2010 S.F. Frozen Film Festival (SF FFF) Winners!
Best Music Video
Mojo's Back
dir. by Azra Deniz Okyay
Best International Film
Uudestisyntymia (Finland)
by Jerm Tonteri
Best Music Documentary
Do It Again
Directed by Robert Patton-Spruill
Produced, written, and starring Geoff Edgers
Best Filmstock Film
AL's Beef
dir. by Dennis Hauck
Best Digital Film
How To Wash a Dog Who Barks for No Man
dir. by Ross Thomas
Best Feature Documentary
Overdose: The Next Financial Crisis
dir. by Martin Borgs
Best Short Documentary
575 Castro St.
dir. by Jenni Olson
Best Animated Short
More From Life
dir. by Steven Vander Meer
First Time Director Award
Le prix à payer
dir. by Paul Gayard
Student Director Award
A Sentence Apart
dir. by Jason Sussberg & Theo Rigby
Best Surf/Skate Video
A Pleasant Surprise
dir. by Kyle Pahlow
Friday, July 2nd
[5:00pm]
DIVE:
Kicks off the festival- following a family as they attempt to live off of food found from garbage- an indictment over the wastes of the western world, and a primer on the etiquette of Dumpster diving. (Plays Friday, July 2nd, Roxie Theater, 5:00pm)
[5:45pm]
THE ANTARCTICA CHALLENGE:
Watch global warming's destruction of the polar ice caps, in this award-winning (and very frozen) documentary. (Plays Friday, July 2nd, Roxie Theater, 5:45pm)
[6:45pm]
BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY FILMS OF 2010: (Plays Friday, July 2nd, Roxie Theater, 6:45pm)
(1) 575 CASTRO ST.:
575 Castro St. reveals the play of light and shadow upon the walls of the Castro Camera Store set for Gus Van Sant’s film Milk. These mundane shots are almost bereft of movement and sound. So quiet, so still. All the better to showcase the range of emotions evoked by Harvey Milk’s words on the soundtrack. The audio track is an edited down version of the 13-minute audio-cassette that Harvey Milk recorded in his camera shop on the evening of Friday, November 18, 1977 (a few weeks after his election to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors which made him one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States). Labeled simply: “In-Case” the tape was to be played, “in the event of my death by assassination.” The sensibility of 575 Castro St. hearkens back to the dozens of Super 8 gay short films of the ‘70s that passed through Harvey Milk’s hands to be processed and developed. The film was commissioned by FilmInFocus.com to be showcased online in conjunction with the theatrical release of Milk.
(2) CLOSE TO HOME:
Brian Marquez was murdered on a San Francisco street corner in 2005--since that day his father Luis, has been on a quest to find the killers that took his son. During the traditional Mexican holiday of Day of the Dead, ‘Close to Home’ portrays a father that has yet to deal with the death of his son, and a daughter who is looking for the father she once had.
(3) CALIFORNIA: STATE OF CONFUSION: is a compelling short documentary that examines the contradiction of state, federal and local law as it pertains to the use and distribution of medical marijuana.
(4) A SENTENCE APART:
Sentence Apart weaves three intimate stories exploring the effects of incarceration on the family. This short film explores how people cope with a family member in prison, attempt to bridge broken relationships, and diligently work to break the generational cycle of incarceration to succeed in life.
(5) TRASH-OUT:
On the frontline of an American tragedy, this essay film documents the experience of workers as they 'trash-out' the remains of a foreclosed family home.
(6) THE SUNDOWNER:
He was done with his day job, done with the corporate world, and done with land. Jon Bendz had his sights set on the open ocean. For six years, this technically-gifted man handcrafted a beautiful fifty-three foot sailboat all by himself, with his dream keeping him going every step of the way. And for almost a decade, this engineer turned man of the sea found out first hand what living the good life is all about. With Jon's best friend, Tim Tomchak, featured in the film alongside him, and rare footage capturing some of the most memorable moments aboard the ship, The Sundowner tells the story of a man whose ambitions were set so high, he thought he could defeat the ocean through sheer force of will.
[7:55pm]
THE VINYL FRONTIER:
This documentary chronicles the rise of a revolution in Art: vinyl art. Using graffiti artists, musicians, and underground artists from around the world, this new 'toy' art has turned the art world on its head, and spun a break-dance 360. Features local icons Frank Kozik, and a cast of wild boundary pushers turning melted plastic into political statements and gallery pieces. Artists to speak after. (Plays Friday, July 2nd, Roxie Theater, 7:55pm)
[9:30pm]
Do It Again (Kinks):
It is a quest. Geoff Edgers, a newspaper reporter dreading the approach of his 40th birthday, decides to take a most improbable leap. He sets out to find the still-surviving members of the long dormant British rock band, the Kinks (“You Really Got Me,” “Lola” and “Come Dancing”), to convince them to reunite. Never mind that he’s an American with just one connection to Kinks leader Ray Davies and his younger brother Dave: Edgers grew up loving their music. When his initial mission fails, Edgers turns the film into a meditation on the power of music and his own chance to testify on his love for the Kinks. He also meets with Kinks fans that include Sting, Zooey Deschanel, REM’s Peter Buck, Paul Weller, Robyn Hitchcock and Clive Davis. (Plays Friday, July 2nd, Roxie Theater, 9:30pm)
[11:00pm]
2010 BEST ANIMATION:
From voodoo dolls exacting revenge to intercosmic intentional pencil-mation, this mash of animation shows where animation is headed in 2011, and should inspire and dazzle audiences everywhere. (Plays Friday, July 2nd, Roxie Theater, 11:00pm)
Includes:
Ad Infinitum
Sebastian's Voodoo
Mirror Stage
The Rise and Fall of Phyllis, the Human Duck
No Naked!
KOPSIS
More from life
There Once Was
The Magnitude of the Continental Divides
The Realm of Possibility
Saturday, July 3rd
[12:00 Noon]
BEST EXPERIMENTAL/ART-HOUSE SHORTS:
The weird, the wild, the wonderful- this collection of short films features the most cutting edge and challenging work being produced by visual artists and not just filmmakers. (Plays Saturday, July 3rd, Roxie Theater, 12:00 Noon)
Includes:
Hotel Coccole
Uudestisyntymiä
The Salariat in Parts
Mojo's back
Elfmädchen
[1:00pm]
Feature Documentaries: Overdose: The Next Financial Crisis & Finding D-Qu. (Plays Saturday, July 3rd, Roxie Theater, 1:00pm)
Overdose: The Next Financial Crisis:
In times of crisis people seek strong leaders and simple solutions. But what happens when their solutions are identical to the mistakes that caused the very crisis? 'Overdose' is the story of the greatest economic crisis of our age - the one that awaits us. The documentary traces the origins of the financial crisis and explores the eerie similarities with today's situation, where states like Greece, Iceland and even the U.S. seems to be in danger of collapsing. (Plays Saturday, July 3rd, Roxie Theater, 1:00pm)
Finding D-Qu:
In 2005, D-Q University, California’s only tribal college, was shut down after a 35-year struggle. Since then, the school’s board of trustees, past students, and community members have tried to reopen the school against all odds. Finding D-QU looks at the often-conflictive relationship between the board and the property’s illegal occupants. This current struggle frames the history of the school, beginning with its establishment in the midst of 1960s civil rights activism and outlines its original vision as a space for self-determined higher education. The film provides a lens in which we can critically examine the wider American Indian movement toward self-determination and sovereignty in its historical context and as it exists today. (Plays Saturday, July 3rd, Roxie Theater, 1:00pm)
[2:20pm]
BEST COMEDIC SHORTS OF 2010:
This hilarious and heartwarming mixture of laughter short films includes a range from lemonade stand battles to epic searches for timepieces. Funny and challenging short films from student filmmakers and oversees. (Plays Saturday, July 3rd, Roxie Theater, 2:20pm)
Program Includes:
The Initiative
When Life Gives You Lemons
Gloss Your Lips
Heartbreak Bawkings
The Watch
[3:30pm]
CRIME AND WESTERN SHORTS:
Saddle up for 3 short Crime and Western Shorts! (Plays Saturday, July 3rd, Roxie Theater, 3:30pm)
Program Includes:
1. Le prix à payer (The Price To Pay):
A French film noir crime caper movie. A black & white crime film with jazz music, a beautiful car and a beautiful girl - in the trunk of a car.
2. Condemned (Outlaw woman depraved and incarcerated):
The shocking story of the depraved and the incorrigible. This woman is CONDEMNED.
3. AL's BEEF:
Bloodied, barefoot, and branded like cattle, a mysterious woman wanders into a desolate frontier town with an aim to kill the son of a bitch that's done her wrong. Starring Jordan Ladd (Cabin Fever, Death Proof), Mark Polish (Twin Falls Idaho), David Yow (lead singer of The Jesus Lizard), and Academy Award Nominee Dean Stockwell (Blue Velvet, "Quantum Leap").
[4:50pm]
BEST DRAMATIC SHORTS OF 2010:
(Plays Saturday, July 3rd, Roxie Theater, 4:50pm)
Program Includes:
How To Wash a Dog Who Barks for No Man
Omie Wise
Breadwinner
Bean
Le Retour
[6:15pm]
Do It Again (Kinks):
It is a quest. Geoff Edgers, a newspaper reporter dreading the approach of his 40th birthday, decides to take a most improbable leap. He sets out to find the still-surviving members of the long dormant British rock band, the Kinks (“You Really Got Me,” “Lola” and “Come Dancing”), to convince them to reunite. Never mind that he’s an American with just one connection to Kinks leader Ray Davies and his younger brother Dave: Edgers grew up loving their music. When his initial mission fails, Edgers turns the film into a meditation on the power of music and his own chance to testify on his love for the Kinks. He also meets with Kinks fans that include Sting, Zooey Deschanel, REM’s Peter Buck, Paul Weller, Robyn Hitchcock and Clive Davis. (Plays Saturday, July 3rd, Roxie Theater, 6:15pm)
[7:50pm]
No Fun City:
Set in Vancouver Canada which has long been known as the No Fun City,
this documentary is a passionate tale about a tight-knit underground
music scene and its ongoing battles in a city that seems hell-bent on
shutting down all the fun. Witnessing the ups and downs of life behind
the scenes, we watch as venues are closed, parties are raided, and
musicians resort to playing in illegal venues, DIY warehouses, and
even parking lots. No Fun City focuses on the lives of local promoters
as they face irate neighbours, police raids, evictions, deportation,
million dollar lawsuits, and city hall in order to keep the
underground music scene alive. Cities from Montreal to Melbourne are
experiencing the death of the independent live music venue. With the
proliferation of condo developments in low-income artist communities,
ensuing noise complaints, the commercialization of large music venues,
and the rise in stringent city zoning and liquor regulations, small
local music venues around the world are struggling to stay open. No
Fun City is a Rock'n'Roll journey to the heart of a creative community
that is fighting these conflicting business interests and city
regulations with the relentless fuel of music and determination. The
narrative is told through interviews with legendary Vancouver bands
such as Skinny Puppy and DOA as well as current Vancouver bands like 3
Inches of Blood and Japandroids and also features live high-energy
music performances, candid behind the scenes action and a throttling
Rock'n'Roll soundtrack. (Plays Saturday, July 3rd, Roxie Theater, 7:50pm)
[9:20pm]
THE VINYL FRONTIER:
This documentary chronicles the rise of a revolution in Art: vinyl art. Using graffiti artists, musicians, and underground artists from around the world, this new 'toy' art has turned the art world on its head, and spun a break-dance 360. Features local icons Frank Kozik, and a cast of wild boundary pushers turning melted plastic into political statements and gallery pieces. Artists to speak after. (Plays Saturday, July 3rd, Roxie Theater, 9:20pm)
[11:00pm]
A Pleasant Surprise (SURF FILM):
A Pleasant Surprise offers an honest look at the talents of a select group of surfers who live in a truly special part of the United States. Almost three years in the making, this film documents a world of contrast as daily changes in weather and waves prove to be all part of a larger picture; thumping beach breaks, cold water, and quick tropical storms are just a fraction of what you will find. Brought to you in Super 16mm, A Pleasant Surprise allows for the full beauty of this region and its surfers to be realized. A Pleasant Surprise is currently seeking the interest of distribution partnerships and welcomes inquires.