Better a Year-and-a-Half Late than Never?

Okay, so it's taken a year-and-a-half, but the photos from 2007's 13th Annual Chlotrudis Awards Ceremony featuring Don McKellar and Tracy Wright are finally up on the website. Perhaps we'll even get the pictures from this year's 14th Annual Ceremony up before the calendar year ends! Take a look at the 13th Annual Ceremony here.

Chlotrudis President Appears on Subject: Cinema

Chlotrudis members TC Kirkham and Kim Brown are the driving force behind the online website and podcast Popcorn 'N Roses. With their Subject: Cinema #116, Popcorn 'N Roses turn their attention to the indies, with State of Independents, the first of a two part series on independent cinema. One of the people they interview this week is none other than Chlotrudis President Michael Colford (yes, that's me.) Check it out here (http://popcornnroses.typepad.com/popcorn_n_roses/2008/06/subjectcinema-2.html) and while you're there, check out some of TC and Kim's other great shows.

A.J. Reacts of Documentary Shortlist

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences announced its Shortlist for the Oscars Documentary category yesterday, and much of the film blogging world has been reacting. A.J. Schnack, documentary filmmaker and Chlotrudis Advisory Council member, whose first feature doc, GIGANTIC: A TALE OF TWO JOHNS was the Chlotrudis Award for Best Documentary, and whose latest work, KURT COBAIN ABOUT A SON is enjoying a theatrical run right now, shares his thoughts on the Academy's selections in an insightful post over at his blog, All These Wonderful Things. Check it out.

Apichatpong Weerasethakul's Petition to Change Thai Law

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about Apicatpong "Joe" Weeasethakul's new film SYNDROMES AND A CENTURY. Apparently there's quite a story brewing around this film by the director of Buried Treasure nominee TROPICAL MALADY. After Thailand's Censorship Board demanded Joe cut four "sensitive scenes" from his film, he decided not to release the film in his home country unless the laws were changed to allow it to be screened in its intended form. Joe has started a petition of have those laws changed called the "Free Thai Cinema Movement" where he says, ""We're petitioning not only for a just decision for Syndromes and a Century, but also for a long-needed modernization of Thai legislation concerning movie censorship." GreenCine Daily reports that the movement is receiving some serious backing from political and cultural heavyweights. Chlotrudis members, especially those that voted for this year's Best Documentary winner THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED, should take a look at the petition and consider signing it. I did.

Incidentally, according to Limitless Cinema, the four "sensitive scenes" that the Thai Censorship Board demanded cut showed:

1. a young monk playing a guitar


2. a group of doctors drinking whisky in a hospital basement


3. a doctor kissing his girlfriend in a hospital locker room


4. two monks playing with a radio-controlled flying saucer

Now don't you really want to sign the petition?

Director Formerly Known as "Joe" Wows Critics

Last year one of CSIF's Buried Treasure nominees was a surreal, dreamlike film from Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul called TROPICAL MALADY. Back than the director was referred to by film critics as "Joe," but with the release of his latest film, SYNDROMES AND A CENTURY the "Joe" references seem to have vanished as critics praise the work of this uncompromising filmmakers. I'm sure Chlotrudis fans of TROPICAL MALADY are looking forward to this new film. It has played at the Toronto International Film Festival and the New York Film Festival, and has fortunately been picked up for U.S. distribution by Strand Releasing. Here's hoping it earns a good theatrical release. Check out some of the glowing reviews: indieWIRE, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and Reverse Shot.

Cormac McCarthy's The Road coming to the big screen

Variety reports that Cormac McCarthy's chilling, post-apocalyptic tale, The Road will be adapted for the big screen by screenwriter Joe Penhall (who penned the movie version of Ian McEwan's Enduring Love to mixed results. Australian director Joe Hillcoat, who recently helmed multiple Chlotrudis-nominee THE PROPOSITION, will direct. That's going to be one chilling movie... I just hope they don't go the full-out zombie route. The terror of McCarthy's book comes largely from the isolation surrounding the main characters, and the potential danger of discovery. It might be difficult to successfully translate to the big screen. I can see it working in Hillcoat's hands as long as he mixes in a little restraint. It's really a character piece and a road movie; I'd hate to see it turned into a horror flick. We'll see.

