Last Years’ 2007 Films Are Below.
The 2008 schedule will appear once we finalize our entries.

• Thursday, March 29
• Friday, March 30
• Saturday, March 31
• Sunday, April 1

THURSDAY, MARCH 29:
7pm, Parkway Screen A (109 min.)

The Novice
Narrative feature, Alabama  /  89 minutes, 35mm
Director, Writer: Murray Robinson / Producers: Robert Ambramoff, Scott Lumpkin, Murray Robinson
Peter, the last of a dying species “Jesuit Americanus” is a young seminarian whose assumptions about his vocation are challenged after he falls for a Birkenstock-wearing flower child named Jill. Starring Academy Award winner Alan Arkin (“Little Miss Sunshine”), Jacob Pitts, Amy Acker, Frank Langella, Orson Bean, and William Lee Scott. The script was penned in Jackson, Mississippi by Millsaps College graduate, Murray Robinson. Filmmaker will be in attendance. World premiere.

Broken Circle
Short narrative, California  /  20 minutes, HDV
Director, Writer: Aaron Sawyer  /  Producer: Charles Miller
www.sunrisewest.net
When the police ask Mitchell Stevens to provide shelter for a battered woman, he sees an opportunity to help someone. But Mitchell’s best intentions are about to draw him into a complicated cycle of violence. Starring Emmy winning actor, Michael Badalucco (“The  Practice,” “O Brother Where Art Thou?,” “Summer of Sam”), Deliah Cottom (“Empire”), and Laura Ceron (“E.R”). Filmmaker will be in attendance. World premiere.

7pm, Parkway Screen B (101 min.)

Celebrity Interview: James Brown
Animation, Jackson, Mississippi /7 minutes, Hi8, Digital 8, Mini DV / Director, Producer, Writer: Kenneth E. Stiggers / www.myspace.com/JourneyAgent1961
Celebrity Interview: James Brown is a humorous social-political discussion. ‘Supa’ Producer Mo’tel Williams interviews James Brown about the ‘Say It Loud Ebonics Speech Academy.” Watch out for those dangling participles! Filmmaker will be in attendance.

Regarding Sarah
Short narrative, Canada  /  14 minutes, 35mm
Director, Writer: Michelle Porter  /  Producer: Amy Belling / www.compactfilms.com
Sarah is losing her memory.  In a last desperate attempt to maintain control of her life, she begins to videotape everything from momentous events to the tiniest details of daily living. Crooked lawyers and friends over for tea are all captured on her little digital cameras.  Rapidly, this accumulation of footage becomes too much for her to handle. She becomes obsessed with watching herself.
Finally, Sarah must confront the question of whether her life still has meaning if she cannot remember it.

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FRIDAY, MARCH 30:
7pm, Parkway Screen A (99 min.)

Certifiably Jonathan (not in competition)
Feature documentary, California  /  85 minutes
Director: Jim Pasternak  /  Producers: Jim Pasternak, Richard Marshall, Matt Fortnow
Starring: Jonathan Winters, Robin Williams, Howie
Mandel, Sarah Silverman, Rob Reiner, Nora Dunn, Ryan Stiles, Jimmy Kimmel, Tim Conway, Jefrrey Tambor, and the Arquettes
http://www.certifiablyjonathan.com/
This “dadamentary” is a contemporary portrait of the comic genius Jonathan Winters, who at 80 is still very much the artist and provocateur (Mearth from “Mork & Mindy,” “It’s a Mad Mad Mad World,” “The Tonight Show”). It follows not only his quest as a painter wanting to hang his work in the Museum of Modern Art, but also exposes the truly bi-polar off-the-wall Jonathan Winters of today. When two old ladies steal Jonathan’s favorite painting from a gallery, he goes into a funk and claims that a witchdoctor has stolen his sense of humor, which he draws upon to paint. After a futile search, he enlists the help of a shrink, a Rabbi, a new age healer and even a sance before turning to other comedians for assistance to help him track down his sense of humor. Filmmakers will be in attendance.

Full Metal Slacks
Experimental, Texas  /  5 minutes, MiniDV
Director, Writer, Producer: Scott Calonico
On August 7, 1964, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, authorizing the massive use of U.S. military force in Vietnam. Over the next ten years, over 50,000 American soldiers and 1,000,000 Vietnamese civilians would be killed. Two days later, on August 9, 1964, President Johnson ordered a pair of pants from his tailor in Dallas, Texas. This is the recording of that call.

Commode Creations: The Artwork of Barney Smith
Short documentary, Louisiana  /  5 minutes, MiniDV
Director, Producer, Writer: Danny Bourque
www.neverthoughtfilms.com
Barney Smith, an 80+ year old resident of Alamo Heights, Texas, has decorated nearly 700 toilet seat lids which he displays in his garage-altered “museum” for all the world to see. Decorating toilet seats is not just a hobby, it’s what keeps him alive.
Global Audience Award for Best Anarchy Film Slamdance Film Festival 2007. Filmmaker will be in attendance.

