304 North 174th Street Omaha, Nebraska 68118 Welcome

A FOUR STEP GUIDE ON HOW TO FESTIVAL

STEP 1: Visit our friendly volunteers at the festival booth (you can’t miss it, it literally takes up the entire middle of the Village Pointe lobby). Decide which pass option is best for you - All Access (all the fun), All Films (all the films), or Weekend (all the fun on the weekend). Or, of course, you can purchase single tickets to single events.

STEP 2: Pick up a film guide (if you are reading this, then you are already at Step 2). Peruse our list of special screenings, where you will find films with Shirley McClain and Kristen Stewert. Then review our list of feature films, decide on which ones you want to see, and start scheduling...wait, we are showing some great documentaries as well. Okay, so, review the list of documentaries, figure out which ones you want to see, realize you may have to adjust your sched...holy cow, there are short films, too?! Wow, a lot of short films. Some of those are even from our great Nebraska filmmakers. Deep breath. You can do this. Grab a simple schedule or review the schedule in the front of the film guide and map out your course. Everything will be fine.

STEP 3: Realize that there is also a brand new Virtual Reality showcase this year. And Conference panels with Hollywood professionals on Saturday. And the Writer’s Theatre on Sunday. And great parties every single night of the festival!

STEP 4: Have your mind blown. MEXICAN CUISINE & CATERING

MariaBonita.com WELCOME TO THE 12th ANNUAL OMAHA FILM FESTIVAL!

March 7-12, 2017 03 Schedule

Tuesday, March 7 8:15 Shorts 4 – Animated Friday, March 10, cont’d 6:00 Different Flowers* 6:30 Opening Night Film – The Last Word - Post No Bills 8:25 Shorts 6 – Nebraska Shorts, cont’d 6:30 Written Off* - Three Little Ninjas Delivery Service - I Am the Messenger* 7:30 Shorts 10 – Nebraska - Boomerang - GPS* Wednesday, March 8 - No Clean Finish* - Good Dog* - The Controller* - Child’s Play* 5:45 Woman on Fire - Nutag (Homeland) - The Boulevard (T)errorism* - Hawksbill Crag* 6:00 Shorts 1 - Not About Me* - Trial & Error - The Last Bottle* - La Invitacion (Sleepover) - Funeral Favors* - The Trapeze Artist* - Blitzed* - Up River* - No Soy Yo (This Isn’t Me)* - The Bald Future - In Situ: Epilogue* - Counter Act - Coffee and Cigarettes IV* - The Music Box* - Panic Attack! - Spelling Bee* - Promise - Reverie* - Nocna ptica (Nighthawk) - Over the Fairy Hill* - A State of Emergency - Notorious Corn Saturday, March 11 - Neighbor / Neighbor* - Dryad - Lion Dance 11:30 Long Live the King - The Quest for Excalispoon* - Love is a Sting - UKA 12:00 Shorts 7 8:30 All the Birds Have Flown South - The Boy by the Sea - The Song of Wandering Aengus - Glimpse 8:30 Dave Made a Maze* 6:15 Kate Can’t Swim - Once Upon a Line - Real Artists 8:15 Pushing Dead - Green Light - Paradox Sunday, March 12 8:15 Shorts 2 – 8:30 Score: A Film Music Documentary - The Firefly Girls 11:45 Shorts 11 – Documentaries - Gardeners of the Forest Nebraska Documentarie 8:45 Laura Gets a Cat* - The Bus Stop - The Wrights - The Art of Hope - The Retirement of Mr. Jones* Friday, March 10 - Past The Second Stage - The John Show - The Seventh Stage of Grief* - Venefica - Soul City 5:45 Shorts 5 - Think Design Every Day* - Icarus - Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes - Missing Piece* - Skinny Fat Girl 1:15 Wild Prairie Rose* - The Gathering 8:45 Chee & T - J* 2:15 Shorts 8 12:15 The Islands and the Whales - Lightningface - Worst-Case Scenario, Inc. 2:00 The Bear and the Owl* Thursday, March 9 - Bella Donna - Start Over 2:15 Window Horses - Dawn of the Deaf - The Perfect Note* 3:15 Herd* 5:45 Shorts 3 – Nebraska Student - Shutter - Memoir* 4:30 Awards Ceremony - Obsession* - First Like - Walk for Me* 5:30 Closing Night Film - Personal Shopper - Wizard Quest - The Questing* - Vendetta! - Fall Repeat - Ben’s Last Day* - A Beautiful Day - Three Women - The Photographer* 6:00 Girl Flu. - Last Light* 3:45 A Quiet Passion Contents - Alone With My Thoughts* 6:15 Supergirl* - Let’s Meet by the Tree* 4:45 Shorts 9 – Comedy Writer’s Theater 06 8:15 Diani & Devine Meet the Apocalypse* - Now’s A Bad Time - Essence* 8:25 Brave New Jersey - 3-Way (Not Calling) Special Screenings 07 - Salmon Challis* 8:25 Shorts 6 – Nebraska Shorts - Dear George* Feature Films 11 - Fable* - Darkroom* - Help! I’m Trapped in a Movie Documentary Films 19 6:00 Walk With Me* - eleMental* - Duffy’s Jacket 6:00 The Lost City of Z - 11 Confession Road* - Jesse Eisenberg Uses the Urinal Short Programs 25 - Nuts OFF Academy 51 - Time Travel Romance special screenings shown in bold *-indicates filmmaker scheduled to attend - The Robbery Conference Schedule 57 all screening times subject to change – refer to www.omahafilmfestival.org for actual times

04 The12th Annual Omaha Film Festival March 7-12, 2017 05 omaha film festival Writer’s Theatre March 12, 12:00PM Village Pointe Cinema

SCREENPLAY FINALISTS

Shorts The Old States by Lain Kienzle A Letter Before Dying by Nathan Edwards No Choice by Stephen M Hunt Lotustown by Doug Sasse Summer Fruit by Annalise Lamberty Special Features War/Love by Hannah Feller The Snowman by Nick Cammilleri Screenings Red Velvet by Tom Radovich End Transmission by Richard Ferrando The Keeper Beauchamp by Mike Comstock Dietrich Danzig by John Pisano-Thomsen

Directed by Jason Levering, Aaron Sailors, & David Weiss Stage Manager: Michael Placzek

CAST Brett Comstock, Stephanie Elrod, Jennifer McGill, Amber Keller, Daria Hlazatova, Kiera Levering, Christina Rohling, Shannon Thunder Hawk-Taylor, Frankie Ali, Tim Barr, Liam Diesing, Ken Gray, Jeff Koterba, Ryan Langenegger, Jason Levering, Christopher Levering, Jeff Luby, Caleb Myers, Karl Rohling Aaron Sailors, Zac Triemert

