Thin Line Film Fest

January 25, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thin Line Film Fest Announces 2010 Competitive Lineup

DENTON, TX - Thin Line Film Fest announced today the competitive lineup of films for the 2010 festival held February 17-21. For complete information on all this year’s titles including schedule, full descriptions, trailers, and more visit www.thinlinefilmfest.com. This year’s schedule includes 46 documentaries. There are 6 World Premieres, 3 U.S. Premieres, 6 Southwest Premieres, and 20 Texas Premieres. North Texas is represented by 6 films while 13 international films represent nine (9) countries (Australia, Austria, Canada, Ecuador, Ethiopia, France, Iran, Ireland, and Japan).  

There are two competitive categories: Feature and Short. One film for each category will be selected as the Best Documentary and receive a $3,000 credit with Panavision. In addition, any film that screens before the Award Ceremony on Saturday evening is eligible for the Audience Choice Award ($500). The winning films of each award will screen again the last day of the festival.  

Tickets and Festival Passes are now available for purchase online, or by phone at 888-893-4560 (M-F, 9-5 CST). Tickets for regular screenings are $8. Students, seniors, and military personnel get $2 off with ID. For groups of 25 or more tickets are $4. All-Access Festival Passes are $100 with students, seniors, and military personnel receiving 40% off with ID. Discounted tickets and passes will only be available at the Festival Box Office opening February 17th at 1PM. Group tickets are available now by phone.

Each film in the competitive categories is listed on the following pages with Title, Director/Writer, Summary, Premiere Status, and Filmmaker Attendance Status. More information can be found at the festival website.

For press materials or to request a screener for editorial review please contact Joshua Butler (Festival Director) - 214-727-3567 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION

A Hero’s Welcome (Director: Javier Sanchez; Writer: J-Michael Cabosky) - This film explores Lt. John Finn, the oldest living Medal of Honor Recipient and the only surviving Medal of Honor recipient from Pearl Harbor. (Filmmaker will be in attendance)

Animals (Director: William Szarka) - Filmmakers William Szarka and Edward Damm were 5 weeks into shooting a documentary about an 'animal hospice' in upstate New York, when it was raided by the local SPCA and Sheriff's department. The film follows the owner's fight to get his 56 dogs and 30 cats back...and how one SPCA fought to shut him down. The film is an unflinching look at what really happened inside the 'hospice' and how justice finally prevailed. Texas Premiere

Astronaut Pam: Countdown to Commander (Directors: Renee Sotile, Mary Jo Godges) - The sky is NOT the limit! Ride along with Commander Pam Melroy and her crew aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on an exciting journey to the International Space Station. Float in ZERO GRAVITY and strap in for MACH 25, on the space trip of a lifetime. Texas Premiere, Pam Melroy will be in attendance

The Athlete (Directors: Davey Frankel, Rasselas Lakew; Writers: Rasselas Lakew, Davey Frankel, Mikael Aemiro Awake) - The remarkable, true life story of the great Ethiopian, Olympic marathon runner, Abebe Bikila.  Shot in 35mm from the Arctic Circle to the Equator, The Athlete is an extraordinary narrative feature that seamlessly blends autobiography, biopic, drama and documentary. This beautiful and moving independent film investigates the inner workings of a man who is ceaseless and single-minded in his journey for greatness. Texas Premiere

The Duke of Bachata (Director: Adam Taub) - 'The Duke of the Bachata' is a documentary film about Joan Soriano, a Bachata Musician from the Dominican Republic, as he struggles to reach his goal of a hit CD and success as a musician. It is also the story of his large extended family living in the rural countryside of the Dominican Republic as they dream along with him, hoping that his success will improve their economic situation and quality of life. 'The Duke of the Bachata' is saturated with music, Dominican culture, and intimate portraits. Texas Premiere, Filmmaker will be in attendance

