LGBT Film Fest + 2 New Films This Weekend at THE NEON.

Hello Everyone,

I had such a great time in Toronto!  Thanks for so many of your well-wishes.  I saw some really wonderful films and met some incredibly talented people.  What a blast!  Reviewing my notes from last year’s festival, I had 8 films that topped my list of favorites.  Over the past several months, we’ve managed to bring 7 of those films to THE NEON…and #8 – I KILLED MY MOTHER – screens this Friday as part of The 5th Annual Downtown Dayton LGBT Film Festival.  (The other 7 were A SINGLE MAN, MICMACS, I AM LOVE, BRIGHT STAR, FISH TANK, BROKEN EMBRACES, and AN EDUCATION.)  In the coming days, I’ll assemble my “Toronto Wrap-Up” – and I’ll keep you posted as to where you can read that.

The projection booth will be busy at THE NEON this weekend.  In addition to the LGBT Film Fest, we have 2 films opening – RESTREPO and WILD GRASS – as well as 2 films holding.  The schedule changes quite a bit, so make certain you look at the times listed below.  (As an FYI – this will more than likely be the final week for GET LOW.   WILD GRASS will 100% play for one week only!)

Synopsis for RESTREPO: “To make their bracingly visceral documentary Restrepo, winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, award-winning journalists Tim Hetherington (Liberia: An Uncivil War) and Sebastian Junger (the books The Perfect Storm and the upcoming War) embedded with the soldiers of Second Platoon, Battle Company, as they fought to build and maintain a remote 15-man outpost in Afghanistan’s rugged Korengal Valley named “Restrepo,” after a platoon medic who was killed in action, which was one of the most dangerous postings in the U.S. military. Hetherington and Junger avoid outside commentary and politics to present the war as it is actually lived by soldiers, through their own eyes and in their own words – their backbreaking labor, deadly firefights, boredom and camaraderie – the terrifying and exhilarating experiences they can never forget.” (taken from movieweb.com)  With the access that these soldiers had, it’s incredible that this film was even made.

Synopsis for WILD GRASS: “Alain Resnais, one of the towering figures of the French New Wave, demonstrates he still has plenty to say in this drama based on a novel by Christian Gailly. Marguerite (Sabine Azéma) is a successful dentist with a busy practice and an offbeat hobby, flying small airplanes. One day, while running errands, Marguerite loses her wallet, and it’s found by Georges (André Dussollier), a seemingly happy man with a wife, Suzanne (Anne Consigny), and two children (Vladimir Consigny and Sara Forestier). As Georges looks through the wallet and examines the photos of Marguerite, he finds he’s fascinated with her and her life, and soon his curiosity about her becomes an obsession. Georges’ attempts to integrate himself into Marguerite’s life begin to alarm her, and she hires a private security team (Mathieu Amalric and Michel Vuillermoz) to keep him away, but Georges is determined that his new love for her will not be denied. Les Herbes Folles (aka Wild Grass) received its world premiere at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.” (Mark Deming, Rovi)

The Downtown Dayton LGBT Film Festival starts Friday, and we still have plenty of single tickets left!  (Single tickets are just $8.00 each.)  My mantra this year: “You don’t have to be Greek to go to the Greek Festival…you just have to love music, dancing and great food!  You don’t have to be gay to go to the LGBT Film Festival…you just have to love good films.”
Check out the official website for images and trailers at www.daytonlgbt.com.  We’re flying in 4 artists from NYC and L.A. to attend this year’s festival.  Casper Andreas – director of VIOLET TENDENCIES (Saturday, Sept. 25 at 9:30), Sarah Louise Lilley – star & producer of NOTHING HAPPENED and Jessica Provenz – writer and producer of NOTHING HAPPENED (Saturday, Sept. 25 at 3:00), and Heath Daniels – writer, star and producer of GO-GO REJECT (also on Saturday, Sept. 25 at 3:00) will attend the fest.  I hope they’ll have a warm reception with an enthusiastic crowd at each screening – please help to make it happen.  We also need your help spreading the word in order to make this the best festival yet!  Below is a trailer from Saturday night’s film – A MARINE STORY.  With the Senate’s decision to turn down the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” there couldn’t be a more timely film.

Here’s more great news.  On Oct. 1, we will begin a one-week run of THE ELEPHANT IN THE LIVING ROOM.  “The Elephant in the Living Room is an award winning documentary about the controversial world of raising the deadliest and most exotic animals on earth as common household pets.  The story follows the journey of two men at the heart of the issue.  One, Tim Harrison, an Oakwood, Ohio police officer whose mission is to protect exotic animals and the public, and the other, Terry Brumfield, a big-hearted man who struggles to keep two pet African lions that he loves like his own family.
Since its premiere in Dayton, Ohio earlier this year, the movie has been playing to sold out crowds all over the country. It has been selected by no less than fifteen film festivals from New York to Chicago to Los Angeles and winning three BEST DOCUMENTARY awards, including one from  Academy Award winning director Michael Moore who called the film ‘One of the scariest, most entertaining and technically perfect documentaries.'” (taken from press notes)

Living City Film Fest is at it again!  This year, the festival will be a celebration of the career of Jeff Bridges.  Here’s the line-up:
THE BIG LEBOWSKI (sponsored by Dublin Pub) – Oct. 15, 16 at 10PM, Oct. 18 at 7PM
THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS (sponsored by Downtown Dayton Partnership) – Oct. 25 at 7PM
THE LAST PICTURE SHOW (sponsored by Chisano Marketing) – Nov. 1 at 7PM
THUNDERBOLT AND LIGHTFOOT (sponsored by Jeff Martin Florist) – Nov. 8 at 7PM
RANCHO DELUXE (sponsored by CityWide Development) – Nov. 15 at 7PM
Single tickets will be $8 each available before each show.  A festival pass (available soon) will be just $30 for all five screenings.

With all that’s going on, we hope to see you this weekend.  There’s truly something for everyone!

Take care,
Jonathan