We are absolutely fascinated to hear that program staff at the Pollard Memorial Library are screening Joseph Lovett’s documentary Going Blind as part of a day long open house to bring more awareness to vision loss. The event, “See What You’ve Been Missing,” will highlight the library’s newly acquired low-vision equipment which comes to them through the generosity of the Lowell Lions’ Club, the Pollard Library Foundation, and other individuals. Released in 2010, Going Blind will screen from 1:30-3:30PM at the library’s downstairs Meeting Room, which also doubles as their own movie space for these special screenings as well as their monthly independent film series.

ABOUT THE FILM 
Going Blind is a unique documentary film that increases public awareness of sight loss and low vision issues profoundly affecting the lives of more and more people around the world. Director Joseph Lovett has glaucoma, a disease that robs 4.5 million people worldwide of their vision. After years of slowly losing his sight, Joe decides to take action: to investigate how people all over the country respond to vision-loss. His search begins small, with people Joe meets on the streets of his hometown New York City and gradually leads him to places and people around the country, of all different ages and backgrounds. Each has a fascinating story about dealing with the vision loss caused by sight-robbing diseases, infections, and accidents. As a filmmaker, Joe uses the tool he knows best to gather information, to connect with individuals and to find answers to share with the world.

New York-based Filmmaker Joseph Lovett.

As founder of Lovett Productions and a former producer at ABC News 20/20, Joseph Lovett has made filmmaking and video production his life’s work. After leaving ABC, Lovett independently produced and directed a series of specials on AIDS education and awareness, a project and passion that earned him the AIDS Action Foundation AIDS Leadership Award. Since founding Lovett Productions in 1989, Lovett has continued to turn his creative lens on a multitude of health and social issues including cancer survival, global warming, and drug addiction. In 1999, he turned the camera on himself to produce The Accident, a painful and thought-provoking 25-year film journey documenting the early loss of his own parents and its profound effects on his life. With his latest project, Blood Detectives, Lovett will enlighten people to the world of hematology.

Click here for complete details on Pollard Library’s “See What You’ve Been Missing” program and be sure to share this important event news with friends and family in your community. As always, our thanks goes out to the Pollard for continuing to host these great film events in Lowell, all at absolutely no cost!

More on Joseph Lovett and Going Blind:
Going Blind turns lens on stories of hope [TheSpec.com]
Meet Joe Lovett, Advocate, Filmmaker, and Director of Going Blind [Vision Aware profile]

Going Blind Trailer from Lovett Productions on Vimeo.

Celebrate the Tsongas Industrial History Center and Lowell Kids Week!

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21
5:30PM – 7PM  |  Museum adventure at the Boott Cotton Mills
7PM – 9PM  |  FREE screening of Night at the Museum
Boott Cotton Mills Museum
115 John Street, Lowell 

View/download the Official Event Flyer

Our first Lowell film screening of the new year will be presented in partnership with Lowell Kids Week and our good friends at the Tsongas Industrial History Center (TIHC). Located within the historic Boott Cotton Mills Museum in downtown Lowell, the TIHC is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year with a great lineup of programs throughout 2012, THIS event included. Though we have indie film hearts, we recognize that Night at the Museum is one of those mainstream, family-friendly comedies that also strikes the mature, off-beat nerve. Adults will note that Ben Stiller is that guy you feel sorry for (think Gaylord Focker, NOT Greenberg), Robin Williams is tempered and genuine (a blessing), and cameos by Owen Wilson, Ricky Gervais, and Steve Coogan all hit their mark. Even Dick Van Dyke and Mickey Rooney manage good screen time as the wise-cracking museum night-watchmen Stiller is hired to replace. And sentimentality? It’s there, too, and you’ll learn to groove with it instead of shrugging it off. It should be noted that back in the day, Suzz used to work overnights at the Boston Museum of Science for the Museum’s popular Camp-In Program, so this flick is close to her heart for good reason (that giant T-Rex plays tricks on the mind in the dark of night!)

As for kids, they’ll flat out love the film’s fantastical story line, special effects, and Keystone Kops laughs. Three cheers for down ‘n dirty escapism!

