGRAPHER Sofian Khan EDITORS Francisco Bello Fabian Caballero COMPOSER/MUSIC Simon Taufique

To sign on as an interpreter for the U.S. army in the wake of war in the Middle East is risky business.

But the promise of escaping to freedom is a powerful incentive for the three interpreters whose personal stories unfold in this illuminating, provocative, often frustrating, as well as heartwarming film, as they try to rebuild their lives: A chainsmoking Iraqi code-named Phillip Morris, finally coming to the U.S. with the help of an American soldier colleague; Malik, an Afghani, still working as an interpreter at the U.S. base in Kabul, despite threats to his life; and Mujtaba, who fled with his family to Turkey hoping for passage to a better life in Europe. Theirs are the stories that often go unheard, and in a world where it is easy to feel disconnected from war and the human condition, these men remind us what freedom is supposed to look like, and what so many are still deprived of. —Dainara Delija Andrés Caballero is a public radio producer, journalist and documentary filmmaker. He produced a series for StoryCorps, recording the stories of military personnel who served in post 9/11 conflicts. Caballero is a former NPR/Above the Fray fellow, where he reported stories from Cameroon, including the refugee spillover from the Central African Republic. He is a former producer for Latino USA and his stories appeared on NPR’s Morning Edition, Weekend Edition, PBS, and print publications across the US.

BIO

Sofian Khan is the founder of Capital K Pictures — a New York-based production

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Andrés Caballero

company focusing on documentary work, where he works as a director, producer and cinematographer. His shorts have appeared on Field of Vision, The Fader, Al Jazeera, PBS, Fusion, The Atlantic and Huffington Post. Currently he’s completing his third documentary feature, with the support of ITVS, while producing and developing new narrative and nonfiction projects.

SHOWING AT BEARSVILLE THEATER WOODSTOCK

Thur Oct 11  3:30pm

UPSTATE FILMS II RHINEBECK

Visit www.interpreterdoc.com

Fri Oct 12 1:00pm

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

DOCUMENTARIES DOCUMENTARIES

NOR T H A ME RICA N P R E M I E R E

KARL BERGER - MUSIC MIND Directed by Julian Benedikt Germany / 2018 / 69 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Karl Berger Ingrid Sertso Enrico Rava Carla Bley Jack DeJohnette, a.o. PRODUCER Axel Kroell SCREENWRITER Julian Benedikt CINEMATOGRAPHER Ma Raab EDITORS Alexander Costea David Feuerstein COMPOSER/MUSIC Karl Berger Ingrid Sertso SOUND DESIGNERS Joshua Sedlak Klaus Ploch Fabian Schäffler

Legendary jazz improvisational pioneer and longtime Woodstock resident Karl Berger is celebrated with intimacy and grandeur in Karl Berger - Music Mind. The film traces his journey from Heidelberg to Paris to

New York to Woodstock, culminating with his celebrated anniversary concert at this year’s Theaterhaus Jazz Festival in Stuttgart. Berger, who founded the Creative Music Studio (CMS) with jazz innovator Ornette Coleman and singer/wife Ingrid Sertso, first encountered jazz by playing with U.S. soldiers who were stationed in postwar Germany. He went on to collaborate with the likes of Don Cherry, Carla Bley, Jack DeJohnette, Dave Holland, Pat Metheny, Anthony Braxton, and established the CMS in Woodstock as one of the premier places for free improvisation and world music. In a film rich with interviews, music and archival footage, Music Mind provides an inside look into the creative process and unique approach toward music that makes Karl Berger...Karl Berger. Julian Benedikt is an award-winning director and photographer best known for his films Jazz Seen: The Life and Times of William Claxton (2001), Blue Note - A Story of Modern Jazz (1997) and Play Your Own Thing: A Story of Jazz in Europe (2006). He is driven by his passion: people, light and music. Benedikt has worked with many of the most influential people in music, as well as with renowned personalities in sports, art and fashion, such as Dennis Hopper, B.B. King, Burt Bacharach, Billy Wilder, Roger Federer, Carlos Santana, Lionel Hampton, Tyson Gaye, David Lynch, Cindy Crawford, Robert Evans, Marianne Faithfull, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Jodie Foster, Daryl Hannah, Jeff Koons, Karl Lagerfeld, Juliette Gréco, Helmut and June Newton, Luciano Pavarotti, Paloma Picasso, Jan Garbarek, Pat Metheny, Claudia Schiffer, Ettore Sottsass, Sigourney Weaver, John Frankenheimer, Herbie Hancock, and Vidal Sassoon.

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Julian Benedikt, Karl Berger SHOWING AT WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE

Wed Oct 10  7:00pm

KICKOFF NIGHT PERFORMANCE 45 minute performance after the screening

KARL BERGER, INGRID SERTSO & FRIENDs featuring Steven Bernstein, Billy Martin, Peter Apfelbaum, Ken Filiano, and special guests

ORPHEUM THEATER SAUGERTIES

Fri Oct 12  8:30pm

2018

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

DOCUMENTARIES

LESSONS FROM A SCHOOL SHOOTING: NOTES FROM DUNBLANE Directed by Kim A. Snyder USA, Scotland / 2018 / 22 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Father Bob Weiss Father Basil O’Sullivan EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Regina K. Scully Jamie Wolf Mara Sandler Nick Stuart Carolanne Dolan Geralyn Dreyfous Kim Brizzolara PRODUCERS Kim A. Snyder Maria Cuomo Cole CO-PRODUCERS Olivia Klaus Cynthia Kane CINEMATOGRAPHER Derek Wiesehahn EDITOR Penelope Falk COMPOSER/MUSIC Fil Eisler SOUND DESIGNER Scott Weber

In the wake of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre that took the lives of 20 first graders and their teachers, local clergymen Father Bob Weiss receives a letter from a fellow priest

in Dunblane, Scotland, whose community suffered an eerily similar fate in 1996. From across the Atlantic, the two priests forge a poignant bond through the shared experience of trauma and healing. Kim A. Snyder’s previous film was the Peabody award-winning documentary Newtown, which premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and was named in Newsweek and Huffington Post among the top films of 2016. Newtown screened at premier festivals worldwide and was theatrically released followed by a national broadcast on PBS’s Independent Lens as the most widely watched documentary of the past decade. Her most recent film Lessons from a School Shooting premiered at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival and was awarded Best Documentary Short. Snyder also directed, Welcome to Shelbyville, which was nationally broadcast on PBS’s Independent Lens in 2011. In 2007, Snyder co-founded the BeCause Foundation to direct and produce a series of socially conscious short documentaries that have won numerous awards, with campaigns furthering the work of the social innovators they highlight. Snyder’s award-winning directorial debut feature documentary, I Remember Me, was theatrically distributed by Zeitgeist Films. In 1994, she associate-produced the Academy Awardwinning short film Trevor.

BIO

FOLLOWED BY A CONVERSATION

ISSUES IN THE NEWS

SHOWING AT WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE

Sat Oct 13  1:30pm

Following the screening, there will be a panel discussion featuring the filmmakers, as well as additional panelists from Newtown, and more to be announced. Never before seen film clips of the filmmakers’ upcoming documentary about the mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, will be shown during the panel. See page 98 for more info. Visit www.lessonsfromaschoolshooting.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

DOCUMENTARIES DOCUMENTARIES

EAS T C O A ST PR E M I E R E

MICHELIN STARS -

TALES FROM THE KITCHEN Directed by Rasmus Dinesen Denmark / 2017 / 82 minutes In English, Spanish, French, Danish, Japanese, German with subtitles MAIN CREDITS CAST Michael Ellis Alain Ducasse Rene Redzepi Andoni Aduriz Daniel Humm EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Carsten Holst Lars Seier Christensen PRODUCERS Jesper Jarl Becker Kristian Brask Thomsen IDEA BY Jesper Jarl Becker Rasmus Dinesen SCREENWRITERS Rasmus Dinesen Carsten Holst CINEMATOGRAPHERS Rasmus Dinesen Jesper Jarl Becker EDITORS Martin Munck Schmidt COMPOSER/MUSIC Rune Funch ORIGINAL CONCEPT Rasmus Dinesen

Just as filmmakers influence how we experience our world, great chefs influence how we grow, eat and think about food. This beautifully filmed documentary explores the mind and motivation of those

who attempt to “create a journey and allow us to step away from our everyday lives through a gustatory experience.” Taking us into the most beautiful restaurants, serving the most exquisite cuisines, director Rasmus Dinesen serves up an in-depth and honest look into the world of Michelin chefs, as well as digging into the greatness and flaws of the Michelin Guide, founded over 115 years ago as a road guide for travel enthusiasts to find the best dining and lodging and now the barometer for the most passionate of the culinary craft. Michelin Stars illuminates the motivation, elation and agony of those who spend their lives searching, evolving and replicating their emotions on a plate to maintain their stars and their devotees. —Chef Ric Orlando Ramus Dinesen made his first feature-length documentary in 2003: Det Forbudte Landshold (The Forbidden Team), about the first Tibetan national football team. In 2011, he turned to the victory of Danish chef Ramus Kofoed — today distinguished with three stars — at the Bocuse d’Or championship to film Verdens Nedste Kok (World’s Finest Chef). In 2015, he directed the documentary TV series Star Chefs, on Michelin-starred restaurants. He also directs and produces music videos and commercial films.

