THE CIFF DAY 10 / FRIDAY / 3.27.2015 Sponsored by Earning Respect: Artist to Artist LEFT: Besides both being artists, Derek Hess (left) and Nick Cavalier found out during the filming of “Forced Perspective” that they both enjoy fishing, too. ABOVE: Derek Hess designed posters for bands such as Pantera, Thursday, Pink Floyd, and Pearl Jam. ld rock music—Aerosmith and early absolutely need to expose that, because that, Metallica specifically—brought in my opinion, is where his strength lies as filmmaker Nick Cavalier and an artist.” ClevelandO artist Derek Hess together. It was Cavalier knows what it’s like being the how Cavalier got the gifted, but very private, troubled kid. He could draw, too. And it was artist to open up. art that “straightened” him out, he says. Hess, says Cavalier, is a very interesting and “Being bipolar myself, I can speak for complex guy, but a difficult interview. “He Derek and say we feel everything more doesn’t really open up too easy,” Cavalier intensely than normal people,” says Cavalier. explains. “So getting to know him as a friend “... We have both been through similar life first was super important.” challenges that shaped us.” TOP: Frankie Valenti, who stars as Todd in “Tiger Orange,” Cavalier, a Solon, Ohio, native and Hess fan That common ground was what earned answers an audience question after the film’s screening. Valenti won best actor at the LesGaiCineMad 2014—the since the age of 14, was surprised that no one Hess’s respect. “He knew I was coming from Lesbian, Gay, and Transexual Film Fest in Madrid, Spain. else had approached the artist about a film. a genuine place, not an exploitive one,” says MIDDLE: CIFF Vice President of Development and President- Elect Nancy Callahan attends the morning staff meeting that He emailed Hess through his website, via Cavalier. is held every day of the festival. BOTTOM: CIFF celebrates Booth Appreciation Day, in honor of the crew that puts the Marty Geramita, Hess’s manager. The filmmaker, who is now based out of pictures on the screen. (Left to Right) PK, Sean Vanidestine, “I really had no expectation that they Los Angeles, will be back in Cleveland on his Amanda Gedeon, Carson Parish, and Jason Howes. would even get back to me,” says Cavalier. birthday, no less, for the world premiere of his Cavalier wanted to tell the story of this first feature film, “Forced Perspective.” brilliant, but troubled, artist. Hess—who “Cleveland means a lot to me,” he says. started out drawing flyers for concerts at the “This is an exciting time in my life, and I feel DAY10 OF THE Euclid Tavern and now has his art displayed at now more than ever before, Cleveland ‘has the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and my back.’” —Anne M. DiTeodoro FILM FESTIVAL Museum and the Louvre—struggled with ISVOLUNTEER mental health issues and addiction. SHOWING FORCED PERSPECTIVE “I did not want to present those things in a TODAY is playing today at 8:30 p.m. APPRECIATION DAY bad light,” says Cavalier. “At the same time, we at the Cleveland Museum of Art There are over 1,000 volunteers at CIFF this year! Festival Updates Inspired by History Added Screenings: tory is always what leads Kyle Rideout Friday March 27th and Josh Epstein toward what they choose The Black Panthers: Vanguard of to work on. the Revolution 4:05 pm SFor their first feature film, “Eadweard,” the two Comedy Shorts Program 8:50 pm friends sensed that Eadweard Muybridge was Saturday March 28th “one of those historical figures, who never quite Man from Reno 9:05 am got his due.” In Order of Disappearance 9:15 am “We were shocked that the story has never Labyrinthus 9:20 am been made into a feature film. He is the Hollywood Shorts Program 11:20 am godfather of cinema, but his obsessions got the Sunday March 29th best of him,” Rideout says. Run Boy Run 9:00 am The two men started writing the script while Take Me to the River 9:00 am touring with a successful stage production of All-Stars 6:50 pm “Studies in Motion,” a play about Muybridge’s life. Audience Choice Shorts Program 7:20 pm They say their passion came directly from Late Additions: living inside Muybridge’s story. According to Friday March 27th Rideout, they were