Running October 31-November 3, 2013, the 16th annual Indie Memphis Film Festival announced its narrative and documentary feature film lineup during a party thrown by filmmaker Craig Brewer. From the official press releases:
Filmmaker Craig Brewer this evening lifted the curtain and revealed the entire feature film lineup for this year’s 16th annual Indie Memphis Film Festival that kicks off on Halloween night.
The noted Memphis film director and screenwriter, whose rise to international stardom began at the Indie Memphis Film Festival, presented this year’s lineup during his second annual Indie Memphis Peep Show preview party at the new Hi-Tone Café on North Cleveland. The program for the four-day event will include more than 45 feature films to be shown on five screens in Midtown’s Overton Square area.
Nationally-ranked as one of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals” by MovieMaker magazine and named a “Top 20 Event” by the Southeast Tourism Society, the festival, which begins October 31 and runs through November 3, will again be presented by Duncan-Williams, Inc., an investment banking firm headquartered in Memphis with offices in10 states and presenting sponsor since 2011.
$6,000 in cash awards and prizes will be awarded along with award sculptures designed by Memphis artist Yvonne Bobo.
Attendees at the festival will have the opportunity to participate in question-and-answer sessions with filmmakers and special guests following many of the showings and panel discussions. Among the special guests already scheduled are actor Harry Lennix (Man of Steel, NBC’s The Black List) and noted horror film director Ti West (The House of the Devil.)
This year’s films of special note include:
- Escape From Tomorrow – Opening Night film, 7 pm Thursday, Oct. 31 at Playhouse on the Square. Filmed undercover at both Disney World and Disneyland. In a world of fake castles and anthropomorphic rodents, an epic battle begins when an unemployed father’s sanity is challenged by a chance encounter with two underage girls on holiday. Written and Directed by Randy Moore, starring Roy Abramsohn and Alison Lees-Taylor, both scheduled to attend and participate in a Q and A after the screening. Sponsored by Alarum Pictures and Modern Production Concepts.
- August: Osage County – Friday Gala Screening, 6:15 pm Friday, Nov. 1 at Playhouse on the Square. A hilarious, dark and deeply touching look at the strong-willed women of the Weston family, brought back to the Midwestern home and dysfunctional woman who raised them at a time of familial crisis. Directed by John Wells, starring Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewen McGregor, Chris Cooper, Abigail Breslin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Juliet Lewis, and Sam Shepard.
- Short Term 12 – Saturday Gala Screening, 6:15 pm Saturday, Nov. 2 at Playhouse on the Square. A 20-something supervising staff member of a foster care facility navigates the troubled waters of that world alongside her co-worker and longtime boyfriend. Written and directed by Destin Cretton, who, along with actors Kaitlyn Dever and Keith Stanfield, is scheduled to attend and participate in a Q and A after the screening, along with representatives from Youth Villages, a national leader in helping at-risk former foster youth live successfully.
- H4 – Saturday Spotlight Screening, 9 pm Saturday, Nov. 2 at Playhouse on the Square
Shakespeare’s Henry IV set in contemporary Los Angeles to explore political struggles in the black community. Actor and executive producer Harry Lennix and screenwriter Ayanna Thompson are scheduled to attend and participate in a Q and A after the screening. Sponsored by The Pearce Shakespeare Endowment and the African American Studies and Film Studies programs at Rhodes College, and the African and African American Studies program at the University of Memphis. Presented in collaboration with Hattiloo Theatre.- Mandela: A Long Walk to Freedom – Sunday Gala Screening, 4 pm Sunday, Nov. 3 at Playhouse on the Square. A chronicle of Nelson Mandela’s life journey from his childhood in a rural village through to his inauguration as the first democratically elected president of South Africa. Directed by Justin Chadwick and starring Idris Elba. Presented by the National Civil Rights Museum.
- The Sacrament – Closing Night Film, 6 pm Sunday, Nov. 3 at Studio on the Square. Two journalists set out to document their friend’s search to find his missing sister. Written and directed by Ti West, who, along with actors AJ Bowen, Gene Jones, and Joe Swanberg, is scheduled to attend and participate in a Q and A after the screening.