BIO

“

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Rasmus Dinesen, Jesper Jarl Becker, Chef Ric Orlando SHOWING AT ORPHEUM THEATER SAUGERTIES

Fri Oct 12  3:30pm

UPSTATE FILMS WOODSTOCK

Sun Oct 14  12:45pm

2018

Visit www.michelinstarsthemovie.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

DOCUMENTARIES

MR. SOUL! Directed by Melissa Haizlip, Sam Pollard USA / 2018 / 116 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Blair Underwood Harry Belafonte Questlove Nikki Giovanni Sonia Sanchez EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Blair Underwood Chaz Ebert PRODUCERS Melissa Haizlip Doug Blush SCREENWRITER Melissa Haizlip CINEMATOGRAPHER Hans Charles EDITORS Giovanni P. Autran Annukka Lilja Blair McClendon COMPOSER/MUSIC Robert Glasper SOUND DESIGNERS Benny Mouthon String & Can ANIMATOR Mindbomb Films

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Melissa Haizlip, Roger Ross Williams SHOWING AT WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE

Sat Oct 13  6:45pm

ORPHEUM THEATER SAUGERTIES

Sun Oct 14  5:45pm

GUEST PROGRAM

FILMMAKERS

OF COLOR

Mr. Soul! tells the story of Ellis Haizlip and his ground-breaking variety show, SOUL!, that showcased the black experience in America during the late 60s and early 70s. It was a show by black people, for black people and hosted the likes of Sidney

Poitier, Stevie Wonder and Maya Angelou. Haizlip, a proud gay man, boldly created a platform for black music, poetry and ideas in a racially divisive era. Directors Samuel Pollard and Malissa Haizlip (Ellis’s niece) take us on the five year journey of the SOUL! series and dive into the life of its creator. I chose this film because Ellis Haizlip, who passed away in 1991, deserves recognition and admiration for his daring and profound vision. Ellis’s mission was, in his own words, ‘‘to sensitize and involve the total community in the lifestyle and rhythm’’ of black Americans. His life and career have inspired me on many levels and continues to influence my work today. —Roger Ross Williams Melissa Haizlip enjoyed a career on Broadway and found her way into filmmaking after working in development at AFI. She produced the award-winning short You’re Dead To Me and several art films and installations for director Wu Tsang, including A Day in the Life of Bliss, acquired by MoMA for their permanent collection. She has received numerous grants, including a JustFilms Grant from the Ford Foundation, the Media Projects Production Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Pare Lorentz Documentary Fund Grant from the International Documentary Association for Mr. Soul! She is currently in production on Wu Tsang’s sci-fi feature A Day in the Life of Bliss. Haizlip was a 2016 Flaherty Fellow and the 2016 NBPC Artist in Residence. She lives in the Hudson Valley.

BIO

Sam Pollard is a Peabody and Emmy-Award winning filmmaker. His work as an editor (including several Spike Lee films) and producer/director spans nearly 30 years. Producing credits include Henry Hampton’s Eyes on the Prize II: America at the Racial Crossroads, for which he received an Emmy, Hampton’s series, I’ll Make Me a World: Stories of African American Artists and Community, and for PBS Slavery by Another Name and August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand. His directing credits include Two Trains’ Runnin, The Talk: Race in America and Mr. Soul! Visit www.mrsoulmovie.com WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

DOCUMENTARIES

NETIZENS Directed by Cynthia Lowen USA / 2018 / 96 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Carrie Goldberg Anita Sarkeesian Tina Reine Soraya Chemaly Jamia Wilson EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Ruth Ann Harnisch Abigail Disney Gini Reticker Barbara Dobkin PRODUCERS Cynthia Lowen Rebecca Stern SCREENWRITER Cynthia Lowen CINEMATOGRAPHERS Cailin Yatsko Rachel Lears Leah Byrne EDITOR Emily Williams COMPOSER/MUSIC Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Imagine having your identity stolen. Bad enough, but now imagine a perpetrator launching a relentless internet attack including death threats, ‘‘revenge porn,’’ stalking, and impersonation. Where

do you turn for help? Enter hard-hitting, spike-heeled Carrie Goldberg, herself a victim of online harassment, who decides to become the lawyer she needed when her own demands for justice were ignored. We also meet Tina Reine, a successful businesswoman whose career was derailed when her harasser began his vicious online assault, and Anita Sarkeesian, a media critic who is the target of a coordinated online mob‘s violent threats. How to survive such indignities? Says Goldberg, ‘‘Think of yourself as a ship...Just stay upright and the storm will pass.’’ Compelling filmmaking, beautifully constructed, compassionate, and enormously empowering, Netizens reminds us that cyber-stalking is far more than an unpleasant annoyance. It destroys reputations and careers and admonishes us to be vigilant. Silence will not protect us. —Barbara Pokras, ACE Cynthia Lowen is an award-winning filmmaker and writer. Her film Netizens, made its world premiere at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival. She is also the producer and writer of Bully, a feature documentary following five kids and families through a year in the life of America’s bullying crisis, released by The Weinstein Company. Lauded by reviewers, Bully was nominated for two Emmy Awards, screened at the White House, and received a prestigious Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia Award for excellence in journalism. Lowen is also winner of the National Poetry Series for her collection, The Cloud that Contained the Lightning, about J. Robert Oppenheimer and the making of the atomic bomb. She has received residencies from the MacDowell Colony, Yaddo, and the Hedgebrook Women Authoring Change Fellowship from William Morris Entertainment. Lowen now resides in the Hudson Valley.

BIO

Cynthia Lowen, Carrie Goldberg SHOWING AT BEARSVILLE THEATER WOODSTOCK

Thur Oct 11  8:30pm

ROSENDALE THEATRE

2018

Fri Oct 12  5:45pm

Visit www.netizensfilm.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

DOCUMENTARIES NEW YO RK PRE M I E R E

PERSONAL STATEMENT Directed by Juliane Dressner, Edwin Martinez, USA / 2018 / 87 minutes English and Spanish with subtitles MAIN CREDITS CAST Enoch Jemmott Karoline Jimenez Christine Rodriguez EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Sandie Viquez Pedlow Christopher Hastings Chris White Justine Nagin PRODUCERS Juliane Dressner Beth Levison CINEMATOGRAPHERS Juliane Dressner Edwin Martinez EDITORS Edwin Martinez Madeleine Gavin Kent Bassett Martha Shane COMPOSER/MUSIC T. Griffin SOUND DESIGNERS Red Hook Post: Tom Efinger Abigail Savage

Kids growing up in poverty must grapple with circumstances that have seemingly nothing — yet everything — to do with getting into college:

homelessness, homophobia, food scarcity. To make matters worse, most public schools don’t have enough counseling support to help students navigate the increasingly complicated application process. That’s why three ambitious and enlightened student activists decided to become the very resource they didn’t have. Determined not to become statistics in an unjust system, high schoolers Karoline, Enoch and Christine are working as college counselors even as they are applying to college themsleves. They are fighting for a better future for themselves and their peers. In a film populated by feisty, hard-hitting students and nurturing mentors, Personal Statement is an inspiring chronicle of dedication, promise, challenges, and also disappointment. But perhaps the real story is in the big hearts that everyone exhibits. It is stories like this that make the future of America look much brighter. —Dainara Delija

Dressner is a director, producer and cinematographer who makes BIO Juliane character-based films that often focus on young people who are overcoming challenging circumstances. Her films have shed light on economic and racial justice issues in education and the criminal justice system, including The Scars of Stop-andFrisk, which was published as an Op-Doc by The New York Times. She won the National Magazine Award for video for her short film, An Education, which was published by The New York Times Magazine. Her other short films have been published by The New York Times, The Guardian, The Atlantic, New York magazine, and Buzzfeed. Personal Statement is her first feature-length documentary.

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Filmmaker: Juliane Dressner Students: Karoline Jimenez, Enoch Jemmott

SHOWING AT UPSTATE FILMS II RHINEBECK

Fri Oct 12 3:30pm

BEARSVILLE THEATER WOODSTOCK

Sat Oct 13  4:00pm

Visit www.personalstatementfilm.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

DOCUMENTARIES

SHAKEDOWN Directed by Leilah Weinraub USA / 2018 / 75 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Egypt Jazmyne Junior Mahogany Ronnie-Ron Slow–Wine Keyonna PRODUCERS Drake Burnette Michael Hekmat Riel Roch Decter Leliah Weinraub Pilar Wiley SCREENWRITER Leilah Weinraub CINEMATOGRAPHER Leilah Weinraub EDITOR Matt Hollis COMPOSER/MUSIC Tim Dewit

GUEST PROGRAM

FILMMAKERS

OF COLOR

It is rare that we get to see stories about queer people of color. Shakedown focuses on a world most people never normally get to see: a black lesbian strip club in Los Angeles during the

LGBTQ FOCUS

early 2000s that helped to define club and gay culture today. The story is told in a bold, iconic style — using images from promotional flyers and hyperactive soundscapes mixed with captivating footage of the dancers in action. What kept me most glued to the screen was the intensely personal interviews that allow us to peek into the lives of these women — and share some truly intimate moments with them. The creative approach used to tell this story is perfectly executed, and the film does not hold back from highlighting social injustice and discrimination against marginalized groups of society. —Roger Ross Williams Leilah Weinraub is an artist and director living in New York. A short version of her film Shakedown was recently included in the 2017 Whitney Biennial. She is the CEO and Creative Director of Hood By Air, the New York-based fashion collective known for luxury ready-to-wear. Weinraub helped to radicalize fashion by championing what she calls “modern people,” the rising class of consumers who subvert traditional markers of race, class and gender, and revel in freedom, lawlessness and spectacle. As a filmmaker, Weinraub has helped document such unacknowledged tastemakers, particularly those belonging to queer, autonomous communities of color whose creative output is often plundered by mass culture but whose stories are rarely told on their own terms.

