The one thing you absolutely need to accept about any film festival is that you won’t make it to every showing. Even when the films all play on one screen, and aren’t running concurrently, it’s just too big a time commitment for most people. That reality being realized, it’s imperative to select films carefully, plotting a schedule so you can be sure that when you and your co-workers are clustered at the coffee bar, you can be the one holding court. It’s crucial to be the alpha when discussing films at a coffee bar… or at least not be the poser who chose to watch the wrong movie.
Here’s are five movies you definitely ought to watch during the 2017 Glass City Film Festival:
5. They Will All Die In Space Thriller.
15 minutes. 6pm. Sunday, May 21.
We know very little about this short from director Javier Chillon, but he’s quietly been putting out novel thrillers for a few years now (Decapoda Shock, Die Schneider Krankheit) so we’re willing to buy a ticket and take the ride.
4. Cain’s Shadow
Thriller. 30 minutes. 6pm. Sunday, May 21.
Not to be all sci-fi thriller, but this is a good year for the genre. This gloomy flick tells of mass disappearances of children in a dystopian near future. The mother of one of the missing teams up with a transsexual DJ to get some answers. Directed by Antonio De Palo.
3. Nobody Dies Here
Documentary. 23 minutes. 8pm.
Saturday, May 20.
A beautifully shot, bleak narrative about a South African goldmine and the workers who toil in it, Nobody Dies here is a French language short from director Simon Panay. Here are the stories of those who hope to get rich and escape their brutal situation — as well as those who have realized their plight.
2. Reclaiming the Landscape Documentary.
17 minutes. 4pm. Sunday, May 21.
A documentary short by Steven Boatman, this powerful doc tells the story of urban agricultural farmer Thomas Jackson, a Toledo man who tried to grow a suburban garden and was ultimately met with resistance from his neighbors and the city. A sad tale of a good person in a bureaucratic and fussy world. Check out our story about the film at toledocitypaper.com.
1. Truth Underground
Documentary. 1 hour and 8 minutes. 6-8pm. Friday, May 19.
This heart-wrenching, award-winning documentary co-opens the festival. The story of three people who are utilizing poetry to cope with their personal issues, including military PTSD, racial injustice and an absentee father. This doc is powerful in its cries for attention, help and empathy. There’s also some amazing and emotional poetry here. Be sure to stay tuned for our online interview with the film’s director, Bradley Bethel.
What else you need to know:
The second annual Glass City Film Festival runs May 19-21 at the Ohio Theatre (3114 LaGrange St.). All films will be held at the Theatre, but some special events will take place across the street at The Old Library.
Awards, made by Gathered Glassblowing Studios, will be presented for festival categories including Best Feature, Best Short, Best Cinematography and an Audience Award. The Awards Ceremony will be held at the Theatre at 7:30pm on Sunday, May 21.
Pricing:
$10 per screening
$30 DAY PASSES for Saturday or
Sunday screenings
$60 ALL EVENT passes, including all GCFF special programs, feature films, and screening blocks, plus access to VIP room during the “Filmmaker Faction” After Party on Friday.
