Telluride by the Sea films announced

Film selections have been announced for this year's Telluride by the Sea Film Festival to be held September 21-23 in Portsmouth, NH.

Get the full scoop on the lineup and festivities here.

"The Jesus Guy" to premiere in Birmingham, AL

No money. No home. No name. What kind of person gives up everything to spread the Word of God? To some, he’s an inspiration. To others, a threat. So, what in God’s name is he doing, traveling across country and through a dozen countries? Director Sean Tracey traces the enigmatic odyssey of the anonymous, barefoot preacher known as “The Jesus Guy.” With the intimacy of single-camera filmmaking, we walk in his steps as he encounters both skeptics and believers, changing them…for better, for worse, forever.

New Hampshire filmmaker Sean Tracey has completed his new documentary, "The Jesus Guy", and the film has been selected to screen (and have its world premiere) at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival in Birmingham, Alabama. The festival runs September 28-30. Sean Tracey has been directing TV commercials for over 15 years and this is his first documentary film.

For more information on the film, including information on Sean and his relationship with friend and mentor Albert Maysles, visit www.thejesusguy.com.

Saint-Gaudens film to screen at Smithsonian

A new documentary on New Hampshire's own Augustus Saint-Gaudens will screen at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington D.C. on Friday, September 7, 2007 at 5 p.m. The film, Augustus Saint-Gaudens: Master of American Sculpture, is produced by New York-based Our Town Films and Paul G. Sanderson III and was filmed partially in New Hampshire over the last couple of years.

The September screening will be preceded by an afternoon symposium beginning at 1:30 p.m. guest speakers will include George Gurney, Deputy Chief Curator of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Henry Duffy, Curator of the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site, among others. A reception will follow the screening and the event is free and open to the public.

For additional information on the symposium, click here.

"Common Threads" to premiere Sept. 15

[Received this press release from NH-based Shadow Lane Productions regarding the upcoming premiere of their new documentary, "Common Threads".]

New Hampshire-based company, Shadow Lane Productions, teams up with In the Safe Place Seminars to present Common Threads.

Common Threads is a feature-length documentary of healing, overcoming obstacles, and understanding the long-term effects of abuse. It‘s based on the book Common Threads written by Connie Roblliard and Marcel Duclos, both whom have experienced, like so many, the lasting effects of childhood trauma.

The documentary premieres at Southern New Hampshire University in Robert Frost Hall on Saturday, September 15th at 7 p.m. The filmmakers and authors will be in attendance.

Amber Ward, director, graduated from the Visual Communications Program in Alberta, Canada as well as the Vancouver Film School in British Columbia. This is Ward’s first feature-length documentary.

Connie Robillard earned her Master’s Degree from Rivier College and has received advanced training in Internal Family Systems Therapy, EMDR and Experiential forms of psychotherapy.

Marcel Duclos brings his study of Pastoral Psychotherapy, Jungian Analytical Psychotherapy, Core Energetic Evolutionary Therapy, EMDR and Internal Family Systems Therapy to his psychotherapy practice and to his life.

Presale tickets can be purchased for $10 at www.eventidecounseling.com, or at the door for $12. Visit www.shadowlaneproductions.com to view the trailer.

Telluride by the Sea unspools September 21-23

[From our friends at The Music Hall in Portsmouth. The Telluride by the Sea runs September 21-23, 2007.]

It’s coming on September and time for the acclaimed Telluride by the Sea, The Music Hall’s nine year long collaboration with the producers of the Telluride Film Festival. This unique and intimate Portsmouth event treats audience members from across the Northeast to an exclusive peek into the Telluride experience - packing one September weekend with the latest international cinema, private parties, great music, delicious food, and inspired conversations with sympathetic cinephiles of all ages, tastes and backgrounds.

Telluride by the Sea is a young relation to the 34 year old Telluride Film Festival held every Labor Day weekend in Telluride, Colorado in a tiny box canyon in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. In a carefully hand-picked selection of films, the festival in Colorado celebrates and commemorates the art of filmmaking, highlights the rare and unknown, pays tribute to the masters of cinema, presents new works by the world's greatest directors, and features world premieres of the latest in international cinema. Telluride by the Sea is always a new experience, a unique celebration of the rare and unexpected. Past Telluride by the Sea titles have included: Pedro Almodovar’s Volver in which Penelope Cruz, in an Oscar-nominated performance, lit up the screen, the ingenious and charming Russian film, The Italian, and Venus, featuring Peter O’Toole’s wonderful, Oscar-nominated performance.

For more information on Telluride by the Sea, click here.

