Filmmaker Keith Dorrington, executive producer of the upcoming Lowell-based film “The Fighter,” will be guest speaker at Boston University’s Center for Digital Imaging Arts in just a couple of weeks. The series, titled Big Shots, is the CDIA’s film industry experts speaker series, and is something worth keeping tabs on. If you’re not aware, “The Fighter” is a feature film starring Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg that tells the story of Lowell son and boxer Mickey Ward. The film was all the buzz this past summer as film crews set up throughout Lowell for weeks of local shooting. Bale and Wahlberg caused a stir, of course, hanging out at local eateries and leaving a trail of swooning fans in their wake. The film is highly anticipated!
Tickets for Dorrington’s talk are very limited, so make your reservations TODAY!
Join us for an evening with filmmaker Keith Dorrington, who will be speaking on his personal experiences and working on “The Fighter.” Among other topics, he will be talking about strategies for aspiring filmmakers on how to get your story heard and sold to a major film studio. Keith is living his childhood dream, on his own terms. This dream, which started in nearby Billerica, MA, and led him to Hollywood, became reality upon choosing to leave life on the road in international sales in favor of documentary filmmaking. His catalyst and inspiration came from an unlikely source: local boxer Micky Ward and his brother, Dick Ecklund, his reluctant coach. Their personal story and triumphant comeback into the world of boxing after devastating defeat in the early 90’s would lead to a multi-million dollar film, “The Fighter”, with Dorrington as executive producer, starring Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg. “The Fighter” is about turning failure into success, about commitment, about drive – it is a story that Keith Dorrington knows well, and is proud to tell.
Space is limited! To save your seat, RSVP to Stacey at events@cdiabu.com.
For more info on the CDIA at Boston University call 800-808-CDIA.
The Lowell Film Collaborative has thoroughly enjoyed our adventures into film shorts via the 100 Second Film Festival, a partnership between the Revolving Museum (Lowell), the 119 Gallery (Lowell), and Medfield TV, whose objective is to “stimulate people to create, watch and share videos that are 100 seconds or less in duration.” The end of the year is here, and lucky for us, the 100 Second Film Festival has taken their best shorts of 2009 and compiled them into a neat, 28-minute package, easily accessed off their website.
Sit back, relax, and spend a little time getting happy with your computer this holiday weekend as you take in this incredible collection of shorts from all over the world that celebrate the purity of film. Calls for film entries for 2010 will soon be announced, so check in on their website often.
Pay a visit to the 100 Second Film Festival at 100seconds.org!
Yep – here it is again, that time of year to list all the things we’re thankful for, like friends and family and freedom, and other things that may or may not begin with the letter “f.” Here at the LFC, our favorite “f” thing to give thanks for is film. Because we love film. We love watching it, we love talking about it, and most of all, we love SHOWING it! This year has been so special for us. It was our first full year in operation, and we were able to screen some fantastic film for cinema buffs in and around the Mill City. The month of November was especially…er, special, as all four events we hosted were well-attended, well-discussed, and so incredibly momentous, each in their own way. So we want to thank all of you who’ve helped make our time and effort through this organization so exciting.
With all this success and things to give thanks for, we’ve decided to take the month of December off, to relish in our 2009 success, recoup from the stress of planning multiple events simultaneously, and to start planning for an even better 2010! We’ll keep posting film events and rants here on the blog, so don’t get discouraged – just because the LFC isn’t hosting an event in Lowell doesn’t mean there isn’t great film to be enjoyed! We are moving into the Oscar season, which is that wonderful time of year when 25 or 30 well-written, superbly-acted art films get released in the same month, which makes for one expensive and time-consuming holiday season.
We’re starting the holidays off right with a visit to the Burlington Cinema this morning to see Fantastic Mr. Fox.
