Cinereach Blog

Cinereach is excited for grantee films Pushing the Elephant and Summer Pasture, who are both included in the International Documentary Association’s 14th annual DocuWeeks showcase. As part of this, they will each have a one-week theatrical run in both New York and Los Angeles. These screenings qualify the films for consideration for next year’s Academy Awards and provide audiences with the opportunity to experience these powerful stories on the big screen.

See below for more details, including screening dates and times.

Pushing the Elephant

Pushing the Elephant, by Beth Davenport and Elizabeth Mandel, chronicles the story of Rose Mapendo and how she escaped from the ethnic violence of the Democratic Republic of Congo to become a vital voice to help mend her divided country. She has assisted dozens of survivors to rebuild their lives, but there is still one person Rose must teach to forgive–her daughter Nangabire. Pushing The Elephant counters the horrors of genocidal violence with the moral fortitude and grace of one woman’s mission for peace.



In New York: Friday, August 6th – Thursday, August 12th
at the IFC Center (323 Sixth Avenue, at West 3rd Street)
Purchase Tickets

Fri 8/6: 12:00 PM & 5:30 PM
Sat 8/7 1:35 PM & 7:30 PM
Sun 8/8 3:35 PM & 9:45 PM
Mon 8/9 12:00 PM & 5:30 PM
Tues 8/10 1:35 PM & 7:30 PM
Wed 8/11 3:35 PM & 9:45 PM
Thurs 8/12 3:35 PM & 9:45 PM

In Los Angeles: Friday, August 13th – Thursday, August 19th
at the ArcLight Hollywood (6360 W. Sunset Boulevard, between Vine & Ivar)
Purchase Tickets

Fri  8/13 12:00 PM & 5:40 PM
Sat  8/14 1:45 PM & 7:40 PM
Sun 8/15 3:45 PM & 9:50 PM
Mon 8/16 12:00 PM & 5:40 PM
Tues 8/17 1:45 PM & 7:40 PM
Wed  8/18 3:45 PM  & 9:50 PM
Thurs 8/19 3:45 PM & 9:50 PM

Summer Pasture

Filmed in the high grasslands of eastern Tibet by Lynn True, Nelson Walker and Tsering Perlo, Summer Pasture is a rare and intimate glimpse into the life of a young couple and their infant daughter during a time of great transition. Locho and Yama are nomadic herders who carve their existence from the land as their ancestors have for generations. But as traditional nomadic life confronts rapid modernization, the family is at a crossroads, and Summer Pasture ultimately reveals the profound sacrifice they will make to ensure their daughter’s future.

In New York: Friday, July 30th – Thursday, August 5th
at the IFC Center (323 Sixth Avenue, at West 3rd Street)
Purchase Tickets

Fri 7/30: 3:45 PM & 9:40 PM*
Sat 7/31: 12:05 PM & 5:50 PM
Sun 8/1: 2:00 PM & 7:50 PM*
Mon  8/2: 3:45 PM & 9:40 PM*
Tue 8/3: 12:05 PM & 5:50 PM
Wed 8/4: 2:00 PM & 7:50 PM*
Thu 8/5: 3:45 PM & 9:40 PM*

*Filmmakers will be present for Q&A following the screening
Additionally, New York audiences can bring their Summer Pasture ticket stub from IFC Center to receive $2 off admission at the Rubin Museum of Art, which features a world class collection of art from the Himalayas.

In Los Angeles: Friday, August 6th – Thursday, August 12th
at the ArcLight Hollywood (6360 W. Sunset Boulevard, between Vine & Ivar)
Purchase Tickets

Fri 8/6: 12:00 PM & 5:35 PM
Sat 8/7: 1:50 PM & 7:40 PM*
Sun 8/8: 3:45 PM & 9:45 PM*
Mon 8/9: 12:00 PM & 5:35 PM
Tue 8/10: 1:50 PM & 7:40 PM
Wed 8/11: 3:45 PM & 9:45 PM
Thu 8/12: 12:00 PM & 5:35 PM

*Filmmakers will be present for Q&A following the screening

The recent class of Reach Film Fellows is barely out of the gate and already some very exciting things have transpired.

Anthony Morrison's Bye

Anthony Morrison’s documentary short, Bye, aired in July on PBS’ P.O.V. series and can now be viewed here in full. Gabriel Long’s The Drawing made its NYC premiere as part of a  Newfest shorts program, and all four 2010 fellows will have more updates for us soon as we prepare to usher in the next crew of four (recipients will be announced in early fall 2010).

Brendon McQueen's Skip Rocks

Looking back at the 2009 Fellows, Brendon McQueen’s Skip Rocks premiered at the Sun Valley Spiritual Film Festival and was touted by New York Magazine; “There have been many films made about Alzheimer’s…but few of them address it with the sensitivity, and (yes) humor of Brendon McQueen’s beautifully shot and touching short film…” He’s currently developing a feature film project through his production company, Prydehouse. Dena Greenbaum’s Blues has been a selection of the 15th Annual International Family Film Festival in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Women’s International Film Festival, the Memphis International Film and Music Festival, and the National Film Festival for Talented Youth in Seattle, and won the Morris Fierberg Student Film Award (plus a $1,000 grant from the Rehoboth Beach Film Society).

Annie Waldman's So the Wind Won't Blow it All Away

Nicholas Bruckman’s (RFF ‘08) The Grey Movie screened as a work-in-progress at Rooftop Films. Following that his debut feature documentary, La Americana, won seven awards at over 30 film festivals, and was broadcast in the US, Europe and Asia. He is currently working on the La Americana audience engagement campaign and developing new documentary projects. Annie Waldman’s (RFF ‘08) So the Wind Won’t Blow It All Away screened at Sundance 2009 and the San Francisco Documentary, St. Louis International, San Diego Woman’s, and CMJ film festivals. The film was broadcast nationally on PBS’s P.O.V. documentary series. She is currently in production on her first documentary feature, Phantom Cowboys, for which she received a grant from Cinereach. Suel Kim’s (RFF ‘08) Snap-Shot screened at the Global Peace, Non-Violence International and the San Diego Asian film festivals and as part of last year’s Emerging Filmmakers series in Rochester, NY.

As Cinereach nears its 5th year of existence, more and more of the films we’ve supported are gathering momentum, crossing the finish-line and getting out into the world. Below are recent highlights from some of our grantees’ journeys.

A Small Act by Jennifer Arnold & Patti Lee

A Small Act by Jennifer Arnold & Patti Lee, 2009 Grantee
Since its Sundance premiere, A Small Act has inspired over $300,000 (and climbing) in donations for featured Kenyan charity the Hilde Back Education Fund. A Small Act also received the Adrienne Shelly Excellence in Filmmaking Award and Audience Award for Best Feature at the Nantucket Film Festival. After festival screenings at HotDocs, OutFest and more, A Small Act recently premiered on HBO and is currently available on demand.

Aqui Y Alli (Here and There) by Antonio Mendez Esparza, 2010 Grantee
Aqui Y Alli (Here and There), currently in development, participated in the Sundance Institute’s 2010 June Screenwriters Lab.

Circumstance by Maryam Keshavarz, 2009 Grantee
Circumstance was awarded a Kenneth Rainin Foundation Filmmaking Grant by the San Francisco Film Society, to be used towards post-production.

Donor 150 by Jerry Rothwell, 2010 Grantee
Donor 150, in production, was awarded the support of the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund and the Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program.

Entre Nos by Paola Mendoza & Gloria La Morte

Entre Nos by Paola Mendoza & Gloria LaMorte, 2008 Grantee
Entre Nos was released theatrically by IndiePix in May and is now available on both cable VOD and on DVD.

Girl Model by David Redmon & Ashley Sabin, 2009 Grantee
Girl Model, now in post-production, was selected to receive support from the Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program in June.

Gasland by Josh Fox, 2009 Sundance Reach Fund Grantee
Following its premiere at Sundance and other festival screenings, Gasland premiered on HBO this summer, and can be seen on demand. Through community and online outreach, Gasland has galvanized viewers to protest the practice of hydraulic fracturing and its environmental impact. A screening tour in August and September, presented by Rooftop Films and the Fledgling Fund, will bring the film to more audiences.

Habibi Rasak Kharban by Susan Youssef, 2009 Grantee
Habibi Rasak Kharban, now in post-production, participated in IFP’s Independent Filmmaker Labs for Narratives. Additionally, Youssef was profiled in Filmmaker Magazine’s annual “25 New Faces” in filmmaking talent.

Look, Stranger by Arielle Javitch, 2009 Grantee
Javitch was profiled in Filmmaker Magazine’s “25 New Faces” in filmmaking talent as Look, Stranger undergoes post-production.

Pariah by Dee Rees

Pariah by Dee Rees, 2009 & 2010 Grantee
Pariah participated in IFP’s Independent Filmmaker Labs for Narratives and is currently in post-production.

Project Kashmir by Senain Kheshgi & Geeta Patel, 2006 Grantee
Project Kashmir made its broadcast premiere in May on PBS’ Independent Lens series.

Pushing the Elephant by Beth Davenport & Elizabeth Mandel, 2008 Grantee
Pushing the Elephant made its world premiere at the Human Rights Watch Film Festival, followed by a special presentation at The Global Health 2010 Conference. The film is also included in the International Documentary Association’s 2010 DocuWeeks showcase and will be shown in New York and Los Angeles theaters in August. The film will be broadcast on Independent Lens in March 2011, during a series on women’s empowerment. Leading up to that date, there will be a series of screenings and events with select partners to reach audiences who are concerned about the issues presented in the film.

Summer Pasture by Lynn True, Nelson Walker III & Tsering Perlo

Summer Pasture by Lynn True, Nelson Walker III & Tsering Perlo, 2008 Grantee
Summer Pasture made its world premiere at the Full Frame Film Festival, where it received the Inspiration Award Honorable Mention. It has since been a selection of the Nantucket Film Festival and others, and it will have its international premiere at the Locarno Film Festival, as a part of the Critics Week showcase. The film is also included in the International Documentary Association’s 2010 DocuWeeks showcase, to be shown in New York and Los Angeles theaters in August.

The Mosuo Sisters by Marlo Poras & Yu Ying Wu Chou, 2009 Grantee
Recently The Mosuo Sisters, in production, was awarded the support of the Gucci Tribeca Documentary Fund and the Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program, as well as a production grant from the LEF Foundation.

Two Gates of Sleep by Alistair Banks Griffin, 2009 Grantee
Two Gates of Sleep had its world premiere at Cannes, as part of the Director’s Fortnight showcase.

What Tomorrow Brings by Beth Murphy, 2010 Grantee
What Tomorrow Brings was awarded a production grant by the LEF Foundation.

Untitled Gay Retiree Documentary by PJ Raval, 2009 Grantee
Untitled Gay Retiree Documentary was awarded a production grant by the LEF Foundation.

Excerpts from a letter about ViewChange (contest updated deadline Sept. 3 at 12 noon) from Danny Glover, courtesy of Link TV:

On April 30th, 2010, Link TV, the largest independent TV broadcaster in the country, launched the ViewChange Online Film Contest – to find short films showing how international development efforts are making progress towards achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Link TV wants to see the personal stories behind these global targets, and is offering $50,000 in cash prizes to the best films.

OPPORTUNITY FOR FILMMAKERS
Online voters will help determine the finalists, after which a judging panel including Danny Glover, Gael Garcia Bernal, Wim Wenders, Senator Daniel K. Inouye, Angelique Kidjo, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie will select the winners and announce them in October.

In addition to cash prizes, winners and finalists’ videos will be nationally broadcast on Link TV and the finalists’ films will be showcased at major events in New York City and Washington D.C. All six category winners will be included in ViewChange.org, a cutting-edge digital media hub launching in November 2010.

CONTEST CATEGORIES & DETAILS
Entrants to the contest will be able to submit films five minutes or less to any one of several categories – learn more here. The winner in each category will earn a $5,000 prize, and the Grand Prize winner will receive $20,000. Contestants can upload their submissions until the extended deadline of Sept. 3  at noon to the project’s website: ViewChangeFilmContest.org.

Independent writer/director Tze Chun gave an advising session for the Reach Film Fellows during the 2010 Reach Film Fellowship at Cinereach. Tze shared some advice based on his experience making a short film, Window Breaker, and a feature, Children of Invention, in which children are the main characters.

This video (shot by Miranda Rhyne and edited by Stephan Greil; additional editing by Nicole Woo) is the second of three with Tze, and includes advice about directing child actors on set.

Key Points from “Working with Child Actors on Set”

When working with child actors, it’s important that they trust you and feel encouraged when they do something right. At the same time, you and your crew must maintain a professional relationship to them, rather than going overboard with affection or being overly indulgent.

Keeping the relationship within these boundaries creates an environment where your child actors can feel comfortable speaking up when they aren’t happy about something, but will do so in a professional manner.

If a kid freezes up on set, there is usually a direct cause that you can attribute the behavior to, and there is often a simple solution. Giving them a choice between two options can help if they are tired or cranky, for example, offering the option of working for another hour and being done for the day, or taking a short break before continuing for a longer period of time.

Kids might assume they’ve done something wrong when the director calls cut, or calls for another take. It is important to take a moment to explain to them the reason you are cutting (microphone noise, blocking, lighting, whatever it might be).

Just like with adult actors, child actors can have trouble delivering lines when they don’t have enough context for them. It can be helpful to ask the children questions about what is happening in the scene so you can deepen their interpretation of the actions and emotions.

Dialogue written by adults can seem unnatural when coming out of a child actor’s mouth. Tze suggests including the child in the process of making subtle changes to the lines so that they are more natural.

Being open to surprises or additional layers a kids might bring to a moment can be beneficial and create a more natural experience. It also lets child actors feel like they are an integral part of the process.

Be sure that kids are comfortable enough with the story that they understand the “big picture” of the film and can deliver their lines accordingly.

When directing child actors, don’t put too much emphasis on one action. They may become overly anxious about it, or focus too much, and create an unnatural performance. Instead, give them a sequence of a few different actions so the important ones don’t get unnatural emphasis.

Always have a backup plan for how to cover an important scene or action when shooting with kids. If something is not working after multiple takes, instead of continuing to repeat it, try another tactic.

Watch more videos from inside RFF:

A Conversation with Tze Chun Part I: Casting Child Actors
A Conversation with Mike Simmonds: Working with a DP

During Cinereach’s 2010 Reach Film Fellowship, Director of Photography Mike Simmonds led an advising session.

In this video (shot by Miranda Rhyne and edited by Stephan Greil) Mike shares his perspective on the director/DP relationship, drawing from his experience working with directors like Ramin Bahrani, Ira Sachs and Robert Siegel. See below for some key points from the video, and come back soon for more videos from inside the Reach Film Fellowship. You can watch a previous video, featuring Writer/Director Tze Chun here.

Key Points from “Working with a DP”

When selecting a Director of Photography to work with, Mike advises meeting with candidates first in a casual setting, not necessarily discussing film or the project at-hand right away. Look for compatibility, mutual respect and the potential for a true collaboration first.

Speak to other directors a DP has worked with to find out what their working relationship was like, or learn of any red flags.

While working with a DP on set, the DP and director should welcome each other’s suggestions and constructive criticisms, maintaining a calm and respectful tone. Both should feel comfortable weighing in on blocking, lighting setup, etc. without being overly rigid about each other’s roles.

The DP must be able to efficiently cover a scene or action in a manner that will make sense in the edit, within the time available. The DP and AD set the pace of the day, and speak up when the production is in danger of not making its day.

Before heading into a production, Mike suggests knowing how you would shoot each of your scenes in one shot, even if you don’t end up doing so, to force yourself to decide who is most important in that scene.

Mike advises that creating storyboards works best when preparing to shoot on a set or a constructed location. When your locations are real places, he suggests shooting stills or video (while also scouting the locations at the time of day you’ll be there during production) in order to map out your shots and understand lighting needs.

Shooting your film in a simplistic style, with as small and efficient a crew as possible, is the best way to learn from the process. It also allows you to focus on telling your story clearly and effectively.

When you’re not in production, Mike recommends watching as many films as possible, developing an inventory of images in your head. These images train your eyes and can can be used as frames of reference when you are shooting your own films.

More videos from inside RFF:

A Conversation with Tze Chun Part I: Casting Child Actors
A Conversation with Tze Chun Part II: Working with Child Actors on Set

The deadline for the 2011 Reach Film Fellowship (RFF) is quickly approaching! All applications must be submitted via our online form by midnight (EST) July 12th. Any sample materials or references/recommendations you plan on mailing to the Cinereach offices must be postmarked by July 12th.

Please visit the how to apply page to get started. For tips on applying from last year’s Fellows, please click here. And for an inside look at the RFF program, check out our behind-the-scenes video from RFF 2010. We’ve also recently posted a video containing excerpts from an RFF advising workshop with Writer/Director Tze Chun about casting child actors.

If you have any questions regarding eligibility or anything related to the application process, feel free to email us at info@thereachfilmfellowship.com.

Courtesy of IFP:

For the second year IFP is collaborating with the United Nation’s Department of Public Information to present ENVISION – a forum uniting the filmmaking community, civil society organizations, activists, journalists, public policy makers, NGOs, and the general public in the shared goal of envisioning a better world for all and achieving impact through media.

The Spotlight Focus in 2010 from the UN’s Millennium Development Goals is the goal of universal education. Screenings of Cinereach grantee Jennifer Arnold’s A Small Act (HBO Documentaries), and Davis Guggenheim’s Waiting for Superman (Paramount Vantage), will be accompanied by discussions on challenges to achieving education globally, the impact of individual action and philanthropy, and current issues around the U.S. education crisis.

To purchase tickets and for details on the program, to be held Saturday, July 10 at the Times Center, click here. Tickets are $25 (a $10 discount) if you use code IFPENV.

A Small Act, by Cinereach grantees Jennifer Arnold and Patti Lee, is a great addition to the ongoing debate on whether documentaries in support of a cause make an impact. Set against recent violence and turmoil in Kenya, and framed by the challenges Kenyan children face in their pursuit of an education, the story at the heart of A Small Act illustrates the positive repercussions of individual action.

The film is no doubt increasing awareness of the issues it depicts, but it has also inspired many viewers to follow in the footsteps of the film’s protagonists. The Hilde Back Education Fund (HBEF), the organization whose work funding school tuition is featured in the film, has received over $340,000 in donations since the film’s premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival (including funds from audience members who wrote checks and handed them to the filmmakers immediately following screenings and other sources). All the contributions made to the project will have meaningful impact, as the HBEF will now be able to offer its support to more students, over a larger number of years.

From L to R: Director Jennifer Arnold and the subjects of A Small Act, Chris Mburu, Hilde Back and Jane Wanjiru Muigai

We look forward to seeing what other actions the film will inspire with its upcoming HBO premiere, July 12th. HBO has created a partnership with Network for Good. Their link leads to over 1.8 million causes and foundations that can use support, including the Hilde Back Education Fund, and local programs looking for volunteers.

On July 10th in NYC, A Small Act will be featured in Envision 2010. This annual forum, presented by IFP and the United Nations’ Department of Public Information, addresses global issues through the lens of documentary films. This year’s Envision looks at solutions to education crises, and a panel following the screening of A Small Act will explore how the film’s story could be translated onto a larger scale throughout Africa and the world. This panel will include Chris Mburu, the main subject of A Small Act and the founder of the HBEF.