The Annapolis Pretentious Film Society Showcase 2012

February 17, 18, 19

Save these dates!

See today's story in the Annapolis Capital!
3 Days! 4 Screenings! 12 New Movies!

Expect a three day party with great films, outstanding food and lot's of fun! We will be showcasing at least 12 films from the Flyway Film Festival in Wisconsin, the fastest growing fiercely indpendent film festival for fiercely independent filmmakers!

Check back often as we update with food specials, filmmaker profiles and an outstanding line-up of independent films.

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WE'RE BACK!

Where were we?  Well, instead of a long boring post about "this" and "that," lets just say we were forced to take a hiatus by the mundane realities of life that everyone experiences at one time or another.  It was just one of those years...

But this year we're looking forward to presenting new and interesting independent films and filmmakers, as well as rekindling our friendships with our "alumni."  Today in our first post of 2012, we are going to take a look back some of our past screening events and the filmmakers who made them special.

Where are they now? What are they doing, and where can you find them? Read on.

Gary King -- Filmmaker
Website: http://grking.com/
Twitter -- @grking
Films screened at the APFS:
NEW YORK LATELY
WHAT'S UP LOVELY


Gary King is one of the most amazing independent filmmakers I have ever met.  Not only is he a talented Producer/Writer/Director,  he is a tireless promoter and friend of indie filmmaking who can often be found on Facebook at 3AM complaining about insomnia and enagaging other filmmakers online in discussions that read like film lover forums. 

Gary's latest project is a highly anticipated independent musical,  HOW DO YOU WRITE A JOE SCHERMANN SONG which we hope will make a stop this year in Annapolis.

Lucas McNelly -- Filmmaker/Adventurer
Website: http://www.lucasmcnelly.com/
Twitter -- @lmcnelly
Films screened at the APFS:
BLANC DE BLANC

Lucas McNelly wrapped up principal phtography on his micro-budget, Kickstarter crowd-funded indie feature UP COUNTRY and then raised money to embark on a one-year indpendent odyssey called A YEAR WITHOUT RENT, where he spent 2011 criss-crossing the country helping independent productions with an extra set of hands.  He blogged about his experiences -- warts and all -- on his website, 100 FILMS, FILMMAKER MAGAZINE and FILM THREAT.

He wrote to us in an email:

"Well, AYWR is winding down. UP COUNTRY is in the late editing stages... Oh, and I'm prepping my third feature for this summer. It's called PAID." 

I really like Lucas.  I hope to see him in back in Annapolis this year.

Ryan White -- Filmmaker
Website: www.pelada-movie.com
Twitter -- @PeladaMovie
Film screened at the APFS:
PELADA


PELADA, a documentary about pick-up soccer games played in sandlots, fields, and even prison yards was one of our most popular screenings -- one of several packed houses.  Ryan appeared in person and we had to end his Q&A after an hour.  We just got an email from Ryan and his next project sounds fascinating.

Here's what he wrote:

Hi Peri and Lisa,
Great to hear from you guys! I am working on a new film about Beatles secretary Freda Kelly, who is coming out of the shadows for the first time in 50 years. Kathy McCabe from Baltimore is producing the film. You can read more about it here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1215635909/good-ol-freda
Hopefully we can screen it with APFS in 2013 when it's complete!
cheers,
Ryan

We can't wait either Ryan!  Please click the Kickstarter link in his email excerpt above to see the trailer for his new film. WOW!

Gregory Bayne -- Filmmaker
Website: http://www.gregorybayne.com
Twitter -- @gregorybayne
Film screened at the APFS:
PERSON OF INTEREST



Gregory Bayne stunned APFS audiences with PERSON OF INTEREST. Since then he has completed the highly regarded mixed martial arts documentary, DRIVEN about MMA fighter Jens Pulver and is currently working on the Maryland connected feature documentary, "BLOODSWORTH."

We hope to see Gregory in Annapolis again.

Nathan Cole -- Filmmaker
Website: http://www.thewaterholemovie.com/
Twitter -- @waterholemovie
Film screened at the APFS:
THE WATERHOLE


When we screened THE WATERHOLE, we were packed.  Producer Nathan Cole gave a one-hour (or so) Q&A to our audience that was honest and inspiring.  I am constantly asked about THE WATERHOLE and here is what I have learned from Nathan who recently emailed me and said that THE WATERHOLE lead actor, Patrick J. Adams was nominated for a SAG award for his role in the USA Network series SUITS.  THE WATERHOLE (which was picked up by a distributor) is now available for rental on Amazon Instant for $1.99 (The DVD is also available.) Currently Nathan is polishing the script for his next project which he will direct. Nathan has often mentioned on Twitter that he is fan of Annapolis.

