South Bay Film Festival starts Tonight
“Under an Arctic Sky” shows what happens as six surfers encounter a huge storm after having traveled to remote fjords in Iceland. Directed by Chris Burkard, it screens tonight (Thursday) at 8 p.m.
Cause and Effect
A film festival with something to say
The South Bay Film + Music Festival, now in its second year, opens this evening with “Under an Arctic Sky,” and continues through Sunday. The screenings will largely take place in the Hermosa Community Theatre, with additional events at the Manhattan Beach Art Center and the Joslyn Community Center.
Jon Fitzgerald, founder of the South Bay Film + Music Festival
The festival was founded by Jon Fitzgerald, who’s been actively involved in multiple aspects of film and film festivals for over 20 years. For example, he co-founded the Slamdance Festival in 1995, headed up the AFI Fest from 1997 to 1999, and has directed, produced, and/or guided many film projects. He’s also authored “Filmmaking for Change: Make Films That Transform the World.”
It’s the title of his book that hints at what is important to Fitzgerald both in the realms of cinema and life in general. The underlying aim of the South Bay Film + Music Festival is not only to please and amuse, but to convey that film and music are capable of engendering positive change, be it in human rights, environmental concerns, or self-empowerment.
We spoke on the phone and then communicated by email, and I asked him first about what he referred to as “cause “ cinema and his emphasis on socially relevant film.
Substance with style
“After running fests for many years,” Fitzgerald replied, “I began to gravitate more towards social impact films, movies, with something to say with some social relevancy. Even better if they can inspire change.
“I then produced a handful of documentaries through Cause Pictures, and have enjoyed seeing the rise of the documentary as a film genre. I believe audiences are more interested than ever before in entertainment that connects them to the world around them. Whether it’s climate change, political change, or human rights, many docs and narratives are covering these subjects.”
“A Plastic Ocean,” which looks at the consequences of our global disposable lifestyle, screens at 4 p.m. on Sunday
Because there are more film festivals than we can shake a stick at, the organizers of such events often have a focus or an agenda to give them a certain distinction, and to make them stand apart from the rest. In other words, they often acquire an identity, and it’s evident that Fitzgerald wants to have one for the South Bay Film Festival as well.
“Most credible festivals become known for something in particular,” he says. “Some are industry-driven fests, where it’s about acquisitions and discovery; others are known for their foreign language presentations. Austin’s South By Southwest celebrates the screenwriting element in its offerings. Slamdance supports first-time directors.”
And so, where local audiences are concerned…
“The Vervet Forest,” about orphaned monkeys and a vanishing habitat, is directed by Kyle Salazar, and it screens at 6 p.m. on Saturday
“In addition to the natural fit of surf films, I believe the South Bay has a solid thread of philanthropy and social action. Cause films will resonate here. I’m also a big fan of creating unique experiences for audiences. It should be more than just seeing a movie. The event should combine the screening of a film with engaging the filmmakers through a Q&A session, often connecting art exhibitions and music to a screening.
“Each of our prime time shows this year will have related artwork on display, and music performances. We know there are a lot of activities in the South Bay, and if folks spend time with us it should be a memorable experience. This not an ‘industry’ festival. It’s a ‘community’ festival.”
The music component of the festival is still in the growth stage. Last year, it partnered with Saint Rocke, the Standing Room, and the Lighthouse, but Fitzgerald notes that the shows at those venues ended up competing with the film screenings. “This year, we decided to really focus the festival around one event at a time, allowing for maximum capacity and giving audiences a chance to experience everything. In Austin, with South By Southwest, music showcases take place alongside movie screenings, but it’s taken many years for that to become what it is today.”
Such things grow organically, depending on community interest and support, but there should be no reason why it can’t happen here as well, even if on a smaller scale than in Texas.
“A Life in Waves,” about electronic music pioneer Suzanne Ciani, directed by Brett Whitcomb, screens at 2 p.m. on Saturday
Although the vast majority of events are happening this weekend in the Hermosa Community Theatre, the festival itself does not have to remain confined to that auditorium. After all, the venue is more quaint than state-of-the-art, and parking is difficult.
But Fitzgerald has an answer to that, which is to expand the number of screens, if there’s audience support for it, and this could include partnering with other local venues, such as the Arclight in El Segundo and the Performing Arts Center in Redondo Beach. But, my having said this, there’s one key thing to remember: “The City of Hermosa brought me in,” Fitzgerald says, “and has provided consistent support, from staff, venue, and financial perspectives, and it’s important to have an anchor venue.” But, he adds, “most credible and successful festivals incorporate more than one screen and venue.”