Peter Keough blogs the Awards

Some Chlotrudis members know Peter Keough, film critic at the Boston Phoenix, as the good-looking, grumpy guy who claims to be working on a cure for cancer. The lucky members know that he's an opinionated, skilled film critic who has supported Chlotrudis for many years, and always livens things up when he presents an award for us. If you haven't taken a look at his blog, Outside the Frame, do so now. He has posted a wrap-up on our Awards Ceremony. Thanks, Peter!

Twitch City and an Unofficial Awards Announcement!

A few weeks ago, Scot reported to the Chlotrudis membership that our beloved Canadian TV sitcom, "Twitch City," was finally being released in the U.S. (it was finally released in Canada last fall). Now it hasn't yet appeared in Netflix, but it is available for purchase over at Amazon. We were wondering if the commentary on the U.S. version would be the same as the Canadian, and judging from the description on Amazon, it does sound like it will be. This is actually an exciting bit of news for Chlotrudis. The commentary is done by Don McKellar, this year's Chlotrudis special guest, and lead actor from the show, who calls his co-stars on the phone for assistance. When he reaches Daniel McIvor, past Chlotrudis "Body-of-Work" Award winner, the two have a rather amusing conversation while watching the debut episode. When they get to the "job wheel" scene (one that Chlotrudis members should know well) Daniel actually starts talking about coming to Boston to receive an award for his body of work, and the fact that we showed this clip. It's pretty cool and pretty funny, even though he doesn't mention us by name.

In related news, we have now confirmed our second guest for the 13th Annual Chlotrudis Awards coming up soon. This is an unofficial announcement, as a press release will follow, but I'm just so excited I couldn't contain myself any longer. She's got "cat-i-tude!" Tracy Wright will be honored at the Awards Ceremony for her "career-so-far!" Tracy is best known in the U.S. for being part of the Chlotrudis Awards-winning Ensemble Cast of ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW. She has done extensive work in Canadian film and tv, including the wacky Dizelle in the afore-mentioned "Twitch City," a major part in Don McKellar's ensemble piece, LAST NIGHT, and a lead role in the upcoming MONKEY WARFARE, co-starring McKellar and Nadia Litz. She most recently appeared off-Broadway in "A Beautiful View" at the Public Theatre, a play written and directed by Daniel McIvor (see how synchronistic this post is?) Tracy Wright makes every movie she is in better, and I can't wait to meet her. Look for the official word on the front page of this website very soon.

Chlotrudis Chats with Jeff Stanzler

by Beth Curran

His hello is a litte rough around the edges, his voice deeper than I remember. Even though he gave a direct number earlier in the week so that I could call him for the interview, and despite our subsequent emails setting up the time for the chat, I confusedly ask to speak with Jeff Stanzler, and formally introduce myself. His laugh is friendly and relaxed, and he explains the previous night’s celebrations, no doubt in honor of his film SORRY HATERS garnering two Spirit Award nominations. After a few moments I realize that he is not in New York, his home base, but in Los Angeles, and that he had amiably agreed to what is for him a 9:30 am weekend phone interview. I’m disarmed by his accommodation - out of all the things he could do during the last weekend before the craziness of award ceremonies kicks in, and he’s getting up early to talk with Chlotrudis? I guess an independent film director’s work truly is never done!

SORRY HATERS is up for three Chlotrudis Awards (Film, Actress, Original Screenplay), and after an engaging Q&A session with him at our screening of the film at the Brattle Theatre last fall, the chance to catch up with Jeff once again, post-nominations, is a welcome one. I congratulate him on both sets of nominations, and he is gracious and deprecating. My sense is that, more than anything, he is happiest that his film has given its lead, Robin Wright Penn, greater acclaim and attention. Towards that end, he is presently working to put together his next film, which would reunite him with Penn - if all goes well, Jeff hopes to begin shooting some time this year.

It’s tough for him to say more about the status of the project - as he mentions when I ask, “there’s a saying that independent films either take a very long time or a very short time to make.” SORRY HATERS was in the latter category, taking only two years from screenplay idea to completed film. The actual moviemaking process, Jeff says, was remarkably quick. “Funny enough,” he notes, “the one time where things felt stalled was afterwards - we just couldn’t find a festival where it could play.” The film eventually went on to play Toronto in fall 2005 (and later was picked by IFC Films for distribution).

Jeff’s first feature film, JUMPIN’ AT THE BONEYARD, was made in the early 90’s, the heyday of the Sundance/Miramax indie scene, and I ask him how much was different for an independent filmmaker since those times. “Something’s really changed,” he responds with muted disappointment, “in the last few years, it seems as if no one’s interested in funding a million dollar film in order to make three million. They all want the Little Miss Sunshines, ten million budgets,” in the hopes of scoring really big return. He continues, “and if you want to make something really personal, that might be potentially offensive to some, then no way - well, it’s just going to be a rough road for you.”