Films will be screened at Playhouse on the Square, Circuit Playhouse and at Malco Theatre’s Studio on the Square. Additionally, a Halloween evening screening of the 1931 film Frankenstein will be held at the Dorothy K. Hohenberg Auditorium at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.
“This party is a fun way to start getting our community excited about the upcoming festival and build the Indie Memphis membership base at the same time,” says Brewer. “Indie Memphis has been a huge factor in my career and I want to play a role in its fantastic growth.”
2013 INDIE MEMPHIS FILM FESTIVAL
FEATURE FILM LISTGala Screenings
Opening Night Film
ESCAPE FROM TOMORROW
7 pm Thursday, Oct. 31 / Playhouse on the Square
In a world of fake castles and anthropomorphic rodents, an epic battle begins when an unemployed father’s sanity is challenged by a chance encounter with two underage girls on holiday. Written and Directed by Randy Moore.
Actors Roy Abramsohn and Alison Lees-Taylor are scheduled to attend and participate in a
Q and A after the screening. Sponsored by Alarum Pictures and Modern Production Concepts.Friday Gala Screening
AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY
6:15 pm Friday, Nov. 1 / Playhouse on the Square
Tennessee Premiere
A hilarious, dark and deeply touching look at the strong-willed women of the Weston family, brought back to the Midwestern home and dysfunctional woman who raised them at a time of familial crisis. Directed by John Wells, starring Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewen McGregor, Chris Cooper, Abigail Breslin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Juliet Lewis, and Sam Shepard.Saturday Gala Screening
SHORT TERM 12
6:15 pm Saturday, Nov. 2 / Playhouse on the Square
A 20-something supervising staff member of a foster care facility navigates the troubled waters of that world alongside her co-worker and longtime boyfriend.
Writer/director Destin Cretton and actor Keith Stanfield are scheduled to attend and participate in a Q and A after the screening, along with along with representatives from Youth Villages, a national leader in helping at-risk former foster youth live successfully.Sunday Gala Screening
MANDELA: LONG WALK TO FREEDOM
4 pm Sunday, Nov. 3 / Playhouse on the Square
Tennessee Premiere
A chronicle of Nelson Mandela’s life journey from his childhood in a rural village through to his inauguration as the first democratically elected president of South Africa. Directed by Justin Chadwick, starring Idris Elba and Naomie Harris.
Presented by the National Civil Rights Museum.Closing Night Film
THE SACRAMENT
6 pm Sunday, Nov. 3 / Studio on the Square
Tennessee Premiere
Two journalists set out to document their friend’s search to find his missing sister.
Writer/director Ti West and actors AJ Bowen, Gene Jones, and Joe Swanberg, are scheduled to attend and participate in a Q and A after the screening.________________________________________
Spotlight Narrative Features
COMPUTER CHESS
9:30 pm Saturday, Nov. 2 / Studio on the Square
Memphis Premiere
Set over the course of a weekend tournament for chess software programmers thirty-some years ago, COMPUTER CHESS transports viewers to a nostalgic moment when the contest between technology and the human spirit seemed a little more up for grabs. Written and directed by Andrew Bujalski.
Sponsored by Tamburrino.DRINKING BUDDIES
9:15 pm Friday, Nov. 1 / Circuit Playhouse
Memphis Premiere
Kate and Luke work together at a craft brewery. They have one of those friendships that feels like it could be something more. But Kate is with Chris, and Luke is with Jill. And Jill wants to know if Luke is ready to talk about marriage. The answer to that question becomes crystal clear when Luke and Kate unexpectedly find themselves alone for a weekend.
Writer/director Joe Swanberg is scheduled to attend and participate in a Q and A after the screening.H4
9 pm Saturday, Nov. 2 / Playhouse on the Square
Regional Premiere
Starring Harry Lennix (MAN OF STEEL, NBC’s THE BLACKLIST), H4 translates Shakespeare’s Henry IV plays to contemporary Los Angeles to explore political struggles in the black community. By killing a popular black leader, Henry hopes to cement his family’s political dynasty, but his reckless son, Hal, seems more interested in hijinks than politics. Will the “Prince of Watts” follow in the footsteps of his powerful father, or will he succumb to the criminal life championed by Falstaff? Performed in Shakespeare’s original language, H4 will appeal to Shakespearean aficionados and newcomers alike.