Hope you all have a safe, fun, and film-tastic Thanksgiving holiday. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
George: Wrestling with Resistance
Wednesday, November 25
6PM (doors open) | 6:45 (screening) Chunky’s Cinema Pub, 150 Bridge Street
Pelham, NH Free admission | Q&A with director
In our travels around Lowell and New England, the LFC is fortunate enough to run into really cool people who connect us to fabulous filmmakers and film events in our area — this event is one of them. Conceived and directed by Tim O’Donnell, George: Wrestling with Resistance parallels the tough sport of wrestling with the adversities facing inner city youth in Springfield, Massachusetts. The film follows George Hargrove’s wrestling season during his freshman year at Springfield Technical Community College and his travels from Springfield to Niagara Falls to Minnesota for the National Wrestling Championship. This touching documentary has already been shown at Brookline’s Coolidge Corner Theater and at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA. Both events were sold out and covered by ESPN Radio, Fox News, and Channel 22 WWLP News.
In addition to the remarkable personal story, the film provides a positive media message for a community that is seldom shown in a positive light. O’Donnell, also a teacher at Central High School, witnesses the stark difference in the kids he sees every day and the stories seen in the news. He hopes this film will expose the community to the potential of our inner city youth. George’s story provides an example of success that is earned by perseverance and the support of his teachers and coaches.
A Director with Local Ties Tim O’Donnell is a 2001 graduate of Alvirne High School in Hudson, NH, where he won a state wrestling title. He is currently a teacher and chair of the Fine Arts Department, coaches wrestling at Springfield Central High School, and is a volunteer wrestling coach at the Doughboy Wrestling Club on Lincoln Street in Lowell. Tim is earning a Master’s degree in Fine Arts at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. He was a 2x Academic All-American wrestler at Springfield College.
It’s truly amazing to see community artists take their love of film and make positive change happen. We hope you’ll come out and support Tim and his fabulous project — he’ll be at the Chunky’s event for a Q&A session; it’s always a great thing when filmmakers are there for their premieres.
Star Trek 2009
Sunday, November 22
1PM: buffet opens | 2 & 6PM: film screenings
Mickey’s Bar & Grill
179 Central Street, Lowell
Mike Doyle is an AVID movie buff. He’s also the proprietor of Mickey’s Bar & Grill. Several months ago, Mike began showing Sunday afternoon movies at his restaurant to try drawing a different crowd (and to whet his appetite for classic films!) Though we and a few others supported the effort, it didn’t quite pan out. But Mike isn’t one to give up on the local film scene yet: he’s trying it all again, only this time, with a buffet lunch to boot. His brand new Sunday Buffet & a Movie series kicked off last week with the latest Transformers installment. While most of Mike’s movies are bigger Hollywood fare, we here at the LFC aren’t going to say “indie, please.” To be honest, it’s all for the love of film, and if there’s another guy in town trying to do what we love — share film with the City — then we are ALL for it!
Truth be told, Mike has a pretty interesting lineup. And LowellFilmGrl plans on being there today for his fabulous screening of Star Trek 2009 — one of my absolute favorite blockbusters of this year. (I’m even giving up my Sunday football!)
If you DO come out today or on a future Sunday, make sure you seek out Mike and say thanks — he’ll appreciate it. Hope we see you at a future Mickey’s film!
Food, Inc.
Saturday, November 21 @ 8PM
Life Alive Urban Oasis & Cafe
194 Middle Street, Lowell Free admission!
Presented as part of the Lowell Film Collaborative’s “Food & Film Series” and co-sponsored by Life Alive Cafe and NESFP WorldPEAS CSA, this highly anticipated film screening is going to be an incredible event. Seating is very limited, so we recommend arriving EARLY. If you haven’t experienced Life Alive’s delicious vegetarian food, tonight’s the night, everyone, as we encourage you to enjoy a nice dinner either before or during our film event. The kitchen will stop serving at about 7:45PM to allow for a good movie experience.
And now, about the award-winning, controversial Food, Inc. Let me just say that no matter what your eating lifestyle might be (vegan, carnivore, vegetarian, what-have-you), Robert Kenner’s documentary is a NECESSARY film to see. The LFC is delighted to be partnering with Life Alive and NESFP WorldPEAS CSA to spread the word about local buying and educating folks on good eating. Whether or not this film changes the way you live and eat is secondary: the first step is to come and share in a great educational film experience and enjoy good discussion.
