Fargo Film Festival Preview Show 2012

HI, I'M MATT OLIEN.
I'M TONY TILTON.
WE'RE MEMBERS OF THE 2012
FARGO FILM FESTIVAL COMMITTEE.
WELCOME TO THE 2012 FARGO FILM
FESTIVAL PREVIEW SHOW.
HERE'S AN INSIDE LOOK AT THIS YEARS FESTIVAL
> THIS YEAR'S 12TH ANNUAL
FARGO FILM FESTIVAL WILL TAKE
PLACE TUESDAY THROUGH
SATURDAY, MARCH 6TH THROUGH THE 10TH.
THIS YEAR WE HAD 154 ENTRIES
FROM MORE THAN 20 DIFFERENT
STATES AND 9 FOREIGN COUNTRIES.
THE FARGO FILM FESTIVAL'S
COMMITTED TO SHOWCASING
HIGH-QUALITY, INDEPENDENT
FILMS AND GIVING OPPORTUNITIES
TO FILMMAKERS TO SHOW THEIR
WORK IN THE STATE OF THE ART
AND HISTORIC FARGO THEATRE, AS
WELL AS THE FANTASTIC INTIMATE
SECOND SCREEN NEXT DOOR TO THE
MAIN THEATRE CALLED "FARGO
THEATRE OFF BROADWAY."
FILMS WILL BE SHOWN IN SEVEN CATEGORIES:
NARRATIVE FEATURE, NARRATIVE
SHORT, DOCUMENTARY FEATURE,
DOCUMENTARY SHORT,
EXPERIMENTAL, ANIMATION, AND STUDENT.
THE FESTIVAL ALSO CONTAINS
INFORMATIONAL SEMINARS,
NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES, AND
PROVOCATIVE LUNCH PANEL
DISCUSSIONS FEATURING
FILMMAKERS, FILM ACADEMICS AND
PEOPLE IN THE FILM INDUSTRY.
MORE THAN ANYTHING THE
FESTIVAL IS ABOUT MOVIES.
MOVIES THAT ENTERTAIN AND
INFORM, MOVIES THAT PROVOKE
THOUGHT AND INSPIRE DISCUSSION.
THE VENUES FOR THIS YEAR'S
FESTIVAL ARE THE BEAUTIFUL AND
HISTORIC FARGO THEATRE, OUR
MAIN VENUE, AND OUR SECOND
VENUE, THE POPULAR AND
INTIMATE SECOND SCREEN "FARGO THEATRE OFF BROADWAY."
LOCATED NEXT TO THE ORIGINAL
FARGO THEATRE IN DOWNTOWN FARGO.
FOR THE FESTIVAL'S FIRST 11
YEARS, FARGO THEATRE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR MARGIE BAILLY, ALONG
WITH MEMBERS OF THE VARIOUS
FILM FESTIVAL JUNKING
COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN...
JUDGING COMMITTEES HAVE BEEN
COMMITTED TO EXPANDING THE AUDIENCE.
NOW THAT MARGIE HAS RETIRED,
NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR EMILY
BECK IS CONTINUING THIS
COMMITMENT IN OUR 12TH YEAR.
THE FESTIVAL WILL OPEN ON
TUESDAY NIGHT, MARCH 6TH, WITH
A SPECIAL APPEARANCE BY
DIRECTOR KEVIN SMITH AND JASON
MUUS, WITH THEIR "JAY AND
SILENT BOB GET OLD"
PERFORMANCE.
THE EXCITEMENT FOR THE
APPEARANCE IS PALPABLE AND
TICKETS ARE GOING FAST.
A KICKOFF PRESS CONFERENCE
WILL BE HELD EARLIER IN THE
DAY TUESDAY MARCH 6TH AT NOON,
AT WHICH TIME BEST IN SHOW
WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED.
THERE WILL BE NOON PANEL
DISCUSSIONS WEDNESDAY,
THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND JUANO'S
IN DOWNTOWN FARGO.
SATURDAY NIGHT MARCH 10TH
AROUND 10:00 P.M. AFTER THE
SCREENINGS ARE DONE, THE
GATHERING PLACE FOR THE FINAL
NIGHT POST-PARTY FEATURING
BEVERAGES WILL BE AT ECCE IN
DOWNTOWN FARGO NEXT TO THE FARGO THEATRE.
BEFORE THE NIGHT'S SCREENINGS
EACH DAY, VARIOUS PRE-PARTIES AT 5:00 P.M.