"E.T." 25th Anniversary Screening feat. Dee Wallace

Sky Pond Studios and Cinema 93 in Concord will commemorate the 25th anniversary of E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial with a screening of the Steven Spielberg film on Saturday, September 15, 2007 at the Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince Street in Concord, NH. There will be a family matinee showing at 2 p.m. and an evening show at 7 p.m. and both will feature a special appearance by Dee Wallace. For ticket information, call (603) 225-5650.

Boston selected for free film fest tour

IFC (Independent Film Channel) and Comcast announced last week that Boston has been selected as a destination for the IFC Free Film Fest -- a state-of-the-art, multimedia 10-city independent film tour.

Read more about it here.

SNOB Film Festival stacked up with Sundance

So, as I said in my last post, I'm perusing around the internet for recent coverage of all that is New Hampshire film, right? And I come across this article in the American Journalism Review (August/September 2007) about how film critics are possibly becoming a dying breed and that many publications are cutting costs and sending their critics packing. It's an interesting piece. I became giddy, however, when I read this paragraph:

"There will be more than 170 film festivals in the United States this year, in locales from Park City, Utah (Sundance), to Concord, New Hampshire (the Somewhat North of Boston, or SNOB, Film Festival), according to the Internet Movie Database. Many local and state governments fund robust incentive programs to lure production companies. And with advances in digital video, local filmmakers are becoming ubiquitous."

Okay, so its one line - but hoorah for SNOB for being mentioned in the same breath as Sundance!

"The Toll" in Animation World Magazine

Found this review today as I was perusing the web for New Hampshire film-related news. It's a review of "The Toll", the animated short film from Hatchling Studios in Portsmouth, NH. The article in which this review appeared was entitled, "Fresh from the Festivals: July 2007's Reviews", from Animation World Magazine.

Screenplay of local film in bookstores

[Received this press release today from our friends at Tosi Productions, LLC in Goffstown, NH.]

GOFFSTOWN, NH – The script for the newly completed, locally-produced, feature-length film “Dribbles” has been published in paperback and is now available through major retail and independent book stores, according to the film’s production company, Tosi Productions, LLC.

Hailed by HBO coverage as a "surprisingly moving piece about teen life" and Republic Pictures coverage as "beautifully written, heartwarming, and quite charming," "Dribbles" tells the story of a talented high school artist who suddenly decides to prove himself to his runaway father by winning a championship basketball jacket.

"Dribbles” was shot in the fall and winter of 2005 in New Hampshire locations including Manchester, Goffstown, Weare, Portsmouth, North Haverhill, and Woodsville. Made up of predominately New England based performers, the cast was selected from over 500 auditions held in high schools and colleges in New Hampshire as well as large casting sessions held in Boston during the summer of 2005. Post production progressed through 2006 and the first half of 2007. The film has recently begun the submission process to major international film festivals.

The paperback edition features the complete shooting script of the film illustrated with still photographs, a production guide, and the end credits of the film.

The book is available at area book stores and online at Barnes & Noble, Borders, and Amazon.com. More information about the film, including a list of local outlets carrying the screenplay, can be found at the official film web site, www.dribblesmovie.com.

Film Baby: Self-distribution for filmmakers

[Upon returning from my vacation, I’m now wading through my inbox and posting items that some of you may find of interest. We’ve had a number of discussions and panels recently involving distribution alternatives and I figured that some of our filmmakers might find this press release from Film Baby worth exploring. DISCLAIMER: I regularly post items of interest that cross my desk – they are meant to be informational only. This is in no way meant to be taken as an endorsement by the New Hampshire Film and Television Office.]

FILM BABY opens up self-distribution frontier for filmmakers

Members now have one-stop access to Super D, Netflix, Cinema Now and Amazon CustomFlix – as well as wide exposure on Google Video, Ruckus Networks and Sony Connect PSP

Tired of waiting for your big theatrical or DVD break? Wondering how you’re going to repay your investors, so you can get on with your career? Film Baby – a spin-off of the legendary CD Baby – has opened up the self-distribution frontier for independent filmmakers through a series of groundbreaking partnerships.

Besides providing a popular online channel to indie fans for DVD sales, Film Baby now gives member filmmakers direct access to Super D, Netflix, CinemaNow, and Amazon CustomFlix – representing a range of distribution opportunities that typically require representation by a professional sales agent. Among them, every Film Baby title with a barcode is now automatically available to over 2400 chain and independent music stores through Super D (one of the world’s largest wholesalers of DVDs). Furthermore, member’s films can receive immediate consideration for acquisition by Netflix and digital downloading through CinemaNow. Filmmakers set their own retail and wholesale prices (with the exception of downloads), while Film Baby facilitates and handles all the processing, shipping and collections – with full payments to members on a weekly basis. The only charge to members for the spectrum of services now offered is a one-time set-up fee of $39.95 per title and a flat commission of $4 per unit sold.

