Waiting For a Train: Official Selection: Grace Film Festival

Waiting for a Train
USA

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Runtime: 20
Category: Love
Screen Date: January 31, 2015


Two people meet on the train station. Life is full of surprises. You never know, where you will meet your soulmate.

Director: Uladzimir Taukachou

Uladzimir Taukachou born and raised in the former Soviet Union and immigrated to the US from totalitarian Belarus in his twenties. An accomplished cinematographer specializing in scripted, documentary, short and feature films. He brings his unique vision to his work and problem solving having lived in two opposite systems communism and capitalism.

Director’s Statement

Along with idea of following your dream, your love, this short movie going deep into how much can you sacrifice for your love and be able to change your perspective about things

Portraits of Colorado - The Making of a Modern Symphony: Official Selection: Faith: Grace Film Festival

Portraits of Colorado - The Making of a Modern Symphony
USA

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Runtime: 59
Category: Faith
Screen Date: January 29, 2015




When Emmy-award winning composer Charles Denler was commissioned by the Colorado Symphony to write a modern symphony based on the beauty of the Colorado he immediately had a clear vision for where he wanted to go with the music.

A film-score composer by trade, this score would be inspired by images of towering snow capped mountains, morning sunrises of shimmering pinks and sunsets of peach and dark red...deep blue carpets of summer Columbines stretching across the massive mountain landscape and fall Aspens afire with gold and red...and the sounds of crashing waterfalls, the hoof beats of wild horses running the plains and the magical silence of a gentle snowfall. All this put to music. Richly performed by the respected Colorado Symphony and Chorus and conducted by Scott O’Neil, "Portraits of Colorado" is what Colorado sounds like.

Director: Steve Greisen

With filming experience in over forty countries of the world Steve understands his mission. From shooting projects in the jungles of Northern India, the killing fields of Cambodia, or pursuing great footage in the highlands of Africa, it’s always for the same purpose… to connect the viewer to a great story. Credits include The Mystery of The Ark of The Covenant, The Gentle Bear Man of Emo, The Master Designer - The Song, The Search for The Real Mt. Sinai (both narrated by John Rhys-Davies of Lord of the Rings & Indiana Jones fame), In The Hands of The Enemy – America Surrenders an Army ,and Journey of Hope- Walking With Hope Through Life’s Valleys featuring San Francisco Giants star pitcher Dave Dravecky, Incredible Creatures That Define Design. Steve currently lives in the mountains of Colorado.

Detective Detective Detective: Official Selection: Love: Grace Film Festival

Detective Detective Detective
USA

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Runtime: 1:25:00

Category: Love

Screening Date: January 31, 2015

A comedy about three estranged brothers playing detectives in a live action role-playing mystery game in the Alaskan wilderness.

Director: Justin Edwards

Justin is a storymaker in film, music, and e-books. He was born in Austin, Texas, and mostly grew up in Bowling Green, Ohio. He also lived in Brisbane, Australia, Washington D.C., and Nairobi, Kenya before settling in Los Angeles, where he attended the American Film Institute. His thesis film, "Come Back To Me," which he wrote, produced, and composed the music for, garnered Best Use of Music from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and was selected as a finalist for the BAFTA LA Best Student Film award. His first feature film, "Detective Detective Detective," is on the festivals circuit now. So far it has won Best Comedic Feature at Philadelphia Independent Film Festival, and was nominated for Best Feature Film, Best Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor at the FilmQuest Film Festival in Salt Lake City.

Director’s Statement

I grew up in a household of three brothers. I've always been fascinated with the dynamics present therein - the oldest, the middle, the baby. Each have their own unique experiences and points of view on what it means to "grow up."

Now that my brothers and I are all “adults,” there isn’t much of a breakdown between older and younger anymore. Today we’re just best friends that don’t see each other enough. I see them, sure, but separately. How often do all three of us get together at the same time? Maybe once a year if we’re lucky? I think that’s terrible.

So I wrote this movie (with one of my brothers) about this very thing getting out of hand. It’s not based on us, by any means (we love each other and stay in touch). It is built on the idea of brothers still needing to find time to play together, even as adults. Play is part of that sacred tradition of growing up. Play is holy. Play taught us to compete, work together, respect each other, how to fight, and ultimately, to forgive -- something we still need practice in today.

It doesn’t hurt that this film is also about detectives, mysteries, and puzzles - three of my favorite things! I would kill to have a week set up for my brothers like this one. Luckily, I get to vicariously live through my actors.

Our film was an absolute joy to make, and we hope you enjoy watching it and playing along with our brothers.

Thank you thank you thank you.

Stillbrave 100

Stillbrave 100

USA

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Runtime: 17:00 

Category: Hope

Screening Date: January 30, 2015

This documentary chronicles the remarkable lengths a Virginia man was willing to go to help children with cancer. First-time filmmaker Jay Korff follows Tom Mitchell, affectionately known as Tattoo Tom, during his attempt to finish a 100 mile trail race in which each mile is dedicated to a different child. This lush visual narrative explores in stark detail the human condition when faced with daunting physical and emotional challenges. This is not a "running" movie. It's a film about hope and selflessness in the wake of loss.

Director: Jay Korff

22-time Regional Emmy winner Jay Korff has been telling stories for nearly a quarter of a century as a television news reporter. For the last 11 years he's been with WJLA, the ABC affiliate in Washington DC. He's always wanted to delve into longer format work and hopes the message of selflessness in "The Stillbrave 100" inspires those who watch this gripping narrative. Jay is also a hands on director. He shot, wrote, edited and narrated his first documentary.

Director’s Statement

Go. Be. Do.

Life on the Line: Love: Official Selection: Grace Film Festival

Life on the Line   
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USA/Mexico
Language: English/Spanish
Runtime: 28:00
Category: Love
Screening Date: January 31, 2015


After fifteen years of living undocumented in the U.S., Vanessa Torrez finds herself stuck in Mexico when visiting her dying mother, and the entire Torrez family moves to Nogales, Sonora, committed to staying together. With teenage Kimberly crossing the border each day to go to school in the United States, her father, Rick, finds himself unemployed, stricken with Hepatitis C, and in dire need of a liver transplant. Meanwhile, Vanessa awaits the visa that will allow her to live in the U.S. with her American children if her husband dies. Told through the eyes of teenage Kimberly, Life on the Line illuminates the changing face of America through the story of this one family.

Director: Sally Rubin and Jen Gilomen

Jen Gilomen, Co-Director and Cinematographer, and Sally Rubin, Co-Director and Editor, are a lean filmmaking team. After working on numerous documentary and new media projects separately, they completed their first nationally-distributed documentary, “Deep Down,” in 2010. “Deep Down” was broadcast nationally on the PBS Series Independent Lens, screened in over 200 communities via ITVS’s Community Cinema program and other festivals, is distributed by ITVS and New Day Films, and participated in the U.S. State Department’s American Documentary Showcase program, reaching audiences from Kentucky to Belarus. “Deep Down” was a transmedia project employing deep online engagement strategies that included the Virtual Mine, an interactive virtual reality game funded by ITVS and MacArthur Foundation. “Deep Down” and the Virtual Mine garnered an Emmy nomination in the category of New Approaches to News and Documentary in 2011.

Director’s Statement

In directing "Life on the Line," we enjoyed learning about a topic that is totally relevant to our lives and to the lives of so many here in Los Angeles and San Francisco, where we're based. Los Angeles is 51% Latino, and both here and in Orange County we're not far from the border. We live in communities that are largely Mexican, Salvadorean, and Guatamalan, and learning first-hand about some of the issues that most affect these populations was extremely eye-opening. Getting to spend almost three years traveling off and on to the border region to delve into the lives of teens, and in particular teenage girls, was rewarding, educational, and fun.
We've now screened in several other states (and countries, including at the Mexico International Film Festival where we won an award), and the film has been well-received amongst a diverse set of audiences. Kids, in particular, resonate with the film, as do immigrant populations of a variety of backgrounds and nationalities. Anyone who comes from a mixed-culture or has a mixed identity (which includes the vast majority of Americans) tends to connect with the film.
As far as outreach, we are aiming to reach over 1 million people through our broadcast and outreach effort. We hope that the film, through its broadcast, reaches viewers who would not otherwise have seen the film, and ideally impacts people who previously felt no connection to the issue of immigration. Our goal with the film was to put a human face on a traditionally faceless issue; an issue that's divisive, that's in the news often more around policy and legislation rather than through an emphasis on the lives actually touched by these policies. Our film aims to put a name and a face to the abstract stories that one hears about immigration. So our hope us that viewers are affected by Kimberly and her story -- that they don't forget her.

Not Anymore: The Story of Revolution: Hope: Official Selection: Grace Film Festival

 
Not Anymore: The Story of Revolution
Syria/USA
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 Runtime: 14:29
Category: Hope
Screening Date: January 30, 2015

The story of the Syrian revolution as told through the experiences of two young Syrians, a male rebel fighter and a female journalist, as they fight an oppressive regime for the freedom of their people.

Directors

Matthew VanDyke none (this is my first film)

Writers

Matthew VanDyke none (this is my first film)

Producers

Matthew VanDyke none (this is my first film)
Nour Kelze none (this is my first film)

Key Cast

Nour Kelze, Omar Hattab (Mowya) none (this is their first film)

re÷belief: Love: Official Selection: Grace Film Festival

 

 
re÷belief
USA
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Runtime: 6:55
Category: Love
Screening Date: January 31, 2015

 "re÷belief", is a 3D Printed, hand crafted, zoetropic short-film that asks if recalling memories can break a cycle. A Graduate Student produced Thesis, completed for the MFA in Film and Animation Program at Rochester Institute of Technology's School of Film and Animation.

Director: Raymond McCarthy Bergeron

Raymond McCarthy Bergeron is a misplaced Vermonter, currently living in North Bethesda, Maryland, USA, who just completed his MFA in Film and Animation at the Rochester Institute of Technology in May 2014. Previously he was an employee of Champlain College from 2001 – 2010, where he started in the Information Systems Department, and in November of 2007 moved to the Emergent Media Center. With both a B.S. in Multimedia and Graphic Design and a B.S. in Computer Information Systems from Champlain College, he leverages both the creative and technical sides of his brain to solve problems. Recently, he completed a film for NASA Goddard Space Flight Center’s GPM Project titled Waterfalls, projected on Spherical screens globally, and completed his thesis film re÷belief, a mixed medium of 3D printing and handcrafted works. He also is a member of the IGDA, ASIFA East, and ACM.
Ray’s short films have had the privilege of being selected for screenings worldwide. Ray has garnished recognition from The 39th Student Academy Awards, College Television Awards, Adobe Design Achievement Awards, SIGGRAPH, mtvU and RIT’s School of Film and Animation Honor Show for four years in a row. In addition to his films, his photography has been on display in several galleries.
Ray continues developing and keeping his skills relevant as a freelance animation artist, designer, video editor, digital photographer, and computer & technical consultant. He loves learning through teaching and enjoys helping out others whenever he can. In his spare time, if there is any, he explores digital photography, 3D printing, programming, and, of course, 3D modeling and animation. He finally relaxes by spending time with his lovely wife, Corinn, and his crazy, lovable, fur-ball-of-a-cat Sam.

this* is what QUEER looks like: Love: Official Selection: Grace Film Festival

this* is what QUEER looks like
USA
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Runtime: 3:47
Category: Love
Screening Date: January 31, 2015


A film whose mission is to help dispel misconceptions of Queer people.


A film by Mian Bond-Carvin

Victory: Faith: Grace Film Festival: Official Selection

Victory
USA
Buy Tickets Runtime: 17:45
Category: Faith
Screening Date: January 29, 2015

 An inspirational documentary illustrating how the power of faith, hope and love triumphed over sexual abuse, depression, and homelessness in the lives of three community leaders.

 Director: Akintunde Sogunro

Akintunde Sogunro is an aspiring actor, writer and director who delights in the personal growth process and expression that is the arts. A fresh face in the performance world Akintunde received his BA from Southern Connecticut State University and has performed with several Regional Theaters including the Elm Shakespeare Company, Collective Consciousness Theater and the CT Free Shakespeare Company. He made his first Off Broadway debut in the role of ” Mado” in Benito Cereno directed by Woodie King Jr (2011)
He has most recently began branching out to produce his own original pieces including the hit one act ” My Life is in Your Hands” that debuted at the Trinity-on-Main Performing Arts Center to a sold out audience of 250 in June of 2012. Akintunde is currently completing the script and filming of the documentary film ” Victory", and then will be focused on publishing his children’s book, and releasing the pilot episode for his original television drama, ” The GA Project”. Akintunde is a native of Lagos, Nigeria and currently resides in New Britain, CT.

The Saxon New World: Faith: Grace Film Festival: Official Selection

The Saxon New World
USA
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Runtime: 32:00
Category: Faith
Screening Date: January 29, 2015

From the untold history of America’s largest early immigrations, this half-hour documentary tells the story of 19th-century Saxons who settled in rural Missouri. Unprepared for the harsh conditions of America in 1838, and dismayed by the scandal of their leader Martin Stephan, they persevered to sow the seeds for one of the world’s largest bodies of Lutheranism today (Missouri Synod Lutherans). From interviews with historians and curators, to archival pictures and centennial re-enactments, this documentary blends historical storytelling with the music of J.S. Bach, in a tribute to the living descendants of this epic migration.

Director: H. Paul Moon

H. Paul Moon is a filmmaker, composer and video artist. Through his production company Zen Violence Films, he profiles performing and visual artists who span boundaries from classical arts to new media technologies. He also creates experimental films in the tradition of wordless environmental cinema ranging from city symphonies to "Koyaanisqatsi."

Moon's debut film "El Toro" — an experimental work that explores connections between the ancient ritual of Spanish bullfights, and the passion of the Christ — won the Best of Show award of the 2010 Rosebud Film & Video Festival at Artisphere, and the Experimental Media Prize of the 2011 WPA Experimental Media Series at The Phillips Collection. Prior to "El Toro," Moon filmed the documentary "R. Luke DuBois: Running Out of Time," profiling a New York composer and visual artist who builds on notions of cultural and romantic memory, exploring how information can be time-manipulated for emotional impact. The documentary premiered at the 2011 DC Independent Film Festival, won the 2011 "Best Short Documentary" jury prize at the Chicago International Movies & Music Festival, won the 2011 "Silver Medal for Excellence in a Music Documentary" at the Park City Film Music Festival, and won the 2013 "Best Short Film" jury prize at the Reel Indie Film Fest in Toronto. Subsequently, Moon filmed the short documentary "Hamac Cazíim," about a punk band using music to maintain their indigenous heritage, which became an official selection at the Red Nation, Chicago International Movies & Music, and Ruby Mountain Film Festivals, the Native American Indian Film Festival of the Southeast, the Indianer Inuit: Das Nordamerika Filmfestival in Stuttgart, Germany, and XEPE AN CÖICOOS in Sonora, Mexico.

Moon later debuted "Time Crunch," a landscape/environmental film accompaniment to the same-named work for chamber orchestra by composer Jordan Kuspa, at the Smithsonian American Art Museum with the 21st Century Consort. "Time Crunch" became an official selection at the Ruby Mountain, James River Shorts, Chronos, and Park City Film Music Festivals. From the same series at the Smithsonian, he debuted an experimental work named "Simple Machines" with an original music score by R. Luke DuBois, which subsequently screened at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, and the Imagine Science Film Festival in New York City. Prolific in creating shorts, his newest other films are "LowerTown Paducah," a feature-length documentary about an artist relocation program in Kentucky, and "The Saxon New World," a half-hour documentary about 19th-century Saxons who settled in rural Missouri, from the untold history of America's earliest and largest immigrations. Projects still in production include a narrative short, and five feature-length documentaries: about the American composer Samuel Barber, cowboy poetry, Fluxus art, the Occupy movement, and the life of Whittaker Chambers — an espionage thriller.

Prior to his recent interest in filmmaking, Moon was a playwright and a composer of incidental music for theatre. He lives and works in the Washington, D.C. area, and manages online filmmaker communities at www.focuspulling.com and www.docofilm.com. He is the recipient of the Emergence award at Docs In Progress, where he teaches video editing as an Adobe Certified Expert (A.C.E.).
Samples are available through his online portfolio at www.zenviolence.com.

Butterflies: Love: Grace Film Festival: Official Selection

Butterflies
USA
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Category: Love
Screening Date: January 31, 2015


Inspired by true events, Butterflies is a teenage story about a cancer survivor who learns to live life to the fullest with a new friend who faces his own battle with Leukemia.

It is a compelling short film about teen-angst, love and loss surrounding Libby and Gavin, who have formed an unlikely friendship while both facing cancer head-on.

Director: Cayman Grant

An award winning filmmaker, Cayman Grant, started her filmmaking career about 10 years ago. Since then she has completed several projects with one of them earning her qualification and submission into the 2009 Academy® Awards under the “Live Action Short Film” category. Cayman's recent screenplay, The Landlord's Game was a semi-finalist in the Slamdance Screenplay Competition and the winner of the Emerging Screenwriter’s Screenplay Contest. A recent participant in the NBC Writers on the Verge Program, Cayman has sold her first series to CBS Studios and has directed a film coming out in early 2015 as part of the ESPN 30 for 30 Series titled Playing For The Mob. Her most recent film, Butterflies, will be hitting the film festival circuit this upcoming September, 2014. She recently shot another film, The Boy, which will debut at film festivals worldwide beginning January, 2015.

She is repped by Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and the Laurelmont Management Group (LMG).

www.caymangrant.com
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2300330/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
FILM AWARDS

* Qualified & submitted for 2009 Academy® Award consideration under the "Live Action Short Film" category. (His Good Will)

* Winner - "MOST INSPIRATIONAL SHORT FILM AWARD" at the Reel 2 Reel International Film Festival For Youth in Vancouver, BC. Canada 2009. (His Good Will)

* Best Film by an Emerging Director - Chicago International Children's Film Festival 2008. An Academy® qualifying film festival. (His Good Will)

* Winner - Gold Kahuna Award - Honolulu International Film Festival 2009. (His Good Will)

* Best Producer - West Hollywood Independent Film Festival 2008. (His Good Will)

* Best Cinematography - NYC Downtown Short Film Festival 2009. (His Good Will)

* Best Film Overall - Honorable Mention - 5th NYC Downtown Short Film Festival 2009. (His Good Will)

* Best Short From Away – Silver Wave Film Festival 2009. (His Good Will)

* Best Live Action Short Film at the El Festival Internacional de Cine para Niños (...y no tan Niños) 2009. (His Good Will)

* Nominated for Best Cinematography at the Feel Good Film Festival 2009. (His Good Will)

*Best Short Film – Silver Wave Film Festival 2007. (Soup Ladle)

*Best Comedy – 2nd place – Macon Film Festival 2008. (Soup Ladle)

*Best Short Film – Finalist – Rockport Film Festival 2008. (Soup Ladle)

WRITING AWARDS

* Winner - 2014 - Emerging Screenwriters Competition (Landlord's Game)

* Winner – 2013 – New York Screenplay Competition 2013 (Cigar Game)

* Top 8 – SlamDance Screenwriting Competition 2012 (Landlord’s Game)

* Semi-finalist – Blue Cat Screenplay Competition 2013 (Landlord’s Game)

* Finalist – Extreme Screenwriting Competition 2013 (Cigar Game)

* Semi-Finalist – Happy Writers Writing Competition (Landlord’s Game)

* Top 25 – SlamDance Screenplay Competition 2013 (Commitment)

* Quarter-Finalist – Fresh Voices Screenplay Competition (Landlord’s Game)

* Semi-Finalist – Table Read my Screenplay at Sundance 2013 (Landlord’s Game)

* Quarter-Finalist – Short Screenplay Competition 2011 (Commitment)

* Semi-Finalist – Bankable Screenplay Contest 2014 (Landlord’s Game)

Bragg N East: Faith: Grace Film Festival: Official Selection

Bragg N East
USA
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Runtime: 24:00
Category: Hope
Screening Date: January 30, 2015

Inspired by true events, a life shattering tragedy unites two former adversaries in search of answers: a police officer and a gang-member, both hardened by years of working the streets.

Bragg N East is a gritty, faith-oriented police drama about hopeless lives in inner-city Raleigh, North Carolina-and of the hope-filled vision of a local cop, Robert, whose inspired outreach of love changes the lives of many in that community-especially that of the gang member and drug dealer, Dae'Quan.
While the story line is fictional, it is inspired by true events and the experiences of Raleigh officer Robert Wagner, whose vision this film promotes and honors.

Director: Rob Underhill

ROB UNDERHILL is a film and TV director, producer, writer and editor. His films have screened at over 200 film festivals worldwide, including OAXACA (Mexico), SUNSCREEN (Academy-sponsored) and FESTIVAL DE CANNES (France), have received over 70 awards including for Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and have scored rave reviews from top film critics like Mark Bell of FILM THREAT and Anne Brodie of CRITICIZE THIS! Featured on the National Public Radio shows, THE STATE OF THINGS with Frank Stasio and THE STORY with Dick Gordon, Rob’s work is regularly subject in newspapers, radio, TV-news and more. In 2013, Carolina STYLE Magazine selected Rob as one of 25 Most Stylish People influencing positive change in the Carolinas. And he is a 2013 RAWards Indie Art Award recipient for Best Regional Filmmaker. His work has aired on the ASPiRE network and other national US and European TV outlets. Visit his website at www.RobUnderhill.com; *like* his facebook for updates at www.facebook.com/RobUnderhillProductions.

Pink Elephant: Love: Grace Film Festival: Official Selection

Pink Elephant
USA

Runtime: 3:11
Category: Love
Screening Date: January 31, 2015

Pink Elephant is about an enthusiastic photographer who, with a little help, overcomes obstacles, experiences love at first sight, and ultimately, finds happiness.

Director: Hunter Hopewell

Hunter Hopewell is an 18 year old, national award winning student filmmaker majoring in Film at the UNLV Honors college.

Director’s Statement

I originally got the idea for Pink Elephant when I was trying to get a photo of my dad next to an antique car at Disney World. Clueless people from around the world kept ruining the photo, and it was just ridiculous enough to make a great concept for a short film. Ironically, the Pink Elephant originated in Disney World during the '50s and now, guards the Diamond Inn Motel, one of the oldest, original buildings on the Las Vegas Strip. The Pink Elephant is right by the Fabulous Las Vegas sign and across the street from Mandalay Bay.

Lewd and Lascivious: Faith: Grace Film Festival: Official Selection

Lewd and Lascivious
US
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Runtime: 51
Category: Faith
Screening: January 29, 2015



Who would have guessed that the dawn of the gay and lesbian civil rights movement in San Francisco was jump-started by straight ministers at a dance? This little-known, yet pivotal event happened the first day of 1965, and it was an occasion like never before. For the first time, all the fledgling "homophile" organizations came together as one to put on a costume ball to publicly reveal their community in a thoroughly respectable, yet overtly political, and queerly fabulous fashion! The twist was, they were rallied by progressive straight ministers who had witnessed, firsthand, the brutal police violence against this community and they were determined to do something about it. So when the SFPD showed up to try and shut the party down, the results were explosively historic!

Director: Dr. Jallen Rix
Executive Producer, Chris Sinton, is a former senior director at Cisco Systems. Associate Producer, Susan Stryker, won an Emmy® for her film Screaming Queens; and many others.