2003 Festival Archives

Thursday, November 6

7 p.m.: Free "Taste of the Festival" Evening! (Sweeney Hall, NHTI Auditorium)
Join us for this first night, free to the public, sponsored by the New Hampshire Humanities Council. Reception and discussion to follow. The Weather Underground (2003, 93 min). Our discussion will be led by Larry Benaquist, Professor of Film Studies at Keene State College, Stephen Ambra, Ethics Instructor at NHTI, and Barry Steelman, film buff and owner, Cinema 93 Video Store.

Friday, November 7

7:30 p.m. (at the Concord City Auditorium) The General (1927, 73 min) accompanied by the Alloy Orchestra. Preceded by two shorts: The Rogue Song (1930, 4 min) and Back Stage (1919, 26 min). Reception to follow.

Saturday, November 8

11 a.m. (T122: NHTI Auditorium) The Big Combo (1955, 89 min).

11:00 a.m. (NHTI Student Senate Room): The Penobscot Basketmaker (2001, 52 min)

Noon: (Bistro) Reception sponsored by Bagel Works.

12:30 p.m. (NHTI Student Senate Room): Vermont is For Lovers. Vermont filmmaker John O'Brien's first film in his trilogy on life in rural Vermont. John will be on hand for post-film Q&A.

12:30 p.m. (T122-NHTI Auditorium) Join us for this follow-up lecture on the genre of film noir with excerpts from 50 years of film presented by Concord High School Film Studies scholar Robert Pingree.

12:30 p.m. (NHTI Little Hall, L114): Two Family House (2000, 104 min)

2:30 p.m. (T122-NHTI Auditorium): Manna From Heaven (2001, 120 min). Post-film Q&A with filmmakers.

2:30 p.m. (NHTI Student Senate Room): Man With A Plan (90 min). Vermont filmmaker John O'Brien's second film ij his trilogy on life in rural Vermont. John will be on hand for post-film Q&A.

3:00 p.m.: (NHTI Little Hall, L114): Divine Intervention (2002, Palestine/ 92 min).

4-8 p.m.: (Bistro) Concession food available from Chartwells.

4:30 p.m. (NHTI Student Senate Room) Nosey Parker (103 min). The final film in Vermont filmmaker John O'Brien's trilogy on life in small-town Vermont. John will be on hand for post-film Q&A.

5:00 p.m. (T122-NHTI Auditorium): SHORTS! Back by popular demand! Delivery, Looters, Fists of the Saugatuck, Sock It To Me, Jack Milton: Fairytale Detective, Loop. Post-film Q&A with filmmakers.

5:00 p.m. (NHTI Little Hall, L114): Speedo (2002, USA, 98 min).

7:30 p.m. (T122-NHTI Auditorium): Blue Vinyl (2002/ 98 min)

7:30 p.m. (NHTI Student Senate Room): reprise of Weather Underground (93 min).

9:30 p.m. (T122-NHTI Auditorium): Satin Rouge (100 min)

9:30 p.m. (NHTI Student Senate Room): Better Than Sex (95 min).

Sunday, November 9: "New Hampshire Day"

11:00 a.m. (T122-NHTI Auditorium): The Passage Beneath. Followed by post-film Q&A with filmmaker Mike Eschenbach.

11:00 a.m. (NHTI Little Hall, L114): More Marvelous Shorts, all by New Hampshire filmmakers. American Peacemakers, iDread, I've Never Had Sex, Lost and Found, No Ordinary Drummer, Ophelia, and Wild Goose. Post-film Q&A with filmmakers Skip Tenczar, Bruce Cronin and 4 UNH-Manchester student filmmakers.

11:00 a.m. (NHTI Student Senate Room): reprise of Manna From Heaven (120 min).

12:30 p.m. (T122-NHTI Auditorium): Stories from Silence, Witness to War (2003, 90min, unrated). Director: Deborah Scranton van Paassen. Editor: Peter Ciardelli. Post-film Q&A with filmmakers.

1:30 p.m. (NHTI Student Senate Room): Reprise of Blue Vinyl (98 min).

1:30 p.m. (NHTI Little Hall, L114): reprise of Satin Rouge (100 min).

2:30 p.m. (T122-NHTI Auditorium): Hairdresser to the stars Ginger "Sugar" Blymyer has created the coiffures for many of Hollywood's elite--most notably Natalie Wood. Now a New Hampshire resident, she will be on hand to discuss her very interesting career.