Here are full details on the event, courtesy of the TIHC. This info is also in the official event flyer: Explore the museum when it comes alive at night! Solve the mystery of missing mill worker Lyddie Worthen, using a diary to help guide the way. Costumed “mill workers” interact with children, and they and their parents solve the mystery. After enjoying the Boott Cotton Mills Museum adventure, take in the film Night at the Museum, starring Ben Stiller. 

To register, please email tihc@uml.edu or call 978-970-5080. This presentation is part of the year-long series of events for the 20 anniversary of the Tsongas Industrial History Center, a partnership between UMass Lowell’s Graduate School of Education and Lowell National Historical Park. For more information about all of the events for the 20th anniversary, visit our website uml.edu/tsongas/anniversary or call 978-970-5080.

Just a word of note that the film will be shown in the Boott Cotton Mills Museum Events Center, a grand 75-seat theater with a great screen and good sound system — it’ll be the perfect spot for a fun night with friends and family. The entire evening is FREE admission, so be sure to reserve your seats early! We’re looking forward to seeing a great crowd!

Indie cult film/off-beat comedy duo Jay & Silent Bob (Jason “Jay” Mewes and actor-director Kevin Smith) are partnering with Fathom Events to present Kevin Smith: Live From Behind Featuring Jay and Silent Bob Get Old — this is a one-night only, 3-hour event on Thursday, February 2 with Smith and Mewes hosting their popular podcast (or SModcast as they call it), followed by a live-stream Q&A session with fans. It’s an interactive audience experience due to hit 300 cinemas simultaneously that allows fans to be part of the show by submitting questions to Smith and Mewes via social media.

Don’t know who Jay & Silent Bob are? This brief routine will help define the act:

Yeah, it’s not for everyone, but trust us, they have a legion of loyal followers. We had a terrific time seeing Kevin Smith in person at the Boston premiere of his newest film, Red State, dare I say one of our favorite flicks of 2011 due mostly to Michael Parks’ riveting performance. Smith did his best to field questions, but seemed to get caught up in his own diatribe — but no matter, he was a fabulous entertainer and all of us were into it. He has a way of sweeping you up into his cluttered, passionate head. Be warned, chances are, Jay and Silent Bob will have no filter!

Full details on Kevin Smith: Live From Behind Featuring Jay and Silent Bob Get Old can be found at Fathomevents.com. Tickets are $16 for the event and can be purchased at Lowell’s Showcase Cinema — order fast, as only 250 seats are available!

Lowell’s Pollard Memorial Library presents its second annual Elvis Presley Birthday Matinee this Saturday afternoon at 1PM. Fans of The King should definitely make their way to the Pollard’s ground floor meeting room and relive one of the music legend’s most infamous film appearances! As with all of the Pollard Library’s film programs, this is a FREE event, open to all, courtesy of the Friends of the Pollard Library. Keep up-to-date on all the happenings at the Pollard — including their monthly Independent Film Night — via their blog and Facebook page. As always, we express our deepest thanks to our good friends at the Pollard for helping to bring more film to Lowell!

ABOUT THE FILM
Jailhouse Rock is Elvis Presley’s most famous film and also considered by many critics and fans to be his best. Elvis plays troubled young man Vince Everett, who is accused of manslaughter and sent to prison. While in jail, he is introduced to music by fellow inmate Mickey Shaughnessy and together they become the two songsters of the slammer. After his release from prison, Elvis decides to become a rock-n-roll singer with pal Mickey as his manager. But as Elvis’ popularity rises, Mickey becomes jealous of his talent and the tension begin to mount.

The unforgettable title song “Jailhouse Rock” is brilliantly performed by Elvis and the energetic dance sequence which accompanies his most famous song was choreographed by the man himself. It is one of the most classic examples of music and dance in motion picture history and many consider it to be the first music video ever made.

In addition to Elvis’ renowned rendition of the title track, the film also features performances of “Baby I Don’t Care,” “Don’t Leave Me Now,” “I Wanna Be Free,” “One More Day,” “Treat Me Nice,” and “Young & Beautiful.” It’s worth mentioning that Elvis’ love interest in the film, Judy Tyler, was tragically killed in car accident not long after the film’s release. As Peggy Van Alden, she’s an effervescent and dazzling 50′s femme alongside Presley — a final performance not to be missed.

