Tampa Film Fan

gasparilla film festival news

*The Gasparilla Film Festival is now accepting submissions from filmmakers and is looking for sponsors and members. To submit your film, click here. (Thanks go to Guzzo brother #1 for letting me know about this.)

panjiba presents:the best films you’ve never seen

A dear friend sent me this link.  What a list!  I’m updating my Netflix list NOW.

casting call

Received via email:

Greetings Everyone,

I would like to take this time to announce this inaugural project. I will be producing a widescreen episodic television program designed for internet distribution (5 -10 minute segments). I will be writing and shooting the pilot episode, but subsequent episodes will be written and directed by others. I’m looking to have the pilot in the can by late October. Here’s a quick character breakdown-

Hero -  (25) History Grad student. (think extreme/modern/young Indiana Jones)  

Reflection/Herald -  (50) Retired history professor. Hangs out in the library. Eccentric. (think Dr Emmett Brown but Scottish)

Reflection - (22) Aspiring filmmaker. He loves excitement but is too timid to live the life of adventure.

Reflection -  (22) The spunky girlfriend. Enough said.

Villain -  (23) Blames the Hero for his brother’s death. Spoiled little rich boy.

At this time I am in need of writers, directors and actors for these key roles. If interested, please email resumes and headshots to MBeazel(at)Tampabay.rr.com. Compensation will be in points and exposure.   

film fan finding:the covenant

Oh, Renny Harlin has sunk to new lows with The Covenant, a mediocre tale of male witches in a preppy Conneticut high school. The four “sons of Ipwich” — descendents of witches killed in the Salem witch trials — gained partial power on their 13th birthdays and will “ascend” to full witchiness on their 18th birthdays.  Caleb, the alpha dog of the foursome (and the best groomed), is turning 18 in only a few days.  He’s got a great life: new girlfriend, lots of money, good friends, swimming championship at school, and a heck of a lot of power coming to him when he ascends. Then Caleb befriends the new guy at school and trouble breaks out in Witchville.

The Covenant gets points for originality for comparing the use of witch power to drug use.  “Using” too often is addictive, seductive and detrimental to the human body.  The movie loses lots of points, however, for being predictable, silly and weak.

Film Fan Finding: C+

film fan finding:little miss sunshine

Little Miss Sunshine is hilariously disturbing.  Or disturbingly hilarious.  I’m not sure which.  An extremely dysfunctional family takes a road trip and encounters all sorts of problems along the way.  The characters:  the overly-positive, failed motivational author father (Greg Kinnear); the kind, slightly ditzy and overwhelmed mother (Toni Collette); the gay, suicidal, depressed, unemployed uncle (Steve Carell); the obscene, foul-mouthed grandfather (Alan Arkin); the angry, silent teenage son (Paul Dano); and the so-ugly-she’s-cute, beauty pageant contestant daughter (Abigail Breslin). The road trip: the daughter needs to get to the Little Miss Sunshine pageant by the registration deadline, they don’t have enought money to fly, and because certain family members can’t be left alone, the whole family has to travel together in a beat-up VW van.

When leaving the theater, I couldn’t decide if this movie was offensive or motivational.  Was Little Miss Sunshine offensive because of the foul language, unpleasant characters and the fact that the talent contest scene, while funny, really wasn’t something to laugh about, once you thought about it?  Or was it motivational because at its core, Little Miss Sunshine is about the bonds of family — how no matter what else happens, your family is there for you?

All I know is that I have never laughed out loud in a theater as much as I did in this movie.

Film Fan Finding: A

advanced screening of the end is blossoming

1 Day Films and Guzzo brothers 1 and 2 are hosting an advanced screening of their new film The End is Blossoming on October 20 at 7 p.m. at Channelside Cinemas.  All event proceeds will benefit the Gasparilla Film Festival.

At 7 p.m. there will be a “Mix and Mingle” with filmmakers Pete and Paul Guzzo.  The movie will be screened at 8 p.m. and will be followed by a discussion and Q&A session.  Following the discussion, the TECO streetcar will be available to take patrons to the after party, which begins at 10 p.m. at the original Cuban Club in Ybor City.

Admission to the film ONLY is $10 in advance and $12 at the door.  Admission to the film, a ride on the streetcar and admission to the after party (which includes an open bar and free hor d’oveuvres) is $45 in advance and $50 at the door.  Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Channelside Cinemas box office.

Here’s the description of The End is Blossoming from the press release:

In 1942, a Sicilian mobster from New York City moves to Ybor City to take control of the illegal lottery, bolita, from Ybor gangster Charlie Wall.  With him, the Sicilian mobster brings his beautiful indentured servant.  A local bartender falls in love with the indentured servant and promises to do all he can to free her from the mobster’s grasp.

This film is the first in a series of fourteen fictional films called The Ghosts of Ybor City, which will tell the stories of old Ybor City during the mafia wars of 1942 to 1945. Visit http://www.yborghosts.com/ to view a trailer.

The Gasparilla Film Festival, which will be held February 28–March 4, 2007, seeks “to create a unique film showcase that has lasting and cultural impact on the Tampa Bay community and the film community at large.  The competitive 5-day festival will celebrate and showcase more than 40 films of all types — features, documentaries, shorts, comedies, music videos, thrillers, and those with a Latin beat.”

For more info, visit http://www.gasparillafilmfestival.com/ or call 813-514-9962.

(cross-posted at Sticks of Fire and Flicks on Fairbanks)

spotflix.com

Received via email:

We would like to introduce www.spotflix.com BETA VERSION

The Revolutionary Technology for Independent Film Distribution and Networking

SPOTFLIX

Flicks on the SPOT

Offering novelty to the independent film community, Spot Flix is the first organization of its kind to simultaneously present instant access to an international array of previously unseen films, provide a filmmaker’s forum for networking opportunities, enlighten with continuous industry and festival news flow, and materialize a platform to showcase the projects and production companies of a worldwide independent film community.

We invite you to join our network today.

Thanks,

Spotflix Administrator

Visit http://www.spotflix.com/ for more info.

(cross-posted at Flicks on Fairbanks)

indie film panel in orlando on september 23

The Governor’s Office of Film and Entertainment is sponsoring a panel on the state of indie film in Florida on September 23, at 11:30 a.m. at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.  The panel is free and open to the public.

Panel members include The Blair Witch Project producer Gregg Hale; screenwriter, producer, and director of the University of Miami’s Motion Picture Program Dr. Paul N. Lazarus, III; Miami Vice associate producer Wayne Morris; director, producer and Progra Chair of the Valencia Community College Film Production Technology Program Ralph Clemente; and director, producer and State Film Commissioner Paul Sirmons.

For more info, click here.

(cross-posted at Flicks on Fairbanks)

ironweed film club screening september 22

This Friday, September 22, the Ironweed Film Club is screening Genesis and Live From Shiva’s Dance Floor at 8 p.m. at Studio(at)620 in St. Pete.  General admission is $5.00; $3.00 for Studio(at)620 members.

Genesis is a mystical, beautiful look at the life cycles on Planet Earth. Live From Shiva’s Dance Floor is a roving philosophical exploration of New York City told by the city’s most famous “cruiser,” Timothy “Speed” Levitch. (from email)

Click here for more info.

4th annual national film challenge

Recieved via email:

Hello Filmmakers and Film Aficionados!

The time is here again for the 4th Annual National Film Challenge! The National Film Challenge (www.filmchallenge.org) is brought to you by KDHX Community Media and the creators of the 48 Hour Film Project ( www.48hourfilm.com ).

DID YOU MISS THE 48 HOUR FILM PROJECT THIS YEAR OR ARE YOU A GLUTTON FOR FILMMAKING PUNISHMENT?

The National Film Challenge is a chance for any filmmaker in any city to compete to make the Best Film in a weekend.  Similar to the 48HFP, filmmaking teams have just one weekend to make a short film. All creativity - writing, shooting, editing and adding a musical soundtrack - must occur beginning Friday evening at 7 p.m. on October 20, 2006 and ending Monday October 23, 2006.

On Friday, each team is emailed a genre for its film, and a character, prop and line of dialogue that must appear in each team’s movie. Then the film must be sent to National Film Challenge Headquarters with a postmark no later than Monday, October 23.

In the following weeks the top films (determined by a panel of judges) will be available for viewing (and voting!) on our website (www.filmchallenge.org).

There will be two big winners this year - The Judges Winner and The Audience Award Winner (determined by the online voting). Both films will screen with the 48 Hour Film Project City Winners at this year’s 48 Hour Film Project end of year event (TBD). In addition there will be cash prizes for the winning films!

HOW DO I SIGN UP MY TEAM?

Teams are accepted on a first come, first served basis. Register your team at www.filmchallenge.org. This is going to be the largest Film Challenge ever - 250 teams will be selected to compete this year!

EARLY BIRD ENTRY DEADLINE IS SEPTEMBER 20!!! The Early Bird Entry Fee is $110 if you register on or before September 20, 2006 and $125 if you register between September 21, 2006 and October 29, 2006. Teams can be anywhere from 1 person to 30 or more people.

Read all of the rules of the contest here:

www.filmchallenge.org/rules.htm

The first 50 teams to register will receive a free Best of the 2005 National Film Challenge DVD!

Do you have any questions about the National Film Challenge? Please check our FAQ and then use our Bulletin Board to post questions you need answered:

www.filmchallenge.org/faq.htm

The National Film Challenge is produced by KDHX, Community Media for Saint Louis, MO. www.kdhxtv.org and http://www.kdhx.org/

(cross-posted at Flicks on Fairbanks)