Actor / producer Harry Lennix and screenwriter Ayanna Thompson are scheduled to attend and participate in a Q and A after the screening. Sponsored by The Pearce Shakespeare Endowment and the African American Studies and Film Studies programs at Rhodes College, and the African and African American Studies program at the University of Memphis. Presented in collaboration with Hattiloo Theatre.NEBRASKA
3:15 pm Sunday, Nov. 3 / Studio on the Square
Tennessee Premiere
After receiving a sweepstakes letter in the mail, a cantankerous father thinks he’s struck it rich, and wrangles his son into taking a road trip to claim the fortune. Shot in black and white across four states, NEBRASKA tells the stories of family life in the heartland of America. Directed by Alexander Payne, starring Bruce Dern, Will Forte, Bob Odenkirk and Stacy Keach.
Sponsored by Music + Arts Studios.ONE CHANCE
11:15 am Saturday, Nov. 2 / Studio on the Square
Tennessee Premiere
The remarkable and inspirational true story of Paul Potts, a shy, bullied shop assistant by day and an amateur opera singer by night. Paul became an instant YouTube phenomenon after being chosen by Simon Cowell for ‘Britain’s Got Talent.’ Directed by David Frankel.
Sponsored by Dorothy Kirsch. Presented in collaboration with Opera Memphis.TOUCHY FEELY
7:15 pm Thursday, Oct. 31 / Circuit Playhouse
Memphis Premiere
A massage therapist is unable to do her job when stricken with a mysterious and sudden aversion to bodily contact. Meanwhile, her uptight brother’s floundering dental practice receives new life when clients seek out his healing touch. Written and directed by Lynn Shelton.WHITE REINDEER
9:15 pm Saturday, Nov. 2 @ Studio on the Square
Tennessee Premiere
After an unexpected tragedy, Suzanne searches for the true meaning of Christmas during one sad, strange December in suburban Virginia.
Directed by Zach Clark.ZERO CHARISMA
7 pm Friday, Nov. 1 / Circuit Playhouse
Tennessee Premiere
Scott Weidemeier, an overweight and overbearing fantasy role-playing gamer, finds his life turned upside-down when a handsome and charismatic hipster joins his game. Directed by Katie Graham and Andrew Matthews.Spotlight Documentary Features
CHARLIE IS MY DARLING
6:30 pm Friday, Nov. 1 / Studio on the Square
Memphis Premiere
Newly discovered, never-¬before-seen¬-footage has been woven into an intimate, behind¬-the-scenes diary of early life on the road with The Rolling Stones. Shot just weeks after “Satisfaction” hit #1 on the charts, it features their first professionally filmed concert. Directed by Peter Whitehead. Screened with GET YOUR YA-YAS OUT.DECEPTIVE PRACTICE: THE MYSTERIES AND MENTORS OF RICKY JAY
9:30 pm Friday, Nov. 1 / Studio on the Square
Memphis Premiere
Ricky Jay is a world-renowned magician, author, historian and actor — and a performer who regularly provokes astonishment from even the most jaded audiences. DECEPTIVE PRACTICE traces Jay’s achievements and influences, from his apprenticeship at age 4 with his grandfather, to such now-forgotten legends as Al Flosso, Slydini, Cardini and his primary mentors, Dai Vernon and Charlie Miller. Directed by Molly Bernstein.GOOD OL’ FREDA
12:45 pm Sunday, Nov. 3 / Studio on the Square
Memphis Premiere
Freda Kelly was just a shy Liverpudlian teenager when she was asked to work for a local band hoping to make it big. Though she had no concept of how far they would go, Freda had faith in The Beatles from the beginning, and The Beatles had faith in her. Directed by Ryan White.ZIPPER
1:15 pm Saturday, Nov. 2 / Playhouse on the Square
Tennessee Premiere
The gentrification of one of New York’s last cultural enclaves, Coney Island, as seen through the eyes of city administrators, real estate tycoons, and the operators of the amusement park’s last wild ride: the Zipper. Directed by Amy Nicholson.
Sponsored by Henry Turley Company.Midnight Movie
THE ROOM
11:45 pm Friday, Nov. 1 / Studio on the Square / 35 mm
Johnny is a successful banker who lives happily in a San Francisco townhouse with his fiancée, Lisa. One day, inexplicably, she gets bored of him and decides to seduce Johnny’s best friend, Mark. From there, nothing will be the same again. Directed by Tommy Wiseau.Narrative Competition Features
BEING AWESOME
12:30 pm Sunday, Nov. 3 @ Circuit Playhouse
Hometowner Feature
Teddy and Lloyd were tired of being depressed, disappointed, and hopeless. After their ten-year high school reunion, they decided that there’s something else they’d like to be: awesome. Directed by Allen C. Gardner.BLUEBIRD
2:45 pm Sunday, Nov. 3 @ Studio on the Square
Tennessee Premiere
In the frozen woods of an isolated Maine logging town, one woman’s tragic mistake shatters the balance of the community, resulting in profound and unexpected consequences. Directed by Lance Edmands.BOB BIRDNOW’S REMARKABLE TALE OF HUMAN SURVIVAL
AND THE TRANSCENDENCE OF SELF
4:30 pm Saturday, Nov. 2 @ Studio on the Square
Regional Premiere
Two old friends reunite at a conference in Dubuque, Iowa where Bob, the reluctant guest speaker, is slated to give a motivational speech to a struggling sales team. Directed by Eric Steele.DETONATOR
9:15 pm Friday, Nov. 1 @ Studio on the Square
Regional Premiere
An ex-punk band frontman fights to hold on to his family and a day job when a toxic friend resurfaces with the promise of money. Directed by Damon Maulucci and Keir Politz.DIAMOND ON VINYL
5:45 pm Sunday, Nov. 3 @ Studio on the Square
Regional Premiere
An obsessed record collector and a wild young woman search for the perfect conversation: one that will allow them to never feel alone again. Directed by J.R. Hughto.FORTY YEARS FROM YESTERDAY
6:45 pm Friday, Nov. 1 @ Studio on the Square
Regional Premiere
When Suzette passes away, her husband Bruce is forced to face the inevitable questions we spend our lives avoiding. Directed by Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck and Robert Machoian.HANK & ASHA
4:15 pm Saturday, Nov. 2 @ Studio on the Square
Regional Premiere
In this modern love story, an Indian student in Prague and a lonely New Yorker begin a correspondence through video letters — two strangers searching for human connection in a hyper-connected world. Directed by James E. Duff.HIDE YOUR SMILING FACES
2 pm Saturday, Nov. 2 @ Studio on the Square
Tennessee Premiere
After a neighborhood tragedy, two adolescent brothers confront changing relationships, the mystery of nature, and their own mortality. Directed by Daniel Carbone.HOLY GHOST PEOPLE
9:15 pm Saturday, Nov. 2 @ Circuit Playhouse
Tennessee Premiere
A dramatic thriller set in the wild world of Appalachian snake-handling churches. Directed by Mitchell Altieri.IT FELT LIKE LOVE
6:45 pm Saturday, Nov. 2 @ Studio on the Square
Memphis Premiere
On the outskirts of Brooklyn, a fourteen-year-old’s sexual quest takes a dangerous turn when she pursues an older guy and tests the boundaries between obsession and love. Directed by Eliza Hittman.SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY
9 pm Friday, Nov. 1 @ Studio on the Square
Tennessee Premiere
A dark comedy about a pregnant woman having a nervous breakdown. Directed by Drew Tobia.WHAT I LOVE ABOUT CONCRETE
1:30 pm Saturday, Nov. 2 @ Circuit Playhouse
Hometowner Feature
A homespun high school fairy tale about the unbearable awkwardness, nascent cynicism, and disarming wonder that comprise the 11th grade experience. Directed by Katherine Dohan and Alanna Stewart.________________________________________
Documentary Competition Features
BENDING STEEL
7 pm Saturday, Nov. 2 @ Studio on the Square
Regional Premiere
A deeply moving and inspirational documentary exploring the lost art of the oldetime strongman and one man’s struggle to overcome limitations of body and mind. Directed by Ryan Scafuro.BIBLE QUIZ
5:15 pm Sunday, Nov. 3 @ Circuit Playhouse
Regional Premiere
A girl memorizes books of the Bible in order to win the National Bible Quiz Championship and the heart of her team captain. Directed by Nicole Teeny.