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Leilah Weinraub, Roger Ross Williams

SHOWING AT BEARSVILLE THEATER WOODSTOCK

Fri Oct 12  2:30pm Visit www.shakedown.film

2018

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

DOCUMENTARIES W O RL D P RE MIE R E

SOMALILAND Directed by Ben Powell, Harry Lee USA / 2018 / 86 minutes English and Somali with subtitles MAIN CREDITS EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS

PRODUCERS CINEMATOGRAPHERS

EDITORS COMPOSER/MUSIC

Anand Desai Blair Lee Stephen Lee Carolyn K. Dupuy Bob Griendling Karla Leavelle Harry Lee Kate Griendling Ben Powell Harry Lee Kate Griendling Hayat Mohamed Paul Docharty Ben Powell Will Bedford

In a country emerging from the ashes of civil war, Abaarso School of Science and Technology offers Somali youth a stake in a better socioeconomic future by preparing them to attend college in the United States. Filmed with keen sensitivity by first-time

directors Ben Powell and Harry Lee, Somaliland follows five hard-working, determined Abaarso students as they deal with the steep challenges ahead: learning English, navigating financial aid, enduring the heartbreak of rejection, and adjusting to an alien environment, all while grappling with young adulthood. Seeking to be the first from their impoverished nation to go to school in America, the financial stakes are high and the social pressures enormous, but luckily they’re not alone. Staffed by a spirited team of American teachers, including co-director Lee, the Abaarso faculty offer practical guidance and emotional support, shaping them into independent thinkers with the intellectual ability and grit to make their dreams a reality. —Avery Davenport Ben Powell is a filmmaker and cinematographer from Washington D.C. He owns and operates Powell Media Concepts, a small media production company primarily focused on corporate and commercial work. Powell hails from a musical background and always seeks to bring the artistic qualities, musical pacing and meaningful engagement from that discipline to all the projects he tackles.

BIO

Harry Lee was born in Kaduna, Nigeria, and has lived in five countries across three Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change Filmmakers: Ben Powell, Harry Lee Students: Jonathan, Abdisamad, Roda

continents. He has a Master’s in Education from Harvard University and Bachelor’s degrees in Foreign Affairs and Psychology from the University of Virginia. He spent three years helping to build and lead Abaarso School in Somaliland and will soon return to the country to launch a new system of K-12 schools.

COURTESY OF

SHOWING AT UPSTATE FILMS II RHINEBECK

Sat Oct 13 1:45pm

BEARSVILLE THEATER WOODSTOCK

Sun Oct 14  10:00am

Visit www.facebook.com/somalilandfilm

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

DOCUMENTARIES

STAY HUMAN Directed by Michael Franti USA / 2018 / 94 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Michael Franti NARRATOR Michael Franti EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Sara Agah Franti Tom Sebastian PRODUCER Michael Franti SCREENWRITER Michael Franti CINEMATOGRAPHERS John Roderick Anthony Thoen EDITORS Anthony Thoen John Roderick COMPOSER/MUSIC Michael Franti

During these turbulent times, the feeling of hopelessness is everywhere. Seeking a path to stay human

and hold on to humanity, Michael Franti takes us on an experiential journey through his songs and stories of people who have overcome cynicism with optimism and hope. Franti shares the tales of Robin Lim, a midwife who opened a birthing clinic following a devastating typhoon in the Philippines, Steve and Hope Dezember, a young couple whose love carries them through Steve’s battle with ALS, Arief Rabik, an environmentalist making industrial and household products with bamboo to curb deforestation in Bali, and Sive Mazinyo and Busisiwwe Vazi, inspiring their community of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, through music and education. Franti reflects on his personal journey facing adversity as a child, struggling to find his voice as a musician, and how he found inspiration through these stories. He hopes to inspire people to become changemakers by utilizing creativity, tenacity and heart to face our daily challenges as individuals, and together as citizens of our planet to Stay Human.

Franti is a globally recognized musician, humanitarian and activist BIO Michael filmmaker, revered for his high-energy live shows, inspiring music, devotion to health and wellness, and worldwide philanthropic efforts. Franti believes first and foremost in using music as a vehicle for positive change - his 9th album Soulrocker, with its potent hybrid blend of hip-hop, rock, folk, reggae, and electronic music, once again demonstrates Franti’s singular ability to create music that is both through-provoking and triumphantly hopeful. Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Michael Franti

SHOWING AT WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE

FOLLOWED BY Woodstock Playhouse Fri Oct 12 2:00pm a short performance BY Michael Franti

Fri Oct 12  1:30pm Visit www.stayhumanfilm.com

2018

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

DOCUMENTARIES EA ST C O A ST P R E M I E R E

SUICIDE: THE RIPPLE EFFECT Directed by Kevin Hines, Greg Dicharry USA / 2018 / 93 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Kevin Hines Marcus Butler Patrick Hines Libby Hines Margaret Hines EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Kevin Hines Greg Dicharry PRODUCERS Brad Buecker Darren Criss Steven Higgins SCREENWRITERS Ryan Moser Kevin Hines Greg Dicharry CINEMATOGRAPHER Greg Dicharry EDITOR Ryan Moser COMPOSER/MUSIC Ryan Moser - Twilight in Versailles SOUND DESIGNER Jason Downer

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Kevin Hines, Greg Dicharry

At age 19, Kevin Hines decided to take his life by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge. But on the way down, he suddenly realized what

he had done and made a desperate prayer to live, vowing to put his life to good use if he was spared. Suicide: The Ripple Effect, which he co-directed with Greg Dicharry, follows Hines’ mission to make people aware of the devastating effects of suicide and the huge, positive ‘‘ripple effect’’ the work he and his loyal vanguard of mental health professionals, survivors and advocates are engaged in as they travel the country, reminding people that hope is out there, even if they can’t yet see it. The film compassionately shares the stories of individuals and families who are using their personal tragedies to offer inspiration and healing as part of a global undertaking to help curtail suicides and raise greater awareness about mental illness around the world. —Avery Davenport Kevin Hines is an award-winning global storyteller, best-selling author, documentary filmmaker, suicide prevention, wellness and mental health advocate who reaches audiences with his story of an unlikely survival and his strong will to live. Two years after he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, at the age of 19, he attempted to take his life by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge. He is one of only thirty-six (less than 1%) to survive the fall. He is the only Golden Gate Bridge jump survivor who is actively spreading a message of living mentally well around the country and throughout the globe.

BIO

Greg Dicharry is a native of Louisiana who, in 1993, moved to Hollywood and

began living his vision of working in the film industry. Several years later that career path was derailed by mental illness and drug addiction. For the last nine years he has been leading one of the nation’s leading youth programs, focused on empowering young people with mental health, substance abuse and foster care challenges. Since 2010, Greg has been combining these two passions and has produced, directed and edited numerous mental health related PSA’s and videos designed to educate and inspire.

COURTESY OF

SHOWING AT UPSTATE FILMS II RHINEBECK

Fri Oct 12 8:45pm

BEARSVILLE THEATER WOODSTOCK

Sat Oct 13  6:30pm

Visit www.suicidetherippleeffect.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

DOCUMENTARIES DOCUMENTARIES

NEW YO RK PRE M I E R E

UP TO SNUFF Directed by Mark Maxey USA / 2018 / 79 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Aaron Sorkin Martin Sheen Tom Arnold Lawrence O’ Donnell Timothy Busfield EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Ron Gaboury Judi Pulig PRODUCERS Mark Maxey Gino Scofidio SCREENWRITER Mark Maxey CINEMATOGRAPHER Shawn Grice EDITOR Gino Scofidio PRODUCTION DESIGNER Paul Hart COMPOSER/MUSIC W.G. Snuffy Walden SOUND DESIGNER Eddie Hartness

W.G. “Snuffy” Walden may be one of the most influential (but least known) contributors to the soundtrack of your life. If

you watched thirtysomething, The Wonder Years, Friday Night Lights, or The West Wing, the guitarist Snuffy Walden possibly had more impact on you than Eric Clapton or Jimi Hendrix. Snuffy started out like many talented musicians in the ‘60s and ‘70s, embracing the ‘‘Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll’’ lifestyle, while trying to make it in a rock band. Unlike his music peers, Snuffy quietly transitioned into one of the most successful, well liked and impactful television composers of our time. Up To Snuff is the story of that metamorphosis, recounted by the likes of Aaron Sorkin, Timothy Busfield, Martin Sheen, Tom Arnold, Eric Burden (of the Animals), and many others. As Snuffy himself says, ‘‘I didn’t choose a life in music, music chose me.’’ Learn how this massively influential, near unknown survived the ‘60s and ‘70s to help define the ‘90s and ‘00s. —Jeff Morris

Maxey is an Emmy award-winning producer, best known for television BIO Mark specials The Honors: A Salute to American Heroes, National Memorial Day Parade, and On Stage at the Kennedy Center with Marvin Hamlisch. His work has appeared on ABC, CBS, CNN, Discovery, FOX, MSNBC, MTV, NBC, and PBS. Maxey is a member of the Producers Guild of America, National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, National Association of Television Program Executives, and the American Film Institute. Up to Snuff is his feature film directorial debut.