Click above to view the official "Jailhouse Rock" trailer, courtesy of Turner Classic Movies!

Save the dates, friends, as Lowell’s Pollard Memorial Library has two great films coming your way in December! Both films are FREE admission and will be held at the Pollard Memorial Library’s Ground Floor Meeting Room. Access to the space can be found via their main entrance at 401 Merrimack Street.

Their first film of December is the Australian film Little Sparrows, winner of the DigiSPAA (Screen Producers Association of Australia) Feature Film Competition and the debut film from director Yu-Hsiu Camille Chen. Here’s a brief synopsis: In the middle of an Australian summer, we meet three sisters: Nina is widowed with two young children, Anna is an aspiring actress unhappily married to a filmmaker, and Christine is a med student who has yet to fully come to terms with her sexuality. When their mother Susan’s breast cancer returns, the family is faced with the reality of their last Christmas together. As each daughter confronts personal change and growth, Susan guides them by revealing a secret of her own. As always, you’ll see a great indie film at the Pollard at NO COST, thanks to the generosity of the Friends of the Pollard Library. We hope you’ll continue to mark your calendars for the 2nd Thursday of every month for the Pollard Library’s Independent Film Night.

Little Sparrows (2010)
Thursday, December 8 @ 6:30PM
part of Independent Film Night at the Pollard

• • •

The Pollard’s second December feature needs no introduction. This fantastic Muppet classic comes to you as part of the library’s Holiday Celebration on December 10 from 11:30AM – 3PM. With the recent nationwide release of The Muppets, we think revisiting Kermy, Miss Piggy, Fozzie and the gang should also include a dose of their Christmas antics. Just a quick watch of the excerpt below will probably be enough to get you there!

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Saturday, December 10 @ 1PM

We hope to see you at one of these great events, courtesy of the Pollard Memorial Library and the Friends of the Pollard. Our sincere thanks also goes out to our friend and film supporter Sean Thibodeau, the Pollard’s Community Planning Librarian, who ensures that great programming continues to take place at one of Lowell’s most beautiful and historic spaces! For details on all upcoming library events, visit PollardML.org or PollardMLibrary.blogspot.com.

SISTER BEE  (2006)
A Film Screening, Presentation and Q&A with director Laura Tyler
Saturday, November 19   |  12PM – 4PM 
Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center
246 Market Street, Lowell
Free admission! 

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This special event is presented in conjunction with the Brush Art Gallery’s current exhibit
Pollination: Beyond the Garden (October 29 – December 3)
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Come experience one of the most enchanting & important environmental documentaries out there: Sister Bee! Join director Laura Tyler as she premieres her remarkable film in Lowell and speaks on her journey of making this inspiring documentary. Also in attendance will be Tony Lulek, president of the Norfolk County Beekeepers Association of Massachusetts, who will speak on Colony Collapse Disorder and other environmental issues concerning the importance of bees to our ecology and economy. The fusion of art and science is intended to broaden the cultural aspects of the Brush Gallery’s incredible exhibition Pollination, as well as to stress the importance of bees as pollinators and producers of the wax used by artists in creating art with encaustic.

ABOUT THE FILM
Sister Bee is a lyrical documentary about six beekeepers who find beauty and wonderment in their work with honeybees. Beekeeping is more than a hobby for the beekeepers of Sister Bee. It’s a source of laughter, learning and connecting with the natural world. Sister Bee follows the arc of the beekeeping year beginning with spring queens and ending with the fall honey harvest. The beekeepers approach their hives. One lights a smoker. Another lifts a cover from a hive revealing the wax city below. A third laughs as she hoists a six-year-old boy to peer inside her tallest hive. “There she is! There she is!” says another when she finds the queen. Each beekeeper’s outlook is revealed through thoughts and gestures. Expressive sound effects and a score of vocal music, antique whistling songs and acoustic guitar unify Sister Bee into a celebration of honeybees, beekeepers and the changing seasons. Mortality, sisterhood and the palpable sense of connectedness some beekeepers experience while working with honeybees are addressed.