Sponsored by Alison England.BROTHERS HYPNOTIC
6:30 pm Saturday, Nov. 2 @ Studio on the Square
Tennessee Premiere
From busking on Chicago streets to opening for Prince, the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble struggle to maintain the values instilled in them at a young age. Directed by Reuben Atlas.FUREVER
12:30 pm Sunday, Nov. 3 @ Studio on the Square
Memphis Premiere
An exploration of the dimensions of grief people experience over the loss of a pet. Directed by Amy Finkel.GREAT CHICKEN WING HUNT
4 pm Saturday, Nov. 2 @ Circuit Playhouse
Tennessee Premiere
A journey to the heart of America’s greatest food. Directed by Matt Reynolds.HIT & STAY
2:45 pm Sunday, Nov. 3 @ Circuit Playhouse
Tennessee Premiere
A feature-length documentary about priests and nuns who protested the Vietnam War by breaking into draft boards, destroying draft records, and then waiting around to be arrested. Directed by Joe Tropea and Skizz Cyzyk.I AM SOUL
3:30 pm Saturday, Nov. 2 @ Playhouse on the Square
Hometowner Feature
A contemporary exploration of soul music showcasing the genre’s rich history in Memphis. Directed by Johnathan Isom.MEANWHILE IN MEMPHIS: THE SOUND OF A REVOLUTION
6 pm Saturday, Nov. 2 @ Circuit Playhouse
Hometowner Feature
A Memphis music feature documenting several bluff city DIY musicians from 1978 to present day. Directed by Robert Allen Parker and Nan Hackman.MEDORA
11 am Saturday, Nov. 2 @ Circuit Playhouse
Memphis Premiere
In America’s basketball heartland, four boys from rural Medora, Indiana fight to end their high school’s team’s losing streak, as their dwindling town faces the threat of extinction. Directed by Andrew Cohn and Davy Rothbart.ORANGE MOUND, TENNESSEE: AMERICA’S COMMUNITY
10:45 am Saturday, Nov. 2 @ Playhouse on the Square
Hometowner Feature
A celebration of Orange Mound, a centrally-located historical community in Memphis, and the first community established by African Americans where they could build and own property. Directed by Emmanuel Amido.TALES FROM THE ORGAN TRADE
6:45 pm Friday, Nov. 1 @ Studio on the Square
Tennessee Premiere
A gritty and unflinching descent into the shadowy world of black market organ trafficking. Directed by Ric Esther Bienstock.
Sponsored by the Mid-South Transplant Foundation.VILLAGE AT THE END OF THE WORLD
9:30 pm Thursday, Oct. 31 @ Circuit Playhouse
Memphis Premiere
A portrait of a remote village in Northern Greenland with a population of 59. Directed by Sarah Gavron and David Katznelson.A WHOLE LOTT MORE
11 am Saturday, Nov. 2 @ Studio on the Square
Tennessee Premiere
Lott Industries in Toledo, Ohio, employs more than 1200 workers, all with developmental disabilities. With the decline of the auto industry in neighboring Detroit, Lott is threatened with closure and the company has twelve months to reinvent itself and save the livelihoods of its employees. Directed by Victor Buhler.YOUR DAY IS MY NIGHT
1:15 pm Saturday, Nov. 2 @ Studio on the Square
Regional Premiere
Immigrant residents of a ‘shift-bed’ apartment in the heart of New York City’s Chinatown share their stories of personal and political upheaval. Directed by Lynne Sachs.