I follow up, asking if he had any surprises by who took offense to SORRY HATERS as well as by those who reacted positively to it. “I’ve been constantly surprised by who got it and who didn’t, there’s no set demographics of haters or lovers of this film.” He goes on to talk about examples, like the audiences of mostly blue-collar types, or folks who aren’t art-house film lovers, where “the film almost played better there than anywhere else,” or the man at an industry screening for Spirit nominees the other week who got up and walked out immediately after the film and screamed “thank you for wasting my time” over his shoulder on his way towards the lobby. “I thought I’d be able to say ‘smart people will get my film’, and yet people I know to be smart, some really didn’t like it, at all,” he says. “And I can’t be flip and say ‘the ones who hate it are rightwing Republicans’, either - it’s just not a movie where people can say ‘oh it’s one of those kinds of films’,” he continues. From his tone, it’s obvious that he has been fascinated and enlivened by his audience’s feedback, whether positive or negative.

Was this something deliberate, I ask, that you thought about when you wrote it, to have something political or ‘bigger picture’ themed that people would respond to? He talks a little bit about his writing process. “I try to concentrate only on the people in the story, because all that other stuff will cloud your mind - I mean, you know it’s kind of there, but you have to trick your mind to do it,” to see but not write any themes directly into the work. I ask him if he thinks of himself as a filmmaker who always writes and directs, or if he has thought of pursuing just one or the other craft.

“My stock answer is, I’m very much open to it, but it doesn’t ever seem to happen, so I guess I should wonder, ‘is it me’, that maybe I get so attached to a writing project that I subconsciously won’t let anybody but me direct,” he answers slowly, as if thinking aloud. “But, on a conscious level, I definitely would like the chance to direct someone else’s work, and to have someone else direct something I’ve written.” He’s also interested in exploring other mediums, particularly television. “I tend to write things that are very current. I’m a bit of a news junkie, a political junkie, and the immediacy of TV is really attractive to me. To be able to make something in response to things going on now and to see it right away, instead of, you know, six years later.” He’s already written a pilot and is trying to bring the project further along, another reason for him to be in Los Angeles now, in addition to his project with Robin Wright Penn and the upcoming Spirit Awards.

The new film he’s written, in which Penn would once again star, will this time involve no politics. A psychological thriller, Jeff describes it as “more of a modern-era story of exploitation”. His television pilot, on the other hand, is more familiar territory, set in South Dakota and exploring the dynamic between both ends of the spectrum when a radical leftist moves in among evangelical Midwesterners. Given the intriguing and surprising interactions Jeff scripted between his characters in SORRY HATERS, no doubt his take on ‘redstate meets bluestate’ will provoke unexpected and engaging reaction and conversation.

“We had a screening in San Francisco, and there was this one woman, and I think she said it best,” about some people’s reactions to the film, Jeff comments near the end of our talk. “At a certain point in the movie, she said ‘between these two people you feel like (they’ve) been in a battle, and it seems like they’re getting beyond, and then you pull the rug out from under us all the sudden, and that pisses people off, that you did that.” Jeff is looking forward to the chance to see if overseas audiences have similarly strong reactions. Already the film has Italian distribution, and he hopes that he gets the chance to catch up with Robin’s costar Abdel Kechiche at screenings in France, where Kechiche is a director (his next film will show at Cannes this spring).

A half-hour has passed quickly while we’ve talked, and I remind myself that I probably woke Jeff up - whether it’s back to bed or a shower and coffee, it’s time I let him get back to his morning. I wish him luck at the Spirit Awards on Saturday, as well as at our own awards in March - although, I joke, I’m guessing the Spirits are probably a bigger deal. “Well, I don’t know about that,” he counters, serious. “Your support has meant a lot, to us all - what your group has done, it’s great to know we’ve got a place where we were appreciated.” When his new project with Robin gets finished, “definitely we want to bring it to Boston, back to you guys.” After thanking him for those words and his time, I let him go. Here’s hoping Jeff’s next film ‘takes a very short time’ and meets with much success!

The Award-Makers Top 10!