ABOUT THE EXHIBIT, POLLINATION
Organized & curated by artist Gregory Wright, Pollination is the expression of twelve artists working in the beeswax-based medium of encaustic. Each artist’s personal viewpoint, be it scientific, socio-political or metaphoric, is an exploration of the various interpretations of pollination. The artists in the exhibition include: Kim Bernard, Binnie Birstein, Milisa Galazzi, Lynette Haggard, Sue Katz, Nancy Natale, Toby Sisson, Donna Hamil Talman, Laura Tyler, Kellie Weeks and Gregory Wright. Each artist is regionally and nationally recognized and works primarily in encaustic. For complete details, visit The Brush Gallery at TheBrush.org.

Staying in a 17th century chateau in the Aquitaine (southwest France) hasn’t prevented us from being a bit creative about our movie-watching — all one really needs these days to enjoy a personal film screening is a laptop and power source. Fortunately, we have both, and of course we brought along our most recent Netflix rentals, one of which we are HIGHLY recommending. We watched the award-winning 2009 documentary Waking Sleeping Beauty after a fabulous day exploring Bordeaux, France, the closest “big city” to where we’re staying during our 9-day holiday in the heart of Europe’s wine country. There’s nothing like an amazing film to end an equally stellar day — this stunning indie doc, which details the exciting comeback and tumultuous 10-year journey of the Walt Disney Studio’s Feature Animation Department from 1984 – 1994, was marvelously directed and produced by two of the Studio’s key animators: Don Hahn and Peter Schneider. If you remember the glory days of Disney animation in the 80s & 90s — namely The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King — then you’ll be mesmerized by the backstory that Hahn and Schneider share first-hand. The cast of characters includes former Disney Company CEO Michael Eisner, current Dreamworks founder Jeffrey Katzenberg, the late Roy Disney and Frank Wells, and an endless roster of artistic talent, including animators Don Bluth and Glen Keane and songwriters Elton John, Alan Menkin and the tragically departed Howard Ashman. There’s even a sighting of a young up-and-coming animator named Tim Burton.

Friends, this is a must-see documentary if there ever was one. And after you make it through the nostalgic laughter and tears, be sure to save a couple of hours for the superb DVD extras, which are just as alluring and insightful as the film itself.

We have a great week ahead whilst on holiday — hopefully we’ll be able to do a bit of field reporting and movie-sharing while we’re here. In the meantime, two things: 1) enjoy the trailer below of our out-of-town movie pick, Waking Sleeping Beauty, and 2) please MARK THOSE CALENDARS for our two upcoming back-to-back film screenings in Lowell, happening hot on the heels of our return! Just click the buttons on the right side of this page for complete details on Alive Day Memories: Home From Iraq, and Marion Stoddart: The Work of 1000.

Have a great start to your week and we’ll be back in touch soon!

]]> http://lowellfilmcollaborative.org/2011/11/06/waking-sleeping-beauty-and-a-holiday-in-bordeaux/feed/ 0 lowellfilm http://lowellfilmcollaborative.org/2011/11/03/alive-day-memories-home-from-iraq-screens-in-lowell-on-november-16-to-commemorate-veterans-day-2011/ http://lowellfilmcollaborative.org/2011/11/03/alive-day-memories-home-from-iraq-screens-in-lowell-on-november-16-to-commemorate-veterans-day-2011/#comments Thu, 03 Nov 2011 10:54:48 +0000 lowellfilm http://lowellfilmcollaborative.org/?p=4998 ]]>

[Watch a special segment with Brian Williams on ABC Nightly News commemorating the HBO premiere of "Alive Day Memories."]

ALIVE DAY MEMORIES: HOME FROM IRAQ
Wednesday, November 16 @ 7PM
Art Gallery at Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union
1 Tremont Place (off Father Morissette Blvd), Lowell
Free admission  |  Refreshments served

In honor of this years’ Veterans’ Day, our friends at Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union have invited us back to their marvelous art space (and what we consider to be Lowell’s own intimate screening room) to co-host a very special evening of film in tribute to our past and present service men and women. The film we’ve selected is the highly acclaimed and award-winning HBO documentary Alive Day Memories: Home From Iraq, produced and hosted by three-time Emmy-winning actor James Gandolfini. This is a truly evocative, inspiring, and first-hand portrait of real men and women who survived the front lines of war and are willing to share their stories of courage and hope.

