 By Gerri Garner
The Beverly Hills Hi-Def film festival began at the beautiful Fine Arts Theater. A lovely restored art deco gem of a theater. The projection of an eclectic mix of very good and unusual films for the next 9 days is a best for all you cinamaholics. Unfortunately we did not get a preview on any of the films so everything I will be talking about will have already run. Perhaps next year we can get the organizers to preview some of the films for the press..
Yesterday saw director and star Dr. Brian S. Boxer Wachler's film about his performing eye surgery live on the Today Show from his Beverly Hill's office at 5 AM. It is an eye opener, pun intended.
Treasures of the Copper Scroll a compelling documentary about Vendyl Jones a professor has led a quest to prove that the discoveries at the Caves of Qumran found in 1952 were unique among the Dead Sea Scrolls. Purest copper details an inventory of gold and silver. Jones believes he knows where the Ten Commandment Stones, and Legendary Ark of the Covenant might be. After the film I spoke to director Jim Long, who had driven from Arkansas to attend the festival. I recommended he add footage to his 57 minute film, and make a feature.
Orphans Of Apollo is a story I had never heard of. A telecom billionaire had handed over 7 million dollars to the Russian government as he was going to by the Mir Space Station from them. This is a story of intrigue, and international politics.
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Gerri Garner's Entertainment File
December 28, 2008
By Gerri Garner
Some of the high lights of Hi-Def film festival were IN The Wind by Martin Papazian finds a Marine sergeant return from Iraq to his ravaged New Orleans home in the devastated 9 ward. His gang banger brother is still around, but his mother who he wants to see is in Texas, and his brother has not been in contact with her. This is a powerful, and touching story.
X-treme Weekend, is a very dark comedy by director Mark Herrier about a trio of 3 friends going into the woods for a little man time. One problem one married man is so unmanly, bringing all the comforts of home along. Constantly getting cell phone calls, he is driving one guy crazy. Something has to be done.
Wunderkammer is one of those off the wall stories of an old woman and her down's syndrome son living in squalor, with birds flying all over the house. The boy is constantly holding, and petting a chicken. I would love to talk to director Andrea Pallaoro about this film.
Contract Killers is a thriller about a CIA agent who has been framed as a murderer, and is stalked all the way to Trinidad.
This film is so high tech in its execution that it looks as if it costs millions of dollars for all its special effects. I spoke to G. Anthony Joseph the film's producer, (he also has a role in the production) and marveled how well the film plays on thew big screen.
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Gerri Garner's Entertainment File
December 30, 2008
By Gerri Garner
Super Glue is a funny spin on a poor screenwriter new to LA invited to dinner by his snobby cousin. He gets stuck in the middle of his cousin's fight with his live in girlfriend. I wonder if director Billy Duberstein has had such an experience.
Waiting For My Real Life investigates a 23 year old 800 pound man who gets a stomach band.; It is a frightening and sad story. Michael Harrison wants to expose the politics behind food polices in the United States that is causing an obesity crisis. Everything is super sized, and loaded with sugar. Kids sit in from of computer and tv screens all day, not exercising.
I spoke to Michael and his son Jonathan Harrison who came ion from Vancouver to attend the festival. His film is right on about food policies, but in the case of the 800 pound man, I blame his parents.
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Gerri Garner's Entertainment File
December 31, 2008
By Gerri Garner
The Miracle is a human story of Tekki Lomnicki woman born with deformed legs, and a dwarf or a little person with a load of courage. Director Jeffrey Jon Smith captures her touching life in a most unique way.
Witt's Daughter is the sad story of a GI just returning from the Korean War only to have his 3 year old daughter reject him. Anybody can relate to the dynamics that goes on in such a situations. The guy feels betrayed. Carole Holliday could expend this an actually make a full length feature.
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Gerri Garner's Entertainment File
January 1, 2008
By Gerri Garner
The programing at the Beverly Hills Hi-Def film festival is amazing.
For example Papa A La Chasse Aux Lagopa (Daddy Goes Ptarmigan Hunting). A French Canadian comedy of a businessman spurred on by his wife's nagging to build a home in the countryside has him on the lamb. He embezzles 100 million dollars. He gets a camera and starts to shoot himself so that he can tells his 2 daughters his story. The lead actor plays all the parts in this delightful innovative production.
Press Release / Sajtótájékoztató
January 07, 2009 / 2009. január 7.
Indie Torn from the Flag, a documentary competing with narrative films at the Beverly Hills Hi-Def Film Festival, takes First Prize
Klaudia Kovacs' independent sociopolitical historical film Torn from the Flag, about the international decline of communism and the significant global effects of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, won First Prize at the Beverly Hills Hi-Def Film Festival. The 96-minute documentary covers 1945 through 1991, presenting the rivalry between the superpowers during that time. It shows the 1956 Hungarian Revolution as the first catalyst for the collapse of Soviet communism and as a remarkable turning point for the advancement of democracy. Political notables such as Mikhail Gorbachev, Ronald Reagan, Henry Kissinger, Otto von Habsburg, Georgiou Vassiliou, Arpad Goncz, Imre Pozsgay, Gyula Horn and Janos Berecz appear in person or in archive footage. Filmmaker Klaudia Kovacs made her film in collaboration with Oscar-winning cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond, ASC, and multi-award-winning cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs, ASC. The film includes 1956 archive footage shot by both of these Hollywood legends. Mr. Kovacs (no relation) was Director of Photography on Torn from the Flag. This was his first foray into shooting in Hi-Def, and his last film before he passed in 2007. During filmmaking, Panavision accepted Director-Producer-Writer Klaudia Kovacs into its Young Filmmakers' Program, offering her their Sony 900 HD camera with which to shoot the film. Since Torn from the Flag's premiere in Hollywood in the AFI Fest's "Milestones" section--described by the festival as "celebrating the best of the best"--the film has been selected by 16 festivals and received many awards, including the Tiburon International Film Festival's Golden Reel Award for Best Cinematography, again in competition with narrative films--unheard-of in the documentary genre. Even though the film has received many international accolades, it has not been welcomed by Hungary's post-communist government so far, and, in spite of Klaudia Kovacs' numerous attempts to premiere the film in her native land, the film has not yet been screened in Hungary. Torn from the Flag is intended for international theatrical release and television distribution. For interview opportunities or additional information, contact TornFromTheFlag@hotmail.com
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