Up Heartbreak Hill by Erica Scharf will screen and receive feedback at the next meeting of DocuClub, Wednesday, January 27, 7 p.m., at 92YTribeca, 200 Hudson Street (at Canal).

Admission is free for current DocuClub members and $8 for non-members. Only DocuClub members who plan to attend need to RSVP. Membership is an annual $50 and includes free admission to all DocuClub events. Joining online is easy.

Up Heartbreak Hill is a documentary that chronicles the lives of Thomas, Tamara and Gabby—three Native American teenagers in Navajo, New Mexico—as they navigate their senior year at a reservation high school. As graduation nears, they must decide whether to stay in their community—a place inextricably woven into the fiber of their being—or leave in pursuit of opportunities elsewhere. Largely isolated from mainstream America, they hesitate to separate from their families and traditions, rooted to home in equal parts by love, obligation and fear. Tribal elders urge members of the younger generation to leave, acquire an education or learn a trade, and return home with the skills to help their people. But, with an unemployment rate near 58% and a per capita income under $4,600, Navajo has few prospects. Thomas, Tamara and Gabby each bear amazing strength and promise, but all are products of their environment, and it is the same community that has set before them so many challenges that now asks them to become the leaders that will reshape the Navajo Nation. Their battles to shape their identities as both Native American and modern American lie at the heart of the film.

Director: Erica Scharf
Producer: Christina D. King
Executive Producer: Chris Eyre
Editors: Cindy Lee and Isaac Wayton

Almudena Carracedo (Emmy-award winning Director and Producer of the documentary Made in L.A. ) will moderate.

From DocuClub:

Once again, we are thrilled to partner with Tribeca All Access for our November DocuClub. The screening will take place on Wednesday, November 18, 7 p.m., at the Tribeca Cinemas, located at 54 Varick Street (corner of Laight, on block below Canal). You can take the 1, A, C, E, trains to Canal Street.

We will screen a rough cut of BEIJING TAXI by Miao Wang. The feature-length documentary vividly portrays the ancient capital of China going through a profound transformational arch. Through a humanistic lens, the intimate lives of three taxi drivers thread through the morphing city of Beijing confronted with modern issues and changing values. Though each faced with their own struggles with modernity, the three characters radiate a warm sense of humanity. With stunning imagery of Beijing combined with a contemporary score rich in atmosphere, the audience experiences a visceral sense of the common citizens’ persistent attempts to grasp the elusive. Its society is living through enormous contradictions adjusting to a new capitalist system from a Communist-ruled and educated society. BEIJING TAXI uses the Olympic games as the backdrop for the film. The Olympics is the biggest metaphor and China’s coming-out party to mark this era of China in transition. Candid and perceptive in its filming approach and highly cinematic and moody in style, BEIJING TAXI takes us on a lyrical journey into fragments of a society riding the bumpy roads to modernization. Though the destination is unknown, they continue to forge ahead.

Born and raised in Beijing, Director Miao Wang immigrated to the United States in 1990. Her first documentary, YELLOW OX MOUNTAIN, has screened at over twenty festivals, received a Best Short Film Award and a broadcast on WNET Thirteen. Wang has worked as an assistant at Maysles Films, and has edited documentaries for PBS and programs for National Geographic. For BEIJING TAXI, Wang has received grants from the Sundance Documentary Fund, the Jerome Foundation, and the New York State Council for the Arts. She has participated in the IFP Filmmaker’s Lab, Tribeca All Access, and Independent Film Week and currently splits her time between New York and Beijing. BEIJING TAXI is her first feature-length documentary.

Producer Ivana Stolkiner was born in Argentina, and moved to New York in 1998. After graduating with honors from Hunter College’s film program in 2004, Stolkiner assisted the producers of Kartemquin Films in several award-winning documentaries–MAPPING STEM CELL RESEARCH: TERRA INCOGNITA, MILKING THE RHINO and IN THE FAMILY, among others. She has assisted Engel Entertainment in films for the Discovery Channel and National Geographic, and has also served as an associate producer at Pacific Street for the documentaries IN DEBT WE TRUST and BEYOND WISE GUYS.

Editor Sikay Tang received her film training with Spike Lee’s production of JUNGLE FEVER (1991) and MALCOM X (1992). A year later, during the making of her first video, Tang began her interest in film editing. Her editing credits include the documentaries CHISHOLM 72: UNBOUGHT AND UNBOSSED (2004) by Shola Lunch, and THE GOOD SOLDIER (2009) by Michael Uys and and Lexy Lovell. Tang works as a film and video editor and lives in New York City.

Our moderator will be Adella Ladjevardi, Grants Manager at Cinereach, a not-for-profit organization that facilitates the creation of films that “challenge, excite, innovate, offer new perspectives and inspire action.” Most recently, she was the Associate Producer for 2009’S MY NEIGHBOR, MY KILLER, a documentary feature by Emmy-award winner Anne Aghion. Ladjevardi was also Associate Producer for the four-hour cut of acclaimed filmmaker Jennifer Fox’s 2008 documentary mini-series FLYING: CONFESSIONS OF A FREE WOMAN, broadcast on the BBC and SBS; and served as the Distribution and Outreach Manager for the educational and non-theatrical markets for FLYING’s six-hour version. Prior to working with Fox, Adella worked for three years in marketing and publicity at documentary film distributor Icarus Films. She was also Associate Producer of Tanaz Eshaghian’s 2002 short doc I CALL MYSELF PERSIAN: IRANIANS IN AMERICA, broadcast on PBS and screened at MoMA’s Documentary Fortnight. Ladjevardi received a BFA in photography from the Rhode Island School of Desig

Admission is free for current DocuClub members and $6 for non-members.

If you plan to attend, please RSVP to docuclub@artsengine.net.

Membership is an annual $50 and it includes free admission to all DocuClub events. It takes five minutes to join online at www.artsengine.net/store/#tools_consul.

About DocuClub
DocuClub is Arts Engine’s monthly film screening series of works-in-progress documentaries. For more info, please go to: www.docuclub.org.

Each month MediaRights.org (part of Cinereach sister organization Arts Engine) selects a video clip from a social-issue piece of media and presents it to visitors to watch, comment-on and forward to peers. This new staple of their site, called 90-Second Cinema, will feature Clips that are no longer than ninety seconds and, for each one, highlight how a creative or artful approach was employed to tell a story with impact. 90-Second Cinema is a quick and instructive way to collect tips on the art and craft of socially relevant storytelling.

This month, the site features a clip from The Devil Came on Horseback, and notes how several different types of source material were used in one sequence to powerful effect. Annie Sundberg (who made the film along with Ricki Stern) is a mentor of RFF 2010 Fellow Nadia Hallgren and has been advising Nadia on the craft of socially relevant storytelling as it relates to Nadia’s film, Love Lockdown.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Reva Goldberg (reva@cinereach.org)
Cinereach, 212.727.3224 x111

CINEREACH SELECTS 2010 REACH FILM FELLOWS

2008 Fellowʼs Film Premiered on POV

Marilyn Agrelo (Mad Hot Ballroom), Laurie Collyer (Sherrybaby), Annie Sundberg (The Devil Came on Horseback), Jeremy Kipp Walker (Cold Souls) sign on as mentors.

www.cinereach.org

New York, NY (September, 2009) – Cinereach has announced the names of the 2010 Reach Film Fellows and their mentors, launching the third year of a program that nurtures socially conscious filmmakers at early stages in their careers.

The Reach Film Fellowship (RFF) is a unique and intensive six-month program in which four filmmakers work with individual mentors, a team of advisors, and Cinereach staff to take their short fiction and nonfiction films from concept to completion. RFF fellows each receive a $5,000 grant and production resources. At the conclusion of the fellowship cycle, an additional $5,000 award will be presented to one of the four Fellows for the completion and distribution of his or her RFF film.

“Weʼve seen how access to mentorship and advising from successful independent filmmakers really makes the difference for those just starting out,” said Cinereach Founder and Executive Director Philipp Engelhorn. “Itʼs critical to encourage young filmmakers who are inclined towards making films of social relevance, and to help them do that effectively through cinematic storytelling.”

Past RFF mentors have included Albert Maysles, Nicole Kassell, Rachel Grady, So Yong Kim, and Sandi DuBowski and this yearʼs participants represents another dynamic cross-section of important indie filmmakers: Marilyn Agrelo (Mad Hot Ballroom), Laurie Collyer (Sherrybaby), Annie Sundberg (The Devil Came on Horseback) and Jeremy Kipp Walker (Cold Souls).

This yearʼs program also gives the fellows the opportunity to work with consulting producers Susan Leber (Down to the Bone) and Yoni Brook (Bronx Princess) throughout the months-long experience. Master classes are offered throughout the program, lead by advisors like Director and Cinematographer Ellen Kuras (The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Summer of Sam), Dan Cogan, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Impact Partners, Director Edet Belzberg (Children Underground, The Recruiter) and more.

The 2010 Reach Film Fellows, Mentors and films are:

• Nadia Hallgren (mentored by Annie Sundberg) Love Lockdown (nonfiction): A popular late-night hip-hop radio host is the on-air go-between for three incarcerated men and the women they love on the outside.

• Courtney Hope (mentored by Jeremy Kipp Walker) Wild Birds (fiction): Two little girls enter the woods to play at being “wild” and we learn what they are actually running from as the story unfolds.

• Gabriel Long (mentored by Laurie Collyer) Brothers (fiction): Two young boys live in the shadow of an abusive father. One boy grapples with sexual identity and the other becomes his unlikely protector.