James Gandolfini interviews Dawn Halfaker, a former Army first lieutenant who lost an arm and a shoulder to a grenade while serving in Iraq.

ABOUT THE FILM
Since the start of the Gulf War, tens of thousands of U.S. troops have been injured in Iraq. And for the first time in American history, 90% of the wounded survive their injuries, but a greater percentage of these men and women are returning with amputations, traumatic brain injuries and severe post-traumatic stress. In an effort to shed new light on the physical cost of war and those who struggle for daily survival, Executive Producer James Gandolfini and HBO Documentaries present “Alive Day Memories: Home From Iraq,” an up-close and personal inside look at how the war has permanently changed the lives of these wounded troops. 

We extend a sincere thanks to the staff at Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union for the opportunity to present this incredible documentary. We hope you will join us and extend a special invitation to any current or past veterans of war or military personnel — we’d be very humbled to have them share their experiences with us.

_____________________

For more information on Alive Day Memories, please read the following New York Times film review and exposé “The Price of War, Front and Center:”

In the HBO documentary “Alive Day Memories” Dawn Halfaker, 27, a former Army first lieutenant, is sitting in a chair on a stark stage, talking, somewhat incongruously, to James Gandolfini, the star of “The Sopranos.” Mr. Gandolfini serves as the interviewer in the film, set to have its premiere Sunday night at 10:30. It deals with the recovery of American veterans from devastating injuries inflicted during the war in Iraq.

Ms. Halfaker, whose right arm and shoulder are gone, blasted away by a rocket-propelled grenade, says she has wondered whether her child, if she ever has one, will be able truly to love her. And then a look of intense emotion clouds her face. Ms. Halfaker’s eyes flutter, seemingly looking at some image far, far away. Finally, after a long pause, Mr. Gandolfini asks quietly, “What were you just thinking about?”

And Ms. Halfaker tells him: “The reality of, will I be able to raise a kid? I won’t be able to pick up my son or daughter with two arms.”

[Click here to continue ... ]

]]> http://lowellfilmcollaborative.org/2011/11/03/alive-day-memories-home-from-iraq-screens-in-lowell-on-november-16-to-commemorate-veterans-day-2011/feed/ 0 lowellfilm "Alive Day Memories: Home from Iraq" screens in Lowell on November 16 http://lowellfilmcollaborative.org/2011/11/03/environmental-activist-marion-stoddart-makes-a-guest-appearance-at-the-lowell-screening-of-marion-stoddart-the-work-of-1000/ http://lowellfilmcollaborative.org/2011/11/03/environmental-activist-marion-stoddart-makes-a-guest-appearance-at-the-lowell-screening-of-marion-stoddart-the-work-of-1000/#comments Thu, 03 Nov 2011 10:06:03 +0000 lowellfilm http://lowellfilmcollaborative.org/?p=5005 ]]>

MARION STODDART: THE WORK OF 1000
Special Guest appearance by Marion Stoddart
Thursday, November 17 @ 7PM
Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center
246 Market Street, Lowell
Free admission!

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RSVP’s are encouraged! Contact Gwen Kozlowski at 978-934-0030 
____________________

Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust (LP&CT) and the Lowell Film Collaborative present the Lowell premiere of Marion Stoddart: The Work of 1000 with a very special guest appearance by Marion Stoddart herself! This free film event, which includes a post-film discussion with Stoddart, is part of the LP&CT’s Annual Meeting, which the public is invited to attend. We are very grateful to Jane Calvin and Lowell Parks & Conservation Trust for inviting us to be a part of this great community event.

ABOUT THE FILM
In the 1960s, the Nashua River in New Hampshire and central Massachusetts was one of the 10 most polluted in the country, clogged with multicolored, toxic sludge from nearby paper mills. Around that time, housewife Marion Stoddart moved to the area with her family, so close to the river they could smell its noxious fumes. At a low point in her life, she decided to fight her own emptiness by taking on the biggest challenge she could find — cleaning up the Nashua. Her dramatic success in mobilizing the community showed people that change was possible, even though they’d lost hope.

Marion Stoddart enjoying a day on the water.