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Mark Maxey, W.G. Snuffy Walden SHOWING AT UPSTATE FILMS I RHINEBECK

Sat Oct 13  4:00pm

WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE

2018

Sun Oct 14  1:30pm

Visit www.uptosnuffmovie.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

DOCUMENTARIES NEW YO RK PRE M I E R E

WHAT IS DEMOCRACY? Directed by Astra Taylor Canada / 2018 / 108 minutes English, Greek, Arabic with subtitles MAIN CREDITS CAST Silvia Federici Cornel West Wendy Brown Angela Davis EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Anita Lee PRODUCER Lea Marin CINEMATOGRAPHER Maya Bankovic EDITOR Robert Kennedy COMPOSER/MUSIC Heather McIntosh

‘‘Everywhere you look democracy is in trouble,’’ observes director Astra Taylor as she travels the world to document the wave of authoritarianism sweeping the planet. Drawing on the ancient Greek phi-

losophers and intercutting footage of the remnants of ancient Greece, Taylor seeks to tackle the question “How shall we live?” With cameos by some of the brilliant minds of our time, Taylor interviews Cornel West, Angela Davis and Wendy Brown, among others, and ferrets out the dark side of democracy, with its institutionalized racism, poverty and greed. Plato observed the simple truth that the rich strive for more wealth to the detriment of the poor, and he thus believed that rulers should be impoverished. In a stark and revelatory interview, former Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou dispels the notion of democracy — when loans from neighboring countries and the IMF result in austerity and riots. This is a fascinating account with parallels as true today as in Plato’s time. —Barbara Pokras, ACE Astra Taylor is a filmmaker, writer, and political organizer. She is the director of the philosophical documentaries What Is Democracy?, Examined Life, and Zizek!; the author of the American Book Award winner The People’s Platform: Taking Back Power and Culture in the Digital Age; and a co-founder of the Debt Collective. She has written for The New York Times, The London Review of Books, The Guardian, The Walrus, The Baffler, n+1, and many other outlets. She is a Shuttleworth Foundation Fellow and a former touring member of the band Neutral Milk Hotel. Her new book, Democracy May Not Exist, but We’ll Miss It When It’s Gone, will be out from Metropolitan Books in early 2019.

BIO

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Astra Taylor SHOWING AT WOODSTOCK PLAYHOUSE

Thur Oct 11  2:45pm

COURTESY OF

ORPHEUM THEATER SAUGERTIES

Sat Oct 13  2:00pm

Visit www.mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/what-is-democracy

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

DOCUMENTARIES DOCUMENTARIES

NEW Y O RK PRE M I E R E

THE WORLD BEFORE YOUR FEET Directed by Jeremy Workman USA / 2018 / 94 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Matt Green EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Jesse Eisenberg PRODUCER Jeremy Workman CINEMATOGRAPHER Jeremy Workman EDITOR Jeremy Workman COMPOSERS/MUSIC Carly Comando Tom Rosenthal Max Avery Lichtenstein Rhonda Mackert Haydn Miles

Former engineer Matt Green has a passion and a purpose: to walk every block of the over 8,000 miles of every New York City borough. Forsaking material attachments and relying on friends

and strangers to provide shelter, Green is part human greeting card, part urban anthropologist, botanist, and historian. Driven by an insatiable curiosity, impervious to the elements and always amiable, he takes us along on a tour of the city to places that will surprise even born and bred New Yorkers. Director Jeremy Workman (WFF 2013, Audience Award, Magical Universe) immerses the viewer in a sensory universe visible only to those who choose to slow down and observe. What began as a two-year project has morphed into five-plus years. Far more than an ode to a great metropolis, this is an engaging, entertaining and inspiring portrait of a man pursuing his own private dream. —Barbara Pokras, ACE

Workman’s previous documentary was the award-winning Magical BIO Jeremy Universe (IFC Films) about outsider artist Al Carbee. Magical Universe was the winner of the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature at Woodstock Film Festival in 2013. Upon its theatrical release in 2014, Magical Universe was a LA Times and Village Voice Critic’s Pick, and was selected by The New York Times as recommended watching when it debuted on Netflix. It can now be found on all streaming services. Workman is also the director of the documentaries Who Is Henry Jaglom? and True New York. Currently, he is in production on Lily Topples The World, about the 19-year-old domino artist and YouTube star Lily Hevesh.

Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Jeremy Workman, Matt Green

COURTESY OF

SHOWING AT BEARSVILLE THEATER WOODSTOCK

Fri Oct 12  7:30pm

ROSENDALE THEATRE

2018

Sun Oct 14  2:45pm

Visit www.theworldbeforeyourfeet.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

DOCUMENTARIES DOCUMENTARIES

WRESTLE Directed by Suzannah Herbert, Lauren Belfer USA / 2018 / 98 minutes MAIN CREDITS CAST Jailen Young Jamario Rowe Jaquan Rhodes Teague Berres Chris Scribner EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Micheline Levine Steven Streit Walker Deibel Chad Troutwine PRODUCERS Lauren Belfer Steven Klein Seth Gordon Suzannah Herbert Mary Rolich CONSULTING PRODUCER Sam D. Pollard SCREENWRITERS Lauren Belfer Suzannah Herbert Pablo Proenza CINEMATOGRAPHER Sinisa Kukic EDITOR Pablo Proenza COMPOSERS/MUSIC David Wingo Graham Lebron SOUND DESIGNER Arjun G. Sheth Q&A PARTICIPANT *subject to change

Suzannah Herbert, Lauren Belfer SHOWING AT BEARSVILLE THEATER WOODSTOCK

Thur Oct 11  12:45pm

JO Johnson High School has been on Alabama’s failing schools list for years. But

it also possesses a hard-working wrestling team who show their true grit in this nuanced documentary that illuminates the injustices and challenges these young athletes face on and off the mat. As they fight their way towards the State Championship and the doors they hope it will open, wrestlers Jailen, Jamario, Teague, and Jaquan grapple with obstacles that jeopardize their success, while their coach — coming to terms with his own past conflicts — pushes them forward while unwittingly wading into the complexities of class and race in the South. Ultimately, Wrestle is an inspiring coming of age journey and an impassioned depiction of growing up underprivileged in America today. Fast paced and raw, the film keeps us rooted and rooting until the very last match, knowing the boys fate and ability to rise beyond their legacy is at stake. —Gene Fischer from Memphis, Suzannah Herbert studied documentary filmmaking BIO Originally at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. The first documentary she directed at Tisch, Central Park: The Park at the Center of the World, aired on several local PBS stations. Herbert’s senior thesis, Home Game, premiered at DOC NYC, won the audience award for best short film at Indie Memphis Film Festival, and is now on-demand on Snagfilms.com. Herbert was the Associate Producer on Free Angela & All Political Prisoners, directed by Shola Lynch, and has since worked as an Assistant Editor on Michael Moore’s Where To Invade Next, Fahrenheit 11/9, and Martin Scorsese’s unannounced, upcoming documentary. Herbert made her feature directorial debut with Wrestle at the 2018 San Francisco International Film Festival. Lauren Belfer is a producer and filmmaker based in Brooklyn, NY. She produced the narrative film After Louie, starring Alan Cumming, and works frequently with Michael Moore, including on the Oscar-shortlisted Where to Invade Next, his 2016 election year treatise Michael Moore in Tumpland, and has been collaborating on his highly anticipated new film Fahrenheit 11/9. She has been the supervising producer for an unannounced documentary directed by Martin Scorsese and produced the feature-length documentary Hotline (Hot Docs 2014). Wrestle is her first feature film.

UPSTATE FILMS WOODSTOCK II

Fri Oct 12  6:00pm

Visit www.wrestlefilm.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

SHORTS SHORTS

ANIMATION I WITH JOY + NOELLE

Runtime: 71 minutes + Q&A

THE ENGLISH TEECHER

WORLD PREMIERE

USA / 2018 / 5:21 minutes Imagine a world where people melt from stress. www.londonsquared.net

Directed by Leah Shore

GAMBLE

www.leahshore.com

Directed by Chayadol Lomtong Japanese with subtitles

USA / 2018 / 4:46 minutes A timid character with a wine glass for a head grows larger than his numbered peers while participating in a prosaic cycle of pouring.

www.blend-films.blogspot.com

Directed by Mark C. Smith

www.facebook.com/chayadol.lomtong

GOOSE IN HIGH HEELS Directed by John R. Dilworth

USA / 2017 / 12:08 minutes A writer struggles to complete his masterpiece and finds inspiration from a lifelong muse.

www.facebook.com/amyjingyixu

TWO BALLOONS

USA / 2018 / 7:16 minutes

A father’s addiction to gambling a Pachinko machine has led to the neglect of his young daughter.

