Zounds, Fellow Films Fans!

It's a brisk and breezy night here in South Central Kansas and the cat just dragged me in from an excellent party at Rock Island Studio. Naked City knows how to throw a bash. I'm tipsy on Ripcords, (ask our friends from Heavy Weather), have thoroughly enjoyed reentacting the "nest egg" scene from "Lost in America" with Denny Tedesco and am praying I've not been as obnoxious as I'm certain I've been.

Opening night was fan-damn-tastic. We sold out two theaters with the documentary inspired by Thomas Franks' "What's the Matter with Kansas?" The film was cool, but my favorite part was the Q&A after. It's always interesting to hear what motivates the filmmakers' choices, and besides, let's face it, Kansas is made up of a diverse population, and people who aren't from here aren't always aware of that. Lively conversation continued at the soiree until the last Ripcord was downed. It was a Stubbornly Independent way to kick off the 2008 festival!

On deck for Friday:

During daylight hours:
Free flicks for high school and middle school students at 4 p.m., 4:15 p.m. & 4:30 p.m. at the Warren Old Town. Plus cool movies for everyone all day long
Friday night: "The Wrecking Crew," Rainbow Around the Sun," "Who is KK Downey?" ...

Oh, hell ... just check out the website: www.tallgrassfilmfest.com

See you out there,
love&kisses,
Stella

Contact: Lela Meadow

              Enzyme Entertainment

              (773) 486-4201

              lela@enzymeent.com

2008 TALLGRASS FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS …NEW VENUES & RETURNING SPONSORS…GREENGRASS INITIATIVE… INCREASED CASH PRIZES…ALL NEW NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD…..KANSAS & HIGH SCHOOL FILMMAKERS SUBMIT FOR FREE!

WICHITA, KAN, March 5, 2008 - The Wichita Association for the Motion Picture Arts (WAMPA) and the Tallgrass Film Festival announced the call for submissions for the 2008 Tallgrass Film Festival to be held October 23-26 in Wichita, Kansas at the Warren Old Town Theatres and other downtown venues. Over the last five years, more than 18,000 local and regional attendees and over 150 filmmakers from Kansas and all over the world have enjoyed the Tallgrass Film Festival.

Now entering its sixth year, the Tallgrass Film Festival is dedicated to entertaining, educating and enlightening audiences in America’s Heartland by showcasing the very best of independent cinema, including domestic and foreign, documentary and narrative, short and feature length, GLBT, immigrant voices, environmental, animation and High School cinema.

In addition to screening the best independent films from around the country, the 2008 Tallgrass Film Festival will feature a number parties and events, including a gala party to be held at the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, and a "Welcome to Wichita" party for all of the filmmakers, featuring Mayor Carl Brewer on the BBQ. Other confirmed venues for October’s event include the 20^th Century Center, City Arts, and The Orpheum.  Confirmed Sponsors for include Warren Theaters, Integrated Media Group, Clear Channel Radio/Wichita, Stella Artois, Spangenberg Phillips Architecture, Greater Wichita Convention and Visitors Bureau, Wichita Downtown Development Corporation, WichitaTIX.com, KPTS, Cricket Communications, Specs, Classic Real Estate, and 360wichita.com.

Another addition to this year’s festival is the environmentally conscious GREENGRASS category, which will screen films pertaining to environmental issues. In an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, the festival will partner with environmentally friendly companies and organizations, to promote their messages.

WAMPA also announced that they have increased their cash awards: $1,000 will be given to the Audience Award Winning Feature Film, and $500 will be awarded to the Audience Award Winning Short Film.

Additionally, the Festival announced its recently revamped National Advisory Board, a group of entertainment industry influentials who are committed to supporting the Tallgrass Film Festival and the growth of independent film in Wichita. The new board members are:  Laura Lee Bahr (independent filmmaker & 2006 Ad Astra recipient), Ed Begley, Jr. (Actor/Environmental Activist & Entrepreneur), Gloria Campbell (Operations Director, FilmIndependent), Rick Dallago (Producer, Blue Crush, Turistas), Henry Deas (Director of Markets and Festivals, Variety), Les Eisner (Executive Vice President, The Lippin Group, KU Alumni), Vanessa Gilbert (Partner, TGMD Agency), Rachel Janowicz (Award-Winning Producer), Nancy Kennedy (Director of Development (Seattle International Film Festival), Don LaFontaine (Voiceover Actor, 2007 Ad Astra recipient), Holden Payne (Director of Operations, Seattle International Film Festival, Palm Springs Film Festival; Telluride Film Festival), Charles Prince (Entertainment Lawyer, Grubman, Indursky & Shire, PC), Rosylyn Rhee (Documentary Coordinator, Music Center of Los Angeles), Arnold Robinson (Publicist, Rogers & Cowan), David Schneiderman (Co-owner, Seismic Productions), and Kevin Willmott (Filmmaker and KU Film Professor).

Official festival selections are made by the local Tallgrass Film Festival Programming Committee, made up of Wichitans from all walks of life. Programmers work diligently throughout the year to tailor the film festival to the Wichita audiences who delight in diverse independent and international film programming.  Highlights from the 2007 festival included the ever-popular Timothy Gruver Spotlight on Kansas Filmmakers, presented by the Kansas Film Commission; the Joel Fein High School Shorts Program; the Audience Award winning feature film GIRLS ROCK!;  and the 2008 Oscar nominated short film I met the Walrus.

Founded in 2003 by the late Timothy Gruver, the Tallgrass Film Festival is a program of the Wichita Association for the Motion Picture Arts (WAMPA), a non-profit 501©3 arts organization dedicated to entertaining and enlightening audiences from America’s Heartland. Through the festival, the summertime Cinema Al Fresco Series, WAMPA Filmmaker Academy and Special Screenings, WAMPA spotlights the city’s venues, cultural attractions and artistic communities. WAMPA strives to foster the ever-growing, local filmmaking community, sparking a dialogue among filmmakers and enhancing artistic expression.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

The entry deadline for film submissions is July 20, 2008 with a late submission deadline of August 3, 2008. (Fee: Features  $50. Shorts $25/ Late Submission Fee: Features $100, Shorts $50).

The Early Bird Deadline offers reduced submission fees; however, films must be submitted by April 6, 2008, to qualify for the discount. (Fees: Features: $45 and Shorts: $20).

Entries must be submitted on either VHS or DVD (NTSC format) and will be screened in either 35 mm, DigiBeta, Beta SP, or DVD as a final presentation format. Entries should be sent to: 3337 East Central, Suite 107, 151, Wichita, KS, 67208. The 2007 Tallgrass Film Festival will screen approximately 15 features and 40 shorts. To submit a film, please visit www.withoutabox.com and follow official submission instructions.

Submissions from Kansas filmmakers, and high school filmmakers from around the country will not require a submission fee, however, all official submission forms must be filled out as usual at www.withoutabox.com and filmmakers must submit a valid Kansas address or a copy of a valid high school ID, respectively, to request the fee waiver.

4th ANNUAL WAMPA FILMMAKER ACADEMY
SETS SIGHTS ON NEXT CROP OF KANSAS FILMMAKERS

October 31, 2007, Wichita, KS- The Wichita Association for the Motion Picture Arts (WAMPA) announced that the fourth installment of its film production class will begin on November 13th, and will run for 4 weeks. From pre-production to post production, the class will divide students into groups and taught how to produce their own short film. Those short films will then be voted on over the summer, and will serve as the official trailers for the 2008 Tallgrass Film Festival, (October 23-26th, 2008). The short garnering the most votes will be screened before the Opening Night Film and as part of the Timothy Gruver Spotlight on Kansas Filmmakers.

"The "WAMPA Filmmaker Academy" has become an integral part of our mission, and success," said WAMPA Board President Dan Gray. "We're excited to have many new faces, of all ages, join the film class, and are proud of the work that our alumni have gone on to create." This year's Tallgrass Film Festival featured works by alumni Dave Riff, Erich Rumback and Del Torkelson.

The class will again be taught by taught by Mark Oldham of the Wichita based production company No Coast Media. Oldham is an award winning Director of Photography (2003 Daytime Emmy "While You Were Out, 2004 BAFTA {British Academy Award} "Four Minute Mile). He also directed the short films Chiropath, and All Down But Nine, both from the WAMPA Filmmaking class, which had their world premier in the Timothy Gruver Spotlight on Kansas Filmmakers in 2005 and 2006, respectively.

"The WAMPA class is full of the amount of hands on experience a learner chooses, and welcomes the new student as well as the more experienced," said 2006 class member Joyce Markley. Markley, from Wichita, was one of 32 students who participated in the production of All Down But Nine. "There is no question that the experience I gained through the WAMPA film class gave me the confidence and competence to make a no-budget film, and to send it to festivals," said Riff, who participated in the first WAMPA Filmmaking Class taught by Timothy Gruver in 2004, and whose short film Hush won an award at the Phoenix International Film Festival.

The class will meet for nine (9) sessions, every Tuesday and Thursday (excluding Thanksgiving). Enrollment fees for the filmmaking class are as follows: $200 early-enrollment. $250 day-of enrollment. For High School and College Students: $100 early-enrollment and $125 day-of enrollment. For more detailed information, and to enroll, please e-mail: moldham@mac.com, or visit www.tallgrassfilmfest.com.

AND THE AWARDS GO TO…


The 2007 Audience Award Winning Feature Film
and the winner of the $500 prize:
Girls Rock! Directed by Shane King and Arne Johnson

The 2007 Audience Award Winning Short Film
and the winner of the $100 prize:
The Date Directed by Andreas Hass

Both of these films will play together at the Warren Old Town Theatre
Sunday, October 21, 2007 at 4:15 pm

Thank you everyone for coming to the film festival and casting your ballots for the 2007 Audience Awards! It is incredible that the difference between the winning feature and the contender was only .235 point! Congratulations to all of our filmmakers and thank you to the audience that made it all happen. In our eyes you are, yes, all winners. Thank you all.

Audience Award Contenders are… (In alphabetical order):

(Please Note: Times on the original printed schedule's grid may differ)


Imprint
Directed by Michael Linn
Screening at the Warren Old Town Theatre
Sunday, October 21, 2007 at 4:00pm

Off the Grid: Life on the Mesa
Directed by Jeremy Stulberg and Randy Stulberg
Screening at the Warren Old Town Theatre
Sunday, October 21, 2007 at 11:45am

Outing Riley
Directed by Pete Jones
Screening at the 20th Century Center
Sunday, October 21, 2007 at 12:45pm
(please note: time different from original schedule grid)

River Ways
Directed by Colin Stryker
Screening at the Warren Old Town Theatre
Sunday, October 21, 2007 at 1:45pm

Twisted
Directed by Naomi Greenfield and Sara Taksler
Screening at the 20th Century Center
Sunday, October 21, 2007 at 11:00am

The Wichita Association for the Motion Picture Arts (WAMPA) and the Tallgrass Film Festival announced record attendance numbers for the 2007 Tallgrass Film Festival, held over the weekend at the Warren Theaters, 20th Century Center, Orpheum, Wichita Art Museum, Fisch Haus and other venues around town. Early calculations have this year's attendance at close to 4,850. Ten visiting filmmakers, in addition to more than 15 local and regional filmmakers, and Ad Astra Award recipient Don LaFontaine were all in attendance.
"We are thrilled that so many Wichitans supported the festival," said WAMPA Board President Dan Gray. "This year's amazingly diverse program of independent films, coupled with festival parties and events, attracted many new faces and many longtime supporters. Five years is a great accomplishment and plans are already underway for Tallgrass 6."
The Audience Award winning feature film was GIRLS ROCK! (www.girlsrockmovie.com), directed by Shane King, and Arne Johnson who attended the festival from Seattle, and was very excited and honored that the Tallgrass audience chose his film as their favorite. In addition, Johnson received a cash prize of $500, sponsored this year by Spangenberg Phillips Architecture. The Audience Award winning Short Film, THE DATE, received a cash prize of $100, and was directed by Andreas Haas. Audience Award contenders included IMPRINT, RIVER WAYS, OUTING RILEY, OFF THE GRID: LIFE ON THE MESA, and TWISTED: A BALLOONAMENTARY, which was sponsored by Wichita's own Pioneer Balloon Company, who provided balloons for the audience as they tried their hand at twisting a balloon dog, after the show.
Director Jeff Tamblyn, whose documentary KANSAS VS. DARWIN, opened the Tallgrass Film Festival with a gala screening at the Warren East Theaters, said "this weekend at the Tallgrass Film Festival in Wichita was like a great drea...this is the best festival I've attended so far as a filmmaker." Tamblyn is also a Kansas Filmmaker and lives in Kansas City.
Other festival highlights included the Saturday Night Ad Astra presentation, sponsored by Stella Artois, to the King of Movie Trailers, the charming DON LAFONTAINE, who was honored to receive the award and excited to visit Wichita for the first time. Saturday night's Midnight Screening at the Orpheum was well attended and included a costume contest, and like last year, The Timothy Gruver Spotlight on Kansas Filmmakers, presented by the Kansas Film Commission was an audience favorite and included a Q&A with many Kansas Filmmakers. The Joel Fein High School Shorts Program included a tribute to Fein, and a moving sentiment from his wife, Kelly Marshall Fein,

Take 5 at the 2007 Tallgrass Film Festival
October 19-21, 2007

Download thetallgrass schedule at www.tallgrassfilmfest.com

Please Note: Program Subject to change. Please check website regularly for updates.
Gala Screenings
Opening Night Gala
Kansas vs Darwin

Kansas Vs Darwin

USA, 2007, 86 min
Domestic Documentary Feature
Kansas Filmmaker

Directed By: Jeff Tamblyn

Screening on Friday, October 19 At 8:00 PM at The Warren East Theaters.

KANSAS VS. DARWIN is a smart, funny, feature-length documentary about the Kansas state school board hearings on evolution. The film features personal revealing interviews with all major players on both sides, and exclusive, multi-camera footage of the hearings. Far more than a political film, KANSAS VS. DARWIN skillfully weaves multiple themes into a gripping discussion, putting you face to face with, and inside the heads of these real life characters. Both challenging and entertaining, it's packed with fascinating personalities who will leave you in admiration and astonishment, embarrassment and exasperation, as they feverishly pursue their goals, sometimes stumbling over their own eagerness in the attempt to win the most important battle of their lives.


Saturday Night Gala: Ad Astra Award Gala
Stella Artois Presents: The Saturday Night Gala &
Ad Astra Award Presentation to Don LaFontaine

USA, 2007, 90min*
Special Presentation

Appearances: Don LaFontaine

Screening on Saturday, October 20 At 8:00 PM at The 20th Century Center.

Don LaFontaine, King of the Movie trailersYou may not know his face, but you hear his voice everyday. Don LaFontaine, The King of Movie Trailers, has voiced over 5,000 trailers, video games and commercials. He is considered to be one of the busiest actors in Hollywood, by the Screen Actor's Guild. Often credited with creating the modern movie trailer with his stock lines like "In A World", WAMPA & the Tallgrass Film Festival are honored to pay tribute to a man who is a true pioneer in the filmmaking industry. Join us for a tribute and Q&A with LaFontaine and meet the man whose voice has launched thousands of films.


Other Special Events
Special Midnight Shorts Program:
Gross, Dark, & Creepy short films
Take A Stab At It

Domestic and International Short Films
Costume Contest planned to precede screening.
(Break out your Halloween costumes early!)
Take a Stab at it Midnight Showing

Screening on Saturday, October 20 At 11:59 PM at The Orpheum Theater.

B.Z.P.C. 1
Die Flugbegleiterin (The Stewardess) 12
Droomtijd (Dreamtime) 20
Gay Zombie 20
Ghost of Sam Peckinpah 15
Shuteye Hotel 7
Songbird 6
The Saddest Boy in the World 14
Total minutes 95

The world can be a dark place. Especially at midnight. This selection of dark, creepy, gross, and campy films offer a place for us night owls to see short films that belong in the night. A young boy having the worst birthday of his life, a man awakes to find the ghost of a legendary filmmaker who forces him to take care of some unfinished business in Hollywood, Bill Plympton animates a hotel murder investigation, a boy is given a second chance to come out of the closet now that he is a brain hungry zombie, and other short films here prove that this program is definitely not appropriate for children or people with sensitive constitutions. (Which we promise is a good thing!)

Sunday Special Rock Screening with Live Music

Screaming Masterpieces
Gargandi Snilld

Iceland, 2006, 88 min
International Documentary Feature
Languages: English, Icelandic
Just Added!

Directed By: Ari Alexander, Ergis Magnússon
Producers: Sigurjon Sighvatsson, Ari Alexander Ergis Magnússon
Featuring: Björk, Sigur Rós , Múm , Bang Gang , Mugison, Minus, and Slowblow

Followed by Live Music (Bands TBA)

Screening on Sunday, October 21
7:30 PM at The Fisch Haus Studios.

What better way to end a kick ass weekend then with a rock infused film screening followed by some great live music? Screaming Masterpieces examines why Iceland has produced so much imaginative music. This ravishingly-shot documentary combines visual and sonic treats as it explores the tiny island nation at the top of the world, suffused with the towering presence of Björk. The film was two years in the making and takes the audience behind the scenes of Reyjavik's irrepressible musical underground. The creeping glaciers, barren highland sands and dark raging seas full of ghosts form a backdrop to the raw energy of the music.

Bjork SCREAMS!




Official Feature Selections

(listed in Alphabetical Order)
Behind Forgotten Eyes

USA, 2007, 76 min
International Documentary Feature
Languages: English, Korean, Japanese
Mid West Premiere

Directed By: Anthony Gilmore
Producers: Alex Ferrari, Anthony Gilmore
Cast: Yun-Jin Kim

Screening on Saturday, October 20
1:00 PM at the Howard Wooden Lecture Hall at the Wichita Art Museum



Behind Forgotten EyesBehind Forgotten Eyes examines the enduring legacy of this horrifying chapter of history in both Korea and Japan. As the first English-language film to tackle this volatile issue, Behind Forgotten Eyes aims to focus the world's attention on this unsettled aspect of Japan's colonial heritage and to educate an American public unfamiliar with East Asian history and modern society. Behind Forgotten Eyes combines first-hand accounts from both Korean women and Japanese soldiers who lived through the nightmare with the expert testimony of academics, social activists, and professionals from Japan, Korea, and the United States to offer a candid look into an issue that has been ignored for far too long. Time is running out for these women and their stories.
Blood on the Flat Track: Rise of the Rat City Roller Girls

USA, 2007, 94 min
Domestic Documentary Feature
Languages: English
Kansas Premiere

Directed By: Lacey Leavitt, Lainy Bagwell
Cast: The Rat City Roller Girls League

Screening on Saturday, October 20
4:45 PM at The Warren Old Town Theatre

Blood on the Flat trackThe sport of women's roller derby has made a huge comeback, now with more than 200 leagues nationwide. Blood on the Flat Track focuses on the Rat City Rollergirls of Seattle, who formed their league from scratch in April of 2004. In the first season, the league started playing at a small rink in front of about 200 fans; they now sell out venues of 1500-3000 monthly. This film follows the skaters throughout their first two seasons and focuses on the teams (Derby Liberation Front, Throttle Rockets, Sockit Wenches and Grave Danger), their struggle to win the championship bout and their relationships with each other.


Entry Level

USA, 2007, 85 min
Domestic Narrative Feature
Languages: English
Mid West Premiere

Directed By: Douglas Horn
Producers: Douglas Horn, Reuben Lim, Mark E. Lee, Ben Buffandeau
Cast: D.B. Sweeney, Missi Pyle, Kurtwood Smith, Taylor Negron, Cerdic Yarbrough, Lisa Ann Walter, Steve Ryan, Daniel Southworth

Screening on Saturday, October 20
4:30 PM at The Warren Old Town Theatre

Entry levelAfter losing his restaurant, chef CLAY MAGUIRE must start his career all over--at the bottom. Pushing forty with no 'corporate skill-set', Clay enters the world of the Unemployable Interviewees of America. He soon meets others--LIZ, who spent her youth traveling; BOB who's 64--too old for an administrative assistant and too young for a Wal-Mart greeter; and CHARLIE, whose job as a corporate hiring manager is so miserable that he only hires interviewees he hates. Spurred along by the total lack of encouragement by his job counselor SAM, the self-serving wisdom of his homeless buddy NICK, and the most bizarre series of job interviews imaginable, Clay and his fellow job-seekers strive for dignity, success, or at least a job at ENTRY LEVEL.
Girls Rock!

USA, 2007, 91 min
Domestic Documentary Feature
Languages: English

Directed By: Arne Johnson, Shane King
Producers: Arne Johnson
Cast: Carrie Brownstein, Beth Ditto

Screening on Saturday, October 20
11:00 AM at The 20th Century Center

Girls Rock!Each summer, Portland's Rock 'n' Roll Camp For Girls provides a place for girls ages 8–18 to sweat, scream and wail. This cranked-to-eleven documentary follows the dedicated counselors (including Sleater-Kinney's Carrie Brownstein and Beth Ditto from The Gossip), as they guide the girls through selecting their bands, learning instruments, writing songs, and finally performing in Portland clubs.
Imprint

USA, 2007, 87 min
Domestic Narrative Feature
Languages: English, Lakota
Mid West Premiere

Directed By: Michael Linn
Producers: Carolyn Linn, Chris Eyre
Cast: Tonantzin Carmelo, Carla-Rae Holland, Michael Spears, Cory Brusseau, Charlie White Buffalo

Screening on Saturday, October 20
5:00 PM at The Warren Old Town Theatre

ImprintShayla Stonefeather (Tonantzin Carmelo), a Native American attorney prosecuting a Lakota teen in a controversial murder trial, returns home to the reservation to visit her dying father. Strange visions and ghostly voices propel her on a journey she doesn't expect. Though Shayla initially rejects a spiritual explanation for her experiences, she begins to uncover what she believes is a link between the visions and her brother's disappearance two years earlier. Determined to get to the bottom of the mystery, Shayla deliberately confronts and follows the apparitions, leading her to a horrifying revelation and a purpose she could never have foreseen.
Khadak

Belgium, Mongolia, 2006, 110 min
International Narrative Feature
Languages: Mongolian
Mid West Premiere

Directed By: Peter Brosens, Jessica Woodworth
Producers: Heino Deckert
Principal Cast: Batzul Khayankhyarvaa, Dugarsuren Dagvadorj, Tsetsegee Byamba, Damchaa Banzar, Tserendarizav Dashnyam, Uuriintuya Enkhtaivan, Otgontogos Namsrai

Screening on Saturday, October 20
10:30 AM at the Howard Wooden Lecture Hall at the Wichita Art Museum



KhadakDisplaced from the frozen hills of Mongolia to high-rise apartments in a mining town, a family of nomadic sheep herders must adjust to modern city life. An artful exploration of the ongoing tensions between the past and the future, creation and destruction, and accepting or denying one's fate.
Off the Grid

USA, 2007, 70 min
Domestic Documentary Feature
Languages: English
Mid West Premiere

Directed By: Jeremy Stulberg, Randy Stulberg
Producers: Eric Juhola, Jeremy Stulberg, Randy Stulberg

Screening on Saturday, October 20
9:30 AM at The Warren Old Town Theatre

Off The GridLook out the window while you're driving through the Southwest. You'll see stark beauty, but you won't see the underground community living in the distance. The Mesa has no electricity, running water, or police. It draws a cross-section of Americans from veterans to old hippies and teenage runaways. They all live on the fringe in, the last part of America that is truly free, Anti-establishment beliefs are tested when rebel runaways called, nowhere kids‚ begin to steal from other residents. Mesa elders form a council. This self-imposed government is exactly what they have come to the Mesa to escape.
Outing Riley

USA, 2006, 86 min
Domestic Narrative Feature
Languages: English

Directed By: Pete Jones
Producers: Judd Nissen, Patrick Peach
Cast: Pete Jones, Nathan Fillion, Michael McDonald, Julie R. Pearl, Stoney Westmoreland, Steve Dahl, Jeff Garlin

Screening on Saturday, October 20
3:30 PM at The 20th Century Center

Outing Riley with Nathan FillionNobody knows Bobby Riley's secret; not his no-nonsense priest older brother, not his married-but-enjoys-online-porn brother, and not his fun-loving closest brother Luke (Nathan Fillion). When he finally decides to come out of the closet, Bobby breaks the shocking news to his brothers first, with unexpectedly hilarious results. There's just one problem... nobody believes him. This film is about the strength of family, friends, and love. Michael McDonald from "MadTV" plays his boyfriend Andy and SERENITY's Nathan Fillion plays his wise-cracking brother Luke. Also featuring Jeff Garlin ("Curb Your Enthusiasm"), Julie Pearl, Stoney Westmoreland, and Chicago radio personality Steve Dahl. OUTING RILEY is the second film from Chicago native, Pete Jones, winner of the first season of "Project Greenlight."
Red Without Blue

USA, 2006, 77 min
Domestic Documentary Feature
Languages: English

Directed By: Brooke Sebold, Benita Sills, Todd Sills
Producers: Brooke Sebold, Todd Sills, Benita Sills

Screening on Saturday, October 20
1:30 PM at The 20th Century Center

red without BlueA childhood of traumatizing experiences and surrounding issues of identity, gender, family, drugs, suicide and community are examined in this illuminating documentary about all-American identical twin brothers and best friends Mark and Alex, and how they became twin brother and sister Mark and Clair.

River WaysUSA, 2007, 89 min
Domestic Documentary Feature
Languages: English
Mid West Premiere

Directed By: Colin Stryker
Producers: Colin Stryker

Screening on Saturday, October 20
2:00 PM at The Warren Old Town Theatre

River WaysRiver Ways presents a collage of personal perspectives concerning the proposed removal of four dams on the Snake River in Eastern Washington. Environmental groups and fishing interests criticize the dams for their negative impact on salmon populations, but agricultural communities dependent on the dams oppose efforts to remove them. River Ways examines the lives of ordinary people whose futures depend on whether the dams come out or remain. Frank, a Native American fisherman, struggles to make ends meet in the face of dwindling salmon numbers. Ben, a family farmer in Washington, fears the effect of dam removal on his business. And Mark, a commercial fisherman, hangs on to an industry in economic decline. Other subjects include environmental activists, irrigators, sport fishermen, and salmon biologists.
Sweet Mud

Isreal, 2006, 97 min
International Narrative Feature
Languages: Hebrew
Kansas Premiere

Directed By: Dror Shaul
Producers: Sirocco Productions
Cast: Ronit Yudkevitch, Tomer Steinhof, Henri Garcin, Shai Avivi, Gal Zaid, Joseph Carmon, Pini Tavger, Sharon Zuckerman, Idit Zur, Danielle Kitzis, Rivka Neumann, Hila Ofer

Screening on Saturday, October 20
12:00 PM at The Warren Old Town Theatre

Sweet MudIn this dark yet comedic coming-of-age story, a boy enters his bar mitzvah year on a southern Israel kibbutz in the 1970s. Trying to reconcile the community's motto of equality with the reality that his mentally ill mother has been abandoned, he comes to learn that not every person fits into Utopia.
Ten Canoes

Australia, 2006, 92 min
International Narrative Feature
Languages: English, Ganalbingu
Kansas Premiere

Directed By: Rolf de Heer, Peter Djigirr
Producers: Rolf de Heer, Julie Ryan
Cast: Crusoe Kurddal, Jamie Gulpilil, David Gulpilil, Richard Birrinbirrin, Peter Minygululu, Frances Djulibing

Screening on Saturday, October 20
9:00 AM at The Warren Old Town Theatre

Ten canoesTen canoes, three wives and one hundred and fifty spears leads to… trouble. Mingygululu, fearing his younger brother has desires for one of his wives, relates a parable of lust, sorcery, gluttony and war from the distant past in hopes of instructing the younger man on the proper way to live.
The Memory Thief

USA, 2007, 94 min
Domestic Narrative Feature
Languages: English
Mid West Premiere

Directed By: Gil Kofman
Producers: Amy Ziering Kofman, Gil Kofman
Cast: Mark Webber, Rachel Miner

Screening on Saturday, October 20
2:30 PM at The Warren Old Town Theatre

The Memory ThiefTHE MEMORY THIEF is the story of Lukas - an aimless, young man in contemporary L.A. who buries thoughts of his own past in the humdrum routine of a tollbooth clerk. A chance encounter with a Holocaust survivor suddenly brings into focus a world and an identity he embraces with frightening intensity - the victimized Jews of World War II. As he begins to enthusiastically act out his newfound obsession, Lukas discovers that survivor's guilt isn't just for the Jews anymore. THE MEMORY THIEF is a mesmerizing, audacious psychological thriller in the tradition of TAXIDRIVER.
Twisted: A Balloonamentary

Presented by Pioneer Balloon Company

USA, 2007, 79 min
Domestic Documentary Feature
Languages: English
Kansas Premiere

Directed By: Naomi Greenfield, Sara Taksler
Producers: Sara Taksler, Naomi Greenfield
Cast: Don Caldwell, Jon Stewart, Laura Dakin, Sheree Brown-Rosner

Screening on Saturday, October 20
11:30 AM at The Warren Old Town Theatre

twisted a baloonamentary

A flying octopus. A Trojan horse. Two 100-foot-tall soccer players. All made out of balloons. These are just some of the masterful creations you will see as TWISTED: A Balloonamentary takes you right into the heart of Twist and Shout, one of the world's premier balloon twisting conventions. Exploring how eight balloon twisters' lives are dramatically changed by a little piece of latex, this hilarious and heartwarming documentary is about passion, salvation, love, death, race, religion, and a whole lot of balloons. With animation narrated by JON STEWART, TWISTED: A Balloonamentary is a story about people who discover that once you can make a balloon dog, you can do anything.

Short Film Program Selections

(Please note: films in programs not in order of screening)
The Kansas Film Commission Presents:
The Timothy Gruver Spotlight on Kansas Filmmakers

Local Short Films
A Momentary Lapse of Brilliance 12 min.
Dir. Rodrick Pocowachit, Wichita

All Down But Nine (WAMPA Filmmaker Academy project) 10 min.
Dir. Mark Oldham, Wichita

Broken Circle 20 min.
Dir. Aaron Sawyer, Independence

Oscar the Artistic Cat 10 min.
Dir. Paul Klusman, Wichita

Reuniting Greensburg 20 min.
Dir. Brian Schodorf, Wichita

Serenade 5 min.
Dir. Sarah Huslig, Lawrence

Trail End 26 min.
Dir. Shannon Keenan, Wichita





Screening on Sunday, October 21
At 3:30 PM at The 20th Century Center.

The Joel Fein High School Shorts Program
Domestic and International Short Films

Films made by high school students from Kansas, around the country, and world.
A Leaf Escaped 3 min.
Dir. Isidore Bethel, Atlanta, Georgia

Arcadia 10 min.
Dir. Katie Flynn, San Diego, California

B.Z.P.C 1 min.
Wee'land Bourne, Culver City, California

Coke Hungry 9 min.
Dir. Ien Chi, Seoul, South Korea

Muses 8 min.
Dir. Sahaiya Abudu. Los Angeles, California

New Perspective 3 min.
Dir. David Riff, Wichita, Kansas

Obsession 7 min.
Dir. Sophie Scott, Antibes, France

Price of Fuel 3 min.
Dir. Quinn Wilson, Normal, Illinois

Writers Block and Beyond 26 min
Dir. Keenan Mock, Manhattan, Kansas


In special recognition of the late Joel Fein, Wichita's own Emmy Award winner and Academy Award nominated Sound Editor (The Buddy Holly Story), the Tallgrass Film Festival will rename the high school filmmaker program in honor of Fein. "Joel was a mentor and a teacher to so many people, young and old, sharing his knowledge, experience and stories about the film industry, it seemed only fitting that we rename the high school program in honor of him, he was inspirational to many aspiring filmmakers." - Festival Director Lela Meadow.


Screening on Sunday, October 21 At 1:00 PM at The Warren Old Town Theatre.
Featurette Selections

Take a Chance
The Politics of Love
(two Western European perspectives about life and the pursuit of happiness)
The documentary Daddy's Love preceded by the narrative Shahram & Abbas...........
(Please find descriptions of each below.)

Screening on Saturday, October 20
3:30 AM at the Howard Wooden Lecture Hall at the Wichita Art Museum

Daddy's Love

USA, 2007, 50 min
International Documentary Featurette
Languages: English, Norwegian
US Premiere

Directed By: Mette Aakerholm
Producers: Brede Hovland, Tonje Louise Finne

Screening on Saturday, October 20
Time and Location To Be Announced shortly.

IDaddy's loven October 2006 Kenneth became a father. A single father. A 26 years old gay man, living in a small town in Norway, Kenneth found his solution in a surrogate mother from Kansas who agreed to carry his child. In this documentary we follow Kenneth during the weeks before the birth, on his journey to Wichita, Kansas, where his son is born, and then back to Norway, where his life as a single father begins. The movie raises many questions about societal feelings toward single fathers, surrogate parents, the idea of designer babies, what is natural, and sexual politics. This movie gives us a human view on the heated debate, about GLBT rights to adopt and the use of artificial insemination. Today none of this is legal in Norway. In the end this is not a political film, but rather a movie about the way we look at parenthood, and what it takes to be one.

Shahram and Abbas

The Netherlands, 2006, 37 min
International Narrative Featurette
Languages: Dutch, Farsi, English
Kansas Premiere

Directed By: Remy van Heugten

In Shahram and Abbas, two Iranian men, seeking asylum in the Netherlands, try increasing their odds of being granted entry by pretending to be gay. This causes some serious legal and personal repercussions, both severe and comedic.
"TAKE 5" Short Film Program Selections

(Please Note: films are not in order of screening, but rather in alphabetical order)

The 2007 Tallgrass Film Festival is proud to present some of the finest of this years international independent short films. Each program has an eclectic selection of shorts with interesting connections to one another. Enjoy.

Family Matters
A Little Give and Take
Family Reunion
19

Lebenswandel (See You at Home) 22

Little Brother 7

Lonely Lights, The Color of Lemons 16

Odi et Amo 12

Wigald 11

Total minutes
87





9:15 AM at The Warren Old Town Theatre

Someone once said that families are like fudge, mostly sweet with a few nuts. These short films are sure to leave a taste in your mouth after exposing you to families you may or may not relate to. Go through the troubles a German boy struggles with while his parents prepare for a divorce, or a girl who returns to Iceland for a family reunion which will challenge her assumptions of them, or siblings in Singapore left to their own devices when mom goes out on some errand, and many more. Like most family interactions, these films may be funny but are not recommended for children.

image 3

Love Interests
Take Heart
Alguma Coisa Assim (Something Like That) 15

Beckenrand (Poolside) 22

Gnist (Spark) 20

Mr. Right 15

Saturday Evening Newton, Sunday Morning Enmore 12

Wigald 14

The Date 16

Total minutes
92

11:45 AM at The Warren Old Town Theatre

Love isn't easy right? Hard to find, hard to keep, hard to survive. This selection of short films proves that and hints at why it is all worth it in the end. A lot can happen when a German man returns to Central Park in hopes of meeting a love twenty years unrequited, or two best friends run amok in the streets of Sao Paulo saying everything but what they should, or a woman waking up after a one night stand that may surprise her, and many other heart breaking and warming situations.

image 6

Truth vs Fiction
Take Another Look
I Met the Walrus 5

I'm Keith Hernandez 19

P.U.R.E. 12

Regarding Sarah 14

The Hunter 20

The Job 4

Truth About Tooth 10

Total minutes
84

2:15 PM at The Warren Old Town Theatre

Sometimes things are not the way they seem. This selection of short films introduces us the a new perspective on the tooth fairy, a different type of day laborers, the "real" story of the rise of a famous baseball player and his involvements with presidents and Eddie Money, and many other examinations of the gray area between Truth and Fiction.



Reagan and??

Filmmaker Lounge Screenings
Take a Break
Cocktail Party 11

Highway Amazon 12

Kali Ma 14

Recently Deceased 12

The Big Lie 13

More to be announced!


These film span the spectrum of genres and showcase some of the best of today's independent short films. A Tallgrass Film Festival All Access Pass is needed to admit entrance to enjoy these fine films.

Highway Amazon
Shorts Screening Before Features
Behind Forgotten Eyes (86 min.)
The World, Naked as a Jaybird 8

Entry Level (85 min.)
The Job 4

Girls Rock (90 min.)
When I Grow Up 7

Off the Grid, Life on the Mesa (70 min.)
Sensational City


Outing Riley (86 min.)
41 Sekunden (Seconds) 4

Sweet Mud (98 min.)
Drake 5



www.tallgrassfilmfest.com

Don't miss out on seeing some of the best in independent film! Get your tickets for this years Tallgrass Film Festival at WichitaTix in Century II, or online at https://www.wichitatix.com/

Hurry! They're going fast.

Ok,
Now that you're here, we need volunteers for the 2007 film festival. In exchange, you get free general admission tickets. There's lots to do, and even if you can't volunteer a lot of time, we would still love to have YOU help out! All the details are below!


Volunteer Meetings will be held

This Wed (Sept 19) and Thursday (Sept 20) night at 7pm at the Tallgrass Office. Contact the e-mail below for more info!

-Lee Whitman
Co-Producer Tallgrass Film Fest



2007 Tallgrass Film Festival Volunteers
Help make our Tallgrass grow


Tallgrass Film Festival volunteers receive:
• 2 tickets to regular screening events for every 2 hours of time volunteered
• Tallgrass 2006 t-shirt
• Access to Tallgrass Special Events (except Friday & Saturday Night Galas & Filmmaker Retreat)
• Encourage a friend to volunteer and receive 1 regular screening ticket per confirmed volunteer

Tallgrass Film Festival needs volunteers for:
• Ushers • Runners
• Ballot Counters/Box Office
• Marketing Team/Distribution
• Theater Managers
• Production Assistants
• Projection Room Assistants
• Print Trafficking Assistants
• Special Event Greeters/Bartenders (must be 21+)
• Special Event Production Set-up/Breakdown
• Visiting Filmmaker Hospitality/Drivers
Volunteer Position Descriptions

Ushers
Two people per theatre, per screening, ushers will be the backbone of information during screenings. They are responsible for getting people into and out of the theatres before and after screenings. They will hand out ballots before each screening, and must be sure to collect them all after each screening. They will also hold down the fort, so to speak. If there are any problems that arise, they should go straight to the Assistant Venue Managers and, if need be, the Venue Manager.

Runners
18+, with valid drivers license and car. Responsible for running errands, making deliveries and pickups, and other general activities. For anybody who has time during the day, Some Runner positions will start on Monday, Oct. 9.

Ballot Counters/Box Office
Ballot counters will be needed to make sure that the Audience Award ballots are properly counted and tallied on Saturday. These must be very detail oriented, trustworthy individuals. Box office personnel will function as Ticket Takers at off-Warren sites (Fisch Haus, Murdock Theatre, and Wichita Art Museum).

Marketing Team/Distribution
Week before festival, we need volunteers to take flyers, posters, and general marketing materials around Wichita to poster this city in preparation for the festival. This can be done in off-times.

Theater Managers
Venue managers for Fisch Haus (two back-to-back screenings), Wichita Art Museum, and possibly 1-2 backup. Venue Managers need to be extremely organized and know how to troubleshoot. Venue Managers will be in direct contact with Tyler.

Production Assistants
Assist in all aspects of festival production, from office work, to marketing. Gives you an overview of how it all works and comes together. Volunteer Positions begin as early as October 9.

Projection Room Assistants
Aid Projectionists, keeping an eye on run times and films as they are being screened. Will give volunteers a chance to learn the inner-workings of movie theater projection.

Print Trafficking Assistants
Print Trafficking assistants will work as runners and, possibly, projectionists at our off-Warren sites. They need to be tech savvy. They may run digibeta decks to different venues, prints to FedEx or different theaters. Truck-owners preferred.

Special Event Production Set-up/Breakdown
Primarily for parties, galas, and other special events, the Production Set-up and Breakdown team will work with Tom Mittlestadt, the Festival Production Designer, to put up art work, tables, chairs, etc., as well as help breakdown after parties. Volunteers who breakdown after the Opening Night party at the Murdock Theatre will get free entrance to the Saturday evening party at Rule Productions; and any volunteers who commit to breakdown after Saturday night will get free entrance to the Opening Night party. To be determined in advance. We need four or five on each night.

Special Event Greeters/Bartenders (must be 21+)
At the special events and parties, greeters will be stationed at every entrance and exit. Greeters need very good people skills. They may also act as intermissionaries between any guests that may cause trouble and the festival staff. While we do not see this happening, the possibility always remains. Need basic drink serving skills for bartending.

Visiting Filmmakers Hospitality/Drivers
Must have valid drivers license and clean driving record to serve as ambassadors of Wichita and the festival to the visiting filmmakers. Drivers will have scheduled pick-up and drop-off times, as well as be on-call for any filmmakers' transportation needs. Schedule needs will include late night and early morning hours. Non-drinkers preferred.

For questions contact the volunteer coordinator at:
volunteers@tallgrassfilmfest.com

August 11th, 2007 Wichita Association for the Motion Picture Arts in conjunction with the Augusta Historic Theater presents Tallgrass N Bluegrass, a night of fun, folk music, and film celebrating the U.S. Theatrical premiere and DVD release of the documentary film Won't Let the Angels Take You Away. The evening begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Augusta Historical Theater (523 State Street, Augusta, KS) with a screening of the film followed by a performance by the bluegrass band, Truckstop Honeymoon.

Won't Let the Angels Take You Away follows the journey of a husband and wife and their country/bluegrass band, Truckstop Honeymoon, as they return to their home in New Orleans post Hurricane Katrina to survey the damage. Utilizing the direct-cinema style, the film compassionately enters the lives of Mike West, Katie Euliss, and their daughters Sadie and Vega as they tour the American Midwest and the South - delighting audiences with their rambunctious music, sharp-tongued lyrics, and determination to survive. This feature documentary is a tale of family, community, music, and survival amidst the ruins of the most devastating storm of the century.

Truckstop Honeymoon, known for its music in Kansas, and world wide, will perform a 45 minute set of their work including songs from their new CD Diamonds in the Asphalt. Having appeared at international festivals including Woodford Folk Festival (Australia), Folkwoods Festival (Holland), Broadstairs Fold Week (England), Festival of the Sea (Scotland), Wakarusa (USA) and Tamsworth Country Music Festival (Austrialia) they bring to the stage a sense of energy and excitement that film goers won't want to miss. "We are extremely excited to premiere this film and to have its very subjects here to share their music with us immediately afterward," said Director of Programming, Shan Jabara. "This double bill will make it a very special opportunity for the community – in addition to great fun."

Tickets for the evening are $10 for general admission. In addition to general seating, event
goers can take the Unified Party Bus from Wichita to Augusta for $25 (which includes admission into
the film and concert). Event goers are invited to stop by The Anchor in Old Town before the bus
departs from the bar at 6:45 p.m. Limited refreshments will be provided on board the bus, and coolers
are allowed.

Tickets can be purchased at the door, or in advance at the Century II box office, online at www.wichitatix.com, or by phone (316) 219.4TIX. For more information on Truckstop Honeymoon or their music visit, www.truckstophoneymoon.com. To find out more about the Augusta Historic Theater visit www.augustahistorictheatre.com.

Confirmed Sponsors for the 2007 Tallgrass Film Festival include Warren Theaters, Rule Productions Studios, Clear Channel Radio/Wichita, Spangenberg Phillips Architecture, Greater Wichita Convention and Visitors Bureau, Digital Brand, Wichita Downtown Development Corporation, House of Schwan, Scholfield Honda, Cricket Communications, Sumo by Nambara, Kansas Film Commission Wichita Tix, and Aztec America.

Founded in 2003 by the late Timothy Gruver, the Tallgrass Film Festival is a program of the Wichita Association for the Motion Picture Arts (WAMPA), a non-profit 501©3 arts organization dedicated to entertaining and enlightening audiences from America's heartland by showcasing the very best in independent cinema, including foreign, documentary, experimental, retrospective and premiering films.

July 14th, 2007 the Wichita Association for the Motion Picture Arts in association with filmmaker Jake Euker proudly presents Tallgrass Presents: Urban Romance, New York City on Film. The informational lecture and film series will begin this Saturday (July 14th), and continue on through August 4th.

"New York City was where film was born," said Euker, "Through this educational opportunity students can learn how film transitioned from the streets of the city to the backlots of Los Angeles."

Lectures combined with film showings will highlight the four-week class. During the first week of the class students will learn how the film medium was born and how that medium lends itself to looking at New York's past. The second week of the class features the Hollywood pictures of the 30's and 40's and how the streets of New York were re-created on the backlots of Southern California. The third week focuses on filmmaking's return to the streets of New York City as well as the technological innovations that accompanied its return. During the fourth week the series wraps with a look at the 50's to present day and the love/hate relationship of the city's depiction on modern day film.

Tallgrass Presents: Urban Romance, New York City on Film will be held at the Wichita Art Museum lecture hall from 2pm - 4pm every Saturday from July 14th – August 4th. Tickets are priced at $5.00 a session.

Confirmed Sponsors for the 2007 Tallgrass Film Festival include Warren Theaters, Rule Productions Studios, Clear Channel Radio/Wichita, Spangenberg Phillips Architecture, Greater Wichita Convention and Visitors Bureau, Digital Brand, Wichita Downtown Development Corporation, House of Schwan, Scholfield Honda, Cricket Communications, Sumo by Nambara, Kansas Film Commission Wichita Tix, Cresthill Suites, and Aztec America.

Founded in 2003 by the late Timothy Gruver, the Tallgrass Film Festival is a program of the Wichita Association for the Motion Picture Arts (WAMPA), a non-profit 501©3 arts organization dedicated to entertaining and enlightening audiences from America's heartland by showcasing the very best in independent cinema, including foreign, documentary, experimental, retrospective and premiering films.