Fall Festival 2020 Program Guide FINAL.Pdf
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Page 1 Film Pittsburgh Fall Festival SPONSORS LEAD PREMIERE GOLD FESTIVAL PARTNER MEDIA SPONSORS p ADDITIONAL SPONSORS OPERATING SUPPORT County City Task Force on Disabilities Allegheny Regional Asset District The Heinz Endowments Fancypants Popcorn Jack Buncher Foundation Henry L Hillman Foundation Highmark Philip Chosky Charitable & PA Council on the Arts Screenshot: Asia Educational Foundation Film Pittsburgh Fall Festival 2020 Welcome from the Executive Director Dear Film Pittsburgh Family, It’s been a challenging time for all of us these past technical challenges. Look for the FAQ section on our several months and we’re disappointed that we can’t website to help you navigate any issues you may have. gather in person for this year’s Fall Festival. But we’re We’ve curated an outstanding and extensive lineup of excited to be able to pivot and present an incredible short and feature length films from all over the world array of films at a virtual festival. Our Film Pittsburgh which we’re eager to share with you. While the Film Fall Festival will include Pittsburgh Shorts, ReelAbilities Pittsburgh team looks forward to the time when we Pittsburgh, and the 38th Three Rivers Film Festival – can be together again to celebrate independent film, featuring a JFilm Festival track of films, too! All festival we hope that you’ll enjoy this year’s festival from the screenings and Q&As will be found on our website: comfort of your home. FilmPittsburgh.org. And, we’re here to help! We’ve Sincerely, worked hard to make this virtual festival as user-friend- ly as possible but realize you might still have some Kathryn Spitz Cohan TICKETS: FilmPittsburgh.org SINGLE TICKETS ACCESSIBILITY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Festival Friend: $100 All ReelAbilities films have ($15 ticket + $85 charitable subtitles or captions. At a minimum, feature films are contribution) available for viewing in Pennsylva- nia, West Virginia, and Ohio. Some General Admission: $15 QUESTIONS? The fastest way to reach us is by are available in the United States PASSES email: [email protected] only and a few are available world- wide. Many of the feature films are All Festival Pass ($705 value) Phone: 412-426-FILM (3456) available to be viewed over the • $120 Early Bird - before Nov. 11 We are not working in the office, course of the festival beginning but if you leave a voicemail • $150 Regular Price on November 12 but some have message, someone will return restrictions. In most instances, Six Pack ($90 value) your call within 24 hours. after “unlocking” your film for • $60 Early Bird - before Nov. 11 viewing, you will have 24-hours to • $75 Regular Price watch it. Please check the individ- ual film page for details. All short FREE EVENTS film blocks are available for view- All content subject to change. ing in the United States for the CODE OF THE FREAKS Following many of the screen- duration of the festival, November (page 12) ings we’ll offer Q&As with 12-22. PROSECUTING EVIL: members of the filmmaking Adult content has been listed after THE EXTRAORDINARY WORLD teams. More information about feature-length film descriptions. OF BEN FERENCZ Q&As will be listed on the film (page 16) Short films are not rated and may pages of the website. contain disturbing language or ALL AGES BLOCK 1 images. All Ages short film blocks November 14 and 15 only are suitable for – you guessed it! – (page 24) all ages. Page 3 Film Pittsburgh Fall Festival 2020 Three Rivers Film Festival 2020 Opening/Closing PHOTO: MARIO FURLONI OPENING NIGHT FILM CLOSING NIGHT FREELAND BEST OF THE FEST Pittsburgh Premiere Sunday, November 22, 7 pm Directors: Kate McLean & Mario Furloni Join us for the Awards Ceremony announcing the Jury Prizes 2020, USA, 80 minutes for Short Films and Audience Awards (voted on by you!) for both shorts and features. A selection of the winning short English films will be screened. Devi is an aging but legendary breeder of pot strains who over decades has built a business on her remote homestead 2020 JURORS in beautiful Humboldt County, CA. But now that cannabis is Michael Killen is co-creator, legal, she finds herself in a fight for survival. Krisha Fairchild writer and director of the ABC series embodies the role of Devi in a tour-de-force performance. Downward Dog, and co-founder of Shot on off-the-grid pot farms, Pittsburgh-based producer Animal Inc., a production company Laura Heberton and directors Mario Furloni and Kate McLean and VFX studio. Michael will present offer up an authentic and emotionally charged thriller. the $1,000 prize for Best Animated (Adult content: casual drug use) Short Film. Official Selection – SXSW and Mill Valley Film Festivals Winner – Nashville Film Festival - Best New Directors “Fairchild’s performance is so deftly layered with ferocity Deesha Philyaw is a writer whose and wisdom, heartache and desperation, that it suggests work focuses on race, parenting, gen- whole realms beyond the screenplay’s understated yet der, and culture. Her debut short story trenchant dialogue.” – Sheri Linden, Hollywood Reporter collection, The Secret Lives Of Church “A stoner midlife-crisis drama.” – Eric Kohn, IndieWire Ladies, has been shortlisted for a 2020 National Book Award. Deesha will Freeland is preceded by: present the $1,000 prize for Best Live PHARMACOPEIA Action Short Film. (Director: Tania Taiwo, USA, 6 minutes) A pharmacist drowning in student loan debt rebels against the system. Martha Rial is a photographer who has been recognized internationally Available for viewing including a Pulitzer Prize for her work November 11, 7:30pm documenting the lives of Burundian United States only and Rwandan survivors of the 1994 genocide. Martha will present the Live Q&A with producer Laura Heberton, cast and crew $1,000 prize for Best Documentary follows at 9pm. Short Film. LOCAL CONNECTION Page 5 Our communities flourish when all people can participate. Since 1951, CLASS has been creating communities where people with disabilities and their families can live, work, and play in the communities of their choice. CLASS provides: Attendant Care Services Information and Referral Brain Injury Services Multiple Sclerosis Services Community Skill Building Residential Services Community Habilitation Technology For Our Whole Community Partners Lives (TechOWL) Extended School Year Vocational Programs For more information about CLASS and the services it provides, visit: www.classcommunity.org We are... Working Toward A Community Where Each Belongs 6524 Wilkins Avenue Squirrel Hill Tue-Fri 7am-6pm Sat 8am-5pm Sun 8am-2pm fivepointsartisanbakeshop.com Film Pittsburgh Fall Festival 2020 Script Competition/Tracks/Sidebars REELABILITIES TRACK JFILM TRACK We’re thrilled to include ReelAbilities We were so disappointed to have to Pittsburgh in our Fall Festival. If you cancel the 27th annual JFilm Festival haven’t ever attended this festival last spring but we’re excited to share you’re in for a treat! All films highlight four feature films that would have the lives and stories of people played as part of that festival. with disabilities. Included in the ReelAbilities Track are three feature NARRATIVES films, a feature length program and two Asia PITTSBURGH SHORTS shorts blocks. SCRIPT The Crossing FEATURES Those Who Remained COMPETITION Can You Hear My Voice? For the 2nd year, we’ve partnered DOCUMENTARY with Carnegie Screenwriters to honor The Code of Freaks screenwriters who’ve submitted The Feeling Through Experience Prosecuting Evil: scripts that are 15 pages or less. Four (includes 3 short films and a live Q&A) The Extraordinary World of finalists will be given virtual readings Ben Ferencz by professional actors. Prizes totaling Icarus. The Legend Of Mietek Kosz $1,000 will be announced at the Closing Night Awards Ceremony. SHORTS ReelAbilities Block 1 SCRIPT FINALISTS ReelAbilities Block 2 Ain’t My Type of Hype by Tanisha Jackson ASIAN SIDEBAR MERITZER AWARD We’re pleased to collaborate with Bernie The Richard Meritzer Award, co- by Fred Perry Screenshot: Asia from the University of sponsored by the City-County Task Pittsburgh to present four feature films Hawk Bells Force on Disabilities and ReelAbilities about the Asian experience. by Kristian Mercado Pittsburgh, will be presented to Oakland for All as part of The Feeling NARRATIVES Next, Please Through Experience. The award honors Definition Please by Diego Trovarelli the memory of Richard Meritzer (1953- 2019), who served as ADA Coordinator Twilight’s Kiss The script readings are followed by: for the City of Pittsburgh from 2007 COMMON DECENCY to 2019 and was a leader in promoting understanding and implementation of DOCUMENTARIES (Directors: Stefan Dezil, Courtney the Americans with Disabilities Act. HopeThérond, USA, 11 minutes) Beethoven in Beijing Congratulations to writer Caroline Picture Character Bloom for bringing her script, which CREATIVE CITIZEN STUDIOS: was a finalist at last year’s script ARTWORK THAT POPS! Please see individual film pages competition, to the screen. Visit the online for more information. Available for viewing gallery that includes artwork (for sale!) by November 12-22 artists from Creative United States only Citizen Studios. All work was created during virtual and in-person workshops in partnership with the Andy Warhol Museum. CitizenStudios.org/POP-Artwork Page 7 Three Rivers Film Festival 2020 Centerpiece/Spotlight CENTERPIECE FILM SPOTLIGHT FILM MLK/FBI NIGHT OF THE KINGS Pittsburgh Premiere Pittsburgh Premiere Director: Sam Pollard Director: Philippe Lacôte 2020, USA, 104 minutes 2020, France/Ivory Coast/Canada/Senegal, 99 minutes English French & Dyula with subtitles Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is regarded as an American At the notorious Maca correctional facility in the Ivorian hero today, but for much of his life he was considered an capital of Abidjan, the inmates run the prison. Upon the enemy of the state and a threat by U.S.