Dust & Illusions (Director: Olivier Bonin; Writer: Olivier Bonin) - Once a year, on a vast Nevada lake bed surrounded by mountains, the Burning Man festival brings together tens of thousands of people who are attracted by the festival's promise of seven days of de-commodification, community, artwork, and revelry. But increasingly, many question whether Burning Man's mainstream appeal threatens or even upends the festival's utopian vision. Through a series of in-depth interviews of the festival's founders, organizers, and participants, DUST & ILLUSIONS traces the festival's history, while examining whether the festival is a victim of its own success. Southwest Premiere

The Fight for Water (Director: Joshua Spencer) - On Feb 27, 2009 the pipeline which carries over half of Ecuador's oil production from the Amazon to the Pacific Ocean ruptured somewhere on the eastern slopes of the Andes, spilling 14,000 barrels of crude into the tributaries of the Amazon River.  This is the story of the people living in the area where petroleum is being exploited in Ecuador. World Premiere, Filmmaker will be in attendance.

Fight or Flight (Directors: Peter McCarthy, Shane Sutton) - A story of self-discovery and spiritual healing. A odyssey of inner conflict. 'Fight or Flight' explores the issues of fear and violence and how a man deals with the aftermath of a personal attack. This beautiful and sensitive true story documents a real life journey or one mane into Thailand's ring fighting scene. Over 19months in production in Thailand, Peter J McCarthy finds a different answer from what he set out to find. Forgiveness. Texas Premiere

The Heart of Texas (Directors: Blake Pilgreen; Writer: Mitchell Wright) - When heartbreak strikes a small community on the tranquil plains of south Texas, one man chooses an extraordinary and far-reaching path of forgiveness that the world has never seen. To many, this contemporary story will seem like fiction, but every amazing detail... is completely true. As the Executive Producer of the film, State Senator Dan Patrick will be in attendance.

Invisible Girlfriend (Directors: David Redmond, Ashley Sabin) - A man named Charles rides his big red bicycle through rural Louisiana to find his invisible girlfriend, Joan of Arc. Along the way, he meets a variety of people to guide him to his final arrival in New Orleans. Texas Premiere, Filmmakers will be in attendance.

Live to Forgive (Director: Skip Moody) - Could you forgive the man who murdered your mother? World Premiere, Filmmakers and cast will be in attendance.
Mount St. Elias (Director: Gerald Salmina) - Mount St Elias is a dramatic and awe-inspiring feature documentary following three of the world s greatest ski mountaineers to Mount St. Elias, Alaska in their attempt to realize the longest ski descent in the world. Two Austrian ski alpinists Axel Naglich and Peter Ressmann as well as the American free ski pro Jon Johnston are facing this breathtaking challenge. Texas Premiere

Ni Aqui, Ni Alla (Director: Betsy Haley Hershey) - When a family of six Costa Rican siblings separates through illegal immigration, uncertainty arises about where home really is. Texas Premiere

On A Carousel of Sound, We Go Round (Director: Nicholas Kleczewski) - The Snake The Cross The Crown is one of America's best unknown touring bands. A cross between The Band, The Beatles, and Bob Dylan, they've reached the point and ask the question every musician is eventually faced with: is this worth it? On A Carousel of Sound, We Go Round explores this universal story with a unique cinematic approach combining performance, past and present footage, and animation, into a moving diary feature film experience about a great band, on the road, with a future unclear. A story any dedicated music fan or musician will instantly relate to and appreciate. Southwest Premiere, Filmmaker will be in attendance.

Rachel Is (Director: Charlotte Glynn) - In her captivating directorial debut, Charlotte Glynn chronicles a year in the life of her sister Rachel, who is mentally retarded. RACHEL IS moves past the safety of political correctness, depicting Rachel's world and revealing the most intimate, honest, and funny moments in their family's life. Texas Premiere

Today Is Better Than Two Tomorrows (Director: Anna Rodgers) - In a remote and forgotten land, two boys must leave their village to undergo a rite of passage. One will go to school; the other will become a monk. Somewhere between Buddhist wishlessness and western dreams their paths will join again. Today is a good day to come of age. U.S. Premiere

Winnipeg Burlesque (Director: John Barnard; Writer: Chris Charney) - From the 1960's until the late 1980's, every exotic dancer in the city of Winnipeg was managed by one woman: Gladys Basille.  This is the story of those three decades and the wild antics that ensued.  Told in a blend of hilarious documentary interviews and sexy dramatic recreations, you don't have to know where Winnipeg is to enjoy this romp through the rise and fall of striptease in a small Canadian city. Texas Premiere

DOCUMENTARY SHORT COMPETITION

Blowback (Director: David Hansen) - Blowback is a satirical look at the intervention. A group of indigenous leaders from the Northern Territory decide that the incidence of child abuse in 'white Australia' is too high. They send in a militarized task force to Kings Cross to intervene. U.S. Premiere

Brilliant (Director: Marilyn Bright) - Barry challenges everyone around him with his cheeky English wit all through one rollicking weekend in the Rocky Mountain foothills. Blinded in a horrific workplace accident, he survived years of depression and isolation to find new joy in nature and outdoor sports. From one adventure to the next, Barry pushes the limits of his world with contagious delight and unfailing humor. Southwest Premiere

Clandestine (Directors: Gideon Kennedy, Marcu Rosentrater; Writer: Gideon Kennedy) - Half documentary and half fiction, 'Clandestine' intertwines the history of spy radio broadcasts with the story of a man's relationship with his father to show how childish fantasies can lead personal heroes to public villainy. This film was made with almost entirely public domain materials. Texas Premiere

Crazy Diamond (Director: Hanny Lee) - Biography of Joe Rivas, a man lives a full life despite the severe disability caused by cerebral palsy.

Fast Girls, Slow Bikes: The Story of Denver’s Mods ‘n Knockers (Directors: Daniel Suave, Ericha Hager, Joseph Brown) - 'Fast Girls, Slow Bikes: The Story of Denver's Mods 'n Knockers' tells the story of a tight knit all girls gang brought together by a mutual love of classic Vespa and Lambretta scooters. Texas Premiere

Gare d’Austerlitz (Director: Lisa Martin) - The filmmaker travels back to Paris to visit the train station where she lost a baby 15 years ago. Southwest Premiere

Ghosts (Directors: Elizabeth Strickler, Micah Stansell, Phoebe Brown) - Every violin has its own unique voice but only certain instruments have something to say. U. S. Premiere

God’s Pearl (Director: Theresa Westbrook) - 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men are sexually assaulted by the time they reach the age of eighteen. GOD'S Pearl offers healing to those wounded by acts of sexual abuse. The video depicts my own personal story of childhood sexual abuse in a powerful and creative way. Filmmaker will be in attendance.

God Never Fails (Director: Pamela Wiebe) - Pain is a universal language that seeks hope - hope that relief is coming and that there is a greater purpose for it all.  This inspirational video reaches across generations into the place where one holds grief. This song came out of the tragic death of a 17 year old boy in a car accident; the video was created in honor of the 30th anniversary of his death. Filmmaker will be in attendance.

Knocked Out? (Directors Jesse Abdeour, Tony Cosgrove; Writer: Jesse Abdenour) - Knocked Out follows two middle-aged fighters as they compete against other boxers and against father time.  This film answers the question: Why would two men old enough to be grandfathers subject themselves to such a grueling sport?  World Premiere

Letter to Myself (Director: Anita Davenport) - 'Letter to Myself'... from Laugh Love Live Productions finds a young woman at the threshold of adulthood.  In this coming of age documentary-short the ordinary hidden jewels of childhood transform into the extraordinary stepping stones of life to face the future with. World Premiere, Filmmaker will be in attendance.

Looking Back (Director: Emile Bokaer) - Albert Lewis struggles with addiction and with memories of war, using photography to help him survive in a supportive community of homeless veterans. Texas Premiere

Notes On Liberty (Director: John Scott) - A boy's visit to the Statue of Liberty in post 9/11 America. Texas Premiere

One Square Mile (Directors: Carl Crum, Elisabeth Crum; Writer: Carl Crum) - One Square Mile examines the Lake Como community in Fort Worth, Texas; a neighborhood born out of segregation a century ago, which now tries to cope with the effects of its heritage. This square mile of struggle and triumph can be seen as a microcosm of the larger issues of race and economics in America. World Premiere, Filmmakers will be in attendance.

Prayers for Peace (Director: Dustin Grella; Writer; Dustin Grella) - Pastels on a slate chalkboard underscore life's impermanence as the artist confronts the memory of his younger brother killed in Iraq. Texas Premiere

Science Gone Wild! (Director: Gordon Smith) - An amusing but illuminating short documentary compilation of ridiculous 'science' moments from sci-fi and government 'scare' films of the 1950's and '60s, concerning radiation, monsters, space travel, drugs, computers, aliens, and the bomb, much of it hilarious by today's standards.

Second Hand Dolls (Director: Anthony Weeks) - Through the stories of 70 year-old ballet dancer and a woman who rents and sells used mannequins, Second Hand Dolls considers the notions of reclamation, renewal, and vibrancy across the life span. Southwest Premiere.

Simple Nature (Director: David Alvarado) - A fantasy journey through the mind of world-famous physicist Dr. Leonard Susskind. Poetic essay meets traditional science documentary in an interesting reveal of visual metaphors through the eyes of this brilliant man. Southwest Premiere

Surviving Cupid’s Arrows (Director: Michel Zeilik) - How do loving couples survive the storms of long-term relationships? This short documentary takes a wry look at the dynamics of five committed couples and how spirituality, sensuality, and creativity contribute to enduring intimacy. Texas Premiere

Under the Hood (Directors: Sarah Garrahan, Lauren Sanders) - The military town of Killeen, Texas becomes a free speech refuge for Fort Hood soldiers. World Premiere, Filmmakers will be in attendance.

When Cotton Blossoms (Director: Scott Magie; Writer: Scott Magie) - Exactly 100 years ago... in the piney woods of rural Mississippi... a dream was planted... and Hope sprang forth. Texas Premiere

World Street Walking – East Asia (Director: Yasuhiro Himukashi; Writer: Yasuhiro Himukashi) - Asia is a chaotic place where 'history', 'culture', 'popular life', and 'modern technology' all mix. Yasuhiro wanders the cities of East Asia getting lost in the maze; as if he cannot discern whether it's a dream or reality. U. S. Premiere, Filmmaker will be in attendance.

Yek rooz pas az dahomin rooz (Director: Narges Abyar) - We always become familiar with very small objects. These are all because we want to escape from our solitude. However, sometimes as the pages of the book of our destinies turn, this leaves us with our loneliness again. This documentary is about an old man when he was not was alone. He fills his solitary life with a camel and a little girl. Texas Premiere
 

Thin Line Film Fest

January 18, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thin Line to Screen Five Docs Off Oscar Shortlist

DENTON, TX - On Saturday February 20th, Thin Line Film Fest will screen five films off the shortlist for Academy Award nomination for best feature documentary in 2009. The five documentaries, in screening order, are Beaches of Agnes, Garbage Dreams, The Most Dangerous Man In America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers, The Cove, and Burma VJ. Thin Line Film Fest is honored to present the Texas Premiere of The Most Dangerous Man in America.

All films will screen at the historic Campus Theatre in downtown Denton, TX. Screenings are at 10AM, 1PM, 4PM, 7PM, and 10PM. Below are summaries and screening times for each film.

Beaches of Agnes (10AM)
A magnificent new film from Agnes Varda, director of Clea from 5 to 7 and The Gleaners and I, The Beaches of Agnes is a richly cinematic self-portrait, a reflection on art, life and the movies.

Garbage Dreams (1PM)
Filmed over four years, Garbage Dreams follows three teenage boys – Adham, a bright precocious 17-year-old; Osama, a charming impish 16-year-old; Nabil, a shy artistic 18-year-old – born into the trash trade and growing up in the world’s largest garbage village, a ghetto located on the outskirts of Cairo. It is a world folded onto itself, an impenetrable labyrinth of narrow roadways camouflaged by trash; it is home to 60,000 Zaballeen (or Zabbaleen), Egypt’s “garbage people.”

The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers
(Texas Premiere - 4PM)
In 1971, Daniel Ellsberg, a leading Vietnam War strategist, concludes the war is based on decades of lies. He leaks 7,000 pages of top-secret documents to The New York Times, a daring act of conscience that leads directly to Watergate, President Nixon's resignation and the end of the Vietnam War.

The Cove (7PM)
In a sleepy lagoon off the coast of Japan lies a shocking secret that a few desperate men will stop at nothing to keep hidden from the world. At last, the truth of The Cove comes to the fore in an act of covert filmmaking that turns a documentary into a gripping action-adventure thriller . . . and a heart-pounding call for help from the world’s oceans.

Burma VJ (10PM)
Though risking torture and life in jail, courageous young citizens of Burma live the essence of journalism as they insist on keeping up the flow of news from their closed country. Armed with small handycams the Burma VJs stop at nothing to make their reports from the streets of Rangoon. Their material is smuggled out of the country and broadcast back into Burma via satellite. For the very first time, their individual images have been carefully put together and at once, they tell a much bigger story. The film offers a unique insight into high-risk journalism and dissidence in a police state, while at the same time providing a thorough documentation of the historical and dramatic days of September 2007, when the Buddhist monks started marching.

For more information on Thin Line Film Fest, please visit www.thinlinefilmfest.com or contact Joshua Butler (Festival Director) - 214-727-3567 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 

Thin Line Film Fest

December 30, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GASLAND To Open Thin Line Film Fest

DENTON, TX - Thin Line Film Fest is pleased to announce the opening film for the upcoming 2010 festival held February 17-21, 2010. Two weeks after its World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, GASLAND will make its Texas Premiere February 17th at 7PM at the historic Campus Theatre in downtown Denton, TX. The screening event will be attended by the filmmakers as well as those from North Texas featured in the film. The opening night reception will follow the screening.

When filmmaker Josh Fox discovers that Natural Gas drilling is coming to his area—the Catskills/Poconos region of Upstate New York and Pennsylvania, he sets off on a 24 state journey to uncover the deep consequences of the United States’ natural gas drilling boom. What he uncovers is truly shocking. Part verite travelogue, part expose, part mystery, part bluegrass banjo meltdown, part showdown, Josh and his banjo encounter EPA whistleblowers, congressmen, world recognized scientists, and some of the most incredibly inspiring and heart-wrenching stories of ordinary Americans fighting against fossil fuel giants for environmental justice.

Thin Line Film Fest: Texas' International Documentary Film Festival is held February 17-21, 2010 in Downtown Denton, TX. Tickets and passes for all events will go on sale January 18th corresponding with the launch of the updated festival website featuring the complete 2010 lineup along with summaries, trailers, and more.

For more information on GASLAND visit www.gaslandthemovie.com

   

Thin Line Film Fest

April 13, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thin Line Film Fest Moves to February

DENTON, TX – Texas Filmmakers, a not-for-profit arts organization, announces a significant date change for its two-year old documentary film festival. The next Thin Line Film Fest will be held February 17-21, 2010. The format and venues will remain the same. After two years in September, festival organizers decided the date change was necessary. “September is a crowded month in North Texas,” says Festival Director Joshua Butler. “We were competing against beautiful weather, multiple outdoor festivals, and the State Fair to just name a few. In Denton alone there were three other festivals the same weekend as Thin Line 2008. We are confident February will prove to be a better place on the calendar for Texas’ only documentary film festival.”

Thin Line Film Fest is an international, documentary-inspired film festival embracing the fluid nature of the documentary and celebrating the films and filmmakers redefining the genre. "Thin Line" refers to the idea that all documentaries are both fact and fiction: that, although based in reality, the original truth is often reshaped by the filmmaking process. Thin Line Film Fest explores this “gray area” between fact and fiction by screening any film that adheres to the "style" of documentary filmmaking; including traditional documentaries, “mockumentaries,” “docu-fictions,” and “docudramas.”

The 2010 call for entries will begin in June 2009 and end in November. Submissions are accepted in two categories: Feature Documentary (over forty minutes), and Short Documentary (under forty minutes).