POUR 585 Directed by Patrick Smith

FUNERAL USA, Canada / 2017 / 7:57 minutes A dramedy where the surreal meets the real by a water cooler.

MELT DOWN Directed by Amy Jingyi Xu

Directed by Andy and Carolyn London

USA /2018/ 19 minutes Welcome to Englishtopia! It’s UTOPIA but for English.

Bearsville Theater WOODSTOCK  Fri Oct 12  12:15pm

USA / 2017 / 9:08 minutes Two adventurous lemurs navigate their dirigibles halfway around the world to a place where happenstance and fate threaten to disrupt their reunion.

www.twoballoons.film

YOUR FACE GLOBAL JAM Directed by Ken Mora www.stretchfilms.com

THE MAGICAL MYSTERY OF MUSIGNY

USA / 2017 / 3:30 minutes In 2017, animators around the world came together for the 30th anniversary of Bill Plympton’s Your Face to celebrate his world-wide influence. www.youfaceglobaljam.wixsite.com

Directed by Emmett Goodman, John Meyer

USA / 2017 / 3 minutes John tells of his enthusiasm for wine, especially for a particular Pinot Noir.

www.vimeo.com/231787602

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

SHORTS ANIMATION II WITH JOY + NOELLE

WOODSTOCK Community Center  Sun Oct 14  1:30pm

SHORTS

Runtime: 63 minutes + Q&A

EGO

Directed by Mario Addis

Italy / 2018 / 5:06 minutes What if we were nothing more than breath in a balloon?

HE’S WATCHING 59 SECONDS

www.mapo-mapos.com

Directed by Mauro Carraro

Directed by Arthur Metcalf

A love story is turned upside down by the 59 second earthquake that devastated Friuli in May, 1976.

USA / 2017 / 11:40 minutes A little girl faces evil at the most wonderful time of the year.

THE CHRISTMAS RABBIT

MARTIN

Switzerland, France / 2017 / 16 minutes Italian and French with subtitles

Christophe Lopez-Huici

UK / 2017 / 4:30 minutes A man unwittingly unleashes Armageddon in a quiet English seaside town.

DINNER

www.clopezhuici.com

USA / 2018 / 2 minutes A spider struggles through the internal debate of a woman’s indecision on the spider’s fate.

EDITH PIAF (SAID IT BETTER THAN ME)

www.metcalflovesyou.com.

Directed by Sholto Crow

UK / 2018 / 10:45 minutes On Christmas eve, an old lady finds her beloved cat has died.

Directed by Anna Gilmore

www.marioaddis.com

ONE SMALL STEP

www.crowmotion.com

Directed by Andrew Chesworth, Bobby Pontillas

www.annacgilmore.com

Directed by Joseph Wallace

USA / 2018 / 7:40 minutes A young Chinese American girl dreams of becoming an astronaut.

www. taikostudios.com

TRUMP BITES

UK / 2017 / 3:45 minutes Sparks find themselves in 1930s Paris in pursuit of something just beyond their grasp.

Directed by Bill Plympton

www. josephwallace.co.uk

USA / 2018 / 3 minutes A few Trump Bites from legendary animator Bill Plympton.

www.plymptoons.com

2018

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

SHORTS SHORTS

MUSIC VIDEOS ONLINE MAGIC MEADOW

BOYISH MUSIC BY JAPANESE BREAKFAST

MUSIC BY

JOURNEY BLUE HEAVEN

Directed by Michelle Zauner USA / 2018 / 3:51 minutes Music video directed by Michelle Zauner and www.japanesebreakfast.rocks/music cinematography by Adam Kolodny from the critically-acclaimed album Soft Sounds from Another Planet

Directed by Journey Blue Heaven, Michael Orange

DUMB DUMB

MANDARIN

Directed by Daniela Croci

Directed by Denis Chibiryak

USA / 2017 / 3:35 minutes A boom-bap anthem that features an all female cast of www.vimeo.com/273938811 dancers to Cipherella’s thought provoking lyrics; to denigrate celebrity gossip and the general public’s interest in trivial subject matter.

Directed by Jason Sondock and Simon Davis (aka rubberband.)

www.vimeo.com/228628261

PAPRIKA MUSIC BY

Luxembourg / 2017 / 6:48 minutes A beautiful and mysterious woman lures men into her stylish apartment.

www.vimeo.com/239604893

PORA SOTUNDA

MUSIC BY THE MYSTERY OF THE

GLENDALE MUSIC BY CLANS

BULGARIAN VOICES

Directed by Ivan Moskov

Directed by Sean Wehrli

www.seanwehrli.com

Bulgaria / 2017 / 4:19 minutes A surreal video scored by the ethereal Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices choir.

LAND OF THE FAIRIES

SOLICITOUS

Directed by Amiel Kestenbaum

Directed by Zuzanna Plisz

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rc8QRI6lXb8

MUSIC BY

MUSIC BY RAMI FORTIS

UK / 2017 / 5:32 minutes A young boy wakes up to find a magical fairy in his room.

www. vimeo.com/226244393

Directed by Gwen François

TOULOUSE

USA / 2017 / 6:17 minutes A portrait of Detroit and the passion its people share.

USA / 2018 / 4:30 minutes The energy of New York is expressed through the language of music and dance.

NO METAL IN THIS BATTLE

FOUND

USA / 2018 / 4:54 minutes A man dies in a car accident and, in his mind, goes back to see the woman he loves.

www.vimeo.com/279593501

MUSIC BY BOOGROV

MUSIC BY CIPHERELLA

MUSIC BY

USA / 2018 / 4:40 minutes Journey Blue Heaven and the Rock City Riders transport us to the Magic Meadow of Dreams.

DREKOTY

www.vimeo.com/244432441

Poland / 2017 / 4:59 minutes A romantic fairy-tale about a relationship between two sensitive, mountain-dwelling giants.

www. vimeo.com/247027565

Photo: Simon Russell

2015 Woodstock Film Festival: The Poet of the Havana Q&A and live performance

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

NO REGRETS

SHORTS

SHORTS WOODSTOCK Community Center  Fri Oct 12  4:30pm  Sat Oct 13  4:30pm

Runtime: 65 minutes + Q&A

HOMING IN

Directed by Parker Hill

USA / 2017 / 6:43 minutes Inspired by true events of 1950’s Levittown, New York, Homing In follows Joan as she finds an unexpected visitor in her home.. www.imagenationabudhabi.com

1-0

Directed by Nada ElAzhary

MI HERMANO (MY BROTHER) Directed by Alexis Gambis

United Arab Emirates / 2017 / 10 minutes Arabic with subtitles

When a flirty text to her crush accidentally gets sent to her dad’s phone, a shy teenager does whatever it takes to delete the message.

Mexico / 2018 / 9 minutes

ARE YOU STILL SINGING?

When butterflies carrying the souls of the dead arrive in his hometown, a young boy learns about the meaning of death.

Directed by Gillian Barnes USA / 2018 / 12 minutes In a last-ditch effort to become a singing star, Joy Fields walks out on her marriage to chase her dream ... but nothing goes as planned.

www.weaselworks.tv/gillybarnes-1-1

www.alexisgambis.com

Directed by Emma Seligman

2018 / NYU Tisch School of the Arts / USA/ 8 minutes At a Jewish funeral service with her parents, a young woman runs into her sugar daddy.

Directed by Dina Waxman

BOY BOY GIRL GIRL

Spanish with subtitles

SHIVA BABY

BEAUTIFUL THINGS USA / 2018 / 4 minutes During her daily lunch break in a city park, a young woman keeps seeing a man she thinks she recognizes from magical childhood adventures in the Catskills.

www.parkerchill.com

www.shivababyshort.com

SORCERESS

Directed by Max Blustin www.dinawaxman.com

UK / 2018 / 4 minutes A waitress overhears a difficult and tragic conversation... but she goes to take the order anyway. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

NEW YORK PREMIERE

Directed by Ross Kauffman

USA / 2018 /11 minutes A gay couple attempts to adopt from a pregnant meth addict and her criminal girlfriend.

2018

www.fictionless.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

SHORTS SHORTS

PAIRS

Runtime: 74 minutes + Q&A

AFTER HER

WOODSTOCK Community Center  Sat Oct 13  2:15pm  Sun Oct 14  11:30am

SHADOWS

Runtime: 62 minutes + Q&A

WOODSTOCK Community Center  Fri Oct 12  6:45pm  Sun Oct 14  3:45pm NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

NEW YORK PREMIERE

Directed by Aly Migliori USA / 2018 / 14 minutes After a wayward teenage girl goes missing, her friend becomes haunted by her disappearance.

