The Western Film History
Museum goes East

Authentic East Indian
Fundraising Dinner
by the Bhakta family.

Back by popular demand.

Wednesday 16th May.
6.00pm - 8.00pm

$5.00 under 12yrs
$10.00 adults

SHORT FILM FESTIVAL WINNERS ANNOUNCED

BEST PICTURE IN NARRATIVE ( A Tie) Melanie Levy -with 'My Name is Sydney"

&Directors, Peter Stamalelatos& Scott Ackerlund with 'The Sun don't Shine for Us'.

BEST PICTURE IN STUDENT FILM ; Sheena McCamm -"The darkness is close behind.'

BEST PICTURE IN DOCUMENTARY: GREG BALKIN - "A Salton Soul"

BEST PICTURE IN FOREIGN NARRATIVE: Griet Teck - "Still/Here"

BEST PICURE IN FOREIGN DOCUMENTARY - Michael Buckely - 'Nomad to Nobody"

BEST PICTURE ANIMATED FILM - Alicia Norman "Heart of Death"

Seven short films in six categories were honored this weekend with the closing of the Lone Pine Short Film Festival after four days of screenings at the Lone Pine Film History Museum. A total of 29 films were screened and winners in narrative, documentary, animated, collegiate, foreign narrative, and foreign documentary took home prizes.

Peter - Henry introducing a film whilst Chris Langley looks on

“The judges said there were several films in each category that were in tight competition. It wasn’t to the three total scores were combined that we had winners,” said Chris Langley, Executive Director of the Festival. In fact, scores in the narrative short were exactly the same so two prizes were awarded for that.

The two films were “My Name Is Sydney” and “Sun Don’t Shine For us.” The first film was an upbeat story of the challenges of raising a teenager who was diagnosed with severe autism. Melanie Levy directed the story and it came from the Stanford University Film/TV Program. The blurb for the film states, “A sixteen year old girl lives with Autism and the dynamics she depends on to communicate.” Sydney communicates through a board with the alphabet letters and she spells out words with her finger.

The second film, directed by Pete Stamatelatos, depicted a Greek family falling into dysfunction because of the drug addiction of one of their sons. The family has met nothing but disappointment since immigrating to the United States. “The film was graphic in nature and intense. It brought home the horrors of drug addiction plaguing our societies today, “ Langley stated.

“A Salton Soul” won the best documentary award. This film came from Dodge College, the film program at Chapman College, as did a few other entries. Set in the Salton Sea area, it focuses on one resident who has been living there since it was a mecca for visitors on a getaway in the desert. Biting irony points out the water issues facing the West as it reflects on marketing program voice overs from the past. Lack of water and the destruction of the water sources spell the slow death of this inland “sea.”

Startling in its visual beauty and chaotic images was “Heart of Death,” an animated film that won best picture in that category. Directed by Alicia Norman, the blurb in the program stated, “A Grecian interpretation of an erotic journey of lust, power and fate…hedonism.” The sound design and animated vision of the director created an erotic parable for the audience.

In the collegiate (or student category) the film bringing home the honors was “The Darkness is Close Behind.” From the American Film Institute (AFI), the film directed by Sheena McCann focused on methamphetamine production, and the violence and destruction it brings, particularly to rural America. McCann is in the AFI director’s program and the film showed her already deft hand in bringing the challenge of drugs in America to the screen. “I was glad to see so many women directors coming into the field.” Langley commented. “In the Fifties there were really few female directors, Ida Lupino working here in ‘The Hitchhiker’ for instance. That is changing now.”

The Festival had several entries from overseas and two winners were selected. The best foreign narrative was named “Still/Here” from Belgium. Directed by Griet Teck, the film tells the story of a “survivor of a serious car accident who recovers and struggles to find a a place in a world he no longer recognizes. From Canada comes “From Nomad To Nobody” directed by Michael Buckley. It won the best foreign documentary award. “How alienation and discrimination can affect an entire culture, regardless of skin color.” The documentary depicts the disappearing lives of Tibetan Nomads as China forces them into permanent settlements. As a way of life disappears, poverty and starvation affect the indigenous populations of Tibet who way of life depended on movements of people.

Two non-competitive entries were also screened. Director Judyth Greenburgh had a new series of very short films and the stars of one of the films “A Tap on the Floor” were present to see this “work in progress.” The star are Laurabell Hawbecker and Bob Kalloch. The Festival ended with an” In Memorium” showing of a film by Rod Schmidt, who died tragically in an RV fire in Lone Pine recently. His posthumous film focused on the petroglyphs of Swansea. He had hoped to participate in the film festival. His daughter Lisa and her daughter were present as were several local friends of Rod’s.

Actors in one of the films shown - Lurabell and Bob

“It was a great weekend for film fans,” Langley concluded, ”but next year we’ll have to work on developing our audience.” Festival Programming Director Pete Henry Schroeder was also at the entire Festival. Fresh from working with Ben Affleck on his new film “Argo,” Schroeder works from L.A. developing filmmakers submissions. He met the personnel at the Museum two years ago when he was there with his film “Gunslinger.” It was being shown at the Fall festival in Lone Pine and at the time the idea of another kind of film festival was born.

Magic Show fundraiser with David Steinhart.

Dan Hicks will present his new musical revue Kollege of Musical Knowledge for one night only at Lone Pine's "Concert in the Rock" series in the Alabama Hills. This show is the latest in a series of Dan Hicks-created musical productions that have paid homage to the Singing Cowboys, saluted the Folk Years and honored Swing Noir. Dan now pays tribute to the composers and artists he most admires including Duke Ellington, Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan, Richard Rodgers, Paul Simon and, of course, himself!

“Professor” Hicks will illuminate eager pupils to some music history as well as a variety of musical styles backed by his School's Out Orchestra and the Whiz Kids Singers. Just listen and learn! And, don’t be surprised if Dan’s very own Lickettes drop by as well as some other special guests to join him on some of those signature Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks tunes.

Dan Hicks unique songwriting and blend of styles, masterful folk-swing guitar playing, and unmistakable sense of humor have made him a cultural icon, landing Hicks on the cover of Rolling Stone twice and provoking Tom Waits to say, “Dan Hicks is fly, sly, wily and dry” while Elvis Costello proclaimed him “an American treasure.” The LA Weekly said, “Dan Hicks has plowed deep furrows  through some of the most fertile pop music territory known to man, and during it all has maintained both his own distinct, light yet emphatic touch and a pace that's always kept him more than a few steps ahead of his colleagues.