1:00 to 3:00 p.m. (Bistro): Reception catered by Outback Steakhouse

4:00 p.m. (T122-NHTI Auditorium): Here Am I: Send Me: The Journey of Jonathan Daniels (2000, 60 min). Sponsored by the New Hampshire Humanities Council, this event is free and open to the public. A reception and post-film discussion will follow. Our discussion will be led by the filmmaker, Larry Benaquist, Professor of Film Studies at Keene State College and Ty Burr, film critic for the Boston Globe.

3:30 p.m. (NHTI Student Senate Room): reprise of Saturday Short Features

3:30 p.m. (NHTI Little Hall, L114): reprise of Two Family House (104 min).

5:30-7 p.m. (Bistro): Concession food available from Chartwells.

6:00 p.m. (T122-NHTI Auditorium): Lost Boundaries (1949, 99 min). Sponsored by the New Hampshire Humanities Council, this event is free and open to the public. A reception and post-film discussion will follow. Our discussion will be led by Larry Benaquist, Professor of Film Studies at Keene State College and Ty Burr, film critic for the Boston Globe.

6:30 p.m. (NHTI Little Hall, L114): reprise of Divine Intervention (92 min)

6:30 p.m. (NHTI Student Senate Room): reprise of Better Than Sex (95 min).

8:30 p.m. (NHTI Sweeney Hall Central Lobby): Closing Reception. All festival passholders are welcome to join us for this concluding reception, catered by NHTI's Chartwells with music by Fountain Square Ramblers.

Film Descriptions and Shorts Descriptions
(in alphabetical order)

Back Stage (1919, NR, 26 min). Collaboration between comic geniuses Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle and Buster Keaton. Working in a vaudeville house, the crew stages a show after the headliner and strongman Keaton goes on strike after the crew chastises him for bullying his assistant. Realizing his folly, the strongman starts shooting from a balcony providing Keaton with an acrobatic and comedic finale. Directed by Arbuckle, it also includes Jack Coogan, Sr. Accompanied by a score especially commissioned by the Alloy Orchestra.

Better than Sex (2000/ USA/ Jonathan Teplitzky). Josh (David Wenham) and Cin (Susie Porter) meet at a party and agree to a one-night stand--taking full advantage of the fact that Josh is leaving the country (Australia) in a few days, eliminating the possibility of long term entanglement. Their casual mating, however, turns into something they never imagined. Try as they may to prevent further contact, fate keeps stepping in to extend and enhance their relationship. A frank, provocative, sweet-natured film spiked by an infectious sense of humor. Amazingly, several extremely potent sex scenes convey no feeling of exploitation whatsoever. Quite refreshing, indeed!

The Big Combo (1955/USA/ dir: Joseph H. Lewis/ 89 minutes/ NR). Obsessive Police Lieutenant Leonard Diamond (Cornel Wilde) is out to destroy the crime syndicate headed by powerful racketeer Mr. Brown (Richard Conte). Diamond's attempts to get the gangster's wife (Helen Walker) and mistress (Jean Wallace) to provide incriminating evidence make him a target of Brown's two sadistic gunsels, Fante (Lee Van Cleef) and Mingo (Earl Holiman). The virile direction by Joseph H. Lewis, Philip Yordan's peppery dialogue (i.e: "First is first and second is nobody." and "If they take you to police headquarters, shoot yourself in the head. It'll make things simpler."), a pulsating musical score by David Raksin and the evocative black-and-white photography of John Alton turn this into a stylish film noir classic.

Blue Vinyl (2002/ USA/ Dir. Daniel B. Gold, Judith Helfand/ 98 min/ unrated). The hazards of bio-accumulation, pollution, and the makeup of what we commonly hope are begign plastics are tackled in this award-winning documentary.

Divine Intervention (2002 / Pal. / Dir. Elia Suleiman / 92 min.). Palestinian writer/director and performer Elia Suleiman delivers a darkly comic masterpiece depicting the dreams and nightmares of Palestinians and Israelis living in these uncertain times. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize, Cannes Film Festival, 2002.

The General (1927/USA/ 75 min). Consistently selected as one of the greatest film comedies, The General is a full-scale epic, meticulous in detail, based loosely on a true Civil War story. Keaton plays Johnnie Grey, a locomotive engineer in the Confederate South whose two great loves are his girl, Annabelle (played by Marion Mack), and his train engine called "The General." When Yankee soldiers kidnap Annabelle and hijack "The General," Keaton gives comic chase leading to climactic outcomes. This is Keaton once again creating a character in a struggle against the forces of the universe.

