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WSU Big Lens Festival To Be Held at The Drive-In

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Wright State University’s acclaimed Motion Pictures program will present its annual Big Lens Film Festival Thursday, April 22nd at 8pm at Dayton’s Dixie Twin Drive-In.

For the first time, in order to accommodate COVID-conscious viewing requirements, the Big Lens Film Festival will take place outdoor, with audience members viewing from the safety of their cars. Big Lens has become an annual tradition in the regional film community as a celebration of the graduating students being showcased.

This year’s films are the culmination of up to two years of preparation and production – all of it made more challenging by an abrupt halt to production, and then the added requirements of following industry standards for COVID-safe conditions for filming, editing and preparing these premieres. The chance to see these films on a very large screen at Dixie Twin will be a joyful culmination to these filmmakers’ four years as students in the Tom Hanks Center for Motion Pictures.

 

Festival Director, Instructor of Motion Pictures Jeremy Bolden says, “This year’s Big Lens will have films from 2020 graduates, as well as 2021 graduates. Almost everything you’ll see on the screen was either finished, or entirely created during the COVID-19 Pandemic. A large part of the filmmaking process is problem solving, and our students have and continued to put in a tremendous amount of work to create content and tell stories that are important to them.”

The Disaster Mitzvah

Department of Theatre, Dance and Motion Pictures Chair, Joe Deer, says, “The Big Lens Film Festival is always a great event. But, this year is special, seeing a group of students that have banded together to make films while much of their industry has had to go on hiatus. I have such admiration for them and for their gifted faculty and staff, who have gone so many extra miles to make this event possible. I don’t think any of these filmmakers will ever forget this festival.”

This year’s films include:

  • Will I Make it Thru the Springtime, Music Video, Directed by Adam Clark
  • 27 Pages of Notes, Documentary, Directed by Parker Bowling
  • MAGGIE & SARAH, Short, Directed by Ella Price
  • Meat*, Animation, Directed by Vincent Short
  • Sick and Tired, Music Video, Directed by Adam Clark
  • CANVAS, Documentary, Directed by Ryder Caldwell
  • The Disaster Mitzvah*, Animation, Directed by Brandon Werwa
  • DEON, Documentary, Directed by Danny Fain
  • You May Feel, Animation, Directed by Joe Greenwell
  • I’m Lonely Even Though I’m Not Alone, Music Video, Directed by Parker Bowling
  • APOTHEOSIS, Short, Directed by Ella Price
  • Gooey Goats*, Animation, Directed by Ben Young

* Denotes 2020 Graduate.

Graduates of the Department of Theatre, Dance and Motion Pictures who have participated in this festival have gone on to win Emmy and Academy Awards and to lead the film and television industry in Southwest Ohio and the nation.

The Festival screening will take place Thursday, April 22nd, with gates opening at 7:00pm. The showings will begin a sunset (approximately 8pm). A suggested cash/check donation of $10 per person can be made at the gate. Patrons are expected to follow COVID precautions while viewing films at the Dixie Twin Drive-In

