AUGUST TO JUNE screens Monday, May 21 @ 6PM 
at Cape Ann Community Cinema in Gloucester, MA

Special Guests: Directors Amy & Tom Valens 
PLUS a school lunch-style dinner served! 

After 30 years of watching the public open classroom where his wife taught, and admiring at a distance the model for learning that evolved, Tom Valens couldn’t miss the opportunity to film her last class from beginning to end.  And so he was there the day school started and many days thereafter: one man with a camera and a tripod, trying to stay out of the way as kids skipped from one activity to another, listening on headphones for events in other parts of the building, and sometimes rushing, tripod in hand, only to arrive at the action just as it ended.

Slowly but surely kids came into focus.  Tom captured their relations with each other, with their teacher, with learning.  The film is not meant to suggest there is one right way to teach.  Instead, it shows how one unconventional classroom puts schoolwork inside a larger picture, bringing into focus a broader vision of what education should and can be.

So begins the breathtaking description of August to June, the compelling documentary by Amy & Tom Valens, that is winning the hearts of educators, parents, mentors, film enthusiasts and communities. We were thrilled to discover this film through the Cape Ann Community Cinema, which is hosting a very special screening this Monday, May 21 at 6PM with a guest appearance by both Amy & Tom Valens. Film screenings are a real treat when filmmakers or guests are present to share the love of their craft and enlighten us to their movie-making processes — this event is surely not to be missed!

If poignant cinema is your passion, we encourage you to make it to Gloucester this Monday and share in the communal film-watching experience. The Cape Ann Community Cinema is one of our most favorite movie haunts on the East Coast and their unique film programming is absolutely stellar! 

Our much anticipated trip to Rockland’s Strand Theatre is finally here! Our ongoing research of area movie-houses continues as we seek a permanent home in Lowell to do what we love to do (show movies, of course!) If you haven’t been to The Strand, we hear it’s enchanting — we’ll be catching tonight’s screening of The Kid with a Bike and hope to be taken into movie heaven at this nostalgic, historic New England film venue.

We hope you’ll plan a visit to The Strand SOON — have a great movie-filled weekend and don’t forget to mark your calendars for Friday, May 4 @ 7:30PM for our screening of Monsoon Wedding. It’s going to be a remarkable event … details are below!

Lowell journalist & cinephile, Nancye Tuttle.

Fellow film fans, get yourselves to a radio or get access to a computer (for radio streaming) at 11AM today and hear Lowell journalist Nancye Tuttle on Merrimack Valley Radio 980AM WCAP talk Lowell movie houses with Guy Lefebvre, owner of Lowell Gallery. For anyone itchin’ to know more about Lowell’s amazing cinematic history, which includes the presence of over 40 theaters since the early 1900s, this radio segment is not to be missed!

Here’s an added bonus: Did you know that the current location of 980 WCAP on Central Street was adjacent to Lowell’s renowned Theatre Voyons from 1908-1916? We’re sure our dear friend and film supporter Nancye will make mention of this as she sits right in the spot where thousands of turn-of-the 20th century movie-goers once sat. For those familiar with this part of Central Street — 241 through 245 — you’ll know that WCAP sits right above Cappy’s Copper Kettle, and it’s within this complex that Theatre Voyons once stood.

Below is detailed info on what may have been considered Lowell’s theater district plus great photos of that section of Central Street, known as Tower’s Corner. The yellow arrow marks the Theatre Voyons, which was across the street from the Owl/Rialto Theater. Today, most of you may know the Rialto building as the B&M Railroad structure now owned by Middlesex Community College.

Theatre Voyons (ca. 1908) in Tower's Corner, now the current site of Cappy's Copper Kettle & WCAP.

(Courtesy of Cinema Treasures)  |  The Theatre Voyons, owned by J. S. Kittredge, was located at 241 Central St. in Tower’s Corner across from the B&M Depot from 1908 to 1916. It was located in a four-story brick building built by the Greenwood Brothers in the 1870s. According to the book “Americanizing the Movies and ‘Movie-mad’ Audiences, 1910-1914” by Richard Abel, industrial films were prominent in Lowell as were natural history series. Pathe’s “famous” Wild Birds in Theit Haunts (in color) was advertised at the Voyons in Lowell. Yet travel films were by far the m ost popular of all. In Lowell, the Voyons gave its audiences views of distant countries from Finland to Indochina, while the Scenic offered nostalgic “tours” of Ireland and Naples Italy. 

A larger view up Central Street of the Tower's Theater District, ca. 1912, with the Owl Theater (left) and Voyons across the street (right side of the photo).

