SCREENINGS

With fifty-two documentary films to choose from, and over thirty
filmmakers from all over the world to talk with, the official
“cool” place to be the first weekend in March is at the Sebastopol
Documentary Film Festival.
“Last year’s Festival was selected as one of the ‘25 coolest
film festivals’ by Moviemaker Magazine,” says Linda Galletta,
director of the Sebastopol Center for the Arts—the organization
which presents the Festival. “This year’s programs are even
stronger, we’ve got filmmakers coming from as far away as Ireland,
parties with Cuban/Salsa music from Pellejo Seco, and Bluegrass
from Old Jawbone, five great downtown venues, fabulous films
telling the stories of people in dozens of countries, and the
opportunity for everyone to have fun, see some powerful films, and
even talk about them live on our V-Pype/Facebook video channels.
How cool is that?”
“We’re known as a filmmakers’ festival,” says SDFF director
Jason Perdue. “They love the comfortable Sebastopol style and the
knowledgeable appreciation of their work. Our selection committee
only picks the best films—those telling a story in an engaging and
technically proficient manner. With over three hundred entries
submitted, we have the luxury of programming only those which will
resound with Sonoma County audiences.”
“The Award winners reflect the tremendous depth of films this
year,” Jason says. “Selected by people in the movie business, the
Jury Awards went to Dustin Grella’s artfully animated short
documentary “Prayers for Peace,” featuring video footage his
brother shot in Iraq, and Mai Iskandar’s “Garbage Dreams,” which
features three young men who struggle to continue the centuries-old
family tradition of recycling garbage in Cairo, Egypt. Three local
film critics (including Gil Mansergh) picked the Critics Award
winners. “Michael Fountain’s ‘Bonecrusher’ is an intimate portrait
of the powerful bond between a grizzled Virginia coal miner and his
son, and Eddie Rosenstein’s ‘Miss Shade is Missing’ is a humorous
recounting by 3rd graders of their worst day in school. It was
surprisingly bad—and surprisingly funny.”
A new sponsor this year is the Humane Society of the United
States, and several films feature animals. Geralyn Pezanoski’s
“Mine” tells what happened after thousands of pets left homeless by
Hurricane Katrina were adopted by people across the country, until
residents returned to New Orleans and wanted their pets back.
“Green” is the name of a displaced Indonesian Oranguntan in Patrick
Rouxel’s narrator-less documentary about the effects of
deforestation. Christie Callan-Jones’ film “Cat Ladies,” is about
several women (formally labeled “cat hoarders”) who have rescued
numerous felines because of their sincere desire to make the world
a kinder place.
Screened in five locations around town, the Festival’s films
have been “matched” to the different venues. Screenings at the
Sebastopol Cinemas will feature the crispness provided by digital
hard drives, films and special programs shown at the Center for the
Arts have artistic themes, the movies at the Viva Culinary
Institute are enhanced by the intimacy of this unique room, the
Latino Programs like the Cuban-based films about Olympic boxing
hopefuls (“Sons of Cuba”), or international health workers
(“Salud”) resound with the vibrancy of the Hopmonk Tavern, and the
newest venue, the Community Center’s Youth Annex, features movies
(including the Critics Award winners) especially suited for
multi-generational audiences.
The future of the world is in the hands of the younger
generation, and several films showcase the diverse creative spark
and resiliency of youth. Marshall Curry’s “Racing Dreams” rumbles
with the sounds of powerful engines as Anabeth, Josh and Brandon
compete for the World Karting Association national title and a
chance to move up to NASCAR. Irish filmmaker Anna Rodgers first met
two Laotian boys when she stumbled upon their village while
backpacking. Over four years, she captured their journey to the big
city to train as Buddhist monks in the beautifully made “Today Is
Better Than Two Tomorrows.” The challenges of forming (and then
continuing) a garage band are shown in Gord More’s “Potential,” and
the challenges of learning to create photographs when cerebral
palsy keeps you in a motorized wheelchair are well-told in George
Katchadorian’s transformational film “Shooting Beauty.”
Movies, music, food, drink, conversations, dancing, artworks,
live broadcasts, and the coolness of the March 5th to 7th
Sebastopol Film Festival are all accessible with tickets from the
Sebastopol Center for the Arts, 6780 Depot Street, (707) 829-4797
or online at sebastopolfilmfestival.org.
Comments? E-mail gi*********@co*****.net.