Soo Film Festival 2021

1
2021 Soo Film Festival Schedule Grid

Sep 15 to 19
Bayliss Public Library, a Superior District Library, is located at 541 Library Drive,
Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Admission to all films at this venue is free.
For more information, call the Festival office at (906) 440-6086 or
the library at (906) 632-9331. Program is subject to change.
The Soo Theatre is located at 534 Ashmun St., Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
Tickets go on sale August 10. Festival Pass $50; Festival Super Saver $80;
Daily Pass $20; Single Tickets $7/$5 per block; Buy tickets online at
SooFilmFestival.org or call (906) 440-6086. Program is subject to change.
2 2021 SOO FILM FESTIVAL 3

Film List Film List
Block 1-Father Tries Best A Very Long Moment of Silence Block 11-Tunes and Toons
Flunked Glances (continued)
Moira Retail Archaeology
How My Grandmother Became A Chair
Those Who Move Mountains
Crazy Horse
Block 2-Life Lessons One More Please
The Legacy of Roethke Fog and Smoke
The Color of Hate
The Stories They Tell Once There Was a Girl
Nekkid
Angel
Block 3-These Times Block 7-Made in Michigan
Ababá
103 The Pewter Bros. Painting by Numbers
Loch Lomond Father's Day Departure Song
Tim Bits Wolf Boy Io
October Twenty Twenty Progress It Fits
Deadly - C Extracted Wishing You the Best
Hell in a Handbasket Metalyn Thank You for Your Teeth!
Choices Last Day for Videos Mooozart
Now & Then #37
The Formula of Happiness Block 12-Oh, Canada
In Good Health
The Truth Still
We'll Be in Touch
Earth Is Home Good News
Jesse James
Neighbooor One Over Capacity
Block 8-Looking Back
Mr. Emancipation: The Walter Perry Story
Block 4-Future Imperfect Time Capsule
Moon Drops Block 13-Foreign Shorts**
Roy's World: Barry Gifford's Chicago
Rediscovering Humanity What Could Have Happened
Nevermore Block 9-Michigan Featured
Cristina Zenato and the Reef Shark Connection
The Clearing Frozen Stupid 2: Open Water! The Delivery
Spring Cleaning Cuckoo!
Bartaliticus Block 10-Michigan Documented A Son Like Others
Connected Open Water The Van
Replica The Michigan Arctic Grayling Initiative The Whole World's Alright
Prime Time! A Day in the Life of Kik Pool Vincent Before Noon
The Silent Disease Julietit**
Block 5-Friday Night Frights
Mothers Block 11-Tunes and Toons ** Content Advisory: Brief Nudity
A Haunting in Hinsdale One Left
Margaux VOL. 1
Block 6-Student Films Awkward
Lifelines Ruth & Nick: A Confectionery Tale
Tough Love Winter Child
Bart's Revenge Journey With Mr. Mr.
The Letter Behind the Glass
St. George and the Dragon I Have No Home
Film Title – Block Number Index Mich. Arctic Grayling Initiative ......10
Moira ................................................ 1 Welcome!
103.................................................... 3
Moon Drops ..................................... 4 Welcome to the 2021 Soo Film Festival!
#37.................................................... 7
Mooozart .........................................11
Ababá............................................. 11 We were supremely disappointed to cancel last year’s festival. We love movies but
Mothers ............................................ 5
Angel .............................................. 11 nobody should risk their life for them. We were curious to see how a year inside
Mr. Emancipation: The Walter
Awkward ........................................ 11
Perry Story ...................................12 would be reflected in our submissions and we were not disappointed. The creative
Bartaliticus ...................................... 4
Neighbooor ...................................... 3 spirit overcame and the filmmakers found a way. You can see how in our Friday
Bart's Revenge ................................. 6
Nekkid............................................... 6 afternoon program ‘These Times.’
Behind the Glass ........................... 11
Nevermore........................................ 4 We’re doing something different with our Friday Night Frights this year. Because
Choices ............................................ 3
Now & Then ...................................... 3
Clearing ........................................... 4 real life is sometimes scarier, we’re featuring local filmmaker Mike Dotson’s
October Twenty Twenty .................. 3
Color of Hate ................................... 6 documentary about his team’s investigation of a haunted house. Mike will be
Once There Was a Girl ....................11
Connected ....................................... 4 joining us for a Q&A after the film so be sure to stick around.
One Left ...........................................11
Crazy Horse ................................... 11
One More Please .............................. 6 Filmmaker Rich Brauer will be joining us Saturday for a Q&A after his film Frozen
Cristina Zenato…Reef Shark ........ 13
One Over Capacity ..........................12 Stupid 2: Open Water. He made his film entirely in Michigan and can tell you how
Cuckoo! .......................................... 13
Open Water .....................................10 he did it.
Day in the Life of Kik Pool ............ 10
Painting by Numbers ......................11
Deadly - C ........................................ 3 Other programs feature such themes such as fathers, teachers, and reflecting upon
Pewter Bros. ..................................... 7
Delivery ......................................... 13 childhood.
Prime Time! ...................................... 4
Departure Song - Ga Setubal ....... 11 Be sure to check out our shorts programs. We’ve got science fiction, animation,
Progress ............................................ 7
Earth Is Home ................................. 3 music videos, and documentaries to cover all the bases. The student films could be
Rediscovering Humanity ................. 4
Extracted ......................................... 7
Replica .............................................. 4 your first look at your favorite filmmakers of tomorrow. We even have a program
Father's Day .................................... 7
Retail Archaeology ........................... 6 devoted to films and filmmakers ‘Made in Michigan.’
Flunked............................................ 1
Roy's World: B. Gifford's Chicago ... 8 The festival begins with two evening programs at Bayliss Public Library, just a
Fog and Smoke.............................. 11
Ruth&Nick:A Confectionery Tale ..11
Formula of Happiness .................... 3 block away from the Soo Theatre. Admission to the films at the library is free. The
Silent Disease ..................................10
Frozen Stupid 2: Open Water ......... 9 festival continues Friday through Sunday at the Soo Theatre.
Son Like Others ...............................13
Glances ............................................ 6 Soo Film Festival places an emphasis on Great Lakes films and filmmakers but
Spring Cleaning................................ 4
Good News .................................... 12 entry is open worldwide. Festival programming features international submissions
St. George and the Dragon .............. 6
Haunting in Hinsdale ..................... 5
Still ...................................................12 from 19 countries.
Hell in a Handbasket ...................... 3
Stories They Tell ............................... 2 All films in every category are eligible for an Audience Award. Judging takes place
How My Grandmother
Thank You for Your Teeth!..............11 during the festival. Festival attendees are encouraged to vote for their favorites.
Became A Chair .......................... 11
Those Who Move Mountains .......... 6
I Have No Home ........................... 11 Thank you for coming out and supporting the festival. We hope you enjoy the
Tim Bits ............................................. 3
In Good Health ............................... 7 films!
Time Capsule ................................... 8
Io .................................................... 11
Tough Love ....................................... 6 Thank You to Our Amazing Sponsors!
It Fits .............................................. 11
Truth ................................................. 3
Jesse James ...................................... 7
Van ...................................................13
Journey With Mr. Mr..................... 11
Very Long Moment of Silence ......... 6
Julietit ............................................ 13
Vincent Before Noon ......................13
Last Day for Videos ......................... 7
We'll Be in Touch ............................. 7
Legacy of Roethke ........................... 2
What Could Have Happened .........13
Letter................................................ 6
Whole World's Alright ....................13
Lifelines ........................................... 6
Winter Child ....................................11
Loch Lomond .................................. 3
Wishing You the Best ......................11
Margaux VOL. 1 ............................ 11
Wolf Boy............................................ 7
Metalyn............................................ 7
Tickets and Passes Block 1-Father Tries Best
A Festival Pass is $50 and gives you admission to all blocks on all days of the Short and Feature program, 108 min, Not rated
festival. The Festival Super Saver Pass is $80 and gives you TWO festival passes for Free admission
one low price! A Daily Pass is $20 and gives you admission to all blocks on a single
Wednesday, Sept. 15, 6:30pm - Bayliss Library
day (Friday, Saturday, or Sunday). Tickets to a single block are $7 for general
admission and $5 for students and seniors.
Tickets and passes for the 2021 Soo Film Festival go on sale Monday, August 10.
You may purchase all tickets and passes online at the Soo Film Festival ticket page
at FilmFreeway. If you purchase tickets or passes online, please bring your receipt
(printed or viewable on your phone).
No tickets are required for films shown at Bayliss Public Library. Admission is free
to all films at that venue.
Starting September 17, you may purchase tickets and passes at the door. We
accept cash, credit cards, and debit cards.
Tickets to individual films will be available at the Soo Theatre 30 minutes before
the film start time. You may pick up festival passes at the Soo Theatre 30 minutes
Still photo from Moira
before the first screening you wish to attend. If you purchase tickets or passes
online, please bring your receipt (printed or viewable on your phone). This program presents two foreign films in which fathers face challenges.
Ticket FAQ Flunked