Directed by Justine Williams

www.alymigliori.com WORLD PREMIERE

BEAST

USA / 2018 / 15 minutes In 1980’s Woodstock, NY, a 13-year old girl reluctantly prepares for her Bat Mitzvah, but an unexpected www.play-mountain.org encounter with a local girl, sends her traditional rite of passage in an unorthodox direction.

THE LAST SÉANCE

NY PREMIERE

Directed by Laura Kulik USA / Loyola Marymount University / 2018 / 15 minutes Over the course of one terrifying seance, two sisters must defeat an evil demon.

MOVED TO TIERS

www.kulikeditor.com WORLD PREMIERE

ROOSTER AND THE QUEEN

UK / 2018 / 18 minutes 6-year-old Alice is told by her mother that her father has become a beast.

LAST REQUESTS Directed by Courtenay E. Johnson USA / 2018 / 18 minutes Maggie, a widowed cook at Huntsville Death House, has prepared the last meals of condemned men for thirty years — but tonight’s dish is special. After tonight, there will never be another ‘last meal request.’

NEW YORK PREMIERE

www.courtenayjohnson.com

UNNATURAL

Directed by Amy Wang

USA / American Film Institute / 2018 / 29 minutes In every attempt for normality, 18-year-old James is perpetually confronted by his demons. Can James fit into a society that’s been taught to hate who he is?

Directed by Avery Herzog

USA / Ithaca College / 2018 / 11 minutes Two bakery wedding cake toppers come to life and escape to find their own happily ever after.

www.leonoralonsdale.com

www.averyherzog.com WORLD PREMIERE

Directed by Aaron Weisblatt

USA / 2018 / 18 minutes Love is knowing when to walk away www.unnaturalfilm.com

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

SHORTS SHORT DOCS I Runtime: 78 minutes + Q&A

www.lynnesachs.comr

CAROLEE, BARBARA & GUNVOR Directed by Lynne Sachs

USA / 2018 / 8:55 minutes Three renowned women artists discuss their passion for filmmaking.

THE CRYING ROOM

Directed by Shalom Auslander

USA / 2018 / 7 minutes A film that centers on the importance of open and honest communication amongst teens.

SHORTS

WOODSTOCK Community Center  Fri Oct 12  2:00pm  Sat Oct 13  6:30pm

THE VELVET UNDERGROUND PLAYED AT MY HIGH SCHOOL Directed by Robert Pietri, Tony Jannelli

USA / 2017 / 7 minutes This animated short recounts the Velvet Underground’s first gig—in 1965, in front of a crowd of shocked kids at a suburban New Jersey high school.

THE WINDS OF DOWNHILL Directed by Todd Wider, Jedd Wider www.woodstockdayschool.org

LIFEBOAT

Directed by Skye Fitzgerald USA / 2018 / 34 minutes

English, Arabic and German with subtitles

USA / 2017 / 21 minutes Seven homeless people share their views on life, art and beauty, as well as their fears and dreams.

Lifeboat showcases the crisis of refugees desperate enough to risk their lives in rubber boats leaving Libya. www.spinfilm.org

www.windsofdownhill.com

SHORT DOCS II

ROSENDALE Theatre  Fri Oct 12  1:00pm

Runtime: 65 minutes + Q&A

THE MOVIE HOUSE ON MAIN STREET

VICARIOUS RESILIENCE

USA / 2018 / 30 minutes A documentary about one of many small screen movie theaters across the United States that faced closure, and how a group of residents with a lot of heart have impacted their surrounding community.

USA / 2018 / 35 minutes The documentary follows three Hudson Valley residents over the course of a 10-week TMI Project storytelling workshop presented at The Mental Health Association in Ulster County (MHA).

Directed by Teresa Torchiano

WORLD PREMIERE

2018

Directed by Eva Tenuto

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

WORLD PREMIERE

SHORTS SHORTS

STRIFE

Community Center WOODSTOCK  Sat Oct 13  12:00pm  Sun Oct 14  6:30pm

Runtime: 71 minutes + Q&A

A YEAR

EAST COAST PREMIERE

Directed by Jisun Jamie Kim Nepali with subtitles

A Himalayan village woman yearns to provide a better life for her young daughters, but times are harsh, and the only option she sees is surrogacy – a choice that will explode her domestic tranquility and become a searing dilemma.

NY PREMIERE

ANTOUNI (HOMELESS)

Armenia / NYU Tisch School of the Arts / 2017 / 11 minutes Armenian with subtitles

A nine-year-old SyrianArmenian girl discovers her father’s plans of leaving their beloved homeland.

USA / 2017 / 6 minutes November, 2017. This video is dedicated to the current administration.

SALAM

www.aliktamar.com

USA / 2018 / 13 minutes Arabic with subtitles, and English

NEW YORK PREMIERE

Germany / 2018 / 11 minutes

Directed by Raj Trivedi

USA / Columbia University / 2018 / 16 minutes

German with subtitles

Spanish with subtitles

www.rajtrivedi.com

Staged during the actual events of the 2017 G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, a young woman www.sunnika-films.com navigates a fictional dystopian world which grimly reflects our current political landscape.

SURREAL

Community Center WOODSTOCK  Fri Oct 12  9:15pm  Sat Oct 13  9:00pm

Runtime: 65 minutes + Q&A NORTH AMERICA PREMIERE

Directed by Chakib Taleb-Bendiab

LUCY

Directed by Ruben Gutiérrez

Tunisia, France / 2018 / 20 minutes

Venezuela / 2018 / 15 minutes

French, Japanese, Arabic with Subtitles

Spanish with subtitles

A world-weary French www.chakib-taleb.com archaeologist goes on a quest to find the elusive ‘Black Spirits’ - a legendary African Samurai clan.

EVEN ANTS STRIVE FOR SURVIVAL

www.clairefowler.com

WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD Directed by Anni Sultany, Jerry Suen

DEL RIO

www.amandapalmer.net

Directed by Claire Fowler

A female Lyft driver navigates the night shift in NYC while waiting to hear life or death news from Syria.

Directed by Alik Tamar

BLACK SPIRIT

NEW YORK PREMIERE

Directed by Jordan Rathus

/ NYU Tisch School of the Arts / 2018 / 14 minutes

A woman attempts to return to the United States after she is separated from her daughter in an immigration raid.

MOTHER

US PREMIERE

Directed by Ren Xia

A delusional, solitary sound effects artist secretly films his neighbor and reconstructs the sounds of her life.

VOICE

www..lucytheshortfilm.com

US PREMIERE

Directed by Takeshi Kushida

Japan / 2017 / 10 minutes A lonely man falls in love with the shadow of woman.

Hong Kong / 2017 / 20 minutes Cantonese and Mandarin with subtitles

Everyman Ma Yi, who raises ants as a hobby, is arrested www.hkac.org.hk without explanation by the Hong Kong government - and attempts to understand his mysterious crime.

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

SHORTS TEEN FILMS Runtime: 64 minutes + Q&A

AFTER THE COLLAPSE

WORLD PREMIERE

PAST THE FEAR

USA / 2018 / 6 minutes Woodstock Film Festival Summer Youth Film Lab Two siblings break into a government building attempting to find the truth behind a deadly disease.

USA / 2018 / 5:57 minutes Woodstock Film Festival Summer Youth Film Lab Four adults express their fears while a group of young kids give solutions in response to them.

ALONG THE WATER

SILENCE

Directed by Marissa Gaylin

Directed by Camille Dobbs

USA / 2018 / 5 minutes Onteora High School A young girl, Sal, throws coins in the water every day in hopes that her wishes will come true.

USA / 2018 / 11 minutes Albany Leadership Charter High School For Girls & Youth FX A look at the fallout of a relationship and the current #metoo movement sweeping the country.

CAN’T HURRY LOVE Directed by Lola Cook

USA / 2018 / 3:41 minutes Woodstock Day School A boy finds a mysterious note in his locker and must race the clock in the pursuit of love.

THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO SUBURBIA Directed by Alex Alford and Zak Denley

USA / 2017 / 19 minutes A high school boy foregoes the conventional limo hiring for his prom in favor of hitchhiking his way through the night.

Directed by Maura Palden

USA / 2018 / 6:11 minutes Albany Leadership Charter High School For Girls & Youth FX A young boy experiences a series of dreams that at first seem to be harmless. However, he soon realizes his inability to escape and wake up into the real world.

USA / 2018 / 11 minutes Tribeca Film Institute A personal documentary that follows 16 year old Aicha Cherif as she reconciles a fractured relationship with her mother. WORLD PREMIERE

Directed by Eli Canter

USA / 2018 / 8 minutes The life and work of Emily Perl Kingsley, former Sesame Street writer and longtime activist for children’s disabilities and their families. WORLD PREMIERE

Onteora High School Fri Oct 12 8:00am - 2:00pm

PHOTO: BEN CASWELL

YOUTH INITIATIVE

Directed Aicha Cherif

Directed by Jacob Internicola

WAKE UP

FILM CAREER DAY:

I AM THE ONLY ONE

MIRROR MIRROR

WORLD PREMIERE

Directed by Samuel Levine

Directed by Ethan Laclaverie

INCLUSION ON THE AIR

SHORTS

Bearsville Theater WOODSTOCK  Fri Oct 12  5:00pm

Every year, over 150 students from schools throughout the region gather at Onteora High School in Boiceville for Career Day, where students meet with A-list film industry professionals in small groups, ask questions and learn about careers in film and new media. In addition to conversations with leading authorities on filmmaking, students are treated to a film screening, followed by a Q&A session with the filmmakers.

USA / 2018 / 6 minutes Woodstock Film Festival Summer Youth Film Lab Lily has two colliding personalities, which argue about whether to go to a party.

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WoodstockFilmFestival.org

SPECIAL EVENTS A SPECIAL CELEBR ATION OF FILM AND MUSIC

PERFORMANCES

LIVE PERFORMANCE TO KICK OFF THE FESTIVAL Woodstock Playhouse  Wed Oct 10  7:00pm

following the screening of

PERFORMING: Karl Berger Ingrid Sertso Steven Bernstein Peter Apfelbaum Billy Martin Ken Filiano

KARL BERGER — MUSIC MIND KARL BERGER, INGRID SERTSO & FRIENDS

Karl Berger and CMS artistic directors will perform brand new compositions for this special North American Premiere.

A SPECIAL PERFORMANCE BY

MICHAEL FRANTI

Vibraphone Vocals Trumpets Saxophones, Flutes Percussion Bass

Woodstock Playhouse  Fri Oct 12 1:30pm

Following the screening of

STAY HUMAN

Directed by Michael Franti, Stay Human juxtaposes his worldwide musical travels and work with the growth of his personal life. Franti will offer an acoustic performance of some of his favorite songs.

A SPECIAL PRESENTATION OF FILM AND CONVERSATION

ISSUES IN THE NEWS

Woodstock Playhouse  Oct 13  1:30pm

Following the screening of the short documentary

LESSONS FROM A SCHOOL SHOOTING: NOTES FROM DUNBLANE

In the wake of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre that took the lives of 20 first graders and their teachers, local clergymen Father Bob Weiss receives a letter from a fellow priest in Dunblane, Scotland, whose community suffered an eerily similar fate in 1996. From across the Atlantic, the two priests forge a poignant bond through the shared experience of trauma and healing.

EXPERIENCE THE FUTURE

VIRTUAL REALITY

Following the screening, there will be a panel discussion featuring the filmmakers, as well as additional panelists from Newtown and more to be announced. Never before seen film clips of the filmmakers’ upcoming documentary about the mass shooting in Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, will also be shown.

Center for Photography  Sat Oct 13  12-1pm  1-2pm  2-3pm  3-4pm  5-6pm  6-7pm  7-8pm  8-9pm

V R LO U N G E S U P P O R T E D B Y H T C V I V E COMPUTERS PROVIDED BY DELL U N D E R W R I T T E N I N PA R T B Y A R T S M I D - H U D S O N A N D B Y J E N N I F E R H I C K S

VIRTUAL REALITY LOUNGE

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Curated by VR specialists Carol Silverman and Dario Laverde, the Woodstock Film Festival Virtual Reality Lounge will feature the installation of several ground-breaking VR and 360 experiences, including Life of Us, an exciting two-participant experience that premiered at Sundance, and My Africa, which transports viewers to an elephant sanctuary in Kenya.

My Africa

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

PANELS VIRTUAL REALITY PANEL

Kleinert James Center WOODSTOCK  Sat Oct 13  10:00am

PANELS

V R LO U N G E S U P PORTED BY HTC VIVE COMPUTERS PROVIDED BY DELL

Virtual Reality (VR) is the next phase of storytelling for creators and artists. It is an exciting new medium that must be experienced live to be understood. The Woodstock Film Festival Virtual Reality Lounge curators and other VR innovators will discuss today’s trends in VR and 360 experience, and explore the fast developing new approaches and discoveries within this immersive art form.

John Benton

Kiira Benzing

Dario Laverde

Stephanie Riggs

PANELISTS

John Benton is a narrative de-

signer whose work ranges from traditional film to emerging media. Most recently, he won the Tribeca Film Festival’s Mobile Storytelling Prize, as well as London’s PttPixel Market Prize for his interactive graphic novel. He is a fellow at the IFP NY Media Center, working primarily in VR. Benton’s work has been shown in galleries, festivals, and museums around the world. In the last few years he has been working primarily with haptic, an immersive environment. At NYUSPS, Benton teaches digital filmmaking and video game design at the Center for Applied Liberal Arts. Kiira Benzing is a storyteller crossing the mediums of theater, improv, documentary, fiction, and virtual reality. Her work melds intimate,

character-driven portraits with high concept, abstract motifs and a magical edge. She is inspired by blending genres and brings her imaginative flair to filmmaking and creating new forms for storytelling. Dario Laverde a senior developer evangelist at HTC with an EE background background. He has 25+ years software development experience, including mobile, embedded, web and enterprise. Among his various professional roles, he has worked as an Android instructor, consultant, Java architect, author, and entrepreneur. Dario has founded several developer communities, including NYC Java, NYC-GDG, NY Android, and is currently active with the VR community. You can follow him on twitter @virtual_dario.

Carol Silverman

Stephanie Riggs is an interdisci-

plinary content creator focused on directing narrative-driven virtual and immersive experiences. She began developing virtual reality in the 1990s, building interactive Virtual Reality HMD projects featured at SIGGRAPH and E3. Carol Silverman is a painter and an Emmy Award-winning set decorator for film and television. Her decorating work can be seen on Saturday Night Live, HBO series Boardwalk Empire, feature film Rough Night, and many others. She was a creative advisor to the NYU Future Realities Lab production of Holojam in Wonderland VR theater installation at the 2017 Future of Storytelling conference. She was also part of the production team for the VR Arcade at the 2018 Tribeca Film Festival.

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D R E A M

REALITY

the FILM FILM CENTER CENTER the needs your needs your helphelp

Woodstock Film Festival & Hudson Valley Film Commission

What the FILM CENTER means for WFF, HVFC & YOU  Space for casting calls and office space

for local film productions  Encourage economic growth in our community

2018

 A revitalized space for conferences,

classes and workshops  WFF operations, communications center and tech headquarters

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

 Centrally located WFF and HVFC

administrative office

 Generous benefits for contributors

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PANELS WOMEN IN FILM

Kleinert James Center WOODSTOCK  Sat Oct 13  12:00am

PANELS

CROSSING THE LINES

As the movement towards gender equality becomes more and more visible, we see women in the film and media industries taking bold steps to acheive careers that have not been populated by many women to date. Moreover, aiming for growth and noticeable success, women are increasingly moving from one career position to another to reach their goals. Hear from some of the women who have worked long and hard on their career trajectories and, at times, crossed career lines in order to move ahead.

PANELISTS

Blair Breard

Allison Dunne is host and

producer of NPR-affiliate WAMC Northeast Public Radio’s 51%. An award-winning reporter, she has spent much of the last 17 years as Hudson Valley Bureau Chief at WAMC. She holds a bachelor’s in broadcast journalism from Boston University and a master’s in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from NYU. She began her career in financial journalism in New York City, including serving as the Latin American reporter for financial publications.

Naomi McDougall Jones is an

award-winning writer, actress, producer, and activist based in New York City. She is in post-production on her second feature, Bite Me), which she wrote and starred in. Her first feature, which she also wrote, produced and starred in, was the twelve-time award-winning Imagine I’m Beautiful. Her pilot The Dark Pieces, is in development for TV in Canada. A thought leader for bringing gender parity to cinema, her virally sensational TEDTalk, What it’s Like to Be a Woman in Hollywood, has been viewed over 1 million times. She is the founder and Chief Impact Officer of The 51 Fund, a venture capital fund dedicated to financing films by women and is currently writing a book, The Wrong Kind of Woman: Dismantling the Gods of Hollywood.

Ryan Elizabeth Cunningham

is an Emmy and Peabody awardwinning producer. Select TV producing credits include Inside Amy Schumer and Broad City (Comedy Central), Louie (FX); Search Party and The Last O.G. (TBS); Strangers (Facebook); Horace and Pete (Hulu); The Electric Company (PBS), as well as several prominent stand-up specials for Netflix and HBO. Her film credits include Keep the Change, starring the first leading cast on the autism spectrum; Becks, winner of the US Fiction Prize at the LA Film Festival 2017; and the ill-fated I Love You, Daddy, directed by Louis C.K. Ryan recently launched the development company Running Woman with the goal to tell stories that haven’t been heard before. She’s also co-owned the NYC-based postproduction house Running Man for the last decade.

Gaicobazzi Yanez

is a New Yorkbased producer. She started her career in film on John Sayles’ Passion Fish and has worked on a number of films with a variety of directors since then, including I Shot Andy Warhol, cult favorite Pootie Tang, Margaret, and Margot at the Wedding. Breard executive produced The Drop, Baskets, Better Things, Strangers, and the award-winning comedy series Louie, for FX. Her company Bossy Boots has a first look deal with FX, recently sold a pilot to Showtime and has several other projects in development.

