10TH ANNUAL BUFFALO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL -
BY REUBEN WOLF
Buffalo International Film Festival
This s the tenth anniversary of the Buffalo International Film Festival, a yearly screening of independent films that come from anywhere in the world to be screened in the Buffalo area. There will be over 100 features and shorts screened between October 7- 10 at the North Park Theatre, Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center, and Squeaky Wheel. For the tenth anniversary of the festival, ArtVoice would like to highlight a select few films. These films are not to pick out which we feel would be the best, but rather there is a stigma attached to them that those who are going to attend the festival might find interesting:
Tony Conrad: Completely in the Present
Director: Tyler Hubby
North Park Theatre- Friday, October 7 @ 7:30 PM – 102 minutes
“Sometimes a film chooses you,” said Tyler Hubby, the director of Tony Conrad: Completely in the Present. Over twenty years in the making, this opening night documentary traces the life of experimental musician, filmmaker, and University at Buffalo professor, Tony Conrad. Tyler had been compiling footage of Tony dating back to 1994 through various performances he had assembled, but the label which Tyler was shooting for denied the release this footage. Therefore, Tyler decided to take it upon himself to finally expose the world to the underappreciated and relatively unknown artist that is Tony Conrad. A smart move by the BIFF to open the festival with this film, it feeds well into our budding arts scene in Buffalo.
Trew Calling
Director: Greg Robbins
North Park Theatre- Saturday, October 8 @ 1:15 PM – 90 minutes
“I wanted to tell a story that enhances lives; I know that we are capable of creating wonderful moments in our life that will make us better, those around us stronger, which will make for a healthier society,” says director Greg Robbins about his film. Trew Calling features Orchard Park’s Tracey B. Wilson as Trew, a young woman who lost her boyfriend, is unhappy with her job, has a drunken mother, and seems lost in life. One day, she meets a man who encourages her to write down everything he tells her to for the sake of helping others. The quirky film was created to be touching and uplifting, with the intent to inspire yourself and hopefully those around you. Not only is the point of interest here that the star of the film is from our backyard, but Trew Calling looks to be the feel-good film of this year’s festival.
Dwelling
Director: Kyle Mecca
North Park Theatre- Sunday, October 9 @ 9:30 PM – 85 minutes
Buffalo native Kyle Mecca’s goal with this supernatural thriller was to make it’s themes universal. The film stars Erin Marie Hogan and Mu-Shaka Benson as Ellie and Gavin, a young couple who becomes haunted by past forces related to a family tragedy. However, Mecca believes that the film’s roots are deeper than the synopsis implies. “Dwelling, at its heart and soul is about how people deal with the loss of a loved one,” said Mecca, “we enter one characters journey one that makes us question the sanity of our main character’s motivations, but at the bottom line, we all have someone who has passed on in our lives that we’d love to speak to one last time.” Dwelling is slated to be a slow-burning thriller rather than a scream-your-head-off horror flick, one that will make you question how far you would go in order to reconnect with that lost loved one.
Bang: The Bert Berns Story
Director: Brett Berns and Bob Sarles
North Park Theatre- Monday October 10 @ 5:30 PM- 94 minutes
Bang will finally give an obscure music legend his due. Co-directed by Kenmore native Bob Sarles and Brett Berns (son of the film’s subject), Bang: The Bert Berns Story will give audiences a glimpse into one of the most prolific, yet relatively unknown songwriters and music producers of the 1960s. Berns was responsible for writing such hits as “Twist and Shout,” “Piece of My Heart,” and “Hang on Sloopy,” among a smorgasbord of other rock staples. He was also instrumental in launching the careers of Van Morrison and Neil Diamond, who recorded some of their first hits on his record label, Bang. Although he passed of rheumatic fever nearly fifty years ago, he was just recently inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Although he was only two when his father passed, Brett Berns’ film will be deeply personal, almost creating a person whom he was close with, but never knew. “What began as a passion project designed to introduce the world to Bert Berns has evolved into both an important historical document and an inspirational example of how to live life with courage and create art with passion, love and collaboration,” said Berns, “It became my life’s ambition to champion my father.” The documentary features interviews with people such as Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones and Solomon Burke.
Ovation!