THESE LOCATIONS, MONTE'S ON
TUESDAY NIGHT, MEZALUNA ON
WEDNESDAY, JOHN ALEXANDER'S ON
THURSDAY, FRIDAY, TO BE
DETERMINED, AND THE HOTEL
DONALDSON ON SATURDAY NIGHT.
TONY, WE'VE GOT VERY
EXCITING FILM FESTIVAL FOR OUR
12TH YEAR AND SOME INTERESTING
GUESTS THAT NOT ONLY DO WE
HAVE GREAT FILMS, AS USUAL.
QUALITY, WE HAVE THREE
OSCAR-NOMINATED FILMS IN
VARIOUS CATEGORIES, BUT BIG
FIRST NIGHT GUESTS.
REALLY BIG.
KEVIN SMITH AND JASON MUUS COMING IN.
FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, IF
YOU DON'T, KEVIN SMITH IS ONE
OF THE BIG NAMES IN THE FILM CINEMA CIRCLE.
HIS FILM "CLERKS" GOT HIM ON
THE BOARD AT THE SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL.
ONE OF THE FILMS THAT
ESTABLISHED THE SUNDANCE AS
THE MAJOR INDEPENDENT FESTIVAL.
KEVIN HAS BEEN DOING
INDEPENDENT FILMS FOR QUITE A
WHILE, AND SOME STUDIO FILMS,
AND HE AND JASON MUUS, HIS
BEST FRIEND, CO-STAR, BRINGING
THEIR SHOW "JAY AND SILENT BOB
GET OLD" ON TUESDAY NIGHT FOR
THE OPENING NIGHT OF THE FILM FESTIVAL.
IT IS GOING TO BE GREAT.
WE WANT TO REMIND PEOPLE,
TICKETS ARE SEPARATE FROM THE
FESTIVAL PACK.
THEY ARE LIKE A CONCERT IN A WAY.
YOU NEED TO GET TICKETS AT
300, AND YOU CAN GET THEM
ONLINE, THEY ARE ON THE FARGO
THEATRE WEBSITE, AND IT IS
EASY ENOUGH TO DO, BUT THAT IS
A SEPARATE EVENT TICKETED.
GET THEM, THEY ARE ALREADY GOING FAST.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT IS GOING TO
BE OUR DOCUMENTARY NIGHT.
WE'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT IN
JUST A MINUTE.
BUT THURSDAY NIGHT IS GOING TO
BE A GREAT NIGHT.
BECAUSE WE HAVE DON
HERTZFELDT, SPECIAL GUEST,
OSCAR-WINNING ANIMATOR, AND HE
IS THE SPECIAL GUEST, HE WILL
BE DOING A Q&A.
DON, IF YOU DON'T KNOW HIS
NAME, GOOGLE HIM, CHECK IT OUT.
YOU WILL RECOGNIZE HIS STYLE INSTANTLY.
DON'S STYLE IS STICK FIGURES
AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND LIKE ANIMATED ON PAPER.
IT'S BEEN STOLEN BY MAJOR AD
AGENCIES AND COMPANIES.
THEY MIMIC HIS STYLE.
ALSO GROUNDBREAKING WITH THE
ANIMATION SHOW THAT HE AND A
PARTNER, MIKE JUDGE, PUT TOGETHER ON MTV.
HE WAS KNOWN FOR EARLIER ANIMATION WORK.
HE'S DONE A SERIES OF FILMS.
HE IS BRINGING THE LAST OF
THAT SERIES OF FILMS TO THE
FARGO FILM FESTIVAL.
CALLED "IT IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY."
THAT IS OUR ANIMATION
WINNER FOR THIS YEAR AS WELL.
COUPLE YEARS AGO, DON HAD THE
BEST IN SHOW WINNER WITH "I AM
SO PROUD OF YOU"
I THINK THE SECOND ONE.
PREQUEL.
AND THEN ON THURSDAY NIGHT
AFTER DON IS DONE, THE PLACE
TO GO IS OUR ALL-STAR BOWL IN
MOORHEAD FOR LEBOWSKI FEST.
THIS IS A TRIBUTE TO THE
BIG LEBOWSKI FILM.
IT'S BEEN GOING ON IN CITIES
AROUND THE COUNTRY.
ACTUALLY AROUND THE WORLD, I
THINK IT IS IN LONDON, TOO.
WHAT IT IS, IT IS A NIGHT OF FUN.
OUR GUESTS WILL BE THERE, IT
IS BOWLING, IT'S WHITE
RUSSIANS, IT'S... THERE'S
MUSIC, THERE WILL BE A COSTUME
CONTEST, GO ONLINE, CHECK IT OUT.
A LIMITED NUMBER OF TICKETS FOR THAT.
