Fantastico

The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is doing a great Latin Film festival this week. Go here to check it out and then salsa yourself over there.

The LatinBeat Film Festival is presented in conjunction with the Film Society of Lincoln Center and Emerging Pictures. It features award-winning films from Latin American countries including Argentina, Peru, Uruguay, Ecuador, Chile, Cuba, Guatemala, Brazil, and Mexico.
$5 for members, $7 for non-members
See both films on Sunday for a discounted price of $7 for members and $12 for non-members with the 2 Film Pass!
Purchase your tickets online
Thursday and Friday, November 1 - 2
Tapas with a Latin Twist
Seating from 6 - 9 pm
For reservations call 901.544.6225
The Brushmark will offer a menu of tapas (small plates) with a Latin influence. So, enjoy a glass of wine and tapas before the films and get into the Latin groove!

Thursday, November 1, 7:30 pm
The Most Beautiful of My Very Best Years
(94 mins)
Berto lives in the small Bolivian city of Cochabamba. He wants to leave the country, but without money for a ticket, he decides to sell his prized possession––a 1965 Volkswagen he inherited from his grandfather––with the help of his know-it-all best friend Victor and Camila, Victor's girlfriend.

Delightfully understated but with great attention to detail, Boulocq’s film is an urban Bolivian fable with a love square at its center––two men, a woman and their car. Its skillfully fractured structure is a counterpoint to the parsimonious rhythm of the friends’ lives and of the city that comes to define them.

Friday, November 2, 7:30 pm
Fotografias (112 mins)
“This is a personal essay about my mother, based on a box of photographs my father passed on to me. A documentary investigation involving a journey to the past and also a real one from Argentina, where I live, to the place where she was born and which she wanted to forget: India.”––Andrés Di Tella

The filmmaker’s mother, Kamala Aparao, was a member of an aristocratic Indian family in the first half of the 20th century. At a young age, she joined the socialist party and, further shocking her traditional family, went on to marry Torcuato Di Tella, a well-known sociologist from Argentina. With his own son in tow, Andrés Di Tella traces the imprints of his mother’s history. He explores with insight and disarming honesty issues of identity, bicultural displacement, family tradition, the inescapability of one’s cultural legacy, and how our notions of fatherhood and motherhood can change with time and distance.

Sunday, November 4, 2 pm
My Grandmother Has A Video Camera (60 mins)
Tania Cypriano’s documentary portrays the lives of a family of Brazilian immigrants in the United States over more than 20 years, using their own home video footage. Enchantment turns into disillusionment, idealization to conformity, as images and voices depict how newly arriving immigrants see their new world and struggle to establish a final home. My Grandmother Has a Video Camera is fast-paced and funny, as well as an endearing take on the issues of migration, displacement and the search for an identity.

Pinta the Bird (10 mins)
A book opens to create this story of a village in the smallest country of the American continent, where the magical legend of Pinta the Bird makes a boy and a girl’s dreams come true.

Sunday, November 4, 3:30 pm
Soy Andina (67 mins)
After 15 years in New York, Nélida Silva returns to her birthplace in the Andes to fulfill a lifelong dream of hosting the Fiesta Patronal––a week of dance, music, and ritual honoring the town’s patron saint. But Neli's changed, and so has the village. What's it like to go back to the Andes when you've become a New Yorker? After meeting Neli, Cynthia Paniagua, a dancer raised in Queens by a Peruvian mom, embarks on her own Peruvian journey, determined to know the real Peru and understand its art forms. Soy Andina is an exuberant cross-cultural road trip, propelled by traditional music and dance rarely seen outside the country. But the core story is intimate and universal: a yearning for roots and connection in a globalized world.

Extras for NBTT

Extras Needed for the film Nothing But the Truth.
$75/day
Wednesday 10/31-Courthouse business types 25yrs-60yrs
Thursday 11/1-Diner patrons 25yrs-55yrs
Sunday 11/4-President well wishers-ethnic appearance prefered 20yrs-55yrs


You will need to be available for the entire day, please note your schedule in
the email.
Please provide a contact number as well as height, weight, and hair color.

Please email dcambel55@yahoo.com

Local actors on Biography Channel

Episode: The Wrong Man

The Biography Channel

Starring Memphis’ own, Geoff Falk, Danny Thomas, Trent Dee

Sunday, October 28 9:30pm ET, Monday, October 29 1:30am ET

Memphis Police have a prime suspect in the gruesome killings of two prostitutes. As they prepare to make an arrest, psychic Carol Pate pays the cops a visit, and tells them they've got the wrong man. The detectives think she's mistaken, but Pate insists and says they should be looking for a serial killer. Six weeks later, their suspect is cleared and another woman is killed. Investigators realize the psychic was right all along. They contact Pate, who now describes details of the crime scenes no one but the killer and the police know. Can Pate's paranormal insights get inside the head of the killer? Can a psychic help police to stop a psychopath?

Acting classes @ Colors

Call Colors Agency
901-726-9300
for more details

BASIC ACTING FOR FILM AND TELEVISION
INSTRUCTOR-Darius Wallace
10-Week Course. Tuesday Nights. 6pm-9pm
$35 per class

Week 1 Oct 9 AUDITIONING-focus on Etiquette
Week 2 Oct. 16 AUDITIONING-focus on Cold Reads
Week 3 Oct 23 ACTING FOR THE CAMERA-emphasis on commercials
Week 4 Oct 30 ACTING FOR THE CAMERA-emphasis on corporate films
Week 5 Nov. 6 TELEPROMPTER & EARPROMPTER
Week 6 Nov. 13 IMPROV
Week 7 Nov. 20 SCENE STUDY-Script Analysis
Week 8 Nov. 27 SCENE STUDY-Comedy
Week 9 Dec 4 SCENE STUDY-Improv
Week 10 Dec 11 SCENE STUDY-Dramatic

INTERMEDIATE SCENE STUDY
INSTRUCTOR-Darius Wallace
6-Week Course. Monday nights. 6pm-9pm
Weekly emphasis to be determined.
$35 per class

Week 1 Oct 22
Week 2 Oct. 29
Week 3 Nov. 5
Week 4 Nov. 12
Week 5 Nov. 19
Week 6 Nov. 26

Audition

Open Casting Call for the new 20th Century Fox feature film, "THE BLIND SIDE"
Casting for African American Male, 18-21 years old. Should be 6'3" - 6'6" and weigh between 260 - 300lbs; and very athletic. No Acting Experience Necessary.

Date: Friday, November 2, 2007, 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO AUDITION CALL TARA AT 504-343-6425 OR E-MAIL bigolemike300@... TO SCHEDULE A TIME

Location: Memphis Black Arts Alliance, Inc. FireHouse Community Arts Center
985 South Bellevue Blvd./Elvis Presley Blvd. Memphis, TN 38106

Bennie Nelson West
Executive director
901-948-9522 (office)

'Rommel's Crossroad' on Nov. 7

John Fuess' "Rommel's Crossroad" will be showing at the MeDiA Co-op Wednesday Nov. 7 at 7:30 pm. There is a five dollar cover at the door for those not in the film.

This is a period peice about Erwin Rommel's visit to Mississippi in 1939. In the story he befriends a black woman who is the grand-daughter of a teamster that was a friend and farm hand of Nathan Bedford Forrest, and who has a complete understanding of the times and places of interest to Rommel. Rommel used the tactics of Forrest against the British in North Africa with excellent results.

The act is true although the story is not. It stars Alisa Nave, Randy Wright, Richard Crowe, Dorv Armour, and many others. Music by William Lee Ellis and Chris Scott

Extras for 'Suicide Jack'

John Harvey is directing his new short, Suicide Jack, on November 10th and 11th. The story is about a down and out comedian in debt to a bookie. The entire short takes place in a comedy club and we will be shooting at Comedy, TN on Sycamore View and Macon. We will be needing extras to fill up the comedy club for a couple hours on the morning of the 10th. Anyone interested in being an extra can email John at seanzillaproductions@hotmail.com .

IMFF -- Flyer's pick for final day

Today is Indie Memphis Film Festival's final day. Go here to see the daily pick from the Memphis Flyer.

Wednesday's picks from the Flyer

Notables offerings today from the Indie Memphis Film Festival are highlighted here in the Memphis Flyer.

The Book of Noah gets a big boost, a local feature by Drew Smith. Greg Akers says:

... The threads unspool in orderly fashion and with a comic touch that'll leave you engaged and entertained. Shot in Memphis, The Book of Noah will look plenty familiar to locals, including scenes with Kudzu's and Hollywood Pet Star as backdrops. With loads of local music, including Lucero, the Glass, Andy Grooms, Twin Pilot, the Coach and Four, Effingham and Wheatstraw, Jeffrey James and the Haul, and Snowglobe, it'll sound familiar too.

Flyer's picks for Tuesday

The Memphis Flyer highlights some of today's notable offerings in the Indie Memphis Film Festival:

• Pick of the Day: For the Bible Tells Me So
• Feature Pick: Swedish Auto
• Shorts Pick: First Amendment: Cancelled

And Chris Herrington is kind enough to add this:

Another local short of note in the program is Jon Sparks' Happy Artistic Freedom Day, another Lil Film Fest grad that boasts a strong lead performance from Amber O'Daniels.

'Tricks' rescheduled

There will be an Encore screening of 'Tricks' tonight (Tuesday) at 9:55pm at Studio on the Square.

Those of you with your ticket stubs from Monday can show them at the door. If you would like a refund, go to the Studio on the Square Box Office and show them your stub. They open at 11am.

Below are the new scheduled show times for "Tricks."

Tuesday, October 23, 2007 @ 9:55 a.m. (Studio on the Square)

Thursday, October 25, 2007 @ 1:00 p.m. (Studio on the Square)

Flyer's picks for Monday

Go here to check out the Memphis Flyer's picks for today's Indie Memphis Film Festival offerings.

One is the classic locally done film "I Was a Zombie for the FBI" from the early 1980s.

Another Flyer pick is "Tricks." Here are excerpts from comments by reviewer Greg Akers:

Pittstop Productions had a good showing at last year's Indie Memphis Film Festival with "What Goes Around …". This year, the production company is back with "Tricks," written and directed by and starring DeAara Lewis. (Rod Pitts, Pittstop's titular captain, serves as the film’s director of photography.) ...

Tricks is not a preachy film. It is morally ambiguous, but, again, in an au naturale way. And just because it isn't seedy, it doesn't mean it paints a rosy picture of these women’s lives, either. For one, the madam has to bribe Jon W. Sparks -- I mean, the police -- to stay in business. Call it monetizing law enforcement.

Thank you Greg, and remember that you can pick up the Memphis Flyer free at fine establishments all over town. Also, please remember to click through the Google Ads on this Website.

Sunday links to IMFF stories

Links to today's stories in the CA and the Memphis Flyer:

• Beifuss on the winners at Indie Memphis.
• Chris Herrington and Mary Cashiola offer notable picks for Sunday's screenings: "Team Picture" by Kentucker Audley, "The Delta" from Ira Sachs, the documentary "Hell on Wheels" for roller derby aficionados and "Help is Coming" in the shorts category. And thanks, CH, for this mention: "Among the local films of note are No Shades of Gray, Jon Sparks' musical interpretation of the Commercial Appeal columnist Wendi Thomas' assault on Memphis in May for inviting Three 6 Mafia to perform, and Conversion Tactics, a sharp little animated consideration of the pagan roots of Christmas from Live From Memphis' Sarah Fleming and Christopher Reyes."

Saturday links to IMFF stories

Articles out today on the Indie Memphis Film Festival:

• John Beifuss on the Global Lens series at Indie Memphis.
• The Memphis Flyer on Saturday's highlights.

Beifuss on Audley's must-see 'Team Picture'

John Beifuss gives an enthusiastic endorsement of Kentucker Audley's feature at IMFF:

"Team Picture," which screens Sunday and Wednesday at Malco's Studio on the Square, is probably the least expensive and most undemonstrative feature film in this year's Indie Memphis Film Festival.

