'Pearl' Screening Saturday, August 11 at 7 pm

Dan Butler in last year's festival favorite, 'Respect For Acting'.

Synopsis:  "Pearl", based on the poem of the same name by former US Poet Laureate, Ted Kooser, is the story of a man traveling to tell his mother's last livingcousin that his mother has passed away. During their visit, an intriguingrevelation occurs.  "Pearl" is a story of transitions, from one phase of life to
the next, and from life to....?

Richard Waterhouse (Karl Rove I Love You) and Dan Butler (Frasier, Crazy Stupid Love) reside in Vermont and entertained us here last year with their delightful short,  ‘Respect For Acting’.   Also, our friend, Tim Joy, the ‘Pearl’  cinematographer, shot some of the ‘100 Mile Diet’ .  (our ’loosely ‘local’ category?)


Drama. 16 minutes

A Little More About '63 Comet'

These are the 3 guys with whom we'll be taking a road trip on Saturday night.

'The Uphill Baker' Screening Saturday, August 11 at 7 pm

JoAnne Alaric, behind the scenes for 'You're Not Cindy', my (with husband, Vince) historic first 'major' film :).  JoAnne's new film, 'The Uphill Baker' will screen during Saturday night's Local SHORTS program.

'A European baker adds magic to his bread, for his community, through his unique daily deliveries.'

A veteran of the Selkirk International Film Festival, JoAnne Alaric, introduces us to Nelson BC musician and artisan baker Tobias Jenny in her short film 'The Uphill Baker'.

JoAnne, an award-winning documentarian and owner/team-member of Number Five Productions currently resides in Burton, B.C.  Graduating with Honours from the Selkirk College Independent Digital Film Program in April 2010, JoAnne’s film education at both Selkirk College in Nelson and OUC Kelowna includes screenwriting, film editing, cinematography, lights and sound.

She maintains her professional status within the industry as a member of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers, while gaining practical experience working on local filming projects, TV pilots and independent films. 

'The Uphill Baker' won Best Short Mountain Culture Film 2012, Revelstoke Mountain Roots Film Festival.

Documentary. 12 min.

'100 Mile Diet' Screening Saturday, August 11 at 7 pm

You've all heard of the 100 Mile Diet...where you pledge to eat only food produced within 100 miles of your home.

This narrative short film by local filmmaker Vince O'Connell takes the local food movement one step farther than it normally gets taken.

Satire-horror. 14 min.

'Wasp' Screening Saturday, August 11 at 7 pm

Every year we screen one film that doesn't have a local connection.  It's what I call our 'wild card' and this year we're showing WASP.

This short film by Andrea Arnold has won numerous awards including an Academy Award for Live Action Short Film.  It's so real.   I was on the edge of my seat through the whole thing.  Brilliant...as if my opinion means anything. 

Synopsis: Zoë is a single mother who lives with her four children in Dartford. She is poor and can't afford to buy food. One day her ex-boyfriend drives by and asks her to go on a date with him. Scared that he doesn't want to go out with her, she lies and tells him that she is just babysitting the kids. This will be her first date in years.

drama. 24 min.

'63 Comet' to screen August 11 at 7 pm

Director Jason Mckee

My brothers and I came home from school one day to find a brand new, 2 year old Comet Mercury parked in front of the barn.  We were sure the car belonged to a visitor, even though we never got visitors, but it was ours....and only one of the reasons I chose to screen Jason Mckee's '63 Comet' during Saturday evening's 'local' SHORTS event.

Synopsis: Defying the traditional conventions of the road trip, John, Jeff, and Steve hit the pavement in their 63 Comet. The setting is sparse, the men display questionable hygiene habits, and the car lacks even the modern amenities of automatic windows.

But that doesn't stop them from reaching deep inside themselves for insight into everything from allegorical themes in pop culture to the intrinsic value of adult diapers. As they debate the tenets of life, philosophy, religion, and porn, these men prove that its not the destination that matters.

Its the journey.


Filmed in Sprague, Washington, 35 miles southwest of Spokane, the film was voted best of the Northwest at the 2012 Spokane International Film Festival.  Jason works as an VFX and post production supervisor at North by Northwest Productions in Spokane.  And last I heard, Jason will be joining us at the event.

comedy.  16 min.

'Smoke Signals' Kicks Off The 2012 Film Festival

I saw it when it came out and LOVED it...without even realizing it had such a great local connection.

Like filming scenes on the Coeur d'Alene Reservation and in downtown Spokane.  And the screenwriter being Sherman Alexie...a National Book Award Winner and New York Times best selling author whose writing draws largely on his experiences as a Native American  growing up on the Spokane Indian reservation.

Synopsis:  Young Indian man Thomas is a nerd in his reservation, wearing oversize glasses and telling everyone stories no-one wants to hear. His parents died in a fire in 1976, and Thomas was saved by Arnold. Arnold soon left his family (and his tough son Victor), and Victor hasn't seen his father for 10 years. When Victor hears Arnold has died, Thomas offers him funding for the trip to get Arnold's remains, but only if Thomas will also go with him. Thomas and Victor hit the road. (from imdb.com)

watch trailer

'Smoke Signals' is the only film ever written and directed by Native Americans that received national and international distribution.  The film cost about $2 million to produce and grossed $6.8 million at the box office.

I can hardly imagine anything more fun than watching it at the Cutter with a bunch of folks that made an effort to see this wonderful groundbreaking film.  What a perfect way to kick off our event.