Here Am I: Send Me: The Journey of Jonathan Daniels. (2000/ USA/ Producers: Larry Benaquist, Bill Sullivan/ 60 min). This film chronicles the life of Jonathan Daniels, New Hampshire native, who, while working in the civil rights movement in central Alabama in 1965, gave his life saving the life of a young, black civil rights worker, a woman who was about to be shot by a white deputy sheriff. Daniels' commitment to social justice is examined as a model of the total commitment which many in the sixties exhibited, and whose lives, and sacrifices, often created major changes in social and political policy. Daniels' story is told in the context of the major social upheavals which were occurring in the society at large; his story, and history, converge on the occasion of Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama, on March 7th, 1965, when a group of nonviolent blacks were brutally beaten and gassed as they attempted to march to Montgomery, the state capital, to demand their civil rights. Narrated by Sam Waterston.
This film is sponsored by the New Hampshire Humanities Council and will be followed by a discussion with the filmmaker Larry Benaquist, professor of film at Keene State College, and Ty Burr, Boston Globe film critic.

Lost Boundaries (1949/ USA/ dir: Alfred Werker/ producer: Louis de Rochmont, 99 min., unrated) A light-skinned black family passes for white in an idyllic New Hampshire town. But it is only a matter of time before Doctor Scott Carter's secret is discovered--forcing him to confront the racism of the community he has served for years. Noted film producer Louis de Rochmont (himself a NH resident at that time) took an article by William L. White, which originally appeared in Reader's Digest, and created a powerful motion picture experience. Beatrice Pearson, Mel Ferrer and Richard Hylton star in this stirring achievement the New York Times called "one of the year's 10 best!" Keene State College professor Larry Benaquist has thorough knowledge regarding the making of this movie and will share it with the audience attending this presentation. Ty Burr of the Boston Globe will also lead the discussion. Sponsored by the New Hampshire Humanities Council.

Man With A Plan (USA/ 1996/ Dir. John O'Brien/ 90 min), Director John O'Brien follows in his film the 72-year-old farmer Fred Tuttle. Tuttle is partly an invalid, can no longer pay his taxes and medical care and is in danger of losing his farm. His old father (96) has a wonderful idea: son Fred has to go into politics. Politician is after all the only career you can choose without diploma, without being young and it also pays well. Tuttle starts a campaign with hilarious consequences. His fellows in the small town of Tunbridge in Vermont are so charmed with their Fred, that his campaign is successful too. The film looks more innocent than it is. The images focus on the idyllic surroundings (the America of the paintings of Norman Rockwell) and the unpolished charm of the countryside. Simple melodies and ironic commentary strengthen the tone of mild parody.But under this layer of poignancy, hides an unruly film that defends the interests of forgotten citizens like Tuttle. There are plenty of people in his hopeless position in today's America and the film leaves no doubt about that, despite its gentle tone. Some people actually voted for Tuttle, not without a reason.

Manna From Heaven (2001/ USA/ Dir: Gabrielle Burton and Maria Burton/ 119 minutes/PG) is a quirky comedic fable about what happens when you get a "gift from God" (a financial windfall), but many years later you find out it was a just a loan -- and it's due immediately. Once upon a time, many years ago, a working-class neighborhood in Buffalo, NY is mysteriously showered with 20 dollar bills. Theresa, a young girl who everyone thinks is a saint, doesn't have much trouble convincing her loose-knit "family" that the money is a gift from Heaven. Years later, Theresa thinks that it is time to pay the money back; trouble is, no one has the money, no one wants to give it back, and they don't like each other. The stellar cast includes: Academy Award winners Shirley Jones, Cloris Leachman, Louise Fletcher, Academy Award nominee Seymour Cassel, Ursula Burton, Shelley Duvall, Jill Eikenberry, Faye Grant, three time Tony nominee Harry Groener, Frank Gorshin, Wendie Malick, and Austin Pendleton in a feel-good family film about finding hope at any age. With comparisons to Waking Ned Devine, Strictly Ballroom, and My Big Fat Greek Wedding, this prize-winning truly independent comedy was called by The Washington Post "a much-needed reprieve from the angst, irony and mean-spiritedness that is endemic to modern cinema."

Nosey Parker: Sick of suburbia, Natalie and Richard Newman leave Connecticut for rural Vermont, where they expect the unspoiled setting to rejuvenate their marriage. But shortly after moving into their dream house, Natalie realizes she is lonely and bored. An unexpected house call from the town's tax assessors gives Natalie a chance to meet some old-time Vermonters, including George, a colorful and kind dairy farmer. Their flirtatious relationship matures into a friendship, full of humor, insight and trust. This is not a love affair; this is a love story. NOSEY PARKER won BEST FEATURE FILM at three film festivals, edging out Sundance Film Festival favorites and movies with budgets in the millions (NOSEY PARKER cost $200,000). In June, at the Nantucket Film Festival, the legendary directing & producing tandem, Merchant and Ivory, awarded O'Brien a special jury prize for "Outstanding Direction."