The site of the Voyons Theatre and building is now occupied by Cappy’s Copper Kettle at 245 Central and Merrimack Valley Radio WCAP. The current building may be the original with the top two floors removed and a new facade. Additionally, either next door or upstairs in the same building at 245 Central St. was the Funnyland Theatre which also operated in 1908 and 1909 and was the La Scala Theatre until 1911. As an aside, ”Voyons” is the French word for “see.”

WCAP & Cappy's Copper Kettle today, former home of the Theatre Voyons.

When it comes to musicals — be they screen or stage — the Lowell Film Collaborative stands divided. But the LFC half that DOES adore the genre, adores it with great passion. For me, Suzz Cromwell, discovering filmmaker Gary King and his current project, How Do You Write A Joe Schermann Song, has been glorious. My music roots run deep — as a high schooler, I was a vocal major at the High School for Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, Texas, and continued vocal studies in Boston at the Berklee College of Music. I also grew up in a culture-dork family who enjoyed going to plays and musicals together as well as film (of course). Watching my father shed silent tears at the end of “Oklahoma” or “Fiddler on the Roof” will always be a vivid memory. I was struck by his transparent man-emotion, and admire him for it to this day. I’m a groupie for “Les Mis” and “Phantom of the Opera” (original casts, please) and loved my frequent trips to the Big Apple to see the latest Broadway bits throughout the 90′s and early 2000′s. Though I feel a bit out of touch with the current musical movement, this important performance genre will always draw me back to my youth and my days as a misfit high school arts-hound.*

There seems to be a bit of this in Gary King as well, and I’m thrilled to see it. I am particularly inspired by his Director’s Statement, which I will share in its entirety:

“How Do You Write A Joe Schermann Song is a new feature film musical that we filmed in the summer of 2010. Even though this film celebrates all that I love about Broadway musicals, I attempted to tell the story cinematically by grounding it in the reality of today’s modern world. It will not be your typical “song and dance” musical as the goal of the film is not to be a spectacle, but rather a more intimate tale about an aspiring Broadway songwriter who jeopardizes his relationships and budding career after showing interest in a talented singer. The story is relevant in that it shows the artist’s struggle in today’s time — striving for both creative and financial success.

I am thrilled to make a film in a genre that does not get much recognition anymore and I believe there is an audience out there still hungry for unique musicals. It’s something I hold close to my heart. I grew up watching them with my parents and was always in awe of the sheer talent of the actors on screen. Even back then, I knew there were a lot of moving parts and hard work that went into creating something so entertaining.

In addition to loving the genre, I wanted to showcase talented performers and give them the opportunity to shine. I just find it so inspiring to see people who can sing, dance and act — which is something rarely done on screen nowadays at the truly independent level. So yeah, you can bet there’s gonna be tap dancing in the film.”

You bet I’ll be keeping tabs on King as well as this exciting independent film. It would be a real treat to host a screening here in Lowell should the timing work right — there’s nothing like watching talented, passionate people pursue their dreams, especially if it combines music, dance, soul, and cinema. Best of luck, Gary! Keep us posted!

Learn all you need to know about How Do You Write A Joe Schermann Song at JoeSchermannSong.com.

*I should point out, however, that “Glee” is NOT in my vocabulary (!)

Antony Lane's Twitter page is bursting with support and indie film passion!

British indie filmmaker Antony Lane uses Twitter. A LOT. According to his Twitter profile, Lane has been on Twitter 24/7 since 2009 doing fan fundraising for his zombie/horror film Invasion of the Not Quite Dead. With over 86,000 followers, Lane’s efforts seem to have proven successful as updates have just been released that the film crew is scouting for locations to begin shooting.

To people like us who relish the indie film scene, Lane’s goal is a precious one: to produce the first COMPLETELY Twitter fan-funded horror film. His pleas for donations ignite the reader with mixed caps to stress importance, are intensely frequent, and always read with passionate urgency –“if theres any SUPPORTERS OF FILMMAKERS chasing their dreams ONLINE right now, please check out my FILM PROJECT” and “PLS KEEP those DONATIONS/UPGRADES coming in to my film ‘INVASION OF THE NOT QUITE DEAD’, we are 100% twitter fan funded.” We adore this zest, and continue to be wowed by the seemingly endless supply of energy and enthusiasm that Lane displays to the public. But when you’re trying to reach a monetary goal for your life’s dream, that’s pretty much what it takes.

With all that being said, we’d love nothing more than for you to go out to Antony Lane’s Twitter page and project website and experience his determination first hand. And please feel free to support his campaign, especially if the horror genre is your bag. But no matter the end product (and we’re certain it’s gonna be mighty entertaining), Lane has brought the importance of independent film and the ongoing power of social media to the forefront. He’s also allowing all of us to play a part in his dream, and that’s a very special thing indeed.

