This is a great looking festival. Going through the press release (below) I realized that based on what I had seen this was going to be one hell of a festival. If you're anywhere near Wichita you really want to try and go because with films like AMONG THE BELIEVERS, PERVERT PARK and SEA FOG you have a lot of great choices.
Below is the the press release for the festival. I've annotated it with links to the reviews of the films we've seen.
In all seriousness if you are near the festival go see something. The schedule and ticket information can be found here.
Wichita, KS (Thursday, September 24, 2015) – The 13th Annual Tallgrass Film Festival presented by Consolidated Equities Trust (October 14-18) today announced the full schedule for this year’s edition of the popular film festival which includes 203 films (54 features, 149 short films) representing 35 countries. Gala selections include the Opening Night choice of Adam and Aaron Nees’ comedy BAND OF ROBBERS and the Closing Night selection of Ian and Eshom Nelms’ comedy WAFFLE STREET, bookending Valerie Weiss’ A LIGHT BENEATH THEIR FEET which will screen as the Stubbornly Independent competition winner.
Actor/director and independent filmmaking stalwart, Mark Webber, will be honored with the presentation of the Tallgrass Film Festival’s Ad Astra Award as part of the Centerpiece Gala evening featuring a screening of his film, THE EVER AFTER. Moritz Rechenberg’s urban drama I AM GANGSTER and David Spaltro’s paranormal horror film IN THE DARK will make their World Premieres and the Wichita Bar Association will sponsor a special screening of the classic TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD to celebrate the release this year of Harper Lee’s new novel, “Go Set A Watchman”. Special interest sections include spotlights on Eastern Indian Cinema, Foodie Films, Environmental Films, Music, Late Night genre selections, LGBQT Films, Sports Films, Documentaries, a Spotlight on Kansas Filmmakers, Short Films, and the festival’s celebrated Stubbornly Independent competition.
Tallgrass Film Festival Executive Director Lela Meadow-Conner said, “This year’s selection of films truly offers something for everyone. From hilarious comedies to deeply affecting dramas to one of the most impressive lineups of documentaries we have ever had, Wichita has much to choose from this year. As always, we will celebrate the best in independent filmmaking and the Stubbornly Independent spirit behind the making of those films, but we will also celebrate some classics, and really offer our community the opportunity to view the world through another lens. It’s simply a great lineup of films.”
Director of Programming and Operations, Nick Pope added, “Honoring a filmmaker like Mark Webber, who truly embodies the best of what independent filmmaking can be, while attracting exciting world premieres as well as films that have made big splashes at major festivals around the world, sets the tone for this year’s edition of Tallgrass and only emphasizes our continued growth and reputation in the film festival community. We give Wichita's cinephiles and filmmaking community the opportunity to immerse themselves in unique and wonderful images on the screen while having the opportunity to meet many of the filmmakers who will be in town.”
Aaron and Adam Nee’s BAND OF ROBBERS screens as the Opening Night Gala selection on Wednesday, October 14 at the Wichita Orpheum Theater. Sponsored by Rick and Monica Nutt, the evening includes an afterparty at Union Station. The film is a comedic adventure that re-imagines Mark Twain's iconic literary characters of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer as grown men in current day. Petty criminal Huck Finn hopes to leave his criminal life behind when he is released from a stint in prison, but his lifelong friend, and corrupt cop, Tom Sawyer, has other plans. Not ready to give up on his childhood fantasies of wealth and adventure, Tom forms the "Band of Robbers," recruiting their misfit friends Joe Harper and Ben Rogers, to join them for an elaborate plan to find a fabled treasure. But the plan soon unravels, thrusting the guys on a wild journey with dangerous consequences. Aaron and Adam Nee (who also stars in the film) will be in attendance, as will co-star Stephen Lang, executive producer Noah Lang, and producer John Will.
The Closing Night Gala will feature Ian and Eshom Nelms’ comedy WAFFLE STREET on Sunday, October 18 at the Wichita Orpheum Theater. Sponsored by Hubris Communications, the afterparty is at Abode Venue. A rags-to-riches-to-rags tale, the film is an adaptation of James Adams' 2010 memoir of the same name, which chronicles the financier's foray into the food industry. After being laid off at the hedge fund where he worked, and further jaded by his culpability in the crisis, Adams chose to work at a popular 24-hour diner where he claims "most of his financial knowledge has been gleaned." Offering a fresh take on the fallout of corporate greed, Adams' is a tale of the redemption and unlikely friendship found under the tutelage of Edward (Danny Glover), the best short-order cook in town. Ian and Eshom Helms will attend the screening, along with star James Lafferty, co-writer/producer Autumn McAlpin and executive producer Brad Johnson.
The Centerpiece Gala will feature the presentation of the 2015 Ad Astra Award to Mark Webber and a screening of his film, THE EVER AFTER, about a married couple struggling to hold on to their marriage in the midst of a trauma, on Friday, October 16 at the Wichita Orpheum Theater. Sponsored by Steve Anderson, the afterparty will take place at the Pop Up Urban Park. Named for the Kansas State motto “Ad Astra Per Aspera,” or “To the stars through difficulty,” the honor is given to an individual who has dedicated their career to the pursuit of independent cinema. Webber - who spent part of his youth homeless and has gone on to become a renowned independent filmmaker - is the epitome of this sentiment. Unafraid to break with Hollywood convention, Webber has built an a body of work, both in front of and behind the camera, that challenges and entertains audiences. As an actor, his credits include SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD, GOOD DICK, LAGGIES, HAPPY CHRISTMAS, UNCANNY, and THE GREEN ROOM, as well as a starring role in the Independent Spirit Award-nominated BOMB THE SYSTEM, which was selected as the Opening Night Film at the first Tallgrass Film Festival in 2003. His writing, directing and producing credits include THE END OF LOVE, THE EVER AFTER, which he wrote with his wife, actress Teresa Palmer, and the forthcoming FLESH AND BLOOD.
