Over 80 films have been selected to run at the 4th annual Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival, September 20 – 22 in Birmingham, Alabama’s historic theatre district. Included in this year’s competitive lineup are 7 features, 8 documentaries, and 36 shorts. Sidewalk’s non-competitive program includes 3 features documentaries and over 30 shorts, many produced by Alabama filmmakers from across the state.
Sidewalk’s “new films to a new audience” mantra continues for its fourth year. The seven competition features include five Regional Premieres and the World Premiere of “Chance”, the directorial debut of Amber Benson, best known for her role on TV’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”
“Chance”, written and directed by Amber Benson, is a dark comedy which follows a 20-something woman named Chance as she plays her cards in the games of love and life. Benson stars, along with James Marsters (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”), Andy Hallet (“Angel”), and Christine Estabrook (“The Usual Suspects”). Amber Benson and other cast and crew members will be in attendance and will participate in a Q&A after the screening.
“Easy Listening”, written and directed by Pamela Corkey, is an uplifting romantic dramedy about two players in an instrumental arrangements orchestra.
“Funny Ha Ha”, written and directed by Andrew Bujalski, stars Kate Dollenmayer as Marnie, a 23-year-old living alone in Boston, trying to work through an unrequited romantic crush. Andrew Bujalski and Kate Dollenmayer will be in attendance and will participate in a Q&A after the screening.
Master of the Game, directed by Jeff Stolhand and written by Uygar Aktan, is a World War II psychological drama in which Aktan stars as a jewish captive who challenges his Nazi captors to prove the strength of their supremacist ideals by beating him in an intricate game of his own devising. Jeff Stolhand, Uydar Aktan will be in attendance and will participate in a Q&A after the screening.
Resin, directed by Vladamir Gyorski, is about a drug dealer who vows to make one final score and a fresh start, but ends up in a showdown with a malicious legal system threatening to steal his most valued possessions: his freedom and his life.
“Vampire Clan”, directed by John Webb, tells the horrific true story of a group of disaffected, angst-ridden teens who believe they are actual vampires.
“Washington Heights”, directed by Alfredo de Villa, tells the story of Carlos Ramirez, a young illustrator burning to escape the Latino neighborhood of the same name to make a splash in New York City’s commercial downtown comic book scene. Manny Perez stars with Tomas Milian (Traffic, Amistad).
Sidewalk’s documentary competition features 8 new independent documentaries, including 3 Regional Premieres.
The Backyard, directed by Paul Hough, takes an unflinching look of the widespread underground backyard wrestling phenomena. Paul Hough will be in attendance and will participate in a Q&A after the screening.
“Blue Vinyl”, directed by Judith Helfand and Dan Gold, explores the environmental and social ramifications of vinyl chloride, the ingredient used in everything from vinyl siding to PVC pipe. Judith Helfand will be in attendance and will participate in a Q&A after the screening.
My Father, the Genius, directed by Lucia Small, is a portrait of the filmmaker’s estranged father, visionary architect Glen Howard Small. Lucia Small will be in attendance and will participate in a Q&A after the screening.
“The Rough South of Larry Brown”, directed by Gary Hawkins, explores the literature and life of Oxford, Mississippi fireman-turned-writer Larry Brown. The film includes adaptations of three of Brown’s short stories: Boy & Dog, Wild Thing, and Samaritans.
“Shalom Y’all”, directed by Brian Bain, is about the southern Jewish experience seen through the eyes of a native son. Brian Bain will be in attendance and will participate in a Q&A after the screening.
“Shot in the Dark”, directed by Adrian Grenier, is a personal exploration of “fatherhood” and Grenier’s attempt to locate his own father.
Strange Fruit, directed by Joel Katz, explores the genesis and still-vital life of the song “Strange Fruit,” a graphically unsettling protest song popularized in 1939 by Billie Holiday.
Vakvagany, directed by Benjamin Meade, is a genre-bending mixture of documentary and “found art,” which asks three professionals (James Ellroy, Stan Brakage and Dr. Roy Menninger) to offer their interpretations of 1940s-era home movies from Hungary.
Visit the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival website for more information.
