The Circuit

Ann Arbor fest has produced their first DVD - a collection of ten shorts culled from the 46th annual fest, including Michael Langan's "Doxology" (pictured) and Mike Brune's "The Adventure." ("I want this mime off my car.")  For a great snapshot of the stuff that American's oldest fest programs, it's a high recommend. Check out aafilmfest.org.

We The People Fest unspools this weekend, a non-partisan event designed to engage youth about the election.  Sponsored by Kent State U, they'll be screenings, guest speakers, and music throughout the weekend.  And Chuck Norris will be there.  Some Norris facts from the internet -- he endorsed Huckabee and apparently "destroyed the periodic table, because he only recognizes the element of surprise." More info at www.wethepeoplefest.com.

The first Paso Robles Digital Film Festival wants to be California's tank-of-gas vacation, says director Benford Standley.  Most screening will take place using the latest digital projector technology.  Lineup is coming but the music acts have been booked, including Kevin Bacon and his Bacon Brothers, Ramblin' Jack Elliot and the Kyle Eastwood Band (son of Clint).  Go to prdff.com.

Ellen Kuras' film "The Betrayal" (Nerakhoon) has won the Ann Arbor fest's top prize. 

The 46th annual event bestowed over $18 grand in awards to 25 filmmakers.  This year's jury included Bill Plympton, Michelle Silva and Bill Brown.

The full list:

Ken Burns Award for Best of the Festival - $3,000
The Betrayal (Nerakhoon) - Ellen Kuras

Lawrence Kasdan Award for Best Narrative Film - $1,000
Diente por Ojo - Elvind Holmboe

Chris Frayne Award for Best Animated Film - $1,000
Spontaneous Generation - Andrew Cahill
The Mermaid - Lisa Barcy

The Barbara Aronofsky Latham Award for Emerging Experimental Video Artist - $1,000
Energie! - Thorsten Fleisch

Prix DeVarti for Funniest Film - $1,000
On the Assassination of the President - Adam Keker

Griot Editorial Award for Best Editing - $500
I, of the Cyclops - George Kuchar

Peter Wilde Award for Most Technically Innovative Film - $500
Yours Truly - Osbert Parker

autFILM Award for Best LGBT Film - $500
Cat Dancers - Harris Fishman

Award for Best International Film - $500
Nijuman no Borei - Jean-Gabriel Periot

Gus Van Sant Award for Best Experimental Film - $1,000
Office Suite - Robert Todd

Michael Moore Award for Best Documentary Film - $1,000
kids + money - Lauren Greenfield

Tom Berman Award for Most Promising Filmmaker - $1,000
Doxology - Michael Langan

The EMPA Work Life Award - $1,300
Beginning Filmmaking - Jay Rosenblatt

Kodak/Filmcraft Imaging Award for Best Cinematography - $1,500
Li: Patterns of Nature - John Campbell

Ghostly Award for Best Sound Design - $500
Observando El Cielo - Jeanne Liotta

The VUE/DFC Award for Best Michigan Filmmaker - $750
Mort - Dean Denell
buzzards steal your picnic - Terri Sarris

The Eileen Maitland Award - $500
Teat Beat of Sex - Signe Baumane

Honorable Mentions - $1,050
The Last Moment - Deco Dawson
Number One - Leighton Pierce
The Juche Idea - Jim Finn
Faux Mouvements (Wrong Moves) - Pip Chodorov
My Olympic Summer - Daniel Robin
Victory Over the Sun - Michael Robinson

by Kim Voynar
The eclectic slate at the 46th Ann Arbor Film Festival included a diverse array of experimental short films, narrative films and documentaries.  The fest features more experimental film work than you're likely to find at any other fest on the circuit, with shorts in the narrative and documentary genres, animation, and a slew of works using celluloid as a canvas on which to explore unique meldings of sound, imagery and distortion.

Feature-length films included "Larry Flynt: The Right to Be Left Alone," followed by a Q&A with the Hustler publicist and director Joan Brooker-Marks, "Strange Culture," about artist-activist (and accused bioterrorist) Steve Kurtz, "One Bad Cat," a documentary about outsider artist Reverend Albert Wagner, famed cinematographer Ellen Kuras' documentary, "Nerakhoon: The Betrayal," and a Sunday afternoon screening of Guy Maddin's "Brand Upon the Brain!"

The fest also included two series curated by fest jurors Michelle Silva and Bill Brown and a special presentation by world-renowned independent animator Bill Plympton (pictured top) of his own work, which Plympton followed by making drawings for everyone in attendance who wanted one.

Nightly after parties in various Ann Arbor venues were well-attended by fest guests and attendees, and several smaller dinners for the jurors and special guests provided more intimate opportunities for lively discussions about the widely varied slate.

The Ann Arbor Film Fest was at the center of a maelstrom of a free speech controversy last year, with accusations of obscenity in its programming endangering the funding of the historic festival. A hard-fought battle with the Michigan legislature resulted in the state's arts funding being changed to reflect the wording used for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and creative fundraising efforts kept the fest afloat.