The winner of the Stubbornly Independent competition, Valerie Weiss’s A LIGHT BENEATH THEIR FEET will screen on Saturday, October 17 at the Wichita Orpheum Theater. Sponsored by Vimeo, the afterparty will take place at the Emprise Bank Parking Garage. In this character-driven coming of age story, high school senior Beth struggles to decide whether to stay local for college where she can continue to be the stabilizing force in her bipolar mother's life, or go to her dream college across the country. She vents her inner turmoil on her father who, unable to endure the mother's mental illness, has moved on and begun a new family. Beth seeks distraction from her problems in a new boyfriend whose troubled past allows him to empathize with her situation. However, the family's secrets are exposed when a jealous classmate seeks to reclaim the boyfriend's affections. Weiss and producer Jeffrey Loeb are scheduled to attend the screening.
Additional highlights include a Thursday Night Spotlight on October 15 featuring Justin Johnson’s DOUBLE DIGITS: THE STORY OF A NEIGHBORHOOD MOVIE STAR about local Wichita You Tube sensation, Richard ‘R.G.’ Miller, who has made a name for himself churning out self-styled Hollywood-type productions from his tiny studio apartment, as well as the World Premiere of Spaltro’s haunting thriller, IN THE DARK about a grad student and paranormal specialist who investigate a Brooklyn family home besieged by evil spirits. The directors of both films will be in attendance as well as Richard ‘R.G.’ Miller from DOUBLE DIGITS and Fiona Horrigan from IN THE DARK.
A Spotlight on Eastern Indian Cinema, sponsored by Ulrich Museum of Art in conjunction with their current exhibit, "Postdate: Photography and Inherited History in India," includes a couple of classics - Satyajit Ray’s THE CHESS PLAYERS (1977) and Mira Nair’s SALAAM BOMBAY! (1988), as well as Geeta and Ravi Patel’s real-life comedy, MEET THE PATELS (2014). VIP Passholders will also be invited to a special afternoon filled with the cultural influences of ancient and modern India in art, music, food, and dance. The “Postdate” exhibit at the Ulrich Museum of Art runs through December 13th. Tallgrass will also feature some recent critical hits to come out of Sundance (Sean Baker’s TANGERINE, Robert Gordon and Morgan Neville’s BEST OF ENEMIES, Matt Sobel’s TAKE ME TO THE RIVER), and Cannes (Kent Jones’ HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT).
The festival also offers an extensive and eclectic group of documentary films, highlighted on “Doc Day” (Thursday, October 15) which offers free admission for active military and veterans, courtesy of Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Fugate Enterprises. There will also be a private in-school screening of Abigail Fuller and Sarah Ivy’s DO YOU DREAM IN COLOR?, a look at the coming-of-age of four blind high school students - for USD259 students at East High School with the filmmakers in attendance.
Among the other documentaries set for this year’s Tallgrass Film Festival are; Steven Loring’s THE AGE OF LOVE, about speed dating for senior citizens; Hemal Trivedi and Mohammed Naqvi’s AMONG THE BELIEVERS, about the radical Islamic Red Mosque in Pakistan; Frank Ferendo and Jordan Horowitz’s ANGEL OF NANJING, about a man in China that has prevented 300 suicides; Abigail Disney and Kathleen Hughes’ THE ARMOR OF LIGHT, which asks if it is possible to be Pro-Gun and Pro-Life; Larry Brand’s BEYOND GLORY, which follows actor Stephen Lang on a theater tour which honors Medal of Honor recipients; Julie Marron’s HAPPYGRAM, which explores the deadly impact of withholding accurate information about the inefficacy of mammograms; Jessica Edwards’ MAVIS!, which profiles gospel/soul music legend and civil rights icon Mavis Staples and her family group, the Staple Singers; Frida Barkfors and Lasse Barkfors’ PERVERT PARK, which looks at a Florida trailer park that is home to several rehabilitated sexual offenders; and Philip Baribeau’s UNBRANDED, which follows four friends on a 3,000 mile border-to-border journey on recently trained wild mustangs across the great American West.
Also on tap will be filmmaker panels on subjects ranging from “No Budget Filmmaking”, “Creating Films For, By, and About, Women”, and “Festival PR for the Filmmaker” - all led and moderated by Tallgrass Film Festival alumni.
The Tallgrass Film Festival is supported by more than 200 national, regional and local vendors, the latter of whom assist the festival in its efforts to showcase the spirit of Wichita. In addition to the previously mentioned programs; PrairieFire Coffee Roasters will sponsor Free Friday Films - a selection of movies screening at the Great Plains Nature Center, Wichita Center for the Arts, and the Wichita Public Library - Downtown Library, that are free of charge for the entire community; Symphony in The Flint Hills celebrates their 10th anniversary by partnering with Tallgrass to present films representing Grasslands of the World; and Whole Foods sponsors Foodie Films, dedicated to the memory of Chef Tanya Tandoc, who once served on the Tallgrass Film Association Board and remained an ardent supporter of the organization.
The Tallgrass Filmmakers Lab short film "LIVE ICT" will make it's world premiere at the Opening Night Gala. Eight local area students of all ages and filmmaking experiences created the short documentary under the tutelage of alumni filmmaker Mark Covino. The film includes interviews with area entrepreneurs and Wichitans "in the know," including Schane Gross of The Anchor, Fork & Fennel and Douglas Avenue Chop Shop, Stephanie Sandoval of La Chiquita’s Corner and DJ Carbon, Rod Pocowatchit, a filmmaker and movie reviewer for The Wichita Eagle, Kate Clause of KMUW and Sunflower Espresso, local artist Wade Hampton, and Central Standard Brewing Company, discussing the culture of the city.
Passes for the Tallgrass Film Festival are available for purchase now including the BINGE PASS, available for $50. Spend Saturday, October 17 binging on the very best indie cinema from around the world. This one-day VIP Pass grants you access to every film, a Binge Pass Happy Hour in the VIP Filmmaker Lounge from 4:00 - 5:00pm, the Vimeo Stubbornly Independent Gala movie and after-party with open bar, snacks, and live music. Please visit http://www.tallgrassfilmfest.com for festival pass and ticketing information.
FILMS & DESCRIPTIONS
THE AGE OF LOVE (2014)
Director: Steven Loring
Country: USA, Running Time: 79m
A first-of-its-kind Speed Dating event for 70- to 90-year-olds compels a diverse group of seniors to take stock of aging bodies and still-hopeful hearts - and discover how the search for love changes over a lifetime.
AMONG THE BELIEVERS (2015)
Directors: Hemal Trivedi, Mohammed Naqvi
Country: Pakistan, Running Time: 84m
An unsettling and eye opening exploration into the spread of the radical Islamic school Red Mosque in Pakistan, which trains legions of children to devote their lives to jihad, or holy war, from a very young age.
ANGEL OF NANJING (2015)
Directors: Frank Ferendo, Jordan Horowitz
Country: USA, Running Time: 70m
A documentary film about Chen Si, a man who has saved over 300 people who have tried to commit suicide by jumping off a bridge in China.
THE ARMOR OF LIGHT (2015)
Directors: Abigail Disney, Kathleen Hughes
Country: USA, Running Time: 88m
THE ARMOR OF LIGHT follows an Evangelical minister and the mother of a teenage shooting victim who ask, is it possible to be both pro-gun and pro-life?
BAND OF ROBBERS (2015)
Directors: Adam Nee, Aaron Nee
Country: USA, Running Time: 95m
Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn are grown men, still searching for the hidden treasure that has eluded them since childhood.
BEST OF ENEMIES (2015)
Directors: Robert Gordon, Morgan Neville
Country: USA, Running Time: 87m
A documentary on the series of televised debates in 1968 between the liberal Gore Vidal and the conservative William F. Buckley Jr.
BEYOND GLORY (2015)
Director: Larry Brand
Country: USA, Running Time: 80m
Follows acclaimed actor Stephen Lang as he tracks the ten year odyssey behind his one-man show about eight medal of honor recipients.
BLOOD, SWEAT, AND BEER (2015)
Directors: Chip Hiden, Alexis Irvin
Country: USA, Running Time: 71m
A documentary exploring the explosive growth of the craft beer industry and the struggles of two start-up breweries.
THE BOATMAN (2014)
Director: Greg Morgan
Country: USA, Running Time: 103m
On the border of the US and Mexico, there are whispers of a 'Coyote.' A man so adept at sneaking immigrants across, none of his 'mojados,' his people, have ever been caught. Despite this perfect record, Miguel is no stranger to death. His nickname, 'El Maldito' hints of what we will soon see for ourselves, for Miguel seems haunted by the dead and dying.
BOUNCE, HOW THE BALL TAUGHT THE WORLD TO PLAY (2015)
Director: Jerome Thelia
Country: USA, Running Time: 76m
BOUNCE is a feature documentary that takes us to the far reaches of the globe and the deep recesses of our ancient past to answer the question: Why do we play ball?
THE CAVE OF THE YELLOW DOG (2005)
Director: Byambasuren Davaa
Countries: Germany, Mongolia, Running Time: 93m
A Mongolian nomad family find themselves in disagreement when the oldest daughter, Nansal, finds a dog and brings it home.
THE CHESS PLAYERS (1977)
Director: Satyajit Ray
Country: India, Running Time: 129m
The story follows two Indian noblemen whose obsession with chess renders them oblivious to the treacherous and historic events happening around them.
CONTAINMENT (2015)
Director: Peter Galison, Robb Moss
Country: USA, Japan, Running Time: 80m
Containment is a film by Peter Galison and Robb Moss about the disposition of nuclear waste for now, and for the next 10,000 years.
DO YOU DREAM IN COLOR? (2014)
Directors: Abigail Fuller, Sarah Ivy
Country: USA, Running Time:
Do You Dream in Color? is the coming-of-age story of four courageous blind high school students as they strive to prove that their disability will not hold them back from achieving their dreams.
DOUBLE DIGITS: THE STORY OF A NEIGHBORHOOD MOVIE STAR (2015)
Director: Justin Johnson
Country: USA, Running Time: 76m
An inspiring documentary about the ultimate do-it-yourself filmmaker, creator of epic "Michael Bay-style" blockbusters starring himself and action figures.
THE EVER AFTER (2014)
Director: Mark Webber
Country: USA, Running Time: 87m
Lovers struggle to overcome the everyday temptations of an ordinary human life; what they discover is somewhat extraordinary.