Marion’s efforts helped get the Massachusetts Clean Rivers Act passed so that companies weren’t allowed to pollute rivers like the Nashua anymore. In the process, she won a United Nations award, was profiled in National Geographic, and had a widely-read children’s book written about her. Her secret? An ordinary person can do extraordinary things when they refuse to give up. Thanks to Marion, children in the Nashua River Watershed and around the world have come to understand that one person can make a difference, even when the odds seem impossible!

The official website for Marion Stoddart: The Work of 1000 is something to behold, full of amazing documentation of the film, the cleanup project, and Marion herself. We wholeheartedly encourage you to take some time to visit Workof1000.org — you will absolutely be inspired! You can also visit the film and engage in ongoing environmental community projects via Facebook at Facebook.com/Workof1000.

]]> http://lowellfilmcollaborative.org/2011/11/03/environmental-activist-marion-stoddart-makes-a-guest-appearance-at-the-lowell-screening-of-marion-stoddart-the-work-of-1000/feed/ 0 lowellfilm Marion Stoddart enjoying a day on the water. http://lowellfilmcollaborative.org/2011/10/20/of-dolls-murder-in-the-news-as-director-susan-marks-completes-her-successful-kickstarter-campaign/ http://lowellfilmcollaborative.org/2011/10/20/of-dolls-murder-in-the-news-as-director-susan-marks-completes-her-successful-kickstarter-campaign/#comments Thu, 20 Oct 2011 04:46:37 +0000 lowellfilm http://lowellfilmcollaborative.org/?p=4947 ]]>

Something's not quite right in this little kitchen. A dollhouse crime scene in "Of Dolls & Murder."

Friends, it’s all about Of Dolls & Murder these days as we count down to THIS TUESDAY’S Regional Premiere of the film right here in Lowell with Director Susan Marks in attendance!

Not Boston.
Not Cambridge.
LOWELL!

And following our Mill City screening, director Susan Marks will take Of Dolls & Murder to Gloucester on October 26 for a showing at one of our favorite indie theaters, the Cape Ann Community Cinema. Whether here in Lowell or over in Gloucester, we truly hope you’ll catch this fascinating film.

Susan comes to us all the way from Minnesota by way of New York City where ODAM will screen at a super secret location. It’s a fascinating story that’s fully disclosed on her Kickstarter page where she’s been busy fundraising for her next project: an intriguing follow up to Of Dolls & Murder. We’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate Susan on a successful campaign and to encourage you to learn more about this project which includes a partnership with New York artist, performer and children’s book illustrator Cynthia von Buhler. Click here to learn all about it, and if you are so inclined, please donate! Though Susan has made her project goal, expenses can add up quickly and the extra dollars will certainly come in handy as the creative process unfolds.

So how lucky are we to be bringing this documentary premiere to Lowell? Here are a few great reviews, blog posts and stories featuring Of Dolls & Murder — enjoy the read!

“‘Of Dolls and Murder’ Documentary Comes to Boston(ish)“
- Junkyardarts (Oct. 2011)

“Speakers for the dead: Of Dolls and Murder Screens tonight“
– MinnPost.com, by Max Sparber (Sept. 2011)

“Miniature crime scenes come under police microscope“
- The Guardian, by Marc Abrahams (June 2011)

“The Art of Murder“ 
- Baltimore City Paper, by Rachel Monroe (May 2010)

Movie Reviews from a Spiritual Perspective 
– by Jean Jessup (Sept. 2011)

In Upon a Midnight Dreary
- Oct. 2011

“‘Of Dolls and Murder’ Documentary: How Barbie Kickstarted Forensics“
- Scarsmagazine.com (Feb. 2010)

“In a Nutshell“
- Mndaily.com, by Marty Marosi (Sept. 2011)

“New Documentary ‘Of Dolls & Murder’ Explores Macabre in Miniature“
- ART BEAT on PBS News Hour, by Lauren Knapp (Oct. 2010)

“‘Of Dolls and Murder’ Brings Us Bloodbath Scenarios in Miniature Form“
- Asylum.co.uk, by Bonnie Biess (Oct. 2010)

“Unexplained Deaths in the Diorama Dollhouse“
- Death Reference Desk (Sept. 2010)

In Doll Work
- by Carrie McGath (Oct. 2010)

PLEASE JOIN US THIS TUESDAY FOR OF DOLLS & MURDER!
CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS!