CIFF 2011 Friday Sep 30 – El Bulli: Cooking in Progress, Karen Cries on a Bus

CIFF 2011 Friday Sep 30

El Bulli: Cooking in Progress

Karen Cries on a Bus (Karen llora en un bus)

Late Bloomers

Had lots of fun watching Late Bloomers (with William Hurt and Isabella Rossellini) at Calgary International Film Festival 2011 last night. It is playing again on Sunday, Oct 2nd, 12:15pm at Globe.

Dan Eisner, True North Mortgage

In 2007, I was impressed by Dan Eisner‘s mortgage brokerage business, True North Mortgage, when he described how lucrative and profitable it was when I met him at the Calgary Dragons’ Den audition.

By chance I met Dan again today, and he said he now has 7, yes SEVEN, officies across Canada (2 in Calgary, 2 in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, and Halifax).

I am happy for Dan. Have a watch of my video interview with Dan Eisner in 2007.

Sun, Sept 25 2011 Calgary International Film Festival

Sun, Sept 25

07:00pm Globe

ALBERTA SPIRIT COMPETITION AND AFTER-PARTY (Alberta Spirit Competition)

07:00pm Starbuck (Eau Claire)

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1929/

09:00pm Restless (Eau Claire)

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1910/

Eric Bricker Q&A and interview at 2011 CIFF – Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman

I had a Skype video interview with Eric Bricker, director/producer of Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman before I got a chance to watch the film and I thought I would love it. After my skype video, I signed out four books by or about Julis Shulman from the library! So after watching Visual Acoustics yesterday on big screen, I can now positively say I LOVE the film and highly recommend it. Check out Visual Acoustics’ trailer if you haven’t seen it. If you can’t see the film in a theatre on a big screen, Visual Acoustics is available in DVD and also in HD via Netflix.

Here is my interview with Eric at 2011 CIFF.

Here is some of Eric’s Q&A at 2011 CIFF. (note: I edited out some questions as some are already covered in my one-on-one interviews with Eric).

David York, Director of Wiebo’s War interview and Q&A at Calgary International Film Festival 2011

Wiebo’s War is one of the best documentaries I have seen this year at 2011 CIFF, I highly recommend it as it tells a great story. The film is especially relevant to Albertans as we thought we know a lot about Wiebo Ludwig from TV news but David York’s Wiebo’s War, with intimate access to Wiebo and his family over two years, will show you a lot more.

If you miss the CIFF screening, the film is opening in theatres on Oct 21st, 2011 in Calgary (The Plaza) and Edmonton (Metro). I hope you find the Q&A and my interview insightful to watch.

David York, Director of Wiebo’s War interview at Calgary International Film Festival

Q&A at 2011 Calgary International Film Festival

Here is Wiebo’s War (NFB synopsis and trailer),

“This feature documentary focuses on Wiebo Ludwig, a suspect in a recent string of pipeline bombings. The bombings echo a campaign of sabotage he waged against the oil and gas industry in the 90s – barricading roads and blowing up wells. And when a 16-year-old girl was fatally shot on the family farm in 1999, Wiebo’s fight with the industry was thrust further into the media spotlight.

The Ludwig family are part of a Christian community that lives in close adherence to their religious values. The community is comprised of 5 married couples, 7 unmarried adult children and 38 grandchildren. They are self-sufficient in food and energy, but live in isolation and believe that those that don’t share their religious beliefs, like filmmaker David York, are living in terrible darkness.“

 

Below Zero – World Premiere @ 2011 Calgary International Film Festival

Below Zero world premiered at 2011 Calgary International Film Festival last night. Here are photo slideshow and a video.

2011 Calgary International Film Festival recommended films

My 2011 Calgary International Film Festival starts tonight. Here is a list of my recommendation. Have a great festival. As I said on FM94.7 this morning, CIFF is a great way to check out new films from around the world. Enjoy and have fun.

