Brothers to Watch

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Brothers to Watch THE CIFF DAY 12 / SUNDAY / 3.29.2015 Sponsored by Brothers to Watch: Combining Strengths for a Better End Photo: Lisa Sands Photo: TOP: Danny Fullem, Andrew Thames, Nick Cavalier, and Bob Reiland (left to right) gather in G4 Studio following a “Meet the Filmmaker” series interview with Cavalier, who directed “Forced Perspective.” Fullem, Thames, and Reiland produce the series for CIFF. Turner (left) and Bill Ross were born and raised in Sidney, Ohio. While filming on the US/Mexico border, they were chased across town and cornered because they pointed their camera in the wrong direction. ill and Turner Ross are returning to From Sidney, they moved to Los Angeles their home state of Ohio to receive the and worked for several years on other people’s Cleveland International Film Festival’s projects. Then in 2007, they realized “that our Photo: Ron Wynne Ron Photo: B“Someone to Watch” honor. passions were being invested in the dreams of The brothers’ first feature in 2009, “45365,” others—so we split.” was shot in their hometown of Sidney, Ohio. They quickly discovered that working It got rave reviews—the late Roger Ebert, together was a great creative collaboration well-known film critic, called it “An achingly where their “individual strengths could be beautiful film,” and at SXSW, the film won the combined for an even better end.” Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature. Although they say that they wouldn’t trade They followed that with “Tchoupitoulas,” their small town upbringing for anything a “music travelogue” that shadows three else, they do note that there was not much young boys through New Orleans. For support for aspiring filmmakers. “What we do Elaine Manusakis Photo: feature number three, “Western,” a “non- now was never discussed as an opportunity,” MIDDLE: Kathleen Cerveny of the Cleveland Foundation, Darnell Weaver of Rainey Institute, Dee Jay Doc Harrill of The fiction western,” the brothers move even they say. “There were no real examples in our FRESH Camp, and filmmaker Miquel Galofré participate in a FilmForum following a a showing of “Art Connect.” BOTTOM: farther south to the Mexican border. periphery. It’s meant finding our own way, and “A Murder in the Park” Co-directors Shawn Rech (left) and In an interview with Filmmaker magazine, inherently our own voice.” Brandon Kimber (center) along with the documentary’s subject, Alstory Simon, respond to audience questions after the brothers call these three films “a sort of CIFF heard that voice and knows that these a screening of the film. regional Americana trilogy,” but note that brothers are indeed filmmakers to watch. there won’t be another in the series. “This is “Recognition is always an honor,” they say. the end of a chapter that we feel pretty good “We exist in a bit of an undercurrent, and any CLOSING NIGHT AWARDS about,” they say. attention we can garner helps to motivate our It is obvious that these brothers work well future projects.” Everyone in attendance at any of the films showing together. They talk in terms of “we,” not “he” —Anne M. DiTeodoro in the last round is invited to join us for the Closing or “I,” and admit they make very good partners. Night dessert reception and awards presentation program around The Fountain at Tower City Center. “We both pick up where the other leaves The reception will include a brief program announcing off with very little need for communication,” SHOWING WESTERN TODAY the winners of all the CIFF competitions. they say. is playing today at 4:35 p.m. Festival Updates Inspired to Find the Truth ver since his Added Screenings: teenage years, Sunday March 29th documentary filmmakerE Justin Run Boy Run 9:00 am Weinstein has been Take Me to the River 9:00 am fascinated with how All-Stars 6:50 pm people can deny Audience Choice Shorts Program 7:20 pm real evidence when Late Additions: it contradicts their beliefs. Sunday March 29th Being Evel 11:50 am Tyler Measom, another filmmaker, LEFT: Tyler Measom has written, produced, and directed more than 100 commercials, short documentaries, Check for the latest festival updates was raised as a and industrials for a wide range of national and international clients. RIGHT: Justin Weinstein has been on Twitter or Facebook. Or visit making documentaries for broadcast, theatrical release, and commercial clients for more than 10 years. www.clevelandfilm.org/festival/updates devout Mormon until he decided he was being “deceived” by over the world who were hungry to see a film the church and left religion. about him made. When the two started discussing the idea of He believes people recognized that there was a making a documentary on James Randi, the compelling story to tell and it would make a fun magician and escape artist turned skeptic, these and entertaining film. personal reasons made the story meaningful for “Randi is an amazing character,” Weinstein each of them. They decided on the spot to make says. “He was a joy to work with. Some of the Challenge Match the film together—the result is “An Honest Liar.” time he’s an 86-year-old man, irascible and “We both deeply believe many of the opinionated, but much of the time he’s like a The Challenge Match is the CIFF’s annual fundraising campaign, and the only time of fundamental problems our society suffers are due 12-year-old boy, playful, curious, and fun-loving. the year that we ask for your support (we do to a lack of proper education in critical thinking He’s invigorated by an audience, and can be hard not send out solicitation letters at any time). and basic science education,” Weinstein says. to keep up with!” The challenge to you – our audience – is to raise $125,000, which will be matched by To make the film, Randi provided thousands People who watch the film are sometimes Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. of hours of archival footage, which covered his surprised that the filmmakers were able to Help us exceed our goal of $125,000 frequent television appearances on shows such interview Uri Geller for the film since he and A $10 DONATION QUALIFIES YOU FOR as Happy Days and his 32 appearances on The Randi were such vicious enemies for so long. ONE OF THESE FABULOUS PRIZES!! Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson. “The fact is we just asked, and he was very CINDERELLA: You and your Prince or It also included a segment from The Tonight generous and gracious with us,” says Weinstein. Princess will have a “ball” with dinner at Show where the staff turned to Randi for advice “He himself says that he didn’t care what kind Otto Moser’s Restaurant before a perfor- in advance of an appearance by Uri Geller. When of publicity he got—it was all good for him. mance of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA! (glass slippers optional) Randi’s guidance prevented Geller from being He wouldn’t read the articles that were written able to demonstrate his alleged psychic powers about him, but measure them with a ruler.” CINEMA PARADISO: Indulge in unlimited movies for the rest of the year at any of on the show, the two became sworn enemies. Weinstein and Measom hope their film will their locations with a Cleveland Cinemas Weinstein calls the abundance of footage inspire audiences to think more critically, to ask Season Pass! both a blessing and a curse, which made editing questions to probe deeper before accepting things A KID FROM CLEVELAND: Is there a challenge to integrate the past and present as truth, and to be open to questioning even their anything better than diving into a good stories into a cohesive whole. own beliefs, however difficult that may be. book, or sharing one with a friend? How about a collection of 39 Cleveland books The film took three years to make and was —Lisa Curland on a variety of subjects, including local funded in part by a very successful KickStarter history, sports, pop culture, true crime, campaign. Weinstein credits the campaign’s food, and much more? SHOWING AN HONEST LIAR success to Randi’s huge and avid following all TODAY is playing today at 11:35 a.m. Stop by the Challenge Match table in followed by a FilmForum the Tower City Cinemas lobby to donate. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! THE HOME FOR INSPIRATION THE ONLINE CIFF fans start young. Winifred is Visit The Daily online edition at entranced by what www.clevelandfilm.org/festival/the-daily. the 39th CIFF has to offer. She’s TODAY’S ONLINE VERSION INCLUDES: thinking—“just wait until I get my • Call Me Lucky (Playing today at 3:45 p.m.) Director’s Pass! Comedian Barry Crimmins’ blunt humor is shaped Official Airline of the 39th CIFF I sure hope by his personal history; here he discusses his everyone donates experience being the subject of a documentary film. The Cleveland International Film Festival receives public to the Challenge support with local tax dollars from Cuyahoga Arts & Match!” • Closing Night Awards: At Closing Night, CIFF honors Culture, to preserve and enrich our region’s artistic and all of the award-winning filmmakers. cultural heritage. Elaine Manusakis Photo:.
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