Director: George ve Gänæaard
If I purchase a single film ticket, do I have a reserved seat?
Narrative Short, Romania, 2020, 15 min, Color
Single film tickets are reserved for a screening of a specific film with a specific
screening time and date; however, having a ticket does not guarantee you a seat. When his son flunks a biology test, a father must prove his love while helping him
You must arrive at the Soo Theatre at least 15 minutes before the scheduled pass the term.
screening start time.
Feature Presentation
Are festival passes good for any screening?
Moira
Yes; however, please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the screening you wish to Director: Daniel Lovecchio
attend to assure yourself the opportunity to secure a seat.
Narrative Feature, Spain, 2019, 93 min, Color, Spanish with English subtitles
Can ticket purchases be refunded or exchanged?
Germán is Argentine by birth but has lived in Spain for thirty years. On the day of
We regret that tickets cannot be refunded except in the case of a cancelled his daughter Lucia's birthday, he gets a phone call that forces him to confront his
screening. Exchanges, when possible, will be subject to a $1.00 processing fee per violent past. He must then deal with the terrible things that he experienced under
order. Argentina's dictatorship while at the same time overcoming his current family
I lost my tickets. What should I do? problems.
If you have misplaced your Soo Film Festival tickets, please arrive 30 minutes Director: Daniel Lovecchio
before the screening begins and ask for assistance. Writer: Nerea Lovecchio
Producer: Daniel Lovecchio
Cinematography: Ariel D. Zeitunlian
Art Director: Solange Ruibal, Nuria Urbano Block 2-Life Lessons
Music: Daniel Lovecchio & Jerónimo Plazza
Sound: Inés Almirón Shorts and Feature program, 94 min, Not rated
Editing: Arantxa Galán Free Admission
Key Cast: Nerea Lovecchio, Daniel Lovecchio, Luciano Ciaglia, Pury Estalayo,
Juan Luppi, Malena Altero
Thursday, Sept. 16, 6:30pm - Bayliss Library
Director Biography
Daniel Lovecchio (Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1955) Actor and musician. Dalcroze
Rhythmic Specialist. Bachelor of Dramatic Art from the Superior School of
Dramatic Art of Buenos Aires. (I.U.N.A) Direction and interpretation. Dr. in
Theater from the University of Valladolid 2012.
Director of the TylTyl Theater Integral Training Center in Art since 1995 Director
of the TylTyl Company since 1984. 52 shows directed since 1984. Founder and
Director of the Tyl Scenic Production Company AIE in 2016.
Director of Chrysalis (69 minutes) 2006, Clipxdiez (30 min) 2010. Moira (1:32:20)
2018.
Awards Still photo from The Stories They Tell

Ariano International Film Festival (Ariano Irpino, Italy), August 1, 2021, Best
This program presents two documentaries based in Michigan, a short and a
Feature Film
feature.
Lone Star International Film Festival (Fort Worth, TX, United States), November
14, 2021, Best Feature The Legacy of Roethke
Website: promofest.org/films/moira Trailer: vimeo.com/511140839 Director: Jeff Vande Zande
Facebook: facebook.com/filmoira/ Documentary Short, USA, 2019, 19 min, Color
Poet Tess Gallagher was in Theodore Roethke's last poetry writing class before he
died in the summer of 1963. In this documentary Gallagher shares her
recollections of Roethke as a teacher, while offering a virtual tour of Roethke's
boyhood home, now maintained as a museum in Saginaw, MI.
Great Lakes Connection: The film's subject is Theodore Roethke, the Pulitzer Prize
-winning poet from Saginaw, Michigan.
The Stories They Tell
Director: Danny Kim
Documentary Feature, USA, 2015, 75 min, Color
For over 15 years, Professor Siu-Lan Tan has partnered every Kalamazoo College
student in her Developmental Psychology class with a child at Woodward Elementary
School to create a children's book together. This Co-Authorship Project has expanded
education beyond the four walls of the classroom - giving psychology students rich

insights into the development of young children, who in turn learn about literacy,
social interaction and perhaps even catch a glimpse of their potential futures.
Block 3 - These Times
The Stories They Tell will take you on a journey of this innovative partnership, as Shorts program, 97 min, Not rated
students both young and old connect through this creative collaboration and learn Friday, Sept. 17, 3pm - Soo Theatre
more about each other and themselves in the process.
Great Lakes connection: The film documents a project involving college and
elementary school students from Kalamazoo, Michigan. Also, the crew is from
Michigan.
Director: Danny Kim
Writer: Danny Kim
Producer: Danny Kim
Screenings/Awards
North by Midwest Micro-Budget Film Festival (Kalamazoo, MI, United States) ,
May 21, 2016, Best Feature Film
Royal Starr Film Festival, (Royal Oak, MI, United States), October 13, 2016
Still photo from Neighbooor
Made-in-Michigan Film Festival (Frankenmuth, MI, United States), February 3,
2017 This program presents a mixed group of short films that tell pandemic stories from
around the world.
Trailer: https://bit.ly/2WbShFQ
103
Director: José Bautista
Documentary Short, Spain, 2020, 19 min, Color
On March 13th Fernando Domínguez, an architect, went to the Bellvitge Hospital
in Barcelona with COVID-19. Twenty days later he was discharged and became
the first patient to leave the Intensive Care Unit of that medical center. Fernando
never saw the faces of those who cared for him. On April 1st he began to write a
letter.
Loch Lomond
Director: Sarah Root
Narrative Short, USA, 2020, 10 min, Color
In the midst of a pandemic, a young woman rediscovers her family's past of love,
loss, and adventure during the Jacobite uprising of 1745.
Great Lakes Connection: The film was shot in Oak Park, Michigan. All of the cast
and crew currently reside in Michigan and are Michigan natives.