Friday, Sept 23rd

07:00pm Below Zero  (World Premiere with filmmakers in attendance, Plaza, also on Sat  Sept 24, 2pm)

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1933/

(NOTE: Watch my video interview with Signe Olynyk, Writer/Producer of Below Zero)

09:15pm Happy Happy

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1937/

Sat, Sept 24th

11:45am, Piano in a Factory

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1923/

12:15pm Wiebo’s War (filmmaker in attendance)

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1657/

2:15pm, Flowers of Evil

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1943/

4:15pm, Visual Acoustics (with filmmaker in attendance)

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1938/

(NOTE: Watch my video interview with Eric Bricker, director/producer of Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman)

Sun, Sept 25

07:00pm Starbuck (Eau Claire)

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1929/

09:00pm Restless (Eau Claire)

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1910/

Mon, Sept 26

07:15pm A Legend of Whitey (The Plaza)

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1884/

09:30pm Old Goats (The Plaza)

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1945/

Wed, Sept 28

07:00pm Late Bloomers (Eau Claire)

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1895/

10:00pm Sleeping Beauty  (Eau Claire)

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1949/

Thu, Sept 29

5:15pm The Chocolate Farmer (with filmmaker in attendance)

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1659/

Fri, Sept 30

7:00pm El Bulli: Cooking in Progress

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1957/

09:45pm Karen Cries on a Bus (Karen llora en un bus) (Globe Downstairs)

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1922/

Sat, Oct 1

4:30pm King of Devil’s Island (Kongen av Bastøy) (Globe)

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1924/

7:00pm Take This Waltz

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1901/

9:15pm Moon Point (Globe Downstairs)

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1596/

Sun, Oct 2nd

12:00pm Becoming Santa (Eau Claire) (with filmmaker in attendance)

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1791/

(NOTE: Watch my video interview with ”Becoming Santa”‘s Santa/producer Jack Sanderson & director/producer Jeff Myers)

2:30pm, Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1909/

4:30pm Almanya – Welcome to Germany (Eau Claire)

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1904/

7:00pm The Salt of Life (Eau Claire)

http://www.calgaryfilm.com/2011/schedule/film/1960/

Becoming Santa – Jack Sanderson & Jeff Myers interview

Have you wondered how does one become Santa in a shopping mall? Well, you will in the case of Jack Sanderson how did he ”Becoming Santa” at the Calgary International film festival screening at Plaza Thu Sept 29, 7pm & Eau Claire Sun Oct 2, 12noon.

“Director Jeff Meyers follows Jack Sanderson, an aspiring Santa trying to recapture the Christmas spirit after his parents’ passing. As Sanderson goes through his journey to becoming a mall Santa for a season, from bleaching his beard and hair to shopping for a custom suit, attending Santa school, and learning the tricks of the trade …“

Here is my “Becoming Santa” interview with Jack Sanderson & Jeff Myers. I am very much looking forward to watching the film and meeting Jack Sanderson with reindeer and other Santas in the Calgary screening!

Becoming Santa full film synopsis from CIFF,

“Jack Sanderson in Attendance!

It’s not quite the Red Mile, but you may just see a different type of red jersey scattered throughout the theatre for BECOMING SANTA. Winner of the audience award at this year’s SXSW film festival, this Yuletide doc will get everyone in the holiday spirit a little early this year.

Director Jeff Meyers follows Jack Sanderson, an aspiring Santa trying to recapture the Christmas spirit after his parents’ passing. As Sanderson goes through his journey to becoming a mall Santa for a season, from bleaching his beard and hair to shopping for a custom suit, attending Santa school, and learning the tricks of the trade, Meyers discovers that the task is harder than anyone would expect, and involves a personal, physical and emotional transformation that few of us are aware of. BECOMING SANTA features a number of interviews with professional Santas and Santa aficionados (including Calgary’s very own instructor and Santa agent Jennifer Andrews from the Victor Nevada Santa School), along with historians who provide a fascinating history of Santa Claus in America.

Warning: This documentary may contain some unwelcome surprises for young children.“

Eric Bricker interview – Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman

I had a wonderful and insightful 30 minutes Skype video interview with Eric Bricker, director of Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman (CIFF info: screening at Globe Sat, Sep 24, 4:15pm and Sun, Sept 25, 12:15pm). The following is my edited interview with Eric. Enjoy.

Eric Bricker interview – Visual Acoustics, The Modernism of Julius Shulman

Check out Visual Acoustics’ trailer if you haven’t seen it. If you can’t see the film in a theatre on a big screen, Visual Acoustics is available in DVD and also in HD via Netflix.

Here are some stunning photos by Julius and film stills.

Here is the film synopsis from CIFF,

“Narrated by Dustin Hoffman, Eric Bricker’s multiple award-winning VISUAL ACOUSTICS celebrates the life and career of Julius Shulman. Long considered to be the world’s greatest architectural photographer, Schulman’s iconic, instantly recognizable images brought modern architecture to the American mainstream.

