The TRUST Cake

It’s a long darned drive from Montgomery, Alabama to Gallatin, Tennessee.  My mother and I had to smile at a sign we passed on Highway 65 – “Go To Church or the Devil Will Get You.”  Both Martin from the Capri Theater and Jim, our host at the Lattice Inn where we stayed in Montgomery, told us to keep our eyes out for it.  It was hard to miss.

I dropped my mother off at my sister and brother-in-law’s house in Huntsville, Alabama, and zoomed past Nashville to Gallatin, which has made a huge effort to revive its historic downtown, starting with fixing up and opening the Palace Theater.  My host, Donna Belote, Executive Director of Greater Gallatin, said that twenty some years ago when they started trying to bring the downtown back to life, someone said that the only way the downtown would come back to life was to knock it down and replace it with a Home Depot or a Walmart.  As someone who made Downside UP www.downsideupthemovie.org a documentary about the revitalization of my home town North Adams, Massachusetts I was happy to be part of an event in an up-and-coming downtown, with businesses and restaurants, and bars with live music.

Pharmacy repurposed to a bar in Gallatin

Sugar Paper!

This is the first year Gallatin has hosted Southern Circuit filmmakers and Donna has a nice group of people who get together to support the screenings – the mayor and a member of the city council attended and after the screening, they had a nice reception that included a special TRUST cake.

Photo: Amy Braswell, © Kelly+Yamamoto Productions 2010

I’ve noticed that in these Southern Circuit screenings, unlike any other TRUST screenings I’ve attended, members of the audience want to know how the Albany Park Theater Project (APTP) supports itself.  Chicago has a great tradition of the city and foundations supporting the arts and supporting theater and David Feiner, artistic director and co-founder, spends a lot of time fundraising, as do members of his board.  They get their fantastic space from the Chicago Parks Department.

At the end of the discussion with the audience, Paige, the MC, excitedly announced that Gallatin has been invited to take part in the 2013 – 2014 Southern Circuit.  I wish I had had more time to spend in Gallatin, the little taste of music I heard was terrific.

Drivers Wanted: 02 Montgomery's Oldest Taxi Driver

"You don't want to get in a cab smelling bad," says Marshall Lane, Montgomery's oldest taxi driver.  "I am the only cab driver dressed professionally 7 days a week.  I wear a suit and a necktie."  At 64 Marshall has been through a lot of firsts "My company was the first black owned cab company in Montgomery.  I am the first black cabbie to be allowed to pick up at the airport and the first to have A/C in my cab."  Marshall saved Freedom Riders by taking them to the hospital in a cab after they were attacked in Montgomery.  Living through race riots and segregation, Marshall says all that does not bother him.   "In my cab, race never meant anything to me, because money is always green."

When not driving Marshall likes to watch Samford and Sons.  "It is still on TV in Montgomery.  Every chance I get I want to look at it."

Wow how the days go by....Suwanee, Madison, Montgomery, Gallatin.  Pulled into Montgomery on last Wednesday night and ended up at the Railyard drinking a nicely made Montgomerian IPA and a burger.  On tv were probably 2 of the worst teams in the NBA, so obviously there were things better at the bar to talk about.  I met two guys who work at a junk yard and they invited me over the next day.  I threw a hard hat on my head and met people junking 20 fridges at a time, and getting $3 per pound for copper, 55 cents per pound for aluminum radiators, and 45 cents per pound for sheet metal.  Some of it stripped out of foreclosed houses and some found the old fashion way.  Multiple junkers told me that they suspect up to 70% of it is stolen.  Who knows but the more that junk is worth, the more a broken iron or tv is worth more than the walk to the curb. Did everyone realize that Sanford was a also a junk dealer? It all goes together.

Another example of things cast off that have found new use are the amazing movie theaters on the tour, the Capri in Montgomery and the Palace in Gallatin remind you that for a long time the local cinema was a temple to the moving image.

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Have Your Cake and Eat It, Too

Another day, another Southern Circuit screening. But this one in Gallatin, Tennesee had a twist. I was off at a conference in Pittsburgh, so Age of Champions photographer and co-producer Jayson Carpenter took over for the Q&A. Here's Jayson (ladies, he's single):

Upon his arrival, he was presented with an Age of Champions cake. Seriously. Check it out in the photo:

If that's not cool, I don't know what is. (It's definitely cool.) You can check out Jayson's work at www.jaysoncarpenter.com.

As for me, I've spent a lot of time in airports the last two days: Atlanta (twice), Minneapolis, DC, Pittsburgh (twice), Montgomery, and Nashville (twice). I'm ready to hit the road. Luckily, I've got a week of events where the only mode of transportation will be pure Mississippi and Louisiana highway.

12/13 Tour Partners Announced!

2012/2013 Southern Circuit

Tour Partners

We are very happy to let everyone know that the Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers will be coming to the following communities and venues throughout the 2012 and 2013 tour months:

Arts Council of Central Louisiana | Alexandria, LA

Capri Theatre | Montgomery, AL

City of Miramar | Miramar, FL

City of Suwanee | Suwanee, GA

Clemson University | Clemson, SC

Dare County Arts Council | Manteo, FL

East Carolina University | Greenville, NC

ETSU Mary B. Martin School of the Arts | Johnson City, TN

Greater Gallatin, Inc. | Gallatin, TN

Halsey Institute of Contemporary Art | Charleston, SC

Hapeville Association of Trade & Tourism | Hapeville, GA

Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Arts | Auburn, AL

LSU Union Theater | Baton Rouge, LA

Lucas Theatre for the Arts | Savannah, GA

Madison Morgan Cultural Center | Madison, GA

Morris Museum of Art | Augusta, GA

Presbyterian College | Clinton, SC

Stage Aurora Theatrical Company | Jacksonville, FL

The Arts Council, Inc. | Gainesville, GA

Tupelo Film Commission | Tupelo, MS

University of Southern Mississippi | Long Beach, MS

Western Carolina University | Cullowhee, NC

Winder Cultural Arts Center | Winder, GA