KUCI: Film School

The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill / FIlm School Radio interview with Director Judy Irving

The beloved 2003 documentary, THE WILD PARROTS OF TELEGRAPH HILL, has been given a 4K restoration for a new release is set in San Francisco, there are at least two flocks of largely wild parrots who flock around the city. This film focuses on the flock of cherry-headed conures (and a lonely blue-headed one named Connor) who flock around the Telegraph Hill region of the city and their closest human companion, Mark Bittner. Through his own words, we learn of his life as a frustrated, homeless musician and how he came to live in the area where he decided to explore the nature around him. That lead him to discovering the parrot flock and the individual personalities of it. In a cinematic portrait, we are introduced to his colorful companions and the relationship they share as well as the realities of urban wild life that would change Bittner's life forever. Director / Producer / Writer / Editor / Cinematographer Judy Irving’s profoundly moving story of human interaction with nature is made personal and universal by Mark Bittner boundless love for Sophie, & Picasso, Mingus, Olive & Pushkin, Tupelo and Connor. THE WILD PARROTS OF TELEGRAPH HILL is one the best documentaries of the last 20 years.
For more go to: pelicanmedia.org/wild-parrots

Down in Dallas Town (From JFK to K2) / Film School Radio interview with Director Alan Govenar

Alan Govenar’s beautifully rendered meditation, Down in Dallas Town (From JFK to KS)2 takes us to the shifting perceptions of public memory sixty years after the murder of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. Through interviews with people on the street and songs recorded to memorialize JFK in the mid-1960s, the film explores the impact of the assassination on issues in today's world, from lingering conspiracy theories to the proliferation of gun violence, homelessness, and the scourge of K2. Personal narratives are juxtaposed with the sentiments articulated in blues, gospel, norteño, and calypso recordings to haunting affect. Especially poignant is the account of Mary Ann Moorman, who returns to the assassination site fifty years later and details the making of her Polaroid photograph of the fatal head shot that killed JFK as the motorcade passed through Dealey Plaza. This resonant new film by Alan Govenar confronts ways we come to terms with the past through the power of storytelling, image-making, and a songbook that is largely unknown. Award winning filmmaker Alan Govenar (The Beat Hotel, Tattoo Uprising) joins us to talk about how the Kennedy legend continues to hold sway over people born long after his traumatizing public execution, the power of song in framing the Kennedy legacy, getting Mary Ann Moorman to participate in the making of this film and the impact of poverty and homelessness on the social fabric of a fraying society wracked by violence.

The Stones and Brian Jones - Director Nick Broomfield

Nick Broomfield’s new documentary THE STONES & BRIAN JONES uncovers the true story and legacy of Brian Jones, the founder and creative genius of The Rolling Stones. As a schoolboy aged 14, Nick Broomfield met Brian Jones, by chance, on a train. Brian was at the height of his success, with the world at his feet, yet just six years later he would be dead. THE STONES & BRIAN JONES looks at the relationships and rivalries within The Rolling Stones in those formative years. It explores the iconoclastic freedom and exuberance of the 60s, a time of intergenerational conflict and sexual turmoil which reflects on where we are today. Featuring revealing interviews with all the main players and unseen archive released for the first time, THE STONES & BRIAN JONES explores the creative musical genius of Jones, key to the success of the band, and uncovers how the founder of what became the greatest rock & roll band in the world was left behind in the shadows of history. Director / Producer / Writer / Narrator Nick Broomfield (Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer, Kurt and Courtney) joins us for a conversation on meeting Brian Jones, connecting with his middle class sensibility, telling much of the story through the women in his life, and Brian’s love of American Blues artist’s and their music.
For more go to: magpictures.com/thestonesandbrianjones

The Disappearance of Shere Hite / Film School Radio interview with Director Nicole Newnham

The Hite Report, a groundbreaking study of the intimate experiences of women, remains one of the bestselling books of all time since its publication in 1976. Drawn from anonymous survey responses, the book challenged restrictive conceptions of sex and opened a dialogue in popular culture around women’s pleasure. Its charismatic author, Shere Hite, a feminist sex researcher and former model, became the public messenger of women’s secret confessions. With each subsequent bestseller, she engaged television titans in unforgettably explicit debates about sexuality while suffering the backlash her controversial findings provoked. But few remember Shere Hite today. What led to her erasure? Digging into exclusive archives, as well as Hite’s personal journals and the original survey responses, filmmaker Nicole Newnham (Crip Camp, The Revolutionary Optimists) transports viewers back to a time of great societal transformation around sexuality. Her revelatory portrait is a re-discovery of a pioneer who has had an unmistakable influence on current conversations about gender, sexuality, and bodily autonomy, as well as a timely, cautionary tale of what too often happens to women who dare speak out.
For more go to: ifcfilms.com/the-disappearance-of-shere-hite