Shulman captured the work of nearly every modern and progressive architect since the 1930s, including Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra, John Lautner and Frank Gehry. His images epitomized the singular beauty of Southern California’s Modernist movement, bringing its iconic structures to the attention of the general public. This unique film is both a testament to the evolution of modern architecture and a joyful portrait of the magnetic, whip-smart gentleman who chronicled it with his unforgettable images.

Shulman developed a close association with the modernist architects, principally those active in Southern California, and his images played a major role in crafting the image of the Southern California lifestyle to the rest of the world during the 1950s and 1960s. A prolific author, consultant, lecturer, exhibitor and editor of his own vast archive, Shulman remained active up until his passing in July of 2009.”

Interview with Cliff Roth, Google+ Hangout Speedpaint Artist

I had an amazing video interview with Speedpainting artist +Cliff Roth (Facebook fanpage) this morning to talk about his creative process. We used his speedpainting of me as an example to talk about his Speedpainting process (see below for slideshow).

Cliff will join +Sarah Hill on her Thur Sept 22nd U_News@4 to reveal his fully rendered painting of Sarah plus doing a speedpainting of one of the co-host LIVE on KOMU U_News@4! Tell your friends to watch the show live online at 4pm CST. Check out a beautiful slideshow of the creative process, from beginning to end, Kempton Speedpaint Google+ Hangout Caricature pix – by Cliff Roth.

Question: How do you get yourself speedpainted by Cliff? Check out Cliff’s Kickstarter Google Plus Speedpaint Hangout Project info before the project closed on Friday, Sept 30, 2011.

Cliff Roth, Google+ Hangout Speedpaint Artist, interview

Interview with Eric Bricker, director of Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman – 2011 Calgary International Film Festival

I had a wonderful and insightful 30 minutes Skype video interview with Eric Bricker, director of Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman (CIFF info: screening at Globe Sat, Sep 24, 4:15pm and Sun, Sept 25, 12:15pm). It will take me some time to process the interview video clips. Stay tuned. Here is a link to my interview with Eric. Enjoy.

Check out the film trailer if you haven’t seen it.

Urbanized

I am proud and happy to say I was one of the many many people that helped made Urbanized possible. Check out the Urbanized Trailer.

Bill Cunningham New York – LOVE IT

I love the Bill Cunningham New York trailer. If you enjoy fashion, I dare you to not love it. Hope it will be screened in Calgary but I suspect I’ll have to watch it on DVD.

Love this Anna Wintour quote in the trailer, “We all get dressed for Bill.” “He has been documenting me since I was a kid. And it is one snap, two snap, or he ignores you, which is death.”

[HT Alice Schroeder for the movie link and the recommendation, "just saw Bill Cunningham New York, surely will win an Oscar. Fantastic."]

P.S. At press time, it is 98% Fresh.

Roger Ebert,

“Do not make the mistake of calling Bill Cunningham a “fashion photographer.” He is a photographer of people and what they wear. Don’t call him a “paparazzo.” He doesn’t know who half the celebrities are and doesn’t care. He’s genuinely fascinated by what people wear — not by haute couture, but by what makes people feel good about themselves. He cycles to social events and openings, to street fairs and parades, to parks and markets, and will stop in the middle of the street if he spots an interesting hat.”

“Monsieur Lazhar” at 2011 Calgary International Film Festival

Looks like I am destined to LOVE “Monsieur Lazhar” at 2011 CIFF even I don’t understand the French trailer at all. (unfortunately with no English subs)

Here is the indieWire review in English.

From “Monsieur Lazhar” film synopsis at 2011 CIFF,

“There are some sights a child was never meant to see. When a group of Montreal students finds their beloved teacher hanging from the ceiling of their elementary school classroom, the shock of the incident is, needless to say, traumatizing. Her replacement, Algerian refugee Bachir Lazhar (Monhamed Fellag), now has the doubly difficult task of reaching his distraught students while securing his own asylum from past tragedies in his homeland.

Writer-director Phillipe Falardeau (adapting a play by Évelyne de la Cheneliére) tackles these topics with a delicate touch, bringing wit and warmth to the classroom scenes and granting the heavier material an appropriate gravity. It’s not often that you see elementary school and global politics sharing a screen, but MONSIEUR LAZHAR makes the fit an entirely natural one, as Bachir and his students come to terms with loss, guilt, and other issues that life has prematurely thrown at them. It’s an inspiring character study that earns every one of its heart-warming moments the hard way – through insight, empathy, and eloquence.”

Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman – 2011 Calgary International Film Festival

I know I will LOVE Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman just from the trailer alone.

Visual Acoustics film synopsis from CIFF,

“Narrated by Dustin Hoffman, Eric Bricker’s multiple award-winning VISUAL ACOUSTICS celebrates the life and career of Julius Shulman. Long considered to be the world’s greatest architectural photographer, Schulman’s iconic, instantly recognizable images brought modern architecture to the American mainstream.

Shulman captured the work of nearly every modern and progressive architect since the 1930s, including Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra, John Lautner and Frank Gehry. His images epitomized the singular beauty of Southern California’s Modernist movement, bringing its iconic structures to the attention of the general public. This unique film is both a testament to the evolution of modern architecture and a joyful portrait of the magnetic, whip-smart gentleman who chronicled it with his unforgettable images.

Shulman developed a close association with the modernist architects, principally those active in Southern California, and his images played a major role in crafting the image of the Southern California lifestyle to the rest of the world during the 1950s and 1960s. A prolific author, consultant, lecturer, exhibitor and editor of his own vast archive, Shulman remained active up until his passing in July of 2009.”

Note: “Director Eric Bricker in Attendance!” So I am hoping to be able to interview Eric!

From Philly.com,

“Frank Lloyd Wright may have birthed the Guggenheim Museum, but it was Shulman – in photographs of rare spatial clarity and transcendence – who delivered Wright’s inspiring helical funnel to the public.

And it was Shulman, in a widely published photograph of Pierre Koenig’s Case Study House No. 22, that glass-and-steel aerie perched atop the Hollywood Hills overlooking the twinkling city below, who in one indelible image captured the physics and metaphysics of the Los Angeles lifestyle.”

Review: Visual Acoustics: The Modernism Of Julian Shulman

Love this quote by Julian Shulman, “Let the architects do all the heavy work — we come in and take pictures.”

Being Elmo: A puppeteer’s Journey – 2011 Calgary International Film Festival

I am looking forward to watching this documentary “Being Elmo: A puppeteer’s Journey“ at the 2011 Calgary International Film Festival (Sunday, Oct 2nd, 2:30pm)

Being Elmo’s Trailer

Elmo interviews Kevin Clash: My Life as a Furry Red Monster

Also check out this funny news clip that I love even more now knowing Kevin Clash has been Elmo for twenty years.

Gervais + Elmo = Hilarity on ‘Sesame Street’

Stop Online Spying on Your Private Life

Watch Stop Online Spying on Your Private Life [via OpenMedia.ca HT Charlie Angus, MP]

Stop Online Spying on Your Purchases

Stop Online Spying on Your Email

Vancouver Sun, “Advocates, politicians campaign against Conservatives’ proposed ‘snooping law’“

Signe Olynyk, Writer/Producer of Below Zero – 2011 Calgary International Film Festival interview

It was my great pleasure to talk to Signe Olynyk, Writer & Producer of Below Zero a film that is world premiering at 2011 Calgary International Film Festival. (watch trailer here) In my video interview with Signe, she talked about her experiences in locking herself in a meat freezer for five days to write a script, and her amazing cast members Edward Furlong, Michael Berryman, Kristin Booth, and Sadie Madu (who celebrated her 8th birthday during production), and the experience of filming in Edson, Alberta. And I just find the following really cool! (emphasis added)

“I call this film an autobiographical horror,” says writer/producer, Signe Olynyk, who struggled with her own case of writer’s block. “You’ve heard of method acting? You could say I’m a ‘method writer’.” In order to complete the script, Olynyk arranged to have herself physically locked in the meat freezer of an abandoned slaughterhouse near Edson, Alberta. After camping out for five days, she emerged with the script for “Below Zero.”

Here are some film stills and production notes.

Kempton presents U_News@4 promo video for Sarah Hill of KOMU-TV from Calgary, Canada

I created a promo video from Calgary, Canada at Glenmore Reservoir (Google Satellite Map) and Heritage Park (Google Street View) for Sarah Hill‘s KOMU U_News@4. Check it out.

Kempton presents U_News@4 for Sarah Hill of KOMU-TV from Calgary, Canada

HT: Credit goes to my Google+ friend +Mike Downes‘s promo video (see here) for inspiring me to bring the beautiful Glenmore Reservoir and Heritage Park to U_News@4 viewers.