The Ballad of Mary Slade
Animation, United Kingdom  /  4 minutes, Digital camera
Director, Producer, Writer: Robin Fuller
www.theartknife.co.uk
A tale of passion, adultery, and murder told from an unusual point of view. Following the death of a young woman, the tragic story of her life and eventual demise slowly unfolds as the insects that consume her decaying body become actors in the fateful retelling of her downfall.
Grand Jury Award Best Animated Short Slamdance Film Festival 2007

7pm, Parkway Screen B (101 min.)

An American Opera
Feature documentary, Michigan  /  93 minutes, MiniDV
Director, Producer: Thomas McPhee
www.myspace.com/eyetoeyedocumentary
An operatic version of the pets, vets, owners, rescuers and adopters of animals following the devastation, chaos and forced separation/evacuation of pet owners from greater New Orleans as seen through the eyes of those who took action in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Filmmaker will be in attendance. Mississippi premiere.
(Graphic, not suitable for children.) 

Help is Coming
Experimental, California 
8 minutes, Super 16 mm
Director, Writer: Ben Mor   / Producer: Kareem Johnson
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina’s aftermath, three youth survey the desolate wasteland only to find a suspicious looking package.
Mississippi premiere

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SATURDAY, MARCH 30:
10:30am, Millsaps, Olin Hall (139 min.)

*sponsored by the Canton Convention and Visitors Bureau and Film Office

Canton Young Filmmakers Summer 2006 Program (not in competition)
Youth, Canton, Mississippi / 30 minutes, MiniDV
THE CASE 859 - It was summer, and it was hot!
ROSAMOND REBELLION - At the Rosamond Institute for Higher Learning, the rules are very strict.
STAYIN’ ALIVE - A 1970s pop culture fan saves the world from mass destruction.
TROLIO TRICKERY - A family of three checks into a hotel with a mysterious history and a trail of notes.
THE BEST SHOW EVER - The best reality show ever made featuring all of your favorite pop celebrities.
                               
Giallo Trailer
Youth, Jackson, Mississippi  /  2 minutes, DV
Director, Writer: Chris Moore / Producers: Chris Moore, Andrew Roach, and Amanda Grussautte
During Christmas Break, six high school friends go missing. Only one has been found and it’s up to the precinct psychiatrist to find out what happened in this throwback to the 70’s Italian Giallo thrillers. Filmmaker will be In attendance. World premiere.
                                               
Never Bet the Devil Your Head
Youth, Michigan / 21 minutes, Mini DV
Director, Producer, Writer: Christopher Jarvis
www.jarvisfilms.com
This adaptation of Edgar Allen Poe’s 1841 satire, “A Moral Tale” is about a young man of dubious morals. Toby enjoys drinking, smoking, telling lies, and gambling. Owning nothing of value, his favorite wager is, “I’ll bet the devil my head.” His best friend implores him to stop using this expression before it gets him into real trouble.

The Dance
Youth, New York / 4 minutes, 16 mm
Director, Producer, Writer: Jennifer Lim
A teenage girl energetically prepares for what she expects to be the night of her life, only to be disappointed by the dreariness of reality. Previously screened at the LA Film Festival, Oxnard Independent Film Festival, ISMF, and Berkeley Video and Film Festival.
                                               
Pieces
Youth, Michigan / 7 minutes, Mini DV
Director, Producer: Christopher Jarvis / Writers: Christopher Jarvis and Chad Slocum
www.jarvisfilms.com
A lonely young man stuck in a paranoid routine seeks counseling, but ends up in a bizarre chess game. This film was a “25 Hour Festival” creation and winner, in which teams had only 25 hours to complete the assigned project.
               
Hamlet
Youth, Brandon, Mississippi / 24 minutes, Hi 8
Director, Producer: Curtis Everett / Writer: William Shakespeare (play), Curtis Everett (adaptation)
Hamlet and his friend Horatio combat Claudius, the nefarious uncle and step-father of Hamlet. On the way, they encounter ghosts from the past, a mysterious briefcase, and a conspiracy that is not as camouflaged as those who conceived it to be. The filmmaker will be In attendance. World premiere.
                               
Andy and the Purple Cat: An NJ Musical
Youth, Tennessee / 12 minutes, MiniDV
Directors, Producers, Writers: Julia Huskey and Natalie Ashker
Andy is a normal girl who wants to make it big.  With the help of her close friends, she won’t give up until her dreams of being a singer come true.  Filled with songs that will make you want to sing along, this musical is one that everyone can enjoy. Filmmaker will be In attendance. Screened at Youth Showcase at the Indie Memphis Film Festival 2006

So, You’re a Vampire, What Now?
Youth, Michigan / 11 minutes, MiniDV
Director, Writer: Trevor Scott / Producer: Katie LePoer
An instructional video for newly formed vampires,  covering all of the basics of survival and providing tips and tricks to make eternal life easier. 1st Place, Lamar University Spinfest, Best Screenplay and Best Overall Film, Interlochen Arts Academy

Runaway Rightie
Student, Colorado / 5 minutes, DV
Director: Dab Hamilton / Producer, Writer: Will Nail
A shoe tries to escape his fate, but instead finds an unexpected new one. Will Nail grew up in Mississippi and lived in Jackson, but currently lives in Denver, CO.