Learn all you need to know about Antony Lane and his fan-funded film project Invasion of the Not Quite Dead via his campaign video below or by visiting Indywood.co.uk. And if you’re on Twitter, be sure to follow Lane or check in on his progress at @IndywoodFILMS.

UK journalist Neil White enjoys a crunchy movie snack.

We’re huge fans of the wonderful Neil White, though we’ve never met and never spoken. Well, by phone at least. The wonder of Twitter brought us together as it has so many millions of film buffs the world over. Neil is a special guy — in 2011, his goal was to watch EVERY FILM released in the UK that year. And not just watch them, but throw in his two cents on the flicks as well via his movie review blog. Now renamed everyfilmin2012 to reflect the new year, Neil’s site is up and running with the first 20+ films already there and reviewed. Below is Neil’s introduction to the 2012 project, taken straight off his blog:

“So, here it is, boys and girls, the 2012 challenge to see every film released in the UK. Last year, I wasn’t really prepared for the quest so pretty much winged it for the first month. This resulted in me being to far behind when I got a game plan together. I intend this year to be different. Fortunately, I am now known to quite a lot of movie folk and they are helpful in sending me more and more screeners (preview DVDs). Without these, everyfilm would fail. Anyway, last year I wasn’t quite clear on my parameters, so here’s my rules and regs this time:

- Any film which is released in the UK and appears at any cinema for more than three days must be seen.
- I will continue to review one-off screenings, if I see them but one-offs will not count on the must-see list.
- I will also attempt to get DVD recordings of movies which have appeared without sub-titles so I can give reviews later in the year. They will, however, not appear on the not-seen list.

All clear? Well, maybe not, but I can assure you of a blog with more reviews of new releases than any other in the UK. However, do not fret if you want to read a release of a 2011 film…they are still available on everyfilmin2011.com
So away we go…enjoy the ride.”

We know you’re probably quite curious about who in their right mind would attempt such a thing. Luckily, the UK press have given Neil a lot of coverage, thus we’re all able to learn more about the man behind the challenge — for starters, he’s from Chilwell in Nottingham and is a journalist with the Derby Telegraph. Be sure to read the stories we’re sharing below to get more info on Neil, and if you’re up on Twitter, you can keep up with him there @everyfilmin2012. And for all you fellow Lowellians who might be reading this, Neil’s favorite film of 2011 was The Fighter. BooYah!

Steady on, film friend, and much luck to you from this side of the pond!

Learn more about Neil’s challenge and a bit about Neil himself:
“Film buff attempts to watch every UK release in 2011” — (BBC Nottingham, Feb. 25, 2011)
“Film critic vows to watch every 2012 UK cinema release” — (BBC News, England, Dec. 23, 2011)
“The midlife crisis that turned into a 600-film odyssey” — (The UK Independent, Dec. 28, 2011)

The final chapter of the award-winning trilogy of documentaries on accused killers Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley will air this Thursday at 9PM on HBO. Known as the West Memphis 3, Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelley were freed last summer after spending 18 years in prison. Their story was passionately told in two films, Paradise Lost: The Child Murders and Robin Hood Hills (1996) and Paradise Lost 2: Revelations (2000) — this week’s airing of Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory — directed by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky, creators of the first two films – marks the cinematic end to the story and the closing of this haunting case.

ABOUT THE FILM
HBO Documentary Films’ Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory, the conclusion of the award-winning trilogy that spawned a world-wide movement to free three convicted men – Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley – known as The West Memphis 3, tells the complete story of one of the most notorious child murder cases in U.S. history. Provocative and timely, the film chronicles stunning new developments, culminating in the startling and unexpected conclusion just a few months ago, when Echols, who was on death row, and Baldwin and Misskelley, who were serving life sentences without the possibility of parole, were finally freed from prison after more than 18 years. “Almost 20 years and three films ago, HBO’s Sheila Nevins sent us on this journey to document the terrible murders of three innocent boys and the subsequent circus that followed the arrests and convictions of Echols, Baldwin and Misskelley,” says filmmaker Joe Berlinger. “To see our work culminate in the righting of this tragic miscarriage of justice is more than a filmmaker could ask for.”  – (Read the complete synopsis on HBO Films’ official website.)

Damien Echols of the West Memphis 3.

Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory premiered to the public at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival in its original form, but was then lengthened by 12 minutes to include the stunning verdict of innocent after the men were freed. According to the film’s official site, the West Memphis 3 were given a round of applause and a standing ovation at the New York  Film Festival where the longer version was screened to an audience of 1200 supportive fans. This was their first public appearance together since their departure from the Arkansas courthouse.

