Charleston Film Festival brings Oscar-nominated and local films together
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."
From "Ferris Bueller's Day Off"
Movies are a snapshot of their age, a Cliffs Notes version of the life of an era with all its wonders and outrages, fads and fancies -- amplified, of course.
The advantage of a smaller film festival is that it can localize those images and issues, reduce them to life-size and offer filmmakers in a community the chance to share the bijou with colleagues from far and wide.
The third annual Charleston Film Festival, running March 1-4 at the Terrace Theatre, provides just such a format, with more than 25 locally produced shorts joining 10 feature films on the playbill.
Opening the festival will be the premiere of Charleston director Liz Oakley's long-gestating documentary "Awaken the Dragon," chronicling how the ancient sport of dragon boating has help transform the lives of cancer survivors.
Shot in the Holy City with an all-local cast and crew, "Awaken the Dragon" breathes courage as well as fire.
"Through producing my previous film, 'Sentencing the Victim,' I saw the power of reaching individuals -- rape victims in that case -- that felt isolated and alone," said Oakley, whose film aired on PBS' "Independent Lens" program. "But I wanted to do something you could wrap an outreach mission around, instead of just a one-off. And what I witnessed happening through Dragon Boat Charleston was inspiring and hopeful."
There are an estimated 11 million cancer survivors in the U.S., but their struggle to adapt does not end because they are in remission. Few talk about how life changes after survival, Oakley said.
"There has been so much focus in our nation on science in fighting the disease. But we really need to talk about the transition from patient to survivor. Their lives have changed.
"The Dragon Boat program has such a different approach to wellness. Somehow, getting into the boat and paddling down the Ashley River changed the participants' mind-set. They became different people. They felt better mentally. They felt better physically. There seemed to be this shift in perception. They were awakening the dragon within themselves, and sharing their stories," Oakley said.
Grit and grandeur
Other films made locally or having area connections include George Motz's "The Mud and the Blood," a documentary short that follows a crew of Bull's Bay oyster hunters; Jonathan Gruber's documentary, "Jewish Soldiers in Blue and Grey"; and the New York Jewish Film Festival entry "Follow Me: The Yoni Netanyahu Story" by Ari Pinchot, son-in-law of former Charleston Rabbi David Radinsky.
Among the showcased features are "We Need to Talk About Kevin" with Oscar-winner actress Tilda Swinton, and director Lasse Hallstrom's comedy, "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen," a Toronto Film Festival hit starring Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt.
A selection of Academy Award-nominated shorts, live action and animation, will be featured at CFF for the first time.
Also in the mix is the best of the Nickelodeon Theatre's Indie Grits Film Festival. Short films include Tyler Ilgen's "Hidden Treasures" and the Art Institute of Charleston-produced "The Standoff."
"The Festival keeps taking shape as each year passes," festival director and Terrace owner Paul Brown said. "This year, we have found the blend between films that we think will enlighten and enchant, while at the same time give us both a nod to what is new and reflections from our own backyard."
Shell game
Film editor Motz lives in New York, but the self-styled "hamburger expert" said the subject of oystering has been front and center his entire life.
"I have had relatives in Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Sullivan's Island and McClellanville telling me for a long time that I had to make a film. It just took me 20 years to get around to making 'The Mud and the Blood.' Finally, I called my cousin, Stephen White, brought a camera and climbed aboard his boat.
"People want to see where oysters come from, how they grow and the unique way they are harvested in South Carolina," said Motz, who also directs the NYC Food Film Festival. "That's what I wanted to film. That and following those 36 bushels of oysters from the sea to my Uncle Oliver's annual roast. But it's also a story of family."
Human scale
Yonatan "Yoni" Netanyahu (1946-76) is a figure of legend in Israel. Commander of the elite Israeli army commando unit Sayeret Matkal, he was killed in action during Operation Entebbe in Uganda. His younger brother, Benjamin Netanyahu, is the nation's current prime minister.
Pinchot set out to discover the man behind the legend -- in human scale.
"The first goal was to share his remarkable and inspirational story," Pinchot said. "He was almost like a superman, and usually is portrayed as an icon, a myth almost. Yoni was an incredibly intelligent, athletic and good-looking guy who spent his high school years in Philadelphia and later went to Harvard. He was a person who had every reason to be selfish and to just pursue his own goals.
"But he was completely devoted to his country. There were positives and negatives to that devotion, but there is still a message in his story that needs to be shared, especially with young people."
5:30-6:30 P.M.: Opening reception
7:15 P.M.: "Follow Me: The Yoni Netanyahu Story"
Post-screening: Meet director Ari Pinchot and producer Mark Manson.
2 p.m.: "Jewish Soldiers in Blue & Gray"
2:15 P.M.: "A Matter Of Size"
4 p.m.: "Follow Me: The Yoni Netanyahu Story"
4:15 P.M.: Academy Award shorts: Live action
6-7 p.m.: Opening reception: In honor of "Awaken the Dragon," meet director Liz Oakley and members of the cast.
7 p.m.: "Awaken The Dragon"
7:15 P.M.: "Awaken The Dragon"
Post-screening: Oakley and members of the cast participate in a Q&A session.
9 p.m.: "We Need to Talk About Kevin"
9:15 P.M.: "Goon"
Noon: Academy Award shorts: Live action
12:15 P.M.: Greater Park Circle Film Society presents "Being Elmo," plus local animation shorts.
Post-screening: Meet Park Circle director Nicholai Burton.
2 P.M.: "Taken In." Meet Director Chris White.
2:15 P.M.: "Jewish Soldiers in Blue & Gray"
Post-screening: Historian and author Robert Rosen leads a discussion.
4 P.M.: The Best of Indie Grits Festival: Meet Indie Grits Festival and Nickelodeon Cinema director Andy Smith
4:15 P.M.: Block 1: Local shorts, featuring "The Mud and the Blood."
Post-screening: Meet the filmmakers, followed by an oyster roast ($20) in the parking lot.
7 P.M.: "The Wise Kids." Meet the cast and crew. Led by actor Rodney Rodgers.
7:15 P.M.: "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen"
7:30 P.M.: "The Skin I Live In"
9 P.M.: "We Need to Talk About Kevin"
9:15 P.M.: "Goon"
9:30 P.M.: "The Skin I Live In"
2 P.M.: "We Need to Talk About Kevin"
2:15 P.M.: Block 2: Best shorts.
Post-screening: Meet local filmmakers.
4 P.M.: "Eames: The Architect and the Painter." Meet designer Jay Fletcher, who will lead a discussion on Eames.
4:15 P.M.: "A Matter of Size"
4:30 P.M.: "The Skin I Live In"
5:30 P.M.: Closing reception.
7 P.M.: "Being Elmo" (encore presentation).
7:30 P.M.: "The Skin I Live In"
