Oregon Sesquicentennial Film Fest |
Celebrating Oregon Film & Film as a Collaborative Art May 1-10, 2009 at Maryhurst University |
Marylhurst University |
OREGON SESQUICENTENNIAL FILM FEST
May 1 - OPENING NIGHT
Celebrating Screenwriting
7:00 PM IN PERSON AT THE MISSION THEATER: Three time Oscar nominee James Ivory (Room With A View, Howard’s End, Remains of the Day) joins two time Oscar nominee Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting, Milk) for an onstage conversation about the collaborative relationship between directors and screenwriters. The event is co-sponsored by the Marylhurst English Literature and Writing Department’s Binford Reading Series.
James Ivory grew up in Klamath Falls, Oregon. Gus Van Sant arrived in Portland as a teenager. Both have received multiple Oscar nominations, and been honored with awards from film festivals around the world.
SCREENING: During the onstage conversation at the Mission Theater in Downtown Portland, several clips of James Ivory’s films will be screened, including a sneak preview clips from his latest film The City of Your Final Destination (2009) starring Anthony Hopkins and Laura Linney.
May 2
Celebrating Film Collaboration: Screenwriting
5:30 PM FESTIVAL OPENING PARTY: Join James Ivory and Bill Plympton as we celebrate the opening of the Oregon Sesquicentennial Film Festival at Marylhurst University.
7:00 PM SCREENING: Shakespeare Wallah (1965), dir. by James Ivory
Inspired by the real life adventures of the British acting troupe Shakespearana, Shakespeare Wallah is about a sheltered teenaged actress (Felicity Kendal) who falls in love with an Indian playboy (Shashi Kapoor). Written by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and James Ivory from a story idea by James Ivory. Music by Satyajit Ray. Shakespeare Wallah will be shown in 35mm.
IN PERSON: James Ivory will introduce the film which launched his international career. Ivory grew up in Klamath Falls and graduated from University of Oregon. He first came to India as a documentary filmmaker, but Ismail Merchant, an aspiring producer he met in New York, had other plans for him. They went on to have the most successful collaboration in film history.
May 3
Celebrating Animation
7:00 PM SCREENING: Idiots and Angels (2008), dir. by Bill Plympton
In Bill Plympton’s latest hand drawn animated feature, an overbearing lowlife suddenly has to cope with a pair of wings sprouting from his back. Winner of numerous international awards, Idiots and Angels features music by Tom Waits, Pink Martini and Three Leg Torso. It will be shown in 35mm.
Plympton, like David Cronenberg, explores the subterranean links between interior and exterior, so that angel wings can invite venal dreams of fame and fortune and yank the hero willy-nilly toward the performance of unnatural good deeds. Every step of the process is rendered in the hyperactive, swirly pencil lines that, in this world, constitute all matter. Variety
IN PERSON: Bill Plympton will introduce Idiots and Angels. Born and raised in Oregon City, two time Oscar nominee Bill Plympton made his first animated film while attending PSU. Co-sponsored by the Oregon Cartoon Institute.
May 4
Celebrating Film Collaboration: Acting
7:00 PM SCREENING: Marked Woman (1937), featuring Mayo Methot
Mayo Methot came to Hollywood from Broadway, but she first appeared onstage in Portland, beginning her career here when she was four years old. In Marked Woman, she plays a dance hall hostess (read: prostitute), in a supporting role to Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart. Marked Woman will be shown in 35mm.
IN PERSON: Photographer Marne Lucas, whose own work closely addresses the issues of empowerment which are at the heart of Marked Woman, will be present for Q & A.
May 5
Celebrating Film Collaboration: Visual Arts
5:30 PM RECEPTION for Tad Savinar. At the Art Gym, across the parking lot from the James Ivory Theater.
7:00 PM SCREENING: Talk Radio (1988) dir. by Oliver Stone, based on a play co-created by Tad Savinar and Eric Bogosian.
“Everything’s screwed up and you like it that way, don’t you?” The original stage production of Talk Radio was performed in Portland in 1985, supported by a grant from Portland Center for the Visual Arts. Three years later, Oliver Stone made the film. Talk Radio will be shown in 35mm.
IN PERSON: Portland visual artist Ted Savinar will be present for a post-screening Q & A.
May 6
Celebrating Documentary
7:00 PM SCREENING: The Soldier’s Tale (2007), dir. by Penny Allen
The Soldier’s Tale reunites Portland underground filmmaker Penny Allen (Property, 1979; Paydirt 1981) and cinematographer Eric Edwards to tell the story of one real life soldier’s experience of the war in Iraq, using his own words, and his own video footage.
IN PERSON: Joshua Ray will share his experience as an Iraq vet helping other Iraq vets transition to college life at Mt Hood Community College.
May 7
Celebrating Film Collaboration: Location
7:00 PM SCREENING: The Lusty Men (1952), dir. by Nicholas Ray, shot in Pendleton, Oregon
Robert Mitchum goes to the Pendleton Roundup with Susan Hayward and Arthur Kennedy. The rare Western made solely for adults, The Lusty Men is a cult film adored by fans of Ray, a list which includes Martin Scorsese, Jim Jarmusch, Wim Wenders and Jean Luc Godard, who observed “cinema is Nicholas Ray”.
IN PERSON: Beth Melnick will share her experiences as a location scout, working on films shot in Oregon and elsewhere. Melnick’s first film as a location scout was Come See The Paradise (1990). More recently she worked on Twilight (2008).
May 8
Celebrating Film Collaboration: Music
7:00 PM SCREENING: City Girl (1930), dir. by F. W. Murnau, shot in Athena, Oregon
A wheat farming family goes into crisis when the eldest son returns from the city, married to the first waitress to pour him coffee. In many ways a study for the better known Tabu (1931), Murnau made City Girl immediately after his first American masterpiece, Sunrise (1927), won the first Academy Award given for Best Picture. City Girl will be shown in 35mm.
IN PERSON: John Paul, head of Maryhurst University’s Music Department, conducts a chamber ensemble performance of his brand new score to this once lost silent film.
May 9
Celebrating Film Collaboration: Directing
7:00 PM SCREENING: Smoke Signals (1998), dir. by Chris Eyre
“Do we forgive our fathers in our age, or in theirs? Or in their deaths, saying it to them or not saying it. If we forgive our fathers, what is left?” Smoke Signals, director Chris Eyre’s first feature, is based on a novel by Sherman Alexie. ”Simple and elegant, Smoke Signals is a delicious, heady debut that lingers long after the tale is told.” Austin Chronicle Smoke Signals will be shown in 35mm.
IN PERSON: Chris Eyre was born in Portland, grew up in Klamath Falls, and first studied film at Mt. Hood Community College. He will be present for Q & A.
Earlier on May 9…..
11:00 AM CELEBRATING THE SISTERS: We are honoring the 150th Anniversary of the Sisters of the Holy Names’ arrival in Oregon and subsequent founding of Marylhurst University with a screening of “home movies” taken by the Sisters. This event will take place at the Holy Names Heritage Center.
12:30 PM Luncheon honoring the Sisters at Flavia Hall.
2:00 PM 35 YEARS OF PRIZEWINNING SHORTS FROM THE NORTHWEST FILM & VIDEO FESTIVAL Thomas Phillipson brings his top picks for the most stunning entries made over the entire history of the Northwest Film & Video Festival.
4:30 PM CURATORS TALK Anne Richardson and Dennis Nyback discuss their definition of Oregon film
May 10 - CLOSING NIGHT
Celebrating Oregon Filmmakers & Closing Night Party
6:00 PM CLOSING NIGHT PARTY Celebrate ten days of Oregon film and filmmakers.
7:00 PM SCREENING: The Gold Coyote Super Short Film & Video Awards Ceremony
On May 10, the Oregon Sesquicentennial Film Festival audience will select the winner of the Gold Coyote, a $1000 cash prize, for the best film with a running time of under five minutes. Gold Coyote entries will be shown in the format in which they were intended: 35mm, 16mm, or digital video.
IN PERSON: You and all your film loving friends. All events on May 10 are free.
EARLIER IN THE DAY:
1:00 Panel discussion: Everyone’s A Critic. Shawn Levy, Ted Mahar, Aaron Mesh and David Walker critique the festival selections & show clips from their favorite Oregon films.
3:00 Screening of Salmon Poet (2009), dir. by Sabrina Guitart
4:00 Panel discussion: Portland Before Video Bill Bowling, David Milholland, Walt Curtis and Brooke Jacobson attempt to unravel the web of influences which produced our cinema saturated city.