Art Film Talk

David Tames talks with Thom Fitzgerald about his new film, 3 Needles, which opens in several U.S. theaters on Friday, December 1, 2006 in conjunction with World AIDS Day. The cast includes Lucy Liu, Chloe Sevigny, Olympia Dukakis, Sandra Oh, Stockard Channing, and Shawn Ashmore.

The film consists of three stories about the ways different people deal with the AIDS epidemic and the sacrifices they are willing to make: In Montreal, a porn actor hides his illness so he will not lose his job while his mother makes her own pact with the disease in order to care for him; In South Africa a nun negotiates a deal to save the lives of disease-stricken children in her mission; In a Chinese village, a young entrepreneur buys blood from farmers who use the money to improve their lives, unaware that she is spreading death. Thom Fitzgerald has said, "In North America and Europe we have such a cognitive awareness of how not to spread AIDS, but in much of the rest of the world, people are innocently infected through ignorance and cultural practice."

The interivew was edited by Elissa Mintz and recorded at the 2006 Rio International Film Festival. Theme music by Colin Owens.

 Art Film Talk Episode #19 [16:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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We continue our conversation with David Redmon (Director, Producer, and Editor) and Ashley Sabin (Associate Producer) about their documentary film, Mardi Gras: Made in China (2005, 72 min.) and their decision to self-distribute, the technical aspects of the film, and what's next for them (Part 2 of 2).

 Art Film Talk Episode #18 [13:14m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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David Tames talks with David Redmon (Director, Producer, and Editor) and Ashley Sabin (Associate Producer) about their documentary film, Mardi Gras: Made in China (2005, 72 min.). The film presents a fascinating critique of globalization by following Mardi Gras beads from their origin to destination. David Redmon take us from the revelers on Bourbon Street where he askes the question, where do the beads came from? to the factory in China where they are made and back again.

Mardi Gras: Made in China was among the best documentaries to emerge from the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and it is screening in colleges this fall. Visit the Mardi Gras: Made in China Web Site for information on screenings and copies of the DVD. The home video the DVD will soon be available.

This is part one of the interview. The conversation continues in the next episode with a discussion on the decision to self-distribute, the technical aspects of the film, and what's next for them. The interview was recorded on April 30, 2006 in the Boston Public Garden on the weekend of the Boston premiere of the film.

 Art Film Talk Episode 17 [16:50m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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David Tames talks with Video Blogger Steve Garfield about podcasting and the future of participatory media from a practical perspective. Includes promo for Podcamp Boston 2006 to be held September 9th and 10th at Bunker Hill Community College. Video Blogging provides a new form of media access that independent filmmakers can experiment with.

Links related to this interview: Media Revolution: Podcasting | Steve Garfield's Video Blog | Vlog Soup | Off On A Tangent | Steve Garfield's Rocketboom Reports | Josh Leo's Video Blog | Ravi Jain's DriveTime | the show with ze frank | Vlogging Session Handouts | Steve Garfield's Everything you always wanted to learn about video blogs on Squidoo

 Art Film Talk Episode #16 [19:33m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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David Tames talks with David Kleiler, who has been involved in many facets of the independent film business with extensive experience in exhibition and film festival programming. In this conversation Kleiler describes his theory of what makes a good regional film festival and shares insights that are relevant to filmmakers and festival organizers alike. Recorded on Sunday, August 6, 2006 during the closing night party and awards ceremony of the 15th Woods Hole Film Festival.

 Art Film Talk Episode #15 [20:22m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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David Tames talks with Chris Paine, director of the new film Who Killed the Electric Car, at the 15th Woods Hole Film Festival.

The film chronicles the life and mysterious death of the GM EV1 electric car, examining its cultural and economic effects and how they reverberated through the halls of government and big business. In 1990 California passed the Zero Emissions Mandate (ZEV) which encouraged the commercialization of the electric car. But the electric car threatened the status quo. The film tries to get at the truth behind its demise through interviews with automakers, legislators, engineers, consumers and car enthusiasts. The film is currently in theaters, so see the film and tell a friend.

Coverage of the Woods Hole Film Festival will continue in the next episode.

 Art Film Talk Episode #14 [12:56m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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