Local film enthusiasts should be happy to know that our city will be hosting events next week that will proudly celebrate current independent cinema. The newly titled IF Film festival (formerly “Flyover”) will showcase a variety of works, some from from Sundance, Tribeca and SXSW, with a focus on Kentucky films and filmmakers. The festival’s poster by Kevin Lippy and Rankin Mapother featuring a fingerprint and director’s chair says a lot with its Saul Bass–inspired simplicity.
In Louisville’s Nulu district, the festival’s board members, sponsors and guests, including Mayor Greg Fisher, gathered at Decca Restaurant last week for wine, brandy, savory snacks and a sampling of what can be expected from the upcoming engagements.
Festival director Soozie Eastman found this party’s location to be one of personal relevance. Her 2006 documentary, “By the Wayside” about homelessness in America, was partially shot in Decca’s building when it used to be part of Wayside Christian Mission. “The last time I was going up these stairs I was moving equipment,” Eastman said, referring to a time she when was setting up to shoot an interview. “It was nine years ago when I was coming up to someone’s room who had just fled her husband, and now this time I’m looking to see where we’ll be serving the Brandy. It’s amazing how things change.”
Eastman’s enthusiasm for this event is clearly driven by her experience in the medium of filmmaking and hopes that the festival can offer a non-competitive atmosphere for artists to grow. “I love watching different types of films because even if a film is not a wonderful film, I still learn from it,” she said.” I learn techniques that I don’t want to emulate. In the same vein, I learn new tricks of the trade for telling my stories that do work, that I might never have thought of.”
Filmmaker, producer and IF Film board member Stu Pollard has a history with festivals and a good connection with how Louisville runs them. “This is the sixth iteration of the film festival that Louisville Film Society puts on and I’ve been with them since the beginning,” he said.
Before playing a demo reel for the festival’s variety of films, the fest’s chairman, George Parker Jr., addressed the room with a little history of his organization. “We started in 2007 and realized that of all the amazing arts organizations in the city, there wasn’t anything that was supporting the cinematic arts. It was kind of a blossoming thing. What was happening was a lot of transient filmmakers coming back from L.A. and New York. We really felt that we needed arts organizations that supported bringing independent films here, providing opportunities for Kentucky filmmakers to have a venue for showing there films and also creating really cool experiences around town so that people could experience films different ways.”
The Louisville Film Society have found unusual venues for presentation: A downtown rooftop, Bernheim Forest, and even beneath the Second Street Bridge – a location-appropriate choice to project the comedy classic “Stripes.” While the Flyover Film Festival has brought interesting films to our city over the years, the new collaboration with IdeaFestival invites new possibilities.
“We rebranded it ‘IF Film,’” Parker said. “IdeaFest has been one of the key festivals in our city.” After the success of Flyover, Mayor Fisher proposed merging the two festivals with Parker and IdeaFestival founder Kris Kimmel.
“It was kind of a win-win because running a festival is incredibly difficult,” Pollard said. “(There’s) a lot of people working on it both for pay and from a volunteer standpoint and a lot of outreach required. Hopefully what it means for the film festival, specifically, is a transition for us to get better in terms of larger audiences.”
A scene from “Produce.”
Seven of the films are feature-length, starting with “Trouble Dolls” from Louisville native Jess Weixler (CBS’s “The Good Wife”). In collaboration with Jennifer Prediger, the two created a comedy in which they play artist roommates facing eviction in New York’s East Village. Paul Harrill’s Kentucky-filmed drama, “Something, Anything,” starring Ashley Shelton and Bryce Johnson, will promote discussion on the issues of tragedy and spirituality.
SXSW special jury recognition winner “Animals,” about a relationship between two homeless addicts, stars writer David Dastmalchian, whom you may recognize from “The Dark Knight” and last year’s “Prisoners.” Kim Shaw and John Heard also star.
Among the features, there will also be documentaries. One is “Mudbloods,” about “Harry Potter” nerds forming a league based on a sport that you thought was only for people who can fly on brooms. There’s also “Winter’s Bone” director Debra Granik’s “Stray Dog,” a portrait of Vietnam vet Ron “Stray Dog” Hall; a biker, family man and pet lover. “An Honest Liar,” which celebrates the influence of magician and scientific skeptic James Randi is also sure to be fascinating.
There will also be a night of award-winning short films (CRITIC’S NOTE: These are usually the best aspect of any film festival because they deserve to be seen in a theatrical context. They also thrive on surprises more often than feature films do).
The series will conclude with the feature film “Produce,” starring Louisville’s David DeSanctis with Kris Polaha about an athlete’s friendship with a produce clerk who has Down syndrome.
Many of the shows will be presented by their makers in person and will host Q&A discussions. For the schedule and ticket sales, visit, www.louisvillefilm.org.
Bennett Duckworth is a film fanatic who lives in Louisville and goes to see a movie in the theater at least once a week. He has kept a movie review blog since September of 2011 with the mission of writing about every new release he sees, as well as new trends in filmmaking and classic films he loves. You can read more of his reviews at www.bennettduckworth.blogspot.com.