• Anthony Morrison (mentored by Marilyn Agrelo) Our Principal Intent (nonfiction): A determined school principal embarks on a search for undocumented autistic children among minority and low-income populations.

“This year there will be a lot of emphasis on helping our fellows think strategically about audience building and distribution strategy,” said Reva Goldberg who runs the Fellowship at Cinereach. “Many new challenges and opportunities face filmmakers in todayʼs industry and we want to help our Fellows launch sustainable careers.”

The first RFF workshop of the year took place earlier this month; first a pre-production preparedness talk from Yoni Brook and Susan Leber, then a brainstorming session on audience building and distribution strategy from Dan Cogan (Impact Partners), Leah Sapin (Arts Engine) and Nekisa Cooper (2008 Sundance Institute Creative Producing Fellow).

In an effort to share lessons learned behind closed doors during the fellowship more widely, the Cinereach staff will also build a network of film educators who can elect to receive learning tools and resources that grow from fellowship workshops.

2008 Fellow Annie Waldman premiered her RFF short So The Wind Wonʼt Blow it All Away at Sundance 2009. It aired September 22nd on PBSʼ acclaimed P.O.V. series alongside Yoni Brookʼs Bronx Princess (a Cinereach grant recipient). Updates regarding all former and current fellows and grantees are tracked on the Cinereach blog at cinereach.org.

About Cinereach
Cinereach was created in 2006 by young filmmakers, philanthropists and entrepreneurs to champion vital stories, artfully told. The young not-for-profit facilitates the creation of films that challenge, excite, innovate, offer new perspectives and inspire action through three initiatives: Grants & Awards, The Reach Film Fellowship and Productions. Cinereach has awarded well over $2.5 million in grants and achievement awards to more than 40 feature films. Recent highlights include October Country, a new documentary by Michael Palmieri and Donal Mosher, which won Best American Documentary at Silverdocs and Entre Nos a fiction film by Paola Mendoza and Gloria La Morte, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival this year and took home an Audience Award at the Newport International Film Festival. Both films continue to garner accolades on the national and international festival circuit.

The Reach Film Fellowship is a granting and mentorship program (entering its third year) in which Cinereach helps four young filmmakers produce socially conscious shorts. Cinereach Productions is currently in development on two feature film projects. Cinereach also forms collaborative funding partnerships with other nonprofit organizations including Arts Engine, Rooftop Films and the Sundance Institute.

DocuClub is Arts Engine’s film screening series of works-in-progress documentaries. Every month at DocuClub a filmmaker presents a rough cut of his or her film to DocuClub members and the public, which is followed by a facilitated discussion. Past films have included Born Into Brothels (Academy Award for Best Documentary, 2004) and other major independent films.

If your film is between 45 and 95 minutes, in the rough cut stage, and has specific challenges you would like to workshop, please mail a clearly labeled DVD screener to the address below. (Your screener will not be returned unless you provide a SASE.)

Felix Endara
Filmmaker Services Coordinator


Arts Engine, Inc.


104 West 14th Street, 4th Floor


New York, NY 10011

For more information, visit DocuClub here.

This evening DocuClub will screen two rough cuts of short documentaries. The first film, EL BONDERA, by Sherif Sadek chronicles the story of two cab drivers in Cairo as they focus viewers’ eyes on a world of inadequate meter prices and their day-to-day struggle to survive. For more information on the film and the filmmaker, please click here. In the second film, REPUBLICAN DAD, filmmaker Robert Hatch-Miller sets out to document his dad’s campaign for the U.S. House of Representatives. The resulting short film tells the story of a son who doesn’t want to be like his father. To view the trailer click here.

Can’t make it to DocuClub? Visit their online discussion forum, Talk Back, following tonight’s screenings for a recap and a chance to add to the conversation.

9th Annual Media That Matters Film Festival

Tomorrow, June 3rd is the world premiere of the Media That Matters Film Festival. Not in NYC? Not to worry since the films will also be available online. Click here to learn about the films or to buy tickets for tomorrow’s premiere.

6th Annual Grassroots Media Conference

Cinereach and Arts Engine will be hosting a screening and discussion at the 2009 Grassroots Media Conference, which will take place this Saturday, May 30th at Hunter College in Manhattan. Former Reach Film Fellow Annie P. Waldman will be screening her short film, AND SO THE WIND WON’T BLOW IT ALL AWAY and discussing Cinereach’s RFF program. Ben Hershon will screen his short film, AFRICAN UNDERGROUND: HIP HOP IN SENEGAL, which was featured in last year’s Media That Matters Film Festival.  Both organizations will have staff present to answer questions about their involvement with the films, and how to build an audience for a short film. For more info on this event please click here and for info on our screening please click here.