FINDING GASTÓN (2014)
Director: Julia Patricia Perez
Country: USA, Peru, Running Time: 80m
Film follows chef Gaston Acurio and follows him in a journey to find out the stories, the inspirations and the dreams behind the man that has taken his cuisine outside the kitchen in a mission to change his country of Peru with food.
FORBIDDEN FILMS (2015)
Director: Felix Moeller
Country: Germany, Running Time: 94m
Filmmaker Felix Moeller interviews film historians and filmmakers to determine the fate of the archive of Nazi films.
FOR GRACE (2015)
Directors: Kevin Pang, Mark Helenowski
Country: Running Time: 93m
With his ambition having cost him his family, Chef Curtis Duffy looks to redeem himself with the opening of his new Chicago restaurant. But will his troubled drive get in the way of success?
GUIDANCE (2014)
Director: Pat Mills
Country: USA, Running Time: 81m
Fabricating credentials to score a last-ditch job as a high school guidance counsellor, a boozing, drug-addled former child star becomes an improbable hit with his students by dispensing the worst advice possible.
HAPPYGRAM (2015)
Director: Julie Marron
Country: USA, Running Time: 90m
Happygram explores the deadly impact of withholding accurate information about the inefficacy of mammograms to millions of women.
HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT (2015)
Director: Kent Jones
Country: France, USA, Running Time: 90m
Filmmakers discuss how Francois Truffaut's 1966 book "Cinema According to Hitchcock" influenced their work.
I AM GANGSTER (2015) - WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Moritz Rechenberg
Country: Germany, USA, Running Time: 105m
A rebellious teenager, a hardcore gang member, and an idealistic cop risk everything to find their place in the crumbling fabric of modern America.
INDIA’S DAUGHTER (2015)
Director: Leslee Udwin
Country: UK, India, Running Time: 63m
INDIA’s DAUGHTER is the story of of the short life, and brutal gang rape and murder in Delhi in December 2012 of an exceptionally inspiring young woman. The rape and death of the 23 year old medical student, sparked unprecedented protests throughout India and led to the first glimmers of a change of mindset.
IN THE DARK (2015) - WORLD PREMIERE
Director: David Spaltro
Country: USA, Running Time: 81m
A skeptical grad student and a renowned paranormal specialist investigate a potentially haunted home and the troubled woman inside whose affliction may be beyond the capacity of either of them.
IT’S ALREADY TOMORROW IN HONG KONG (2015)
Director: Emily Ting
Country: USA, Running Time: 78m
An attraction forms when a Chinese American girl visiting Hong Kong for the first time meets an American expat who shows her the way, but timing may not quite be on their side. A walk and talk romance set in the beautiful city of Hong Kong, the film asks the question - what happens when you meet the right person at the wrong time?
JUST EAT IT: A FOOD WASTE STORY (2014)
Director: Grant Baldwin
Country: USA, Running Time: 74m
Documentarians Grant Baldwin and Jenny Rustemeyer embark on a six month experiment of eating only food that is discarded or will imminently be discarded, with them even willing to purchase it. They also find that they have to reassess their views from eating preplanned meals or eating what they may be craving to eating what is available.
KILLING ED (2015)
Director: Mark Hall
Country: USA, Running Time: 97m
An exposé about the corruption, politics and anti-democratic efforts to privatize U.S. public schools.
KILLING THEM SAFELY (2015)
Director: Nick Berardini
Country: USA, Canada, Running Time: 100m
In the early 2000s, two brothers found tremendous success when their company began selling a device that has been called 'the biggest revolution in law enforcement since the radio.' But as their company grew, they made decisions that would have lasting impact on both the public and their increasingly skeptical customer base.
LANDFILL HARMONIC (2015)
Directors: Brad Allgood, Graham Townsley
Country: USA, Paraguay, Norway, France, Running Time: 84m
Kids living in a slum built on a landfill in Paraguay create an orchestra made of trash, The Recycled Orchestra, and tour the world, finally realizing their wildest dream: to play with the heavy metal band, Megadeth.
A LIGHT BENEATH THEIR FEET (2015)
Director: Valerie Weiss
Country: USA, Running Time: 90m
In this character-driven coming-of-age story, high school senior Beth struggles to decide whether to stay local for college where she can continue to be the stabilizing force in her bipolar mother's life, or go to her dream college across the country.
LOVE BETWEEN THE COVERS (2015)
Director: Laurie Kahn
Country: USA, Australia, Running Time: 95m
A documentary film that takes its viewers into the remarkable worldwide community of women who create, consume, and love romance novels.
MAN VS. SNAKE: THE LONG AND TWISTED TALE OF NIBBLER (2014)
Directors:Tim Kinzy, Andrew Sekir
Country: USA, Running Time: 91m
MAN VS SNAKE is a documentary feature film the quest for the highest video game score of all time. The film tells the story of Timothy McVey (not to be confused with the Oklahoma City bomber) who in 1984 was the first person in history to score over one billion points on an arcade game (in over 44 hours of continuous play) and his present day odyssey to better his score and set a new world record.
MAVIS! (2015)
Director: Jessica Edwards
Country: USA, Running Time: 80m
Mavis! is the first feature-length documentary on gospel/soul music legend and civil rights icon Mavis Staples and her family group, the Staple Singers. From the delta-inflected gospel sound she helped pioneer in the 1950s, to the “message songs” of the civil rights era marching beside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., to massive hits such as “I’ll Take You There” in the soul-filled Stax era, and her recent Grammy-winning work with Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, Mavis Staples is one of the most influential and enduring vocalists of our time and a true American icon.
MEET THE PATELS (2014)
Directors: Geeta Patel, Ravi Patel
Country: USA, Running Time: 88m
MEET THE PATELS is a real-life romantic comedy about an almost-30-year-old Indian-American who enters a love triangle between the woman of his dreams - and his parents.
OMO CHILD: THE RIVER AND THE BUSH (2015)
Director: John Rowe
Country: USA, Ethiopia, Running Time: 89m
The true story of a young man’s journey to end the killing of children in the Omo Valley, Ethiopia.
ORION: THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING (2015)
Director: Jeanie Finlay
Country: USA, UK, Running Time: 88m
ORION: THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING tells the story of Jimmy Ellis - an unknown singer plucked from obscurity, and thrust into the spotlight as part of a crazy scheme that had him masquerade as Elvis back from the grave.
OUT TO WIN (2015)
Director: Malcolm Ingram
Country: USA, Running Time: 99m
From the director of Small Town Gay Bar and Continental, OUT TO WIN is a documentary film that serves as an overview and examination of the lives and careers of aspiring and professional gay and lesbian athletes from all over the world. Chronicling the present, framed within the historical context of those that came before, this film highlights the experiences of athletes who have fought and struggled, both in and out of the closet, to represent the LGBT community and their true selves.
PERVERT PARK (2014)
Directors: Frida Barkfors, Lasse Barkfors
Country: Denmark, Sweden, USA, Running Time: 77m
PERVERT PARK follows the everyday lives of sex offenders in a Florida trailer park as they struggle to reintegrate into society, and try to understand who they are and how to break the cycle of sex crimes being committed.
PHOENIX (2014)
Director: Christian Petzold
Country: Germany, Poland, Running Time: 98m
A disfigured concentration-camp survivor (Nina Hoss), unrecognizable after facial reconstruction surgery, searches ravaged postwar Berlin for the husband (Ronald Zehrfeld) who might have betrayed her to the Nazis.
RAMS (2015)
Director: Grímur Hákonarson
Country: Iceland, Running Time: 93m
In a remote Icelandic farming valley, two brothers who haven't spoken in 40 years have to come together in order to save what's dearest to them - their sheep.
SALAAM BOMBAY! (1988)
Director: Mira Nair
Country: UK, India, France, Running Time: 113m
The story of Krishna, Manju, Chillum and the other children on the streets of Bombay. When they can't get a job selling tea, they have to beg for money and keep out of the way of the police.
SEA FOG (2014)
Director: Sung-bo Shim
Country: South Korea, Running Time: 111m
A fishing-boat crew takes on a dangerous commission to smuggle a group of illegal immigrants from China to Korea.
SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE (2015)
Director: Lanre Olabisi
Country: USA, Running Time: 90m
Four lovers collide into each others' lives as one marriage morphs into several intertwining affairs. SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE was born out of a year long improvisational process in which the actors and director mutually crafted an ensemble drama. Structured like a jigsaw puzzle, no character fully grasps their current dilemma as interwoven stories are retold from varying viewpoints.
SUMMER OF SANGAILE (2015)
Director: Alanté Kavaïté
Country: Lithuania, France, Netherlands, Running Time: 88m
Sangaïlé is fascinated by stunt planes. She meets a girl her age, Austé, and finds in her teenage love, the only person that truly encourages her to fly.
TAKE ME TO THE RIVER (2015) - MIDWEST PREMIERE
Director: Matt Sobel
Country: USA, Running Time: 84.
A Californian teenager's plan to come out at his Nebraskan family reunion gets derailed when a bloodstain on his young cousin's dress makes him the unwitting suspect of abuse.
TANGERINE (2015)
Director: Sean Baker
Country: USA, Running Time: 88m
A working girl tears through Tinseltown on Christmas Eve searching for the pimp who broke her heart.
THAO’S LIBRARY (2015)
Director: Elizabeth Van Meter
Country: Vietnam, Running Time: 88m
Film follows the unlikely meeting and friendship developed between a Vietnamese woman with severe physical deformities caused by Agent Orange and a woman in New York City affected by a photograph of her. They are brought together, forging an unlikely sisterhood, transcending language and culture. The two women reflect on the past and confront the present, changing both lives forever.
THEY LOOK LIKE PEOPLE (2015)
Director: Perry Blackshear
Country: USA, Running Time: 80m
Suspecting that those around him are actually malevolent shape-shifters, a troubled young man questions whether to protect his only friend from an impending war, or from himself. A story of love, loyalty, and living nightmares.
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962)
Director: Robert Mulligan
Country: USA, Running Time: 129m
Atticus Finch, a lawyer in the Depression-era South, defends a black man against an undeserved rape charge, and his kids against prejudice.
T-REX (2015)
Directors: Zackary Canepari, Drea Cooper
Country: USA, Canada, China, UK, Running Time: 91m
17-year-old Claressa 'T-Rex' Shields from Flint, Michigan dreams of being the first woman in history to win the gold medal in Olympic boxing. But in order for her to succeed, she'll need to stand her ground both inside and outside the ring.
UNBRANDED (2015)
Director: Philip Baribeau
Country: USA, Running Time: 105m
Documentary of four friends on a 3,000 mile border-to-border journey on recently trained wild mustangs across the great American West.
UNCANNY (2015)
Director: Matthew Leutwyler
Country: USA, Running Time: 91m
The world's first "perfect" Artificial Intelligence begins to exhibit unnerving behavior when a reporter begins a relationship with the scientist who created it.
WAFFLE STREET (2015)
Directors: Eshom Nelms, Ian Nelms
Country: USA, Running Time: 86m
WAFFLE STREET is based on the true story of Jimmy Adams, a hedge fund VP who loses his job - and gains major life lessons working at a waffle shop.
THE WORLD OF KANAKO (2014)
Director: Tetsuya Nakashima
Country: Japan, Running Time: 118m
As former detective Akikazu searches for his missing daughter, Kanako, he soon learns she has a mysterious secret life.
Shorts Programs
TIMOTHY GRUVER SPOTLIGHT ON KANSAS FILMMAKERS,
sponsored by Mindfire Academy – 94m
Long Time No See - Alexander Matthew, Wichita, KS, 2015, 2m
Another Easygoing Brother in the Meadow Land - Joshua Nathan, Lawrence, KS, 2014, 8m
Bitter Thing - Christopher Dorsey, Lawrence, KS, 2015, 18m
Out of Range - Benjamin Cleveland, Paxico, KS, 2015, 2m
The Places You Keep - David Dunsmoor, Little River, KS, 2015, 7m
Head Count - Ben Burghart/Jacob Burghart, Lawrence, KS, 2014, 4m
The Tipping Point - Meagan Flynn, Shawnee, KS, 2015, 6m
Epic of Hershey - Douglas McGinness, New York/Wichita, KS, 2015, 15m
Jazzbo – The One Man Band - Evan Senn, Wichita, KS, 2015, 9m
House Mother - Patrick Rea, Kansas City/Lawrence, KS, 2015, 13m
Francis: The Fists of God - Wade Hampton, Wichita, KS, 2015, 7m
Throwing Stones - Amber Rapp, 3m, Kansas City/Lenexa, KS, 2014, 3m
JOEL FEIN EMERGING FILMMAKER PROGRAM – 106m
When I Grow Up - Zack Hosseini, USA/GA, 2014, 2m
The Silence of Nature - Bushra Al Masri, Jordan/Syrian Refugee, 2015, 4m
A Pirate’s Life - Isabella Olaguera/Nick Haaf, USA/NJ, 2014, 5m
The New News - Danny Sandler, USA/CA, 2015, 4m
We’re Okay - Kira Bursky, USA/NC, 2014, 18m
The Summer Dragons - Rebecca Celsi, USA/OR, 2015, 4m
The Girl, Whose Shadow Reflects the Moon - Waiaa Al Alawi, Jordan/Syrian Refugee, 2015, 5m
Falling - Maya Suchak/Imani Peterkin, USA/NY, 2015, 11m
I Am Alex - Oliver Levi-Maloug, Australia, 2015, 10m
Adolescence - Brandon Evans, USA/Bucyrus, KS, 2015, 4m
Unplugged - James Hamill, USA/CA, 2015, 8m
The Choice Is Yours - Nathaniel Hoopes, USA/Lawrence, KS, 2015, 10m
Dreams of Nthulu - Kate Gondwe, USA/Wichita, KS, 2015, 9m
Agents of Change - Levi Feil, USA/Wichita, KS, 2015, 6m
Pho Hot Love - Jackson Laurie, USA/Wichita, KS, 2015, 6m
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT – 122m (MILITARY)
From WWII to Iraq, from the trenches to coming home; these shorts consist of military themes and situations.
Wut - Sergi Marti, Spain, 2014, 12m
Long Night - Alan Watkins, USA/Olathe, KS, 2014, 18m
Une Liberation - Brian Crewe, USA, 2015, 16m
Another Easygoing Brother in the Meadow Land - Joshua Nathan, USA/Mondridge, KS, 2015, 8m
Day One - Henry Hughes, USA, 2015, 25m
The Bravest The Boldest - Moon Molson, USA, 2014, 17m
Birthday - Chris King, USA, 2015, 11m
Home Range - Natalia Kaniasty, USA, 2015, 15m
UNDER MY SKIN – 115m (DRAMA)
Focusing on the dramatic and more serious side of life.
Q.U.E.E.N. - Brittany Fennell, USA, 2014, 17m
Volta - Stella Kyriakopoulos, Greece, 2015, 11m
A World For Her - Carolina Petro, UK, USA, 2015, 19m
The Walk - Alonso Alvarez, USA, 2014, 14m
Artun - Gudmundur Amar Gudmundsson, Iceland, 2014, 22m
The Loyalist - Minji Kang, USA/South Korea, 2015, 19m
Listen - Rungano Nyoni/Hamy Ramezan, Denmark, 2014, 12m
OFF THE CUFF – 113m (COMEDY)
Making light of the life’s situations, perhaps even mocking it a bit.
I Was a Teenage Girl - Apparently - Lyn Elliot, USA, 2014, 6m
Follies of Youth - Melina Curi, Ireland, 2014, 8m
Los Contreras Family - Alejandro Becerril Elias, Mexico, 2014, 10m
Hand Job - Josh Miller, USA, 2014, 9m
Lila - Carlos Lascano, Argentina, 2013, 9m
Manias (Obsessions) - Sanitago Capuz, Argentina, 2015, 12m
Shabu-Shabu Spirit - Aki Isoyama, Japan, 2015, 11m
Francis: The Fists of God - Wade Hampton, USA/Wichita, KS, 2015, 7m
Fixed - Codey Wilson/Burleigh Smith, Australia, 2014, 7m
Raise the ToyGantic - Gail Lerner, USA, 2015, 28m
Bunny New Girl - Natalie van den Dungen, Australia, 2015, 6m
BETWEEN YOU & ME – 109m (RELATIONSHIP)
Studying what brings couples together and tears them apart.
El Maestro y La Flor (The Teacher and the Flower) - Daniel Irabien Peniche, Mexico, 2014, 6m
Guest Room - Joshua Tate, USA, 2014, 13m
One Minute Time Machine - Devon Avery, USA, 2014, 6m
Stutterer - Benjamin Cleary, Ireland/UK, 2015, 13m
No Digas Nada (Say Nothing) - Silvia Abascal, Spain, 2014, 14m
Falling to Pieces - Vivian Connelly/Chris Connelly, USA, 2015, 18m
Amelia & Duarte - Alice Guimaraes, Monica Santos, USA, 2015, 9m
En Las Nubes (In the Clouds) - Marcelo Mitnik, Argentina, 2014, 21m
Flowers - Sabina Sattar, UK, 2014, 9m
TOWARDS THE TWILIGHT – 117m (AGING)
Facing the reality of the inevitable with humor and grace.
The Favor - Eileen Myers, USA, 2015, 9m
The Places You Keep - David Dunsmoor, USA/Little River, KS, 2015, 7m
Maurice - Francois Jaros, Canada, 2014, 14m
Bingo - Andres Borda Garcia, Mexico, 2014, 10m
Then & Now - Liam Bashford/Kyle Bashford, UK, 2015, 9m
Cuilder a Ruth (Caring for Ruth) - Miguel Berzal de Miguel, Spain, 2014, 11m
Tik Tak (Tick Tock) - Zeynep Kocak, Turkey, 2014, 9m
Bis Gleich (See You Soon) - Benjamin Wolff, Germany, 2014, 20m
The Lost Mariner - Tess Martin, Netherlands, 2014, 6m
Scrabble - Cristian Sulser, Switzerland, 2014, 12m
Ramona - Giovanna Rodriquez Zacarias, Mexico, 2014, 10m
INTO THE INK – 116m (ANIMATED)
Showcasing the ingenuity and artistry of animation.
Gift of Mirrors - Mara Soler Guitian, Mexico, 2014, 10m
Last Dance on the Main - Aristofanis Soulikias, Canada, 2014, 4m
The Apple Tree - Scott Storm, USA, 2015, 19m
Bihttos (Rebel) - Elle-Maija Tailfeathers, Canada, 2014, 14m
The OceanMaker - Lucas Martell, USA, 2014, 11m
Junk Girl - Mohammad Zare, Iran, 2014, 17m
Automatic Fitness - Alejandra Tomel, German, 2015, 20m
Driving - Nate Theis, USA, 2014, 4m
World of Tomorrow - Don Hertzfeldt, 17m, USA, 2014, 17m
OVER THE TOP – 119m (LATE NIGHT 1)
Warning: Contains adult content and language in these racy and bizarre shorts.
The Game - Jon Cohen, 16m, UK, 2014, 16m
Sezar Alkassab: David - Sezar Alkassab, USA, 2015, 2m
JKTV - Elle Schneider, USA, 2015, 9m
Your Hands - Georgia King, USA, 2015, 11m
The Gordon Game - Jared Robbins, USA, 2014, 15m
New Neighbors, Old Fights - Alex Fischman, Peru, 2015, 15m
Texting: A Love Story - Jeanette Buck, USA, 2014, 8m
Somewhere Between a Punch and a Handshake - Ethan Minisker, USA, 2015, 11m
SexLife - Stefan Georgiou, UK, 2014, 16m
Dog Bowl - Gordy Hoffman, USA, 2014, 20m
MasterPiece - Meagen Flynn, USA/Shawnee, KS, 2014, 5m
WAIT UNTIL DARK – 96m (LATE NIGHT 2)
A look at the gross, bloody, gory, and violent
A Band of Thieves - Fidel Rulz-Healy, USA, 2014, 15m
Dawn - Eduardo Moises Escribano Solero, Spain, 2015, 5m
Thicker Than Water - Seung Yeob Lee, South Korea, 2014, 14m
Meat Locker - Malcolm Badewitz, USA, 2015, 4m
Head Count - Ben Burghart/Jacob Burghart, USA/Lawrence, KS, 2014, 4m
Manipulations - Rod Pocowatchit, USA/Wichita, KS, 2015, 7m
The Stomach - Ben Steiner, UK, 2014, 15m
Francis - Richard Hickney, USA/UK, 2013, 8m
Larry Gone Demon - Matt Lawrence, USA, 2014, 15m
Howl of A Good Time - Patrick Rea, USA/Lawrence, KS, 2015, 9m
BELOW THE SURFACE – 119m (DOCUMENTARY)
Stories of reality and extraordinary.
Tomgirl - Jeremy Asher Lynch, USA, 2015, 14m
Chau, Beyond the Lines - Courtney Marsh, USA/Vietnam, 2015, 34m
And Counting - Michelle Wood, USA, 2014, 15m
Hotel 22 - Elizabeth Lo, USA, 2014, 9m
Plamen - Dress Code, USA/Bulgaria, 2015, 20m
The Typist - Kristine Stolakis, USA, 2015, 8m
The House is Innocent - Nicholas Coles, USA, 2015, 12m
Crooked Candy - Andrew Rodgers, USA, 2014, 7m
AMONGST THE PEOPLE – 111m (BIO DOC)
Portraits of personalities in sport, art and history.
Impact: A Boxer’s Story - Keith Rivers, USA, 2015, 6m
Bad Boy of Bowling - Bryan Storkal, USA, 2015, 18m
Caveman Evolved: A Fighters Epic - Lester Rowe, USA/Wichita, KS, 2015, 9m
Counter Histories: Rock Hill - Frederick Taylor, USA, 2014, 28m
The Trials of Constance Baker Motley - Rick Rodgers, USA, 2015, 25m
The Many Sad Fates of Mr. Toledano - Joshua Seftel, USA, 2015, 26m
FEATURETTES
FOR OUR DAUGHTERS – 113m
Finding courage, facing contention within traditions.
Godka Cirka (A Hole in the Sky) - Alex Lora/Antonio Tibaldi, Spain, 2013, 10m
Nefertiti’s Daughter - Mark Nickolas/Racha Najdi, USA/Egypt, 2014, 40m
screens with
India’s Daughter - Leslee Udwin, UK/India, 2015, 63m
BEYOND THE NEWS – 117m
Putting a face on the news and the newsworthy.
Last Day of Freedom - Dee Hibbert-Jones/Nomi Talisman, USA, 2015, 33m
Those - Krisztina Meggyes, Hungary, 2015, 29m
A Day’s Work - David Garcia, USA, 2015, 55m
SHORTS BEFORE FEATURES
Adam & Everything - Frederike Migom, Belgium, 2014, 12m with ORION: THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING
The Answers - Michael Goode, USA, 2015, 8m with WAFFLE STREET
Beneath Water - Charlie Manton, UK, 2014, 15m with TAKE ME TO THE RIVER
Best Man Wins - Stephanie Dumonceau, USA, 2014, 20m with HITCHCOCK/TRUFFAUT
Boxedora - Meg Smaker, USA, 2014, 17m with T-REX
Emory Douglas: The Art of the Black Panthers - Dress Code, USA, 2015, 8m with MAVIS
Food for Thought, Food for Life - Susan Rockefeller, USA, 2014, 22m with JUST EAT IT
German Shepherds - Nils Bergendal, USA, 2014,10m with FORBIDDEN FILMS
Live ICT - Project Nano Lab with Mark Covino, USA/Wichita, KS, 2015, 6m with BAND OF ROBBERS
Marie’s Dictionary - Emmanuel Vaughn-Lee, USA, 2014, 10m with THAO’s LIBRARY
No Matter Who - Anne-Claire Jaulin, France, 2015, 19m with THE SUMMER OF SANGAILE
Obituaries - Ryan Moody, USA, 2014, 13m with ARMOUR OF LIGHT
Pant Suits - Saralyn Armer, USA, 2015, 10m with HAPPYGRAM
Parasite - Leonardi Guzman, USA, 2015, 6m with CONTAINMENT
Une Passion d’or et de Feu (A Passion for Gold and Fire) - Sebastien Pins, Belgium, 2014, 6m with FINDING GASTON
Plenty of You To Go Around - Nick Brown, USA/Wichita, KS, 2015, 6m with LIGHT BENEATH THEIR FEET
Purpose - Utkarsh Sharma, USA, 2015, 11m with AMONG THE BELIEVERS
Save the Earth - Ruslan Bokach, Ukraine, 2013, 4m with CAVE OF THE YELLOW DOG
Sea Devil - Dean Marcial/Brett Potter, USA, 2013, 9m with SEA FOG
Sugar - Christian Grier, USA, 2014, 14m with TANGERINE
El Trumpestista (The Trumpeter) - Raul Robin Alejandro Rayes, Mexico, 2014, 10m LANDFILL HARMONIC
Unleaded - Luke Davies, UK, 2014, 8m with GUIDANCE
The Weatherman and the Shadowboxer - Randall Okita, Canada, 2014, 10m with BEST OF ENEMIES
Who’s There - Cassie Jaye, USA, 2015, 11m with IN THE DARK
Yellow Gold - Cristen Leifheit, USA, 2015, 4m with CAVE OF THE YELLOW DOG
About the Tallgrass Film Festival
Stubbornly Independent since 2003, the Tallgrass Film Festival is the largest film festival in Kansas. A program of the 501(c)3 Tallgrass Film Association, the festival showcases more than 180 films from around the world, hosts dozens of visiting filmmakers and includes galas, parties and educational workshop and panels. In addition to bringing the best of independent cinema to Heartland audiences, the festival is designed to highlight the city's cultural attractions including world class museums, landmarks and unique local businesses, to visitors and residents alike. Throughout the year, TFA presents year-round special screenings in partnership with organizations like Music Theatre Wichita, the Wichita Art Museum, the Orpheum Theatre, Exploration Place and the Ulrich Museum of Art, a traveling Road Show in association with the Kansas Historic Theatre Association, a 24 Hour Film Race and Filmmaker Workshops.
The 13th annual Tallgrass Film Festival is presented by Consolidated Equities Trust. Additional support comes from Howerton + White Interactive, House of Schwan, Vimeo, Clear Channel Outdoor KMUW Wichita Public Radio, Candela at The Lux, LivingSound Home, I Heart Radio Wichita, Visit Wichita, We Know Motion, Wichita's Extended Stay Collection, Rick & Monica Nutt, The Sheppard Foundation and KWCH.
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