Joel Fendelman - Hanceville, Winder, Chattahoochee Hills

The latest update from Joel Fendelman, touring his film David on the Southern Circuit:

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Hanceville's performing arts center

Hanceville, Winder and Chattahoochee Hills were the last three stops of my Southern Arts Tour. Before coming on this trip I had not heard of any of these places, in fact most people I spoke to had not either. Hanceville was a small town  of about 3,000 people with a church on every corner. The film showed at a beautiful performing arts center that was donated by some local philanthropists.

The turnout was small and it was probably the least enthusiastic Q/A but the townspeople who showed up were very unique in their own way. I could tell many of them probably have not been far away from their town their whole lives so seeing a film that takes places in New York about Muslim and Jewish families might of been throwing a lot at them. I remember particularly the face of one woman who must of been in her sixties and even though she was very quiet she thanked me in such a sincere way for making the film that I knew that a quiet response didn't necessarily mean any less engaged.

I traveled then to Serenbe, a newly formed community based on sustainable principles.(combining of words Serenity + Be) It's only 30 miles south of Atlanta but was such beautiful farm country that it could have been a thousand miles away.

Serenbe

The filmed showed in a small banquet like room to a very enthusiastic almost full house. The audience had immediate insightful questions to ask. My host at the center moderated with much preparation and the talkback lasted for a nice long while. The next morning I was invited to an interfaith gathering where I saw some of the attendees from the previous night.

Winder Cultural Arts Center

My last stop was at Winder, Georgia, a small town about 40 miles north of Atlanta. It was a nice eclectic group of residents who trickled in until the film began. Everyone stayed for the Q/A. My host who also moderated had such personality and created quite a nice atmosphere. I feel blessed to have been able to see this part of the country showing my film and meeting the nicest of people. Living the dream!

Winder Cultural Arts Center

Joel Fendelman - Nashville, Louisville, Augusta

The latest update from filmmaker Joel Fendelman, touring his film David:

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Scarritt Bennett Center

My first Day off was fantastic, it was spent in Nashville, Tennessee. I found this old women's missionary training center called Scarritt Bennett Center which has since been converted to a retreat center with inexpensive, peaceful rooms. I was fortunate to go to the BlueBird cafe to hear some of the best singer song writer music I have heard in a while.

Clifton Center

My next stop was Louisville, Kentucky where my film was shown at the Clifton Center, another beautiful historic building. It was a cold, snowy night but a good 20-30 people bared through the cold, all very appreciative of the film. We had a wonderful talk back afterwards.

Clifton Center

After Louisville was Augusta, Georgia where I am now. The storms have come in even stronger and there is about 2 inches of snow on the ground. This started last night near the time of the screening at the Morris Museum. We weren't even sure anyone would show because there were emergency warnings on the news. But as we neared the screening time, a handful of brave, committed souls showed up. It was a small but intimate showing. Kevin Grogan, the museum director introduced me and we had a passionate talkback after the showing.

Morris Museum of Arts

Now I'm siting in the beautiful Lookaway Inn, preparing for the drive tomorrow to screen at the Wallace Community college in Hanceville, Alabama.

Me and Kevin Grogan at the Morris Museum of Art

Augusta

Weather Updates

A note from Teresa Hollingsworth, Director of the Southern Circuit:

Tonight's (February 11) screenings will continue as scheduled.

Joel Fendelman will be at the Morris Museum for David, and Sara Nodjoumi will Skype with Auburn University for The Iran Job.

We are dealing with screenings one day at a time depending on weather, and will post updates as necessary.

Joel Fendelman - In Miramar and Gallatin

The latest updates from Joel Fendelman, currently touring his film David on the Southern Circuit

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So I pull up to the Miramar Cultural Center in Florida, it's the first time I had ever been to Miramar which is strange because I grew up in Miami (about 30 miles away). First thing I notice is this beautiful poster they have created for the film, an enormous brand new theater and the greeting smile of Ms. Jo Marie Payton.

Me and Jo Marie Payton

For those of you who don't recognize her, she played Harriette Winslow (the mother) in the hit show Family Matters and happen to be the Cultural Ambassador for the center. After eating a wonderful dinner together and hearing about her interesting experience in Hollywood, Ms. Payton introduces me and the film to the audience. It was a decent turn-out (about 200 people) but even more wonderful, not a single person left before the Q/A. They were all glued to their seats with full attention on the story of making the film. As I looked through the audience I could see women with Hijabi's on (head scarfs) and Jewish women, Caribbean and Hispanic families. It was a nice mix of different cultures coming to see a film about different cultures. Afterwards a women ran up to me with goosebumps on her arms saying after she heard about this film, she knew she had to come see it as it was in part her story as a child, and took a number pictures. It's so nice to feel acknowledged and connect with others, probably the best part of making a film and really the reason why I do it.

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I'm now sitting at my hotel in Gallatin, TN. It's, believe it or not, snowing outside.

Looking out my hotel window

Last night I had the pleasure of showing at the Palace Theater, a historic gem built in 1913. It was a smaller turnout because of the cold weather but not any less rewarding. Again everyone stayed for the Q/A with lots of engaging questions. I was able to meet a number of people who grew up in this small town. I loved to hear about the ways the town had been when they were a child. One of them was actually running for mayor next November to help further with preservation of old buildings.

Everyone was so appreciative of me being there and bringing my film to them, saying that there is nothing good showing in the big complexes, nothing of meaning. As much as I would love to take credit, it's definitely a compliment to Southern Arts for what they are doing. Well today's my day off so going to check out Nashville and then on to Louisville, KY or how the locals here say "Loo-ville."

February Update - New Films and Filmmakers on the Southern Circuit!

Happy February, folks! We have three new films and filmmakers touring the Southern Circuit this month. The topics cover interesting and nuanced themes interwoven in beautifully diverse styles. Keep reading to find out more about The Iran Job, David, and Bidder 70.

We are also currently accepting filmmaker and venue partners for the 2014-15 Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers. The deadlines are approaching quickly, so make sure you submit your applications ASAP. Find out more information on our website.

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Till Schauder worked at Roger Corman’s Concorde Pictures in Los Angeles before attending the University of Television and Film, Munich. In Germany he wrote and directed the award winning films Strong Shit (Max Ophüls Film Festival Reader’s Award), and City Bomber. After earning a government grant (DAAD) for the arts he made his U.S. debut with the romantic comedy Santa Smokes which won several international awards, among them Best Director at the Tokyo International Film Festival and the Studio Hamburg Newcomer Award. Duke’s House, about Duke Ellington’s Harlem home premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. In 2007 Schauder worked as director and series producer for Berlin-based Story House Productions on Galileo Mystery, the most successful weekly science magazine on German cable, Pro7. In 2007 Schauder founded Partner Pictures. In 2012, Schauder directed and produced the critically acclaimed documentary, The Iran Job, which completed two of the most successful Kickstarter campaigns of all time, was the recipient of numerous grants and was released in the U.S. in Fall 2012, ultimately picked up by Film Movement and re-distributed on all platforms in June 2013. He teaches film classes at NYU and has been a guest lecturer at various other campuses. He has also been invited to serve on film festival juries and panels, e.g. at the Munich International Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, & Bahamas International Film Festival, amongst others.

The Iran Job follows American basketball player Kevin Sheppard as he accepts a job to play in one of the world’s most feared countries: Iran. With tensions running high between Iran and the West, Kevin tries to separate sports from politics only to find that politics is impossible to escape in Iran. Along the way he forms an unlikely alliance with three outspoken Iranian women. Thanks to these women, his apartment turns into an oasis of free speech, where they discuss everything from

Schedule:
Feb 3: ETSU Mary B. Martin School of the Arts, Johnson City, TN
Feb 4: Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC
Feb 5: Clemson University, Clemson, SC
Feb 6: Presbyterian College, Clinton, SC
Feb 7: Link Centre, Tupelo, MS
Feb 9: Georgia College, Milledgeville, GA
Feb 10: The Arts Council, Gainesville, GA
Feb 11: Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art, Auburn, AL
Feb 12: Indie Memphis, Memphis, TN
Feb 13: Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art, Charleston, SC

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Joel Fendelman is an accomplished award winning film director. In 2011 he completed the highly acclaimed feature film David, which won the ecumenical prize at the Montreal World Film Festival. In 2008 he produced Needle Through Brick, a feature documentary which screened at the Museum of Moving Image in New York. His short films have traveled the globe to prestigious festivals like Cannes, Chicago, Miami, Zimbabwe. As a freelancer Joel has produced and edited content for companies such as A&E, PBS and American Express. Joel is currently working on his second feature film that takes place in Singapore about the story of a Filipina migrant worker. Joel holds a BFA with honors from the Savannah College of Art and Design, and in 2012 he was invited as visiting artist to co-teach a documentary film class at the National University of Singapore. Joel continues to embrace stories that communicate the underlying connection between all people.

David: The Movie: As the son of the Imam of the local Brooklyn mosque, eleven year-old Daud has to juggle the high expectations of his Father (Maz Jobrani) and his feelings of isolation and difference – even from his peers in the Muslim community. Through an innocent act of good faith, Daud inadvertently befriends a group of Jewish boys who mistake him as a fellow classmate at their orthodox school, in the neighboring Jewish community.

Schedule:
Feb 6: Miramar Cultural Center Artspark, Miramar, FL
Feb 7: The Palace Theater, Gallatin, TN
Feb 9: Clifton Center, Louisville, KY
Feb 11: Morris Museum of Art, Augusta, GA
Feb 13: Wallace State Community College, Hanceville, AL
Feb 15: Serenbe Institute for Art, Culture, and the Environment, Chattahoochee, GA
Feb 16: Winder Cultural Arts Center, Winder, GA

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George and Beth Gage, as Gage & Gage Productions, have created award-winning documentaries since 1993. After successful careers producing television commercials and narrative features, they did an “about face” and began producing documentaries with a conscience.

Gage & Gage Productions creates compelling personal films that empower viewers, initiate dialogue and prompt action on provocative issues. Concentrating on the environment and social justice, they present issues underrepresented in the current media. Their films educate, entertain, inspire and motivate viewers to become actively involved in humanitarian and climate justice issues. Together they co-produce and co-direct the films. Additionally, Beth chooses the film’s subject and creates the stories while George is responsible for the films’ stunning cinematography.

Gage & Gage Productions has completed seven long-form documentaries. Their films have been distributed theatrically, on television, educationally and for consumer DVD. They have screened in national and international markets. The films have won dozens of awards at national and international film festivals and have been highly acclaimed by film reviewers.

Bidder 70 follows college student, Tim DeChristopher, who derailed President Bush’s widely protested federal oil and gas lease auction. Bidding 1.8 million dollars, he saved 22,000 acres surrounding Utah’s National Parks with no intention to pay or drill. The Obama administration agreed to save the land and invalidated the auction, but indicted Tim on two felonies facing ten years in prison. Bidder 70 illuminates how the choices we make determine our future and the world we live in.

Schedule:
Feb 21: City of Hapeville, Hapeville, GA
Feb 22: Banners at McNeese, Lake Charles, LA
Feb 24: The City of Suwanee, Suwanee, GA
Feb 25: Arts Council of Central Louisiana, Alexandria, LA
Feb 26: Vermilionville Living History Museum, Lafayette, LA
Feb 27: Madison-Morgan Cultural Center, Madison, GA