Month: May 2017

Interview with Festival Director Gregory Kelly (SIMPLY SHORTS)

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Simply Shorts was designed to encourage more regular screenings of both local and international short form content in Brisbane, Australia. Since 2015, we have held Simply Shorts 2-3 times a year, changing genres or themes every edition and opening the door to many different areas of filmmaking. Our screenings go for one night only. The editions of Simply Shorts so far have been: The Queensland Edition, Halloween Special, Skits & Giggles, World Cinema, Women in Film and coming in July we’ll have Sci-Fi or Die.

Simply Shorts was created by Gregory Kelly. Greg’s background in the film industry started in 2009 when he entered film school at the Queensland School of Film & Television. Graduating in 2011, Greg co-founded the Brisbane Backyard Film Festival with Morgan MacKay in 2012, which this year celebrated it’s 6th edition. Pernell Marsden joined Simply Shorts full time in 2016 as festival director and was instrumental in making the Women in Film screening one of the most successful editions yet.

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Matthew Toffolo: What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

Gregory Kelly: We hope that Simply Shorts is providing another valuable screen for filmmakers to screen their work. Especially our local filmmakers in Brisbane who don’t get much of a chance to have their work screened locally because of the lack of festivals and screenings.

What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2017)?

We’ve had one edition of Simply Shorts already in 2017 which was our Women in Film screening. We screened short form content from Australian female filmmakers which was great. A fantastic mix of drama, thriller, animation and comedy. In July we’ll be having our Sci-Fi or Die edition which will focus on local and international sci-fi short films, as well as music videos & trailers.

What are the qualifications for the selected films?

Audience enjoyment and technical merit. We have a pre-screening with a group who give us feedback on what films they enjoyed and why. Technical competency usually also falls into the enjoyment side of things as well, because if you can’t hear or see the film properly you wouldn’t enjoy it.

Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why?

That’s a hard question. Each film festival is different. There are a lot of film festivals now, and a lot of them cater for different things. Putting together a program for a festival is extremely hard. We’ve had to leave out good films just to keep our lineup varied.

What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

We love film. We love bringing people together through film.

How has your FilmFreeway submission process been?

Since we’ve been using FilmFreeway it has been extremely easy. There’s an abundance of films out there.

Where do you see the festival by 2020?

We don’t see Simply Shorts getting much bigger than what it is. We enjoy the small and relaxed feel.

What film have you seen the most times in your life?

Pulp Fiction.

In one sentence, what makes a great film?

A great story.

How is the film scene in your city?

Unfortunately we don’t have the film scene in Brisbane that we should have for a first world city. There’s a lot of potential here but a lot of it is unrealised. It’s both social and political.

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 20-50 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto, and Los Angeles at least 2 times a month. Go to www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

SUBMIT your TV PILOT Screenplay or TV SPEC Script
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Interview with Festival Director Shawn P. Greene (Great Lakes Christian Film Festival)

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Christian Filmmakers are on the rise, and as technology advances and is more accessible to more and more people, new outlets are necessary to meet the demand of new Christian Films. The third festival in 2017 will be located in Buffalo, NY, the gateway to the Great Lakes. Buffalo has a rich history, and many stories to tell.

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Matthew Toffolo: What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

Shawn P. Greene: The filmmakers are getting the validation for distribution and sales of their film, making new contacts to collaborate with, and leaving inspired to continue filmmaking future products.

What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2017)?

Attendees will see our new venue creating a great atmosphere to enjoy an entire weekend of networking and screening films.

What are the qualifications for the selected films?

The biggest thing is this is a CHRISTIAN Film Festival. What does that mean? For starters, this is a festival for Christian Filmmakers or anyone looking to submit a Christian-themed film. The target audience is for the whole family.

Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why?

I think the presence of the filmmakers can make or break the benefits a film fest can provide.

What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

The absence of a faith-based festival in our region. While there are many great festivals in the area, non focus on the artistic talents of the Christian Film Industry.

How has your FilmFreeway submission process been?