On the surface, its story and visuals couldn't be simpler. Yet it's also the richest and most assured local feature in the festival, and it introduces a valuable and distinctive voice to the Memphis (and even national) filmmaking culture: a 25-year-old writer-director who calls himself Kentucker Audley.

In fact, "Team Picture" may represent the most promising feature debut for a Memphis filmmaker since Craig Brewer's "The Poor & Hungry" in 2000. But even Brewer's black-and-white video "digiflik" cost about $20,000; Audley estimates "Team Picture" was produced for a measly $1,500.

Zombiewalk/Griz info

If you want to participate in the MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES OPENING NIGHT ZOMBIE WALK IN MEMPHIS, TN HALLOWEEN NIGHT - OCTOBER 31st - 5pm that evening......then you MUST contact Kyle Knox at the below information - he WILL NEED YOUR INFORMATION as well.

YOU CAN'T JUST SHOW UP AND EXPECT A FREE TICKET TO THE GAME - KYLE MUST BE NOTIFIED AHEAD OF TIME !!!

Duane Craig is going to be there as early at 3:30pm possibly to apply make-up shades and/or gel-10 - liquid latex for gory goodness. There will have plenty of fake blood to go around, plus it's my new mixture that is detergent based....that means it washes clean compared to most fake bloods that heavily stain.

IF YOU'RE COMING, CONTACT KYLE BY THE DEADLINE WHICH IS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24th.

KYLE KNOX
EVENT PRESENTATION ASSISTANT
191 Beale Street
Memphis, TN 38103
901.205.1418
kknox@grizzlies.com

OK, but what about me?

Unaccustomed as I am to tooting my own horn, allow me to flog my own entries in the Indie Memphis Film Festival.

Two shorts are in there, both having won awards at the Li'l Film Festival sponsored by livefrommemphis.com.



"Happy Artistic Freedom Day" stars Amber O'Daniels and Markus Seaberry in the story of a woman who just wants to be able to do her art. Despite the consequences. It won both the juried award and the audience choice award last December.

LaVita Brooks

And "No Shades of Gray" has some fun with CA columnist Wendi Thomas' effort this last Spring to get Three 6 Mafia disinvited from the Beale Street Music Festival. The rollicking musical won the audience favorite award and stars LaVita Brooks, Markus Seaberry and Joseph B. Smith.

Showtimes:

Happy Artistic Freedom Day is screening at noon Sunday and 3:05 pm Tuesday.
No Shades of Gray screens at 5:15 pm Sunday and 1:10 pm Wednesday.

All showings are the Malco's Studio on the Square.

I also appear in the locally produced features "Tricks," "The Book of Noah" and "Unhinged." The IMFF program is here.

Indie Memphis links

Here are links to local stories about the Indie Memphis Film Festival:

• Beifuss interviews John Sayles.
• Beifuss on the lineup.
• The schedule in the CA.
• Beifuss reviews Blood Car.
• Memphis Flyer's Indie Memphis daily pics for today.

And for something completely different, here's Beifuss' account of Hollywood invading the CA newsroom.

'B' Sides Film Fest

Who has film? FABA! is looking for movies that were not accepted into the Indie Film Fest for the up coming FABA! "B" Sides Film Fest!

Since we are throwing a Halloween Bash at Mo's Edge Coffeehouse this year (10/27, 6pm-1am), we will be having the "B" Sides film fest next month. Those with film interested should contact Monica Summerfield as soon as possible at monicasummerfield@comcast.net

Smart post

Check out this post at the Smart City blog. It's on the Indie Memphis Film Festival and what it means in the larger context of arts in Memphis. A sampling:

Film festivals frequently show up as consultants’ recommendations for cities across the U.S., because they have so many benefits – they create vibrancy, they shake up local culture, they enrich the artistic milieu and more to the point, they are just plain fun. ... There are benefits from the film festivals that can’t be measured in economic impact. While all of us know the marquee festivals like Cannes, Tribeca, Sundance and Toronto (which Indie Memphis organizers attended to scout out some features for Memphis), perhaps the greater benefit of festivals like ours is helping to eliminate provincial thinking and serving as flint for a creative spark in the city at large.

Read it all here.