Tim Bits Now & Then
Director: Gordon Pepper Director: Peter M Angelinas
Documentary Short, Canada, 2021, 1 min, Color Narrative Short, USA, 2021, 15 min, Color
A comic look at the yearlong pandemic. On the roof of their apartment building two men have an increasingly awkward
conversation about money, quarantine, and life.
October Twenty Twenty
Director: Lorenzo Tricase The Formula of Happiness
Director: Jimmy Castro
Documentary Short, Italy, 2020, 13 min, Color
Narrative Short, Argentina, 2020, 2 min, Black & White
A young girl finds out on her thirteenth birthday that the monster under the bed
isn't just a tall tale made up by parents. A man tries to explain the formula of happiness during the quarantine in eight
simple steps.
A personal short story during the main global pandemic event in the last century.
The Truth
Deadly - C
Director: Alberto Blanco
Director: Ashish Bisht
Narrative Short, Spain, 2021, 3 min, Color
Narrative Short, India, 2020, 5 min, Color
For ten days Alejandro Martínez has been locked in his room, losing all sense of
Deadly - C is a 5-minute short film that tells the story of human negligence, where
time, all because of a pandemic alert against which he starts to doubt and
the irresponsible behavior of one person can generate life-threatening
conspire.
circumstances not only for individual but for the entire human race.
Hell in a Handbasket Earth Is Home

Director: Noomen Noomen
Director: Lee Chambers
Documentary Short, Tunisia, 2020, 8 min, Black & White and Color, Student
Narrative Short, Canada, 2021, 5 min, Color
Project - ESAC Gammarth (High School of Audiovisual and Cinema), Gammarth,
Dale, a lonely research scientist in the Arctic, struggles to maintain his solitary Tunisia
existence. With the world failing from a global pandemic, all hopes fall on Dale's
How does the current COVID-19 pandemic compare to the forgotten Spanish Flu
shoulders as he represents the last stand for humanity.
pandemic of 1918? While we are in quarantine, the Earth is resting from our
Great Lakes Connection: The director was born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, pollution. When we emerge from quarantine, we must remember to protect the
Ontario... and has been selected by the Soo Film Festival before. Earth because Earth is our home.
Choices Neighbooor
Director: Michael McCallum Director: Paco León
Narrative Short, USA, 2020, 6 min, Black & White Narrative Short, Spain, 2020, 10 min, Color
Mitch and Charlie are facing a new world after a mysterious sickness has taken Living by himself, Luis is handling the quarantine quite badly. One day while he is
everyone they love. in the bathroom, he hears a voice calling for him from the air vent. It’s Rosa, an
enthusiastic neighbor who starts invading his privacy every time he goes into the
Great Lakes Connection: The film was created entirely in Michigan.
bathroom. Luis puts up with every conversation with the politeness of a selfless
neighbor but, for him, the situation is a nightmare. It gets worse when she asks
him for a favor.

Block 4-Future Imperfect The Clearing
Director: Matthew Hamel, Danny Kim, Michelle Hamel
Shorts program, 111 min, Not rated
Friday, Sept. 17, 6pm - Soo Theatre
On Halloween, something goes wrong for two siblings out trick-or-treating. This
short film was conceptualized and completed in just 48 hours (2880 minutes) for
the Cinema 2880 Film Festival and had to include all of the following: Genre:
Western; Character: Know-It-All; Item (Prop): Postcard; Location: The Woods;
Line of Dialogue: Make it easy on yourself. There’s nothing more you can do.
Great Lakes Connection: The entire cast and crew are from Berrien Springs and
Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Spring Cleaning
Director: James Sowka
A woman makes a startling discovery while cleaning her home.
Still photo from Connected
Great Lakes Connection: The director lived in East Lansing for over a year.
What will the future bring? This program of short narrative films offers some
possible visions. Bartaliticus
Director: Vincent Gagliardi
Moon Drops
Director: Yoram Ever-Hadani Narrative Short, USA, 2020, 8 min, Color
Narrative Short, Israel, 2018, 16 min, Color In this sci-fi comedy, an extraterrestrial visits Earth to reveal the secret to saving
the planet.
A factory worker assembles an enigmatic machine that produces liquid drops from
the moonlight. Great Lakes Connection: Co-Producer Matt Jensen is from Michigan.
Rediscovering Humanity Connected

Director: Matthew Ryan Smith Director: Christopher Satola
Narrative Short, USA, 2021, 11 min, Black & White and Color Narrative Short, USA, 2018, 12 min, Color, Student Project - University of Southern
California, Los Angeles, California
A far-future human civilization that spans the galaxy looks back to learn more
about humans in our time. In a near future world, technological communication advancements have
deprived humanity of closeness to each other. The sound of a human voice has
Great Lakes Connection: The filmmaker has lived in Michigan all his life. The become almost forgotten, the touch of a person close to you almost extinct, and
interview portions of the film are set, and the scenes were also shot, in Michigan. direct interactions almost forbidden. A small boy, full of curiosity about the world
Nevermore that surrounds him, goes on a journey to learn the value of interpersonal
communication, human emotions, and their expression, and discovers the
Director: John Baak
underground art of theater. The boy tries to adopt a play portraying an early 21st
Narrative Short, Netherlands, 2020, 9 min, Color century family into his own relationship with his parents.
In search of a better life, Samira finds herself in a situation where her core values
are challenged, and she starts to wonder if it’s all worth it.
Replica Block 5-Friday Night Frights
Director: Álvaro de la Hoz
Shorts and Feature program, 94 min, Not rated
Narrative Short, Spain, 2020, 12 min, Color Q&A with filmmaker Michael Dotson
Olivia is not willing to fail. She goes out and tests herself, going further and further.
Friday, Sept. 17, 8:30pm - Soo Theatre
Until she executes her plan.
Prime Time!
Director: Nacho S. Cavada, Gerar Revilla, Adrián Hevia
1993. Nico Ríos is an unsuccessful journalist working for a minor newspaper.
When he receives an anonymous call from a mysterious woman, Nico finds
himself involved in a race against the clock to reveal a dark plot orchestrated by an
unscrupulous businessman that threatens all mankind.
Still photo from A Haunting in Hinsdale

Be prepared to be scared.
Mothers
Directors: George ve Gänæaard, Horia Cucută
Narrative Short, Romania, 2020, 4 min, Color
After putting her young daughter to bed for the night, a mother's quiet evening
turns to despair when the child disappears from her room.
A Haunting in Hinsdale
Director: Michael Dotson
Documentary Feature, USA, 2021, 90 min, Color, Paranormal
A group of friends embark on a ghostly adventure on the East Coast leading up to a
paranormal investigation at a historic haunted house.
A Q&A session with the filmmaker follows the screening.
Great Lakes Connection: All members of the crew were born and raised in
www.smith-company.com Michigan.
On Facebook at Smithandcompanyrealestate Director: Michael Dotson

Producer: Drive-In Cinema Pictures

Key Cast: Michelle Sibbald, Austin Rogers, Michael Dotson, Luke Bernard, William
Johnston, Billie Lindemuth
Block 6-Student Films
Director Biography
Born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, filmmaking has always been a Saturday, Sept. 18, 11am - Soo Theatre
passion of his in his spare time. He's a huge fan of 1980s horror movies and cult
films.
Director Statement
Thank you for taking your time to watch our film that we've worked very hard on,
and I hope this not only entertains you but also makes you think twice about the
afterlife. We spent weeks going through hours of footage and months of editing to
bring this together for your entertainment.
Trailer: youtube.com/watch?v=I_vxv0hTvfA
Still photo from The Color of Hate

We received a lot of great student entries from the Great Lakes region and
elsewhere. In this sampling, you’ll see the work of talented college students in all
short categories.
Lifelines
Director: Noah Bernardo
Narrative Short, USA, 2021, 16 min, Color, Student Project - Northern Arizona
University, Flagstaff, Arizona
A lonely sound engineer decides to finally contact his crush and reconnect with
his sister by pretending to use them both as phone lifelines on a game show.
Tough Love
Director: Daniel Rodriguez
Narrative Short, USA, 2021, 12 min, Color, Student Project - Compass College of
Cinematic Arts, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Robert has been tasked with writing a retirement speech for his father but earlier
memories both good and bad keep getting in the way.
Great Lakes Connection: The film was shot in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan
with local actors.
Bart's Revenge
Director: Gus Kearns

Animation, UK, 2017, 1 min, Color, Student Project - Staffordshire University, Director: Jack Schreiner
Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, UK Documentary Short, USA, 2019, 5 min, Color, Student Project - Penta Career
A bored barman takes a nap but soon finds that all is not as it seems in this old Center, Perrysburg, Ohio
Western tavern. Retail shopping habits are changing in America. Online shopping is killing indoor
The Letter shopping malls. This short documentary discusses why this is happening as well as
the past, present, and future of American retail and shopping malls.
Director: Aleksei Borovikov
Great Lakes Connection: The film was shot in Northwest Ohio.
Narrative Short, USA, 2020, 3 min, Color, Student Project - Columbia College
Chicago, Illinois Those Who Move Mountains
Director: Lauren Loesberg
During the COVID-19 pandemic, a young man dreams of life after lockdown and
sends an inspiring message to the world. Narrative Short, USA, 2020, 12 min, Color, Student Project - Northwestern
University, Evanston, Illinois
Great Lakes Connection: The film was shot in Chicago.
In a near-future society that has left humans dependent on urban infrastructure, a
St. George and the Dragon falsely convicted woman is sentenced to a lifetime in the wilderness.
Director: Gus Kearns Great Lakes Connection: The film was shot in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois. Lake
Animation, UK, 2019, 3 min, Color, Student Project - Staffordshire University, Michigan features prominently in the film.
Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, UK One More Please
A family of medieval entertainers perform the legend of St. George and the Dragon Director: Aleksei Borovikov
for the local townsfolk. This film is an homage to the Mystery Plays of the medieval
Narrative Short, USA, 2019, 5 min, Color, Student Project - Columbia College
era which were typically performed by a travelling troupe for both adults and
Chicago, Illinois
children to enjoy.
A lonely young man begins a playful drinking game with a handsome stranger.
A Very Long Moment of Silence
Great Lakes Connection: The film was shot in Chicago with local cast and crew.
Director: Henry Dobozy
Narrative Short, Canada, 2021, 5 min, Black & White, Student Project - Kitchener
The Color of Hate
Collegiate and Vocational School, Ontario, Canada Director: Delores M. Flynn
Hapless Charlie Kay's day takes a turn for the worse when he falls down the stairs Narrative Short, USA, 2020, 16 min, Color, Student Project - Motion Picture
and loses his voice. Institute, Troy, Michigan
Great Lakes Connection: The film was shot in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. The This film is an interracial love story set hours before the Detroit Riot in 1967.
director is also native to the Great Lakes region. Nekkid
Glances Director: Ellison Winterstein
Director: Aleksei Borovikov Narrative Short, USA, 2021, 22 min, Color, Student Project - Michigan State
Narrative Short, USA, 2020, 7 min, Color, Student Project - Columbia College University, East Lansing, Michigan
Chicago, Illinois College student Johnny is locked out of his girlfriend’s apartment, and he’s buck
Two strangers lock eyes in a cafe and have to deal with unexpected feelings. naked. On his quest for sanctuary and/or pants, he meets the eccentric residents
of the apartment complex.
Great Lakes Connection: The film was shot in Chicago with local cast and crew.
Great Lakes Connection: The film was shot in East Lansing, Michigan. Except for
Retail Archaeology the composer, all production cast and crew live in Michigan.

