SATURDAY IS A FULL DAY OF PROGRAMMING AT THE GRAND,
11:30 a.m. Tacoma Art Museum
The Road to Nod
(Drama, 89 minutes, Directed by M.A. Littler)
When Parrish is finally released from his six-year prison sentence, he quickly sets out to re-establish ties with his former colleagues in the criminal world and get back in the game. Unfortunately, times have changed during his absence – dramatically. The power his gang once possessed has moved into the hands of their adversaries, who now seek to eliminate anyone who might pose a risk to their dominance of the streets. Unable to count on anyone's help, Parrish embarks on solitary quest for a peaceful place. If it is redemption he seeks, Parrish will have to take the road that leads to Nod.
12:15 p.m. Grand Cinema
NICE HAT! Five Enigmas in the Life of Cambodia
(Documentary, 86 min, Directed by David Brisbin)
What does it mean when the royal crown has gone missing or when a scarf serves for both torture and joy? Why would a palm hat tell of ethnic division, or a cap from abroad define a revolution? How could a dancer's headdress survive 800 years? A look at these Khmer hats threads together the last ten centuries and reveals great complexity through the simplest of means. Filmmakers in attendance.
12:30 p.m. School of the Arts
Fighting in Sunshine: The untlold story of Banood
(Documentary, 90 min, Directed by Michael Bain)
Fighting In Sunshine explores the formation and triumphs of Banood, a group of eight musicians from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Amidst the realm of teenage hubris, Banood struggles against the odds to become something extraordinary. Combining historical footage with contemporaneous interviews, this film brings together a group of musicians who have scattered around the globe. A true heartwarming story of trying to make it big.
Rain in the Mountains
(Drama/comedy, 90 minutes, Directed by Joel Metlen & Christine Sullivan)
Eric Smallhouse is a Native American who believes it's his destiny to lead his tribe back to the old ways. The only problem is that Eric was raised off the reservation and doesn't know the old ways. Against his wife Lindsay's objections, he drags his 12-year-old son, Todd, on a quest to reclaim the past. But he quickly learns that things weren't any easier back before the white man bought electricity. With help from the spirit who told him his destiny, Eric makes plans to strike back at modern convenience, but his antics soon leave him on the run from the authorities. Filmmakers in attendance.
2:15 p.m. Grand Cinema
Saturday Matinee Shorts (Group of 8 short films shown in sequence)
Absolute Zero
(Based on a true story, 27 min, Directed by Alan Woodruff)
A train makes its way through the countryside toward the city. Part of its load is a refrigerated wagon. Inside the otherwise empty wagon, a man keeps a grim log on the wall – a first-hand account of death by freezing, written in the hopes that it will be of use to science and that his death will therefore not have been entirely without purpose. Only later it is discovered that the refrigeration unit wasn't operating and the temperature in the wagon never fell below 68°F. The story is told using a combination of archival and imagined material to speculate on the man's final hours.
How Big is Tacoma?
(Music Video, 3 min, Directed by Jason Webley)
A song with local video inspired by the drive through Tacoma on Interstate 5
City of Destiny?
(Documentary, 7 min, Directed by Jeremy Almeda
Revitalization and gentrification are going on everywhere, not just Tacoma. There are many positive and negative effects on a community and the individual. Some are more subtle than others. This documentary takes a look at the changes going on in Tacoma.
The Fan and the Flower
(Animated, 7 min, Directed by Bill Plympton)
An ill-fated and unconsummated romance between a fan and a flower. But with a magical, fairy tale ending.
Lost Utopia
(Animation, 5 min, Directed by Mirai Mizue)
The Biblical tale of Adam and Eve is used as the motif.
Finding Thea
(Documentary, 24 min, Directed by Nancy Bourne Haley and Lucy Ostrander)
In 1889, the year Washington achieved statehood, Norwegian immigrant Thea Christiansen Foss arrived in Tacoma on the newly opened Northern Pacific Railroad. This is the story of how her initial $5 purchase of a rowboat grew to the lartest fleet of tugs on the West Coast. Thea Foss became a pioneer archetype for women in fhe first half of the 20th century and was the inspiration for the "Tugboat Annie" stories. This is an encore presentation from the 2006 Tacoma Film Festival. Filmmakers in attendance.
An Allegory About Socks
(Drama, 16 min, Directed by H.L. Mitchell)
Sebastian Cole, sullen and meticulous in every detail, has realized, for possibly the very first time that SOMEONE is keeping dreadful secrets from him. Filmmakers in attendance.
Spitfire 944
(Documentary, 14 min, Directed by William Lortnon)
An 83-year old World War II pilot views 16mm footage of his 1944 Spitfire crash for the first time. This film played at Sundance earlier this year. The filmmakers and the pilot will be in attendance and available for discussion following the film.
2:15 p.m. School of the Arts
Arid Lands
(Documentary, 98 min, Directed by Grant Aaker)
Sixty years ago, the Hanford nuclear site produced plutonium for the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, and today the area is the focus of the largest environmental cleanup in history. It is a landscape of incredible contradictions: coyotes roam among decommissioned nuclear reactors, salmon spawn in the middle of golf courses, wine grapes grow in the sagebrush, and federal cleanup dollars spur rapid urban expansion. Arid Lands tells the story of how people changed the landscape over time, and how the landscape affected their lives. Filmmakers in attendance.
My Left Hand
(Documentary, 81 minutes, Directed by Joshua Isaac)
Joshua Isaac, a husband and father to two young boys, documents his experience dealing with reoccurrence of epithelioid sarcoma—a rare, cancerous tumor initially found in the palm of his left hand six years prior. He explores his emotions, doubts, fears, and faith in God and Judaism as he endures chemotherapy, radiation, and the amputation of his left hand. During this journey we meet the people in Josh's life, professionals there to help him, and a community of other cancer patients also affected by sarcoma. Through a descent into the trials of a cancer patient, the film ends by ultimately celebrating life. Filmmakers in attendance.
4:15 p.m. Grand Cinema
Big Dreams, Little Tokyo
(Comedy, 87 min, Directed by Dave Boyle, English and Japanese)
Big Dreams, Little Tokyo is a comedy about cross-cultural pollination in an increasingly global society. Boyd Wilson aspires to succeed in the world of Japanese business, but despite his impeccable language skills, he has trouble fitting in. Jerome Noda (aka "Sakebono") is a Japanese American who is training to become a sumo wrestler. Together they struggle to find their place in society.
4:15 p.m. School of the Arts
My Eating Team has a Paddling Problem
(Documentary, 88 min, Directed by Zheng Wang)
A group of diverse individuals find an extended family in their dragon boat team, Hot Sake. They race, they travel, they eat, and they apparently can't get enough of each other. This documentary follows Seattleite Zheng Wang and his teammates on a journey of fun, excitement, and bonding experiences. http://justzheng.com Paddlers in attendance.
6:00 p.m. Grand Cinema
For the Bible Tells Me So
(Documentary, 90 min, Directed by Dan Karslake)
Winner of the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Seattle International Film Festival, Dan Karslake's provocative, entertaining documentary brilliantly reconciles homosexuality and Biblical scripture, and in the process reveals that Church-sanctioned anti-gay bias is based almost solely upon a significant (and often malicious) misinterpretation of the Bible. Through the experiences of five very normal, very Christian, very American families -- including those of former House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt and Episcopalian Bishop Gene Robinson -- we discover how insightful people of faith handle the realization of having a gay child. Informed by such respected voices as Bishop Desmond Tutu, Harvard's Peter Gomes, Orthodox Rabbi Steve Greenberg and Reverend Jimmy Creech, FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO offers healing, clarity and understanding to anyone caught in the crosshairs of scripture and sexual identity.
6:15 p.m. School of Arts
Muse of Fire
(Documentary, 73 minutes, Directed by Lawrence Bridges)
The NEA created Operation Homecoming to help U.S. troops and their families write about their wartime experiences. The program sent distinguished authors to conduct writing workshops at military installations across the country and overseas. More than 12,000 pages have been submitted to the NEA. Muse of Fire includes remarkable readings and interviews with U.S. troops and their families, as well as insightful commentary from acclaimed authors and actors.
7:50 p.m. Grand Cinema
GPS-The Movie
(Suspense/Thriller, 98 min, Directed by Eric Colley)
After their most recent GPS Hunt victory, best friends Andrew and Bob return home to find another special invitation on the GPS Hunt website. It's from their old college friend, Shep, who was recently arrested for stealing over 2 million dollars in wire fraud and identity theft scams and has just jumped bail. The two guys, along with five other friends, decide to embark on this GPS Hunt challenge. The excitement of the hunt soon turns to anxiety as they reach the initial coordinates and find what looks like a small grave. Inside is a picture of a woman tied up and masked with a new set of coordinates that lead them deeper into the forest. Is it real, or just part of the game? World Premiere. Filmmakers in attendance.
7:50 p.m. School of Arts
Funny Shorts - Eight comedies shown in sequence
The Last Laugh
(Comedy, 6 min, Directed by Gregory Mazzotta)
It's no laughing matter when disappearing toys, vanishing cookies and other inauspicius events cast a cold, dark shadow of suspicion upon one of the world's most lovable little furballs. Grandpa will have to get his hands dirty in order to get at the battered truth.
Moviebonics
(Comedy, 8 min, Directed by Donald P. Unverrich & Lance Miller)
Picture a couple so enamored with cinema that they speak only in famous film quotations. Into their "world" enter two evangelists forbidden by religion to see movies, leading to a humorous language barrier, impossible to overcome. 'What we've got here is…failure to communicate.' A funny, fast paced celebration of cinema, Moviebonics is also the study of how film quotes have jumped from the silver screen into our collective vocabulary.
The Phone Call
(Drama, 8 min, Directed by Matt Johnson)
Randy Flemming has a very simple life and seems to be pretty happy--until one day when he gets a phone call... from himself... in the future. Future Randy warns of a man who in a few minutes will knock on Randy's door to sell him a magic phone. He tries to persuade Randy not to buy this 'Future Phone' by telling him it will only cause horrible things to happen. Will Randy give in to the temptation of being able to make himself the richest man in the world, or will he prevent the inevitable destruction of the world he knows and tell the phone salesman to go away? Filmmakers in attendance.
What's the Scenario?
(Documentary/Comedy, 3 min, Directed by Terese Cuff)
Protective fire suits bought on eBay inspired this film, in which Tacoma dad David Henshaw quizzes his sons Dillan, 9, and Isaac, 6, about what to do in case of fire. Henshaw's fire scenarios grow increasingly outlandish until there's only one choice left: "Run!" The film was a way to poke fun at themselves, Cuff said, describing the group as "geeky, absent-minded science people." Filmmakers in attendance.
Full Disclosure
(Comedy, 18 min, Directed by Douglas Horn)
Everett is looking for love. More precisely, Everett is looking for the woman who will spend the rest of her life with him. Abandoning the traditional dating rituals, Everett has decided on a new approach: Full Disclosure. Convinced of his instincts, Everett commences to reveal every terrible habit, attitude, and hang-up on his first dates. Shockingly, women don't react as he'd hope. That is, until he meets Brinn, who's more than willing to play his game as long as Everett can keep up. Filmed locally. Filmmakers in attendance.
Tile M for Murder
(Drama/Comedy, 9 min, Directed by Kyle Seago)
Based on a short story, this film follows a man's hate for his wife through a game of Scrabble. In a game where the words have true meaning, who will come out on top?
Soup Ladle
(Comedy, 11 min, Directed by Cayman Grant)
Mrs. Widelitz, an older traditional Jewish woman, goes to her son's house for dinner and discovers that he has a 'platonic' female room-mate. Curious about the exact nature of their relationship, Mrs. Widelitz seeks to uncover the truth.
The Frank Anderson
(Comedy, 13 min, Directed by Dave Perkal)
Frank Anderson has man-boobs. Really nice man-boobs. So nice that women who have seen them are requesting "The Frank Anderson" when they schedule their breast enhancement. When Frank's breast reduction is turned down by a lecherous insurance agent, he is forced to make the best of the situation. This comedy features Stephen Root (Office Space) and Jane Lynch (For Your Consideration).
9:45 p.m. Grand Cinema
Saturday Night Shorts - 3 short movies
When the Magic's Gone
(Fiction, 8 min, Directed by Tiffany Sullivan)
Lenny, a New Yorker and ex-children's book writer, lost his career and creative drive when the realm of fantasy made its final leap into our reality, and he's not afraid to speak his mind when it comes to those damn fairies. Unfortunately, for one unsuspecting tourist who sits next to Lenny, tonight's the night the damn fairies have wandered into Lenny's local bar. Filmmakers in attendance.
Following Chip
(Comedy, 28 min, Directed by John Hunton)
A not-so-charismatic cult leader is exposed for the fraud he really is...or, is he? Adult language. Filmmakers in attendance.
Sound of Death
(Suspense/Thriller, 42 min, Directed by Noor Mani, subtitles)
Raj Varma is afflicted with a spreading brain tumor and is at the terminal stage of his life. The realization of his mortality enthuses in him a sense of purpose. He resolves to fight against injustice and embarks on a one-man crusade to uplift the downtrodden and abused.