Visit Food, Inc.
View the trailer below.
Join us tonight!
* ”The Coops” was a racially integrated living community — view the above clip to hear a very compelling story of how this impacted the lives of these workers. *
During the 1920s, thousands of Jewish immigrant factory workers were able to escape New York’s urban ghettos and build big, beautiful cooperative apartment houses in the Bronx. And then the Great Depression changed everything. At Home in Utopia hones in on the United Workers Cooperative Colony, aka “the Coops,” the largest and furthest to the left of the workers’ housing cooperatives, where the residents responded to the threat of economic collapse by helping to build a movement against foreclosures and for affordable housing, racial and ethnic integration, and workers’ and tenants’ rights. This award-winning film explores how and why they did it, what were the advantages and risks of their approach, and what was their larger vision.
A community discussion will follow the screening! Please join us as we talk about the need for collective action to turn our current economic crisis to the advantage of working people. Featured panelists:Lindolfo Carballo, CASA of Lowell (Community Action to Support Affordability); Bob Forrant, Professor of Regional Economic and Social Development at UMass Lowell; and Michal Goldman, producer of At Home in Utopia.
Life. Support. Music. redefines the “family film.” | In August 2004, Jason Crigler, one of New York City’s most sought-after guitarists, suffered a brain hemorrhage during a concert in Manhattan. That night at the hospital, the doctors told Jason’s family that if if he made it through the night, there wouldn’t be much left of him. Jason’s wife, Monica, pregnant at the time, froze. “Everything completely stopped. I forgot all about the pregnancy. I think I left my body. I remember thinking, ‘This cannot be true. I cannot go on without Jason.’”
So begins the heartfelt synopsis found on the official film website for the Lowell Film Collaborative’s next presentation, Life. Support. Music. We encourage EVERYONE to come out and see Eric Metzgar’s remarkable documentary, which has won award upon award. AND, we are proud to announce that the film’s subject, Jason Crigler, will make a guest appearance at the event and will grace us all with a performance.
LIFE. SUPPORT. MUSIC.
Special Guest: Jason Crigler
Thursday, November 12 @ 7PM
UMass Lowell, O’Leary Library, Room 222
61 Wilder Street, Lowell Free admission!
Co-sponsored by Moses Greeley Parker Lectures, the 119 Gallery, and the Lowell Film Collaborative
The Adventures of Prince Achmed [1926]
featuring a LIVE photoplay by The Andreas Kapsalis Trio Monday, November 16 @ 7:30PM
UMass Lowell, Durgin Concert Hall
35 Wilder Street, Lowell
Admission: $5 adults / Free for UML faculty, staff & students (w/ID)
Don’t miss this incredible film + music event!
The Andreas Kapsalis Trio provides a live photoplay (soundtrack) to the silent 1926 animated filmThe Adventures of Prince Achmed, directed and animated by German animator & artist Lotte Reiniger. Renowned as the oldest feature-length animated film in existence, The Adventures of Prince Achmed gets its brilliant, mysterious feel from silhouette puppetry, a technique Reiniger perfected during her lifetime of creating breathtaking animated films. Come hear the Andreas Kapsalis Trio as they make a special visit to UMass Lowell and bring their own musical interpretation to this 1920’s masterpiece. [Please note that the above film clip does not feature the Kapsalis Trio score.]
The 2009 Boston Jewish Film Festival is looking bigger and better than ever. With almost two weeks worth of film screenings and other exciting related events, the BJFF is once again bringing superior independent film to the Boston area. On a very related note, it is worth shouting off the rooftops that the BJFF was founded in 1989 by none other than filmmaker Michal Goldman, who will be debuting her newest documentary film, At Home in Utopia, right here in Lowell on Thursday, November 19 at the National Park Visitor Center [please see our Upcoming Events page]. We here at the LFC are extremely proud to be a part of that screening and to be welcoming Michal to Lowell!
We encourage everyone to visit the BJFF website and meet the great people who dedicate their time to bringing this important film genre to the region.