Director: Henry Jaglom
North Park Theatre- Sunday, October 9 @ 12:00 PM
110 minutes
If the name “Henry Jaglom” sounds familiar, it may be perhaps this indie filmmaker has been at the forefront of the industry dating back to the late-60s, when he helped in the editing process for the classic Easy Rider. Since his directorial debut in the early 70s, he has worked with the likes of Jack Nicholson, Orson Welles, David Duchovny, Vanessa Redgrave, and Judd Nelson among other big name acts. Ovation! Will be the director’s twentieth feature and one that may be his most personal. The film stars frequent Jaglom partner Tanna Frederick as Maggie, an actress currently headlining a stage play who must navigate her life through career choices and lovers. Jaglom was inspired at a very young age with this story, since he had always wondered what goes on with the actors backstage after seeing his first Broadway play. “I was always fascinated by where the actors came from and where they got to at the end of each act,” said Jaglom, “That’s why I made Ovation!, where we never see the play and never leave the theater.”
Chemical Cut
Director: Marjorie Conrad
Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center- Friday, October 7 @ 7:00 PM- 85 minutes
Director Marjorie Conrad looks to derive from personal experience and add to a growing genre of female-driven films. Conrad, a former contestant on America’s Next Top Model, tells the story of Irene, a 23-year-old searching for her identity in the world of modeling. Conrad, herself, stars as Irene, who soon realizes that a simple change to her physical appearance can alter the entire scope of her career. “I am less interested in narrative, psychology, and realism than exploring caricature coupled with mostly static compositions to both balance and emphasize the scenes’ darker aspects,” said Conrad, “I want the audience to be amused as Irene is repeatedly confronted with (arguably harmless) grotesque encounters.” This seemingly unique and intense character study may be unlike anything you’d ever expect from the mind of a former contract-model.
Gold Star
Director: Victoria Negri
Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center- Friday, October 7 @ 9:15 PM
85 minutes
Many of the filmmakers with films showing at the festival take their stories from a deeply personal area, but perhaps none of them have decided to put their life in front of an audience the way Victoria Negri is going to do. As writer, director, and star of Gold Star, Victoria’s story revolves around Vicky, a Julliard dropout who becomes the primary caretaker of her father after he suffers a debilitating stroke. This incident actually happened to her, leading her to rework a frustrating father-daughter-road-trip film into the finished product it is today. “I do hope audiences know the story behind the film and see that mourning isn’t something that should be sad and isolating and painful,” said Negri, “I’d also love for viewers to leave the film thinking intently about how they’re living in the moment.” The film stars Emmy-award-winning and Academy Award nominated Robert Vaughn (The Magnificent Seven) as Vicky’s father as well as other well-established actors such as Catherine Curtin (The Wolf of Wall Street) and Jacob Heimer (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt). Solid talent around a deeply emotional project looks to make for a solid entry and definitely one to check out this weekend.
Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens
Director: Gabrielle Burton
North Park Theatre- Sunday, October 9 @ 7:30 PM
88 minutes
In an age where Queer Theory has become a serious part of academic humanities and RuPaul’s Drag Race receives Emmy nominations, director Gabrielle Burton documents 8 drag performers in Columbus, Ohio. However, Buffalo native Burton’s film dives deeper than mere exposition on the world of drag. Burton attempts to explore the binary notions we have of sexual identity and gender in society. Burton and her five sisters were inspired to make the film when Gabrielle was invited to see a friend’s husband’s drag show, which sparked questions of identity and sexuality. In a statement released by the director, she claims “this isn’t easy stuff, and it’s laden with assumptions, judgment, and sometimes fear, anger, or emotional pain, but it’s critical that we think and talk about this important issue.” Burton and her sisters are most known for their production Manna From Heaven (2002) which starred Shirley Jones, Cloris Leachman, and Louise Fletcher, and filmed right here in Buffalo. If you are going to see this movie, it would be worth it for the Buffalo ties. But, just as well, like director Burton said, the film is “part of a movement to encourage positive understanding of the real and complex issues we face in our socialization when thinking about gender and sexuality.”
Cheerleader
Director: Irving Franco
Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center- October 10 @ 2:45 PM
79 minutes
One of the last films in the festival lineup this year may prove to be one of the most entertaining. The BIFF website claims that this film will be “funny, intimate, and poetic” while at the same time being a deep character study. Director Irving Franco’s film follows Mickey (Catherine Blades), a high school cheerleader navigating her life through these tepid and trying waters. The film only took three weeks to film, but do to some post-production troubles, the film sees its release after wrapping up production 2 years ago. What makes this film interesting to seek out is director’s Franco’s inspirations. “I’ve always loved Boogie Nights, for its deep sense of humanity, and for the way that it brings us into a world/universe of its own,” said Franco, “my goal for this film was to do the same within the high school realm.” Franco also intends for the audience to leave the theater with a deep sense of empathy and understanding for his central character, Mickey.
Tickets for the festival are $10 for pre-sale and $12 at the door and are available right now.