Teenage Blues
Youth, Picayune, Mississippi / 18 minutes, MiniDV
Director, Producer, Writer: Samantha Smith
Sebastian Ingles, an average boy, goes through the worst day of his life. It seems like the world is against him, but things aren’t always as bad as they seem. Filmmaker will be In attendance. Second Place, Southern Fried Flicks Film Festival.

Return to Haunted Hopson Plantation (not In competition)
Youth, Jackson, Mississippi / 8 minutes, MiniDV
Director, Producer, Writer: Michael Modak-Truran
Michael and a group of his friends spend the weekend at the old Hopson Plantation In Clarksdale to celebrate Michael’s 13th birthday. Their late night laughter during camp fire stories awakens the sleeping spirit. In the shack, and they find themselves In a real life ghost story. Filmmaker will be In attendance. World premiere.

1pm, Parkway Screen A (104 min.)
Offbeat Comedy Short Films
                               
When I Am On The Moon
Short narrative, Pennsylvania / 2 minutes, 16 mm
Director, Writer: Joseph Hicks / Producer: Jason Brewer
www.brolik.com/moon
When I am on the moon I will make a short film about loneliness and optimism with all of my friends.  There will be robots everywhere. Filmmaker will be in attendance.

Webb Wilder’s Scattergun
Short narrative, Texas / 27 minutes, HD
Director: Steve Mims /  Producers, Writers: Thomas A. Blanton, R.S. Field, Steve Mims, Webb Wilder
Double-barrel shotgun wielding Webb Wilder descends into a Southern gothic underworld flush with casino cash, trailer trash, and raw-boned violence to rescue his congenitally misinformed nephew from rural mobsters in the droll hillbilly noir comedy Scattergun. Webb Wilder and his films are authentic modern Mississippi myths now shared by the nation. Filmmaker will be In attendance. “
A fertile field of free-form word play that reflects a literary underpinning of this rock and cinema operation.” -Los Angeles Times

School Project
Student, Raymond, Mississippi / 15 minutes, 16mm
Director, Producer: Michael Usry  /  Writers: Michael Usry, Dayton Douglass
The story of a hapless film student desperate to finish a much procrastinated project. Filmmaker will be In attendance. Previously screened at Reel South Film Festival.

The Checker Queen
Animation, Jackson, Mississippi / 2 minutes, MiniDV
Directors, Producers, Writers: Emily Myers and Anthony Ayres
Two strangers meet and begin a game of checkers.  Upon losing, Elwood storms out of the room. He re-enters to find Burt in a compromising situation. In this stop-motion animation, both unique characters are made out of objects found by the artists. Filmmaker will be In attendance. World premiere.

The Mallorys Go Black Market
Short narrative, Minnesota / 13 minutes, MiniDV
Directors, Producers, Writers: JoEllen Martinism and William Scott Rees
www.candyeyefactory.com/mallorys.php
In this cheeky love letter to 1980’s clothing, a pair of Big Apple fashionistas and their misfit sidekick embrace the thrills of materialism in their scheme to export two suitcases worth of vintage casual wear to unfortunate Russian teenagers through the black market. Winner of the Spirit of Slamdance Award 2007. Southern premiere.

The Saddest Boy in the World
Short narrative, Canada / 13 minutes, production format?
Director, Writer: Jamie Travis  /  Producer: Amy Belling and Jamie Travis
www.modernfamily.ca
Timothy Higgins, picked last for the team, is the saddest boy in the world. Friendlessness, suburban complacency and prescription drugs have conspired against the youngster to make this his worst year yet.  Musical Chairs and birthday cake can’t save him now. At his ninth birthday party, Timothy prepares for a show-stopping suicide.

Mr. Extion
Short narrative, Alabama / 11 minutes, DV
Directors, Writers: Griffin Hood and Barry Battles  /  Producers: Griffin Hood, Barry Battles, Carl Ross
www.mrextionmovie.com
Two life-long friends and aspiring filmmakers find that developing an original idea is hard to pull off č especially down South. Through the span of a day, the two reveal their true feelings on film, stereotypes, race and each other. Best Short and Audience Choice at Southern Fried Flicks 2007. Filmmaker will be in attendance.
Mississippi premiere.

The Caress of the Creature
Student, Florida / 20 minutes, 16mm
Director, Writer: Stewart McAlpine / Producer: Eric Leong
On break from construction work, the Foreman takes a swim in the waters of Lake Habbagappee and encounters a creature from the depths below. This awakens his desire to experience other experiences that he has not yet had the chance to go through. Deciding he must do anything to stop these feelings and the unnatural creature that created them, will the Foreman defeat the inner demons that torment him?  Will the monster forever alter society as we know it?  Will the world ever recover from the awesome sensation caused by The Caress of the Creature!?!  “The most controversial FSU thesis film in the history of ever!” - Random observer

1pm, Parkway Screen B (105 min.)
Mississippi Stories
                               
The Music Maker
Short documentary, Clarksdale, Mississippi / 20 minutes, DV
Directors: Julie Drapkin, Patrick Crews / Producer: Barefoot Workshops, Inc
www.barefootworkshops.org
Everybody who comes to Clarksdale knows Mr. Tater the Music Maker even if they can’t understand his style of music or conversation. One of the last true Blues men of Clarksdale, the self-taught musician and bus boy at Ground Zero Blues Club, stutters when he talks and can’t play traditional guitar chords. But his genuine love and determination to be true to his music inspires all who take the time to listen.