Well, what about the films?
Regarding movies that touch on important topics, such as economic disparity or overpopulation,
“Film festivals are a terrific platform for audiences to not only see these movies on a big screen,” Fitzgerald explains, “but to engage with filmmakers and the community on the issues.” This may even lead to viewers deciding to become personally involved in a cause that speaks to them.
He then mentions “A Plastic Ocean,” which is about the plastic items that we as consumers use and discard almost daily, and the fact that much of it goes to places where it shouldn’t. Then there’s “The Vervet Forest,” which is ostensibly about five orphaned baby Vervet monkeys, but pointedly refers to the destruction of the forest and monkey habitats in South Africa. “Yallah! Underground” introduces us to young Arab artists trying to bloom during the Arab Spring. The film chronicles their dreams, rising hopes, and the subsequent reality of renewed turmoil and instability. The filmmakers for the first two of these films will be present at their screenings.
“Holden On,” written and directed by Tamlin Hall, is a feature film about a young man battling with mental illness. It screens Friday at 8:30 p.m. Photo courtesy of Granger Pictures
“Even ‘Blood Road’ and ‘High School 911’ have powerful messages,” Fitzgerald says, “with truly inspirational heroes. One shows an accomplished athlete pushing her body to the limits in Vietnam, and learning more about the historic ‘Blood Road.’ The other demonstrates the power of youth to make a difference, as an ambulance service run by teens responds to over 1,500 emergency calls.”
Fitzgerald elaborates: “One of the interesting elements about the rise in what I call ‘Cause Cinema’ is that you don’t have to be an experienced filmmaker to put one of these projects together. You just have to be on a mission to share your message and make a difference. Yes, you will have to hire an experienced support team, but many accomplished documentaries have been developed and produced by novice filmmakers. I did a doc called ‘The Milky Way,’ produced by two lactation consultants on the subject of breastfeeding in America. ‘Forks over Knives’ was produced by a former real estate developer who wanted to share the message of a better (vegetarian) diet with the world. It did very well and spawned a best-selling book and movement.”
There are also three “Short Films” programs, each with its own theme. “Short Films I: Identity Crisis” focuses on the issue of trust. It’s a crazy world at times, and whether we know them personally or not, there are people who would willingly deceive us. So, who can we be open to? “Short Films II: Music, Art & Humanity” is about the healing, soothing powers of art. As Georges Rodenbach writes in “The Bells of Bruges” (1897), “there is an artistic state of grace, for art is a kind of religion. It has to be loved for itself, for the intoxication and consolation it offers because it is the most noble means of forgetting the world and conquering death.”
“Short Films III: Live Action” has three surf-related films and one with rock climbing at its core, so the theme appears to be that of physically testing and challenging oneself. Not surprisingly, surf films have a prominent place in the festival (last year it presented the 50th anniversary of “The Endless Summer”). In fact, the festival opens tonight with the documentary “Under an Arctic Sky,” about what happens when six surfers, out in the remote fjords of Iceland, are greeted by a killer storm.
“The Orchard,” directed by Kate Twa, is about a brash young man from Los Angeles who comes up against a young woman after he inherits a peach orchard in British Columbia. It screens at 7 p.m. on Saturday
Lastly, as noted above, there are additional events outside of Hermosa Beach. As Manhattan Beach’s cultural arts manager Martin Betz puts it, “The City of Manhattan Beach and the Arts Center are pleased to be expanding our role with the Festival in 2017. We look forward to integrating film, music and photography at this year’s event, in an effort to showcase the talented youth of this community.”
They’re doing that first of all with “Windows: A Day in the Life of the South Bay,” a group photo exhibition at the Manhattan Beach Art Center comprised of works by regional students that depict an exterior or a glimpse through a window. The reception is tonight (Thursday) from 6 to 8 p.m. Pictures were taken locally, and the show is up through July 1. Also at the Art Center, at 7 p.m. on Friday, is the “7 in 7 Student Film Competition,” films shot in seven days that are under seven minutes. For details, call (310) 802-5440 or go to citymb.info.
At 5 p.m. on Saturday at the Joslyn Community Center, 1601 N. Valley Dr., Manhattan Beach, is a screening of “High School 9-1-1,” a year in the life of an ambulance service in Connecticut run by high school students. The filmmakers will be present. More on this at highschool911.com.
The South Bay Film and Music Festival takes place Thursday through Saturday at the Hermosa Beach Community Theatre, 710 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach. It should be quite a weekend with a film festival that’s in good hands and promises to improve with each passing year. For details, go to SouthBayFest.com. ER