A Still Small Voice / Film School Radio interview with Director Luke Lorentzen & Producer Kellen Quinn

In most US hospitals, alongside medical responses to illness and injury, lesser-known interventions take place every day. Responding to patients, family members and hospital staff who are experiencing spiritual and emotional distress, chaplains sit at bedsides, helping people to deepen connections with themselves, one another, and a world beyond this one. A STILL SMALL VOICE follows Mati, a chaplain completing a year-long residency at New York City’s Mount Sinai Hospital, as she learns to provide spiritual care to people confronting profound life changes. Following his acclaimed 2019 film MIDNIGHT FAMILY, director Luke Lorentzen digs into Mati’s spiritual work as an entry point to explore how we seek meaning in suffering, uncertainty, and grief. Through Mati’s experiences with her patients, her struggle with professional burnout, and her own spiritual questioning, we gain new perspectives on how meaningful connection can be and how painful its absence is. As Mati and her patients take stock of their lives and experiences, space opens up to reflect on our own. The award winning team of Director Luke Lorentzen (Midnight Family, Last Chance U) and Producer Kellen Quinn (In Silico, Brimstone & Glory, Time) join us for a conversation on the incredible work being done chaplains and caregivers to provide a measure of empathy, dignity and spiritual comfort to those facing profound uncertainty.
For more go to: astillsmallvoicefilm.com
How to watch: astillsmallvoicefilm.com/screenings
Nov. 17 - 24 at the Laemmle Royal in Los Angeles

Your Lucky Day / Film School Radio interview with Director Daniel Brown & Actor Jessica Garza

Director / writer / producer Daniel Brown’s riveting feature film debut, YOUR LUCK DAY takes viewers into the dark soul of humanity and the greedy perversion of the American Dream, winning the lottery. With Christmas cheer in the air, six strangers have converged at a convenience store: a struggling store owner, an overbearing wealthy man, a luckless criminal, an expectant couple, and a trigger happy rookie cop. Together, they witness the wealthy man discover that he is holding a lottery ticket worth $156 million dollars. At gunpoint the criminal demands the winning ticket. The cop tries to stop the robbery, he shoots first -- accidentally killing the wealthy man. In the ensuing confusion, the criminal takes out the cop. The criminal persuades the group to join him in a pact. Money for a cover-up. But they have failed to notice that the cop is still alive. The cop contacts his father, himself an ex-cop, who enlists his former partners, to help save his son and steal the winning ticket for themselves. A showdown is coming. Who will survive? And how far will all of them go to become a millionaire? Director Daniel Brown and Actor Jessica Garza Penny Dreadful: City of Angels) join us for a conversation on how this complex plot and merciless character study came together for Brown’s first feature length film. And how Garza prepared herself for her character’s wild ride through this brutishly relentless and bloody tale.
For more go to: wellgousa.com/films/your-lucky-day

Waikiki / Film School Radio interview with Director Christopher Kahunahana

Award-winning filmmaker Christopher Kahunahana feature film debut, WAIKIKI, focuses on the spiraling plight of Native Hawaiian hula dancer, Kea (Danielle Zalopany). While escaping her abusive boyfriend she crashes her beat-up van into a mysterious homeless man. From there Kea finds herself flung into a surrealistic journey of self-exploration and enlightenment. Director Christopher Kahunahana’s eagerly awaited feature debut breaks down the enduring, stereotypical image of paradise we have of Waikiki to reveal a vulnerable and authentic portrait of indigeneity. Leaving behind the touristic image of paradise and island culture, WAIKIKI tackles the often-unspeakable generational trauma of postcolonial cultures through mixing of genre conventions, experimental storytelling, and perspectives. Director, writer, producer and co-editor Christopher Kahunahana stops by to talk about the history of Hawaii, from pre-colonial times to the present, the impact of American sugar interests and the path to statehood. We also discuss the challenges of making a feature film in Waikiki, the beautifully calibrated performance from his lead actor Danielle Zalopany, and the support of his entire cast and crew.
For more go to: waikikithemovie.com