 

Todd Berger -- Writer-Director
Website: http://www.todd-berger.com
Twitter -- @thetoddberger
Film screened at the APFS:
THE SCENESTERS






The first thing that happened to Todd when he drove into Annapolis was that he got a speeding ticket. It was uphill from there.  His hilarious film, THE SCENESTERS is available just about everywhere and he is currently working on two buzzworthy releases for 2012, the Julia Stiles/David Cross end of the world comedy, IT'S A DISASTER, as well as the highly anticipated, HOLIDAY ROAD. We want Todd back in Annapolis -- BAD!


Well that's it for now. If you haven't already done so, make sure to subscribe to this blog, or check back often to hear about our screenings for 2012. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Pericles

October Screening: Gary King's WHAT'S UP LOVELY

10-10-10
Tickets Now On Sale Here
Rams Head On Stage
October 10, 12 Noon
Tickets: $8 in Advance $10 at Door 

“…this looks like an indie with the kind of intimacy you don’t normally see…” — /FILM
“…experimental and imaginative, disjointed and whacked out……Dees gives a wonderfully realized, enthralling portrayal…” – THE INDEPENDENT CRITIC
"...part daydream, nightmare and whimsical journey..." -- FILM SNOBBERY
"...a splash of surrealism, like a Salvador Dali or Vincent Van Gogh painting, only in film form..." -- THE ENTERTAINMENT CORNER
“…weird, creepy, humorous, heartwarming…” --  BRWC
“…LOVELY captures a visual & tonal element seldom seen in cinema today…” – ROW THREE

Director Gary King and Actress Jenn Dees will appear IN PERSON for a post screening audience Q and A. Click Here for Tickets.

September Screening: Pelada

Pelada Director, Ryan White

BREAKING NEWS! Filmmaker Ryan White will attend the screening
IN PERSON for an after show Q&A!


The Annapolis Pretentious Film Society

is proud to present:

[pelada]

Away from the bright lights and manicured fields, there's another side of soccer. From prisoners in Bolivia to moonshine brewers in Kenya, from freestylers in China to women who play in hijab in Iran, Pelada is the story of the people who play.

Where: O'Callaghan Annapolis Hotel

174 West Street

Annapolis, Maryland

410-263-7700

When: Saturday, September 18th 7PM

Tickets: $10 Students,Senior Citizens $8

$8 with receipt from John Barry Bar & Restaurant

There is NO PARKING at the Hotel.

Please use the Knighton Street Garage behind The Lemongrass Restaurant

Filmmaker Ryan White IN PERSON for Q&A

Away from professional stadiums, bright lights, and manicured fields, there’s another side of soccer.  Tucked away on alleys, side streets, and concrete courts, people play in improvised games.  Every country has a different word for it. In the United States, we call it pick-up soccer.  In Trinidad, it's "taking a sweat." In England, it's "having a kick-about." In Brazil, the word is “pelada,” which literally means "naked"—the game stripped down to its core. It’s the version of the game played by anyone, anywhere.

Pelada is a documentary following Luke and Gwendolyn, two former college soccer stars who didn’t quite make it to the pros. Not ready for it to be over, they take off to over twenty countries around the world, chasing the game—the global phenomenon spanning gender, race, religion, and class. The film tells the stories of the players they meet along the way.

At San Pedro Prison in Bolivia, an inmate says, “Here we have nothing. Our life is to play.”  In Nairobi, a moonshine brewer confides, “Down here, everybody thinks you’re just another drunkard, but then when you get to the field, people say, ʻOh, that person can play.”

From women in hijab playing in Tehran, to eighty-year-olds who play barefoot in Brazil, Pelada is the story of the people who play.


What the Press is saying…


“To get a sense of "Pelada's" unique motivational quality, take the gut feeling a killer Nike
commercial can evoke and imagine riding that high for 90 minutes…an all-around inspiring doc."
-- Peter Debruge, VARIETY

“a marvelous new soccer documentary”
“what elevates Pelada from a cute highlight travelogue to something more resonant is the filmmakers' ability to find compelling stories and earn the trust of their interview subjects…the result is a film that combines eye-popping cinematography with human stories.”
-- Grant Wahl, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED 

“[Pelada is] deeply personal, emotionally resonant, engrossingly informative, and humbly
objective. The combination is potent.”
-- Landon Palmer, FILM SCHOOL REJECTS

Our Proud Sponsors

APFS Afterglow - LOOP, August 20th

LOOP Poster

It had been a tough couple of weeks leading up to the APFS screening of my own feature, LOOP.  I had been busy, ill, busy and then ill again.  My birthday was coming up on the 18th and I was resting in bed on Monday the 16th – with a slight fever -- wondering if I should cancel the screening.  I had not been able to promote with my normal vim and vigor.

However, by Wednesday, I was feeling much better and although we had a small crowd, 30-35, I'm glad that I didn’t cancel.

The LOOP audience.

We were celebrating our one- year anniversary and in response to some members who wanted to see LOOP, I thought it was as good a time as any to screen it, and screen it for FREE.  But I had no idea (and this is something to remember for next August) that so many people would be away on vacation.  Before the screening, many people kindly let me know that they would be away and wanted me to know that it was nothing personal.  Of course, I completely understood.  It was fortunate that it was my movie playing that night, and not one belonging to an out-of-town filmmaker who had traveled to Annapolis to support their movie. But what was most satisfying to me is that the audience that did show up was very enthusiastic and supportive.

Two Friends from DC with a LOOP Bookmark.

LOOP is an abstract and very discomfiting narrative movie about fear and and the changes in our society after 9-11.  The story is built with tremendous amounts of information and visual rhetoric - in some ways, both the experience and one of the messages of the movie is about information overload.  It has made many an audience edgy and when people I had never seen before came strolling in I started to become nervous.  I really wasn’t concerned if people were going to “like” LOOP -- it is not a feel-good movie that people "like" -- it is more of the kind of film that people experience and think about.  It will beat on an audience like a drum, and despite its experimental structure, it is a very tight narrative that continues to unfold from beginning to end, demanding total attention from its audience.  By the end, a LOOP audience will be all at once somber, contemplative, and also very curious.

Me during the LOOP Q&A

We had visitors from Connecticut, a person who just moved into town, and others whom I didn’t recognize.  When the credits rolled, there was applause, which was a relief, and the Q&A started with immediate questions.  It moved quickly from my motivations as a filmmaker to the symbols in the film, LOOP’s critique of politics and society, and its overall existential theme.  There were a few silent faces of consternation; there were also a few people who completely related to the content, and there were kind words so humbling I almost broke down crying.

LOOP Composer, Adrian Bond and Vocalist Joanne Juskus

As I always say, I am very proud of our audience and I respect their intelligence.  We have such a high level of films and filmmakers come through town that I was a little nervous that LOOP might be a bit of a letdown.  Apparently, I was wrong.  I have always been proud of my little no-budget homebrew movie, and I was proud to show it at The Annapolis Pretentious Film Society.

Before LOOP screened we showed a short called HONEST WORK from a director named Phil Holbrook from Brainerd, Minnesota.  He is currently working on a feature called TILT that I am very excited about. He is collaborating with Chicago based KingisaFink Productions and they raised their meager budget through crowd-funding.

Phil’s short is quite good.  It is good the first time you watch it, and gets better if you watch it again.  If you didn’t make it out on the 20th, and chances are you didn’t, here it is…

I want to thank everyone for their continued support of our screenings.  We will be announcing our September show before you know it.

Cheers,
Pericles

LOOP - a film by Pericles Lewnes, Friday, August 20 8PM

FREE SCREENING

LOOP

a film by Pericles Lewnes
soundtrack by Adrian Bond

O'Callaghan Annapolis Hotel
174 West Street, Annapolis
410-263-7700

8:00 PM Friday, August 20th

This is a FREE Screening

Synopsis:

Imagine waking up not knowing who you are, who you were, or who you will be, in a place familiar yet foreign. The world is in chaos and it twists around you like a snake. Everything brings a vague recollection of memories you just can’t grasp. You meet others like you – lost, confused, and enraged – while the rest seem to ignore your very existence. Who is your enemy? Who is your ally? Is that really your wife?

Who can be trusted?

Meet Joseph List, bewildered white male, midlife mad, drifting in a time warp where answers just generate more questions. Joe knows something happened to him — something powerful and personal — and he is desperate to find out what it is. Is it meaningful or meaningless? Can it be fixed or is it not broken?

LOOP is one man’s journey into a senseless world of bent time and elastic reality – a world where he finds that the sanity he seeks is the insanity he’s lost.

LOOP is a feature film directed by APFS curator Pericles Lewnes.  There will be a Q&A after the screening. There is a special short feature from Brainerd, MN, that will precede LOOP.

This event is FREE. The APFS "Love Bucket" will be passed around after the screening for optional contributions.

This FREE screening will celebrate the APFS 1 year anniversary and Pericles Lewnes' 50th Birthday.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Comments by fellow filmmakers, fans, and reviewers that may give you an idea of LOOP:

"LOOP is the independent illigitimate child of Lynch and classic Oliver Stone.  A visual and mind-bending treat." 

-- Jamin Winans Writer/Director, INK, SPIN, UNCLE JACK

...a true mind-fu#k in every sense of the word -- a thinking person's film whose complex structure demands a second viewing...and then some"

-- Gary King, Director, NEW YORK LATELY, WHAT'S UP LOVELY?, HOW DO YOU WRITE A JOE SCHERMANN SONG?

"LOOP is a dizzy dream of an independent movie that slowly unwraps itself from a tangle of wild imagery into one resolute statement of political frustration in the post 9/11 era.  This type of ambition is missing in most independent film and it truly deserves to be seen."

 -- Nathan Cole Writer/Producer, THE WATERHOLE

Imagine if David Lynch made a political thriller about fear and paranoia in a post-September 11th America. You'd nearly be describing Pericles Lewnes' mind-bending masterpiece LOOP, easily one of the most provocative, ambitious American films of the decade. You may love it. You may hate it. But you won't forget it. LOOP will burrow down deep inside you like few things you've ever seen. It's a flat-out stunning film.

-- Lucas McNelly, Director BLANC DE BLANC, UP COUNTRY

"Loop is one of the most ambitious and brilliant hand-made films in recent memory - a terrifying sci-fi involving a man desperately seeking a sense of reality and sanity while trapped either in his own madness or an Orwellian nightmare. His journey takes him on an exploration of the different aspects of his psyche- Or does it? The revelation at the end is mind-blowing and reminds us that the inner workings of our minds are perhaps indistinguishable from those of our society, or even the universe at large. In this light, government conspiracies are a reality and a sickness no different from other forms of human psychoses. Lewnes' film brings to mind the works of Tarkovsky, Wong Kar-Wai, and David Lynch. Loop is truly a tour de force of a ferociously intelligent mind."
-- Maria Giese Award Winning Feature Director of Hunger

Watching LOOP is like having your brain removed and put into a blender with ice, three tabs of LSD and a sprig of mint.

  -- Mike and Ike

LOOP reminded me of a Jacob's Ladder for the 9/11 era.

-- Philip Holbrook, Director, Tilt

LOOP is a perfect example of why more people need to pay attention to the independent movie scene and seek out movies that make you think.

-- Raffi Asdourian, Filmmaker/Surrealist

...and it's very impressive; using admittedly primitive technical means, Lewnes has constructed an illogical (or meta-logical) narrative with the off-kilter visual and audial consistency of a fever dream, almost flawless in every respect...
-- Nathan Shumate, Cold Fusion Video Reviews

 

The unique and experimental film, LOOP takes full advantage of the pixelated, bright-spotty, and uneven quality of digital video to create one man's mind-bending quest for an identity grounded in an ever-elusive reality.

-- King is a Fink, Screenwriting/Filmmaking Duo

a "guerrilla masterwork".
-- Joseph Culp, Producer -- THE REFLECTING POOL

 

Working for a three year period with close friends and associates, financed and produced by his wife Lisa DeLucia Lewnes, Mr. Lewnes has concocted a primal scream into the vortex of the subconscious, a delusional kaleidoscope in circular thinking. LOOP I must say was a very bizarre endeavor, an almost pretentious minimalist avante garde piece of film making...  I liken this piece of work to Edvard Munch's The Scream, a dizzy array of fear, isolation and existential angst, all composed within a kaleidoscope of bleeding colors.
-- Rowan Harrison -- indieexpress.com

 

With an intelligent story and unique visuals, "LOOP" keeps you hooked, and it keeps you guessing.
-- Ronny Carlsson -- Film Bizarro