The lists keep coming in, this one from Mary McIntire, who does, in fact, create our Chlotrudis Awards. In fact, she's currently hard at work making a batch of awards for our 13th Annual Chlotrudis Awards Ceremony being held on Sunday, March 18, 7 p.m. at the Brattle Theatre.

1. Volver


2. The Proposition


3. Clean


4. New York Doll


5. Sorry, Haters


6. Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada


7. Little Miss Sunshine


8. Twelve and Holding


9. Water


10. Tristram Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story

The Technologist's Top 10

Chlotrudis Technology Coordinator Scot Colford sent his Top 10 in weeks ago, but I overlooked it. My apologies!

Scot says, "Gee, I surprised myself again this year. Three of my top four are French and almost all of them are either 1) mind f**ks or 2) heartwarming tales of socially unacceptable sexuality. Hmm. Heck, number 7 is both! That makes up for number 9 being neither, I guess."

1. Caché


2. La Moustache


3. Hard Candy


4. The Science of Sleep


5. Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story


6. Shortbus


7. Brothers of the Head


8. Sorry, Haters


9. Lonesome Jim


10. The History Boys

Other films I considered:

Duck Season
Half Nelson
Jesus Camp
Little Miss Sunshine
Old Joy
Requiem
Shut Up and Sing
This Film Is Not Yet Rated

The Reporter's Top 10

Daniel Berman is one of Chlotrudis' newest members. He has a show on Brookline Cable Access that reviews movies. Here is a wrap-up of his 2006 Movie Experience.

A Banner Year for Independent Films 'Ten Best Named', 2006
by Daniel Berman

Well folks, the art-deco movie houses are swarming with all kinds of interesting films to keep at the forefront of your minds. In the scheme of things I have another archival collection of documentaries, experimental animation, and newly discovered feature films to behold.

This year I made my way too the local film festival scene including the Boston Film Festival, Nantucket Film Festival etc. and got too visually in-take some of these documentaries.

As we being the filmic junkies of the smaller movie houses that we witness David Leaf's eye-catching THE U.S. VS. JOHN LENNON to the intriguing THE TRIALS OF DARRYL HUNT. We continue our venture with the highly controversially talked about Kirby Dick's THIS FILM IS NOT YET RATED as we go behind the iron curtain of the MPAA rating system.

In one of the best documentaries to hit the independent film circuit is the U.S. corporate America's electric automobile and its rise and fall. The brilliantly crafted and well-documented film that investigates the question that who is too blames government, consumers, oil manufacturers; it could be even the hydrogen-powered car that brought down these popular vehicles. In Chris Paine's extraordinary and insightful filmic masterpiece with WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR?

Director Andrew Bujalski (FUNNY HA-HA, 2005) is giving moviegoers another fascinating feature film with his latest social commentary piece with MUTUAL APPRECIATION. Currently, in its experimental stages the newest animated flick called RENAISSANCE is a James Bond in sleek and stylish black and white images.

The original film to use this animation is the philosophical speaking WAKING LIFE 2001 directed by Richard Linklater. RENAISSANCE is a gritty, dark story of a society ruled by one major corporate empire named Avalon. In reminisce of sci-fi classics like METROPOLIS and BLADE RUNNER this is a story about a society on the verge of imploding on itself. In a future that crime is escalating rapidly with little hope of survival of coming out alive.

Sydney Pollack (1975, THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR) directed a visually astonishing bio-picture entitled SKETCHES OF FRANK GEHRY. Pollack takes in the genius of one of the most recognizable, controversial Architects of the twentieth century.

In conclusion, Ric Burns just released a four-hour televised documentary on one of the most important artistic figures in our American culture entitled ANDY WARHOL: A DOCUMENTARY FILM. Burns enthralls us with Warhol's vision in unseen archived video clips and still shots that give light to his work. Years ago WGBH released Ken Burns historical look into America's pastime with "Baseball," and his most recent televised documentary on the world of "Jazz" to "Jack Johnson: Unforgivable Blackness."

`Ten Best Named' Independent Films:

1. The U.S. vs. John Lennon
2. The Trials of Darryl Hunt
3. Renaissance
4. Who Killed the Electric Car?
5. This Film is Not Yet Rated
6. Sketches of Frank Gehry
7. Mutual Appreciation
8. Andy Warhol: A Documentary Film
9. Neil Young: Heart of Gold
10. Who Gets to Call it Art?

Honorable Mentionable(s):

Drawings and War: The Testimony of the Children of Uganda
49 UP
The Cult of the Suicide Bomber
Not a Photograph: The Mission to Burma Story