WELCOME The Chattanooga Film Festival has my money they’re as good as it gets), been the strangest and most rewarding drunken live script reads, boat parties, journey of my life. I think back to just whiskey-swillin’, beer-drinking, Moon six years ago, when we received our Pie-slamming magic from wall to first little bit of funding and a certain WALL. We have FLASH GORDON and naysayer in town tried to talk us out of a secret screening that will melt your doing it. eyelids, we have art and film and chaos and all the things that make life worth “It’s never going to work,” he said. living and the arts worth fighting for. “This town won’t support it, and there aren’t enough people who care about This year CFF has evolved into the film to volunteer.” Then, I KID YOU weird and wooly beast we always NOT, this person tried to convince imagined it could, and from the us to use the money on creating moment your boots hit the ground at Chattanooga’s first “TIKI” fest. I have our new home (Chattanooga Theatre no idea what the hell that meant, but Centre for LYFE) we think you’ll feel I’m sure glad I never had to find out. that. It’s our hope that you’ll take that feeling with you when you leave and Cut to five years later, my talented bring it back when you come back in team and I have a few more gray hairs Year Six. It’s the deepest honor of my (a lot more in my case), and we’ve life that I’ve gotten to bring CFF to the taken a few knocks (I’ve lost count of town where I grew up, the place where how many times I’ve started and then my lifelong love of film began. That restarted indie theaters in this town). makes it all the sweeter. I’m pretty tired But what has never changed is our y’all, but I just can’t QUIT YOU. love and dedication to film, the careful curation of programming, and the warm So enough outta me, but as always, and inclusive (troll free since 2013!) from our team to your heart (and culture that has sprung up around CFF. eyeballs for that matter) THANK YOU This year’s schedule is loaded to the for being a part of CFF, whether you’re gills with Willy Wonka-style insanity: an attendee, a volunteer or even one We’ll be asking you to join a cult and of the talented filmmakers that have watch The Endless, we’ll be celebrating trusted us with your baby. This year, punk rock with Jenn Wexler’s badass (YEAR FIVE!!!) is dedicated to you. The Ranger and its associated Punk on Enjoy yourselves, and maybe high- the Rocks party, and my hero/CFF five a volunteer if you’re so inclined. Patron Saint Joe Bob Briggs is back for ALSO, join me in May for yet another the fourth straight year to tell the sordid arthouse project opening. I think this — and too strange to be real — tale of one is gonna work! Rest assured we’re exploitation cinema. Mohawk co-writer all too dumb to quit if it doesn’t. Grady Hendrix is also presenting his insane, breathtakingly bananas world of Yours in film and friendship, WELCOME Paperbacks from Hell. Don’t miss it. #RespectCinema Again, we have podcasts (the SHOCK Chris Dortch II WAVES folks are joining us, and for 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS 7 STAFF & BOARD 9-13 PARTIES & EVENTS 15-17 WORKSHOPS 19-22 SCHEDULE 24-33 CFFEATURES 35-37 CFF CINEMASSENTIALS 41-47 TRUTH BOMBS 49-54 MES AFTER HOURS 57 SHORT FILM SCHEDULE 58-70 SHORT FILMS 71-73 SPONSORS 3 SHORT FILMS SHORT 44 STAFF & BOARD STAFF Chris Dortch II, Executive Director/Lead Programmer Chris Dortch, Sr., Assistant Director/Program Editor/Programmer Tia Baker, Festival Manager Katey Alegre, Festival Manager Mark Watlington, Box Office Manager Meagan Frey, Volunteer and Vendor Manager Jason Mink, Volunteer and Vendor Manager Brittany Jones, Food and Beverage Manager Rebecca Feldbin, PR Coordinator and Guest Liaison Jaya Todai, Media and Photography Manager Aaron Cowan, Webmaster/Artist Residency Coordinator Travis Knight, Art and Design Maria Zare, Box Office Coordinator Sylvia Zdunek, Volunteer Coordinator Mendy Black, Guest Services Coordinator Dre Boulet, Programmer Drake Toran, Production Manager Stephanie Fast, Program Design MYSTERIOUS CONSULTANTS Kristen Bell, Ted Geoghegan, Peter Kuplowsky, David Lawson, Clementine Leger, Dylan Marchetti, Luke Mullen, Jason Shawhan, Nick Stabile, Joe Yanick CFF BOARD OF DIRECTORS Scott Maucere, Chairman Chris Dortch, Sr. Rebecca Feldbin Mark Covino Billy Ray Brewton BOARD & STAFF Katey Alegre, Treasurer 5 SHORT FILMS SHORT 66 PARTIES & EVENTS I’M OK, YOU’RE KARAOKE: SUMMER OF 84 EDITION Presented by Puckett’s Grocery & Restaurant Thursday • April 5 • 10:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m. • Puckett’s Grocery & Restaurant So, you’ve just experienced our opening-night double feature of Summer of 84 and Rock Steady Row, your blood is pumping, your palms are a little sweaty (gross dude!), and you are feeling an almost Twisted Sister level urge to ROCK. We thought you might feel that way, and you know what? WE’RE READY. That’s why we’ve teamed up once again with our pals at Puckett’s to pummel your brain pan with pure uncut ’80s karaoke mayhem in honor of the badassery of Summer of 84. Here’s your chance to show us your Phil Collins air drum solo, butcher some Belinda Carlisle, or better yet—let metal health drive you mad as we all bang our heads in absolute adoration of your perfectly polished pipes. Get to know your new friends and deeply embarrass yourself in front of strangers … there is no better way to kick off the South’s wackiest weekend of cinematic celebration. Don’t bring any parents, though. They just wouldn’t understand. SPECIAL SCREENING—TURBO KID SATURDAY • APRIL 7 • 2:30p.m.-4:18 p.m. • BRUCE SPRINGSCREEN As you already, know the RKSS folks will be joining us for their newest Summer of 84, but what you might not know is that talented team were also responsible from one of the most bona fide classics (it’s not fair to even call this one a cult classic, it’s a LEGIT classic) Turbo Kid. We love this movie, and that’s why we’re proud to have the filmmakers join us for a special FREE screening. FREE with a small catch. We’re gonna need you to put on your best post-apocalyptic outfits and costumes and join us for a magical evening of fun, friendship, and yes of course, deeply satisfying and splattery violence. When we screened this film for EVENTS & PARTIES Chattanooga a while back, people came out in FORCE, and we know you love it as much as we do. Help us celebrate the visionary badasses of RKSS with this special screening of their debut feature! 7 PARTIES & EVENTS JOE BOB DOES EXPLOITATION FILM Presented by Shudder Friday • April 6 • 7:15p.m.-9:15p.m. • BRUCE SPRINGSCREEN Joe Bob Briggs, America’s drive-in movie critic and trash film connoisseur, makes his fourth appearance at the Chattanooga Film Festival with his most ambitious clip show to date. Everything Is Exploitation tells the 100-year history of B movies, decade by decade, in a fast-moving 90 minutes that includes scenes that are SHOCKING! DISTURBING! and BANNED IN 38 STATES! Nurses will be stationed throughout the theater for the faint of heart who need immediate medical attention. PAPERBACKS FROM HELL LIVE SATURDAY • APRIL 7 • 12:30-2:00p.m. • ClASstErpiEcE ThEAtrE In the early 1970s, three books changed horror forever: Rosemary’s Baby, The Exorcist, and The Other. The first horror novels to hit bestseller lists since 1940, they opened the floodgates for an avalanche of horror paperbacks to pour onto supermarket shelves throughout the ’70s and ’80s until Silence Of The Lambs slit the genre’s throat in the early ’90s. Writer Grady Hendrix delivers a mind-melting oral history of this now-forgotten world of Nazi leprechauns, skeleton doctors, killer crabs, killer jellyfish, killer babies, pretty much killer everything. Prepare yourself for a tour of this long-lost universe of terror that lurked behind the lurid, foil-embossed, die-cut covers of ... The Paperbacks from Hell!!!! PUNK ON THE ROCKS Friday • April 6 • 10:00 p.m-1:00 a.m. • CHATTANOOGA WHISKEY ON RIVERFRONT PARKWAY It’s no secret that our official beverage at CFF is Chattanooga Whiskey. We LOVE them, and that’s why we are beyond stoked to offer this sexy little shindig we’re calling Punk on the Rocks, a punk rock- themed ass-kicker of a party we just HAD to throw in honor of one of our favorite CFF 2018 selections, Jenn Wexler’s The Ranger. Hear the film’s official soundtrack ahead of its release. Enjoy sets by some of our coolest local punk bands, Yeah Right, Ghetto Blasters and Onetimers. Sip whiskey and do it all while wearing your punk rock best, and remember these aren’t costumes. THIS IS A WAY OF LIFE. Join us as we PARTIES & EVENTS & PARTIES celebrate one of CFF 2018’s coolest films. 8 PARTIES & EVENTS CFF INCONSEQUENTIAL CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST Saturday • April 7 • 10:00-12:00 p.m. • CHATTANOOGA THEATRE CENTRE So, you’ve been enjoying a weekend packed to the rafters with movies and mischief, and we like that about you. But there is still the final and equally important part of the CFF equation, FRIENDSHIP (ok also breakfast; that whole most important meal of the day thing is SCIENCE y’all).