Tampa Film Fan

this is the only time i can use “sicko” and “dawn morgan” in the same post

Film fan, filmmaker, blogger, Creative Loafing freelancer and all around good gal Dawn Morgan got a sneak peek of Michael Moore’s new film SiCKO in Sarasota last week. You can listen to her post-movie podcast here.  Don’t forget to check out Morgan’s cover story and her interview with Sick:The Untold Story of America’s Health Care Crisis — and the People Who Pay the Price author Jonathan Cohn.

tv writer robert vincent wright has died

Television writer, story editor and producer Robert Vincent Wright (Maverick, Lost in Space, Little House on the Prairie) died June 17 at age of 88.

ft. lauderdale international film fest accepting entries

A Ft. Lauderdale film fan sent me this info in case any local filmmakers are interested:

CALL FOR FILM ENTRY for the 22nd Annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival

The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF) is now accepting entries for its 22nd Annual Film Festival to be held October 19-November 11, 2007 at venues throughout Fort Lauderdale. World-wide travelers, media, film idustry representatives, plus over 100 filmmakers and celebrities from around the globe attend FLIFF’s film presentations, seminars and post-film parties and gatherings.

FLIFF accepts entries from professional, collegiate, and high school filmmakers. Florida filmmakers should apply as professionals, with all film students applying within the collegiate or high school categories.

Professional Submission — Feature, Documentary, Short, Animation, Experimental, Florida-made, Children’s
Early Deadline: July 1, 2007
Final Deadline: August 1, 2007
Withoutabox Extended Deadline: August 21, 2007

Collegiate Submissions — Narrative (20 min or longer), Short (under 20 min), Documentary, Animation
Early Deadline: July 1, 2007
Final Deadline: September 1, 2007
Withoutabox Extended Deadline: September 30, 2007

High School Film Competition (entries should be no longer than 5 minutes; however, we will accept some exceptions) — Short, Documentary, Music Video, Experimental/Animation, Public Service Announcement
Early Deadline: July 1, 2007
Final Deadline: September 1, 2007 (film listed in program if received by this date)
Withoutabox Extended Deadline: September 30, 2007 

The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF) features independent and foreign films and film events year-round at their charming 200-seat art theatre, Cinema Paradiso. However, once every year, they hold one of the “Top Destination Film Festivals” (per MovieMaker Magazine). The fest is one of the most well respected in the film industry, one of Florida’s longest established film festivals (now in its 22nd year), and the world’s longest-running film festival (according to the Guiness Book of World Records). FLIFF is also known by filmmakers as one of the most friendly fests around.

FLIFF is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to showcasing independent and foreign film and a wide variety of cultural events to South Florida.  Sponsors include: Broward County, Greater Fort Lauderdale, Florida Arts and Culture, National Endowment for the Arts, Film Florida, City of Fort Lauderdale, Steve Savor, Gallery One Fort Lauderdale and many more. For a complete list visit http://www.fliff.com/sponsorship.asp

For details and to download an application, visit http://www.fliff.com/submission.asp or call 954-525-3456, ext 101.

(Thanks go to Jan for sending this to me.)

winners of the 48 hour film project 2007 tampa

The list of winning 2007 films is finally posted on the 48 Hour Film Project Tampa website:

And the winners are:

• BEST FILM – Unspeakable
• BEST DIRECTING - Unspeakable
• BEST WRITING - Unspeakable
• BEST EDITING - Unspeakable
• BEST ACTING - Unspeakable
• BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY - Unspeakable
• BEST SOUND DESIGN - Unspeakable
• BEST USE OF CHARACTER (Megan or Pete Van Gibb) - Last Chance
• BEST USE OF PROP (salt and pepper shakers) - Last Minute Gift
• BEST USE OF LINE OF DIALOGUE (”I Don’t Know What His Deal Is”) - Versus
• BEST GRAPHICS - Last Chance
• BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS - Tough Beat
• BEST MUSICAL SCORE - NecroZombie Robot Marriage
• BEST CHOREOGRAPHY - NecroZombie Robot Marriage

The audience favorites:

• Unspeakable
• Super Hero Hotline
• NecroZombie Robot Marriage
• Versus

Congratulations to all the winners.  For photos and more info, click here.

rod serling died 31 years ago today

Rod Serling
December 25, 1924 — June 28, 1975
Lakeview Cemetery, Interlaken, NY

Rod Serling was a gifted script-writer who gravitated toward social commentary but found that corporate sponsors were loathe to underwrite anything that might create controversy.  Realizing advertisers would approve scripts that took place in a fictitious world, Rod developed The Twilight Zone whose out-of-this-world format lent him license to skewer innumerable previously untouchable topics such as bigotry, aging, capital punishment, and sexism.

     —-from my 365 Days of Fitting Ends and Final Resting Places desk calendar

st. pete ironweed film club june 27

Received via email:

The St. Pete Ironweed Film Club is presenting:Blue Vinyl (2002, 98 min).

Visit www.thestudioat620.com for more info.

actress anna minot warren has died

Broadway, TV and film actress Anna Minot Warren (As The World Turns, Condition Red) died June 2 at age 89.

news and notes:free tickets at steve persall’s blog, upcoming films from picturehouse, local movie 100 tears

• The St. Pete Times’ film critic Steve Persall might have some movie tickets to give away on his blog Reeling in the Years. I love free stuff, but I LUV free movie tickets!
• Received via email: La Vie en Rose (opening at the Tampa Theatre June 29) is released by Picturehouse, the theatrical motion picture company that produces, acquires and releases feature films, and has brought to the screen some of our favorite films including A Prairie Home Companion, Pan’s Labyrinth, and Gracie. This summer, from Picturehouse, you can look forward to El Cantante, a music-infused biography of Puerto Rican, salsa pioneer Hector Lavoe, starring Jennifer Lopez and her husband, Marc Anthony; and Rocket Science, the first narrative film from Jeffrey Blitz (Spellbound) which premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival where it received rave reviews and won the Directing Prize and many more. For more information about upcoming releases visit www.picturehouse.com.
• Congratulations to local filmmakers Marcus Koch and Joe Davison for the recent press attention their new movie 100 Tears recently received in the Tampa Tribune. I wasn’t able to attend the movie’s premiere at Channelside Cinemas this past weekend, but I heard that the turnout was good and the film was well received.

can’t stop the serenity tomorrow

The annual charity screening of the film Serenity is happening tomorrow, June 24, at noon at the Beach Theatre in St. Pete. Received via email:

You can buy tickets in advance at www.cantstoptheserenity.com/tampa for $10, or you can buy them at the door for $12. Buying in advance is great because then we can get a basic head count and you can be guaranteed a ticket. We’ll also have a raffle and we’ll be selling official shirts and posters.

Proceeds benefit the human rights organization Equality Now. Click here to learn more.

casting call for the documentary the ghosts of ybor

Received via email:

Title: The Ghosts of Ybor: The Documentary
Production Company: 1 Day Films
Producers: Pete and Paul Guzzo

If interested, email your head shots and resumes to tooprod(at)gmail.com and paulguzzo(at)hotmail.com.

Visit www.YborGhosts.com or www.GhostsofYbor.com to learn more about this film.