Past Films
Thursday May 3rd 2007, 8:00 pm

A Life's Work
Jason Crain, Los Angeles, CA 11 min. 35mm
An emotional filmmaking experiment that portrays the story of a woman’s 86 year life in 24 hours.

Let's Have Tea
Pepsy M. Kettavong, Matt Cottom, Rochester, NY 25 min. BetaSP
This documentary is about the creation of “Let’s Have Tea,” a sculpture that pays tribute to two of America’s greatest social revolutionaries, Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass.

Creation
Emy Amborn, Vancouver, BC, Canada 3 min. BetaSP
Every culture has its own creation story; its own version of how the world they live in came into existence. Here we explore the idea that perhaps strangely charming monsters had something to do with it.

Peephole
Allison White ,Anthony Miceli, Toronto, ON, Canada 15 min. BetaSP
Jack spends his days watching the world through his peephole, obsessed with his beautiful neighbor down the hall.

When Georgie Goes Marchin' Home
Dave Puls, Rochester, NY 4 min. BetaSP
This animated short takes us on a surreal tour of the Bush administration and its many misadventures.

When They Could Fly
Piotr Kajstura, New York, NY 28 min BetaSp
A group of slaves live on a 19th century plantation in South Carolina under severe conditions .As their situation worsens, they lose hope. Change occurs when a man brings them an impossible tale. .

Kodachrome
Juergen Lossau, Hamburg, Germany 5 min. BetaSP
Kodak introduced Kodachrome color reversal film in 1935. Kodachrome production stopped in 2006. This Super 8 film is a humorous final homage to this magnificent material.

Friday May 4th 2007, 8:00 pm

House of the Olive Trees
Thouly Dosios, Los Angeles, CA 29 min. 35mm
This Greek film introduces us to Anna, who is content in her unbearable loneliness until she meets Markos.

Polka
Rodolfo Collado, Vancouver, BC, Canada 5 min. BetaSP
A whimsical animated story about a shy, young girl who tries to establish a conversation with an interesting stranger.

A.W.O.L.
Jack Swanstrom, Jessica Wethington , Los Angeles, CA 22 min. BetaSP
An American is captured and tortured in Vietnam. At the height of agony, suddenly he’s home. But his torture resumes every night - an unending cycle of pain that he has one chance of breaking.

Mr. Kim's Burning Night
Gong Boo-Seong, Seoul, Korea 16 min. BetaSP
A slapstick high-jinks of a man’s burning desire occurs when Mr. Kim is working the night shift all alone.

Ninety Days
Tristan Higgs, Tallahassee, FL 15 min. BetaSP
South Africa, 1964. Helen is determined to communicate with her lover, Oliver, who has been detained without contact under Apartheid’s infamous ninety-day rule.

Roma SubRosa: The Secret Under the Rose
Jim Thalman, Los Angeles, CA 28 min. BetaSP
A politician’s empty words echo the glory of war as a generation of battle hardened veterans decide that the murder of a politician is a wiser course of action than to knowingly march thousands to their death.

Saturday May 5th 2007, 4:00 pm

Worms in the Big Apple
Jenn Guitart, Brooklyn, NY 18 min. BetaSP
The story of urban composting: from garbage to garden. All over New York City, tiny creatures are transforming residents’ garbage to soil.

Somewhere in the City
Ramsey Denison, Los Angeles, CA 12 min. BetaSP
Former drug addict, Toby Cray, has straightened out his life and he now wants to help others. His efforts to help the homeless have been unsuccessful until he meets Gabe.

My Night With Miss Marple
Kim Sei Rang, Seoul, Korea 16 min. BetaSP
A scarred face girl meets a blind boy. After spending a day together, they come to know each other better.

All That Remains
Stephanie Maxwell
Michaela Eremiasova, Fairport, NY 6 min. BetaSP
This is an intricate mosaic of musical passages and animated, abstract images which are handed painted on film and object animation. The music is an electroacoustic score.

Deviation
Jon Griggs, New York, NY 6 min. BetaSP
This film was shot using an online game engine with the virtual actors and director never having met.. Macintyre, an online-game character and member of a four-man counter-terrorist squad, attempts to break out of the cycle of futile violence that has been his sole existence.

Dog Eat Dog

Jonathan Zames, Montreal, Canada 15 min. 35mm
Fueled by an abiding faith in the American dream, a hot dog vendor networks and schemes in this black comedy about what it takes to make it to the top.

In Search of White Crows
Michael Keene, Pittsford, NY 21 min. BetaSP
This is the story of the life of the Fox sisters and the birth of the spiritualist movement.

Saturday May 5th 2007, 8:00 pm

Home For Good
Todd Tinkham, Chapel Hill, NC 10 min. Beta SP
Amy Trentham dreams of one thing - her young husband returning from the war. When that happens, everything will be perfect.

When Broom Sticks Were King
Jason Cusato, Brooklyn, NY 27 min. BetaSP
Told in a documentary style, when street teams competed for only glory and bragging rights, this film is a tribute to Brooklyn Stick Ball and the heroes who played it.

Caress of the Creature
Stewart McAlpine, Tallahassee, FL 19 min. BetaSP
A construction foreman swimming in Lake Habagappe is tickled by a sea creature in a tender, yet masculine way causing many to wonder, ”Is the creature gay?”

first.
DB Woodside, Nick Sivakumaran, Los Angeles, CA 26 min. BetaSP
First love, first kill, first grace. Throughout our lives, we experience love, loss, and in rare instances, rebirth. Three desperate lives crash, explode, and then converge into an irreversible series of “Firsts.”

Swing
Esteban Azuela, Vancouver, BC, Canada 3 min. BetaSP
An aging couple, happy and in love, find the means to go back and feel what they did when they were young.

Rundown
Patrick Alexander, Tallahassee, FL 15 min. BetaSP
Rachel Davenport, a TV news anchor, must cover her secret while reporting the news on a live television broadcast.

The 48th Rochester International Film Festival

8pm Thursday, May 4, 2006

Motherless Child--Remnants of the Subway
Fredrick Armstrong & James P. Harte (Rochester, NY)
After a close-up study of decay, the viewer is taken on a phantom ride through a vacant tunnel where the now-abandoned Rochester, NY subway once ran. A lone piano and the resurrected sounds of the subway accompany the ride. (BetaSP, Color, 9 min)

When the Moon is Full (Cuando la Luna esta Llena)
Marc Lesser (New York, NY)
From a troubadour's guitar spins the tale of Javier, a recent Ecuadorian immigrant, who longs for Olivia, the woman whom he serves from behind his deli counter every day. (BetaSP, Color, 25 min)

Happy Birthday Yemima
Yishai Orian (Jerusalem, Israel)
Yemima's family believes that she is the reincarnation of her late grandmother. On the eve of her 28th birthday, a plumber disrupts her strange way of living. (BetaSP, Color, 19 min)

Sirah
Cristine Spindler (Tallahassee, FL)
Sirah, a young Muslim girl born in the US, wants to find friendship. To do that, she must choose between the culture that surrounds her and the one she grew up in. (BetaSP, Color, 17 min)


La Belle Dame Sans Merci
Hidetoshi Oneda (Tokyo, Japan)
Based on the John Keats poem of the same name, this is the story of a knight who encounters and falls in love with a mysterious lady, only to fail her when he discovers she is not what she seemed to be. (BetaSP, Color, 15 min)

The Tell Tale Heart
Raul Garcia (Glendale, CA)
The tale of a murderer who cannot stop hearing his victim's relentless heartbeat. Based on the short story by Edgar Allan Poe, it is narrated by Bela Lugosi. (BetaSP, B&W, 9 min)

The Counter
Lauren Wagner (Los Angeles, CA)
Alabama, 1962: a small town waitress must decide what to do once a sit-in begins in her diner. Will she support the social law for segregation or stand up for the demonstrators? (BetaSP, Color/B&W, 13 min)

Pawns of the King
Ming Lai (Alhambra, CA)
A World War II fighter pilot haunted by the past is forced to confront his fears when he meets an old enemy, a US Army 442nd soldier. (BetaSP, Color, 17 min)

8pm Friday, May 5, 2006

7:35 de la Manana
Nacho Vigalondo (Bilbao, Spain)
One morning a woman notices something strange at the café. The waiter and customers are in total silence. No one touches his breakfast. Suddenly, a song is heard. (BetaSP, B&W, 8 min)

Mute
Melissa Joan Hart (Los Angeles, CA)
Eileen is seen sabotaging her elder sister Claire's wedding. We start to realize that she and the groom have a past that has scarred Eileen in more ways than one. (BetaSP, Color, 14 min)

A Cigar at the Beach
Stephen Keep Mills (Topanga, CA)
A man withdraws to an empty beach to smoke his cigar and fantasize. An approaching storm out across the water mirrors the storm of yearning inside him as his fantasies propel him to the very edge of himself and to a surprise yearning greater than flesh or adventure. (35mm, Color, 15 min)

Convivium
Michael Nakache (Paris, France)
Madge and Hugo invite their friends for dinner. Old tensions surface due to the presence of Eve, who could turn this dinner into a total nightmare. (35 mm, Color, 28 min)


Dear, Sweet Emma
John M. Cernak (Winston-Salem, SC)
As the search is given up for Emma's husband, Tucker, we learn that Emma has a secret, uncontrollable dark side. (BetaSP, Color, 5 min)

The Legend of Black Tom
Deron Albright (Narberth, PA)
When freed American slave Tom Molineaux journeys to England to fight for the bare-knuckle boxing championship of the world, he faces not only his opponent in the ring, but also an entire nation. (BetaSP, Color, 16 min)

Karma
Chris John (Oakville, Canada)
Sara has been abused all her life by her older sister, Samantha. Now everything is about to change as a journey takes them down a dangerous and unexpected road where they discover the power of Karma. (BetaSP, Color, 11 min)

Cries From Ramah
Loren E. Chadima (Valley Village, CA)
A bombing on a Tel Aviv street takes the lives of a Palestinian and an Israeli. Later, at a police station, their mothers encounter each other. (BetaSP, Color, 15 min)

4pm Saturday, May 6, 2006

Wentworth
R. Stephen Suettinger (Los Angeles, CA)

A neurotic misfit must choose between the fantasy girl of his dreams and her real-life flesh and blood counterpart. (35mm, Color, 17 min)

Janie
Christine Shin (Los Angeles, CA)
Janie, a nine year old, has a perfect life as an only daughter in a loving family. Her life gets completely shattered when Ben unexpectedly shows up. (BetaSP, Color, 18 min)

The Butler of the Van der Waal House
Adam J. Kreps (Studio City, CA)
When major changes affect the Van der Waal household, Orson, the family's butler, must help young Master Martin deal with the loss of his mother. (BetaSP, Color, 8 min)

Sharks in the Water
David Puls (Rochester, NY)
A disconcerting look at the corporate corruption and political collaboration that plague the US. (BetaSP, Color, 4 min)

Confessions of a Late Bloomer
Jen McGowan (Los Angeles, CA)
Donny, the smallest boy in class, is always the butt of someone's joke. This is about to change when he accepts the school bully's challenge to kiss Sheila, the girl of Donny's dreams. (BetaSP, Color, 15 min)


The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
Michael Sporn (New York, NY)
An animated account of Philippe Petit's tightrope walk between the twin towers of New York City's World Trade Center. Jake Gyllenhaal (of Brokeback Mountain) is the narrator. (BetaSP, Color, 10 min)

RPS
Michelle Schmidt (Virginia Beach, VA)
Rambunctious Rochelle Schiaparelli learns lessons of love and family through a game called Rock, Paper, Scissors. (BetaSP, Color, 29 min)

Perfect Little Pots
Daphne Raves (Tallahassee, FL)
Sue did not expect that seven kids in a pottery class could make such a mess. She and her students learn a valuable lesson about art and life. (BetaSP, Color, 8 min)

Driver's Ed
Mike Standish & Thom Harp (Seattle, WA)
High school senior Kate must pass her driver's test to visit her boyfriend in Seattle. Mr. Meeker thinks he can teach her how to drive. (BetaSP, Color, 11 min)

8pm Saturday, May 6, 2006

Liberte Conditionelle (Suspended Sentence)
Constant Mentzas (Montreal, Canada)
Waiting for his plane, a man is suddenly arrested. His examiners harass him with bizarre questions until he confesses. Caught in the crossfire of this war between absurdity and reason, will he be its only victim? (35mm, Color, 10 min)

SYN
Ben Chavda (Virginia Beach, VA)
A futuristic look at the value of life. (BetaSP, Color, 28 min)

Surly Squirrel
Peter Lepeniotis (Toronto, Canada)
A discarded pizza slice becomes the Holy Grail to a pack of starving park animals. A bank heist turns into a huge gun fight between the robbers and the police. Watch what happens when these two worlds collide. (BetaSP, Color, 11 min)

Smart Card
James Oxford (Woodland Hills, CA)
A tale of a utopian future, where every aspect of your life is integrated into one system. (BetaSP, Color, 16 min)


Vika
Tsivia Barkai (Jerusalem, Israel)
After a long stay in boarding school, Vika, 12, returns home for the weekend to find a new baby sister. As always, Vika tries to please her mother and fails. (BetaSP, Color, 16 min)

Penny Dreadful
Bryan Norton (New York, NY)
Jessica and David are an upscale couple who come face to face with the supernatural after inheriting a beautiful townhouse in New York City's West Village. The cast includes Betsy Palmer from the orginal Friday the 13th. (BetaSP, Color, 30 min)

Viola Fondente (Candy Viola)
Fabio Simonelli (Rome, Italy)
Viola is an overweight, beautiful woman. Her frustrating life is pivoted on a monotonous job and a hateful husband. (35 mm, Color, 13 min)

The 47th Rochester International Film Festival

8pm Thursday, May 5, 2005

Post-Partum by Marie-Josee Saint-Pierre Montreal, Canada When I was two months old, my mother abandoned me to my grandmother. In a moment, in a thought, I revisited my past. I revisited hers.... (10 min, BetaSP)

Donna's Room by Stephen Lindsay & Michael Bartolotta Rochester, NY A woman "awakens" to find herself in a strange room with her hands bound. A mysterious man appears with knowledge of Donna's past. Does he hold the key to setting her free? (17 min, BetaSP)

O (Circle of Life) by Keum-Taek Jung Rochester, NY An experimental animation and music composition that combines geometric shape and form based on the concepts of Buddhist Circle of Life philosophy and the Taoist philosophy of Nature existing between Yin and Yang. (6 min, BetaSP)

The Adventures of Arthur Conan Doyle by Michael Vaingauz & Erynn Midwall New York, NY Sherlock Holmes is dead. Creator Arthur Conan Doyle's daughters are being held for ransom to bring back Sherlock Holmes. Instead Doyle decides to solve the kidnapping case himself. (20 min, BetaSP)

Juliet by Kristina Jessica Doyle Santa Clarita, CA Juliet uses the conventions of the horror genre to explore the boundaries of fear, desire, and the lengths to which one will go to belong. (21 min, BetaSP)

Lis and Ogre by Jim Bruck & Vale Bruck Jackson, NJ A visually spectacular adventure in which the characters move through many extraordinary fantasy environments toward a final confrontation inside an imaginary ore processing factory. (9 min)

The Sky is Falling by Adam J. Kreps FSU Tallahassee, FL It's the Great Depression. Several patrons of the Excelsior Hotel have recently "checked out" by way of the rooftop. Jay, the bellboy, tries to put a stop to this. (20 min, 35mm)


8pm Friday, May 6, 2005


Lamia by Katerina Slantcheva, FSU Tallahassee, FL As Damien paints Miriam, a beautiful model who mysteriously shows up at his studio, supernatural events lead him into the recesses of his hollowed memories, toward an event best left forgotten. (20 min, 35mm)

Glass Crow by Steven Subotnick, Providence, RI "Glass Crow" is a meditation on the Defenestration of Prague, the spark that ignited the Thirty Years War. Imagery of crows, landscapes, battles and angels are layered in a poetic and associative way. (6 min, BetaSP)

Parallel Worlds by Dave Puls, Rochester, NY The abuse of Iraqi prisoners moved this filmmaker to reexamine his own memories of working at a NY State Mental Hospital in the early 1970's. (7 min, BetaSP)

Rainbow's End by Chris Mancini & Bill McCullough, Sherman Oaks, CA Three small time crooks capture a leprechaun and try to shake him down for his pot of gold. (15 min, BetaSP)

Hunting Camp by John C. Lyons, Erie, PA A story of deception, lies and betrayal. Two men, two lives, one deadly secret. (36 min, BetaSP)

The Meaning of Life by Don Hertzfeldt, Goleta, CA A vast, beautiful exploration of time, life, death, and Tschaikovsky. (12 min, 35mm)

Sailing for Madagascar by Tom Oesch, Los Angeles, CA The friendship between a young white girl and a Japanese-American boy is challenged by racism and bigotry emerging in post-Pearl-Harbor California. (13 min, BetaSP)


4pm Saturday, May 7, 2005


The Murder of William Lyman by Michael Keene, Pittsford, NY Historical recreation of the first murder committed in Rochester, NY. Verbatim court transcripts and police eye witness reports were utilized. (23 min, BetaSP)

Tokyo Equinox by Yuri Makino, Tucson, AZ This experimental documentary takes its viewers on a personal journey that reunites two adult sisters from America with their estranged Japanese father. (11 min, BetaSP)

If You Step on a Crack by Jennifer Atkins, New York, NY When the Cubs are your home team, losing can become a permanent state of mind. But the night before her breast biopsy, a worried woman refuses to give up hope. (18 min, 35mm)

Up by Suruchi Pahwa & Hardeep Kharbanda, Chantilly, VA Zaz, a simple man leading a mundane existence, is thrust on a non-stop journey to fame. He becomes a celebrity overnight—but can he handle the limelight? (8 min, BetaSP)

A Story of the Woods by Jihong Min, Provo, UT A child had found a young sleeping lady sitting on a chair in an old house. She becomes his secret until, as a young man, he finds an old woman in the house. (13 min, BetaSP)

House of Elegance by Amy Bench, Austin, TX Since Ella Mae Pease opened for business in the 1960's, her salon has been an integral part of life for both the customers and the beauticians. (8 min, BetaSP)

The Abbey of the Genesee by Paulo Almeida & Joshua Morrell, Rochester, NY & Boston, MA We take a brief look into the Monastic lifestyle focusing on labor, Lectio Divina [Divine Reading], and prayer as the monks tell their story at The Abbey of the Genesee in Piffard, NY. (13 min, BetaSP)


8:00pm Saturday, May 7, 2005


Stopover by Evelin Longo, Santa Monica, CA A mother is torn between two great passions of her life: her beloved daughter and her acting career. (21 min, 35mm)

This Moment by Leena Pendharkar, San Francisco, CA Does love really conquer all? A young Indian-American woman is at a unique crossroads when she receives a proposal for marriage. (13 min, BetaSP)

Fields of Mudan by Stevo, FSU Tallahassee, FL A young Asian girl forced into modern day slavery befriends another young girl in the brothel as she dreams of a better life with her mother. (23 min, 35mm)

Golf by Casper Frank & Talia Raine, Hollywood, CA A Young Mexican immigrant living in East Los Angeles finds that his life is not the American dream he had hoped for. (4 min, BetaSP)

Oedipus by Jason Wishnow, Long Beach, CA The story of Oedipus in 8 minutes, performed by vegetables in the tradition of Ben Hur. (8 min, 35mm)

Sophie Matisse, a New York Painter by Christine Lombard, New York, NY Meet Sophie Matisse, a painter living and working in downtown Manhattan. "Being the great-ganddaughter of Henri Matisse can be daunting," says Sophie, "but recovering from 9/11 is a much larger challenge." (27 min, BetaSP)

Death as a Tango by Valerie C. Plimpton, Simi Valley, CA Kasey Barnett struggles to rekindle her passion for life, while dancing with death. (23 min, 35mm)

The 46th Rochester International Film Festival

8pm Thursday, May 6, 2004


Skateboarding in Sarajevo by Carol LaFayette, Bryan, TX (11 min, Beta SP, color)
Author Jerry Cullum ponders the siege of Sarajevo, the American Civil War, and urban warfare in modern Atlanta, while posing a tentative answer to the question "What good is art, anyway?"

In Their Absence by Tina Cesa Ward, Astoria, NY (9 min, Beta SP, color)
In August, 1945, Barbra arrives at a dance hall with joyful, heartbreaking news: the end of the war, and the end of newfound love.

An Assignment by John A. Rangel, Chicago, IL (23 min, Beta SP, color)
On the verge of expulsion from a city high school, Tommy must choose between loyalty to old friends and a possible future with a new friend.

Jill by Xavier Janghoon Lee, Santa Monica, CA (21 min, Beta SP, color)
Is it the brain or the eyes that store the memories of what we see? Since an eye transplant, Joshua has been haunted by horrible memories of a girl named Jill.

I Cannot Understand You by David Baeumler, Buffalo, NY (6 min, Beta SP, color)
Don't fear life's misunderstandings. Let a philosophical Tape Recorder guide you through a world of fireworks, flowers, and thrill rides.

echo by Tom Oesch, Los Angeles, CA (6 min, Beta SP, b&w)
You might think the past has a way of catching up with you, but maybe it's just you catching up with the past.

Black Gulch by Michael Strode, Los Angeles, CA (15 min, 35mm, color)
It was supposed to be a simple job: rob a small town bank. Unfortunately for Everett and his team, the town of Black Gulch has some nasty surprises waiting for them.

The Search for the Great White Ale by Dave Puls & Fredrick Armstrong, Rochester, NY (17 min, Beta SP, color)
After drinking all the town's honey-brewed mead, Derf the Viking hopes to redeem himself by finding the fountain of the Great White Ale.

Mojave Green by Miles Duffy, Pasadena, CA (16 min, Beta SP, color)
After a tragic accident, a man killing himself from guilt and a woman living with grief cross paths on a desert road.

How to Eat a Banana by Mary Szmagaj, Mountain View, CA (3 min, Beta SP, color)
A proper young lady demonstrates the proper way to consume this unwieldy exotic fruit.



8pm Friday May 7, 2004


Teddy's End by Jan Philip Cramer, San Francisco, CA (5 min, BetaSP, color)
This animated film shows the dire impact of war on children.

Seaside Trilogy by Melissa Berman, New York, NY (28 min, BetaSP, color)
Journeys of loss, revelation, and self-discovery set along the Montauk seashore.

Lights and Darks by Eric Kallevig, Los Angeles, CA (6 min, BetaSP, b&w)
A lonely old man's outlook is changed by a child's act of kindness.

The Dashing Diner by Gregg Watt, Cape Town, South Africa (17 min, BetaSP, color)
Two prisoners are released back into a dangerous chaotic world, a world they have seen too much of already--except, perhaps, for the restaurants.

Free Spectra by Seokhan Ryu, Daly City, CA (5 min, BetaSP, color)
A visual symphony of lights filmed at night in the San Francisco Bay area.

Lint Trapped by Caleb Johnson, Philadelphia, PA (6 min, BetaSP, color)
One man's brave pursuit of socks through the uncharted dimensions of his dryer.

Maree (Tides) by James Pellerito, New York, NY (15 min, BetaSP, color)
An Albanian father and son flee war-torn Macedonia in search of a better future in Italy. In Venice, the father makes the most difficult decision of his life.

Overpass by Alan Price, Ellicott City, MD (7 min, BetaSP, color)
In this computer-animated film, a boy takes a ride in Buckminster Fuller's Dymaxion car.

Spaceman Dan's 243rd Flight by John Mossman, Brookfield, IL (30 min, BetaSP, color)
An innocent farm girl and her brother, who takes her on a journey--a troublesome call girl and a hit man, who has been hired to dispose of her--two stories converge at an abandoned hilltop house.



4pm Saturday May 8, 2004


Alter Egos by Jon Karafin, Ambler, PA (9 min, BetaSP, color)
A superhero performs his daily quota of good deeds, and then must face his toughest enemy: his wife.

Tango Octogenario by David Licata, New York, NY (7 min, 35mm, color)
An ordinary, bickering, elderly couple work out their problems in an extraordinary way.

Matsutake by Todd Dayton, New York, NY (23 min, BetaSP, color)
A globe-trotting documentary about a wild mushroom and the people who make it part of their lives and livelihoods.

One By Two by Hardeep Kharbanda & Suruchi Pahwa, Rochester, NY (6 min, BetaSP, color)
A bored person sitting alone in a room is happy when he gets a visitor. But when they start getting into each other's space, trouble begins.

The Black Cowboys by Aaron Brookner, New York, NY (14 min, BetaSP, color)
The Federation of Black Cowboys is dedicated to promoting the culture, history, and legacy of America's forgotten Black Cowboys.

Autobiography of an Insect by Chris Trebilcock, Toronto, Ontario (22 min, BetaSP, color)
An introverted art student and his eight-legged comic-book alter ego struggle with life and relationships.

800 Can Man by Mark Levy, Rochester, NY (13 min, BetaSP, color)
When you see someone collecting empty cans on the street, what do you think? A story of work and reward.

Undertow by Dominic Hilton, Philadelphia, PA (12 min, BetaSP, color)
Men are going missing on the island, but a failing writer cares only for the mysterious woman in his shower.

Westless American by Erik Nelson, Nijmegen, The Netherlands (6 min, BetaSP, color)
Follow a restless runner westward through six different states, eight National Parks, and seven State Parks.



8pm Saturday, May 8, 2004


Beat Box Philly by Warren Bass & Liz Goldberg, Melrose Park, PA (5 min, BetaSP, color)
This animated cityscape explores the neighborhoods, polarities, popular associations, and visual rhythms of the streets of Philadelphia.

Day of Independence by Chris Tashima, Los Angeles, CA (27 min, 35mm, color)
The story of a young Japanese American and his family, torn apart by unjust incarceration in a U.S. internment camp during World War II.

Inventing: Music by Matt Stratton & Dallas Trinkle, Chicago, IL (10 min, BetaSP, color)
Bill Henderson is an outlaw: riding his Hog, playing his music, and living his dreams on the edge of society.

Prayers from Kawthoolei by Joe Hill White, Los Angeles, CA (30 min, BetaSP, color)
A documentary about three friends from the Karen ethnic group of Burma. Two emigrated to Canada; we follow one back to Burma to find the third, left behind years earlier.

Time Streams by Stephanie Maxwell & Allan Schindler, Fairport, NY (6 min, BetaSP, color)
Segments and ribbons of "time" evoke past, present, and illusory experience in this hand-painted 35mm animated film with a computer-generated score.

Bracia (Brothers) by John C. Brookins, Matt Rosen, & Steve Edell (7 min, 16mm, color)
In 1944, two brothers attempt to escape the abandoned Lodz Ghetto in Poland, several days after the rest of its population was transported to Auschwitz.

Hand Job by Hafeez M. Saheed, West Caldwell, NJ (7 min, BetaSP, color)
An exclusive look behind the scenes of the fast-paced New Jersey nail salon circuit.

Stuff That Bear! by Bruno Coppola, London, England (19 min, 35mm, color)
A quiet Romanian taxidermist, a relentless conman, and a troubled lap-dancer embark on a bizarre nighttime odyssey through downtown Bucharest.

Zamboni Man by Seth Henrikson & John Cafaro, Chicago, IL (14 min, BetaSP, color)
Tyler, a graceful figure skater, is admired from afar by Walt, a Zamboni driver with hidden musical talent. If only she could hear him play....

The 45th Rochester International Film Festival

8pm Thursday, May 1, 2003


The Marsh by Joshua R. Gramse, Sodus, NY (10:00, Color, 1/2" video). The development of human society as seen from a marsh. The archiving of human culture in nature.

Tremors by Evelin Longo, Santa Monica, CA (12:00, Color, 16mm). A woman in love is tempted by another man and gets lost in the seduction game, forgetting about the world around her.

All That I Perceive by Lindsay Daniels, Oakland, CA (4:00, Color, 1/2" video). Share an experience about an unsuccessful eye surgery that caused the filmmaker to have double vision giving her a unique and broad visual terrain that served as an inspiration to think about the world in a new way.

Jungle Picnic by Laura Di Trapani, Portland, OR (5:00, Color, 1/2" video). Two brothers, Stodgy and Starchy, lose their taste for the great outdoors when one encounters a tiger and the other has to decide how many hot dogs to eat.

Spikedriver by Stefanos Kafatos, Los Angeles, CA (12:00, B&W, 1/2" video). Xiang becomes unemployed after the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. Isolated and in desperate need, how far will he go to find his way?

The Legend of Razorback by Michael Greenspan, Los Angeles, CA (25:00, Color, 35mm). Eleven year old Avery Small must find the key to unlock his silence and pain.

Reverberations by Matt Costanza, Livonia, NY (7:00, Color, 1/2" video). Live action footage of martial artists and dancers brings this experimental animation to life.

Smithee's Lecture by David Liban, Washington, DC (24:00, Color, 1/2" video). Follow five students as they rush to attend a lecture that their professor says is to be given by famous Hollywood filmmaker Alan Smithee.



8pm Friday, May 2, 2003


All Games are Home Games: Baseball in San Quentin by Josh Springer, San Mateo, CA (27:00, Color, 1/2" video). Inside San Quentin State Prison you will be introduced to the all-inmate baseball team, the San Quentin Giants. This film answers the questions “What’s it like to play against an inmate serving a life sentence for murder?” and “How does baseball help them reform?”

The Least of These by Rik Swartzwelder, Solver Spring, MD (20:00, Color, 35mm). The fading, isolated life of a diner owner and the dull routine of his varied late night crowd are forever changed by the unusual proposition of a stranger. Based on a true story.

Die Leiden der Jugend (The Sorrows of Youth) by Brian M. Plow, Athens, OH (16:00, Color, 1/2" video). Amidst the quiet rhythm of a library, a young couple defy the strictly ordered confines of an institution and find the courage to love. Or do they?

Some Lucky Bastard by David W. Tamkin, Vancouver, BC (22:00, Color, 1/2" video). When Chris Miller is given the task of running the office pool, he discovers it gives him an excuse to see co-worker Tanya Nichols twice a week. Events lead the financially strapped Chris to take a risk that forever changes his life.

Alchemy by Anna Condo, New York, NY (18:00, Color, 35mm). What goes around comes around--and around. Saskia gives an unusual gift to her doctor only to receive it back from a friend.

La Toiletta by Dave Goldenberg, Ridgefield, CT (8:00, Color, 1/2" video). The epic saga of a fifth grader who has to go to the bathroom during a test, and the teacher who stands in his way. Presented, of course, as an operetta.



11pm Friday, May 2, 2003


Sobering by Robert Deege and Michael Turfler, Vienna, VA (24:00, Color, 1/2" video). A young man wakes up with little recollection of the night before. During the day, flashbacks and phone conversations provide conflicting evidence of what happened. In his search to figure out the truth, he makes a discovery that will change his life.

As Virgins Fall by Natalie Barandes, West Hollywood, CA (28:00, Color, 35mm). August 8, 1969. Amid sex, drugs, and the Viet Nam War, a privileged teenage girl is about to learn that no one is safe.

Crossing by Riccardo Costa, New York, NY (9:00, Color, 1/2" video). While walking in Manhattan, Cass meets all the people that matter most in his life. Something strange is going on.

Unearthed by Christina Spangler, Cold Spring, NY (8:00, Color, 16mm). Alone and exposed in the above ground world, an unearthed potato fights for survival and is given the gift of sight, only to realize the impermanence of its existence.

Shadowboxer by Vilka Tzouras, Brooklyn, NY (28:00, Color, 16mm). Filmed in a direct and provocative style, “Shadowboxer” brings issues of female teenage violence into focus through the story of a 16 year old girl named Reena.

True Believer by Dave Puls, Rochester, NY (4:00, Color, 1/2" video). The alarm is sounded to be aware of the True Believer. This film blends humor with stark observations of fanatics past and present.



4pm Saturday, May 3, 2003


Nine by Jennifer Campbell, Lowell, MA (26:00, Color, 1/2" video). In this uplifting documentary, nine breast cancer survivors prepare for the world’s largest two-day rowing event. The film follows the women’s stories as they bond and share hope, from their first meeting through the entire race.

Tiny Magic by John Takacs, Lewiston, NY (21:00, Color, 1/2" video). Nick, a magician with supernatural abilities, attempts to charm Michelle. A memorable evening punctuated by a magical ending.

Match Scratch Fever by Kristin Solid, North Hollywood, CA (3:00, Color, 1/2" video). When a match escapes the matchbox and enters the world, he soon uncovers the meaning of life and embarks on a mission to fulfill his destiny.

Barntasia by Helen Kiefer, Oak Park, IL (12:00, Color, 35mm). Beautiful photographic imagery from America’s historical barns dances to music in a fantasy of sound and light.

Back to One by Reid Mihalko, New York, NY (10:00, Color, 1/2" video). John has finally summoned up the courage to pop the question, but he can’t seem to make it come out right. Even the most well rehearsed moments aren’t what they seem.

Bamboo Master by Ding Ye, Rochester, NY (4:00, Color, 1/2" video). A talented young martial artist is defeating renowned martial arts clans in China. One day he is defeated by the Bamboo Master in the Bamboo Forest.

Mount Everest--Up Close and Personal by Ron Strobel, Malvern, PA (17:00, Color, 1/2" video). This is a story about being middle-aged, out of shape, and lazy. It’s about two cultures literally a world apart. It’s about surmounting obstacles and seeking pure adventure and a life-long dream.



8pm Saturday, May 3, 2003


Taste It All by Richard J. Liukis, Los Angeles, CA (27:00, Color, 35mm). What goes on behind the scenes of the art world. A different view of the artist, the gallery owner, and the patron.

West Bank Merry-Go-Round by Bob Barancik, Portland, ME (3:00, Color, 1/2" video). A meditation on the cycle of violence between the Israelis and the Palestinians on the West Bank.

Water by Gabriele Zamparini, New York, NY (14:00, B&W, 35mm). An African immigrant searches for a job in Harlem, but finds something else....

Waiting For Johnnie Walker by Kerry Logan, Burbank, CA (30:00, Color, 1/2" video). Hana is considered eccentric by the other patrons at the bar where she goes each night, waiting for her “mystery man” to appear and take her away. Karl, the compassionate bartender, looks after her.

Rocks and Chocolate by Teddy Sharkova, Savannah, GA (12:00, Color, 35mm). In a post-communist Eastern European country, times are tough. A little girl steals from the jar containing the poor family’s meager savings.

19 at 11 by Michael Schwartz, Marina Del Rey, CA (15:00, Color, 16mm). Greg, a young reporter, gets his first shot at prime time, where he is challenged by Roger the senior anchor. By 11:30pm, only one newsman will be left standing.