MODERATOR

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WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

PANELS

In the late 1880s, various people began experimenting with photos, blending them together to give the illusion of a motion picture. During the same era, Thomas Edison patented the earliest version of the motion picture camera, while the Lumiere Brothers created the first motion picture. A few years later, in 1905, the first five-cents admission movie theater opened in a storefront in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, ushering in the era of accessible movies for all. And the world has never been the same. The movie making and the movie watching experience have developed and morphed many times over since those formative years, yet the essence of it all — visual storytelling — has stayed the same. Our panel of experts will take us down memory lane and juxtapose past trends with today’s and tomorrow’s ever-evolving technologies and formats. PANELISTS

Eric Sloss is an executive at Cinetic Media, where he runs the North American sales division for the company. He is responsible for working in tandem with the finance, management and sales arms to devise worldwide distribution strategies for feature narrative and documentary films.

PANELS

VISUAL STORYTELLING AND DISTRIBUTION THE EVOLUTION OF PLATFORMS

Kleinert James Center WOODSTOCK  Sat Oct 13  2:00pm

MODERATOR

Richard Abramowitz is

an innovative leader, distributing and marketing independent films for over 35 years. His company, Abramorama, takes a personalized approach that bypasses traditional film studios and their methodology, providing valuable distribution alternatives. Among his many distribution projects are Ron Howard’s Grammywinning The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years; Laurie Anderson’s Heart of a Dog, Peabody Award-winner Listen to Me Marlon, Banksy’s Spirit Award-winner and Academy Award-nominee Exit Through the Gift Shop, and Spike Lee’s 4 Little Girls.

Additional panelists include Jake Hanly, VP Acquisitions at Gunpowder & Sky and

Adam Brightman, film and television producer

A CHAT WITH

JULIE TAYMOR

THE HONORARY MAVERICK AWARD RECIPIENT

Kleinert James Center WOODSTOCK  Sat Oct 13  4:00pm

Come hear this year’s honorary Maverick Award recipient as she chats about her legendary career in theater, opera and film.

Julie Taymor

MODERATOR

Thelma Adams is a prominent American film critic and an

outspoken voice in the Hollywood community. A two-time chair of the New York Film Critics Circle, she has been the in-house film critic for Us Weekly and The New York Post, and has written essays, celebrity profiles and reviews for Yahoo! Movies, The New York Times, O: The Oprah Magazine, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, Parade, Marie Claire and The Huffington Post. She coproduced the Emmy-nominated Feud: Bette and Joan, and is the author of the bestselling historical novel, The Last Woman Standing and Playdate, which O described as ‘‘a witty debut novel.’’ Her forthcoming novel, Bittersweet Brooklyn, will be published in November 2018.

2018

Photo: Marco Grob

Julie Taymor is the intelligence and artistic life force behind The Lion King, the most successful stage musical ever. She began her film directing career with Titus, followed by Frida, the Frida Kahlo biopic starring Salma Hayek, which only recently has been revealed to be an early battleground of Hurricane Harvey Weinstein. Whether it’s the musical Across the Universe or an adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest, rebel Taymor has demonstrated a unique vision and creative path, bringing a widespread appreciation of quality and substantive change to the arts.

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

Tony®, Emmy® and Grammy®winning, and Oscar®-nominated filmmaker Julie Taymor has conquered both stage and screen with her innovative direction. See full bio on page 29.

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PANELS PANELS

ACTORS DIALOGUE

Kleinert James Center WOODSTOCK  Sun Oct 14  10:00am

HOSTED BY

Join some of this year’s Woodstock Film Festival attending actors as they discuss their careers both in front of the camera and behind it.

Martha Frankel is the author of

the memoir Hats & Eyeglasses: A Family Love Affair with Gambling, the executive director of the Woodstock Bookfest and the host of the weekly show, Woodstock Booktalk.

PANELISTS

Steve Buscemi became

interested in acting during his last year of high school. After graduating, he moved to Manhattan to study acting with John Strasberg. He was cast in his first lead role in Parting Glances (1986). Since then, Buscemi has worked with many of the top filmmakers in Hollywood and has appeared in films too numerous to list, including Miller’s Crossing, Barton Fink, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Handsome Harry, and most recently, The Death of Stalin. Buscemi has directed the feature films Trees Lounge, Lonesome Jim and Interview, as well as many TV series episodes (Boardwalk Empire, Portlandia, Nurse Jackie, the Sopranos, Park Bench with Steve Buscemi), and has executive produced both for TV and film, including Dreaming of a Vetter World, screening at the festival.

William Fichtner started his acting

career on the stage in New York. Since then, he has appeared in a long list and wide range of films, including Crash, Black Hawk Down, Go, The Perfect Storm, Heat, Elysium, and 12 Strong, and the upcoming OG, Finding Steve McQueen, and All The Devil’s Men, to name just a few. His directorial debut, Cold Brook, has been a labor of love for Fichtner and co-writer Cain DeVore for years. He directed, produced and starred in the film that was mostly shot in his beloved hometown of Buffalo, New York.

BETWEEN DOCUMENTARIES AND NARRATIVES

Kleinert James Center WOODSTOCK  Sun Oct 14  12:00pm

For filmmakers, working in the documentary form has always been a world apart from that of working in the narrative/scripted form. The objectives were different, the approach and style were different, the funding sources were different. But are they still? Today, more and more documentary filmmakers venture into the narrative form with diverse levels of success. What does it take to create outstanding and successful works in both forms? Join two award-winning filmmakers as they share their cross-over experiences. PANELISTS

Roger Ross Williams is the first

African American director to win an Academy Award with his short film Music By Prudence. Williams has directed a wide variety of acclaimed films, including God Loves Uganda, which was shortlisted for an Academy Award, and Life, Animated, which was nominated for an Academy Award in 2017. Williams is on the Board of Governors for the Academy of of Motion Picture, Arts and Sciences, representing the documentary branch, as well as being on the Diversity Committee for the Academy. He serves on the Alumni Advisory Board of the Sundance Institute, the Advisory Board of Full Frame Festival and the Board of the Tribeca Film Festival. Williams has been named by Variety to the New York Power List as a ‘‘digitally savvy, entrepreneurial trailblazer’’ in the entertainment industry and serves on the board of Docubox Kenya, a documentary fund and mentorship program based in Nairobi that supports African filmmakers. He also serves on the Board of Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, the first major museum in Africa dedicated to contemporary art.

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Matthew Heineman is an Acad-

emy Award-nominated and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker who has twice won the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary Award from the Directors Guild of America, one of only three directors to win the prestigious honor twice. His two DGA wins, City Of Ghosts and Cartel Land, both premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and won the Courage Under Fire Award from the International Documentary Association. City Of Ghosts was nominated for a BAFTA Award, PGA Award and a Primetime Emmy Award. Cartel Land was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, won three Primetime Emmy Awards and the George Polk Award in Journalism. At Sundance, Heineman won the Best Director Award and Special Jury Prize for Cinematography. Heineman recently directed and executive produced The Trade, a docu-series that also premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Previously, Heineman co-directed and produced the Emmy-nominated documentary Escape Fire: The Fight To Rescue American Healthcare. A Private War is Heineman’s debut fiction film.

WoodstockFilmFestival.org

2018

PANELS THE POWER OF YOUTH Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.” Every generation faces unique challenges and today’s youth will be handed a world much different from that of their parents. The future of most industries is rapidly changing and the skills they will need to prepare for what’s ahead are unpredictable. The POWER OF YOUTH panel features filmmakers whose work focuses on the goals and dreams of today’s youth, some of the youth who are the subjects of those films, and an aspiring young filmmaker still in high school who hopes to make a career in film. Join the discussion as they explore how today’s youth and tomorrow’s adults can navigate society for a better tomorrow.

Juliane Dresser

Karoline Jimenez

Harry Lee

PANELISTS

Sam Levine

Roda Mohamed Student at Abaarso School

Karoline Jimenez Brooklyn high school

Sam Levine Participant in the 2018

Statement

student featured in Personal Statement

Harry Lee Co-Director, Somaliland

MODERATOR Megan Sperry

is a documentary filmmaker and educator who advocates for social change. Her first feature-length documentary, The Domino Effect (2012), about the re-development of the Domino Sugar factory on the Williamsburg waterfront in Brooklyn, NY, has screened at such notable venues as the Church Center for the United Nations, The Goethe Institute in NYC, and the Austrian Museum of Architecture. The film continues to serve as a teaching tool for universities and organizations across the U.S. In the fall of 2015, Sperry joined the Digital Media and Journalism department at SUNY New Paltz. During the summer of 2018, she served as the Program Director for the Woodstock Film Festival Youth Film Lab.

Roda Mohamed

Juliane Dresser, Director, Personal

featured in Somaliland

Woodstock Film Festival Summer Youth Film Lab and high school student at the Woodstock Day School

MUSIC IN FILM

CASE STUDY: UP TO SNUFF

PANELS

Kleinert James Center WOODSTOCK  Sun Oct 14  2:00pm

Kleinert James Center WOODSTOCK  Sun Oct 14  4:00pm

A conversation with composer/musician Snuffy Walden and filmmaker Mark Maxey