Athens International Film Festival Celebrates 40th Anniversary

This past Friday the Athena Cinema celebrated a special occasion as the 40th anniversary of the Athens International Film Festival kicked off from April 12-18th. Since the founding of the festival in 1974, thousands of independent films from across the globe have competed for the coveted Golden Athena Award.

“Our festival has taken a remarkable journey for the past 40 years,” said festival director Ruth Bradley. “When I think of the films and filmmakers that have participated it’s really quite breathtaking. All Athenians should be really proud that our community sponsors and celebrates this renowned event. There are only a handful of festivals that have thrived for as long as we have.”

Over the past 40 years the Film Festival has acquired a rich history and tradition that has a distinct position in the Athens community. During the first festival that ran for three days, around 3,000 participants were in attendance; in just three short years, attendance was up to more than 10,000 viewers. Since the first festival, renowned film directors have graced the event, it was extended from three to five days, it was broadcast over PBS channels, a battle of the bands was organized as a fundraiser and a mini festival was planned for children in the area.

Preparation for the 2013 Film Festival began earlier this year as more than 1,000 entries were submitted for review. A pre-screening committee made up of artists, students and community activists watched every submission and narrowed their selection to 250 to be shown throughout the festival. Some of this year’s submissions have traveled far and wide from India, Senegal, Norway, Mexico and NYC. Cash prizes will be awarded at the end of the festival in the categories of documentary, experimental, narrative and animation.

For screening times, descriptions and prices please visit http://www.ohio.edu/orgs/athensfest/

-Ashleigh Mavros, Events Publicity Assistant

 

Experimentation, Exploration and a Good Laugh Part of Open Projector Night

The Athena Cinema’s Open Projector Night could be considered a film exhibition, audience critique and comedic show all rolled into one hour long event every last Wednesday of the month. The Athena invites students and community members alike to submit their film shorts and then allows the audience to be their own critics as they select a winner. It’s all about experimentation and exploration; the open environment is the perfect start to gaining feedback on your short.

“We really just wanted to create an event that allowed local students and the community to show their work for free because so many people are creating shorts and they don’t ever get the chance to see it on the big screen,” said Alexandra Kamody, Managing Director of the Athena Cinema.

Dr. Ruth Bradly had always been a big supporter of the idea for an open film submission night, and last fall semester the first Open Projector Night came to life. Up to ten film submissions are accepted between 6-6:30 p.m. and at 7 p.m. the shorts are presented to the live audience. At the end of the night, a “clap-o-meter” allows the audience to pick the winner for a $50 gift card with the most noise made in support of the film.

One of the main purposes of this night was to allow participants to test out their work for free and receive audience feedback in a casual and fun environment. The two Open Projector Nights thus far have built a steady following of both submissions and audience members and continues to grow. They’ve had submissions from as far as Charleston, West Virginia when a couple attended.

First-year graduate student Erin Riordan has attended every Open Projector Night for numerous reasons; she’s studying media arts and studies, many of her friends submit shorts and she just couldn’t pass up a good time. One of her favorite production groups who have submitted shorts is I Friends and My.

“It’s hard not to laugh at the crazy I Friends and My shorts. They are so bizarre and so hilarious. Chris Croft’s work is also pretty awesome. He did a short on Detroit and it was a hilarious juxtaposition of uplifting old Detroit songs paired with current footage of the unfortunate city we all love to hate-on,” said Riordan.

Apart from viewing the film shorts, the audience also gets a good laugh throughout the night as Ohio University Improv’s Joseph Lalonde and Patrick White emcee the entire night. The two were asked by Ruth Bradley if they would be interested in hosting the event once it was organized since they were a part of Improv. The boys jumped on immediately.

“We then talked it over with our industry-savvy but cutthroat talent agents and after some intense contract negotiations with the Athena, Patrick and I signed on.  (As long as the temperature of the theater is kept at a steady 72 degrees and our dressing rooms are stocked with an endless supply of chilled Fiji Water),” joked Lalonde.

Lalonde and White get the crowd riled up for the night with jokes and loosely improving in between the films. The two have come to build a unique relationship with the Athena staff, audience and filmmakers alike who attend the events.

“Open Projector is beneficial to the community because it is free art and free entertainment for the spectators and it provides an outlet for typically independent filmmakers who may not otherwise get a chance to have their work be seen on an actual silver screen. Also it’s free fun. What could be detrimental about free fun,” said Lalonde.

There will be two more Open Projector Night’s this semester, March 27^th and April 24^th. The Athena looks to continue this event into the following year with focusing on building their audience, diversifying submissions and possibly trying out different prizes and formats.

“I hope it will grow to the point that people look back and say, ‘I started going to the Athena on Wednesday nights with my film to see what audiences thought and I got a great reaction, so I took project one step further’” said Kamody.

For more information on Open Projector Night visit http://athenacinema.com/open-projector-night/

OU Improv has free comedy shows every Thursday at 9pm in Baker Center Theater (2nd floor of Baker Center) and also every Tuesday at 8pm at the Baker Lounge (the 1st floor of Baker Center).

-Ashleigh Mavros, Events Publicity Assistant

Eclectic Combination of Science, Film at Athena Cinema

Evolution, submarines and digital media are subjects you would expect to find in a textbook, not on the big screen. That’s what makes the Athena Cinema’s Science on Screen events so unique; the perfect blend of science, discussion and visual imagery combines for a distinctive learning experience.

Science on Screen events at the Athena feature a film or documentary followed by a brief presentation from a professional in the corresponding field and then opens up to questions and discussion from the audience. After applying and receiving a grant supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation as a project of the Coolidge Corner Theater, the Athena Cinema has hosted two thus far with two more planned.

“Film is this universal language that can reach audiences and make things accessible, like science and technology,” said Alexandra Kamody, Managing Director of the Athena Cinema. 

Evolution was at the forefront of discussion for the first Science on Screen as the film Idiocracy was screened and biology professor Dr. Molly Morris presented and lead the discussion. The second, The Hunt for Red October, welcomed Dr. David Bayless from the Russ College of Engineering who led an intriguing presentation about submarines and his experience in the nuclear navy.

Small, Beautifully Moving Parts will be featured for the March 21^st Science on Screen. This film explores a pregnant woman’s coming-of-parenthood in the age of technology with a comic twist. Co-director and Ohio University film professor Annie J. Howell along with digital media expert and professor of journalism at the University of Wisconsin Molly Wright Steenson will be working together to discuss and analyze how technology is facing our current generation. This will be one of most unique nights of the series as it is the first time a director of the film will be present along with a professional from outside of Ohio University.

As part of the Athens International Film Festival the moving documentary on global warming, Chasing Ice, will be the last Science on Screen for the semester. Environmental documentary Let’s Talk About Water’s creator and project coordinator Linda Lilienfeld along with a guest speaker will host the event.

When planning the Science on Screen nights, the film may be selected first and then a speaker, or vice versa. Kamody is fortunate enough to have the immense amount of professionals and professors within Ohio University to cover a wide array of topics. Engagement is created with the audience when they are able to find a fun and dynamic speaker that thoroughly understands the topic.

“I hope people can learn something and have an educational experience that is fun and exciting to them and opens up new possibilities,” said Kamody. “A lot of people think of science topics as boring and dry subjects and we want to change that. I hope they come away with a renewed interest in a topic they haven’t thought about since earth science in grade school.”

For more information visit  http://athenacinema.com/science-on-screen/

-Ashleigh Mavros, Events Publicity Assistant