This article originally appeared on

Whats Happening at The Neon

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After a great weekend celebrating the beloved & ground-breaking Dayton band Brainiac, we’re about to move on to a music icon known as “The Queen of Soul.”  On Friday, we’re excited to open the incredible and soul-stirring documentary with Aretha Franklin – AMAZING GRACE.  We will also hold both THE AFTERMATHand THE PUBLIC for one more week.
Synopsis for AMAZING GRACE: Rated “98% Fresh” on rottentomatoes.com! “A documentary presenting the live recording of Aretha Franklin’s Grammy-winning album AMAZING GRACE at The New Bethel Baptist Church in Watts, Los Angeles in January 1972.” This film has never been released…Until Now! Audiences and critics are raving.  THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE wrote, “In AMAZING GRACE, Franklin’s vocals are pristine and elastic, her control of her instrument absolute.”  ROLLING STONE wrote, “The voice of Aretha Franklin is touched by God…They say good things are worth waiting for. This shining light of a film proves it.” And NEW YORK MAGAZINE wrote, “It is a transcendent film.” Click the image below to visit the film’s official site.
On Friday, April 26 at 7:15, McKinley United Methodist Church & Mound Street Academy has rented out our space for a special benefit screening of AMAZING GRACE.  A handful of tickets remain for this screening and can be purchased for $25 each by calling the church at (937)228-1263.  Funds raised will go toward special youth work at the John Moore Center.
“After growing up in the city, Daytonian Joseph Hadlock spent his last high school year learning about organic/sustainable farming at Carriage Hill Farm – where David Vetter ran the farm; his knowledge and passion for organic farming taught and inspired many (including Hadlock). Thus, it’s with great enthusiasm that Hadlock is bringing the new film DREAMING OF A VETTER WORLD to town on Sunday, April 28 at 3:00. Journey to the American heartland in Bonnie Hawthorne’s documentary, which features one visionary Nebraska farm family who understood that modern agriculture was ailing, and found a cure. David Vetter will be at the screening and will have a Q&A after the movie. Tickets are $10 and all the proceeds will go towards increasing the exposure of the movie and there will be free popcorn from the Vetter Farm/The Grain Place.” (taken from press notes) Tickets are on sale now at THE NEON’s box office and via our official ticketing site.
On Wednesday, May 1 at 7:30, Calico TNR is partnering with tugg to bring the film THE CAT RESCUERS to town.  “An estimated half a million feral and abandoned cats prowl the streets, backyards and alleys of New York City, desperate for food and shelter. Meet Sassee, Claire, Tara and Stu, four passionate volunteers in Brooklyn who have come to their rescue because the city can’t. THE CAT RESCUERS shows the skill, resilience and humor they bring to this challenging work, and how their mission to reduce animal suffering, often at great sacrifice to themselves, has made a difference and changed their lives.”  This film is now 100% confirmed to screen.  To reserve your ticket, visit this LINK.
BATHTUBS OVER BROADWAY, a special little gem of a documentary, is coming to town for two screenings – Saturday, May 18 at Noon and Sunday, May 19 at 3:00.  This doc has been screening at festivals and winning awards, and it is currently rated “100% Fresh” on Rottentomatoes!  “When he started as a comedy writer for the LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN, Steve Young had few interests outside of his day job. But while gathering material for a segment on the show, Steve stumbled onto a few vintage record albums that would change his life forever. Bizarre cast recordings – marked ‘internal use only’ – revealed full-throated Broadway-style musical shows about some of the most recognizable corporations in America: General Electric, McDonald’s, Ford, DuPont, Xerox. Steve didn’t know much about musical theater, but these recordings delighted him in a way that nothing ever had. BATHTUBS OVER BROADWAY follows Steve Young on his quest to find all he can about this hidden world…With David Letterman, Chita Rivera, Martin Short, Jello Biafra, Don Bolles, Florence Henderson, Susan Stroman, and more.”  After the Sunday screening on May 19, we will have three special guests holding a talk-back – Joe Deer (head of BFA Musical Theatre Dept. at Wright State), Jack Fiala (a consultant on the film) and Todd Ruel (a contributor to the film).  Take a look at the film’s trailer HERE.  Tickets are now on sale!
“The senior filmmakers of Wright State University’s award-winning Motion Pictures Program premiere their original short films at the 27th Annual BIG LENS FILM FESTIVAL on Sunday, May 5 at 5:30 and 8:00. This year’s films explore themes of mortality, religion, domestic abuse, gender, familial relationships, and workspace constructs. The festival features a range of comedy, drama, and animated films, and concludes with a Q&A with the directors.” Tickets, just $9 each, are on sale now.
“On Thursday, May 16 at 8pm, join the Reel Laughs comedians as they face their fiercest foe yet…the original Captain of the Marvel Universe: CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER. Laugh along as we learn valuable life lessons such as taking performance enhancing drugs is alright just as long you have moxie and you’re doing it with the approval of the federal government and an alcoholic mad scientist. It’s not shallow to fall in love with somebody until after they develop pecs and abs. Also unlike ugly people ,strong and sexy people don’t need training to skydive, wage war or fly experimental aircraft. May 16 at 8:00 pm. Tickets $10-12.”  Tickets available through eventbrite by following this LINK.
And if you like Broadway, mark your calendars…you won’t want to miss this!  On Thursday, June 13 at 7:30, we’ll bring one of my favorite films from this year’s Cleveland International Film Festival – LEONARD SOLOWAY’S BROADWAY.  More details coming soon…but if you can’t wait, check out the trailer HERE.

Neon Movies on Fifth Street

The Neon

130 E 5th St
Dayton, Ohio 45402-2420
(937) 222-7469
THE NEON is Dayton’s independent cinema.

7 Original Shorts to Premiere at Big Lens Film Festival

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The student filmmakers of Wright State University’s award-winning Motion Pictures Program will premiere their new thesis films at the 2018 Big Lens Film Festival at the Neon on May 27. This year’s festival will have two scheduled screenings of the films. The first screening starts at 5:30pm and the second will begin at 8pm, both ending with Q&A with the directors of the films.

Short films from Wright State’s Department of Theatre, Dance and Motion Pictures program have screened at top film festivals, including Sundance, and been Student Academy Award Nominees. Graduates of the WSU film program work in every aspect of Hollywood and independent film across the country. One WSU alum, Hannah Beachler, is the production designer of the smash hit BLACK PANTHER.

This year’s films dive into a number of contemporary issues and themes, including bullying, finding one’s identity in a digital age, familial relationships, racial tensions, loss, aging, and much more! Please note, these films do contain adult themes and language and may not be suitable for children under 15.

Tickets will be on sale for $10 through the Neon Box Office which is located at 130 East 5th Street in downtown Dayton.

 

Big Lens Film Festival Sunday at Neon

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The seniors from the award winning Motion Picture program at Wright State University are showcasing their thesis work at the annual Big Lens Film Festival. The film festival is returning on May 1st, 2016 at the Neon in downtown Dayton. There will be work from Joe Cook, Alan Lewin, Mitch Centers, Sydney Waltz, Brian Roll, C. B. Hovey, Jessica Barton, Michaela Scholl, and Eric Risher.
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SSome of the films you can expect to see:

THE TOOTH MAN COMETHAn aging salesman believes that stealing a baby tooth will make him become visible to others.

Director/Writer: Mitch Centers
Produced by: Jessica Barton and Liz Lowe
Director of Photography: Joe Cook

IN A WARM DARK PLACE
“In a Warm Dark Place” is psychological thriller about a mother and her relationship with her newborn son.
Written/Directed by: Sydney Waltz
Produced by: Sydney Waltz & Randy Miller
Cinematographer: Eryn Montgomery

TO CHILDREN ARDENT
Two young brothers turn their game of war into a mission to find out what has happened to their father.
Written by: Joe Cook
Directed by: Alan Lewin
Produced by: Michaela Scholl
Cinematographer: Joe Cook

The past participants in Big Lens Film Festival have won awards at festivals such as Slamdance, Student Academy Award, and Sundance. Tickets are $7 at the door and can be purchased at the Neon starting April 5th. After Big Lens please celebrate with us at our after party at the Dublin Pub from 9:45-12am. Appetizers will be provided and a cash bar will be available.If you would like more information on Big Lens contact Michaela Scholl, Production Manager at 614.302.8916 or BigLensFF2016@gmail.com
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Wright State Motion Pictures Program to Premiere Six New Films at BIG LENS FILM FESTIVAL

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1098167_654551394577971_1975119123_nBig Lens is back! Only 144 people will have the opportunity to be the first audience of the latest works from the award-winning Motion Pictures program at WSU, screening August 22 at the Neon Movies.  This year, Big Lens kicks off opening night at the annual FilmDayton Festival (August 22 – 25, www.filmdayton.com).  This weekend of feature films, short films, documentaries, and award winners from Sundance and South by Southwest will have Ohio premieres all weekend long!

In years past, the Big Lens film festival has been used as a launching pad for many WSU films, which have gone on to screen at Sundance, win Student Academy Awards, and play at major film festivals all around the globe! This show will include premieres of entirely new films, diverse in their subject matter and style.  Concluding the evening, a question-and-answer session will be held with the young filmmakers, who are eager to discuss their works. This year’s Big Lens includes, for the first time, FOUR films directed by women.  Like its predecessors, Big Lens 2013 will no doubt entertain, educate, enlighten, and excite.  Make sure to get your tickets at the Neon for $7.00 before they are sold out!  Check out the roster:

  

            Ember, written and directed by Maggie Rose Price, is a film that deals with the emotional and psychological trauma that comes with a history of violence. Still reeling from child abuse, a young woman searches for closure in an unusual way. A powerful and harrowing depiction of a survivor, Ember gives a voice to subject matter often left in the dark. Produced by Ellen Swisher with cinematography by Michael Lowendick.

Anomaly, written and directed by John Swansiger, recounts the story of David Worthington who is the final test subject of a new chemical experience which gives people the illusion of physically reliving a memory.  After suffering nearly fatal side effects David is withdrawn from the project. Despite his failing health, and driven by his addiction to the new product, David tries everything he can to go back to the memory and see a person of his past one last time.  Produced by Colin Brooks with cinematography by Christopher Flannery.

Punk Girl, the first narrative short by filmmaker team Megan Hague and Kyle Wilkinson is a day in the life portrait of a young punk who rebels against the static middle-class life she was offered as a child.  She searches for freedom in a series of one-night-stands, graffiti art, and punk shows while quietly longing to rekindle a severed connection with her family.  Produced by Emily Anne Evans.Punches and Pedicures

Punches and Pedicures, a documentary by filmmaker team Ash Brandon and Dennis Hohne, tell the story of Victor Pham, a Vietnamese immigrant who successfully escaped a life full of gang activity by moving from Oakland, California to rural Defiance, Ohio.  Now the owner of his own business, Victor strives to inspire local youth to overcome lives filled with trouble. He does so by mentoring them in one of the most brutal of sports in the most unlikely of places.

Before We Go, written and directed by Bryan McClurg, takes place on a summer afternoon when two college graduates cross paths outside their elementary school.  As the two explore the space of their childhood and reminisce, they wonder if they ever met as kids and – if not – what things would have been like if that had.  This reflective film deals with the passage of time and how our past comes to shape our present.  Produced by Chris Tung with cinematography by Adam Brixey.

Painted Lady, written and directed by Brittany A. Shyne, tells the story of a nine-year-old girl, played by Sumayah Chappelle, who experiences the first changes of womanhood.  A strained relationship with her mother leaves her on her own to navigate her changing body.  Painted Lady offers a poetic glimpse of the struggles of girlhood while telling a story very few of us have ever witnessed on screen. Produced by Cassie Ryan and John Saylor with cinematography by Jacob Ebel.

 

As submitted by Brittany A. Shyne via Press Release

FILL THE VOID Opening at THE NEON!

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51c0c6039431c-blog-fillthevoid-092112Hello Everyone,

We’re moving along this week. On Friday (Aug. 9), we will open a lovely new Israeli film called FILL THE VOID.

Synopsis for FILL THE VOID: “Fill the Void tells the story of an Orthodox Hassidic family from Tel Aviv. Eighteen-year-old Shira is the youngest daughter of the family. She is about to be married off to a promising young man of the same age and background. It is a dream-come-true, and Shira feels prepared and excited. On Purim, her twenty-eight-year-old sister, Esther, dies while giving birth to her first child. The pain and grief that overwhelm the family postpone Shira’s promised match…When the girls’ mother finds out that Yochay may leave the country with her only grandchild, she proposes a match between Shira and the widower. Shira will have to choose between her heart’s wish and her family duty.” Peter Rainer of The Christian Science Monitor wrote, “The sheer force of artistry has the power to convert outsiders into insiders. I left Fill the Void feeling privileged, however briefly, to have been brought into this world.” It’s quite possible that FILL THE VOID will only play for one week. I hope you’ll hurry down!  Click the image above to be directed to the film’s official site.

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“Roger Brown — the greatest basketball player Dayton has ever known — will be inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame on Sept. 8. Without the love and sacrifice of 84-year-old Daytonian Arlena Smith, it wouldn’t be happening. Join us at THE NEON on Aug. 15 at 7:30 for a benefit screening of the acclaimed documentary UNDEFEATED: THE ROGER BROWN STORY, with all proceeds going toward Arlena Smith’s trip to Springfield, Mass., for Brown’s Hall of Fame induction. Arlena and her late husband Azariah could not have children of their own, so they regularly welcomed troubled teenagers into their modest West Side home. One of those was Roger Brown. Among the greatest young basketball players in New York City history, Brown in 1961 had been unfairly implicated in a gambling scandal just as he was finishing his freshman year at the University of Dayton. Though never charged with a crime, he was kicked out of school and banned for life by the NBA. The Smiths came to the rescue. They opened up their home, found Brown a job, gave him the strength to move on. And finally, Brown bloomed anew. In 1967, he became the first player of the ABA’s Indiana Pacers. He led them to three championships, and became an Indianapolis City Councilman. All along, until his death at age 54 of cancer, Brown credited the Smiths — his ‘second parents’ — for making it possible.” (taken from press notes) Mark your calendars now! Tickets, just $10 each, are now available at our box office and at EbonNia Gallery.

The FilmDayton Festival is putting their marketing pieces into play, and they’re gearing up for another great festival. Film screenings will take place at THE NEON, but the festival is about a whole lot more…and it’s scheduled for August 23-25. Check out their line-up on the official site.

And speaking of FilmDayton, WSU’s Annual Big Lens Film Festival will kick off the festival this year. “The 21st Annual Big Lens Film Festival will premiere on Thursday, August 22nd at the THE NEON…Every year, Big Lens screens a selection of the very best short films to come from the Wright State University Motion Picture program, and this year is no different! Ranging from documentary to narrative, these six films cover a wide variety of subjects and emotions. There will be two screenings shown concurrently, one at 7:30pm and one at 8:00. Following the screenings, there will be a Q&A with the filmmakers, emceed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Julia Reichert. Tickets to either screening are $7 each, and will soon be available at THE NEON. Some films may contain adult content.” (taken from Big Lens press notes)

We hope to see you this weekend!

All the best,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for Fri, Aug. 9 – Thurs, Aug. 15:

FILL THE VOID (PG) 1 Hr 30 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:50, 3:00, 5:10, 7:20, 9:30
Monday – Wednesday: 3:15, 5:30, 7:45
Thursday: 3:15, 5:30

THE WAY WAY BACK (PG-13) 1 Hr 43 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:30, 2:45, 5:00, 7:15, 9:30
Monday – Thursday: 3:00, 5:15, 7:30

UNDEFEATED: THE ROGER BROWN STORY
(NR) 1 Hr 30 Min + Discussion
Thursday: 7:30

COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative. Many of these dates will change.
In some rare cases, titles may disappear.
Aug. 16 – I’M SO EXCITED

Aug. 23 – BLUE JASMINE

TBD – BLACKFISH

TBD – THE HUNT

TBD – FROM UP ON POPPY HILL

TBD – IN THE HOUSE

SOUND OF MY VOICE Opens Friday + Great NEON News

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Hello Everyone,

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Opening weekend of THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL was terrific…thanks to everyone who came out to see it. Memorial Day weekend is traditionally quite good for us…but this was our best ever! Audiences are loving the film, and there have been several rounds of applause after screenings over the past few days. In addition, I appreciate the fact that many of you voted for THE NEON as “Best Movie Theater.” Though we didn’t end up in first place, I’m not distraught. We only do about 5% of the business of the multiplexes, and I’m terribly grateful that so many of you jumped at the chance to vote for us.

If you still need to see MARLEY or DARLING COMPANION, tomorrow will be your last chance to see either film at THE NEON. On Friday, we will open a new thriller – SOUND OF MY VOICE.

Synopsis for SOUND OF MY VOICE: ” Peter and Lorna, a couple and documentary filmmaking team, infiltrate a mysterious group led by an enigmatic young woman named Maggie. Intent on exposing her as a charlatan and freeing the followers from her grip, Peter and Lorna start to question their objective and each other as they unravel the secrets of Maggie’s underworld.” (Fox Searchlight)

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WSU’s BIG LENS – a showcase of the latest films from WSU’s Motion Picture Department – is set for next Thursday, and tickets are available at our box office for just $7 each. See the latest works from the award-winning Motion Pictures Program at WSU. This show will include premiers of 5 entirely new films as well as a Q&A session with the young filmmakers. Like its predecessors, Big Lens 2012 will no doubt entertain, educate, enlighten, and excite. Check out the roster: IN WITH THE NEW – Alex Taylor & Eric Risher; PROFILE – Jon Swansiger, Colin Brooks, & Chris Flannery; NO NAME #3 – Joe Asta, Cole Pisano, Colin Brooks, & Alex Taylor; WOMEN WHO YELL – Megan Hague & Kyle Wilkinson; ANY OTHER DAY – Rick Moosbrugger & Andrew Grigiss.

On June 28 at 7:30, The Greater Dayton LGBT Center and The Miami Valley Pride Partnership will present a screening of the new documentary VITO. This wonderful new film is about the life of Vito Russo – author, film lover, leader and activist. In addition to being educational and enlightening, I found the movie to be utterly inspiring. I’m anxious to see it again. Tickets, just $8 each, are available at our box office.

And don’t forget that your movie ticket gets you 15% off your food order at Sa-Bai…located directly behind THE NEON.

Thanks for your continued support.
We hope to see you soon,
Jonathan

SHOWTIMES for
Fri. June 1 – Thur. June 7:

SOUND OF MY VOICE (R) 1 Hr 25 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:00, 3:10, 5:20, 7:30, 9:40
Monday – Wednesday: 3:10, 5:20, 7:30
Thursday: 3:10, 5:20

THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL (PG-13) 2 Hr 4 Min
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:30, 4:15, 7:00, 9:30
Monday – Thursday: 2:30, 5:00, 7:30

WSU’S BIG LENS FILM FESTIVAL (NR) 5 shorts + discussion
Thursday: 7:30

COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative.  Many of these dates will change.

In some rare cases, titles may disappear.
June 15 THE INTOUCHABLES
June 29 MOONRISE KINGDOM
July 6 TO ROME WITH LOVE
July 13 YOUR SISTER’S SISTER
July 27 BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
TBD WHERE DO WE GO NOW?
LOLA VERSUS