I can’t complain. It feels seamless.

Where do you see the festival by 2020?

Bigger and better.

What film have you seen the most times in your life?

Star Wars.

In one sentence, what makes a great film?

A film is great because of the story, told in an interesting and entertaining way.

How is the film scene in your city?

Buffalo, NY has grown to be a go-to city from NY and LA film companies because of an array or landmarks, scenery, and talent. [TMNT2, Marshall]

 

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 20-50 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto, and Los Angeles at least 2 times a month. Go to www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

SUBMIT your TV PILOT Screenplay or TV SPEC Script
Voted #1 TV Contest in North America.		 Screenplay CONTESTSUBMIT your Short Screenplay or FEATURE Script
FULL FEEDBACK on all entries. Get your script performed

Inside Out LGBT Film Festival Review: THE FABULOUS ALLAN CARR (USA 2017) ***

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Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival: http://www.wildsound.ca

allencarArmed with a limitless Rolodex and a Benedict Canyon enclave with its own disco, Allan Carr threw the Hollywood parties that defined the 1970s. A producer, manager, and marketing genius, Carr built his bombastic reputation amid a series of successes including the mega-hit musical film GREASE, until it all came crashing down after he produced the 1989 Academy Awards, a notorious debacle.

Director: Jeffrey Schwarz
Stars: Goldie Hawn, Michelle Pfeiffer, Bette Davis

Review by Gilbert Seah 

Those who remember the fabulous documentary TAB HUNTER CONFIDENTIAL screened at Inside Out two years back can expect the same fabulousness in director Jeffrey Schwarz’s new documentary of another Hollywood larger-than-life figure.

The subject is gay producer and promoter Allan Carr (before known as Alan Solomon). Carr is a short, fat little man but did not let his non-fabulous features stop him from being the celebrity and everyone’s darling party organizer. Carr has to his credits, the films GREASE (the highest grossing film of 1978), CAN’T STOP THE MUSIC, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES and also the infamous Snow White at the 1989 Academy Awards.

But the film also traces his disastrous flops like GREASE 2 and WHERE THE BOYS ARE. Schwarz captures all the glamour of Hollywood and its stars, from the eyes of Carr who narrates a fair part of his autobiography.

The film contains lots of nostalgia with lots of film clips from oldies and goodies like GREASE with a few archive footage of the old Hollywood gay scene.

But most important is the fact that the film also tells the truth about the real Carr – warts and all and, as his personal assistant describes, his Jekyll and Hyde behaviour.
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Also, Free logline submissions. The Writing Festival network averages over 95,000 unique visitors a day.
Great way to get your story out: http://www.wildsound.ca/logline.html

Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month:http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

Full Review: THE BELKO EXPERIMENT (USA 2016) ****

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Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival: http://www.wildsound.ca

the_belko_experiment_poster.jpgIn a twisted social experiment, 80 Americans are locked in their high-rise corporate office in Bogotá, Colombia and ordered by an unknown voice coming from the company’s intercom system to participate in a deadly game of kill or be killed.
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Director: Greg McLean
Writer: James Gunn
Stars: John Gallagher Jr., Tony Goldwyn, Adria Arjona

Review by Gilbert Seah
 
Aussie director Greg McLean (Australians always have their special edgy sense of humour) and scriptwriter James Gunn (remember his super-gross SLITHER?) join forces to deliver the perfect horror thriller on office culture. Originally premiered in the Midnight Madness section at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, the film still proves a fascinating watch the second time around.

Office politics turns into a real-life survival of the fittest when workers at Belko Company are forced into a sick game of kill or be killed by unknown sinister forces (revealed at the end of the film) that lock down their building, in this gruesomely funny horror thriller. It at first seems to be an ordinary morning on the job for a group of Americans working for a not-for-profit company in a modern office building in Colombia. After noticing that their Colombian colleagues have not arrived for work, office worker Mike (John Gallagher, Jr.) spots some unfamiliar security guards entering a large hangar nearby. Moments later, an icy voice comes over the building’s PA system and calmly explains that the employees must kill 2 other employers of their choice within 30 minutes — if not, they will be killed themselves. While the boss (Tony Goldwyn) tries to calm the troops, Mike belatedly realizes that something truly sinister is going on — and when metal doors come sliding down on all the building’s exits and windows, it becomes clear that friends and colleagues are now suddenly enemies in a bloody and brutal battle to the death.

Even before the action begins, McLean delivers lots of inside office jokes like the isolation of working in a cubicle, sexual harassment and the introduction of new employees. The film contains a good cross-section of workers like the maintenance men, the security, the bitchy lady manager et al. The film is a mix between disaster, sci-fi, horror and comedy which means that the filmmakers have plenty to play around with. In the kill to survive scenario, there is the good guy with all the right motives, the bad boss (handsome Goldwyn doing the villain as he did in GHOST), the unstable psycho, the asshole, the plump good meaning lady and so on.

The music, by Tyler Bates (GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL.2), is an assembly of musical numbers from classical Tchaikovsky to a Latino version of “I Will Survive” effectively used at appropriate intervals. The sounds effects are superb especially the metal closing of the windows and doors.

Besides being a well-made horror thriller, McLean also squeezes in office satire and a fews good metaphors like the segment of the dos shitting and covering up its shit outside the Belko compound. There are a few predictable parts – like the one involving the office pervert/asshole sexually harassing the pretty employee. His comeuppance, with his life at her mercy comes as no surprise but provides the biggest cheer of the movie.

Best of all, the ending is unexpected, also providing a good twist to the story. THE BELKO EXPERIMENT proves to be very violent and satisfactory fun, if one can stomach the graphic violence.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9W46xo3AvBA
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Also, Free logline submissions. The Writing Festival network averages over 95,000 unique visitors a day.
Great way to get your story out: http://www.wildsound.ca/logline.html

Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month:http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

Film Review: RISK (USA 2017) ***

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Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival: http://www.wildsound.ca

rick.jpgThe story of WikiLeak’s editor-in-chief Julian Assange as seen by documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras.

Director: Laura Poitras
Writer: Laura Poitras (narration)
Stars: Julian Assange, Sarah Harrison, Jacob Appelbaum

Review by Gilbert Seah

One might remember the name – Laura Poitras. She was the one who accompanied Edward Snowden from Hong Kong to Moscow when he was in exile, while making the comprehensive doc Oscar Winning CITIZENFOUR that educated the world on the world’s most famous NSA whistleblower. Poitras returns to her roots, dealing again with what she knows best – making docs on whistleblowers or the like. Her new subject is an equally wanted man by the FBI, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Julian is from Norfolk, England.

As with documentary subjects, the subject has to be larger than life, more than a normal person. In a surprise interview with singer/activist Lady Gaga at the embassy, Assange’s answer to one of her questions sums up the man. “Let’s not pretend for a moment I’m a normal person.”

The film begins with his call to the top brass in the U.S. , Julian wishing to speak personally with Hilary Clinton. His famous quote on the phone, Julian Assange: We don’t have a problem, you have a problem. Of course the U.S. authorities do not believe him, and the film documents the escalation of how Julian became one of America’s most wanted men.

As a result since the summer of 2012, Assange has been living at Ecuador’s London Embassy, having received asylum following sexual assault allegations in Sweden – offences Assange denies committing. Going to Sweden would also make him eligible for extradition to the U.S.

One of the most interesting things about documentaries is that the documentarist can never be 100% sure of the film’s end outcome. The same can be said for RISK. Her subject says that he never foresaw the events happening the way they did, and she herself was concerned with the film’s ending. The most important fact is that the doc would highly compromise Julian’s safety.

The film also detours with the side subject of Private Manning who was prosecuted by the U.S. and finally sentenced to more than 140 years of prison.

RISK, as in her other films, incites the anger of the audience at the U.S. authorities especially the FBI, a favourite target. The silly excuse of terrorist protection is again given as an excuse to compromise the privacy of the public. But the case is that they lie and do not reveal how much they have already violated citizen’s rights. The doc is good to explain that unless one is in their radar, they cannot do much with the data that they have – a case of too much data and too little manpower.

RISK ties in with Poitras other doc CITIZENFOUR with Sbowden on display in this film as well.

Because of the film’s nature and subject, it is at times all over the place, as Julian runs from one safe haven to another. The film also feels like an espionage thriller – only that this is the real thing. A fascinating documentary that should be seen!

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1teM525rVlc

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Also, Free logline submissions. The Writing Festival network averages over 95,000 unique visitors a day.
Great way to get your story out: http://www.wildsound.ca/logline.html

Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month:http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

Film Review: THE NEON STRUGGLE, 38min, USA, Documentary

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Played at the April 2017 LA FEEDBACK Film Festival.

MOVIE POSTERTHE NEON STRUGGLE, 38min, USA, Documentary
Directed by Bert Simonis

A family fights to keep their neon sign business alive as the light of the industry fades away. The process of creating these delicate signs is beautifully photographed to capture the intricacy of this populist American art form. Interviews with neon historians and experts are interspersed with vintage neon signs from across the United States.

Review by Kierston Drier:

The Neon Struggle, directed by Bert Simonis, is a story that will take you back in time. It follows one family and their small business passing down the true art and craftsmanship of building and creating Neon Lights.

There was a glorious time when Neon was new, fun, flashy and authentic. It took nearly a decade to learn the trade of sculpting, crafting, installing and repairing it A viewer may remember the day when Neon Lights were the only lights to catch your attention. But Vegas, once the Neon Capital of the world, would one day switch to LED.

And though this is a dying art, this family, with unapologetic charm, and passion, takes us through the work they do, the journey they have made through decades of lighting up the night with electric ions and phosphorescent hues.

Cinematically, this is nothing short of a colorful, and it is a piece brimming with authenticity. It is like stepping into an episode of Pawn Stars, with the cheerful characters and the educational, yet conversational atmosphere that the family creates while recounting the truly fascinating history of Neon. We wouldn’t immediately think that Neon went out of fashion for political reasons- that it was the victim of Marketing tactics hailing it as “colorful clutter” instead of the message board of the masses. That LED hit the stage in a time of Public Relations and Marketing, a platform that mom-and-pop neon shops never had been made to work within.

A fascinating look at sliver of history- a history that is as rich and bright as the lights themselves.

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Film Review: THE LONG GOODBYE: AN ALZHEIMER’S STORY, USA, Documentary

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Played at the April 2017 LA FEEDBACK Film Festival.

MOVIE POSTERTHE LONG GOODBYE: AN ALZHEIMER’S STORY, 5min, USA, Documentary
Directed by Christian J. Harris

An intimate short story about Alzheimers and it’s effect on it’s victims and caregivers. Get an inside look of what it’s like to live with this disease through the eyes of a couple who just won’t give in.

Review by Kierston Drier:

In this heart wrenching testament to love conquering all things, The Long Goodbye is The Notebook, come to life. Directed by Christian J. Harris follows a husband-wife couple, married over fifty years. The wife is slowly dying from Alzheimer’s. The husband refuses to put her in a facility.

This is a love story. A real, honest and touchingly human look at vulnerability of love. A film with no easy ending, it reminds us that love is not about the end- but the journey. It is an open love letter to all who take the leap the love demands us to take. A cinematic look at one man reaching into a void to hold on to his best friend, this is a not a film to miss.

Watch it, for the dive into a human heart. Watch it for a true story of love conquering all. Watch it to hear his wife turn to him and say “You are my best friend.” A film written, directed and starred from the bottom of many hearts, The Long Goodbye is a beautiful film.

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Film Review: GEORGE, 7min, USA, Documentary

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Played at the April 2017 LA FEEDBACK Film Festival.

MOVIE POSTERGEORGE, 7min, USA, Documentary
Directed by Mary Gerretsen

A short profile documentary about a man’s life and journey through love, loss and illness.

Review by Kierston Drier:

Directed by Mary Gerresten, George is nothing short of delightful. It is the story of the complex tapestry of one man’s life through love, loss and grief. George, our hero, is young at heart, vibrant, poetic, witty and utterly charming. A familiar character to anyone who has ever had a favorite uncle or grandfather.

Without spoiling the emotional rollercoaster, for a film under eight minutes long it is hard not to cry when it ends. Not because George’s life is unbearably tragic- but because in the short time the film takes, you fall in love with man. You fall for his spirit, his highs and his lows. You fall, hook, line and sinker, for his heartfelt connection with his wife. You slide head over heels for the clear love and devotion he has for his family. And you are sad when the credits roll. Because you already miss him.

What sparkles about this film, is it’s amazing ability to straddle comedy, tragedy and poignancy without feeling condensed or rushed. The piece flows naturally, and absorbs the viewer so thoroughly, that the film feels shorter than it is.

A beautiful piece of cinematic storytelling, watch George. It will remind you to never take life too seriously and that aging is a privilege denied to many.

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Film Review: HAVE A LITTLE FAITH, 12min, USA, Comedy

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Played at the April 2017 LA FEEDBACK Film Festival.

MOVIE POSTERHAVE A LITTLE FAITH, 12min, USA, Comedy
Directed by Ashton Avila

A rebellious teenager is determined to get kicked out of her new Christian High School and teach the new boy she meets there what it really means to “have a little Faith”.

Review by Kierston Drier:

We all remember that one person in high school. They walked in a shook up your world- they oozed coolness or bravado. For Thomas, that girl is new student Faith, who wanders into his Christian prep school with her skirt hiked high, blowing bubble gum in his face. A manic-pixie-dream-girl with attitude. Enter offbeat comic gem that is Have A Little Faith directed by Ashton Avila.

Fresh, bright and funny, this is a charmingly little coming-of-age story. When Faith offers to have sex with Thomas he doesn’t actually seem to believe it- but then it happens! What keeps this story fresh and unique, is that it shows the honest, awkward and, yet- sweet moments that these two share while the try to get it on in the school auditorium.

Another great thing in this piece, is the performances. Faith is a rebellious, irresponsible troublemaker who is impossible not to like, and Thomas is a good boy bitten by the craziness that is adolescence. This piece also has some of the best closing music for it’s ending sequence. It is sometimes refreshing to take a step back into youth, when experiences were new and aching to be seized. Have A Little Faith will refresh you, for sure.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video:

Film Review: UNCLE ALBERT, 11min, USA, Dark Comedy

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Played at the April 2017 LA FEEDBACK Film Festival.

MOVIE POSTERUNCLE ALBERT, 11min, USA, Dark Comedy
Directed by Summer Blake

A dark comedy about the nuances of emotional response; Karen’s left emotionless following the death of her distant Uncle, Albert, she’ll stop at nothing to prove to fellow guests that she can indeed feel “sad.”

Review by Kierston Drier:

Directed by Summer Black, Uncle Albert is an open letter of support to anyone who had to go the funeral of a relative they barely knew and didn’t care about. In Karen’s case, it’s uncle Albert who was probably the creepy uncle that gave weird hugs and asked you to pull his finger way too many times.

The main issue for Karen is that she can’t seem to fake it. Try as she might she can’t feign sympathy for this poor dead jerk. Following her on this comic trail of family obligation are the larger-than-life family members that attend every funeral; the distraught relative who does nothing but cry, the overly dramatic jackass who is deeply affected by this passing and having an existential crisis about it.

The flirt who might get to take someone home. And all through this, Karen has to find a way to fake it till she makes it- at least until she can get home and call it cocktail hour.

Funny, because in one way or another it is all too familiar, Uncle Albert takes the comic notes you can find in a funeral and puts them under a microscope. And it does a really good job at it.

So buckle up, grab some popcorn, and get ready to laugh yourself to death- it’s a pretty good way to go.

Watch the Audience FEEDBACK Video: