2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection: Nodin (Wind)

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection
Nodin (Wind)

The YoungCuts Film Festival is pleased to announce that it has selected Nodin Wawatie's short film Nodin (Wind) as one of our Top 100 International Short Films for 2011. The film is also shortlisted for consideration as Best Short Short Film.

Nodin (Wind)

*****

The Official Final Deadline of the YoungCuts Film Festival was June 15th. While we will only announce our full selection of our Top 100 around July 15th and while there is still an opportunity for films that we haven't received yet to trickle in after the deadline, we thought that we would begin announcing some of the films that we know will be included in our Top 100.


These won't be announced in any kind of order and they should not be interpreted as any kind of ranking, just that we have all the material for this particular film and that we do consider it one of the Top 100 short films by filmmakers 25 and under that we have seen (and will see) out of more than a thousand films that we have screened from more than 30 countries.

*****

Nodin (Wind)

Nodin Wawatie

Directed and Written by Nodin Wawatie

Wapikoni Mobile is a group who work with aboriginal youth to help them tell their stories by putting cameras into their hands. We strongly believe in that method and we believe in more strongly in the results, especially when they are great films like Nodin Wawatie's Nodin (Wind).

Nodin is a confessional animated film that confronts the tension between tradition and new cultures, in this case between Hip hop B-boy culture and Anishnabe culture.

Wapikoni Mobile Logo

*****

Runtime: 2 min: 45 sec
Completion: 2010
Country of Origin: Canada (Quebec)
Language: Anishnabe with English sub-titles
Synopsis: Nodin exprime sa fierté d'être anishnabe par la danse Hip hop.
Synopsis: Nodin expresses his Ansihnabe cultural pride through Hip hop dancing.

Bio Cinéaste: Nodin Wawatie vit à Kitigan Zibi, une communauté anglophone de la nation algonquine. Il est, depuis septembre, étudiant au Collège Algonquin d’Ottawa en Animation. Bilingue, il parle couramment l’anglais et l’algonquin. Nodin est également un très bon danseur. Il pratique autant les danses traditionnelles que le Hip hop.

En 2010, il a réalisé deux court-métrages dans le cadre du projet Wapikoni mobile : Nodin et Running Free. Très investi dans ces deux projets co-réalisé avec un ami, il a réussi à créer deux œuvres d’une simplicité mais d’une efficacité surprenante qui ont allumé les regards des jeunes et des moins jeunes. Avec leurs prouesses et leurs touches d’humour, ces films ont donné une bouffée d’air aux spectateurs lors de la projection finale. En plus de développer son regard artistique, ces réalisations lui ont permis de compléter son porte-folio pour accéder au Collège Algonquin d’Ottawa où il étudie actuellement.

Filmmaker Bio: Nodin Wawatie is from Kitigan Zibi, an Anishnabe English speaking community. Since September, he studies in the Animation program, at Algonquin College in Ottawa. Bilingual, he talks both English and Anishnabe. Nodin is also a very good dancer. He practices both traditional dance and Hip hop.

In 2010, he directed two shorts films during Wapikoni Mobile’s stop over in Kitigan Zibi: Nodin and Running Free. Very invested in these two projects which he worked on with a close friend, Nodin directed these two films with an effective simplicity that surprised both young and old. With their professionalism and sense of humour, these films were a breath of fresh air for the audience of the Wapikoni year-end projection. In addition to helping his artistic progress, these two films also helped Nodin complete the portfolio he submitted to Algonquin College in Ottawa, where he is currently studying.

Filmmaker Age: 22

***** 

The 2011 YoungCuts Film Festival will begin on Thursday, September 29th. Screenings will be at the Guzzo Spheretech beginning on Friday, September 30th. Stay tuned for details on how to enjoy the amazing films that we will be presenting including Nodin (Wind)!

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection: Clocked In

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection
Clocked In

The YoungCuts Film Festival is pleased to announce that it has selected Ike AhLoe's animated film Clocked In as one of our Top 100 International Short Films for 2011. The film is also shortlisted for consideration as Best Animated Film.

Clocked In Poster

*****

The Official Final Deadline of the YoungCuts Film Festival was June 15th. While we will only announce our full selection of our Top 100 around July 15th and while there is still an opportunity for films that we haven't received yet to trickle in after the deadline, we thought that we would begin announcing some of the films that we know will be included in our Top 100.


These won't be announced in any kind of order and they should not be interpreted as any kind of ranking, just that we have all the material for this particular film and that we do consider it one of the Top 100 short films by filmmakers 25 and under that we have seen (and will see) out of more than a thousand films that we have screened from more than 30 countries.

*****

Clocked In

Ike AhLoe

Directed and Written by Ike AhLoe

Clocked In uses modern open source technology to tell a very old story - the battle between the security of work and being bored out of your freaking mind.

We were impressed by Ike's effective use of technology and we admire his approach to music - finding local bands willing to give him free music to use. It is always puzzling when we get a film that uses music without permission. The music choice almost always feels forced and inauthentic, not to mention unnecessary.

But great free technology and great free music are just tools. The painter is not defined by his brush but by his painting. The animator is not defined by his tools but by his film. And by that measure we define Ike AhLoe as being very talented indeed.

Arriving at Work

*****

Runtime: 9 min : 8 sec
Completion: 9 May 2011
Country of Origin: USA (Missouri)
Synopsis:  The battle to remain conscious and find humanity in an otherwise hostile work setting reaches a destructive and hopeful climax.

The Boss

*****

Filmmaker Bio: I'm from Kansas City, Missouri, in the United States.  I've been interested in animation since early grade school.  I would fill the margins of all my textbooks with stick figure flip-books and make stop motion tests with action figures.  I grew up in KC going to a lot of DIY punk shows in the area, and a lot of my work is inspired by punk/soul/garage/ska/noise/hardcore records and local flyer art.

*****

The Girl Next Cubicle

This project was sparked by Black Flag's song "Clocked In" and the image of smashing the time clock off the wall.  The story itself was inspired by previous work experiences of my mother, myself, and our respective co-workers. Actually, the office in the animation is a replica of an the old work place.

*****

Dreaming in Colour

I went to the Kansas City Art Institute and "Clocked In" is my senior graduation project.  I'm interested in all kinds of animation, especially cut-out stop motion, and stylized 3D.  When working on personal projects, I like to be involved with the whole process, including writing, design, direction, animation, and music/sound; but I do love to have friends help me out too. In this case, Don Beasley helped with the score, and my girlfriend, Stefanie, reluctantly helped voice act the word "What!".

*****

More Dreaming

The songs in the animation are from local KC (-1) DIY bands who contributed songs.  Punk doesn't have much presence in the animation world, and while I'm not trying to be that voice, I want my stuff to promote the kids making awesome show flyers to think about what other creative options they have.

*****

Suddenly Awake

I used all free software on Linux for "Clocked In", so it's an illusion that you NEED super expensive software with questionable licenses to make what you want.  Why shouldn't animations be included in hardcore 7" releases every once in a while? THEY SHOULD.

*****

Definitely Dreaming

Filmmaker Age: 23

*****

Must Work!

Production Note: Freestyle and Open Source Development
This is the first short film to utilize the Freestyle Renderer that is currently being integrated into blender. Because everything I used was pre-release software, I often came into bugs and problems. Because blender is open-source, it's easy to communicate directly with the developers. I would often report bugs to T.K., the main developer of the Freestyle Branch of Blender, and he would fix it overnight or give me advice on correct/alternative usage.

*****

Dreaming of Maps

One time I was having problems because, when Freestyle was active, the blur node values in the compositor would not animate even though they were key-framed. The blur values stayed at the first key-framed value. This is referring to the part where the main character punches the computer into blurred color vapor. This was the process I was basing the whole ending sequence on so I was pretty freaked out that it as failing me. Luckily I sent in a sample file to T.K. and he fixed the bug overnight.

*****

Must Concentrate

I also asked him early on to add the ability to animate freestyle line qualities and he implemented some of my ideas. There was another occasion where I paid a developer 20$ to implement a rigging feature.

*****

Definitely Dreaming

This is a great benefit open-source has for artists. Artists aren't locked into what's there. You can always expand the program or get someone to do it for you. This way the artist's ideas always come before technical obstacles.

*****

Very Metal Dreams

The 2011 YoungCuts Film Festival will begin on Thursday, September 29th. Screenings will be at the Guzzo Spheretech beginning on Friday, September 30th. Stay tuned for details on how to enjoy the amazing films that we will be presenting including Clocked In!

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection: Au Coeur de la Forêt (In the Heart of the Forest)

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection 
Au Coeur de la Forêt (In the Heart of the Forest)

The YoungCuts Film Festival is pleased to announce that it has selected Katty Yew Ngan Lun's animated film Au Coeur de la Forêt (In the Heart of the Forest) as one of our Top 100 International Short Films for 2011. The film is also shortlisted for consideration as Best Animated Film.

Au Coeur de la Forêt Poster

*****

The Official Final Deadline of the YoungCuts Film Festival was June 15th. While we will only announce our full selection of our Top 100 around July 15th and while there is still an opportunity for films that we haven't received yet to trickle in after the deadline, we thought that we would begin announcing some of the films that we know will be included in our Top 100.


These won't be announced in any kind of order and they should not be interpreted as any kind of ranking, just that we have all the material for this particular film and that we do consider it one of the Top 100 short films by filmmakers 25 and under that we have seen (and will see) out of more than a thousand films that we have screened from more than 30 countries.

*****

Au Coeur de la Forêt (In the Heart of the Forest)

Katty Yew Ngan Lun

Directed and Written by Katty Yew Ngan Lun

The Cégep du Vieux Montréal invited the YoungCuts Film Festival this year to come talk to the students about best practices when submitting short films to film festivals and to watch the films by the graduating class. As we have written before, inviting a YoungCuts representative to your year-end screening is always a good idea.

Like many of the great animated films that we have seen this year, Au Coeur de la Forêt is about a trip into the woods where the hero (or frequently as in this film heroine) collides with creatures from nature in unexpected ways.  In style, it somehow magically blends Hayao Miyazaki with old episode of Scooby-Doo.

Like all CVM films, it has a French title but no dialogue, so the story must be told purely visually. (This is a very good idea by the way, it gives all of the films that come out of CVM universal appeal.)

Missing: One Puppy!

*****

Runtime: 1 min: 14 sec
Completion: 2011
Country of Origin: Canada (Quebec)

Synopsis: Une petite fille prénommée Sun-mi colle des affiches de son chien perdu afin de le retrouver. Elle le cherche désespérément dans la forêt où elle a perdu sa trace. Sun-mi aperçoit alors deux yeux bien cachés dans un buisson. En espérant que ce soit son chien, elle s'en approche. Elle se retrouve soudainement dans une situation plutôt inatendue.

Synopsis: A little girl named Sun-mi is putting up posters of her lost puppy. She desperately searches the forest where she originally lost him. Seeing two eyes peeking out from a bush, Sun-Mi approaches. She suddenly finds herself in a very unexpected situation!

Sun-mi searches for her puppy.

*****

Bio Cinéaste: J'ai toujours eu un interêt particulier pour toute forme de production artisque. En réalisant que les films d'animations me fascinent, je décide d'étudier en animation 2D au Cégep du Vieux-Montréal en 2008. À la fin de mon DEC, je réalise fièrement le court-métrage d'animation 2D Au Coeur de la Forêt. Ce projet m'as permit d'explorer toute les phases de la production d'un film d'animation. Je réalise egalement que l'effort et le plaisir qu'on met dans un projet reflête sur le résutat final. Je plannifie poursuivre mes études en animation 3D afin d'élargir mes connaissances artistiques.

Filmmaker Bio: I have always been particularly interested all forms of artistic expression. Realizing that I was fascinated by animated films, I decided to study traditional animation at the Cégep du Vieux-Montréal in 2008. Having finished my DEC, I proudly completed my 2D animated short film Au Coeur de la Forêt (In the Heart of the Forest). This project allowed me to explore all the phases of producing an animated film. I also realized that the more effort and joy that we invest into a project, the better the final product. I plan to continue my studies at the Cégep du Vieux-Montréal in 3D animation to expand my artistic horizons.

Filmmaker Age: 21

Sun-mi in the Forest

***** 

The 2011 YoungCuts Film Festival will begin on Thursday, September 29th. Screenings will be at the Guzzo Spheretech beginning on Friday, September 30th. Stay tuned for details on how to enjoy the amazing films that we will be presenting including Au Coeur de la Forêt (In the Heart of the Forest)!

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection: Il Était Encore Une Fois

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection 
Il Était Encore Une Fois (Once Upon Another Time)

The YoungCuts Film Festival is pleased to announce that it has selected Roxanne Baril-Monfette's animated film Il Était Encore Une Fois (Once Upon Another Time) as one of our Top 100 International Short Films for 2011. The film is also shortlisted for consideration as Best Animated Film.

Il Était Encore Une Fois

*****

The Official Final Deadline of the YoungCuts Film Festival was June 15th. While we will only announce our full selection of our Top 100 around July 15th and while there is still an opportunity for films that we haven't received yet to trickle in after the deadline, we thought that we would begin announcing some of the films that we know will be included in our Top 100.


These won't be announced in any kind of order and they should not be interpreted as any kind of ranking, just that we have all the material for this particular film and that we do consider it one of the Top 100 short films by filmmakers 25 and under that we have seen (and will see) out of more than a thousand films that we have screened from more than 30 countries.

*****

Il Était Encore Une Fois (Once Upon Another Time)

Roxanne Baril-Monfette

Directed and Written by Roxanne Baril-Monfette

The Cégep du Vieux Montréal invited the YoungCuts Film Festival this year to come talk to the students about best practices when submitting short films to film festivals and to watch the films by the graduating class. As we have written before, inviting a YoungCuts representative to your year-end screening is always a good idea.

Il Était Encore Une Fois was the first film that we saw at the first of two animation screenings at CVM and we will fell in love with it immediately. Like all CVM films, it has a French title but no dialogue, so the story must be told purely visually.

(This is a very good idea by the way, it gives all of the films that come out of CVM universal appeal.)

Il Était Encore Une Fois takes the traditional Aesop fairy tale of the Fox and his grapes (where the phrase "sour grapes" comes from) and tells a new story built on the old. The animation pays tribute to Tex Avery and Hayao Miyazaki while still being a fresh, original voice.

Maître Corbeau/Mister Crow

*****

Runtime: 1 min: 14 sec
Completion: 2011
Country of Origin: Canada (Quebec)

Synopsis: Il Était Encore Une Fois présente une version revisitée d'une fable populaire qui a bercé l'enfance de maintes générations. Maître Renard, parvenant à obtenir son fromage tant désirée, ne se douta point que Maître Corbeau, cette fois-ci, le lui offrirait dans son emballage métallique.

Synopsis: Once Upon Another Time revisits the classic fable that has been told to children for generations. Mister Fox finally gets his cheese only to find that Mister Crow has encased it in a metal container!

Maître Renard/Mister Fox

*****

Bio Cinéaste: Roxanne Baril-Monfette, née à Trois-Rivières en 1987, a rapidement développé un goût pour les arts visuels et l'animation. C'est par ailleurs au cégep du Vieux Montréal qu'elle y consacrera cinq ans pour produire et animer d'abord son premier court-métrage en dessin animé (Koöngo, 2009), et par la suite en animation 3D (Il Était Encore Une Fois, 2011). Diplômes en main, elle travaille maintenant dans le domaine de l'animation.

Filmmaker Bio: Born in Three-Rivers in 1987, Roxanne quickly developed a taste for visual arts and animation. She has just finished a five year animation program at Cégep du Vieux Montréal. Her first film was the traditionally animated Koöngo (2009) and her follow-up film is the 3D Animated film Il Était Encore Une Fois. Having earned her diploma, she is currently working in the animation field.

Filmmaker Age: 24

A Triumphant Mister Crow Laughs at a Disgusted Mister Fox

***** 

The 2011 YoungCuts Film Festival will begin on Thursday, September 29th. Screenings will be at the Guzzo Spheretech beginning on Friday, September 30th. Stay tuned for details on how to enjoy the amazing films that we will be presenting including Il Était Encore Une Fois (Once Upon Another Time)!

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection: Déboires (Setbacks)

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection
Déboires (Setbacks)

The YoungCuts Film Festival is pleased to announce that it has selected Delia Gunn's animated memoir Déboires (Setbacks) as one of our Top 100 International Short Films for 2011. The film is also shortlisted for consideration as Best Animated Film and Best Short Short Film.

Deboires: A True Story - Honestly Told

*****

The Official Final Deadline of the YoungCuts Film Festival was June 15th. While we will only announce our full selection of our Top 100 around July 15th and while there is still an opportunity for films that we haven't received yet to trickle in after the deadline, we thought that we would begin announcing some of the films that we know will be included in our Top 100.


These won't be announced in any kind of order and they should not be interpreted as any kind of ranking, just that we have all the material for this particular film and that we do consider it one of the Top 100 short films by filmmakers 25 and under that we have seen (and will see) out of more than a thousand films that we have screened from more than 30 countries.

*****

Déboires (Setbacks)

Delia Gunn

Directed and Written by Delia Gunn

Wapikoni Mobile is a group who work with aboriginal youth to help them tell their stories by putting cameras into their hands. We strongly believe in that method and we believe in more strongly in the results, especially when they are great films like Delia Gunn's Déboires.

The film tells a short, funny and heart-cracking story of a weekend lost to booze and bitterness. It's a true story, honestly told and in its narrative flow and artwork it reminds us of the best work of confessional graphic novelists like Chester Brown and Joe Matt.

Wapikoni Mobile Logo

*****

Runtime: 3 min: 1 sec
Completion: 2010
Country of Origin: Canada (Quebec)
Synopsis: Les mésaventures de Delia un soir de fête.
Synopsis: The misadventures of Delia on one shining night.

Bio Cinéaste: Née à Kitcisakik, Délia participe aux activités du Wapikoni Mobile dans sa communauté depuis 2007. Son premier film Je cache, est poème sur ce qui se cache dans son cœur, ses souhaits, ses peurs et le pardon. Celui qui aimait l’eau portait sur la mort d’un ami cher. En 2010, elle signe la réalisation de Déboires qui porte sur l’arrêt de consommation de sa sœur et d’elle-même.

Délia est une fille rieuse, dynamique, impliquée, fiable. Elle aime les arts en général et le dessin aux pastels. Elle a un rêve : voir grandir son fils dans un environnement sain. La naissance de Jocelyn est une double fierté, celle d’avoir mis au monde un magnifique garçon et celle d’avoir, depuis, complètement arrêté de boire.

Filmmaker Bio: Born in Kitcisakik, Délia first participated in the Wapikoni Mobile’s activities in her community in 2007. Her first film Je cache is a poem about what is hidden in her heart, her wishes, her fears and learning to forgive herself. Celui qui aimait l’eau is the cinematic portrait of the death of an important friend. In 2010, she directed Déboires (Setbacks) the story of why she and her sister stopped drinking.

Delia is a funny, dynamic girl, involved in her community and worthy of trust. She like the arts in general and drawing in pastels in particular. Her dream is to watch her son grow up in a healthy environment. She is doubly proud of Jocelyn’s birth: proud to give birth to a magnificent boy and proud to have completely stopped drinking.

Filmmaker Age: 20

***** 

The 2011 YoungCuts Film Festival will begin on Thursday, September 29th. Screenings will be at the Guzzo Spheretech beginning on Friday, September 30th. Stay tuned for details on how to enjoy the amazing films that we will be presenting including Déboires (Setbacks)!

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection: LipDub at Calvin College

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection
LipDub at Calvin College

The YoungCuts Film Festival is pleased to announce that it has selected Rachel Kuyvenhoven's music video LipDub at Calvin College as one of our Top 100 International Short Films for 2011. The film is also shortlisted for consideration as Best Music Video.

LipDub at Calvin College Poster

*****

The Official Final Deadline of the YoungCuts Film Festival was June 15th. While we will only announce our full selection of our Top 100 around July 15th and while there is still an opportunity for films that we haven't received yet to trickle in after the deadline, we thought that we would begin announcing some of the films that we know will be included in our Top 100.


These won't be announced in any kind of order and they should not be interpreted as any kind of ranking, just that we have all the material for this particular film and that we do consider it one of the Top 100 short films by filmmakers 25 and under that we have seen (and will see) out of more than a thousand films that we have screened from more than 30 countries.

*****

Josh Schroyer, Kristin Crawford and Rachel Kuyvenhoven

LipDub at Calvin College 
Directed by Rachel Kuyvenhoven
Produced by Josh Schroyer and Kristin Crawford
Featuring So Much Love by The Rocket Summer

To paraphrase The Huffington Post, a lipdub "is a one shot, amateur, multi-performer dub of a (popular) song."

This film is a particularly fine example of the genre raised to an incredibly high level of difficulty and executed flawlessly.

The film is also filled with little sight gags that reward attentive viewers.

Lots of stair obstacles

*****

Runtime: 4 min : 3 sec
Completion: May 2010
Country of Origin: USA (Michigan)
Synopsis:  A four-minute one shot video of students going about their regular activities, such as rock climbing, swimming, and working out, while also singing along with the song So Much Love by The Rocket Summer.

Filmmaker Statement: The project began with four months of preproduction and hours of planning and choreography. The lipdub was filmed in just three hours, including the rehearsal with the cast of 100 people. The filming included five takes, and the final one became LipDub at Calvin College.

Behind the scenes of LipDub at Calvin College

*****

Filmmaker Bio: Rachel Kuyvenhoven is a recent graduate of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI with a B.A. in Media Production and a Business minor. She specializes in producing and seeing a project from start to finish. Rachel has produced for several short films, including Coffee Shop: A Musical.

Filmmaker Age: 22

***** 

The 2011 YoungCuts Film Festival will begin on Thursday, September 29th. Screenings will be at the Guzzo Spheretech beginning on Friday, September 30th. Stay tuned for details on how to enjoy the amazing films that we will be presenting including LipDub at Calvin College!

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection: Dead Grass, Dry Roots

2011 YoungCuts Film Festival Selection
Dead Grass, Dry Roots

The YoungCuts Film Festival is pleased to announce that it has selected Gabe Hohreiter's short film Dead Grass, Dry Roots as one of our Top 100 International Short Films for 2011. The film is also shortlisted for consideration as Best USA Film.

Dead Grass, Dry Roots Poster

*****

The Official Final Deadline of the YoungCuts Film Festival was June 15th. While we will only announce our full selection of our Top 100 around July 15th and while there is still an opportunity for films that we haven't received yet to trickle in after the deadline, we thought that we would begin announcing some of the films that we know will be included in our Top 100.


These won't be announced in any kind of order and they should not be interpreted as any kind of ranking, just that we have all the material for this particular film and that we do consider it one of the Top 100 short films by filmmakers 25 and under that we have seen (and will see) out of more than a thousand films that we have screened from more than 30 countries.

*****

Two Riders Bearing Strange Fruit

Dead Grass, Dry Roots

Gabe Hohreiter

Produced by John Negropontes 
Directed by Gabe Hohreiter
Written by Anayat Fahkraie 

According to the official synopsis of this film, "a peaceful cattle rancher must overcome his cowardice".

No offense intended to the filmmakers, but that's crazy talk.

James Hicock is no coward. He is the furthest thing from a coward. He is a man of deep moral principles caught in a trap with no way out that doesn't involve surrendering a part of his soul in the process.

You know a sign of a great film? When you start arguing with the people that created it because you believe that understand their film better than they do. Great films (like this one) inspire great passion.

*****

A Man Dirty to His Sole

Runtime: 24 min
Completion: November 2010
Country of Origin: USA (California)
Tagline: He lost a son once. He won't lose another.
Synopsis: A peaceful cattle rancher must overcome his cowardice in order to save the life of a young man condemned to hang.

*****

In the Dark, A Man Must Choose Carefully

Filmmaker Statement:A measured western narrative, Dead Grass Dry Roots examines the classic dichotomy between man’s law and natural justice, and the position of modern values within the context of the violent mythology of the west.  Manipulating the conventions established within the history of the genre, the film explores the effect of giving over to baser instincts through James’s tragic pathos.  Amid galloping horses, gunfire and murder, Dead Grass Dry Roots takes the audience into the heart of a man’s despair.

*****

Director Gabe Hohreiter directs Ted Larkin (Coe)

Director (Gabe Hohreiter) Bio: As a University of Florida TV Production undergraduate, Gabe answered the calling to make movies by directing spec commercials for Chipotle Mexican Grill, documentaries for the UF Colleges of Engineering and Architecture, as well as his own no-budget short films.  Gabe sharpened his filmmaking and development skills during his first year as an AFI directing fellow, and eagerly accepted the opportunity to direct his thesis film, and addition to the western genre, Dead Grass, Dry Roots.  Gabe is currently in development on 2 feature films, and hosts Fox Movie Channel’s Life After Film School.

Filmmaker Age: 25

 *****

Anayat Fahkraie

Screenwriter (Anayat Fahkraie) Bio: Anayat, a Utah native, holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Utah in Screenwriting and Film Production. During his undergraduate he served as cartoonist and film columnist for the Daily Chronicle, parlaying that skill to become a contributor for National Lampoon’s Online Magazine only a short year later. As a Screenwriting Fellow in the American Film Institute Conservatory, Anayat received the Jack Oakie Memorial Award for comedy writing. Having completed three short films at AFI he has also penned feature material and an original TV pilot.

 ***** 

John Negropontes

Producer (John Negropontes) Bio: John was born and raised in Olds, Alberta, a small town on the prairies of western Canada. Eventually, John moved to the big city to seek his fortunes and attend the University of Alberta, earning a BA in Economics with a minor in Film Studies. An avid filmmaker from an early age, John co-founded the U of A Society for Creative Filmmaking, as well as the Alberta Student Film Festival in 2006. To date, John has produced numerous short films and a handful of features, and is currently actively developing a variety of projects.

John presented his films Whiskey Jack and Super 8 during the 2005 YoungCuts Film Festival.  

 *****  

Cinematographer Yueni Zander frames a shot.

Cinematographer (Yueni Zander) Bio: Yueni, a native of Berlin, Germany, has been working as a Local 600 camera assistant in New York City and Los Angeles for the past 6 years.  Her credits include feature films [Burn After Reading, I am Legend], television shows [Chappelle’s Show, Life] and commercials.  As a cinematographer and camera operator she flourished during her first year as a fellow, shooting several AFI shorts. Outside of AFI she is currently working on a feature documentary.

She is being honoured with an Emerging Cinematographer Award for her work on Dead Grass, Dry Roots.

 *****  

Marlena Feehery

Production Designer (Marlena Feehery) Bio: Mars earned her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Production from Tulane University in New Orleans with a concentration in costume design. During undergraduate studies, she designed and directed her own short films at both the American University of Paris and New York Film Academy, as well as assisting on local features in New Orleans. During her first year at AFI, Mars has designed three short films, assisted on six others, and served as assistant art director and art director on two features. She is originally from Columbus, Texas. 

 ***** 

Simon Carmody

Film Editor (Simon Carmody) Bio: Born in Sydney, Australia, Simon Carmody spent his early career as an advertising photographer before moving to New Orleans; where he completed his undergraduate studies at the University of New Orleans, Department of Film, Theater and Communication Arts. Recruited by renowned New Orleans filmmakers, Glen Pitre and Michelle Benoit, Simon edited several major projects, including the award winning, post-Katrina feature length documentary, AMERICAN CREOLE. Wanting to fully explore his potential as a storyteller, Simon entered the American Film Institute in the Fall of 2008.

*****

Hans Howes (James) entertains the crew with stories.

Cast Bios

Hans Howes

 

Hans Howe: On Feb. 18, 1943, the Mother Ship deposited its prize pod in Syracuse, NY. This choice capsule grew to be an all-around athlete, an aero space illustrator, singer and an actor. In acting for over 30 years, Hans has been afforded the opportunity to co-star with Chris Cooper, Robert Duvall and Jeff Bridges. His proudest achievement?  The part of Mr. Bandy, appearing with Daniel Day-Lewis in Paul Thomas Anderson's masterpiece, There Will Be Blood.  

But now he is honored to have been given the opportunity to work on Dead Grass, Dry Roots with a new breed of topnotch film makers who are destined to astound the world.

 

 

*****

Chris Collard

Chris Collard began acting in public theater while growing up in New England, as well as drawing and playing the trumpet. While attending the Minneapolis College of Art And Design as a Fine Arts Painting major, he taught himself guitar and of course continued acting, but this time in films of his contemporary students. After moving to New York City to further develop his painting technique, Chris began performing his original songs under the name Wicker Brainpan as he took New York's independent film world by storm, both in the acting and production end of things. He now resides in Los Angeles where he continues to further his craft. 

It's been a long time dream of his to be in a western.

 *****

Madonna Cacciatore

Madonna Cacciatore has numerous theatre & musical theatre credits in LA, Seattle, Chicago, Dallas and DC. She was a member of Washington Shakespeare Company’s Bard on Wheels and Imagination Stage in DC. LA theatre credits include The Pirates of Penzance, Why We Have a Body, On the Open Road and a gender-bent version of Julius Caesar at The Knightsbridge Theatre.  She has also an Ovation nomination for her sound design of Elizabeth Rex at the NoHo Arts Center.

 

She came to LA to pursue her film and TV career in 2002.  Her credits include: The Wedding Bells (David E. Kelley), The Fugitive, Passions, Trailer Park of Terror, Distraction, Shallow Ground.  

 

She is incredibly grateful to the AFI Conservatory and the cast and crew of Dead Grass, Dry Roots; a profound, top-notch and memorable shoot.  

 

*****

Ted Larkin

Ted Larkin: After receiving his education from Oklahoma State University, Ted Larkin toured in the music industry. During his time on tour, he began performing stunts and was asked to plunge into an acting role. Specifically, he was hired to jump 100 feet off a bridge for a Garth Brooks music video. On the day of the shoot, his role had evolved from making the jump to the dramatic lead in the video. This ex-college wrestler exhibited a surprisingly wide range of emotion. 

Ted moved to Los Angeles in 2002 to fully pursue acting, and has worked on major films like The Notebook, Down with Love, The Last Song and the indie hit All the Real Girls. Consequently, he has been given the lead role in a number of independent films. He has appeared on popular soaps such as The Young and the Restless and General Hospital. 

For someone who entered the world of acting fashionably late in comparison to most, he has proved through his experience and brilliance on-screen that he has much to offer. He has been personally approached by up-and-coming director Nick Weis to work on various different projects, and is grateful to be at a point in his career where he is continually on set.  

His current lead role in the western indie Dead Grass, Dry Roots should prove to be an ideal marriage between action and acting.

*****

Sometimes the Ghosts of What Was Overwhelms What Is

The 2011 YoungCuts Film Festival will begin on Thursday, September 29th. Screenings will be at the Guzzo Spheretech beginning on Friday, September 30th. Stay tuned for details on how to enjoy the amazing films that we will be presenting including Dead Grass, Dry Roots!