The Ann Arbor Film Festival is unique on the fest circuit for its focus on experimental and cutting edge artists, and features short films at its forefront, rather than sidelining them as many fests do, making it a haven for independent artists seeking to both show their work and stimulate discussion around film as art. Thankfully, under the joint stewardship of Executive Director Christen McArdle and Director of Community and Development Donald Harrison, the fest has survived its funding and censorship battles, and will continue to provide filmmakers and audiences with one of the most unique slates on the festival circuit.

Upon making it to the next tier of fundraising, the second Act of Audacity has been unleashed by the Ann Arbor Film Festival.  And to my joy, it's "Giant Animal Badminton."

 

As previously announced, AAFF won their lawsuit against the state, but the fundraising will go on.  Read the whole sorted thing here.  And check out their first audacious act here.

In an article for Variety's weekly, I tackle the glut of film festivals:

At the fourth annual Intl. Film Festival Summit in Las Vegas last week, fest honchos huddled together in panel sessions with names like "Creating a Sustainable Festival," showing a sense of camaraderie, friendliness and mutual support.

But then, most attendees there were new to the game. Among veteran fest programmers and execs, it's more a case of strong rivalries, poaching and a secret desire that their compatriots would disappear in a puff of smoke.

Competition among film fests has always been sharp, but it's become cutthroat as fests proliferate, with literally thousands of them vying for world premieres, stars and, crucially, sponsors. If the films are good, it's almost a bonus.

The piece also touches on a growing controversy amoung fest execs - rising distributor and sales agents fees. 

Full piece here.

The Ann Arbor Film Festival and the ACLU announced that they have settled their federal lawsuit against the State of Michigan, which charged the restrictions on State funds for the arts were unconstitutional.  In what the fest termed as a victory, the State funding guidelines will now mirror the more flexible NEA guidelines.  In exchange, the fest and the ACLU have agreed to drop the lawsuit.

The State of Michigan had pulled grant funding from the long-running festival when it determined some of the films in its slate were “objectionable.”  It singled-out Crispin Glover’s controversial film “What Is It?” as “pornographic.”



“We are pleased that arbitrary guidelines will no longer be used to deny artists their creative rights,” said Christen McArdle, AAFF exec director (pictured right of Denver fest's Brit Withey).

Docu filmmaker and AAFF supporter Ken Burns remarked, “I am thrilled by this decision - it protects us all, even those who might be inclined to limit this great Festival's free expression."

The AAFF is the oldest North American film festival showcasing independent and experimental work.  The 46th annual event will run March 25-30.

The second audacious act in Ann Arbor fest’s fundraising campaign is starting to form, and the best description is three words – giant animal badminton.  Fascinating and frightening.  It's got my vote.  If anything, the Ann Arbor people commit to their acts, as evidenced by the first one here.

AAFF also announced that OnStage.com has come on board, giving 2 bucks to the festival for each person that signs up on their website.  “OurStage has created a purely democratic platform to sort quality content from a sea of mediocrity online. Fans judge the best films, videos and music, to provide emerging artists with critical exposure and cash awards.”

It’s free to register.

Ann Arbor is fighting a move by the state to suspend their funding.  Check out the how's and why's here.

The first Act of Audacity has been triggered. Upon reaching their first goal of $10K, the Ann Arbor Film Festival took to the streets with glam, make-up, and a dented pick-up:


The festival is in a closely-watched battle with the state of Michigan, who pulled their funding for showing “pornography.” Check out the story here.

The Ann Arbor Film Festival, one of the country's oldest fests, wasn't looking for a fight when it programmed Crispin Glover's "What is it?" for its 2005 edition. It got it when the Mackinac Center for Public Policy pointed to it and a number of other "pornographic" films in an essay calling for the state of Michigan to pull its financial support from the event.  The state arts funding in Michigan has, for decades, had vague, hidden guidelines attached to it regarding "offensive" material, a ripple effect from the NEA controversy in the '90s.  It's just no one enforced it.  But after Michael D. LaFaive's 2005 essay -- which likens the fest to the famous dogs-playing-poker painting "The Big Bluff" -- the state wanted the guidelines followed before they released the festival's past-due cash. 

The festival refused, and in March 2007 they (with the ACLU) sued the state, contending that "the laws harm the First Amendment rights of the artist."

The lawsuit making its way through the courts is now being closely watched.  Though there is optimism, McArdle says that a few Michigan arts orgs have already had to sign the state's guidelines or face dissolving. The upcoming Film Festival Summit has a panel on the controversy, and Ann Arbor exec director Christen McArdle has made sure the issue stays in the spotlight.  McArdle says that while they fully intend to see this through, the festival has been living hand-to-mouth ever since. 

To help fund their efforts, they announced a campaign to raise $75K through "Acts of Audacity."  For a contribution, people will get to vote on which "act" they want festival reps to perform - which will be shot and edited for YouTube glory. 

Option 1: Glam Rock karaoke through the streets of Ann Arbor in a yellow classic pick-up truck.

Option 2: Urban tobogganing in Detroit and Ann Arbor while dressed as giant animals.

Option 3: Recreations of famous scenes from classic movies with finger puppets.

Check out this wonderfully instructional video: