The 12th month of the year is a time to look back -- and to look ahead. One key Arlington cultural event in 2011 was the first international film festival, brought to you at the Regent in October not by an outside group but by Arlington residents.
Uruguayan troupe dances carnival to close festival.
They are J. Alberto Guzman is the festival's founder, and his wife, April L. Ranck, the executive director. They provide a reminder of what you may have missed and what you may look forward next October:
The Arlington International Film Festival (AIFF) wrapped up its first successful year of world-class film screening and events Sunday, Oct. 9. It proved to be a triumphant year that included screenings of 16 features and 12 shorts from an impressive lineup of local, national and international independent filmmakers.
The success of the first Arlington festival proves that audiences are willing to leave their iPhones and laptops at home to experience movies on the big screen. AIFF staff and volunteers can hardly wait to unveil next year’s festival offerings, scheduled for Oct. 17 - 21, at the historic Regent Theatre.
A Worldwide Gathering Place
The 2011 festival welcomed a number of guests from all over the U.S. Six filmmakers and several distinguished experts in their fields, participated in postscreening panel discussions and Q-&-A sessions that deepened their audiences’ experience of the Festival. These exchanges with filmmakers and panelists provided an open forum in which to discuss real issues and get to know fellow film enthusiasts.
Bob Kuhn, Gaby Bruce, April Ranck.Programs and Tributes
The masters of ceremonies for this year’s festival -- Bob Kuhn, John Kusiak, Walter Locke, Neil McGarry and John Voci -- introduced us to an array of diverse programming.
“Five Friends,” from L.A.-based director Eric Santiago, examines the awkwardness and the rewards of men developing close friendships with other men.
“The Bug Trainer,” by Lithuanian director, Rasa Miskinyte, is a biography of Ladislas Starewitch (1882-1965), pioneer of puppet animation.
“The Boy Mir: Ten Years in Afghanistan,” directed by U.K. filmmaker Phil Grabsky follows the life of a young boy from ages 7 to17.
“Circus Dreams,” by U.S. director Signe Taylor, documents a year in the life of Circus Smirkus, one of the only traveling youth circuses in the world.
“Family Affair,” by filmmaker Chico Colvard, probes the sensitive and complex dynamic of the survival of childhood family abuse and loyalty.
Canadian filmmaker, German Guiterrez presents, in “L’affaire Coca-Cola,” presents a searing indictment of the Coca-Cola empire and its alleged kidnapping, torture, and murder of union leaders who were trying to improve working conditions in Colombia, Guatemala and Turkey.
In “Meet Annabelle,” Massachusetts filmmaker/director Alexander Freeman, who has cerebral palsy, imagines himself without his disability and he confesses his thoughts about society to a sex doll named Annabelle.
Elisa Adams andTim Skousen.
The festival closed with “Steal a Pencil for Me” by Israeli filmmaker Michele Ohayon. This moving film, described by the Advocacy United Nations as “…A seminal film on the Holocaust that will touch people’s lives forever…”, evoked a predictably emotional response from the audience; there was hardly a dry eye to be found after the screening of this compelling documentary.
After a yearlong worldwide search and careful consideration of submissions of narrative and documentary features and short films, the AIFF Selection Committee awarded the best of festival to “Zero Percent,” directed by Tim Skousen.
Anne MakepeaceDirector Anne Makepeace received the best documentary award for “We Still Live Here” and Director Mattias Sandstrom’s film, “Fuerteventura,” received the award for best narrative. The winner of the high school filmmakers’ short film competition went to director Gaby Bruce for “Nowhere Now Here.”
Film and Other Art Forms Celebrated
The festival was a celebration of many art forms. Skousen, director of the best of festival award, was presented with a marble sculpture crafted by Dr. Elisa Adams of Lexington. Anand Kumar, a physicist at Harvard Medical School, originally trained in South Indian classical music, composed the AIFF award presentation music.
David Gillman, coordinator of the AIFF closing ceremonies, put together a compelling music program for Sunday evening that began with the Halalisa Singers, a world-music chorus, led by artistic director Mary Neumann.
Then Meraki presented a program of diverse traditional music from various regions of Greece, followed by the Flamenco Dance Project, with artistic director/producer Sabrina Aviles.
After a short intermission the Other Georgia music chorale performed a variety of folk songs from the Republic of Georgia. The evening ended with Murga Klandestina, a musical group from Uruguay that brought the audience to its feet with their combination of 19th-centuty carnival style Spanish storytelling, and the clashing rhythm of the Uruguayan candombe drums. The colorful closing ceremony provided a rousing tribute multiculturalism.
Looking Ahead
The AIFF was created by a group of individuals wishing to invoke excitement and involvement in the arts for those who reside in, and around the Arlington and greater Boston. The festival stresses the importance of the artistic and educational value of cinema in this endeavor.
AIFF invites progressive independent film producers and directors from a variety of ethnicities within the U.S. and overseas, to participate in our annual October screenings.
Local artists are especially encouraged to participate. The festival offers an opportunity for high school students to showcase their talent.
The festival will begin to accept film submissions on Jan. 1, 2012. Entries must be postmarked by June 30, 2012.
For the latest information, visit www.AIFFest.org and follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/arlingtoninternationalfilmfestival.
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