The Dodgy Train to Clarksdale
Short documentary, Clarksdale, Mississippi / 12 minutes, DV
Directors: Susana Travieso, Treyton Williams / Producer: Barefoot Workshops, Inc
www.barefootworkshops.org
In search for answers to “what the blues is,” Australian singer/songwriter Adrian Kosky travels to Clarksdale, Mississippi. He finds answers through the wisdom and stories of people who helped shape the history of the south.

Barefoot Workshops, Gulf Coast Introduction (9 min.)

This is Home: My Katrina Story, Photo Essay
Short documentary, Gulf Coast, Mississippi / 3 minutes each, DV
Directors: Students in Bay St. Louis and Waveland
Producer: Barefoot Workshops, Inc
www.barefootworkshops.org
The media has neglected to tell Mississippi’s stories from Hurricane Katrina. In June of 2006 Barefoot Workshops ran two simultaneous workshops with high school kids from Bay St. Louis and Waveland. Using digital video and photo cameras, sound recording equipment and desktop editing stations, students explored what happened during Katrina, how they coped with the devastation, and what life was like almost a year later. Students were led by Jackson natives Chandler Griffin, a documentary filmmaker, and photographer Ron Blaylock. Filmmaker Damien Blaylock produced a behind-the-scenes video and will be in attendance.
                                               
Katrina’s Wake
Short narrative, Pennsylvania / 21 minutes, HD
Director, Writer: Kathilynn Phillips  /  Producers: Kathilynn Phillips, Austin Haley, Jeremy Nocon
www.katscratchfilms.com
This  is the fictional story of a family who seeks refuge in their attic from the rising floodwaters of Hurricane Katrina. No food. No water. No escape. And, unfortunately, no one knows they’re there. Filmmaker will be in attendance. Honorable Mention Rhode Island Film Festival

Above the Line: Saving Willie Mae’s Scotch House
Short documentary, Oxford, Mississippi / 37 minutes, MiniDV
Director: Joe York / Producers: Andy Harper, John T. Edge, Joe York
When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and the levees failed, Willie Mae Seaton’s famed Scotch House restaurant succumbed to the destructive power of the rising water. Over the past year, Oxford restaurateur John Currence has led the effort to restore this culinary and cultural landmark and put Ms. Seaton back in her kitchen. Soon, Willie Mae will be back cooking, sending out the plates of fried chicken and red beans and rice that earned her a James Beard Award (the highest culinary award bestowed in America). Filmmaker will be in attendance.

3pm, Parkway Screen A (101 min.) 

Oh, Mr. Faulkner, Do You Write? (not in competition)
Feature narrative, California / 82 minutes, HD
Director: Jimbo Barnett / Producer: Audrey Malone / Writer: John Maxwell
John Maxwell’s critically acclaimed one-man show based on the life of William Faulkner is filmed before a live audience in Faulkner’s hometown of Oxford, MS. In a rare visit to Faulkner’s study, we get a glimpse of the literary giant and Nobel laureate’s character and psyche. The story is set in 1950, as Faulkner ruminates on his past and ponders if he should indeed accept the Nobel Prize for Literature that was awarded to him. Writer and star, John Maxwell lives and works in Jackson. Director Jimbo Barnett is from Meridian, Mississippi currently living in Los Angeles. Filmmaker will be In attendance. Mississippi premiere.

Apparitions Unrenowned
Experimental, Tupelo, Mississippi / 12 minutes, MiniDV
Director: Tony Caldwell / Producer: Missy Caldwell
www.myspace.com/apparitions_unrenowned
A lone traveler searches for meaning among the haunting landscapes of the Mississippi Delta. Filmmaker will be In attendance.

My Father’s Son
Short documentary, Oregon / 6 minutes, Mini DV
Director, Producer, Writer: Jarratt Taylor
This film is an exploration of the effects that my father has had on me, of what I’ve inherited and what I’ve left behind. Through an examination of how we once took self-portraits in a similar manner, I begin to unravel what those portraits mean, and how the manner in which our family histories are told has changed from an oral history to a more pictoral one. Jarrat is a native Mississippian and will be In attendance. Filmmaker will be In attendance. Mississippi premiere.

3pm, Parkway Screen B (97 min.)   

Low and Behold
Feature narrative, Louisiana / 89 minutes, Sony HD Cam
Director: Zack Godshall  /  Producers: Sarah Hendler, Barlow Jacobs, Colby Johnson 
Writers: Zack Godshall, Barlow Jacobs
www.lowandbeholdmovie.com
Turner Stull (Barlow Jacobs), an uninspired young man trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life, arrives in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans to work as an insurance claims adjuster. Greeted by his Uncle Stully (Robert Longstreet), a seasoned claim adjuster, he is quickly immersed into the routine: move fast, don’t get emotionally involved, and make a lot of money. Turner, not prepared to deal with people who have lost everything, is totally overwhelmed. In a moment of crisis, Turner agrees to help Nixon (Eddie Rouse), a local man, find his lost dog. In exchange for Turner helping look for the lost dog, Nixon lends a hand with Turner’s insurance claims. Turner and Nixon begin to navigate their way through the storm-ravaged city, a journey that will change Turner’s life. “...what makes low and behold so satisfying [is] it shows all sides of humanity. filmmakers will be in attendance. there’s not one emotion, but many... i never thought a movie about tragedy could be so funny. this film covers all aspects of humanity in a truly thoughtful way.”-cinematl

Cranium Theater
Animation Illinois / 7 minutes, Digital Still
Director, Producer, Writer: Jason Sandri
www.jasonsandri.com
A quirky and surrealistic critique on the excessive demands of church and state on the common man. Filmmaker will be In attendance. Best Student Animation -Chicago International Film Festival
                               
5pm, Parkway Screen A (101 min.)        

I Know I’m Not Alone: A Musicians Journey into the Human Cost of War  (not in competition)
Feature documentary / 86 minutes
Director, Writer: Michael Franti  /  Producer: Michael Franti & Guerrilla Management
www.iknowimnotalone.com
Armed with an acoustic guitar and a video camera, musician Michael Franti (frontman of the reggae/hip-hop band Spearhead) takes us on a musical journey through war and occupation in Iraq, Israel, and Palestine. Along the way he shares his music with families, doctors, musicians, soldiers and everyday people who in turn reveal to him the often overlooked human cost of war. All music written by Michael Franti. Best Documentary - San Francisco International Film Festival, Best International Documentary Harlem International Film Festival

My Small Piece of Land
Short documentary, Israel / 6 minutes, MiniDV
Director: Udi Efrat / Producers, Writers: Various
www.documentarychallenge.org
One Palestinian man’s experience with goats, nature, and the desire for freedom. Made for the inaugural International Documentary Challenge, a timed filmmaking competition where teams from around the world had just 5 days to make a short documentary film. Best Soundtrack, Best Use of Freedom Theme International Documentary Challenge. Southern premiere.
                               
5pm, Parkway Screen B (95 min.)     

Red Without Blue
Feature documentary, France  /  77 minutes, MiniDV/Super 8mm
Directors, Producers: Benita Sills, Todd Sills, Brooke Sebold
www.redwithoutblue.com
Red Without Blue chronicles the close, yet sometimes strained relationship between identical twins, Mark and Alex, as Alex undergoes a transformation into a woman named Clair. Through candid and extensive interviews, each twin recounts the difficulties of growing up gay in Montana, the deleterious effects of their parents’ separation, and the boundaries crossed as drugs and sexual experimentation spiraled out of control. From the twins’ retelling, we experience the singular bond they shared as children, the hardships they endured, and Mark’s evolving perspective now that his identical twin has ceased to be identical. Audience Award - Slamdance Film Festival 2007. Southern premiere.

The Space Within Memory
Experimental, Oxford, Mississippi / 5 minutes, MiniDV
Director, Producer: April Grayson
www.aprilgrayson.com
An abstract journey through the filmmaker’s memory and emotions about her hometown of Rolling Fork, a small farming hamlet in the Mississippi delta. Previously screened at Oxford Film Festival.

Startle Pattern
Experimental, North Carolina / 13 minutes, 16 mm
Director, Producer, Writer: Eric Patrick
Startle Pattern is a farewell card to film in an increasingly digital age. In this late age of emulsion, this essay is a call of the cinematic gaze to a state of crisis: the narrative of isolation leaves a puppet’s forms tattered and decayed, and hints at the Protagonist’s delicate relationship with reality, voyeurism, the director and the apparatus. Southern premiere.
                               
7pm,  Parkway Screen A   (113 minutes)      

Come Early Morning (not In competition)
Feature narrative, Arkansas  /  97 minutes, 35mm
Director, Writer: Joey Lauren Adams 
Starring: Ashley Judd, Tim Blake Nelson, Diane Ladd, Stacy Keach
Lucy (Ashley Judd) Is a 30-something woman who keeps waking up with a stiff hangover and a guy she doesn’t even want to look at. Lucy begins to realize that she needs to get In touch with her familial past and, more importantly, with the person she has become. Rated R. Writer/director Joey Lauren Adams (star of “Chasing Amy”) will be in attendance.

Eramos Pocos
Short narrative, Spain / 16 minutes, 35mm
Director: Borja Cobeaga  /  Producers: Oihana Olea, Altube Filmeak, S.L. 
Writers: Borja Cobeaga, Sergio Barrejon
www.kimuak.com
When his wife leaves him, Joaquin turns to his son to help him bring his mother-in-law out of a home to do the housework. Nominated for Best Short (Live Action), Academy Awards 2007. Mississippi premiere.                                  

7pm, Parkway Screen B (115 min.)        

Heart of an Empire
Feature documentary, New York
115 minutes, BetaSP
Director, Writer: Jay Thompson
 Producers: Leon Clarence, Natalie Mehlberger, Jay Thompson, David Finleyson
www.heartofanempire.com
Albin Johnson of South Carolina founded a small club In 1997 for fans of the Star Wars Trilogy who owned authentic costumes of the films’ Imperial forces. He dubbed it the fighting 501st Legion, consisting of such icons as Stormtroopers and Darth Vader. This very visible, but misunderstood group of nearly 4500 members dressed as Stormtroopers do charity work worldwide.  We follow their public and private worlds, attempting to explore the reasons why these adults choose to dress up in costumes of science-fiction characters. Finally, we bear witness to an incredibly ironic twist of fate that will reveal what really lies at the Heart of an Empire. The filmmakers will be In attendance along with members of the 501st Legion. World premiere.

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SUNDAY, ARPIL 1:
1pm, Parkway Screen A     (104 min.)   

Off the Grid: Life on the Mesa
Feature documentary, New York  /  64 minutes, DV/HD/16mm
Directors: Jeremy Stulberg, Randy Stulberg  /  Producers: Eric Juhola, Jeremy Stulberg, Randy Stulberg
www.stillpointpictures.com
Twenty-five miles from town, a million miles from ordinary, a loose-knit community of radicals live in the desert, struggling to survive with little food, less water, and no electricity as they cling to their unique vision of the “American Dream.” Drawing a cross-section of Americans from veterans to old hippies and teenage runaways, anti-establishment beliefs are tested when rebel runaways called the “nowhere kids” begin to steal from other residents. Mesa elders form a council, creating a self-imposed government - exactly what they have come to escape by living on the Mesa.
“Sibling filmmakers Jeremy and Randy Stulberg have unearthed a place that stands at the bizarre crossroads of utopian ideals and post-apocalyptic nightmares.”č Miami International Film Festival

The Paramaribo Letters
Short documentary, Jackson, Mississippi  /  33 minutes, HDV
Director, Producer, Writer: Lance Cooper
The Paramaribo Letters explores travel into Suriname, a relatively unknown South American country. Exhibiting Suriname’s diverse cultures, it highlights the New Year’s celebrations which involve one of the largest unorganized fireworks displays in the world, and finally wanders through the beauty of the rain forest where time slows down. Filmmaker will be in attendance.

La Gallina Ciega
Animation, Spain / 7 minutes, 35mm
Director, Producer: Isabel Herguera  /  Writers: Isabel Herguera, Satinder Singh, Sylvie Chesneau
www.kimuak.com
A blind man accidentally loses his guide-dog. Alone in the dark in a big city, he discovers that his strength lies in recognizing his own vulnerability. Mississippi premiere.         

1pm, Parkway Screen B (102 min.)
World Cinema Short Films
                               
Choque
Short narrative, Spain / 10 minutes, 35mm
Director, Writer: Nacho Vigalondo  /  Producers: Carlos Juarez, Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, Arsenico P.C., Basque Films, S.L.
www.kimuak.com
A couple in their late twenties discovers an underground drag-racing track. Mississippi premiere.

Recall
Short narrative, Australia / 7 minutes, 16mm
Director, Writer: Michael Noonan  /  Producer: Angela Walsh
www.angelawalshproductions.com | WATCH TRAILER
A product has a potentially fatal flaw and must be recalled. Neither vehicle malfunction nor a geriatric donkey can stop the store manager from getting to his customer.  Southern premiere.

La Guerra
Short narrative, Spain / 9 minutes, 35mm
Directors, Writers: Luiso Berdejo, Jorge C. Dorado  /  Producers: Koldo Zuazua, Monica Blas, Common Films
www.kimuak.com
World War II. There’s a boy in a wardrobe.
Mississippi premiere.

Fall of Antioch
Experimental, Germany / 3 minutes, MiniDV
Directors, Producers, Writers: Florian Witzel, Magid Hoff, Stephan Betz
www.fallofantioch.com
One moment reveals the absence of a profound reality and reflects the presence of beauty and purity. As three German students were driven by the sounds of the artist u-ziq, they set off across Europe from Frankfurt to Nuremberg via Vienna to Bratislava with the ambition to capture images inspired by the music and the places. Southern premiere.

El Gran Zambini
Short narrative, Spain  /  14 minutes, 35mm
Directors: Igor Legarreta, Emilio Perez  /  Producers: Carlos Juarez, Raquel Perea, Aprieta Fuerte
Writers: David Abia, Igor Legarreta, Emilio Perez
www.kimuak.com
The remains of an ancient circus can still be seen on the outskirts of a big city.  Mississippi premiere.
                                               
Eva: An all Electric Love Story
Animtaion, Germany  /  9 minutes, 16mm
Director: Martin Quaden / Animator: Sinem Sakaoglu
www.eyefoolery.com
Girl meets boyč almost. Shot in stark black and white, this stop-motion animated love affair will have you look up next time you pass a streetlight.  Mississippi premiere.

Lao Shan Lao Yin
Short documentary, China  /  7 minutes, MiniDV
Director: Joanna V. Arong  /  Producers, Writers: Various
www.documentarychallenge.org
Whilst more youth are increasingly coming to Beijing to pursue their dreams, what do the older folks dream about in a small village tucked away in the mountains 90 kilometers away? Made for the inaugural International Documentary Challenge, a timed filmmaking competition where teams from around the world had just 5 days to make a short documentary film. Best Cinematography/Use of Experimental Genre/Use of Time/Date Stamp čInternational Documentary Challenge. Southern premiere.

Alla Fein (Where To)
Short narrative, Egypt  /  12 minutes, HDV
Director, Producer: Karim Fanous  /  Writers: Karim Fanous, Adam Mourad
A middle-aged New York cab driver from Egypt picks up another fellow Egyptian, arriving in the city for the first time, in pursuit of the “American Dream.” They have a conversation that will help each of them come to a realization about their life choices. Mississippi premiere.

Relatively Free
Short documentary, Italy  /  8 minutes, MiniDV
Directors: Alessandro Cassigoli, Dalia Castel  /  Producers, Writers: Various
www.documentarychallenge.org
An intense car trip from East to West, through ideologies and systems, trying to find freedom during a rainy day in Berlin. Made for the inaugural International Documentary Challenge, a timed filmmaking competition where teams from around the world had just 5 days to make a short documentary film. Best Film/Best Use of Social Issue/Political GenrečInternational Documentary Challenge.  Southern premiere.

Chiyo
Short narrative, Japan
24 minutes, 35mm
Director: Masanori Baba  /  Producers: Jason Allen and Masanori Baba  /  Writers: Chris Zeller and Masanori Baba
www.chiyoshort.com
In the summer of 1945, a year after Chiyo’s father dies in the war, she expects him to come back during O-Bon, the Japanese festival of the dead.  When he does not return, this 4-year old-girl runs off into the night, meeting a Monk with no ears, a crying Geisha at the cemetery, a Samurai ghost and the Lotus God.  Will Chiyo unite with her father?  Southern premiere.

3pm, Parkway Screen A (98 min.)          

Crime Fiction
Feature narrative, Illinois  /  83 minutes, HD
Director: Will Slocombe / Producer: Graham Ballou  /  Writer: Jonathan Eliot
www.crimefictionpictures.com
James Cooper is a literary failure, toiling in academic copy-editing until his girlfriend lands on the sidewalk below his bedroom window, and he writes a bestseller about the crime. Would you kill for a good story? “Crime Fiction” was made by a group of 21-year-olds from Chicago with very little money, no film school education, and a good script. Cast includes Christian Stolte (“Prison Break,” “Road to Perdition”), Amy Sloan (“The Aviator,” “The Day After Tomorrow”), Dan Bakkedahl (“The Daily Show with Jon Stewart”), Jonathan Eliot (“After the Harvest,” “Lost & delirious”), Yasen Peyankov (“The Company”), Katrina Lenk (“Will and Grace”). Filmmaker will be in attendance. “Student film turns into independent powerhouse.”čScreen Magazine

The Final Hour
Student, Vicksburg, Mississippi  /  15 minutes, 16mm
Director, Writer: David Matthews  /  Producers: Keith Matthews and David Matthews
Solutions seem simple when you’re desperate.
This fifteen-minute journey into a disgruntled husband’s world leads him to end his marriage and a life. He’ll soon find out that hiring a hitman in a small town can have certain unexpected repercussions. Filmmaker will be in attendance.                        
3pm, Parkway Screen B     (111 min.)   

Pickles
Feature documentary, Israel  /  59 minutes, DVCam
Director, Writer: Dalit Kimor / Producer: Nitza Gonen
Challenging the custom to remain at home, 8 Moslem Arab Israeli widows join forces and start a pickle factory despite setbacks. As widows with no income, they are condemned to be lonely, stay at home and raise their children on a meager Social Security allowance.  If they remarry they would traditionally have to give up their children.  In response to their situation, they decide to join forces and open and run a company that produces pickles though they have never held jobs before. The film tracks the progress and development of this unconventional start up as these women work to improve their lives.  While their personal lives reflect the joys and sadness of family weddings, bereavement, and loneliness, they face numerous hurdles as the business struggles to expand to stores throughout Israel. Southern premiere.

Quio: So Dazed
Music video, Germany
5 minutes, 16mm
Director, Producer: Christine Lang
www.khm.de
 
King Cake
Short documentary, Gautier, Mississippi  /  18 minutes, MiniDV
Director, Producer: S. Dixon McDowell
King Cake explores the traditional Mardi Gras sweet, round cake with the baby inside. Street interviews in New Orleans, Mardi Gras images, and even a trip to Paul’s Pastry Shop to see how king cakes are made, create a lively portrait of the subject. Previously screened at Ocean Springs Film Festival, Slo Food Festival, and Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration. Filmmaker will be in attendance.

Jesse & Jill
Short narrative, New York / 17 minutes, MiniDV
Director, Writer: Dakkan Abbe / Producer: Heather Murphy
Jesse Tannen is a lonely grad student who answers an online ad offering to pay him for sex; he thinks it’s a joke, but discovers it is all too real. What happens next changes both of their lives forever.  Southern premiere.

Roslyn
Short narrative, Texas / 8 minutes, 16mm
Director, Writer: Will Canon  /  Producers: Will Canon, Phil Montgomery
www.threefolks.com
The heart-stopping tale of a young man at the wrong place at the wrong time.  Mississippi premiere.

Loom
Animation, California / 5 minutes, 35 mm
Director, Producer, Writer: Scott Kravitz
www.scottkravitz.com | WATCH TRAILER
A street musician risks his life to save a child and meets his fate at the hands of an old woman whom is more than she seems.
               
5pm,  Parkway Screen A (106 min.)       

10 Items or Less (not in competition)
Feature narrative, California  /  82 minutes, 35mm
Director, Writer: Brad Silberling  /  Producers: Morgan Freeman, Julie Lynn, Lori McCreary, Brad Silberling, Kelly Thomas
Starring: Morgan Freeman, Paz Vega
www.thinkfilmcompany.com
While researching a role for an independent film, an aging actor (Morgan Freeman) strikes up an unlikely  and life-changing  friendship with a feisty young Latina grocery clerk (Paz Vega, “Spanglish”) in this inspiring comedy. Stranded at a tiny market on the edge of Los Angeles, the famous actor accepts a ride from a sassy store employee, Scarlet. The odd couple hits the road, and so begins a trip filled with offbeat encounters and surprising revelations. ”The first time we showed the film to an audience, someone said,  Now I know what it s like to spend time with Morgan Freeman.  Watching people who are complete strangers create intimacy, trusting that we could hang a whole film on that without needing to protect ourselves; that is the film.”   - Brad Silberling, director.  Rated R.

Colourbars
Animtaion, Ontario, Canada / 2 minutes, 16 mm
Director, Writer: Timothy Moore / Producer: Zachary Gans
www.geezleproductions.com/colourbars
Combining live action and traditional cell animation, this short film depicts a typical day near the end of the Colourbars’ career. Best Animated Short  2006 Student Shorts Film Festival, Best Experimental Film  2006 Animation Block Party Summerfest, Grand Jury Prize  2006 Toronto International Film Festival Group Student Showcase. Filmmaker will be in attendance. Southern premiere.

The Frank Anderson
Short narrative, California / 13 minutes, Super 16mm
 Director: Dave Perkal  /  Producers: Orit Schwartz, Jill Effron, Toti Levine, Mike Risner / Writer: Orit Schwartz
wwww.thefrankanderson.com
Frank Anderson has man-boobs.  Losing his battle against the insurance company to have them reduced, he wins in other ways.  This in turn starts a man-boob phenomenon.   Mississippi premiere.
                               
Sintonia
Short narrative, Spain / 9 minutes, 35mm
Director, Writer: Jose Mari Goenaga  /  Producers: Aitor Arregi, Moriarti Produkzioak, S.L.
www.kimuak.com
It’s not a question of long conversations, of long years of living together. Sometimes, in a place where people pass each other by, in only a few minutes, you may find yourself connecting with someone. Mississippi premiere.

5pm, Parkway Screen B     (113 min.)

All The Days Before Tomorrow
Feature narrative, California  /  100 minutes, 35mm
Director, Writer: Francois Dompierre  /  Producers: Francois Dompierre and Kevin Leydon
www.allthedaysbeforetomorrow.com
 This is the story of the unmistakable chemistry between two people who are right for each other, but at the wrong moment in time. Starring Alexandra Holden (“The Hot Chick”, “Drop Dead Gorgeous”, “Friends”, “Ally McBeal”), Joey Kern (“Cabin Fever”, appearances on “Sex and the City”), and Richard Roundtree (forever known to audiences as “Shaft”, Se7en, BRICK, “Desperate Housewives”). Previously screened at the Rio de Janiero International Film Festival and Cinequest Film Festival.

Zion Hill
Short narrative, New York / 13 minutes, 16mm
Director, Producer, Writer: Daniel Dzula
Jean Winters has lived with his grandmother all his life, outside the small, suburban town of Zion Hill, New Jersey. Inspired by his mother’s old collection of Kerouac novels and Beach Boys records, he decides to hitchhike looking for love and life, but mostly in search of himself.  Filmmaker will be in attendance. World premiere.

For the complete festival schedule click HERE .

Filmmakers in Attendance

Joey Lauren Adams
Natalie Ashker
Jimbo Barnett
Damien Blaylock
Danny Bourque
Tony Caldwell
Lance Cooper
Dayton Douglass
Daniel Dzula
Curtis Everitt
Dave Finleyson
Zachary Gans
Zack Godshall
Andy Harper
Sarah Hendler
Joseph Hicks
Griffin Hood
Diana Hunter
Julia Huskey
Barlow Jacobs
Richard Marshall
David Matthews
John Maxwell
S. Dixon McDowell
Tom McPhee
Steve Mims
Michael Modak-Truran
Chris Moore
Timothy Moore
Emily Myers
Matt Myers
Jim Pasternak
Kathilynn Philipps
Murray Robinson
Jason Sandri
Aaron Sawyer
Orit Schwartz
Josh Siegel
Will Slocombe
Kenneth Stiggers
Jarratt Taylor
Jay Thompson
Michael Usry
Joe York 

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