2017 macon film festival macon film festival | 1 macon film festival board of directors executive...

12017 MACON FILM FESTIVAL |

MACON FILM FESTIVAL BOARD OF DIRECTORSExecutive CommitteeJulie Wilkerson, PresidentTony Long, Sr., Vice-PresidentSteven Fulbright, SecretaryApril Hornsby, TreasurerPriscilla Esser, Member at Large

DirectorsMichele BeverlyDanny DavisChristi JohnsonHeidi LancasterTim Regan-PorterTerrell SandefurGram SlatonRuth Sykes

Tabitha Lynne Walker, Programmer

MACON FILM COMMISSIONTerrell Sandefur,ChairmanElliott DunwodyHeidi Lancaster

FILM COMMISSION ADVISORY COUNCIL Stephen Adams, Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority Chris Floore, Macon-Bibb CountyKarla Redding, Otis Redding Foundation; Georgia Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Advisory CommissionPat Topping, Macon Economic Development Commission

Schedules are subject to change. Please visit MaconFilmFestival.com for up-to-date information.

#maconfilmfest

CONTENTSWelcome 2

Venues 3

Getting Around / Map 4

Workshops 6

After Parties 10

Festival Awards 11

Spotlight Films 14

Screening Schedule 18

Official Selections 28

Jurors 42

Sponsors 49

Program design by Burt&Burt

2 | 2017 MACON FILM FESTIVAL

WELCOME TO THE 12TH ANNUAL MACON FILM FESTIVAL!Thank you for supporting our vision of making Central Georgia a destination for film. The 2017 Board of Directors and Committees have been working for a year to plan this event. Their talents are extraordinary, I am proud to work with them, and I am proud to call them my friends.

If you are a long-time patron, you may be asking “What’s new?” How about a unique immersive film experience Thursday night at the Museum of Arts and Sciences? The premiere of Stardancer’s Waltz (a film by Diana Reichenbach set to music by Mike Mills and Robert McDuffie) is only the beginning of our partnership in exploring different projection surfaces and the idea of science as art—and art as science.

While you are here, I hope you will take advantage of all that our city has to offer (visit the Macon-Bibb CVB for ideas) and then stay for Bragg Jam Music and Arts festival next weekend! Look for things to do next week that bring both festivals together—visit festiebesties.org for a list of goings-on.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to keep up with the latest happenings: #MaconFilmFest #FriendliestFilmFestival

We appreciate the support of our donors, sponsors, advertisers, filmmakers, jurors and you, our audience. Thank you for your patronage!

Julie WilkersonPresident, Board of Directors

3VENUES |

HEADQUARTERS & VIPTravis Jean, 530 Cherry Street

HQ HOURS9 AM – 5 PM Wednesday, 7/1910 AM – 4 PM Thursday, 7/209 AM – 6 PM Friday, 7/219 AM – 6 PM Saturday, 7/229 AM – 5 PM Sunday, 7/23

Headquarters sponsored by Travis Jean

VIP HOURS HAPPY HOUR9 AM – 6 PM Friday – Sunday 5 PM – 6 PM Friday & Saturday

VIP / Hospitality sponsored by the Georgia Film Office

SCREENING VENUES

Douglass Theater355 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd

Sponsored by Mercer University

Macon-Bibb CVB450 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd

Cox Capitol Theatre382 Second Street.

Sponsored by W. L. Amos Foundation

Theatre Macon438 Cherry Street.

Sponsored by Quantum Dynamics

4 | GETTING AROUND

Cox Capitol Theatre

FESTIVAL SHUTTLE INFORMATIONThe 2017 Macon Film Festival shuttle is reserved for filmmakers and festival guests. On Thursday, July 20, the festival shuttle will run from the SLEEP INN NORTH and CANDLEWOOD SUITES to the Museum of Arts & Sciences for the 2017 festival opening night film and party. From Friday, July 21 through Sunday, July 23, the festival shuttle will travel from the SLEEP INN NORTH and CANDLEWOOD SUITES locations to downtown Macon where festival HQ, venues, and events are located. The festival shuttle will travel only during the hours listed below. Macon also offers visitors Uber as a transportation option. Monday - Friday, free 2 hour street parking / no ticketing after 5 pm. Free parking on Saturday & Sunday.

SHUTTLE SCHEDULETHU, July 20 6:30 PM – 11:30 PM

FRI, July 21 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM and 6:00 PM - 1:00 AM

SAT, July 22 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM and 6:00 PM – 1:00 AM

SUN, July 23 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM and 4:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Maps courtesy of yourtownmap.com

5GETTING AROUND | Arkwright Rd.

DowntownVenues & HQ

Travis Jean

DouglassTheatre

TubmanMuseum

Cox Capitol Theatre

ShuttleHotels

TheatreMacon

Macon-Bibb Convention & Visitors Bureau

Museum of Arts & Sciences

6 | WORKSHOPS

BREAKING THE FRAME: CRAFTING AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE Presented by Diana ReichenbachFriday, July 21 from 11 AM – 12 PM

Museum of Arts & Sciences, Planetarium4182 Forsyth Road

Immersive mediums, such as fulldome, are unique in that they can provide an experience that envelops the viewer. Orchestrating that precise moment when the viewer becomes immersed and is released into the content is no easy task. In this presentation, Diana discusses the evolution of her interest in seeking immersion for audiences through fulldome, projection mapping, and architectural installations in both her independent and commercial work.

DESIGNING FOR THE DOME: GETTING STARTED IN IMMERSIVE CINEMAPresented by Diana ReichenbachFriday, July 21 from 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Museum of Arts & Sciences, Planetarium4182 Forsyth Road

This workshop is designed for industry professionals, filmmakers, and artists looking to get started in fulldome filmmaking. Topics include how to think about the space, the technical standards of the format, and tips to crafting a memorable experience. Participants view examples of films and participate in a demo of content creation. DIANA REICHENBACH is an award-winning multimedia artist specializing in immersive and architectural media. Her work has been screened in festivals and venues across five continents, and her recent commissioned work includes a multimedia artwork for Virgin Atlantic Airways featured at the Los Angeles Airport. As an artist, she is interested in communicating a uniquely personal, introspective moment of immersion. Specifically, she uses animation and sound to communicate these moments through time-based progressions of shifting color, form, texture, and movement. In addition to independent and professional work, she is a Professor of Animation at Savannah College of Art and Design. www.dianareichenbach.com

ALL WORKSHOPS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC !

7WORKSHOPS |

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC IN MEDIAPresented by Mark ChubbSaturday, July 22 from 12 PM – 1:30 PM

Tubman African American Museum, Rotunda Classroom310 Cherry Street

This workshop introduces the working musician to different aspects of media-based music production and business. Topics include brief overviews of the purposes of music in media, types of music used in media, and how to get your music placed in media.

THE BUSINESS OF MUSIC IN FILMPresented by Mark ChubbSaturday, July 22 from 3:30 PM – 4:45 PM

Tubman African American Museum, Rotunda Classroom310 Cherry Street

This workshop focuses on the uses of music in media. Topics include brief discussions of the roles of music supervisors, composers, editors, music editors, music licensing, and types of uses.

MARK ANTHONY CHUBB has produced music for numerous cable channels, including Spike TV, MTV, Style Channel, A&E, and Fit TV. His music appeared on Oprah’s Big Give and the Peabody Award series Latino Americans, and has been featured in Computer Music magazine. Mark provided the score to the short feature film, In The Garden Growing, which took top honors at Projections Film Festival in Bellingham, Washington. His most recent short feature, Drain Desert Tanner, won six awards at the Inland Empire 48 Hours Film Festival including Best Musical Score. Drain Desert Tanner was also screened at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival, winning the Coup de Coeur (Best Entry Award). In 2011, he provided the music for the capital fundraising campaign of Cal Poly Pomona, which has raised over $100 million thus far. In addition to his role as a film and TV composer, he taught at Western Washington University from 2003 to 2007, where he was nominated for Faculty of the Year for the National Society of Collegiate Scholars. He held a tenure-track position at Cal Poly Pomona from 2007-2012, where he was Assistant Professor in Music Industry Studies. Recently, he served as Interim Instructor of Music Theory and Literature at Morehouse College.

8 | WORKSHOPS

FILM FESTIVAL STRATEGY CRASH COURSE Presented by Christopher HollandSaturday, July 22 from 2 PM – 3 PM

Tubman African American Museum, Lecture Room310 Cherry Street

Having trouble narrowing down the list of film festivals to the ones that are the best for your film? This crash course in festival strategy will help you through one of the most difficult parts of the festival process: creating a target list of festivals that increases your chances of acceptance and keeps your submissions budget in check. In the workshop you’ll learn: how film festival programming really works, how important it is to “know someone,” how much to budget, what to look for, the research secrets on the web, and presentation tips.

CHRISTOPHER HOLLAND is a marketing and festival strategy consultant for independent filmmakers and the author of Film Festival Secrets: A Handbook for Independent Filmmakers (filmfestivalsecrets.com). For more than a decade, Chris has worked on all sides of the festival circuit, including time spent at B-Side Entertainment, Slated, IFP, Austin Film Festival, and Atlanta Film Festival.

ALL WORKSHOPS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC !

10 | AFTER PARTIES

AFTER PARTIESThursday – Museum of Arts and Sciences (4182 Forsyth Road) following the opening night reception and Special Screening of Stardancers Waltz featuring music by DJ Deck.

Friday – Piedmont Brewerey and Kitchen (450 Third Street) following the Special Screening of Brave New Jersey — until midnight.

Saturday – Thirsty Turtle (425 Cherry Street) following the Special Screening of Lucky — until midnight and featuring music by DJ Deck.

You must be at least 21 years old with an All Access Pass to be admitted. The free shuttle service ends at 11:30 PM on Thursday and 1:00 AM on Friday and Saturday.

11MACON FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS |

AWARD CATEGORIESDocumentary LGBT Music Sponsored by Wells Fargo AdvisorsNarrative Short Narrative Feature Sponsored by Sheridan Construction Southern Sponsored by Macon-Bibb Convention and Visitors BureauStudent Shorts

Recognition will be awarded to films representing excellence in the following categories: Special Guest Award Sponsored by Ken’s Pro SoundMelvyn Douglas Best in Show Award Sponsored by Marsha Kapiloff and Paula Kapiloff

Karen Black Audience Choice Award for Narrative FeatureAudience Choice for DocumentaryAudience Choice for Narrative ShortAudience Choice Awards are sponsored by Dr. and Mrs. John Griffin

12 | MACON FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS

MELVIN DOUGLAS BEST IN SHOW AWARD

Melvyn Douglas was born in Macon on April 5, 1901. His career began on Broadway in 1928 and alternated between stage and screen for the rest of his life. He won Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor in Hud and Being There (for which he also won a Golden Globe) and he was nominated for Best Actor for his work in I Never Sang for My Father. Douglas had memorable roles in The Changeling, The Seduction of Joe Tynan, Death Takes a Holiday, Ninotchka (opposite Greta Garbo), and Ghost Story. He won an Emmy Award for a CBS Playhouse performance and was nominated for his turn in Inherit the Wind, and he won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for The Best Man. His wife of 50 years, Helen Gahagan Douglas, was a three-term congresswoman in California and served as Secretary of the Treasury under President Kennedy. The Macon Film Festival “Best in Show” award was named in honor of Melvyn Douglas during the 5th Annual Macon Film Festival in 2010. Douglas’ granddaughter, actress Illeana Douglas, accepted the honor on behalf of the Douglas family.

Melvyn Douglas Best in Show Award is sponsored by Marsha Kapiloff and Paula Kapiloff.

13MACON FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS |

KAREN BLACK AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD FOR NARRATIVE FEATUREKaren Black performed in more than 150 films as well as many Broadway and off-Broadway plays. Her performance opposite Jack Nicholson in Five Easy Pieces made her a star and household name, and earned her an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress. She won another Golden Globe for her role in The Great Gatsby with Robert Redford and was nominated for a Golden Globe as Best Actress for John Schlesinger’s Day of the Locust. Ms. Black appeared in numerous iconic films such as Easy Rider, Airport 1975, Come Back to the Five and Dime Jimmy, Jimmy Dean, Nashville (which garnered a Grammy nomination), and Alfred Hitchcock’s Family Plot. She reached a new generation of fans more recently with her role as Mother Firefly in Rob Zombie’s House of a 1,000 Corpses. Karen was a great supporter of independent film and a featured guest of the 2008 Macon Film Festival, screening Steve Balderson’s Firecracker. During her visit, Ms. Black captivated the hearts of Central Georgia and Macon Film Festival patrons and guests. She returned to Macon in 2009 to film Stuck, and again in 2010 when the film screened at the 5th Annual Macon Film Festival. She also spent several weeks in Macon during September 2009 rehearsing and performing in her play Missouri Waltz. Ms. Black touched our hearts with her wit, charm, and endearing personality. It is our great honor and pleasure to name the Macon Film Festival Audience Choice Award for Narrative Feature after our dear friend Karen Black.

Audience Choice Awards are sponsored by Dr. and Mrs. John Griffin.

“IF YOU CAN WRITE IT, I CAN BE IT.” – KAREN BLACK

14 | SPOTLIGHT FILMS FOR SATURDAY, JULY 22

JACKSONSouthern Spotlight FilmCox Capitol Theatre, 1:40 PM – 3:15 PM

With a single abortion clinic remaining in the state of Mississippi, the city of Jackson has become ground zero in the nation’s battle over reproductive healthcare. Jackson is an intimate portrait of the interwoven lives of three women in this

town. Wrought with the racial and religious undertones of the Deep South, the lives of two women are deeply affected by the director of the local pro-life crisis pregnancy center and the movement she represents.

Directed by Maisie Crow (92:00)

BASICALLY FRIGHTENED: THE MUSICAL MADNESS OF COLONEL BRUCE HAMPTON Encore Spotlight FilmDouglass Theatre, 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

Bruce began his career with an unprecedented record deal in 1970, but the Hampton Grease Band’s first album went on to be the worst selling album in the history of Columbia Records. Bruce then made a brave decision and continued his

musical career, devoting himself to creating pure art rather than attempt any commercial success. The result has been an amazing and influential 50-year catalog of music and philosophy. Dubbed the father of Jam Band, he is a guru to many a celeb.

Directed by Tom Lawson and Michael Koepenick (90:00)

15SPOTLIGHT FILMS FOR SATURDAY, JULY 22 |

SWIM TEAMProgrammer’s Choice Spotlight FilmDouglass Theatre, 1:45 PM – 3:15 PM

What would you do if your community gave up on your child? In New Jersey, the parents of a boy on the autism spectrum take matters into their own hands. They form a competitive swim team, recruiting diverse teens on the spectrum and training them with high expectations and zero pity. What happens next alters the course of the boys’ lives. Swim Team chronicles the extraordinary rise of the Jersey Hammerheads, capturing a moving quest for inclusion, independence and a life that feels winning.

Directed by Lara Stolman (90:00)

17SPOTLIGHT FILMS FOR SUNDAY, JULY 23 |

RUMBLE: INDIANS WHO ROCKED THE WORLDMusic Spotlight FilmDouglass Theatre, 11:45 AM – 1:30 PM

Rumble tells the story of a profound, essential, and, until now, missing chapter in the history of American music: the indigenous influence. Featuring music icons Charley Patton, Mildred Bailey, Link Wray, Jimi Hendrix, Jesse Ed Davis, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Robbie Robertson, Randy Castillo, and others, Rumble shows us how these talented Native musicians helped shape the soundtracks of our lives.

Directed by Catherine Bainbridge and Alfonso Maiorana (104:00)

WHOSE STREETS?Narrative Spotlight FilmDouglass Theatre, 3 PM – 4:30 PM

Told by the activists and leaders who live and breathe this movement for justice, Whose Streets? is an unflinching look at the Ferguson uprising. When unarmed Michael Brown is killed by police and left lying in the street for hours, it marks a breaking point for the residents of St. Louis, Missouri. Grief, longstanding racial tensions, and renewed anger bring residents together to hold vigil and protest. Empowered parents, artists, and teachers come together as freedom fighters. As the National Guard descends on Ferguson, these community members become the torchbearers of a new resistance. Filmmakers Sabaah Folayan and Damon Davis know this story because they are the story. Whose Streets? is a powerful battle cry from a generation fighting, not for their civil rights, but for the right to live.

Directed by Sabaah Folayan and Damon Davis (90:00)

18 | SCREENING SCHEDULE, THURSDAY, JULY 20

MUSEUM OF ARTS & SCIENCES

4182 FORSYTH ROAD

Special Screening of Stardancer’s Waltz and Q&A with Diana Reichenbach

Stardancer’s Waltz is a collaborative project celebrating several internationally recognized artists from Georgia. The immersive

fulldome animated film by Diana Reichenbach was inspired by a recorded concerto movement included on the 2016 released album by R.E.M. founding member Mike Mills, Concerto for Violin, Rock Band and String Orchestra, featuring Grammy®-nominated violinist Robert McDuffie.

Directed by Diana Reichenbach (10:00)

DIANA REICHENBACH is an award-winning multimedia artist specializing in immersive and architectural media. Her work has been screened in festivals and venues across five continents, and her recent commissioned work includes a multimedia artwork for Virgin Atlantic Airways featured at the Los Angeles Airport. As an artist, she is interested in communicating a uniquely personal, introspective moment of immersion. Specifically, she uses animation and sound to communicate these moments

through time-based progressions of shifting color, form, texture, and movement. In addition to independent and professional work, she is a Professor of Animation at Savannah College of Art and Design.

8:15 PM (Doors open at 7:45 PM.)Sponsored by Spa Medical / Vein SpecialistsAfter Party to follow at the Museum of Arts and Sciences

19SCREENING SCHEDULE , FRIDAY, JULY 21 |

COX CAPITOL THEATRE 382 SECOND STREET

11:00 AM – 12:35 PM Narrative Feature Search Engines (95:00)

12:50 PM – 2:20 PM Documentary Feature Eye Camera (18:00) Resistance is Life (72:00)

2:40 PM – 4:25 PM Narrative Shorts Block “The Nature of Relationships” (105:00) The Pits (3:11) The Driving Seat (9:00) Postcards (13:00) My Nephew Emmett (20:00) Crossing Fences (14:00) Shy Guys (8:00) Brutus (38:00)

4:40 PM – 6:30 PM LGBT Shorts Block “Love & Acceptance” (107:00) More is More (06:24) Swim (11:37) Love the Sinner (15:00) Pria (21:00) Dusk (15:00) Cecil and Carl (15:00) Spilt Milk (23:00)

DOUGLASS THEATRE 355 MLK, JR. BLVD

10:00 AM – 11:20 PM Documentary Feature The Bullish Farmer (80:00)

11:35 PM – 1:00 PM Music Mr. Handy’s Blues (84:00)

1:15 PM – 2:30 PM Narrative Shorts Block “Made in Georgia” (70:00) Sunnyside Drive (11:54) The Thieves of Almira (14:42) Birthday Cake (17:16) Good Hair (26:24)

20 | SCREENING SCHEDULE, FRIDAY, JULY 21


2:45 PM – 4:20 PM Narrative Feature Tinker’ (97:00)

4:35 PM – 5:50 PM Music Raised by Krump (22:00) Symphony in D (53:00)

7:15 PM – 9:30 PM Special Screening of Brave New Jersey and Q&A with Jody Lambert

Brave New Jersey is a comedy about a small town on the night of Orson Welles’ legendary 1938 “War of the Worlds” radio broadcast—the hoax that terrified millions into believing Martians were invading America. As the citizens of one New Jersey town are faced with what they believe is their last night on Earth, their lives will change forever. An alien invasion movie where the aliens never show up. The cast includes Tony Hale, Heather Burns, Anna Camp, Sam Jaeger, and Raymond J. Barry. Directed by Jody Lambert (86:00)

JODY LAMBERT co-wrote and co-produced the DreamWorks drama People Like Us starring Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Olivia Wilde. He directed the award-winning documentary Of All The Things and was nominated for an Emmy for producing the multi-media project Starved For Attention. He’s written projects for FilmNation, EndGame producer/star Jeremy Renner, Sony Pictures, producer Brett Ratner, FOX, Sony Television, and producer Seth Gordon. He’s also directed a bunch of shorts for Funny or Die.

Doors open at 7:00 PM.

Sponsored by Dr. and Mrs. Chris HendryAfter Party to follow at Piedmont Brewery and Kitchen.

21SCREENING SCHEDULE, FRIDAY, JULY 21 |

SATURDAY, JULY 22 |

THEATRE MACON 438 CHERRY STREET

10:00 AM – 11:35 Music A Gesture in the Word (95:00)

11:50 PM – 1:35 PM Students Shorts Block “The Future of Film” (95:00) Once Upon a Line (7:05) I Am Virgin (13:11) Rocket (28:54) Blackface (6:43) Little Elegy (5:37) Alibi (33:05)

1:50 PM – 3:15 PM Narrative Feature 6 Love Stories (87:00)

3:30 PM – 5:05 PM Documentary Feature Backpack Full of Cash (93:00)

5:25 PM – 6:55 PM LGBT Feature Bully (5:00) Hate Crime (85:00)


10:00 AM – 11:30 AM Southern - Georgia Narrative Feature Forty Miles to Macon (5:00) Born River Bye (84:00)

11:45 AM – 1:20 PM Documentary Feature Backpack Full of Cash (93:00)

1:40 PM – 3:15 PM Spotlight Film: Southern Documentary Jackson (90:00)

3:30 PM – 5:00 PM Music Mr. Handy’s Blues (84:00)

5:15 PM – 6:25 PM Narrative Shorts Block “Made in Georgia” (70:00) Sunnyside Drive (11:54) The Thieves of Almira (14:42) Birthday Cake (17:16) Good Hair (26:24)

22 | SCREENING SCHEDULE, SATURDAY, JULY 22

MACON-BIBB CVB 450 MLK, JR. BLVD

10:00 AM – 11:35 AM Students Shorts Block “The Future of Film” (95:00) Once Upon a Line (7:05) I Am Virgin (13:11) Rocket (28:54) Blackface (6:43) Little Elegy (5:37) Alibi (33:05)

11:50 AM – 1:30 PM Narrative Feature Search Engines (95:00)

1:45 PM – 3:20 PM Music A Gesture in the Word (95:00)

3:35 PM – 5:00 PM Documentary Feature The Bullish Farmer (80:00)


10:00 AM – 11:45 AM Narrative Shorts Block “The Nature of Relationships” (105:00) The Pits (3:11) The Driving Seat (9:00) Postcards (13:00) My Nephew Emmett (20:00) Crossing Fences (14:00) Shy Guys (8:00) Brutus (38:00)

12:00 PM – 1:30 PM Encore Spotlight Film Basically Frightened: The Musical Madness of

Colonel Bruce Hampton (90:00)

1:45 PM – 3:15 PM Programmer’s Choice Spotlight Film Swim Team (90:00)

3:30 PM – 5:15 PM Southern - Georgia Narrative Feature Holden On (101:00)

23SCREENING SCHEDULE, SATURDAY, JULY 22 | 7:15 PM – 9:45 PM 2017 Awards Ceremony

Special Screening of Lucky

Lucky follows the spiritual journey of a 90-year-old atheist and the quirky characters that inhabit his off the map desert town. Having out-lived and out-smoked all of his contemporaries, the fiercely independent Lucky finds himself at the precipice of life, thrust into a journey of self exploration, leading towards that which is so often unattainable: enlightenment. Acclaimed character actor John

Continued on page 24

24 | SCREENING SCHEDULE, SATURDAY, JULY 22

Carroll Lynch’s directorial debut, Lucky, is at once a love letter to the life and career of Harry Dean Stanton as well as a meditation on mortality, loneliness, spirituality, and human connection. The cast includes Harry Dean Stanton, David Lynch, Ron Livington, Ed Bedley Jr., Tom Skerritt, and Beth Grant.

Directed by John Carrol Lynch (88:00)

Doors open at 7:00 PM.Sponsored by R. Kirby GodseyAfter Party to follow at Thirsty Turtle.


10:00 AM – 11:40 AM Narrative Feature Domain (97:00)

11:55 AM – 1:15 PM Documentary Feature The Other Side (6:00) Farewell Ferris Wheel (70:00)

1:30 PM – 3:00 PM Narrative Shorts Block (85:00) “Things Aren’t Always What They Seem” First Day (14:10) Cul De Sac (15:00) The Curse of Don Scarducci (18:00) Blackmoor (11:00) Real Artists (12:00) A Whole World For a Little World (15:00)

3:15 PM – 4:55 PM Southern Documentary Shorts Block “Georgia Stories” (98:00) One Hundred Thousand Beating Hearts (15:00) The Sandman (19:00) Digital Edition (26:00) Lonnie Holley: The Truth of the Dirt (38:22)

5:15 PM – 6:30 PM Documentary Feature Matthew’s Gift (12:00) The Distance Between Us (61:00)

25SCREENING SCHEDULE, SUNDAY, JULY 23 |


10:00 AM – 11:15 AM Music Raised by Krump (22:00) Symphony in D (53:00)

11:30 AM – 1:15 PM Southern Documentary Shorts Block “Georgia Stories” (98:00) One Hundred Thousand Beating Hearts (15:00) The Sandman (19:00) Digital Edition (26:00) Lonnie Holley: The Truth of the Dirt (38:22)

1:30 PM – 3:05 PM Narrative Shorts Block (85:00) “Things Aren’t Always What They Seem” First Day (14:10) Cul De Sac (15:00) The Curse of Don Scarducci (18:00) Blackmoor (11:00) Real Artists (12:00) A Whole World For a Little World (15:00)

3:15 PM – 4:45 PM Screening - TBA

MACON-BIBB CVB 450 MLK, JR. BLVD

10:00 AM – 11:45 AM Southern - Georgia Narrative Feature Holden On (101:00)

12:00 PM – 1:30 PM LGBT Feature Bully (5:00) Hate Crime (85:00)

1:45 PM – 3:25 PM Narrative Feature Domain (97:00)

3:40 PM – 4:55 PM Documentary Feature Matthew’s Gift (12:00) The Distance Between Us (61:00)

26 | SCREENING SCHEDULE, SUNDAY, JULY 23


10:00 AM – 11:30 AM Narrative Feature 6 Love Stories

11:45 AM – 1:30 PM Music Spotlight Film Rumble: Indians Who Rocked the World (90:00)

1:45 PM – 3:00 PM Documentary Feature The Other Side (6:00) Farewell Ferris Wheel (70:00)

3:15 PM – 4:45 PM Spotlight Film Whose Streets? (90:00)

5:45 PM – 8:15 PM Special Screening of Please Call Home and Q&A with Kirk West & Friends

This is a story about home, family, and brotherhood. Between 1970 and 1972 a band of brothers used a Southern home as their base of operations. They called it the Big House. It became a refuge that nurtured the creativity of a community. As the characters within the Big House shared the darkness and light that is life, a mystical bond was established. In the midst of a magical era of musical, cultural, and political change, the Big House became a greenhouse in which a

unique strain of music grew. For just a little while it’s time to remember the music that ignored barriers, to recapture the good energy, and to celebrate brotherhood. Film courtesy of The Big House Foundation.

Directed by Kirk West (104:00)

KIRK WEST is first and foremost a music lover. He has never been able to get enough of the people, places,

and things that comprise the life of a touring artist. In search of the richness that musicians and their music bring the world, his travels have taken him from his Iowa birthplace to far flung reaches of the globe, camera in hand. Beginning in 1989, Kirk served as Tour Manager for The Allman Brothers Band for over 20 years. Kirk shot ten Allman Brothers Band LP, CD, or DVD covers, as well as more than 15 picture sleeves for the group’s records. Doors open at 5:15 PM.Sponsored by ECI Construction

27SCREENING SCHEDULE, SUNDAY, JULY 23 |


10:00 AM – 11:40 AM Narrative Feature Tinker’ (97:00)

12:00 PM – 1:50 PM LGBT Shorts Block “Love & Acceptance Shorts” (107:00) More is More (06:24) Swim (11:37) Love the Sinner (15:00) Pria (21:00) Dusk (15:00) Cecil and Carl (15:00) Spilt Milk (23:00)

2:05 – 3:35 PM Southern - Georgia Narrative Feature Forty Miles to Macon (5:00) Born River Bye (84:00)

4:00 PM – 5:30 PM Documentary Feature Eye Camera (18:00) Resistance is Life (72:00)

| OFFICIAL SELECTIONS28

D = Documentary M = Music LGBT NS = Narrative Short CCT = COX CAPITOL THEATRE | CVB = VISITORS CENTER | DT = DOUGLASS THEATRE | TM = THEATRE MACON

6 LOVE STORIES(77:00)

Director: Michael Dunaway / USAOver the course of one afternoon, in six different parts of Los Angeles, six couples connect, reconnect, or fall apart—Love Actually meets Magnolia.

BACKPACK FULL OF CASH(96:00)Director: Sarah Mondale / USAThe film explores the growing privatization of public schools and the resulting impact on America’s most vulnerable children and takes viewers through a tumultuous school year, exposing the world of education “reform” where public education—starved of resources—hangs in the balance.

ALIBI(33:05)

Director: Cameron Burnett / USAUniversity of Southern CaliforniaA man in a small town is accused of a murder he did not commit. He has an alibi. The trouble is . . . he was in bed with his brother’s wife.

BIRTHDAY CAKE(17:16)Dir: Brantly Jackson Watts / USASet in the deep South, Birdie marks the first anniversary of leaving her abusive lover, Donnie, with a ceremonial candle on a cake. One by one, her fellow survivors leave for the night and Birdie is left to mourn the love she left behind with her abuser. As the evening unfurls, Birdie will be confronted by more than an aching heart in this Southern Gothic thriller.

FRI TM 1:50 PMSUN DT 10:00 AM

FRI TM 3:30 PMSAT CCT 11:45 AM

FRI TM 11:50 AM ADULT SITUATIONSSAT CVB 10:00 AM

FRI DT 1:15 PM LANGUAGE, VIOLENCESAT CCT 5:15 PM

NF

D

SS

NS

OFFICIAL SELECTIONS | 29

NF = Narrative Feature SO = Southern SS = Student ShortCCT = COX CAPITOL THEATRE | CVB = VISITORS CENTER | DT = DOUGLASS THEATRE | TM = THEATRE MACON

BLACKFACE(6:44)

Director: Malcolm Baity / USAFlorida State UniversityAfter arriving late to his minstrel show performance, Paul, a black actor, gets a visit from his estranged father. Though he wants to run, his acting partner Willie convinces him to stay. What happens on stage surprises everyone.

BORN RIVER BYE(84:00)

Director: Tim Hall / USAA disillusioned songwriter and a restless receptionist confront their regrets over an Autumn weekend in Macon, Georgia.

BLACKMOOR(10:48)

Director: James Lewis / UKThis heart-breaking story of high suspense is set against the backdrop of 1970s rural England. Nobody is a stranger in the middle of nowhere.

BRUTUS(37:53)

Director: Konstantin Fam Russian FederationA German shepherd named Brutus finds himself in a concentration camp and turns from a harmless pet into a vicious killer.

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BULLY(5:00)

Director: Alex Preston / USA Savannah College of Art & DesignAvery, a withdrawn, soft-spoken young man, gets baited into attending Gay Pride with a guy he’s been messaging. When he discovers the mystery man is his high-school bully, he must decide whether to embrace his bully’s advances or risk losing his first love.

CECIL AND CARL(14:35)

Director: Elvis Leon & Gaston Yvorra / USACecil and Carl have been partners for 43 years, 8 months, 1 week, and 4 days . . . in sickness and in health.

THE BULLISH FARMER(80:00)

Director: Ken Marsolais / USAMore than a decade ago successful Wall Street investment banker John “John Boy” Ubaldo decided to call it quits. Distraught over the loss of his best friend in the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center, John traded in his high finance career for 185 acres of land to live a quiet life as a small farmer.

CROSSING FENCES(13:40)

Director: Annika Pampel / USAIn 1974, a young East German couple is desperate to leave their restricted, communist lives behind and attempt to escape to the West in a handmade boat across the Baltic Sea.

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CUL DE SAC(15:00)

Director: Damon Russell / USAParents living at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac discover a listening device inside their son’s teddy bear.

DIGITAL EDITION(26:00)

Director: James Kicklighter / USAIn the midst of a publishing revolution, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, one of America’s most storied institutions of journalism, is experimenting with new tools to tell stories in preparation for the end of print in the digital era.

THE CURSE OF DON SCARDUCCI(18:00)

Director: Chris Fondulas / USALife is good for Don, a rough and tumble mobster, until the day he discovers his intolerance to gluten and can no longer enjoy the staples of his everyday mobster diet. As his food habits change, so do his demeanor and lifestyle, but it all goes south when his mob family discovers his new life.

THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US(61:00)

Director: Brian Storm / USANick, age 35, has cerebral palsy and lives with his parents. His twin brother Chris has always felt guilty about the daily struggles Nick goes through. As an opportunity finally arises for Nick to move out on his own, he and Chris decide to share their story.

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THE DRIVING SEAT(9:10)

Director: Phil Lowe / UKOne Saturday morning, a middle aged couple decide to make love in their car in the driveway to put a spark back in their marriage only to find it has rather the opposite effect.

DUSK(15:00)Director: Jake Graf / UKWith a more-than-tough childhood left behind, Chris meets dream-woman Julie, and life lightens a little, but the growing feeling that theirs is only a life half-lived haunts Chris. Endlessly imagining what might have been, Chris is finally struck by the realization that for some decisions there is no right answer, and that it’s those situations that truly define us.

DOMAIN(97:00)

Director: Nathaniel Atcheson / USAAfter a deadly virus wipes out most of humanity, survivors are forced to wait in bunkers while the viral threat runs its course. The survivors wait for years and slowly become a motley family of sorts. But their fragile social ecosystem is shattered when, one by one, they start mysteriously disappearing from their bunkers.

EYE CAMERA(17:30)

Director: Brittney Shepherd / USAAfter losing her left eye in a car accident, artist Tanya Vlach attempts to make herself whole again by trying to build a camera that fits inside her prosthetic eye.

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FIRST DAY(14:10)

Director: Yohann Charrin / FranceSafia Bentoumi, a 25-year-old police woman, has her dream come true and joins the prestigious 36 quai des Orfèvres in Paris after five years of service at the Clichy sous Bois police station. On her first day of service—and by a curious coincidence—she happens to be confronted with a dangerous man who rudely puts her to the test.

FAREWELL FERRIS WHEEL(70:00)

Director: Jamie Sisley & Miguel “M.I.G” Martinez / USA, MexicoExplores how the U.S. Carnival industry fights to keep itself alive by legally employing Mexican migrant workers with a controversial work visa.

FORTY MILES TO MACON(5:00)

Director: Daniel Espeut / USATyler Goforth’s “Forty Miles to Macon” is to Macon, Georgia, as Merle Haggard’s “Okie from Muskogee” is to Muskogee, Oklahoma. This true story of Tyler’s visit to his ancestors is a reminder to us all to seek out our heritage and make every attempt to understand our history.

A GESTURE IN THE WORD(95:00)

Director: Dave Davidson / USAAt age 50, musician and poet, Rob Morsberger was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer—coming at the high point of his career. After 25 years in the music business, critics were starting to compare his songwriting to Randy Newman, Tom Waits, and Stephen Foster. Finally, it was all starting to come together.


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GOOD HAIR(26:24)

Director: Fray Forde & Catherine Dee Holly / USAA conditioner bottle spawns what appears to be argument of the day for couple Frankie and Khi. Good Hair explores a millennial long-term relationship and the split ends along the way.

HOLDEN ON(101:00)

Director: Tamlin Hall / USANo longer your average boy-next-door, Holden Layfield weaves audiences through his harrowing tale set in the early 1990s. After succumbing to a secret battle with mental illness, Holden evolves from a beloved, small town football player to a lost, self-medicating prophet.

HATE CRIME(85:00)

Director: Steven Esteb / USAAs a killer is executed for murdering a young gay man, two sets of parents struggle to deal with the consequences of fear and repression. As the clock ticks toward midnight and the execution, these families are on a collision course to confront how this happened and who is to blame.

I AM VIRGIN(13:11)

Director: Cody Mathieson Packer / USAColumbia College ChicagoTwo awkward teenagers, set up by their parents to lose their virginity, come together and connect on their own terms.

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LITTLE ELEGY(5:37)

Director: Ieva Lukauskaite / USASavannah College of Art & DesignA film about a young girl, Lilly, who witnesses the death of a pig while spending the summer at her grandparents’s farm. Portrayed through the eyes of a terrified child, the film explores the haunting effects of violence and death resulting in a dramatic change in perspective.

LOVE THE SINNER(16:39)

Director: Jessica Devaney / USAA personal documentary essay exploring the connection between Christianity and homophobia in the wake of the shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

LONNIE HOLLEY: THE TRUTH OF THE DIRT(30:00)

Director: Marco Williams / USAFilmed in the South with minimal interviews, this film is a portrait of a man who sees beauty in what others step on, step over, and leave behind. It is a portrait of an artist who creates art of objects and materials infused with history and memory.

MATTHEW’S GIFT(11:54)

Director: Jon Watts / USAA short documentary that follows photographer Oana Hogrefe as she dedicates her one day a year taking “remembrance photos’ of a child nearing the end of life.


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MORE IS MORE(6:24)

Director: Alexis Boling / USAThis portrait of artist Rolly Robinson celebrates fantasy, creativity, and escapism. Armed with his imagination and a hot glue gun, Rolly uses found materials to transform himself into elaborately realized characters that live for a day in our world.

MY NEPHEW EMMETT(20:00)

Director: Kevin Wilson, Jr. / USAIn 1955, a sixty-four-year-old African-American preacher in Mississippi tries to keep two racist killers from abducting his 14 year-old nephew, Emmett Louis Till. Based on a true story.

MR. HANDY’S BLUES(84:00)

Director: Joanne Fish / USAA musical documentary of family conflict, racial tensions, and redemption. Blues greats like Taj Mahal, Bobby Rush, Vince Giordano, and others bring Handy’s story to life on a personal level, and illuminate the great accomplishments and contributions that Handy made through his universally loved compositions.

ONCE UPON A LINE(7:05)

Director: Alicja Jasina / USAUniversity of Southern CaliforniaA man lives a boring life until he meets someone and his world turns upside down.


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ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND BEATING HEARTS(14:57)

Director: Peter Byck / USAA pioneering farmer in rural Georgia shares his journey from industrialized beef production to sustainable and humane agricultural and environmental stewardship.

THE PITS(3:11)

Director: Mike Hayhurst / USAIn a world full of pears, what can you find to fill your pit? A story about longing, love, and finding your other half. . .

THE OTHER SIDE(5:53)

Director: Griselda San Martin / USAThe story of deported musician Jose Marquez and his daughter Susanna who have been separated for almost 15 years but meet every month on either side of the US-Mexico border wall.

POSTCARDS(13:00)

Director: Ines Pintor Sierra, Pablo Santidrian / SpainAinhoa and Yon meet on a deserted beach and fall in love. Once autumn comes, they return to their respective homes. To keep the memories alive, Ainhoa and Yon decide to send each other postcards for a entire year.


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PRIA(21:00)

Director: Yudho AdityaA teen living in rural Indonesia struggles between the traditions of his upbringing and his romantic idealization of the freedom of the west.

REAL ARTISTS(12:00)

Director: Cameo Wood / USAA dark tale set in the near future. Sophia just scored an animator’s dream interview at world famous Semaphore Animation Studios. But when the creative director reveals that she knows about Sophia’s fan-edit of Semaphore’s hit film Mythos, Sophia sees her dreams begin to slip away.

RAISED BY KRUMP(22:00)

Director: Maceo Frost / USAExplores the Compton/South Central, LA born dance movement called “Krumping” and the lives of some of the area’s most influential and prolific dancers. Blends the art of movement, music, and interviews together to tell the story of finding solace within an underground movement and the community that it creates.

RESISTENCE IS LIFE(73:00)

Director: Apo W. Bazidi / Syria, USAEvlin is an eight-year-old who escaped with her family from their village in Kobane, Syria, fleeing the terror of the militant Islamic State (ISIS). Now she lives in an overcrowded refugee camp on the edge of the Turkish-Syrian border. Evlin joins the adults who sing and chant on the border, watching smoke rising up from their beloved Kobane.

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ROCKET(28:54)

Director: Brenna Malloy / USAChapman UniversityA bittersweet fairy tale set in the world of 1950’s dirt track racing. With a legacy traditionally passed down from father to son, Annie Pankratz strives to build a destiny all her own.

SEARCH ENGINES(95:00)

Director: Russell Brown / USASanity and relationships are put to the test when mysterious circumstances force a family to survive the annual American Thanksgiving holiday without their cell phones.

THE SANDMAN(19:00)

Director: Lauren Knapp / USAA doctor walks the line of his morality as he participates in executions, while personally opposing capital punishment.

SHY GUYS(8:16)

Director: Fredric Lehne / USATwo strangers bring the laughs as they confront and resolve one of the most insidious scourges afflicting mankind while standing at public urinals with their willies out.

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SPILT MILK(22:49)

Director: James Dunstan / UKAn unconventional love story between two teens leading up to the night of their high school prom and how they begin to understand the differences and similarities of love, sex, and gender.

SWIM(11:37)

Director: Mari Walker / USAAs summer draws to a end, a young trans girl finds freedom in a secret midnight swim.

SUNNYSIDE DRIVE(11:54)

Director: Luke Pilgrim & Brad Kennedy / USAIn a picturesque suburb, an imaginative boy attempts to convince his mother that their peculiar neighbor is a robot.

SYMPHONY IN D(53:00)

Director: Marlon Johnson & Dennis Scholl / USAWhen Tod Machover, from the MIT Media Lab, receives a commission for a new symphony from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, it comes with one catch: he must work with a collaborator—collaborators actually—to create America’s first crowd-sourced symphony.

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THE THIEVES OF ALMIRA(14:42)

Director: Andrew Lee / USAQuincy is “up to bat” in the game that she and her two friends created to spark excitement in a dull suburb—sneak into a house and steal an object chosen at random. Upon entering the home, she is caught by the old, Korean homeowner who mistakes Quincy for her own granddaughter.

A WHOLE WORLD FOR A LITTLE WORLD(15:00)

Director: Fabrice Bracq / FranceA woman tells a great story to her baby in the manner of a tale with princes and princesses and creates memories for him to pass on to his daughter.

TINKER’(97:00)

Director: Sonny Marler / USAGrady Lee, Jr., a reclusive farmer, discovers his late father’s journal that contains the research and plans to an electro-magnetic machine with technology derived from the lost research of Nikola Tesla. He believes this discovery could change the world. His work is interrupted when his step-sister dies and leaves him custodian of his nephew.

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WIN AN ALL ACCESS PASS!Follow us on social media and you could win an all access pass to our 2018 festival. By following the festival on twitter at #maconfilmfest and retweeting our content you can win an All Access pass for next year. Two winners will be announced after the festival, one winner for quantity of posts and the other for quality of retweets and mentions.

Note: All tweets must use the hashtag #maconfilmfest to be eligible.

#maconfilmfest

MaconFilmFestival.com

| 2017 JURORS42

GRAND JURORSJOMARIE PAYTON hails from Albany, Georgia. Her father, Driscoll Payton, was a construction worker and her mother, Frankie Bell Payton, was a maid. They moved to the Miami suburb of Opa-Locka, Florida in 1950. JoMarie was the second of nine children.

JoMarie’s first performance on stage was at the tender age of six. After high school, she attended Albany State

University. Following graduation, JoMarie left for California to join the national touring company of the musical “Purlie” which starred Robert Guillaume. JoMarie finally got her big break playing Harriet Winslow in the sitcom Perfect Strangers. Audiences enjoyed her character so much that a spin-off was created later that focused on the Winslow family. Family Matters (1989) became a hit. Payton is a human rights activist and a four time NAACP Image Award nominee. In honor of her mother, she started the Frankie Payton Scholarship Fund at Albany State College. She has been married four times and has one daughter, Chantale France.

JANE MERROW is a classically trained actress turned producer. After training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Jane had variety roles in TV, which led to starring roles in movies such as Hands of the Ripper opposite Eric Porter, The Night of the Big Heat opposite Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, culminating in the role of Alais in The Lion in Winter, co-starring with Peter O’Toole, Katharine

Hepburn, and Anthony Hopkins, which earned her a Golden Globe nomination as Best Supporting Actress. In 1995 Jane turned her hand to producing and was Co-Executive Producer with Edward Windsor (Prince Edward) in Ardent Productions’ The Cater Street Hangman, from the book by Anne Perry. She also developed The Face of a Stranger from the book by Anne Perry, with a screenplay by Julian Fellowes. Jane recently returned from the UK where she played Lady Macbeth in a production of Macbeth at the Groundlings Theatre. Jane is currently in development on a new motion picture Reunion, from the play, which had a successful run in London’s West End.

432017 JURORS |

GILL HOLLAND has worked on over 100 films, many award-winning, including being the first producer ever to have a film win three prizes at Sundance. He was nominated for the Spirit Award for Producer of the Year. He also runs sonaBLAST! Records and is a community building, creative entrepreneur in Louisville, Kentucky.

DOCUMENTARY JURORS“Agony is the heartbeat; death is the crucible; renewal is the goal,” ASHER EMMANUEL. Asher understands this as the compulsive rhythm of the universe we all live in. He is deeply interested in identifying affliction all human beings encounter, tracing the unique and often surprising ways it can dramatically unfold. Asher is a director who has created music videos, branded content, short films, television shows, and documentaries around the globe.

J. ELVIS WEINSTEIN directed the Macon Film Festival 2015 Best in Show award winning film Michael Des Barres: Who Do You Want Me To Be? He is originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he began a career as a stand-up comedian at age 15 and at 17 was one of the co-founders of the TV show Mystery Science Theater 3000 performing the role of Tom Servo. Currently living in Los Angeles, J. Elvis has spent many years as a TV writer/producer on numerous shows including Freaks and Geeks and AFV. He is currently wrapping post-production on his next feature documentary about stand-up comedy in Asia.

MARTIN SHORE (director, producer, and writer) began his entertainment career at fourteen as a PA for his brother’s award winning 1977 film Punking Out. As a musician Mr. Shore has toured with Bo Diddley, Albert Collins, Bluesman Willie, and many others. He has produced soundtracks and has acted as music supervisor for a number of feature films, including Saw, Saw II, Rize and Rock School, among others. He is a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Sciences (Grammy® Awards) and the Producers Guild of America As a feature film producer, Shore’s films have been featured in film festivals around the world, including Cannes, Tribeca, Sundance, South By Southwest, and the Los Angeles Film Festival. A partial list of

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his credits as film producer include: Michael Cuesta’s Tell Tale (2009), starring Josh Lucas, and Dark Tide (2012), starring Halle Berry. Shore recently partnered with Academy Award®-winning visual pioneer John Gaeta to form Float Hybrid Entertainment. Float helped develop Kinect and was Microsoft’s only third party developer and now sits on the Kinect board at Microsoft. Take Me to the River, which played at Macon in 2015, is Mr. Shore’s award winning directorial debut.

MUSIC/SOUTHERN JURORSEUGENE “GENO” BRANNON is a freelance entertainment professional based out of Atlanta, Georgia. At a young age, Mr. Brannon always knew he wanted to work in the entertainment business. This dream led him to Savannah State University’s Mass Communication program and Full Sail University’s Masters of Entertainment Business program. Geno has more than five years of production experience and has been blessed to travel the country, as well as abroad, to work on projects for ABC, NBC, CBS, BET, VH1, and TV One. When he isn’t working on set or working in the community, he can be found helping out with his family’s BBQ catering company, Nabo’s Food Services, located in Conyers, Georgia.

MIL CANNON has put his signature as an image-maker on Usher, Carrie Underwood, Mariah Carrey, Whitney, Puffy, TLC, Pink, Collective Soul, Toni Braxton, Outkast, American Idol, as well as Fortune 500’s Coca-Cola, IBM, McDonald’s, BellSouth, NFL, HGTV, MLB, DIY, Fine Living, DirecTV, and NASCAR, to name a few. Cannon also designed the interactive stage performances for Usher’s MTV performance, World Music performance, the Billboard Music Awards, and the 2005 Grammy® Awards. As director, cinematographer, editor, and photographer, Mil is comfortable in the role of Auteur. At 17, Mil won the coveted “Excellence in News Film,” the youngest recipient to receive this prestigious industry nod. The 1996 Olympic Games lured Mil to Atlanta and Coca-Cola signed Mil to an Olympic contract. Cannon’s contribution included the award-winning Olympic torch film Reach Higher, the anthem from Gloria Estefan as well as the Celine Dion pre-opening feature entitled Power of the Dream. Mil delivers art through film, video, and photography. He is a turnkey talent and his clients rely on him from conception to completion. Mil’s work is a reflection of his life—the consummate talent who looks through a lens everyday and decides how to make something extraordinary happen.

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After graduate work in Rome, Italy, VICTOR PISANO started his career under contract at 20th Century Fox Studios in Beverly Hills as a screenwriter where he wrote the original screenplay, “Voice of the North End” for famed director, Martin Ritt. “Hundreds” of film and television projects followed as writer, producer, and director. In 1990, Victor met and married Judy Belushi, widow of John Belushi. Together, with actor Dan Aykroyd, they were involved in the formation and development of an entertainment restaurant/venue called The House of Blues. For 20 years, Victor was also the lead negotiator for setting up many additional royalty streams and sub-licensing agreements for the Blues Brothers Intellectual Property rights on behalf of Mr. Aykroyd and Judy Belushi Pisano. Victor has spent much of the last five years lecturing on Intellectual Property and Performing Arts at seminars, colleges, universities and on the lecture circuit while creating and developing the worldwide launch of a new entertainment restaurant/venue called, The BluCaratTM. He also continues to write and to produce extensively.

NARRATIVE FEATURE JURORSBRANDON SMITH, originally from Jefferson, Georgia, currently works as a photographer for WSMV-TV in Nashville, Tennessee. Brandon has extensive experience including working as a video playback operator for AOL/Autoblog for the 2016 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, camera operator for several MotoAmerica motorcycle races, EVS replay operator for Eurosport’s coverage of the 2013 FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) in Sonoma, and Director of Photography for several short films and music videos. Brandon’s work has appeared in many outlets including ESPN, ABC, SportsCenter, HBO’s OutFest in Los Angeles, USA Today’s website, and the B-52’s Facebook page to name a few. Brandon is a graduate of the University of Georgia, with a Bachelors of Arts in Journalism, a Film Studies minor, and New Media certificate.

DAVD SMITH is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, and photographer. He is happy to be a juror at this year’s Macon Film Festival, where his short film, Take One Tablet, was an official selection in 2011. His work in commercial video production has earned him two corporate top-honor awards from KINKO’s and The Bridgestone Group, as well as three Telly Awards for his work with the Tennessee Center for Child Welfare.

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Smith’s photographs have most recently appeared in the “Local Color Exhibit” as part of the 2013 Atlanta Celebrates Photography festival. He is currently an Associate Professor of Media Studies at the University of North Georgia and enjoys taking photographs while hiking with his wife and twin daughters.

JOSHUA MATTHEWS has written, produced, and directed numerous short films, including Dawn, which has been screened at several film festivals, including the Cannes Film Festival and the Macon Film Festival. In 2012, Joshua moved to Austin, Texas, where he co-founded Giant Step Films, a documentary production company. Since then, he has gone on to produce the short documentary film Elias, and feature-length documentary The Great Journey. OP-ID, his second feature film, is currently in production.

NARRATIVE SHORT JURORSLAURA FONG is a Journalist-In-Residence and Visiting Assistant Professor at Mercer University’s Center For Collaborative Journalism in Macon, Georgia. She is an award-winning photojournalist who earned a master’s degree in Visual Journalism from Kent State University. Fong was named the Walton D. Clarke Fellow at WKSU radio, the NPR affiliate in Kent, Ohio. Currently she teaches classes in photojournalism, international storytelling, and video production at Mercer University and she continues to teach an online multimedia class for Kent State’s College of Digital Sciences. Laura has a 10-year-old daughter, Lily.

JOEL MALIZIA is co-founder of a full service production company in St. Pete with David Allison. Joel spent most of his early adulthood working as a professional musician and carpenter, which led to him building sets for HSN, where he learned about the many facets of the production process. During this time, he created and shot short films, which experienced success at national and international film festivals. Joel met David in 2011. Their love for music based content and storytelling quickly helped them build a reputation locally and nationally. In 2014, SXSW hired them to work on the Pro Media Team providing coverage for the festival. They have decided to take their experience and their love for the arts one step further by co-founding a brand new festival in St. Pete called Et Cultura (And Culture).

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DAVID ALLISON is a veteran filmmaker and graphic designer who has worked on numerous projects including feature films and motion design work for the World Cup. David studied film and television at the University of North Texas before he went on to pursue film editing studies in Los Angeles. David has been in video and film production since 2000. He is a co-founder of Pilot Moon Films, a production company specializing in music videos, commercials, marketing, and mini-documentary videos for companies and organizations. He is also co-founder of Et Cultura, a film, music, and art festival in St. Petersburg, Florida.

STUDENT / LGBT JURORSAMOR OWENS grew up in the entertainment world with her mother performing on stage and television in the Philippines. She began her own work in the film industry when Whitestone Motion Pictures asked her to costume The Candy Shop, a short film produced to raise awareness about human trafficking in Atlanta. With her passion to use the art of storytelling as a medium for positive social change, she has been involved in film, television, and theater since 2010, having worked in line production, casting, art direction, and costume. She studied acting and writing at Second City in Chicago and at the Yale Summer Conservatory and now works as an actress. Amor also supports arts education through volunteer work at the Metropolitan Atlanta Theater, the Aurora Theater, and the Woodruff Arts Center.

JOE FINKELSTEIN has been a teacher in the Bibb County School System for the past 15 years. He has a Broadcast Journalism degree from the University of Georgia and a Master’s Degree in Educational Technology from Georgia College and State University. Joe will be entering his fourth year as Audio, Video, and Film Instructor at Hutchings College and Career Academy. His video students have achieved success in many different student video and film competitions. In March 2017, his students won first place in the State of Georgia for a SkillsUSA Recruitment Video. Joe loves to spend time with his family. He recently celebrated his twenty-fifth anniversary with his wife Ellen and has two sons. Will completed his junior year at Georgia Tech and Jack completed his junior year at Central High School. Joe can also be “heard” all over town as he is a public address announcer handling several different sports at Mercer University and Central Georgia Tech.

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RYAN WATTERSON graduated with a Master’s in Communications with a focus in Journalism and Electronic Media from the University of Tennessee. He then accepted a teaching position at Georgia Southern University where he taught communication and film courses. Ryan went on to work for the City of Savannah Tourism and Film Department working as the city’s location specialist for three years. Ryan has produced, managed and coordinated various film and television projects both nationally and internationally including Untouched and Desires of the Heart to name a few. He recently expanded his production services to include the New Orleans area where he’s currently coordinating for BBC’s Asian Provocateur as well as a project manager for The Olinger Group.

492017 SPONSORS |

THE MACON FILM FESTIVAL

IS PRESENTED BY

VENUE SPONSORS

50 | 2017 SPONSORS

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512017 SPONSORS |

DR. & MRS. JOHN GRIFFIN

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PRODUCER SPONSORS

532017 SPONSORS |

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ANITA SANDEFUR

SCHEDULE SPONSORS

DIRECTOR SPONSORS

THE E. J. GRASSMANN TRUST

ADDITIONAL FUNDING PROVIDED BY

This program is supported in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly. CGA is a partner agency of the National Endowment of the Arts.

54 | 2017 SPONSORS

MEDIA PARTNERS

FRIENDS OF THE FESTIVAL

56 | 2017 MACON FILM FESTIVAL

2017 macon film festival macon film festival | 1 macon film festival board of directors executive...

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