Penobscot Basket Maker (2002 / USA / prod. Jim Sharkey / 52 minutes / unrated). Penobscot Basket Maker tells the story of Native American basket maker Barbara Francis, a woman who was born and raised on Indian Isle, Maine, left the island as a teenager, but came back at the age of 20, alone and pregnant. She was taken in by two basket makers who taught her their secrets, as well as helped her discover more about her Penobscot heritage. Backed by a pleasant soundtrack of Native American music, Barbara's tale is literally interwoven with her work, as she shares her personal history while weaving baskets. While presenting an engaging peek into a community where tradition still flourishes, and providing beautiful examples of the artist's work, the film's compelling center remains Barbara's story.

The Rogue Song (1930, NR, 4 min fragment). Discovered by Film Professor Larry Benaquist, this Technicolor fragment of a Laurel and Hardy comedy scene was inserted, along with others, into a sluggish operetta in the hopes of “punching it up.” Later the fragment was trimmed during a showing in the Boston area and lost until Benaquist discovered it in a used book store. The operetta, presumed lost until a copy was recently discovered in the vaults of the Moscow Film Institute (but without the inserts!), was directed by Lionel Barrymore for the Hal Roach Studios.

Satin Rouge (2002 / Tun. / Dir. Raja Amari / 100 min.) A shy widowed seamstress enters the exotic world of belly dancing in this rare film from modern Tunisia. A fascinating plunge into a colorful culture and the best belly dance movie of the year! Winner, Audience Award, Maine International Film Festival 2002.

Speedo (USA, 2002, 98 minutes, dir: Directed by Jesse Moss, unrated). Ed 'Speedo" Jager is one of the nation's top demolition derby drivers. He has a promising racing career and dreams of earning the chance to drive a stock car. He is devoted to his two sons, but is barely on speaking terms with his wife. His collisions and confrontations on and off the race track are vividly captured in this original American love story set amidst a dangerous, bare-knuckled sport.

Stories from Silence, Witness to War (USA/ 2003/ dir: Deborah Scranton van Paassen/ 87 min/ unrated). Available through www.storiesfromsilence.com). In 1940, the rural farming community of Goshen, New Hampshire numbered 342 citizens. The town would send 45 men and 1 woman to the Second World War. They came from all walks of life and entered every branch of the service. Some enlisted and some were inducted. Nine sets of siblings served, including a brother and sister. The stories are both personal and universal. Told in crisp detail by the veterans themselves, the tales illuminate powerful, private experiences and history making events all at once. A few years after they came home, their names were added, in bronze, to a tall grey memorial stone planted outside the Olive G. Pettis Library which stands in the center of town. This is their story. Photographs from the personal collections of the veterans and people who knew them are combined with classic National Archives images to take the viewer on a stunning visual journey. Stories from Silence, Witness to War, is supported, in part, by a project grant from the New Hampshire Humanities Council.

Two Family House (2000 / USA / Dir. Raymond De Felitta / 104 min./ R). Ne'er-do-well Italian American Buddy Visalo (Michael Rispoli) is willing to defy his wife and family in order to follow his dream of running a bar on Staten Island. When he meets a young--and pregnant--Irish woman (Kelly Macdonald), Buddy must choose between the only life he's known and his desire for happiness. "Two Family House" is a wonderful romantic fable, set during the 1950's (and based on the director's own family lore), which overflows with positive messages of love, tolerance and hope. Destined, without question, to be a S.N.O.B. audience favorite! Winner, Audience Award for Best Dramatic Film, Sundance 2000.

Vermont is for Lovers (USA/ 1993/ Dir. John O'Brien/ 88 min). Two New Yorkers head to Vermont to get married but once there they begin to question whether marriage is such a good idea. They turn to the locals for advice-setting in motion one of the freshest American comedies in quite a while. Director John O'Brien gets wonderfully unaffected performances from his fellow Vermonters, in landscapes so beautiful you'll want to break your lease and move.

The Weather Underground (USA, 2003; dir: Sam Green, Bill Siegel, 93 min, R. Available through Shadow Distribution, Waterville, ME). When and how does violence become an option to drive political and social change? This political documentary tells the story of the 1960's and '70's radical activist group known as the Weather Underground, a group responsible for dozens of bombings of government buildings and the uncovering of the FBI's counter-intelligence program better known as Cointelpro. Directors Sam Green and Bill Siegel intertwine contemporary interviews with 5 of the group's members with archival footage of the Vietnam War, demonstrations, arrests and riots. This film raises troubling questions about how the desire for a better world can turn players into potential murderers. Heady stuff and very relevant in our post-9/11 world.