Director/filmmaker Spike Lee has made no secret about the barriers and obstacles he regularly faces within the mainstream film industry. He has often talked candidly about the constant struggle for him to get funding to tell particular stories or for a particular project to even reach general audiences.
If Lee, a household name in the movie industry by all accounts, must fight tooth and nail to get the green light for funding and/or express himself creatively – what hope does an equally dedicated independent local filmmaker who lacks any major connections or funding for a project to see the light of day?
Los Angeles or New York might as well be in another galaxy considering the limited resources and access to the mainstream film industry by many writers/directors/actors/producers looking to learn through hands on experience with a slice of trial and error.
And in many of the smaller markets, prospects for a filmmaker breaking out – even locally – are dismal at best.
But thanks to Cinema St. Louis, the growing filmmaking community in St. Louis has an extreme advantage with respect to getting exposure for their films.
The Stella Artois St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase, now in its tenth year, offers llocal filmmakers a home for their productions.
Through the showcase, taking place next week (July 17-22) the growing population of St. Louis filmmakers is offered an opportunity to publicly showcase their work to family, friends, supporters – and in some cases – industry insiders.
As the festival commemorates a decade of film presentations by the best and brightest filmmakers in the area – it has grown to include more than 60 films over the course of the week.
Selections range from animation to adaptations that range in length from three minutes two hours containing subject matter and storylines that run the gamut and push the envelope. Most would not be seen in an authentic theatre setting or be open to the public if it weren’t for the festival.
Several of the films reflect the African-American experience and feature the works of black filmmakers and directors.
Pennies for the Boatman – Niyi Coker’s film adaptation of Mario Farwell’s award-winning play, Pennies for the Boatman tells the story of on St. Louis family in the 1950’s sickened by its generational secrets. Two sisters of forced to confront and conquer their pain and trauma of their past when the worldly sibling returns under a cloud of mystery and suspicion and shakes the stability of the other sister’s docile and complacent existence to its core.
Spilt Milk – In Pascal Beauboeuf’s three-minute short, the mystery and intrigue surrounding a tragic turn of events leaves a family shattered. A compilation of fatal flashes leave an impression on the viewer that stretches well beyond the length of the film.
DNR – After receiving national acclaim for his film Tapestry of Shadows, actor/writer/director David Conley has a new offering for the St. Louis Filmmaker’s Showcase. DNR offers military intrigue and suspense in a storyline that leads to more questions and a thirst for explanation. An unsuspecting woman awakes to find her ex-military husband violently seeking the truth about her relationship with a mysterious man that is not who he seems.
Roof is on Fire – The Wednesday-night poetry slam at the Wabash Triangle Café was the perfect home for artistic outcasts who used spoken word to vent their frustrations with society and the world through the 80’s and early 1990’s. And David Noble Dandridge captures the emotional outpouring of the artist as the y discuss the history of the venue and scars that remain following the mysterious fire that destroyed its legacy.
Inauguration Road: St. Louis Kids and the Obama Inauguration – The historic election and subsequent inauguration of President Barack Obama are seen through the eyes of inquisitive and extremely intelligent children through Lynelle White’s film. Viewers will be pleasantly surprised and optimistic with respect to the bright future of the 3rd-5th graders who voice their opinions on politics and the hope and promise of the new presidential era as filmmaker gives a first hand chronicle of the Inauguration activities from the musical celebration to the official swearing in ceremony.
But the screening of the films is just one element of the showcase.
Filmmaking seminars and workshops take place to compliment the film screenings and educate the filmmakers in process of honing their craft from international authorities and film experts.
Documentary filmmaking, filmmaking on a micro-budget and genre filmmaking are just a few of the topics to be discussed during the course of the educational component of the festival.
Through Cinema St. Louis’ annual presentation of films and educational tools , aspiring and established local filmmakers have a voice coupled with an invaluable resource with respect to tapping into their craft and creative vision – in an area considered by many to be an empty well.
The 10th Annual Stella Artois St. Louis Filmmaker’s showcase will take place from July 17-July 22 at the Regional Arts Commission and the Tivoli with the Closing Night Awards Gala taking place at Blueberry Hill’s Duck Room. For more information about the festival and/or a full schedule and film descriptions, visit http://www.cinemastlouis.org/showcase.html