The Only Girl in the Orchestra Film School Radio interview with Director Molly O’Brien

Director Molly O’Brien debut short documentary, THE ONLY GIRL IN THE ORCHESTRA, dives into the remarkable life of her trailblazing double bassist aunt Orin O’Brien. She never wanted the spotlight, but when Leonard Bernstein hired her in 1966 as the first female musician in the New York Philarmonic, it was inevitable that she would become the focus of much interest and fascination. Now 87 years old and recently retired, Orin looks back on her remarkable life and career, insisting that a fuss should not be made, much preferring to play a supporting role to the family, students, friends, and colleagues that surround her. In the delightful short documentary, THE ONLY GIRL IN THE ORCHESTRA, filmmaker Molly O’Brien beautifully captures her aunt Orin’s prodigious contributions as a musician as well as her unique philosophy that the key to enjoying life is to play second fiddle. Director Molly O’Brien (The Disappearance of Shere Hite, joins us for a conversation on her aunt’s seamless transition into “retirement”, mentoring young musician, her cinematic love letter that captures Orin’s passion, essence and perseverance…bottling it and offering it to audiences as a visual perfume.
For more go to: onlygirlintheorchestra.com

Bella / Film School Radio interview with Director Bridget Murnane

BELLA is a feature-length documentary about the life, work, influence, and impact of Los Angeles-based dancer, choreographer, and arts activist Bella Lewitzky, who was referred by dance critic Walter Terry as "one of the greatest American dancers of our age.” The film incorporates rare archival footage of Lewitzky’s performances and interviews with Lewitzky’s former students and dancers, and it demonstrates how a “uniquely Californian” artist with vision and tenacity influenced the lives of her fellow citizens. Bella Lewitzky joined Lester Horton’s multi-racial modern dance company in 1934, became his lead dancer, and helped develop the Horton Technique. She formed her own dance company in 1966 and continued to dance at the age of 62. Lewitzky was as famous off stage as on, thanks to her battles for freedom of expression against the House Un-American Activities Committee in the 1950s and the National Endowment for the Arts in 1990. Director Bridget Murnane (Mia, a Dancer’s Journey, The Ballerina) joins us for a conversation on the indomitable spirit and powerful grace that Bella Lewitsky brought to her dancing, teaching and her life over the course of her illustrious career. BELLA had its World Premiere at the 2022 Madrid International Film Festival and screened at over fifty festivals world-wide, including the Palm Springs International Film Festival. BELLA has won seventeen awards including Best Documentary at Dance Camera West.
For more go to: bellasfilm.com

You Were My First Boyfriend - Co-director Cecilia Aldarondo & Sarah Enid Hagey

What if you could rewrite your adolescence? In this high school reunion movie turned inside out, YOU WERE MY FIRST BOYFRIEND, award-winning filmmaker Cecilia Aldarondo embarks on a fantastical quest to reconcile her tortured teen years. She ‘goes back’ in more ways than one, tracking down old foes and friends while also reenacting visceral memories of youthful humiliation and desire. Oscillating between present and past, hallucination and reality, YOU WERE MY FIRST BOYFRIEND, is a hybrid documentary that explores the power of adolescent fantasy, the subtle violence of cultural assimilation, and the fun house mirror of time’s passage. Perhaps we will all learn something about growing older and making peace with what haunts us. Aldarondo is an award-winning documentary filmmaker from the Puerto Rican diaspora whose previous titles include MEMORIES OF A PENITENT HEART and LANDFALL. She takes viewers on a journey through the universal and very relatable social hierarchy of her younger years. As an outcast who always wanted to be a part of the ‘in’ crowd, she spent years pining for a boy who didn’t know she existed. With the insight that comes with age, she takes an honest look at who she was, who she was trying to be, and ultimately who she is today. YOU WERE MY FIRST BOYFRIEND is co-directed by Sarah Enid Hagey, a filmmaker, artist, performer, comedy sketch writer, and sound designer who has edited for over twenty years. The film is Sarah’s first feature length directing experience. Co-directors Cecilia Aldarondo and Sarah Enid Hagey join us for a conversation on they went about collaborating on a project that creatively explores the power of adolescent fantasy, and the subtle violence of cultural assimilation in the hope that we all can learn something about growing older and making peace with that which haunts us.
For more go to: hbo.com/movies/you-were-my-first-boyfriend
The HBO original documentary film will debut on Wednesday, November 8th on HBO and available to stream on MAX