For complete details on Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory and Thursday’s presentation, CLICK HERE to visit the official site on HBO Films.

Ethereal projection onto an Occupy Cinema banner at an Occupy Wall Street demonstration, taken by Timothy Krause, Nov. 17, 2011

“Occupy Cinema: An open collective harnessing the moving image to aid the worldwide occupation movement.”

Inspired by the Occupy movement, Occupy Cinema is getting in on the game by taking the beauty and power of moving pictures to the streets by projecting on any surface they can find, from buildings, to abandoned property, to statues. Most recently on December 6, they found themselves in the heart of New York City’s Wall Street with a projection and performance program at Wall Street’s historic icon, the Charging Bull. They even released a viral teaser video promoting the event, which got picked up by blogs a’ plenty, including Indiewire and Huffington Post:

Occupy Cinema at Charging Bull // more to come from Occupy Cinema on Vimeo.

But Occupy Cinema’s movement doesn’t stop at public, guerilla-style performance and protest — on January 7 & 8, they’re partnering with NYC’s Anthology Film Archives to screen films related to the International Occupy Movement, including Peter Whitehead’s The Fall. Folks who attend these events will also see the full footage taken from the Charging Bull event and Travis Wilkerson’s An Injury to One. Visit Occupy Cinema’s blog page for full details on past and future events.

We’ll never know how long the Occupy movement will last, or its impact. But the fact that it has inspired filmmakers, performers, and projection artists to get more cinema to the masses is an incredible thing in itself. We’ll definitely be keeping up with Occupy Cinema, most especially their NYC happenings, for as long as the movement will allow. Occupy Cinema, indeed!

Pedal passion! "The Bicycle City" film crew, left to right: Gissel Rosario, Greg Sucharew, and Frank Trotta.

We hope you’ll take some time to visit The Bicycle City at TheBicycleCityFilm.com as well as Pedals for Progress at P4P.org. We’d like to extend a special thanks to our dear friend, Lowell resident, and fellow bicycle fanatic Marianne Gries, who first introduced us to The Bicycle City via an enthusiastic Tweet many, many months ago. We truly love hearing about any and all film projects, so please pass your discoveries along to us so we can stay informed on the great film that’s out there.

The Bicycle City. Trailer from Greg Sucharew on Vimeo.

LFC's Brett Cromwell & the magical Bill Plympton.

There’s absolutely NO shortage of great indie film projects out there, especially among the hundreds of IndieGoGo and Kickstarter ideas in queue. One of these impressive film artists seeking our collective financial support is Alexia Anastasio, whose current documentary Adventures in Plymptoons! showcases the brilliant work of Academy Award nominee, animator, and filmmaker Bill Plympton. We had the extreme pleasure of meeting both Anastasio and Plympton in person this weekend at a screening their film at Gloucester’s Cape Ann Community Cinema. This dynamic duo won us over with their exuberance and charm and of course it was a thrill for Suzz to finally meet Plympton — an artist she’s followed and adored since his late 80s debut — in person. She did her best not to gush.

Alexia Anastasio -- the reds have it!

We invite you to check out Anastasio’s current documentary project Ginger Girls: The Secret Lives of Redheads, which now has fiscal sponsorship via Fractured Atlas and is accepting donations under the name “I Believe Productions.” A self-proclaimed freckle-faced “ginger” herself, Anastasio will interview and photograph 500 girls from around the world, all of whom are blessed with natural red hair, in the hopes of capturing their personal stories (their “trials and tribulations of love, youth and successes,” according to Anastasio) and learning what separates these feisty, beautiful lasses from the rest of the gals. Anastasio’s Kickstarter bio snapshot reads as follows: Alexia is an artist, actress and filmmaker. She was featured in HBO’s Bored to Death, VH1 “If you like…” commerical and Vetiver “Everyday” music video. Her work on the feature documentaries include, Editor of “Vampira: The Movie,” Associate Producer of “The Wild World of Ted V. Mikels,” Producer of “7 Deadly Sins: Inside the Ecomm Cult,” Co-producer of “Beyond the Noise: My Transcendental Meditation Journey,” and Director of “Adventures in Plymptoons!,” a documentary on Oscar-nominated animator Bill Plympton among others.

Learn more about our newfound indie film friend Alexia Anastasio at AlexiaAnastasio.com and explore her Kickstarter project Ginger Girls HERE. We hope you’ll share this post with the beloved Gingers in your life! [And if you're reading this, Alexia, it was an absolute PLEASURE to meet you on Saturday -- we'll be in touch!]