06 The12th Annual Omaha Film Festival Special Screenings

The Last Word The Lost City of Z A Quiet Passion Personal Shopper Tuesday March 7 at 6:30PM Thursday, March 9 at 6:00pm Saturday, March 11th at 3:45pm Sunday, March 12 at 5:30pm USA - 108 minutes Brazil - 141 minutes UK, Belgium - 125 minutes USA - 105 minutes Rated R for language Rated PG-13 for violence, disturbing images, Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, Rated R for some language, sexuality, nudity Director: Mark Pellington brief strong language and some nudity disturbing images and brief and a bloody violent image Writer: Stuart Ross Fink Writer/Director: James Gray suggestive material Writer/Director: Olivier Assayas Producers: Kirk D’Amico, Anne-Marie Based on the book “The Lost City of Z: Writer/Director: Terence Davies Producer: Charles Gillibert Mackaym, Mark Pellington A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon” Producer: Sol Papadopoulos, Roy Boulter Cast: Kristen Stewart, Lars Eidinger, Cast: Shirley MacLaine, Amanda Seyfried, by David Grann Cast: Cynthia Nixon, Jennifer Ehle, Sigrid Bouaziz Anne Heche Producer: Dede Gardner, Dale Armin Keith Carradine, Emma Bell, www.ifcfilms.comfilms personal-shopper Johnson, Jeremy Kleiner, Anthony Katagas Duncan Duff, Rose Williams www.bleeckerstreetmedia.comthelastword Executive Producer: Brad Pitt, Mark Huffam, Olivier Assayas, the internationally- www.imdb.comtitle/tt2392830 Harriet Lauler (Shirley MacLaine), Marc Butan, Felipe Aljure acclaimed director of Clouds of Sils a once-successful businesswoman, Cast: Tom Holland, Charlie Hunnam, The story of American poet Emily Maria and Summer Hours, returns works with young local writer Anne Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller, Dickinson from her early days as a with this ethereal and mysterious Sherman (Amanda Seyfried) to Angus Macfadyen young schoolgirl to her later years ghost story starring Kristen Stewart as pen her life story. When the initial as a reclusive, unrecognized artist. a high-fashion personal shopper to the www.lostcityofz.com result doesn’t meet Lauler’s high stars who is also a spiritual medium. expectations, she sets out to reshape A true-life drama, centering on British Grieving the recent death of her twin the way she’ll be remembered, explorer Col. Percival Fawcett, who brother, she haunts his Paris home, dragging Anne along as an unwilling disappeared while searching for a determined to make contact with him. accomplice. As their journey unfolds, mysterious city in the Amazon in the two women develop a strong bond the 1920s. which not only alters Harriet’s legacy Continued on page 10 but also Anne’s future.

08 The12th Annual Omaha Film Festival March 7-12, 2017 09 Special Screenings

Score: A Film Music Documentary Thursday, March 9th at 8:30pm USA - 93 minutes Writer/Director: Matt Schrader Cast: Hans Zimmer, James Cameron, John Williams, Danny Elfman, Rachel Portman, Trent Reznor, Quincy Jones

www.score-movie.com This documentary brings Hollywood’s premier composers together to give viewers a privileged look inside the musical challenges and creative secrecy of the world’s most widely known music genre: the film score. Feature Films Feature Films

Kate Can’t Swim Pushing Dead Chee & T Laura Gets a Cat Wednesday, March 8th at 6:15pm Wednesday, March 8th at 8:15pm Wednesday, March 8th at 8:45pm Thursday, March 9th at 8:45pm USA - 90 minutes USA - 111 minutes USA - 80 minutes USA - 83 minutes Director: Josh Helman, Writer/Director: Tom E. Brown Director: Tanuj Chopra Writer/Director: Michael Ferrell Evan Jonigkeit, Co-Director Producer: Chris Martin, Richard LaGravenese, Writer: Tanuj Chopra, Chee Malabar Producer: Michael Ferrell, Chris Prine, Writer: Jennifer Allcott, Josh Helman Jim Bloom, Eyde Belasco Producer: Sohini Sengupta, Devin Sanchez Producer: Jennifer Allcott, Samuel R. Syrop Cast: James Roday, Danny Glover, Sunkrish Bala, Christine Kwon Cast: Dana Brooke, Michael Ferrell, Cast: Celeste Arias, Jennifer Allcott, Robin Weigert, Khandi Alexander Cast: Dominic Rains, Sunkrish Bala, Asif Ali, Josh Tyson, Jason Kravits, Eric T. Miller, Grayson Dejesus, Josh Helman Noureen DeWulf, Rebecca Hazlewood, Gregory Lay, Candace Thompson, www.pushingdead.com Karan Soni, Bernard White, Scott Rogers, Devin Sanchez, Chris Prine www.katecantswim.com When a struggling writer, HIV Himanshu Suri www.lauragetsacat.com Kate is almost thirty, almost engaged, positive for 20+ years, accidentally www.cheeandt.com Laura, an unemployed writer in almost settled in her career as a deposits a $100 birthday check, he New York City, has a boyfriend writer—but is deeply dissatisfied. is dropped from his health plan for Chee and T, a pair of underachieving who provides little excitement and When Kate’s best friend Em returns earning too much. In this new era of debt collectors stuck in Silicon Valley, two best friends who seem to have from Paris with a surprising new lover sort-of universal care, can he take on a spend their days kicking in doors, achieved all their hopes and dreams, collecting rent, and chain smoking. The in tow, Kate and her boyfriend Pete helpless bureaucracy or come up with man-children survive by remaining if only to spite her. Good thing she spend a weekend in upstate New York $3000 a month to buy meds on his in the employ of Chee’s Uncle Rob, has a vivid imaginary life. Even her with the new couple. As Kate struggles own? A comedy. a wealthy Silicon Valley landlord- daydreams turn on her however, with her suspicions about Em’s new tycoon. When Uncle Rob asks them including a podcast host who lover, dormant feelings about her to do a seemingly small job: get his exposes her for having a cliché dream own life arise, forcing her to decide nephew Mayunk a fresh haircut and sequence and poet Lord Byron, who whether to stay on her current life new suit for his upcoming engagement has traveled time to see her only to path or to burn it down and forge party, Chee and T kick back thinking become pathetically needy. After she they’re in for the easiest job of their starts an affair with Ian, a performance a new one. ‘careers.’ Unfortunately for the duo, artist coffee shop barista, real life young Mayunk has an unfiltered swagger and talent for hunting down proves too complicated. She packs up narcotics. It turns out that handling a suitcase and moves to a small beach their hyperactive, drug-crazed little town in North Carolina only to find out cousin proves to be anything but that peace of mind is not necessarily simple. found by chasing it.

12 The12th Annual Omaha Film Festival March 7-12, 2017 13 Feature Films

Girl Flu Diani & Devine Brave New Jersey Wild Prairie Rose Friday, March 10th at 6:00pm Meet the Apocalypse Friday, March 10th at 8:25pm Saturday, March 11 at 1:15pm USA - 94 minutes Friday, March 10th at 8:15pm USA - 86 minutes USA - 91 minutes Director: Deborah LaVine Writer/Director: Dorie Barton USA - 90 minutes Director: Jody Lambert Writer: Sharon B. Greene Producer: David K. Wilson, Jay Lowi Writer/Director: Etta Devine, Gabriel Diani Writer: Michael Dowling, Jody Lambert Producer: Carol Monroe Executive Producer: Richard Hull, Paul Schiff Producer: Gabriel Diani, Etta Devine, Producer: Taylor Williams, Jen Roskind Executive Producer:Cliff Schulz Cast: Katee Sackhoff, Jade Pettyjohn, Chad Meserve Cast: Tony Hale, Heather Burns, Anna Camp, Cast: Tara Samuel, Troy Kotsur, Jeremy Sisto, Heather Matarazzo, Cast: Etta Devine, Gabriel Diani, Dan Bakkedahl, Sam Jaeger, Raymond J. Suanne Spoke, Courtney Jones, Diego Josef, Judy Reyes Barry Bostwick, Kirsten Vangsness, Barry, Mel Rodriguez, Grace Kaufman, Maya Brattkus, Samuel Schulz Janet Varney, Jonathan Silverman, Matt Oberg, Erika Alexander, Leonard Earl www.girlflu.com Armin Shimerman, Kitty Swink, Howze, Evan Jonigkeit, Harp Sandman, www.wildprairierosethemovie.com Bird, 12, wise beyond her years, Harry Groener, Dawn Didawick, Noah Lomax In 1952 Rose Miller returns to her finds herself having to take care of Ramon De Ocampo, Jocelyn Towne, www.imdb.comtitle/tt4660172 rural hometown of Beresford, South her fun-but-flighty stoner of a mom, Arye Gross, Amir Talai, Cole Stratton, Dakota to care for her ailing mother. Jenny. When Bird is humiliated by America Young A comedy about a small town on the Once there, she falls in love with a getting her first period at the school night of Orson Welles’s legendary, deaf man and must decide if she has www.dianianddevine.comddmta picnic, the delicate balance at home 1938 “War of the Worlds” radio the courage to follow her heart. Wild blows up as Bird and Jenny struggle A feature-length comedy about broadcast -- the hoax that terrified Prairie Rose is an examination of the to navigate the onslaught of change two comedians who are woefully millions into believing Martians were changing roles of women in 1950s and raging hormones. After making unprepared for the End of Civilization. invading America. As the citizens of America and in the ways that people some regrettable decisions along the Like “The Road”...but funnier! one New Jersey town are faced with who have great differences can learn way, with the help of Jenny’s golden- what they think is their last night on to communicate with one another. It hearted boyfriend and her rock steady Earth, their lives will change forever. is a film that focuses on one woman’s best friend, both mother and daughter An alien invasion movie where the story, and yet challenges the audience discover what it means to really aliens never show up. to examine their own assumptions become a woman. about what makes a good life.

14 The12th Annual Omaha Film Festival March 7-12, 2017 15 Feature Films

Different Flowers Dave Made a Maze All the Birds Window Horses: Saturday, March 11 at 6:00pm Saturday, March 11th at 8:30pm Have Flown South The Poetic Persian Epiphany of Rosie Ming USA - 99 minutes USA - 81 minutes Saturday, March 11th at 8:30pm Writer/Director: Morgan Dameron Director: Bill Watterson USA - 98 minutes Sunday, March 12th at 2:15pm Producer: Morgan Dameron, David Karp Writer: Steven Sears, Bill Watterson Writer/Director: Joshua H. Miller, Canada - 88 minutes Cast: Shelley Long, Sean Gunn, Producer: John Charles Meyer, Miles B. Miller Director: Ann Marie Fleming Sterling Knight John Chuldenko Producer: Kathryn Francis Tucker, Writer: Ann Marie Fleming & Maryam Najafi Cast: Nick Thune, Meera Rohit Kumbhani, Joshua H. Miller, Miles B. Miller www.differentflowersmovie.com Producer: Ann Marie Fleming, Sandra Oh James Urbaniak, Adam Busch Cast: Paul Sparks, Joey Lauren Adams, Cast: Ellen Page, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Full of girl power, kooky characters, Dallas Roberts www.DaveMadeAMaze.com Sandra Oh and real heart, Different Flowers is an independent dramedy feature Dave, an artist who has yet to www.imdb.comtitle/tt3434122 www.windowhorses.com film written and directed by Morgan complete anything significant in his After the death of his overbearing A young Canadian poet with Chinese Dameron. Millie and Emma are sisters career, builds a fort in his living room mother, a sheltered man attempts and Persian parents travels to Iran to with a rocky relationship who bring out of pure frustration, only to wind to win the affection of a degenerate perform at a poetry festival. out the best and worst in each other. up trapped by the fantastical pitfalls, waitress by caring for her terminally When Emma helps Millie run out on booby traps, and critters of his own ill and abusive husband. Soon, all her big Kansas City wedding, they creation. Ignoring his warnings, three lives began to unravel as embark on an adventure neither Dave’s girlfriend Annie leads a band of obsession and disease began to could have anticipated. oddball explorers on a rescue mission. consume them all. Once inside, they find themselves trapped in an ever-changing supernatural world, threatened by booby traps and pursued by a bloodthirsty Minotaur.

16 The12th Annual Omaha Film Festival March 7-12, 2017 17 PROUD SPONSOR OF THE

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Woman on Fire Walk With Me: The Trials Supergirl Long Live the King Wednesday, March 8th at 5:45pm of Damon J. Keith Friday, March 10th at 6:15pm Saturday, March 11th at 11:30am USA - 84 minutes Thursday, March 9 at 6:00pm USA - 80 minutes USA - 67 minutes Writer/Director: Julie Sokolow Canada - 104 minutes Writer/Director: Jessie Auritt Writer/Director: Frank Dietz, Trish Geiger Producer: Danny Yourd Director: Jesse Nesser Producer: Jessie Auritt, Carmen Delaney, Producer: Brian Kelly Jones, Scott Weitz Cast: Brooke Guinan, George Guinan, Producer: Patrick Lane, Justin Levy Cast: Joe Dante, Greg Nicotero, Bob Burns, Jim Baker Mitch Albom, Sally Davis Dana Gould, Doug Jones, Brian Howe www.supergirldoc.com Cast: Damon J. Keith, Mitch Albom, www.womanonfirefilm.com www.longlivethekingmovie.com John Conyers Jr, Peter Hammer When a 9-year-old girl breaks a This portrait of courage under powerlifting world record, she turns The 8th Wonder of the World! fire celebrates NYC’s first openly www.thedkdoc.com into an international phenomenon The name King Kong immediately transgender firefighter. For Brooke The story of ten extraordinary years, and “Supergirl” is born. Naomi seems brings to mind images of the mighty Guinan, fighting fires runs in four groundbreaking cases, and one like a typical Orthodox Jewish pre- Beast whose legendary love for a her blood – both her father and unconventional federal judge. teen, until her extraordinary talent Beauty was his undoing. Since 1933, grandfather served in the FDNY. transforms the lives of her family this majestic, tragic character has But as a transgender woman, her An ordinary “colored” janitor from and thrusts her into news headlines. enthralled moviegoers and inspired path to service has not been without Detroit, whose personal struggles SUPERGIRL follows Naomi’s unique creativity. LONG LIVE THE KING is a obstacles. Transitioning from reflected those of a nation first coming coming-of-age story as she fights to new documentary that explores our male to female in what is still an to terms with civil rights, Damon J. hold on to her title while navigating fascination with the great ape, and overwhelmingly macho profession Keith became a controversial judge the perils of adolescence—from his impact on pop culture throughout proves a challenge for her coworkers who used the law to advance social strict religious obligations to cyber- the world. Featuring interviews and her family, while her boyfriend change, ultimately changing the bullying, and health issues which could with dozens of celebrated writers, reckons with the impact of Brooke’s country. Today, at 94, he is still on jeopardize her future in powerlifting. actors, artists and filmmakers, this is newly public profile on his parents. the bench; he is still the only federal Can she still be “Supergirl” if she can a highly entertaining celebration of judge ever to be sued by a sitting U.S. no longer break world records? With the greatest monster movie icon of President, and his rulings continue to a passionate family supporting her, all time. Directed by Frank Dietz and influence a nation still arguing about Naomi must learn to accept herself Trish Geiger, creators of the award- “which lives matter” almost 50 and discover she is as strong inside winning BEAST WISHES. This film is years later. as she is outside. dedicated to the memory of special FX master Ray Harryhausen.

20 The12th Annual Omaha Film Festival March 7-12, 2017 21 Documentary Films

Written Off The Islands and the Whales The Bear and the Owl Herd Saturday, March 11th at 6:30pm Sunday, March 12th at 12:15pm Sunday, March 12th at 2:00pm Sunday, March 12th at 3:15pm UK, Denmark - 81 minutes USA - 88 minutes Produced/Director: Mike Day USA - 46 minutes Canada - 52 minutes Writer/Director: Molly Hermann Director: Mark Davis Writer/Director: Stefan Morel www.theislandsandthewhales.com Producer: Molly Hermann, Rob Lyall Writer: Mark Allen Davis, Jan Jensen Cast: Liz Mitten Ryan In their remote home in the North Producer: Jan Jensen www.written-off.com Atlantic the Faroe Islanders have www.HerdFilm.com thebearandtheowl.com Grippingly honest personal journals always eaten what nature could Herd explores how horses can guide provide, proud to put local food on reveal the secrets one man worked In 1986, a young girl from Beloit, us to heal the chaos within our lives. the table. The land yields little, so they so hard to conceal as an innocent WI was about to celebrate her 7th have always relied on harvesting During a weeklong off-grid nature prescription for painkillers leads birthday in the Boston Children’s their seas. retreat, deep in the heart of British to a 10-year struggle to escape Hospital. After her teacher puts Columbia’s horse country, eight opiates and the stigma that Hunting whales and seabirds kept an article in the local newspaper people participate in a collective surrounds his addiction. them alive for generations, and gave requesting cards from the community, spirit quest of meditation and them the way of life they love; a life a complete stranger responds they would pass on to their children. equine therapy. by sending her a handmade card But today they face a grave threat to every day for two and half years. this tradition. The film documents a nascent, The heartwarming bond that forms interspecies community where horses It is not the controversy surrounding between them showcases the and humans share fears, doubts and whaling that threatens the Faroese healing power of love, empathy truths as they form a new hybrid herd. way of life; the danger is coming from and compassion. 30 years later, as The horse/human communication the whales themselves. she’s about to undergo her 42nd transcends language to foster a The Faroese are among the first to (and hopefully last) surgery, Joni’s dialogue of shared mindfulness. feel the effects of our ever more optimistic strength is an inspiring polluted oceans. They have discovered example of the difference that a that their beloved whales are toxic, simple act of kindness can make. contaminated by the outside world. What once secured their survival now endangers their children and the Faroe Islanders must make a choice between health and tradition.

22 The12th Annual Omaha Film Festival March 7-12, 2017 23 Short Films (Blocks 1 – 11) Wednesday, March 8th at 6:00pm Short Program 1 International • 98 minutes

La Invitacion (The Sleepover) No Soy Yo (This Isn’t Me) Counter Act Promise Writer/Director: Susana Casares Mexico - 3 minutes Canada - 15 minutes China - 16 minutes www.madridencorto.es/2016 Writer/Director: Manfred Lopez Grem Writer/Director: The Affolter Brothers Director: Tian Xie Pushed by the fear of losing her friends, manfredlopez.com/film/this_isnt_me www.counteractfilm.com Deep in China, simple peasant parents have Silvia (10) has invited them to a sleepover... Car accidents are one of the leading causes When Alice, a naïve young woman having raised a smart boy. But life for the family has but things can be complicated when your of death. This film explores the harrowing lunch in a diner circa 1960, joins Mary and become impossible financially, so the parents home is not exactly what your friends may consequences of what we swear will never Ray in their “sit-in” protest, the ire of the take jobs in a distant city. Promising to return call a home.a chance when a stranger, Tim happen to us. racist patrons boils over and Alice learns on the new year, they leave their only son (Ian Harding), mistakes her identity. what it truly takes to stand up for what to live on his own. Loneliness sets in and the you believe in. boy stumbles upon a lost piglet. The two immediately become inseparable as he raises the pig as a member of his family.

A State of Emergency Dryad Love is a Sting The Boy by the Sea Germany/France - 12 minutes France - 12 minutes Ireland - 18 minutes Netherlands - 7 minutes Director: Tarek Roehlinger Writer/Director: Thomas Vernay Director: Vincent Gallagher Director: Vasily Chuprina www.facebook.com/Unetatdurgence The wind blows, noises of armor resound. A www.loveisastingmovie.com www.imdb.com/title/tt5560706 The story of struggling children’s book A movie about a society in fear. It is the knight escorts a young woman athwart plains. The story of an unlikely friendship. A young The thunder begins to scold, clouds invade writer Harold Finch. At his lowest point, story of two soldiers in the everyday life Harold gains an unexpected house guest boy sitting by the sea, watching the stones he of Paris guarding an official building. An the landscape. The knight, worried, stares the throws disappear beneath the surface. An old castle on the horizon. The end is close. in the form of an ageing, hyper-intelligent abandoned bag, curious passants and a mosquito named Anabel. Anabel has been lighthouse keeper. A different truth beyond crazy tramp move the situation into its the fly on the wall throughout history, but has the water. climax. The lines between normality and never communicated with a human. She will real danger disappears. attempt to do so and will teach Harold that the smallest voice can make the biggest noise.

26 The12th Annual Omaha Film Festival March 7-12, 2017 27 Short Program 2 Wednesday, March 8th at 8:30pm Nebraska Docs • 61 minutes Omaha Film Festival HOST HOTEL!

The Retirement of Mr. Jones The Seventh Stage of Grief USA - 17 minutes USA - 13 minutes Writer/Director: Matt Townley Writer/Director: Jacob Rosdail www.facebook.com/MrJonesDocumentary In preparation for an ecological apocalypse, After 36 years as Director of Instrumental two men have removed themselves from Music at the Fort Calhoun Community society. Together they host an internet School District, Mark Jones will retire. radio show where they preach the gospel of This film documents Mr. Jones during the learning to let go of the world. 2012-2013 school year and shows his strong dedication to his craft and the difficulty he has letting it go.

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Home2 Suites by Hilton • 17889 Chicago St. • Omaha, NE 68118 • www.home2suites.com CALL 402-289-9886 TO BOOK YOUR STAY! 28 The12th Annual Omaha Film Festival Thursday, March 9th at 5:45pm Short Program 3 Nebraska Student • 72 minutes

Obsession Wizard Quest - The Questing Ben’s Last Day The Photographer USA - 5 minutes USA - 5 minutes USA - 5 minutes USA - 5 minutes Director: Mitch Fey (Drama) Director: Gabrielle Push Director: Julian Hock-Beaty A man’s struggle with feelings for an Writer/Director/Producer: Emma Korengel The Super Duper Secret Services (SDSS) Young woman is stalked by an unknown man. unconventional love interest, spiraling Wizards have taken many forms and kept president, Sergeant London Harper, has into a final confrontation. nature and harmony in balance, including decided to retire. Agent Benjamin Bently is The Wizard of Darkness, a soul fated to bring called in after Sergeant Harper has picked misery to the Earth. But when The Wizard of her preceding leader. Agent Bently finds the Darkness creates global warming, it’s up to wrong man and it doesn’t end well for him. the remaining wizards to talk sense into her.

Essence USA - 19 minutes Writer/Director: Sam Bench, Seth Bench, Philip Tilden Alone With My Thoughts Let’s Meet by the Tree Salmon Challis www.emptyspacefilms.com Jay, an unmotivated and love searching man, USA - 3 minutes USA - 9 minutes USA - 11 minutes finds himself unknowingly affecting the Director: Brendan Doyle, Noah Floersch Writer/Director: Meredith Zielie Director: Nathan Hazel lives of three close individuals: Karen, his A music video to the song “Alone With My youtu.be/q4v0l9sPStY Three boys embark on a coming-of-age desperate loving girlfriend, Sam, his sober Thoughts” delves into the solitary state of Two teenagers runaway to be together wilderness adventure that eventually leads to bartending best friend, and Aunt Bessie, his space travel. forever. What could go wrong? the erosion of old friendships. smoking addict relative he lives with.

Fable Robin, an easy-to-scare high school girl, and Jake, a non-believer in paranormal activity, USA - 8 minutes find themselves playing Fable, a spooky and Director: Sam Bench, Seth Bench, Philip Tilden mysterious card game, consisting of riddles www.emptyspacefilms.com that, when read aloud, become true.

30 The12th Annual Omaha Film Festival March 7-12, 2017 31 Thursday, March 9th at 8:15pm Short Program 4 Animated • 95 minutes

Post No Bills Three Little Ninjas Boomerang Good Dog Canada - 4 minutes Delivery Service USA - 5 minutes Australia - 3 minutes Director: Robin Hays, Andy Poon Belgium - 11 minutes Writer/Director: Steven Vander Meer Writer/Director: Tim Cant www.postnobillsfilm.com Writer/Director: Kim Claeys, Karim Rhellam www.stevenvandermeer.com www.timebombillustration.com On an urban city wall plastered with posters www.3littleninjas.com The workings of nature and the universe are A short story about a dog and its Noodle Boy must make his way through a When a not so charming Prince slays the mystically and whimsically illustrated in this unconditional love for its owner. series of obstacles and challenges in order to dragon guarding a fairy tale Princess, she fast paced, gorgeously hand drawn film. Great save his crush, Miss Fortune from the city’s promptly orders a new one with the Three music and a quirky sense of humor define the clean up crew. Little Ninjas Delivery Service. They deliver beauty of it all, and it’s no coincidence when it whatever, wherever, whenever... happens this way.

Nutag (Homeland) Trial & Error The Trapeze Artist Canada - 6 minutes Germany - 5 minutes Ukraine/United Kingdom - 2 minutes The Bald Future Writer/Director: Alisi Telengut Director: Antje Heyn Director: Daria Hlazatova, Lawrence Solon France - 5 minutes cargocollective.com/AlisiTelengut/ protoplanet-studio.de The trapeze artist named Thomas takes Writer/Director: Paul Cabon Nutag-Homeland-2016 A film about a lost shirt button, perfectionist a leap into space. paulcabon.com/ A non-narrative hand-painted visual poem aunts, busy cats, startled parrots—and a Le-Futur-sera-chauve-The-bald-future about ideas of diaspora, homeland, and the long-lost friend. Being a bald man sucks. Knowing you’ll tragic mass-deportations of the Kalmyk become one is worse. people during WWII.

32 The12th Annual Omaha Film Festival March 7-12, 2017 33 Thursday, March 9th at 8:15pm Short Program 4 Animated • 95 minutes

Panic Attack! Nocna ptica (Nighthawk) Notorious Corn Lion Dance USA - 3 minutes Slovenia/Croatia - 8 minutes France - 1 minutes USA - 5 minutes Writer/Director: Eileen O’Meara Director: Spela Cadez Writer/Director: Mallory Grolleau Writer/Director: Tim Pattinson, Zheng Kang eileenomeara.blogspot.com/p/panic-attack bonobostudio.hr/en/film/distribution/nighthawk It’s the story of a small grain of corn that www.imdb.com/title/tt6246242 You know the nagging thoughts that start A badger lies motionless on a local road. A dreamed about glory. He’s going to succeed... A romantic visual poem set during a with “did I leave the coffee on?” and turn in police patrol approaches the body in the dark. Unfortunately... traditional Asian parade in which a highly to “what if I give birth to Satan’s baby?” This They soon realise that the animal is not dead; acrobatic dance is performed to bring good hand-drawn animation explores anxiety, the badger is dead drunk! When the police luck. It explores the theme of serendipity obsession, and one woman’s slippery hold attempt to drag the creature off the road, he using a combination of CG, 2D animation on reality. wakes up and things take a strange turn. techniques, and a soundtrack to express the rhythmic and pulsating emotion and actions of the characters.

UKA The Song of Wandering Aengus Once Upon a Line Green Light Spain - 3 minutes United Kingdom - 4 minutes USA - 7 minutes South Korea - 15 minutes Writer/Director: Valle Comba Writer/Director: Matthew Lawes Writer/Director: Alicja Jasina Writer/Director: Seongmin Kim www.offecam.com/catalogo/uka www.otherbrotherstudios.co.uk www.onceuponalineonline.com dflab.ajou.ac.kr/greenlight Uka is a little girl who lives in a grey An ambitious stop frame animation short A man leads a monotone, humdrum existence With the ecosystem destroyed after a abandoned factory. While she’s painting of created over 1 year, based on W. B. Yeats until he suddenly falls in love. What follows nuclear war, Mari, a survivor, does all she her canvas, she finds a way of changing how poem ‘The Song of Wandering Aengus’, is a short portrait of a difficult relationship can to rebuild. When she stumbles upon she sees the world. narrated by Liam Cunningham, with original marked by a struggle for control and identity. a robot soldier in an abandoned city, music score from David Holmes and The ending gives hope for a new beginning everything changes. Keefus Ciancia. and a change of perspective.

34 The12th Annual Omaha Film Festival March 7-12, 2017 35 Friday, March 10th at 5:45pm Short Program 5 97 minutes

Skinny Fat Girl J Lightningface Bella Donna USA - 11 minutes USA - 13 minutes USA - 19 minutes USA - 5 minutes Director: Brandon Baer Writer/Director: Nick Psinakis Writer/Director: Brian Petsos Director: Christopher Basile www.imdb.com/title/tt5389786 lightningface.com www.foureighteenfilms.com www.imdb.com/title/tt3802634 Based on a true story, we meet Annie on her An origin story, of sorts--LIGHTNINGFACE return to the dating scene after losing 100 In the near future, a hacktivist quickly stars Oscar Isaac as Basil Stitt, who in A beautiful, faithful wife plans the perfect pounds. After consistent failure, Annie and growing in popularity, purchases a synthetic the aftermath of an inexplicable incident, dinner for her husband, whose idea of her best friend Hannah decide to have a girls artificial clone of himself in the hopes of decides to sequester himself inside his perfection is far from hers. night. Enter Parker, a charming handsome masking his true whereabouts. apartment, setting the stage for a profound guy who is interested in Annie. We follow transformation. her with the hope of new blossoming love.

Dawn of the Deaf Shutter First Like Vendetta! United Kingdom - 12 minutes Germany - 7 minutes Sweden - 3 minutes Italy - 4 minutes Writer/Director: Rob Savage Writer/Director: Robert Mueller Director: Alexander Ronnberg Writer/Director: Joe Vignola www.imdb.com/title/tt5240446 www.dawnofthedeafmovie.com youtu.be/JX3j33Z5Q4U An actor seduces an ice cream vendor and a Mark, an aspiring photographer, who young actress. The two women uncover the When a strange sound wipes out the hearing witnesses a murder, tries to sell the First to Like - First to Die Do you dare to be truth and take a “sweet” revenge on him. population, a small group of Deaf people pictures he took of the scene to an the first to press Like...? must band together to survive. editorial department.

Gene gets up day after day and follows the same monotonous routine that he has lived A Beautiful Day since the death of his wife ten years earlier. USA - 21 minutes He is aging fast from illness and loneliness and Director: Phedon Papamichael has given up on the future. Today, however, he awakens with a new determination to end www.abeautifuldayfilm.com the life he has known - a new resolve that will change the course of everything.

36 The12th Annual Omaha Film Festival March 7-12, 2017 37 Friday, March 10th at 8:45pm Short Program 6 Nebraska • 93 minutes

Darkroom eleMental 11 Confession Road I Am the Messenger USA - 10 minutes USA - 7 minutes USA - 6:43 minutes USA - 6 minutes Writer/Director: Magie McCombs Writer/Director: Nolan Anderson Writer/Director: Rhett McClure Writer/Director: Elijah Watson www.imdb.com/title/tt6261608 nolan-anderson.squarespace.com www.abprofilms.com A young man decides to take action Two college students develop a friendship Thrill and adventure seems just out of reach The Year 2020. Set in post-alien-life-reveal when discovers someone committing while working in the darkroom, but one has for a man stuck in the mundane. apocalypse America, two paranoid bounty a horrible crime. an unsettling secret that could put an end to hunters on the run from the NSA are about their chemistry. to ditch their prisoners.

No Clean Finish The Controller The Boulevard (T)errorism The Last Bottle USA - 15 minutes USA - 6 minutes USA - 22 minutes USA - 8 minutes Writer/Director: Eric Dwight Director: Benjamin Hartzell Created by Trevor Nealy & Karl Yanike Director: Magie McCombs www.imdb.com/title/tt5058238 Two girls get more than they bargained for Kevin and Rufus try to fund a movie that just www.imdb.com/title/tt6320524 Tommy is an independent wrestler who has when they buy a haunted video game at a might blow up, just not in the way they hope. Months after their parent’s murder-suicide, just been called up to the big time. On his last garage sale. two siblings revisit their troubling and night with the company, he is set to drop the traumatizing past, shedding light on the day title. Around him are those who have their their parents died. own take on Tommy’s recent push. During the lead up to the main event, Tommy is battling making a decision that could change so many peoples’ lives.

38 The12th Annual Omaha Film Festival March 7-12, 2017 39 Friday, March 10th at 8:45pm Short Program 6 Nebraska • 93 minutes

Blitzed In Situ: Epilogue USA - 2 minutes USA - 4 minutes Director: Jonathan Kimbrell Writer/Director: Andrew Johnson PROUD SPONSOR OF THE www.imdb.com/title/tt6320536 www.unfiltered-ent.com/?page_id=70 In the near future, a team of mercenaries The struggle for survival after a catastrophic meet up after the job they were hired for plague is not limited to biological humans. turned out to be a set-up. Jason, who until recently was a college student in search of his own sense of purpose, is chosen against his will. He must accept that he is special and do what is required of him. He is the only one who can save his world’s existence - by protecting the electrical MEXICAN CUISINE & CATERING

MariaBonita.com generators sustaining it. INFINITIOFOMAHA.COMSaturday, March 11th at 12:00pm Short Program 7 100 minutes

Glimpse USA - 6 minutes Director: Enrique Mendoza www. glimpse-movie.com Would you like to see how a relationship ends before committing to it forever? In the not-so-distant future, a new tech startup offers a peek into a defining moment from a Coffee and Cigarettes IV Reverie couple’s life together. John and Emma must decide whether or not to still start a life USA - 3 minutes USA - 4 minutes together after their Glimpse reveals more Writer/Director: Ian Snyder Director: Karalyn Smith than they anticipated. www.rad-radish.com A man uses daydreams to build his confidence [Intentionally left blank] to ask out the girl of his dreams. Continued on page 42

40 The12th Annual Omaha Film Festival March 7-12, 2017 41 Saturday, March 11th at 12:00pm Short Program 7 100 minutes

Real Artists Paradox The Firefly Girls The Bus Stop USA - 11 minutes USA - 8 minutes USA - 11 minutes USA - 14 minutes Writer/Director: Cameo Wood Writer/Director: Brad Helmink, John Director: Katie Micay Writer/Director: Justin Malone www.realartists.film Rauschelbach www.thefireflygirlsfilm.com www.malonepictures.com Sophia just scored every animator’s dream www.brothersshamus.com Will is struggling to move on after his Two young boys come to blows due to interview at world famous Semaphore A man falls asleep alone at night, but is woken beloved daughter dies. Stuck in a cloud religious stereotypes they learned from Animation Studios. But when the Creative up by the sounds of someone breaking in. The of grief, he spends his time hiding in his their parents. Director reveals that she knows about intruder’s identity is scarier than the act itself. house. Meanwhile, a young girl from the Sophia’s fan-edit of Semaphore’s hit film neighborhood, Gracie, is determined to sell Mythos, Sophia sees her dreams begin to the last of her Firefly Girl cookies. Gracie slip away. knows Will is the only person left in town who hasn’t bought any cookies. So fearless Gracie breaks into his house. Similarities between the two arise.

The Wrights Past The Second Stage Venefica Icarus USA - 14 minutes Australia - 5 minutes USA - 7 minutes USA - 20 minutes Director: Michael Steger Director: Samuel Hunter Galloway, Peter Camilleri Writer/Director: Maria Wilson Director: Tom Teller www.thewrightsfilm.com www.facebook.com/pastthesecondstage www.veneficafilm.com www.frame48.com Three estranged siblings come together after While cleaning his deceased brothers derelict A young modern-day witch embarks on a When a Mars colony’s comm satellite the death of their father. Dark secrets emerge apartment, a man comes across an old laptop difficult rite of passage to learn whether her is damaged, Emilia Riley embarks on a and loyalties are questioned at the reading of containing the last documentation of his life. abilities are destined for good or for evil. seemingly harmless repair excursion. A the last will and testament. But in order to access the files he must pass shuttle malfunction cuts connectivity to the three security questions regarding family ground and Chris, her son, makes the knee that threaten to bring up his well buried jerk decision to go after her. resentment towards his wayward brother.

42 The12th Annual Omaha Film Festival March 7-12, 2017 43 Saturday, March 11th at 2:15pm Short Program 8 96 minutes

Worst-Case Scenario, Inc. Start Over The Perfect Note Memoir USA - 17 minutes USA - 9 minutes USA - 11 minutes USA - 15 minutes Writer/Director: Jenny Lee, Gareth Smith Director: Liz Rizzo Director: Michelle Davidson Director: Alexander Jeffery www.smithleefilm.com www.imdb.com/title/tt5693782 www.imdb.com/title/tt5282600 www.bespokeworksllc.com Ryan is an agent for a company called Three men and a woman hire a video service What happens when a mundane life Memories can either fuel our existence or Worst-Case Scenario, Inc. where he predicts to find someone special. becomes a movie musical. eat away at us like a disease. In the not-too- disastrous possible outcomes. He’s assigned distant future, Dr. Theodore Maine is on the a case to inspect the home of a nervous new cusp of losing his job at Janus Labs where mother. What could possibly go wrong? he is developing research for Alzheimers treatment. That is, until a mysterious visitor named Obee changes his life forever.

Walk for Me Fall Repeat Three Women Last Light USA - 12 minutes USA - 5 minutes USA - 14 minutes USA - 17 minutes Writer/Director: Elegance Bratton Writer/Director: Elise Sievert Director: Alex Beh Director: Jency Griffin Hogan www.walkformemovie.com www.elisesievert.com/fall-repeat-short-film www.threewomenfilm.com www.imdb.com/title/tt6367914 Walk For Me is a contemporary coming A dancer navigates what she will compromise Over drinks, Darren Peters and friends On the verge of her mother’s death, out story set in present day New York City. for the sake ambition while her mentor discuss their waiter’s sudden proffer, that at Addie returns home to shed light on her Hassan Kendricks is a conflicted teenager pushes boundaries. any given moment in any man’s life there are dark past amidst the wreckage collected torn between his devotion to Andrea his three women involved: The Available, The over twenty years. mother and his desire to be himself. Unavailable, and The Unattainable.

44 The12th Annual Omaha Film Festival March 7-12, 2017 45 Saturday, March 11th at 4:45pm Short Program 9 Comedy • 93 minutes

Now’s A Bad Time 3-Way (Not Calling) Dear George Help! I’m Trapped In A Movie USA - 8 minutes Canada - 11 minutes USA - 20 minutes United Kingdom - 9 minutes Writer/Director: Michael Oberst Writer/Director: Molly McGlynn Writer/Director: Emily Skyle Writer/Director: Riley Madincea A dark comedy about two guys doing www.facebook.com/3waynotcalling www.deargeorgethefilm.com www.kickstarter.com/projects/matt-day/ nothing wrong. Unless you consider trying A woman riddled with existential dread After his high school sweetheart sends him help-im-trapped-in-a-movie to pry a grieving mother for her deceased on the eve of a big birthday convinces her a breakup letter and moves out of state, a A man wakes up to find himself the star of a sons personal info to sell for a small (but partner to have a threesome that changes heartbroken gamer takes off on a trip filled Hollywood blockbuster, but his dream soon reasonable) profit “wrong” but who’s to say? everything...and nothing. with a TSA shakedown, Acapella group, bad becomes a nightmare when he discovers he decisions and a “borrowed” chicken costume. can’t control the plot.

Duffy’s Jacket Jesse Eisenberg Uses the Urinal Nuts Time Travel Romance USA - 9 minutes USA - 7 minutes USA - 4 minutes USA - 12 minutes Director: Brian Hoesing Director: Alec Brown Writer/Director: Theo Sena Writer/Director: Ben Giroux www.imdb.com/title/tt5892408 www.imdb.com/title/tt5810038 www.imdb.com/title/tt5225572 www.BenGiroux.com A forgetful boy and his 2 cousins must survive Oscar-nominee Jesse Eisenberg might play a A man wakes up and fixes a world that After continually striking out with women, an awkward man invents a time machine against the night once discovered by an ancient captivating know-it-all on the big screen, but isn’t broken. his mother’s wishes. woodland monster. (Based on the short story there is one thing the talented actor doesn’t by Bruce Coville and starring Doug Jones) know- how to use the urinal. The Robbery USA - 10 minutes Director: Jim Cummings www.imdb.com/title/tt6391374 Crystal robs a liquor store. It goes pretty ok.

46 The12th Annual Omaha Film Festival March 7-12, 2017 47 Saturday, March 11th at 7:30pm Short Program 10 Nebraska • 93 minutes

GPS Child’s Play Hawksbill Crag Not About Me USA - 1 minutes USA - 6 minutes USA - 5 minutes USA - 6 minutes Writer/Director: Derek Davidson Writer/Director: Candace Nelson Writer/Director: Alexander Jeffery, Writer/Director: Aaron Nix www. rad-radish.com Two young girls learn how to survive from Brent Scott Maze www.imdb.com/title/tt6185848 It’s time we had a serious talk. a childhood game gone wrong. A nature photographer is sent to Northern A husband attempts to avoid the building With our phones. Arkansas to take pictures of Hawksbill Crag, tension at home. Instead, he finds but the trails and environment slowly drive perspective on the urgency of life and love him into anxiety and paranoia. Something with the hopes of reconciling with his wife. is watching.

Funeral Favors Up River The Music Box Spelling Bee USA - 3 minutes USA - 8 minutes USA - 15 minutes USA - 2 minutes Director: Ben Semisch Writer/Director: Allison Holt Writer/Director: Aliza Brugger Writer/Director: Dominic Ciofalo After a Funeral Adam offers a helping hand A young woman journeys into the When Gloria finds a mysterious box in her www.rad-radish.com to his friend Todd. Todd takes the offer too far wilderness to find her father in the midst cellar, her life is shaded with bursts of A young boy must use all his wits if he is to asking for increasingly ridiculous favors. of a food drought. terror. She and Maya must overcome the be crowned the champion of a contest of shadows together. spelling things good.

48 The12th Annual Omaha Film Festival March 7-12, 2017 49 Saturday, March 11th at 7:30pm Short Program 10 Nebraska • 93 minutes OFF Academy

EDUCATE | ENTERTAIN | INSPIRE

Over the Fairy Hill Neighbor / Neighbor WelcomeWelcome to tothe the Second Second AnnualAnnual OFF OFF Academy Academy ThursdayThursday and and Friday, March March 9 & 9 1 &0 10 Ireland - 15 minutes USA - 19 minutes Omaha Funny Bone Comedy Club Director: William Fischer Director: Bruce Nelson, Staci Monk Nelson Omaha Funny Bone Comedy Club www.imdb.com/title/tt5862464 www. masstransitproductions.com/ With industry professionals from across the country the OFF Academy offers two days of sessions that will give studentsWith industry an inside professionals look at screenwriting, from across acting, the cinematography, country the OFF lighting, Academy editing, offers directing, two anddays producing of sessions and neighbor-neighbor The young couple of Crissie and Darragh willthat include will handsgive students-on interactive an inside workshops look targetingat screenwriting, students in acting, the disciplines cinematography, they’re most lighting, interested editing, in. are very much in love and looking forward When less than desirable new neighbors directing, and producing and will include hands-on interactive workshops targeting students in the to a future with their coming child. But in move in next door from a perfect nuclear Indisciplines addition to they’rethe Academy, most interestedthe students in. are all invited to participate in everything the Omaha Film Festival has to offer which includes the Writer’s Theatre, the Filmmakers Conference, and the over 125 films that will screen Darragh’s small pub built above a sidhe, family, sparks fly. What starts out as a simple In addition to the Academy, the students are all invited to participate in everything the Omaha Film the past intrudes in the form of a decrepit, disagreement between men over a few bags at the Village Pointe Theatre from March 7-12. Festival has to offer which includes the Writer’s Theatre, the Filmmakers Conference, and the over dying fairy. of trash soon escalates into an all out war that 125 films that will screen at theMade Village possible Pointe in part Theatre by grants from provided March by 7-12. drags in entire families. Made possible inCox part Charities by grants provided by Robert Mann Cox Charities Torchwerks Robert Mann Hosted by Omaha FunnyTorchwerks Bone Comedy Club Hosted by Participating schools: Omaha Funny Bone Comedy Club Bellevue West High School ParticipatingBenson High Schoolschools: BellevueBurke West High HighSchool School Central High School CreightonBenson Prep High High School School BurkeElkhorn High High School ElkhornCentral South High High School School CreightonGretna Prep High HighSchool School The Quest for Excalispoon LeavenworthElkhorn High High School School - Kansas ElkhornMarian South High High School School USA - 7 minutes Millard West High School Director: Sam Senser, Thomas Johnson NorthwestGretna High High Magnet School School Leavenworth High School - Kansas www.youtube.com/ North High Magnet OmahaMarian South High High School School watch?v=epUfvIMhMKM&feature=youtu.be PapillionMillard LaVista West South High High School School Two knights enter into the gates of Utensia, NorthwestRoncalli High High Magnet School School in search of the legendary Excalispoon. NorthSouth High Magnet Magnet Westside High School Omaha South High School Papillion LaVista South High School Roncalli High School South High Magnet Westside High School

50 The12th Annual Omaha Film Festival March 7-12, 2017 51 Sunday, March 12th at 11:45am Short Program 11 Documentary • 99 minutes

Gardeners of the Forest The Art of Hope The John Show Soul City USA/Lao People’s Democratic Republic USA - 17 minutes USA - 12 minutes USA - 23 minutes 14 minutes Writer/Director: Benjamin J Bogard Writer/Director: Julie Sokolow Director: Monica Berra, SheRea DelSol, Director: Ceylan Carhoglu, Nicole Jordan-Webber www.imdb.com/title/tt5873162 www.juliesokolow.com/The-John-Show & Gini Richards www.gardenersoftheforest.com Offering sanctuary in the last frontier, Graphic designer Brett Yasko wanted to save www.soulcityfilm.com For generations, Laos was known as the Hope Community Resources Inc. provides his friend John’s life, so he asked every artist “Soul City” is a documentary short that tells Land of a Million Elephants. Today, there resources to individuals with physical and in their town to make a portrait of John. The the story of a group of civil rights activists and are around 400 elephants left in Laos. If cognitive disabilities. At the main campus in result is the 2016 art show “John Riegert” – city slickers who attempt to build a multiracial the Laotian elephants become extinct, not Anchorage, Hope Studios, a fully functioning a funhouse containing 250 portraits on the utopia in the heart of Klan Country, North only does it mean a loss of one of the largest art studio, serves as a safe space for free titular subject, with John himself acting as Carolina in the 1970s. Their pioneering mammals on earth but also the loss for ideas and expression. Surrounded by bright tour guide. This heartfelt story chronicles efforts to jumpstart this black-owned, Laotian history and culture. This documentary colors and quirky artwork, vibrant individuals the making of a singular exhibit and the black-built town run up against tenacious explores how the growing Chinese market, create collaborative projects to support the mental health struggles and personal enemies that still face idealists and dreamers deforestation, and tourism all play a cyclical studio and their careers as artists. three triumphs of its subject. today--ingrained racism, public skepticism, role in the imminent extinction of elephants. artists (Justin Humphrey, Kristine Ethel and unwillingness on the part of the Whalen, and Judy Evans) share their personal government to think outside the box to solve stories of challenges and hope as they find social problems. As this group of dreamers their life purpose. The Art of Hope tells the try to bring together unlikely allies to support story of a community creating art every day, black power and economic development, they communicating with the world that inability are forced to balance their soaring idealism and disability are not synonymous terms. with the hostile reality of the times.

Frank Carter & The Gathering The Rattlesnakes - USA - 24 minutes Year of The Snake Writer/Director: Micki Dickoff www.imdb.com/name/nm0225586 United Kingdom - 9 minutes Witness to Innocence is the only organization Writer/Director: Max Horn of death row exonerees in the United States, www.baronxbones.com led by death row survivors and their families. These innocent men and women, gather once Year Of The Snake is a short documentary a year to share their thoughts and feelings, following the rise and rise of Frank Carter fears and dreams with the only people who & The Rattlesnakes. really understand what they went through.

52 The12th Annual Omaha Film Festival March 7-12, 2017 53 Welcome to the Jungle Software for lmmakers. Created by lmmakers.

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All Conference Sessions will be at the Village Pointe Theatre – 304 North 174th Street in Theatre #10 AllAll Conference Conference Sessions Panelists will are be “scheduled at the Village to appear” Pointe Theatre– times subject – 304 North to cha 174thnge, see Street website in Theatre for updates #10 All Conference Panelists are “scheduled to appear” – times subject to change, see website for updates ______Saturday,Saturday, March March 11, 20111,7 2017

9:30am9:30am –– 10:30am10:30am – – Filmmaker Filmmaker Panel Panel AttendingAttending (non-Nebraska)(non-Nebraska) filmmaker’s filmmaker’s Q&A Q&A panel panel

10:45am10:45am –– 11:30am11:30am – – Documentary Documentary Panel Panel A conversation with visiting documentary filmmakers about their process A conversation with visiting documentary filmmakers about their process 11:45am – 12:45pm – Writing for the Big and Small Screen A11 moderated:45am – 12 panel:45pm discussion – Writing for with the Maria Big and Maggenti Small Screen and Jennifer Levin A moderated panel discussion with Maria Maggenti and Jennifer Levin 1:00pm – 2:00pm – Acting on the Big and Small Screen A1:00 discussionpm – 2:00 withpm Yolonda– Acting onRoss the about Big and acting Small in Screen a popular TV series 2:30pmA discussion – 4:00pm with Yolonda – A Brief Ross History about ofacting Filmmaking in a popular in Nebraska TV series A presentation with Nebraska Film Commissioner Laurie Richards 2:30pm – 4:00pm – A Brief History of Filmmaking in Nebraska A presentation with Nebraska Film Commissioner Laurie Richards Sunday, March 12, 2017 Sunday, March 12, 2017 12:00pm – 2:00pm – Writer’s Theatre A1 live2:00 readingpm – 2:0 of0p selectionsm – Writer’s from Theatre this year’s OFF screenplay finalists 2:15pmA live reading – 3:15pm of selections – Writing from the this Great year American’s OFF screenplay Screenplay finalists A conversation about screenwriting with Lew Hunter 2:15pm – 3:15pm – Writing the Great American Screenplay A conversation about screenwriting with Lew Hunter Panelists: Panelists: MariaMaria Maggenti – –writer/ writer/director/producerdirector/producer – wrote – andwrote directed and directedSundance filmsSundance “The Incredibly films True “TheAdventure Incredibly of Two True Girls Adventurein Love” and “Pucciniof Two Girlsfor Beginners in Love”,” andand writer “Puccini of the for 2011 Beginners,” Black List screenplay and writer“Before of I Ftheall” 2011which Blackis currently List inscreenplay theatres. “Before I Fall” which is currently in theatres.

JenniferJennifer LevinLevin – –writer/producer writer/producer – Showrunner – Showrunner for CW’ sfor “Felicity CW’s” and“Felicity” “Beauty and and “Beauty the Beast, and” writer on theABC Beast,”’s “Brothers writer and on Sisters ABC’s” and “Brothers CBS’s “Without and Sisters” a Trace” and CBS’s “Without a Trace”

Yolonda Ross – writer/director/actress – Two-time Film Independent Spirit Award Yolonda Ross – writer/director/actress – Two-time Film Independent Spirit Award nominee and Gotham nomineeWinner for and HBO Gotham’s “Stranger Winner Inside ”for and HBO’s John Sayle “Stranger’s “Go For Inside” Sisters and.” Also John in “Treme, Sayle’s” ““GoThe GetFor Down, ” Sisters.”“How to AlsoGet Away in “Treme,” with Murder, “The” Getand theDown,” upcoming “How Showtime to Get Awayseries “ withThe Chi. Murder,”” and the upcoming Showtime series “The Chi.” Lew Hunter - writer - Screenwriting 434, chairman Emeritus and Professor of Screenwriting at the UCLA Lew Hunter - writer - Screenwriting 434, chairman Emeritus and Professor Department of Film and Television. of Screenwriting at the UCLA Department of Film and Television.

March 7-12, 2017 57 The Mary Riepma Ross MEDIA ARTS CENTER LINCOLN, NEBRASKA

The Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center is a state of the art facility that serves the University, the Lincoln community, and the State of Nebraska. The Ross is a comprehensive exhibition program committed to showcasing a wide variety of independent, foreign and documentary cinema, offering Nebraskans a stimulating alternative to commercial movie and television fare by presenting works not ordinarily offered in this area.

Norman A. Geske

AMMO BOX LUNCH CINEMA SHOWCASE Reserve Ra�on - Deli Sandwich, Ke�le Chips and Dessert…..$10 Standard Ra�on - Reserve + Fresh Fruit…..$11 One of the most stimulating and interesting components of the Field Ra�on - Standard + Premium Side…..$13 MRRMAC’s varied exhibition program, the Norman A. Geske Cinema Garrison Ra�on - Standard + Two Premium Sides…..$15 Showcase brings media artists to Nebraska to make personal Sandwich Op�ons appearances and discuss their work with our audiences. Participants Roasted Turkey Cheddar Deli Style Rare Roast Beef Cheddar appear at screenings of their movies for Q&A sessions, attend University Smoked Ham and Gouda Our meats are 100% all natural, hormone free and antibiotic free of Nebraska-Lincoln classes, and interact with other organizations in our Served on fresh Rotella’s Bread Premium Sides community. Guest filmmakers receive an honorarium and all expenses Potato Salad Side Salad with House dressing are covered. If you are interested in participating in the Norman A. Geske Pimento Cheese Dip and Veggies Cinema Showcase or would like more information, please contact Director Quinoa Salad DANNY LADELY at 402-472-7174 (office) or 402-326-7703 (mobile). PLACe AN Order Ma�hew Davenport 402.297.4292 ma�@ammoboxcafe.com www.theross.org All Ammo Box Lunches are equipped with everything you need to enjoy your lunch. Napkins, cutlery and a piece of gum for after the meal. 313 N. 13th Street, Lincoln NE | 402-472-9100 | facebook.com/theross.org Sponsored by

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