intrigued by Muybridge’s Being Evel 9:50 pm life and wanted to dig deeper. In the early days of the script, Rideout Sunday March 29th TOP: Michael Eklund plays Eadweard Muybridge, the photographer and Epstein travelled to Philadelphia, where who became the father of cinema. BOTTOM: Director Kyle Rideout Being Evel 11:50 am (left) and co-writer Josh Epstein, postponed other projects to Muybridge originally photographed his motion develop their film, “Eadweard,” about the godfather of cinema Check for the latest festival updates study series, to learn more about the character. who let his obsessions get the best of him. Having been actors on Twitter or Facebook. Or visit in a successful play on which the film is based, they knew that it www.clevelandfilm.org/festival/updates Fast forward to being on the set where they wasn’t a matter of “if” they made the film, but “when.” had goats, pigs, dogs, horses, and “a lot of nude people.” period indie for their first feature because they “The real Eadweard took photos that very felt the story wouldn’t be told if they waited. few people in his time were able to do. We had They credit their crew in Vancouver and the this constantly in our minds and were so inspired theater company they grew up with for helping Challenge Match as we walked and worked in Eadweard’s dusty them pull it off. The Challenge Match is the CIFF’s annual boots,” Rideout says. To make the project happen on the budget fundraising campaign, and the only time of Rideout says the thing that kept him up at they had, they said they knew they had to make the year that we ask for your support (we do night the most while making this film was it fun. not send out solicitation letters at any time). The challenge to you – our audience – is to thinking about how to create Muybridge’s full “Partnerships only work well if you challenge raise $125,000, which will be matched by white beard so the details would look realistic in each other to be better, to work harder, achieve Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. ultra-high definition. Luckily, Michael Eklund, more,” according to Rideout. He says the two We are $72,156 closer to who plays the lead role, “graciously volunteered constantly try to outwork each other while reaching our goal of $125,000 to grow a glorious beard and let us bleach it working towards the same goal. A $10 DONATION QUALIFIES YOU FOR white.” —Lisa Curland ONE OF THESE FABULOUS PRIZES!! While this is their first feature film together, THE ROCKER: Enjoy a weekend downtown Rideout and Epstein have previously produced with tickets to the Rock and Roll Hall of several award-winning shorts together. EADWEARD Fame & Museum, an overnight stay at the SHOWING With this experience in hand, the two were TODAY is playing today at 6:00 p.m. Renaissance Cleveland Hotel, and a meal at the Cleveland Museum of Art at the Hard Rock Cafe! willing to challenge convention and make a A SHOW FOR ALL SEASONS: Experience an unforgettable night this summer with dinner at Spice Kitchen & Bar, and VIP THE HOME FOR INSPIRATION seats to a concert at Jacobs Pavilion. THE ONLINE Stop by the Challenge Match table in the Tower City Cinemas lobby to donate. Visit The Daily online edition at THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! www.clevelandfilm.org/festival/the-daily. TODAY’S ONLINE VERSION INCLUDES: • Hip Hop-eration (Playing today at 5:30 p.m.) Bryn Evans shares the challenge of getting his cast of senior citizens to be themselves in front of the camera. • Monument to Michael Jackson Official Airline of the 39th CIFF (Playing today at 6:10 p.m.) Family members of actress Charlotte Fairchild, (L-R) Esta Fairchild, Darko Lungolov talks about the very real trend in The Cleveland International Film Festival receives public Millie Adcox, Claudia Gherlia, and Director Hank Rogerson gather Serbia and the Balkans which inspired his quirky support with local tax dollars from Cuyahoga Arts & after the screeening of his film, “Still Dreaming,” at the Hanna comedy. Culture, to preserve and enrich our region’s artistic and Theatre. Charlotte Fairchild (not pictured) is a retired Broadway cultural heritage. actress, who is one of the film’s subjects..