To support the growth of the independent film community, Film Baby has also set up promotional partnerships with Google Video, Sony Connect PSP and Ruckus Networks to provide members with additional marketing exposure to millions of potential new customers. A two-minute trailer/clip for each Film Baby title will be featured on Google Video with a direct link to its sales page. Members can also reach the coveted 18-to-35 key demographic by offering their films for download from Sony Connect to be played on Sony gaming devices PSP and PS3 and Ruckus Networks’ digital entertainment service to over 900 university campuses – both with direct links back to their Film Baby sales page.

Based on the successful model that has allowed CD Baby to pay its members over $47 million to date, Film Baby makes it possible for filmmakers with marketing savvy to finally fully maximize earnings from alternative distribution. As an example, for a DVD sold through Film Baby at $19.95, a member would collect $159,500 for each 10,000 units sold; $1,595,000 for each 100,000 units; and $15,950,000 for a million units.

Best of all, Film Baby’s services are non-exclusive. Filmmakers retain all rights to their work and can terminate their membership at any time. Filmmakers are paid each Monday for sales during the previous week, including through Film Baby’s distribution partners, and have instant access to their sales data 24/7. The one-time set fee of $39.95 per title includes a dedicated web page on Film Baby’s newly-upgraded site – featuring a two-minute trailer or clip for the film or video, a high-res scanned image of the DVD/video cover, a link to the official website, and all the descriptions, press coverage, critical reviews and bio information the member chooses to include. Film Baby also reports all sales to VideoScan, which collects and disseminates weekly sales data for the industry to The Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Billboard and other outlets.

For more information about Film Baby services, visit www.FilmBaby.com.

"Disappearances" to screen in Warner

Vermont film director Jay Craven will be on hand tomorrow night at Warner Town Hall to answer questions from the audience after the screening of his movie Disappearances, starring Kris Kristofferson. The film was shot, in part, in New Hampshire. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the door or in advance from Sugar River Savings Bank and MainStreet BookEnds. Call 456-2700 for more information.

Free screening: "Burden of Dreams"

[Press release from our friends at The MacDowell Colony in Peterborough.]

MacDowell Colony to screen film by 2007 MacDowell medalist, Les Blank

On Friday, August 3, 2007, at 7:30 p.m., The MacDowell Colony will present a free screening of Burden of Dreams (1982), a film by this year’s Edward MacDowell Medalist, maverick documentary filmmaker Les Blank. Considered by many to be Blank’s best film, Burden of Dreams documents German filmmaker Werner Herzog’s five-year attempt to complete his epic feature Fitzcarraldo in the Amazon jungle. Honored with a British Academy Award for Best Documentary in 1982, Burden of Dreams — a fascinating glimpse into the moviemaking process — reveals just how far one man will go to bring his creative vision to life.

With a running time of 95 minutes, the film will be shown at the Peterborough Historical Society at 19 Grove Street in downtown Peterborough. The screening is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be served. Some content may not be appropriate for children.

Regarded as one of the seminal figures in documentary filmmaking, Blank has explored a wide range of subjects in his work by profiling passionate people at the periphery of American society. He has uncovered Polish-American polka musicians (In Heaven There Is No Beer?), Appalachian fiddlers (Sprout Wings and Fly), and American tourists in Europe (Innocents Abroad). About Blank’s work, Time critic Jay Cocks wrote, “I can’t believe that anyone interested in movies or America ... could watch [his] work without feeling they’d been granted a casual, soft-spoken revelation.” New York Times critic Vincent Canby has said that Blank “is a master of movies about the American idiom ... one of our most original filmmakers.”

Blank will receive the Edward MacDowell Medal in a public ceremony during the annual Medal Day celebration on Sunday, August 12, 2007, beginning at 12:15 p.m. on The MacDowell Colony grounds in Peterborough. After the award ceremony, Colony guests will enjoy picnic lunches, and current MacDowell artists-in-residence will open their studios to the public from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. There is no charge to attend the ceremony or the open studios. The Colony is grateful for the support of its 2007 Medal Day Corporate Partner, Lincoln Financial Group Foundation.

To learn more about The MacDowell Colony or Medal Day, please log on to www.macdowellcolony.org and sign up for the e-News bulletin.