John Wildman

The Debut of Richard Paradise ‘s Boulder Environmental/ Nature/Outdoors Film Festival brought out the city’s heavyweights in the climate activism community

By John Wildman 7 years ago

Representatives and environmental activists from the city of Boulder, as well as experts from Ocean First, and Martina Halik from THIS MOUNTAIN LIFE came out to the Dairy Arts Center to add further depth to the conversation the films inspired. In fact, the panel discussion following the screening of Richard Sorkin’s CURRENT REVOLUTION was a passionate back-and-forth about the adoption and availability of solar power as well as the updating of electricity grids. (Then, ironically, the power actually did go out during the next screening, which validated a key discussion point made in the film and during the panel.)

Executive Director Melanie Addington leads 2019 Oxford Film Festival; Filmmaker Awards Red Carpet was nothing short of EPIC!

By John Wildman 7 years ago

In person, the Oxford Film Festival is a comfort zone, an oasis for filmmakers to connect with each other and see each other’s films and enjoy that shared camaraderie while bowling on opening night (literally) or hanging out at a longtime sponsor’s southern mansion, listening to each other and discussing topics during filmmaker panels that very much feel like personal “airing-out” sessions, and, of course, watching each other’s films.

Rose Troche, Jim Fall Tribute Award honorees at 2019 aGLIFF; join Breakthrough Award honoree in August

By John Wildman 7 years ago

aGLIFF Artistic Director Jim Brunzell, said, “Rose and Jim are wonderful filmmakers that are not simply responsible for some classic LGBTQ+ cinema like GO FISH and TRICK, but have also lent their considerable talents to television and virtual reality projects, too. Lisa has been a fixture at aGLIFF, not only with films she has directed, but with films and alongside filmmakers that she has helped steer toward greater heights via her vision. All three exemplify the best spirit of this creative community, supporting other artists even as they push themselves toward their best work.”

Founder Gregory Kallenberg Anncs 2019 Memphis Film Prize 10 Finalists who will compete for this year’s $10,000 Grand Prize

By John Wildman 7 years ago

“There are a number of amazing stories behind the scenes that go along with these projects – all shot in Memphis and Shelby County,” said David Merrill, the Memphis Prize Filmmaker Liaison. “That said, with the passion and power of these amazing films, we know this is going to be the best Memphis Film Prize Festival we’ve ever had.”

Ben Masters’ THE RIVER AND THE WALL Opens The Boulder Environmental/Nature/Outdoors Film Festival announces film lineup for brand new fest’s debut in July

By John Wildman 7 years ago

This is our world and while these wonderful, insightful films can illustrate what is going on around us, and illuminate us all regarding both the world’s beauty, majesty, frailty, and our place in it, we think it’s vital to be an active participant in that world. Therefore, the Boulder E/N/O FF will also feature panel discussions and conversations with the filmmakers, their subjects, and experts to give our audiences an opportunity to use the films as launch points to learn more and talk about what they have just witnessed on the big screen.”

ON THE LINE director Tina Takemoto highlighted among photo call at The 2019 Chicago Underground Film Festival PHOTO GALLERY

By John Wildman 7 years ago

For three decades, the Chicago Underground Film Festival, has been just that – underground. Critically-accliamed but eschewing the pomp and circumstance trappings of film festivals like red carpets and overt press attention. However, this year CUFF decided to see if they could balance being “underground” and not be quite as “under-the-radar” when it came to the attention and recognition given to its attending filmmakers.

FILMS GONE WILD: 10 Film Festival Programmers to Watch

By John Wildman 7 years ago

In the meantime, now that I have probably exhausted everyone’s patience by blathering on and ranting like an old man carrying a crumpled paper bag and out of date newspaper outside a deli, here is a quick list of ten people that I work with and for that I would suggest filmmakers, film industry types, and people reading the movie industry tea leaves SHOULD be paying attention to:

Adam Khalil and Bayley Sweitzer’s EMPTY METAL Opens Chicago Underground Film Festival with a “provocative” lineup for its 26th edition

By John Wildman 7 years ago

The Chicago Underground Film Festival, today announced the lineup for its 26th edition, taking place on June 5-9. Known for featuring an international slate of innovative, exciting and provocative films and videos, CUFF bookends this year’s film festival with two films that epitomize those three words. Adam Khalil and Bayley Sweitzer’s EMPTY METAL will screen as the Opening Night selection on Wednesday, June 5, and Nicole Brending’s DOLLHOUSE: THE ERADICATION OF FEMALE SUBJECTIVITY FROM AMERICAN POPULAR CULTURE is the Closing Night selection