THEY ARE VERY LOW COST.
SEPARATE FROM THE FESTIVAL.
IT IS.
BUT IT'S ALSO GOING TO A VERY GOOD CAUSE.
THAT IS TO HELP US EXPAND THE
FESTIVAL BY ENTERING INTO AN
AGREEMENT WHERE WE GET MORE
SUBMISSIONS, FILM SUBMISSIONS
FROM SOME OF THESE TOP NOTCH FILMMAKERS.
WE'VE HAD GREAT SUCCESS WITH
THIS, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS ROOM TO GROW.
WE NEED TO BASICALLY MAKE THIS JUMP.
THIS IS THE WAY TO DO THAT.
WE'VE BEEN TOLD BY A LOT OF
GUESTS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO
THIS EVENT, THAT IT'S A LOT OF
FUN, SO DEFINITELY.
> IT WILL BE FUN.
AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE
WEEKEND, WE HAVE A SPECIAL
GUEST COMING IN, HE'S GOING TO
DO AN ACTING WORKSHOP, RED
RICH SOMER, CONCORDIA
GRADUATE, CAST MEMBER OF "MAD MEN."
TELL FOLKS ABOUT RICH.
RICH'S CHARACTER, YOU WILL
RECOGNIZE HIM, HE WEARS A BOW
TIE, WORKS IN THE TELEVISION
ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT OF THE
ADVERTISING AGENCY IN "MAD MEN."
SO IF YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE HIM
NOW, YOU WILL RECOGNIZE HIM
FROM THE PICTURE WE PUT ON THE
SCREEN FOR YOU RIGHT NOW.
RICH IS A CONCORDIA GRADUATE,
WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE DIDN'T
KNOW, I'M SURE.
SOME OF THE OTHER PEOPLE
INVOLVED IN "MAD MEN" ARE FROM
THIS AREA, WHICH, AGAIN, A LOT
OF PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW THAT.
BUT RICH AND SOME OF HIS
FRIENDS ARE COMING BACK, DOING
ACTING SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS,
PARTICIPATING IN OUR LUNCH
WORKSHOPS, AS WELL.
AND OUR PANEL DISCUSSIONS AS
WELL AS PRESENTING SOME THINGS.
SO IT IS GOING TO BE A GREAT FESTIVAL.
LITERALLY EVERY DAY OF THE
FESTIVAL WE HAVE SPECIAL GUESTS.
GOING TO BE GREAT.
LET'S GET INTO THE FILM CLIPS.
START WITH THE DOCUMENTARIES.
VERY STRONG CATEGORIES.
DOC FEATURE, WHICH I WAS THE
CHAIR OF, AND ALSO DOCUMENTARY SHORT.
THE WINNING FILM, "AGE OF
CHAMPIONS," DIRECTED BY CHRIS
RUFO FROM SACRAMENTO.
AND THIS IS ABOUT THE SENIOR OLYMPICS.
THESE PEOPLE ARE IN FANTASTIC SHAPE.
THERE'S A TENNIS PLAYER WHO IS
100 YEARS OLD.
BUT IT IS SUCH A WELL DONE FILM, TONY.
THE PRODUCTION VALUES ARE
HIGH, AND PEOPLE OF ALL AGES
ON OUR COMMITTEE LOVE THIS MOVIE.
LOVE IT.
IT IS A GREAT MOVIE.
AND IT IS ONE THAT... IF
YOU'RE AN AUDIENCE MEMBER,
FIRST YOU WILL SHAME YOURSELF
INTO GETTING OFF THE COUCH,
WHICH ISN'T BAD, BUT IT IS A
VERY ENJOYABLE FILM.
WE ALSO HAVE A DOCUMENTARY
SHORT, WHICH IS NOMINATED FOR
AN A ACADEMY AWARD, AND IT IS
CALLED ""INCIDENT IN NEW BAGHDAD."
THIS IS KIND OF A SEARING
DOCUMENTARY, A VERY DEFINITE
POINT OF VIEW ABOUT THE IRAQ
WAR AND ABOUT AN INCIDENT THAT
HAPPENED THAT WAS... BECAME
INFAMOUS BECAUSE OF THE WIKILEAKS.
YEAH.
PUT THIS OUT ON THE WEB.
AND IT'S STILL IN THE NEWS
RIGHT NOW, AND THIS IS ONE
PERSON'S PERSPECTIVE.
BUT IT IS INCREDIBLY WELL
DONE, AND IT WILL DEFINITELY
OPEN YOUR EYES TO THAT
PERSPECTIVE, NO MATTER WHAT
AREA, YOU KNOW, WHICH TANGENT
YOU COME FROM, IT IS A VALID DOCUMENTARY.
NOMINATED FOR AN ACADEMY AWARD
ON THE SHORT LIST.
A SHORT FILM, 25 MINUTES LONG.
IT'S BASICALLY HIM BEING
INTERVIEWED, AND THEN YOU SEE
THE ACTUAL FOOTAGE OF AN
UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT WITH
APACHE HELICOPTERS AND IRAQI CIVILIANS.
AND THE AFTERMATH OF
SOLDIERS PART OF THIS.
RIGHT.
IT IS SOMETHING OF INTEREST
TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE.
WELL, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT
CLIPS NOW FROM "AGE OF
CHAMPIONS," DOCUMENTARY
FEATURE WINNER AND "INCIDENT
IN NEW BAGHDAD," THE
DOCUMENTARY SHORT WINNER.
HI, I'M THE TEAM CAPTAIN.
I'M MARY BENSON.
I LOVE TO WIN.
I'M LORETTA HILL.
I'M KITTY.
MY NAME IS WANDA BLALOCK.
I AM NICKI LEADER.
WE ARE THE TIGERETTES!
YAY!
[ CHEERING ]
WE ARE ORDINARY
GRANDMOTHERS AND PEOPLE CANNOT
BELIEVE THAT WE PLAY BASKETBALL.
OUR RECORD IS 165-3, AND WE'RE
GOING FOR OUR NUMBER SIX GOLD
MEDAL AND WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE
THE GREATEST SENIOR WOMEN'S
BASKETBALL TEAM IN THE UNITED STATES.
ALL RIGHT!
ALL RIGHT!
WHOO!
MY LAST NAME IS LEADER, SO
I TRY TO LIVE BY THAT NAME AS
A LEADER ON THE TEAM.
MY NAME IS ETHAN McCORD.
I LIVE IN WICHITA, KANSAS.
DADDY, I HAVE CAMEL.
I KNOW, SON.
I LEFT THE ARMY IN JULY, 2009.
YOU KNOW, I HAD BEEN LIVING
WITH WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY AS
WELL AS MANY OTHER DAYS IN
IRAQ SINCE I CAME HOME.
AND I WAS ACTUALLY STARTING TO
GET A LITTLE BIT BETTER, I
COULD SLEEP BETTER AT NIGHT.
DON'T FORGET TO GRAB YOUR BREAD.
I WASN'T THINKING ABOUT
IRAQ AS MUCH, MORE WORRIED
ABOUT MY CHILDREN AND THE LIFE
OF BEING AN ALMOST SINGLE FATHER.
I DROPPED MY CHILDREN OFF TO
SCHOOL ON APRIL 5TH, CAME
HOME, GRABBED A CUP OF COFFEE,
SAT DOWN ON THE COUCH AND
TURNED ON THE NEWS LIKE I DO EVERY MORNING.
AND THE FIRST IMAGE I SAW ON
THE NEWS WAS ME RUNNING ACROSS
THE SCREEN CARRYING A CHILD.
I KNEW IT WAS ME IMMEDIATELY,
BECAUSE THAT WHOLE IMAGE IS
BURNED INTO MY HEAD.
AGAIN, WE HAVE ANOTHER VERY
STRONG CATEGORY, PROBABLY ONE
OF OUR STRONGEST, THE
NARRATIVE SHORT CATEGORY.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE TWO
WINNERS OF DRAM AND COMEDY.
IT WAS THE ONLY WAY TO GO ABOUT IT.
THESE FILMS WERE BOTH
EXCELLENT, AND YOU GET THE
SAME THING, HOW DO YOU
DIFFERENTIATE WHAT IS BETTER.
YOU KNOW?
IT IS REALLY NOT BETTER.
IT IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF
FEELING AND TASTE.
AND THERE WAS A NEED, REALLY,
TO TRY TO ADDRESS THAT.
SO LONG AGO WE STARTED DOING
SEPARATE CATEGORIES, WHERE WE
WOULD HAVE A DRAMA OR A COMEDY
WINNER OF SOME KIND.
IF WE NEEDED TO KNOW TATE
THAT, BECAUSE AT THE VERY
DIFFICULT TO SAY A DRAMA IS
BETTER THAN A COMEDY OR VICE VERSA.
TELL FOLKS ABOUT THE DRAMA WINNER.
CLAY JETER'S FILM, "45"... "5".
IT TAKES PLACE IN KENTUCKY.
SO AUTHENTICALLY DONE, IT'S
ONE OF THOSE THINGS, THEIR KID
ACTORS, YOUNG ACTORS, 19... WELL, 12.
THE BOY IS 12 YEARS OLD.
THE GIRL IS MAYBE 18.
I DON'T THINK SHE'S EVEN THAT.
I THINK SHE'S 15 OR SOMETHING.
THEN THE YOUNGER DAUGHTER IN
THERE, TOO, WAS LIKE 9.
AND IT IS AMAZINGLY NATURALIZED ACTING.
SOME OF THE BEST ACTING I'VE
EVER SEEN, YOU KNOW, ACADEMY
AWARD FILM NOTWITHSTANDING.
IT IS A NICE SHORT LITTLE
FILM, GREAT PATH, AND IT IS A DRAMA.
THERE'S SOME FUNNY PARTS TO IT.
BUT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE
WILL RECOGNIZE SOME OF THE
THINGS IN THIS FILM, ISSUES
GROWING UP IN THE PRE-TEENS
AND TEENS, YOUNG TEENS, AND
SOME OF THE THINGS GOING ON,
AND SIBLINGS AND HOW THEY
BEHAVE WITH EACH OTHER.
THAT'S OUR DRAMA WINNER.
OUR COMEDY WINNER AFTER THE
CREDITS" FROM AUSTRALIA, THIS ONE HAD IT.
IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ONES WE WATCHED.
AND WHEN YOU'RE WATCHING FILMS
TO JUDGE THEM, YOU KNOW, AS WE
HAVE TO DO IN OUR JURY
PROCESS, SOMETIMES YOU FEEL
BAD BECAUSE THE FIRST FEW
FILMS YOU WATCH, AFTER
WATCHING 30 SUBSEQUENT FILMS,
YOU TEND TO FORGET ABOUT THEM.
RIGHT.
THIS ONE STUCK IN
EVERYBODY'S MIND, WHICH SHOWS
YOU HOW STRONG IT WAS.
IT IS EXACTLY THAT.
"AFTER THE CREDITS" A YOUNG
COUPLE WITH A HOLLYWOOD
ENDING, THAT'S THE BEGINNING OF THE FILM.
AND WHAT HAPPENS.
SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT BOTH
OF THESE FILMS.
LITTLE CLIPS FROM THEM.
THE FIRST ONE IS $5 BY CLAY
JETER, THE SECOND ONE, "AFTER THE CREDITS."
TWENTY BUCKS.
WHAT?
I'LL KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT IF
YOU GIVE ME TWENTY BUCKS.
OKAY, I DON'T GOT 20Y BUCKS RIGHT NOW.
TELL HERBETTE TO COUGH IT
UP OR I'LL TELL.
IF YOU SEE HIM HERE TO BEAT
THE CRAP OVER HERE, IT WILL
LEAVE BRUISES AND I'LL SHOW THEM TO DADDY.
HE'LL KILL HERBERT, THEN YOU
WON'T HAVE A BOYFRIEND.
PLUS, YOU GOT TO CLEAN UP ALL
THAT MUD HE TRACKED IN BEFORE
MOMMA GETS HOME.
MISS?
ARE YOU BOARDING THIS PLANE OR NOT?
NO, I TOLD YOU I'M NOT.
OKAY.
DO YOU HAVE ANY BAGS CHECKED IN?
UM, YES, YES, I DO.
SORRY.
OKAY.
WELL, WE CAN'T TAKE OFF UNTIL
WE'VE REMOVED YOUR BAGS FROM
THE CARGO HOLD.
OH, I AM AVENUE SORRY.
YOU WILL NEED TO FILL OUT A
FORM AT LUGGAGE SERVICES AND
YOU CAN COLLECT YOUR BAG OUTSIDE CUSTOMS.
WHERE IS LUGGAGE SERVICES?
IT'S DOWNSTAIRS AT ARRIVALS.
IT MAY TAKE US UP TO 30
MINUTES TO LOCATE YOUR BAG.
I'M SORRY.
HOLD ON.
30 MINUTE DELAY, MAYBE LONGER.
UNBELIEVABLE.
WHOA.
I'M SORRY.
THE MAN I LOVE JUST KIND OF CONVINCED ME...
YEAH, I KNOW, I SAW, I WAS THERE.
I CLAPPED.
WHAT CONCERNS ME NOW IS MY
CONNECTING FLIGHT IN DUBAI.
LET'S MOVE ON TO STUDENT
CATEGORY, ALWAYS AN IMPORTANT
CATEGORY, BECAUSE WE LIKE TO
GET ESPECIALLY OUR LOCAL
STUDENTS INVOLVED AT MSUM AND CONCORDIA.
THEY'VE DONE WELL IN THE PAST.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS,
ACTUALLY, HAVE WON THE CATEGORY.
YES, THEY HAVE.
THIS YEAR WE HAD SOME
EXTREMELY STRONG CANDIDATES
FROM ALL OVER, AND AS WELL AS
A LOCAL CANDIDATE THAT'S IN
OUR TOP COUPLE OF FILMS.
OUR TOP FILM, THOUGH, WAS VERY
SLICKLY PRODUCED, AND IT WAS
MISS DIRECTION, A MAGICIAN FILM.
AND IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO
CARRY THIS KIND OF FILM OFF,
EVEN WITH SPECIAL EFFECTS
BEING WHAT THEY ARE, IT STILL
REQUIRES GOOD WRITING, PRODUCTION DESIGN.
ALL THESE THINGS THAT GO INTO
IT, YOU DON'T THINK ABOUT
THESE SORT OF THINGS.
SOMEBODY HAS TO GET EVERY
SINGLE PROP, EVERY COSTUME
PIECE, THEY GOT TO SHOOT IT IN SUCH A WAY.
THIS LOOKS LIKE A PROFESSIONAL SHORT FILM.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY
IT WON THE CATEGORY.
BUT IT'S VERY INVENTIVE AND WELL DONE.
WELL ACTED.
SOME PEOPLE THAT YOU WILL
RECOGNIZE ACTUALLY ARE IN THIS FILM.
AND THAT PERSON HAS THE
ADVANTAGE OF BEATING CAL STATE
AND NORTHRIDGE.
YOU'LL GET SOME INDUSTRY
PEOPLE, SAG ACTORS, YOU RECOGNIZE SOME.
BUT EITHER WAY, I MEAN, WE'VE
ALSO SEEN SOME BAD FILMS COME UP.
SO THIS DISTINGUISHED ITSELF,
BEING A VERY STRONG FILM.
LET'S LOOK AT A CLIP FROM
OUR STUDENT DRAMA WINNER,
"MISDIRECTION" FROM DOOR ON
KIPPER.
OKAY, LET'S MOVE ON TO
NARRATIVE FEATURE, VERY STRONG CATEGORY.
OUR CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE,
KAREN OLSON, DID A GREAT JOB.
I WANT TO MENTION BRITTANY
GOODMAN DID A FANTASTIC JOB
CHAIRING NARRATIVE SHORT AND
JANET HAWK CHAIRED STUDENT.
SO SHE DID A GREAT JOB.
TOM SPEAR WAS OUR DOCUMENTARY SHORT CHAIR.
I JUST WANTED TO DO A SHOUT OUT TO THEM.
EVERYBODY ACROSS THE BOARD.
WE RECRUITED SOME FILMS, WHICH
IS JUST A PROCESS WHERE YOU
CHECK OUT THINGS THAT ARE OUT THERE.
AND WE'VE GOT SOME EXTREMELY STRONG FILMS.
MADE IT TOUGH THIS YEAR PICKING.
IT DID.
REALLY NARRATIVE FEATURE,
THERE ARE FOUR REALLY GOOD
FILMS THAT FESTIVAL GOERS ARE
GOING TO WANT TO SEE.
THE HONORABLE MENTION WINNERS,
"SILVER TONGUES," A DIABOLICAL
FILM, VERY WELL DONE.
I THINK THE ACTOR IN THAT FILM
HAS A SHOT TO WIN BEST IN SHOW, BEST ACTOR.
ANOTHER FILM, "JESS AND MOSS,"
ALSO A CLAY JETER FILM, HE DID
$5, ANOTHER FILM WITH A
TERRIFIC BEST ACTRESS CANDIDATE, ANN MARIE
HOLLOWMAN, SMALL BEAUTIFULLY MOVING PARTS."
OUR WINNER FROM SWEDEN,
"IMPORTANCE OF TYING YOUR OWN SHOES."
AND IT IS A FILM ABOUT
SPECIAL NEEDS PEOPLE.
AND ABOUT SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES THEY HAVE AND HOW
THEY DEAL WITH IT.
BECAUSE IT DEALS WITH THIS
SUBJECT MATTER THERE'S A LOT
OF TIGHTROPE WALKING YOU HAVE
TO DO SOMETIMES.
THIS ONE CELEBRATES THINGS,
AND IT IS A JOY TO WATCH.
AND JUST FOR THAT ALONE AND
THE ACTING IN THIS FILM, BY
ALL SPECIAL NEEDS PEOPLE WAS FANTASTIC.
IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS, IT
IS EYE-OPENING TO WATCH.
AND IT IS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
FILM, BUT NOT DIFFICULT AT ALL TO FOLLOW.
NO, NO.
WHICH IS WHY THE JURY VOTED
IT AS OUR BEST IN SHOW FOR THE
NARRATIVE FEATURE.
LET'S LOOK AT A CLIP FOR THE
SWEDISH FILM "THE IMPORTANCE
OF TYING YOUR OWN SHOES."
[ CHEERING ]
[ APPLAUSE ]
LET'S MOVE ON TO ANIMATION,
AND THIS IS ALWAYS BEEN A
STRONG CATEGORY, AND IT'S
REALLY GOTTEN STRONG LATELY.
WE HAVE AN OSCAR NOMINATED
FILM IN THIS CATEGORY THAT DID
NOT WIN, HOWEVER, THE WINNING
FILM IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY
BY DON HERTZFELDT, WHO IS A
SPECIAL GUEST OF THE FESTIVAL.
AS WE TALKED ABOUT, THIS IS A
CONTINUATION OF ALMOST A
TRILOGY ABOUT THE STICK FIGURE
CHARACTER THAT WE'VE COME TO KNOW.
RIGHT.
THIS IS THE THIRD FILM OF
THAT, THE CULMINATION, AND DON
IS COMING TO THE FESTIVAL TO
PRESENT THIS FILM AS WELL AS
TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER WORKS.
SO IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS,
IT IS A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO
GET TO TALK TO AN ACADEMY
AWARD-WINNING CREATOR COMING
IN TO TALK ABOUT THIS FILM.
AND DO A WORKSHOP ON IT.
SO IF YOU CAN MAKE IT, COME
THURSDAY EVENING AND
AFTERNOON, DON HERTZFELDT WILL BE HERE.
ACTUALLY HE WILL BE HERE FOR
MORE THAN THAT, BUT THAT'S
WHEN WE'RE PRESENTING THIS FILM.
BUT THE OTHER... THE OTHER
ANIMATION FILMS THAT WE HAVE
ARE INCREDIBLY STRONG.
THEY ARE.
AND A WIDE DIVERSITY OF THE
KIND OF FILMS THAT WE HAVE.
SOME OF OUR ANIMATION CATEGORY
HAS BEEN VERY STRONG FOR MANY YEARS.
IT HAS.
GREG CARLSON HAS DONE A GREAT
JOB WITH THE CATEGORY.
WE WANT TO CREDIT THEM AS WELL.
LET'S LOOK AT A CLIP FROM THE
SECOND IN THE TRILOGY, THIS IS
"I AM SO PROUD OF YOU" WHICH
WON BEST IN SHOW A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
WE ARE WAITING FOR A FILM
PRINT TO COME IN ON DON'S FILM
"SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY."
WE WILL SHOW A CLIP FROM "I AM
SO PROUD OF YOU" FROM DON
HERTZFELDT FROM AUSTIN, TEXAS.
BILL'S MOTHER PUT A HEAVY
COAT ON HIM FOR FEAR HE MIGHT
FALL VICTIM TO SOMETHING
CALLED WALKING NEM ON YA.
SHE STARTED DO SHE STARTED
DOING IT AFTER LOSING RANDALL.
IN THE SUMMERS, HE ALSO HAD TO
WEAR A HELMET AND ASBESTOS SAFETY GLOVES.
THESE WERE THE DAYS SHE RARELY
LEFT THE HOUSE, AND SHAVED THE
CAT ON WEEKENDS.
ON HIS SIXTH BIRTHDAY, HIS
MOTHER GAVE HIM A POSTAGE
STAMP AND A PIECE OF YARN, AND
HUGGED HIM FOR FIVE MINUTES.
OKAY.
E PERSONALITY AL, OUR...
EXPERIMENTAL, OUR FINAL CATEGORY.
ONE THAT MAINSTREAM AUDIENCES
SOMETIMES STRUGGLE WITH.
ANYTHING GOES.
ANYTHING GOES.
BUT I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, THIS
YEAR'S WINNING FILM "MELT" IS
I THINK ONE OF THE BEST
EXPERIMENTAL FILMS I'VE EVER SEEN.
IT'S REALLY TERRIFIC.
THE CINEMATOGRAPHY IS OUTSTANDING.
IT IS OUTSTANDING.
PRODUCTION DESIGN, EVERYTHING,
IT IS INTERESTING, IF YOU GO
TO THE WEBSITE THAT THIS FILM
HAS, JUST SOME OF THE
PHOTOGRAPHS ABOUT THE SETUP OF
THIS, WHERE DANCERS ARE ON A
WALL, AND THEY ARE MELTING, AS
IT WERE, BUT IT'S IN PROGRESSION.
IT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE.
THE THING WITH EXPERIMENTAL
FILM, WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME TO
EXPLAIN WHAT IS EXPERIMENTAL
FILM IS, IT IS ALWAYS A TOUGH ONE.
THERE IS REALLY NOT A SET DEFINITION.
THERE ISN'T.
BUT YOU KNOW A GOOD ONE WHEN YOU SEE IT.
RIGHT.
AND EXPERIMENTAL IS MORE ABOUT
EVOKING FEELINGS AND IMAGES
AND THOUGHT PROCESSES, IT IS
NO THE ABOUT TELLING A NARRATIVE STORY.
BEGINNING, MIDDLE, END.
SOMETIMES IT IS, BUT MOST OF
THE TIME IT'S NOT.
IT'S ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE AND
TRYING TO CONVEY SOME OTHER
KIND OF MESSAGE OR JUST EVOKE
SOMETHING IN THE VIEWER.
IT COULD BE VERY DIFFERENT...
IT'S LIKE DISCUSSING MODERN
ART IN A GALLERY.
WHAT IS IT, AND HOW DOES IT WORK.
"MELT," THOUGH, I THINK, IS
ONE OF THOSE FILMS THAT I
DON'T THINK ANYBODY CAN WATCH
THIS FILM AND NOT BE
INTERESTED IN IT, AND HAVE
SOME KIND OF REACTION TO IT.
I AGREE.
IT'S TERRIFIC.
SO HERE'S A LITTLE CLIP
FROM "MELT" BY NOMIE LAFRANCE.
AND FINALLY, SOMETHING
THAT'S BECOME VERY EXCITING AT
THE FESTIVAL, GREG CARLSON'S
TWO-MINUTE MOVIE CONTEST.
FRIDAY NIGHT ABOUT 9:30 IN THE
MAIN AREA, WHAT ARE THE RULES FOR THIS?
WELL, IT'S... YOU HAVE TWO
MINUTES TO DO ANYTHING YOU
WANT, WITHIN, I GUESS, PRETTY
MUCH ANYTHING YOU WANT.
I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY
RESTRICTION ON IT.
FAIRLY RIBALD, IF WE CAN USE THAT WORD.
WE SPLIT IS IN HALF.
AN EARLIER SECTION MORE
AUDIENCE, FAMILY FRIENDLY, AND
THEN THE FILMS THAT ARE NOT SO
THE SECOND HALF.
THEY ALL SHOW.
IT WAS LIMITED TO 40 FILMS, I BELIEVE.
YES.
AND WE ARE STARTING TO GET,
AS WE'VE SEEN IN YEARS PAST,
FILMS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.
WE HAVE GOTTEN FILMS FROM
EUROPE AND ASIA, AND AS A
MATTER OF FACT, I THINK WE
HAVE A CHINESE FILM IN THIS ONE.
UM-HUM.
AS WELL AS A FEW OTHERS.
IT IS ALWAYS KIND OF A NEW THING.
WE NEVER KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE
RUNDOWN IS UNTIL CLOSE TO THE FESTIVAL.
BUT AS GREG JOKES, IF YOU
DON'T LIKE THAT FILM, WAIT,
WITHIN TWO MINUTES ANOTHER ONE WILL START.
IT HAS TO BE TWO MINUTES.
CAN'T BE 2:02, NOT EVEN TWO FRAMES OFF.
IT WILL BE CHOPPED OFF.
THAT'S HAPPENED BEFORE.
SO THE TWO-MINUTE FILM
FESTIVAL FRIDAY NIGHT.
ONLY $2 TO GET IN.
RIGHT.
IF YOU HAVE FRIDAY NIGHT
OFF, MARCH 9TH, COME ON DOWN.
TWO-MINUTE FILM FEST IS THE
PLACE TO GO FOR A LOT OF FUN
IN THE EVENING.
WELL, THAT CONCLUDES THE
2012 FARGO FILM FESTIVAL PREVIEW SHOW.
REMEMBER TO CHECK OUR WEBSITES
FOR TICKETING AND FESTIVAL
PASS INFORMATION AT FARGOFILMFESTIVAL.COM,
WWW.FARGOTHEATRE.ORG, OR CALL
THE THEATRE AT 701-239-8385.
WE'LL SEE YOU AT THE FESTIVAL
MARCH 6TH THROUGH THE 10TH.
REMEMBER, WHY GO TO
CANNES WHEN YOU CAN GO TO FARGO?
SEE YOU AT THE FESTIVAL.
SEE YOU AT THE FESTIVAL.