A day in the life of a boy who turns into a wolf. This short film was conceptualized
Block 7-Made in Michigan and completed in just 48 hours (2880 minutes) for the Cinema 2880 Film Festival
Shorts program, 95 min, Not rated and had to include all of the following: Genre: Comedy; Character: Werewolf; Item
(Prop): Watermelon; Location: Street Alley; Line of Dialogue: Buy one, get one.
Saturday, Sept. 18, 2pm - Soo Theatre
Great Lakes Connection: The film was shot in Berrien Springs, Michigan with an all
-Michigan cast and crew.
Progress
Director: Christopher Boulton
Documentary Short, USA, 2021, 8 min, Color
This short documentary profiles Larry and Charlie Schiller, owners of Schiller's
Architectural and Design Salvage in Tampa, FL. The film traces the lineage of one
of the more unusual items on offer to consider the allure of old objects, take stock
of how far we've come, and ask what has been lost and gained in the process.
Great Lakes Connection: The film's creator was born and raised in Holland,
Michigan.
Still photo from Wolf Boy
Extracted
This program presents a mixed group of short films. All were made in or have a
Director: Michael Pieper
connection to Michigan.
Narrative Short, USA, 2019, 2 min, Color, Student Project - Delta College,
The Pewter Bros. University Center, Michigan
Director: Michael McCallum
A man runs a discount dentistry business out of his garage, and it makes for a scary
Narrative Short, USA, 2019, 11 min, Color time.
Two brothers search for a missing treasure. Can they get past being around each Great Lakes Connection: The film was shot in Midland, Michigan with Michigan-
other long enough to find it? based crew members and actors.
Great Lakes Connection: The film was created entirely in Michigan. Metalyn
Father's Day Director: Jay London
Director: Justin Rose Music Video, USA, 2020, 5 min, Color
Narrative Short, USA, 2021, 18 min, Color Music video from the rock band Tarnished.
When successful attorney Jim Sexton gets a free coffee on Father's Day, it causes Great Lakes Connection: The film was shot in downtown Sault Ste. Marie,
him to reflect on his life, what has happened and what will never be. Michigan.
Great Lakes Connection: The lead actor and writer was born and raised in Last Day for Videos
Michigan. The main character in the story is from Michigan and refers to it in a Director: Chad Campbell
multitude of ways in the film even though the film takes place in Arizona.
Wolf Boy A look into the final day of the last video rental chain in America.
Directors: Danny Kim, Matthew Hamel, Michelle Hamel
Great Lakes Connection: Family Video is definitely a Midwest organization, and
Narrative Short, USA, 2019, 5 min, Color this film was shot in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
#37 Block 8-Looking Back
Directors: Matthew Hamel, Danny Kim, Michelle Hamel
Narrative Short, USA, 2017, 6 min, Black & White
Saturday, Sept. 18, 4:30pm - Soo Theatre
Something sinister is happening in the back of this grocery store. This short film
was conceptualized and completed in just 48 hours (2880 minutes) for the Cinema
2880 Film Festival and had to include all of the following: Genre: Art House Film;
Character: Loathes to be Photographed; Item (Prop): Trash Can; Location: Grocery
Store; Line of Dialogue: Do you wear glasses when you go to bed?
Great Lakes Connection: The entire cast and crew are from Berrien Springs and
Kalamazoo, Michigan.
In Good Health
Directors: Michael Pieper, Jerrod Rachow, Logan Histed
Narrative Short, USA, 2019, 7 min, Color, Student Project - Delta College,
University Center, Michigan
A man falls ill when traveling and returns home. Miraculously healed overnight Still photo from Roy's World: Barry Gifford's Chicago
(with some help), he faces the new day while causing unforeseen consequences This program presents the story of poet, author, and screenwriter Barry Gifford
for his future health. and 1950s Chicago as the feature film. It is preceded by a short documentary of a
Great Lakes Connection: The crew are all from mid-Michigan and Ohio. The film letter found in a time capsule.
was shot in Saginaw, Michigan.
Time Capsule
We'll Be in Touch Director: Lauren Loesberg
Director: Jeff Vande Zande Documentary Short, USA, 1900, 12 min, Color
Narrative Short, USA, 2020, 6 min, Color Created from home video footage from 1997-2005, this documentary is set to the
Justin needs a job, but interviews sometimes get downright surreal. reading of a letter written for a time capsule found twelve years later.
Great Lakes Connection: The film was entirely made in Michigan. Great Lakes Connection: The subjects of the documentary originate from Chicago,
Illinois and West Bloomfield, Michigan.
Jesse James
Director: Josef Steiff Feature Presentation
Narrative Short, USA, 2020, 20 min, Color Roy's World: Barry Gifford's Chicago
In the moments between a neighbor's phone call and the arrival of the police, Director: Rob Christopher
Jesse and his lover test the boundaries of their relationship and come face to face Documentary Feature, USA, 2020, 75 min, Black & White and Color, Biography,
not just with what they are losing but with what they have already lost -- when Famous Writers
Jesse can no longer save his relationship but only himself.
Hailed as “William Faulkner by way of B-movie film noir, porn paperbacks and
Great Lakes Connection: The writer/director lives in Wisconsin. The editor is from Sun Records rockabilly,” poet, author, and screenwriter Barry Gifford has given
Wisconsin. The film was shot in Chicago. Most of the crew is living in or from the the world more than forty works, including the Sailor and Lula novels that inspired
Chicago region (Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan). David Lynch's Wild at Heart.

Featuring Willem Dafoe, Matt Dillon, and Lili Taylor, Rob Christopher's From the very beginning it was important to me that the film ditch a traditional
documentary brilliantly brings to life Gifford’s autobiographical collection of “talking heads” approach. That meant no onscreen interviews, with Gifford or
stories, capturing a vanished 1950s Chicago through a jazzy, impressionistic anyone else. No celebrity endorsements. And I also wanted to make sure there
combination of beguiling archive footage, animation, and spoken word. weren’t any cutaways to contemporary views of Chicago neighborhoods, meant to
demonstrate “how things look today.” Instead, in Roy’s World we strive to keep
Great Lakes connection: The film explores 1950s Chicago.
viewers fully immersed in that vanished time and place. To make you feel like
Director: Rob Christopher you’re actually there—which is exactly what Gifford’s stories achieve. Onscreen,
Writers: Barry Gifford, Rob Christopher photographs and other materials from Gifford’s personal files are intertwined with
Producer: Michael Glover Smith, Rob Christopher archival materials (including rare home movies, amateur footage, family
Key Cast: Willem Dafoe, Matt Dillon, Lili Taylor photographs, and industrial films) to spotlight
Music: Jason Adasiewicz facets of everyday life ignored in most
Editing: Marianna Milhorat documentaries about the period.
Animation: Lilli Carré, Kevin Eskew Animated segments by Lilli Carré and Kevin
Eskew, illustrating key stories that trace Roy’s
Director Biography
progression from childhood to adolescence,
Rob Christopher wrote, directed, and starred in the acclaimed fiction feature provide another way of representing the Roy
Pause of the Clock, which had its World Premiere at the Denver Film Festival in stories.
2015 and screened at the Gene Siskel Film Center in 2016. In January 2017 it was And binding everything together is an evocative
nominated for Best Chicago Film by the Chicago Independent Film Critics Circle. jazz score composed by celebrated vibraphonist
He wrote the introduction to the young adult edition of Sad Stories of the Death of Jason Adasiewicz and performed by the cream
Kings by Barry Gifford and edited several Roy stories for publication on the of the crop of Chicago’s current jazz scene. In
website Chicagoist. Also author of the book Queue Tips: Discovering Your Next fact, Jason composed the score and we recorded
Great Movie, his film writing frequently appears in Cine-File Chicago. it before I even started editing. I wanted the
music up front, not just lurking in the
Director Statement background. To sort of have a conversation with
For many years I’ve been captivated by the Roy stories of Barry Gifford, which use the stories and the visuals. So the sound and
a very spare and direct prose style to trace a boy’s childhood. Unlike a lot of mood of Jason’s music pervades Roy’s World
autobiographical fiction, they’re not sentimental at all. But what especially appeals and carries you along.
to me is that their power over the reader is gradual and cumulative; you don’t even The end result is, I hope, a documentary that conjures a lost time and place
have to read the stories in any particular order, but the more of them you read the without coming off like a dry history lesson; that draws from primary resources to
more vivid they feel. Because they really do put you in a very particular time and offer a neighborhood-level view of city life, of how ordinary residents worked,
place, mostly the 1950s and mostly in Chicago. raised families, and interacted with one another; and that, through the Roy stories,
suggests how these people, and Gifford in particular, were affected by societal
I’ve wanted to make a film about Chicago for a long time, and it seemed to me that
factors such as corruption and racism—all themes which are still timely and
using the Roy stories as a lens for viewing the city’s history would be the perfect relevant. And I sure hope it nudges viewers to check out Gifford’s writing!
launching pad for a documentary. My approach was really inspired by Terence
Davies’ Of Time and the City, Laurie Anderson’s Heart of a Dog, and the work of Screenings/Awards
Bill Morrison. In Roy’s World we freely mix Gifford’s biography with the fictional Glasgow Film Festival (Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom), February 28, 2020,
versions of his life as presented in the Roy stories to create a dream-like, World Premiere
composite portrait—an impressionistic exploration of both Chicago and Gifford’s Beloit International Film Festival (Beloit, IL, United States), February 19, 2021,
work. Wisconsin Premiere, Best Illinois Feature
Befitting a documentary about a writer, words are the thing: Gifford’s recollections Website: www.roysworldfilm.com
of the period, told in voiceover, mesh with narration of the stories by Willem Trailer: www.roysworldfilm.com
Dafoe, Matt Dillon, and Lili Taylor. All three actors are fans of Gifford’s work and Twitter: twitter.com/RoysWorldFilm Instagram: instagram.com/roysworldfilm
were excited to be part of the project.
Luckily, they meet up with long-time fisherwoman Stormy (Kimberly Guerrero,
Block 9-Michigan Featured Hidalgo, Barn Red, Seinfeld) who offers a unique gift at the perfect time.
Feature program, 83 min, Not rated As in the original film Frozen Stupid, Tony stays ever buoyant, against all odds,
Q&A with filmmaker Rich Brauer postponing trouble, being a friend, and trying to make the best of what life throws
Saturday, Sept. 18, 6:30pm - Soo Theatre at him.
Great Lakes connection: The film revolves around Michigan inland lake fishing.
Director: Rich Brauer
Writer: Rich Brauer
Key Cast: Kimberly Guerrero, Joey Albright, Wayne David Parker
Director Biography
Rich Brauer is president of Brauer Productions, Inc., an independent film and
video production company he founded in 1977 after graduating with a B.A. in
Motion Picture Production and Undersea Photographic Technology from Brooks
Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA.
Brauer received the Michigan Filmmaker of the Year award at the 2009 Traverse
City Film Festival, presented by filmmaker Michael Moore. Past recipients have
Still photo from Frozen Stupid 2: Open Water been actor Jeff Daniels, writer Kurt Luedtke, and actress Christine Lahti.
This program presents the narrative feature, Frozen Stupid 2: Open Water, Brauer has written and directed 10 feature films and hundreds of corporate, non-
directed by a frequent participant in past Soo Film Festivals, Traverse-City-based profit, educational and commercial projects. He enjoys supporting independent
Rich Brauer. filmmakers.
A Q&A session with the filmmaker follows the screening. He co-founded the Inland Seas Education Association in 1989 and the Maritime
Heritage Alliance in 1982, where he currently serves as president. He also serves
Feature Presentation on the board of directors of COGNITION, a science and learning center in Benzie
County, Michigan.
Frozen Stupid 2: Open Water
He has three adult children and 6 grandkids and lives on an old fruit farm on Old
Director: Rich Brauer Mission Peninsula near Traverse City, Michigan.
Narrative Feature, USA, 2021, 83 min, Color, Family Comedy
Director Statement
The ice is long gone. Tony Norgard (Joey Albright, Escanaba in da Moonlight, I love the challenge of pulling crew and actors together to tell stories!!
Frozen Stupid) gets a call that his waterlogged vehicle is finally getting pulled out
of Houghton Lake. His joyous moment, however, is shattered when he is handed a Website: brauer.com/frozen-stupid-2
big DNR fine. He finds some fast cash to pay the tow truck guy; he can figure out a Trailer: vimeo.com/520403281
way to pay the fine later.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Brauer-Productions-Inc-109544909078131
Then the perfect thing happens: he hears about a fishing tournament in town with
a juicy prize.
With high hopes, he and his friend Sam Idleman (Wayne David Parker, Escanaba
in Da Moonlight, Frozen Stupid, Barn Red) resurrect a forgotten 1960s boat he
inherited from his dad (played by Ernest Borgnine in the original Frozen Stupid
movie). Not surprisingly, the modern boats in the competition outflank them on
every level.
Block 10-Michigan Documented The Michigan Arctic Grayling Initiative
Directors: Grace Bright, Grace Joo
Documentary shorts program, 187 min, Not rated
Documentary Short, USA, 2020, 19 min, Color, Student Project - Troy Athens High
Sunday, Sept. 19, 11am - Soo Theatre School, Troy, Michigan
The native Arctic grayling disappeared from Michigan waters by 1936. This is the
story of what it will take to bring them back.
Great Lakes Connection: The film is about returning a native species to Michigan
waters.
A Day in the Life of Kik Pool

Director: Danny Kim
Beginning in the quiet, pre-dawn hours, a public pool provides a place for the
community to gather: to stay in shape, to learn an important skill, and to simply
have fun. But as the day progresses, it becomes clear that a swimming pool is
Still photo from A Day in the Life of Kik Pool much more than that. It is almost a living thing: shifting and changing for the
The four short documentaries in this program share a connection with Michigan. different people who use it, strengthening friendships and family bonds, and
becoming a vital part of the community.
Open Water Great Lakes Connection: The cast are from, and film's location is in, Kalamazoo,
Director: Kalli Anderson Michigan. All of the crew are from Michigan.
Documentary Short, Canada, 2020, 19 min, Color The Silent Disease
What does it feel like to swim across the largest freshwater lake in the world? Director: Kyla Milberger
To answer that question, this short documentary film follows 61-year-old open- Documentary Short, USA, 2021, 36 min, Color, Student Project - New York
water swimmer Marilyn Korzekwa in her attempt to be the first person to ever University, New York City
complete a crossing of the eastern end of Lake Superior, from Michigan, USA to
Ontario, Canada. It took my father’s death for me to realize he was hiding a big secret. While as an
anesthesiologist he was saving lives, he himself fell victim to a silent disease:
The film uses experimental underwater photography techniques and immersive addiction. My parents divorced; the family divided; one son also became a drug
sound design to convey the subjective experience of swimming non-stop through user. Eventually drugs would cause my father’s death. I was angry and ashamed of
a night and a day. It chronicles the changing moods of the lake over the course of my dad. I thought he had a choice to choose us or the drugs. But now, five years
the swim as Marilyn and her small support crew weather the waves and numbing later, I get a second chance at understanding this disease that my brother struggles
cold. Along the way, we get to know some of the tight-knit community of Canadian with every day.
women who have, with very little fanfare, been swimming and helping each other
swim the Great Lakes for three generations. Great Lakes Connection: The film is based in the metro Detroit area.
Great Lakes Connection: The film tells the story of Marilyn Korzekwa, the first
person ever to complete a solo marathon swim from Michigan to Ontario across
the Eastern end of Lake Superior.

Block 11-Tunes and Toons Ruth & Nick: A Confectionery Tale
Director: Carter Rostron
Animation, USA, 2021, 6 min, Color, Student Project - Pembroke Hill School,
Sunday, Sept. 19, 1:30pm - Soo Theatre Kansas City, Missouri
This stop-motion animated short tells the bittersweet story of Nick, a piece of
candy who falls in love with a girl who seems out of reach. This film was made by
15-year-old Carter Rostron of Kansas City, using cardboard, construction paper,
and a bunch of candy.
Great Lakes Connection: From the director: ”I have gone to the Great Lakes region
(Ludington, Michigan) every summer of my life, and it's my favorite place in the
world. Maybe someday I will make a movie about that, but this movie doesn't
really relate to that. But it's about candy, and I'm sure people in the Great Lakes
region love candy as much as anyone does!”
Winter Child
Director: Lorenzo Massa
Still photo from Journey With Mr. Mr.
Music Video, Italy, 2021, 4 min, Color
This program is a mix of music videos and short animations from around the
world. Experimental music video.
One Left Journey With Mr. Mr.

Director: Sebastian Doringer Director: Céline Brengou
Animation, Austria, 2020, 6 min, Color, Student Project - University of Applied Arts Animation, France, 2019, 3 min, Color
of Vienna, Austria
As landscapes unfold behind the train’s window, thoughts roam freely and the
Several patients wait in a doctor’s office to hear test results regarding their mind wanders. Mister and Mister discourse.
remaining lifetimes. In most cases, the allotted time is not as long as they had
hoped for. Behind the Glass
Director: Pedro de la Llave
Margaux VOL. 1
Director: Daniel Iglesias Jr.
Mario thinks he is in control. He thinks he knows what he is doing, and he looks
Music Video, USA, 2018, 2 min, Color
down to the people on the other side of the glass. But what Mario doesn't know is
A retro magazine comes alive in this exploration of modern iconography. A that the glass itself is not on his side.
fashion film starring Margaux The Agency.
I Have No Home
Awkward Director: Volodymyr Vlasenko
Director: Nata Metlukh
Music Video, Ukraine, 2019, 3 min, Color
Animation, USA, 2020, 4 min, Color
A young boy is traveling with his imaginary friends in search of the way home. Will
A day full of socially awkward moments. he find a place to stay or is the journey the meaning of life for him now?

How My Grandmother Became A Chair Ababá
Director: Nicolas Fattouh Director: Jon Calvo
Animation, Lebanon, 2020, 10 min, Color Animation, Spain, 2021, 3 min, Color
An aging grandmother loses her five senses, one after the other, before finally The adventures of a little furry being as he tries to discover his mission in the
becoming a wooden chair. Throughout her transformation, she realizes that her world.
housekeeper is not the wild animal she once thought she was, but the caring and
loyal family member she was sadly lacking. A poignant story about illness and Painting by Numbers
growing old which employs imagination and metaphor to show the difficult and Director: Radheya Jegatheva
painful process of departing.
Animation, Australia, 2021, 4 min, Color, Student Project - Curtin University,
Crazy Horse Bentley, Perth, Western Australia
Directors: Gus Kearns, Giulia Marcolini In a mysterious gallery imbued with strange life, a child's encounter with classic
masterpieces triggers a confronting epiphany.
Animation, UK, 2018, 1 min, Color
A civilized horse gets more than he bargained for after opening his morning Departure Song
newspaper. Director: Deco Farkas
Fog and Smoke Music Video, Brazil, 2019, 4 min, Color

Director: Nathanael Draper This music video is the first single of a singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist
musician from São Paulo, Brazil. Artist: Ga Setubal.
Music Video, Canada, 2021, 6 min, Color
A man is trapped inside and pestered by someone who only wants to party while Io
he's just trying to get through the day. Director: Antonio Michele Stea
Great Lakes Connection: The film was shot in Toronto. Animation, Italy, 2020, 8 min, Color
Once There Was a Girl The gaze belongs to the individual: always looking at the outside from the inside.
Director: Deb Ethier Inside and out are the same image at a mirror. Here the space is not a space.
Animation, Canada, 2020, 4 min, Color It Fits

Why do stories we read as children stay with us through our lives and become Director: Children of the FABIDO Day Care Center "Dürener Strasse"
broken bits of dreams and jumbled images from fairy tales that are always in the Animation, Germany, 2020, 6 min, Color
back of our minds?
In the triangle country it is very beautiful: sunny with a blue sea and good air. But
Great Lakes Connection: The film's creator lives and works in southern Ontario, on there is too little work. So, the triangle family decides to emigrate to the square
the shores of the Detroit River where it empties into Lake Erie. country. Daddy quickly finds work. But life is hard. They do not fit through the
square doors. And some squares claim that the triangles do not fit at all into the
Angel
quadrangle country. This film was made by 5- and 6-year-old children of a day
Director: Nicole Rinaldi care center in a difficult social environment (it was completed in September of
Music Video, USA, 2021, 3 min, Color 2020). The children did the stop-motion technique, made the dolls and the
environment, and did the voiceovers.
Animated music video for the single Angel. Artist: Nowey.
Great Lakes Connection: The filmmaker is from, and the film was created in, New
York.
Wishing You the Best Block 12-Oh, Canada
Directors: Michael Khernonsky, Monique Sherell Brown
Music Video, USA, 2019, 3 min, Color
Sunday, Sept. 19, 4:30pm - Soo Theatre
This music video is about a narcissist ("Big Country") who has to come to terms
with the fact that he is not as great as he thinks he is. Artist: Monique Sherrell
Brown
Thank You for Your Teeth!

Directors: George ve Gänæaard, Horia Cucută
Animation, Romania, 2020, 3 min, Color
Josh, a 6-year-old kid living with his mother and sister, discovers that for each
tooth lost he receives five dollars. He makes a quick calculation and understands
that an entire bike is sitting in his mouth.
Great Lakes Connection: The film was written by Ron Riekki, who hails from
Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
Still photo from Mr. Emancipation: The Walter Perry Story
Mooozart
Three narrative shorts and a documentary feature share a Canadian connection.
Director: Piero Tonin
Still
Animation, Italy, 2021, 10 min, Color
Director: Alison MacDonald
An animated homage to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and classical art.
Narrative Short, Canada, 2021, 4 min, Color, Student Project - Sault College, Sault
Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
A visual poem that provides space for reflection on the quieter moments in life,
where we pause to think, to feel, and to breathe.
Great Lakes Connection: The creator/actor is from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The
film was shot in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
Good News
Director: Osric Chau
Narrative Short, Canada, 2021, 14 min, Color
Happily married without kids and intending to focus on his career, Ryan struggles
with the news of an unplanned pregnancy and his wife Nicole’s decision to keep
the baby. When the doctor diagnoses his wife with cancer, it leaves Ryan wanting
nothing more than to have a child with Nicole.

One Over Capacity Born to a single mother in the Black community of downtown Windsor, Ontario,
Canada, Chase went on to become a high school teacher. He is also the family
Director: Michael Zamanis
historian and a passionate advocate for greater awareness of a historic Black
Narrative Short, Canada, 2020, 6 min, Color community, time has forgotten.
Don and Betty must reduce the company's headcount by one staff member It was a desire for everyone to know the story
through unorthodox methods. of his great-great-uncle Walter Perry that led
Chase to pick up a camera and begin
Great Lakes Connection: The film was shot in North York, Ontario. All of the actors
recording the stories about him from the
and crew hail from the greater Toronto area.
elders in his community.
Feature Presentation Mister Emancipation: The Walter Perry Story
is the result of twenty years of research and
Mr. Emancipation: The Walter Perry Story five years of production.
Director: Preston Chase
Director Statement
Documentary Feature, Canada, 2020, 62 min, Color, First-Time Filmmaker
Directing a film is the last thing I ever
Mr. Emancipation is the story of Walter L. Perry’s determination to put on a expected to do. I have never done anything
celebration that would transcend divisions of race and class. He staged an like this before. I am a school teacher, not a
Emancipation Day festival that was where everyone wanted to be. Eleanor filmmaker. It's just that I really wanted to tell
Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr., and Jesse Owens all headed there because, as this story of one man who once had big
civil rights activist Dick Gregory said, "The largest Juneteenth celebration was not dreams, who somehow managed to bring
in America, it was in Windsor, Canada." people together across race and class
divides.
A celebration of ending slavery sounds grim. What Walter Perry organized was the
exact opposite of grim. I grew up in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It’s a
blue collar city just south of Detroit, with a
Imagine a miles-long parade. The smell of soul food. Whirling carnival rides. There
Black community that dates back to the days
was live music, talent shows, and even the Miss Sepia beauty pageant (the first
of the Underground Railroad. Times were always tough in the community. But
international beauty pageant for Black women).
there was one thing that people could be proud of, the largest Emancipation Day
From 1936 until 1967, that’s how Walter Perry celebrated freedom. Perry and his celebration in the world.
celebration got caught up in the overheated racial politics, sabotage, and race riots And the man who made it happen was my great-great-uncle Walter Perry. I grew
of 1967 in Detroit. His event never recovered from that year and, shortly afterward, up hearing stories about the festival. It was much later that my godparents told me
Walter Perry died. But the spirit of Mr. Emancipation still lives on. stories about Uncle Walt.
Great Lakes Connection: The film documents the history of a festival in Windsor, For years now, I have wanted to share those stories. I mean, here was a guy who
Ontario and Detroit, Michigan. came from nothing, and sold newspapers to make ends meet, who somehow
Director: Preston Chase charmed city leaders, and sponsors and staged an event that drew top sports
Writer: Preston Chase talent, American civil rights leaders, politicians, and musicians to Windsor.
Producer: The Walter Perry Freedom Foundation He literally put Windsor’s Black community on the map and made everyone feel
Director Biography proud.
Preston William Chase is a seventh-generation African-Canadian and a I wanted to capture that and share it, especially now, when we seem more divided
descendant of William Parker. Parker escaped slavery in Maryland, and went on to than ever, it’s possible to reach out, get along, and have fun.
play a key role in the Christiana Riots in Pennsylvania. It was his friend, the great Over the past five years, I spent many hours with the elders in my community,
Fredrick Douglass who convinced Parker to take refuge in Canada. recording their recollections of Uncle Walt, and the impact his festival had on
them, and how it shaped their lives. I sifted through their old photos which
capture so many joyous moments. I did it just in time, we’re losing that generation,
Block 13-Foreign Shorts
and their voices are still relevant today. Shorts program, 112 min, Not rated
Awards: CONTENT ADVISORY: THIS PROGRAM CONTAINS BRIEF NUDITY
Trinity Detroit International Film Festival (Detroit, MI), August 20, 2020, Michigan Sunday, Sept. 19, 6:30pm - Soo Theatre
Premiere, Best Documentary
New York Movie Awards (New York City, NY), March 7, 2021, New York
Premiere, Best Documentary
Chicago Independent Film Festival (Chicago, IL), March 17, 2021, Illinois
Premiere, Best First Time Director
Yorkton Film Festival (Yorkton, SK), May 27, 2021, Saskatchewan Premiere, Best
Documentary for History & Biography
Garden Route International Film Festival (Western Cape, South Africa),
September 21, 2020, Western Cape Premiere, Semi-Finalist
Cult Valley Global Cinefest (Bengal, India), February 28, 2021, Asian
Premiere, Best Educational Film
Still photo from Cuckoo!
Trailer: vimeo.com/434123147
This program presents a mixed group of short films from around the world.
Instagram: instagram.com/Mr.emancipation
What Could Have Happened
Director: Nacho Solana
In an empty city, the voices of two strangers meet. They end up passing the day
together. It could have been a beautiful love story. This is the story of what could
have happened (when nothing did).
Cristina Zenato and the Reef Shark Connection

Director: Jason Perryman
Documentary Short, UK, 2021, 7 min, Color
This short film examines Cristina Zenato’s close relationship diving with reef
sharks, doing “relaxed state” petting of them, and removing their fishing hooks, a
relationship based on love and passion.
Great Lakes Connection: The filmmaker is a friend and business associate of the
Soo Film Festival's president.

The Delivery The Whole World's Alright
Director: Doğ uş Özokutan Director: Juan Carlos Alvarez
Narrative Short, Cyprus, 2020, 12 min, Color Narrative Short, Mexico, 2020, 13 min, Color, Student Project - SAE Institute
Mexico, Mexico City
Yusuf accepts a job carrying refugees with his refrigerated meat truck, believing
this is the only way to find money for saving his daughter's life. When the smuggler Carlos, a teenager in love, has to steal his parents’ car to go to a party where Karla,
shows up with the refugees, Yusuf realizes that there are kids among them that the girl of his dreams, will be.
wouldn’t survive in a refrigerated truck, but he still keeps on with the job,
gambling with their lives. Vincent Before Noon
Director: Guillaume Mainguet
Cuckoo!
Narrative Short, France, 2020, 17 min, Color
Director: Jörgen Scholtens
After years of conflict between them, a father pays his son Vincent a visit and turns
Narrative Short, Netherlands, 2019, 8 min, Color
up in the middle of a house move. Vincent reacts violently to the intrusion.
This film is an absurd comedy about a lonely man who lives inside a cuckoo clock. Emotionally weakened, the father involuntarily reveals the true reason for his visit,
Every hour he straps himself into his ejection seat and shoots through the doors of which revives the tension between them. Within a few minutes, the anger, the
the clock. "Cuckoo!" he yells. "Cuckoo!" His work is of vital importance. The old memories, and the crossed looks move the two men deeply.
lady who sits under the clock needs to take her medication exactly at the top of
every hour. One day the man has the opportunity to win a substantial sum of Julietit
money in a radio quiz. He loves gadgets and wants to buy a new computer. The CONTENT ADVISORY: THIS FILM CONTAINS BRIEF NUDITY
only problem is that he can only dial in at the exact time that he’s supposed to sit Directors: Alejandro de Vega, Álvaro Moriano
in his seat.
A Son Like Others
Julia wants to be an actress, but some things stand in her way: her fears, her
Director: Antonio Sequeira
complexes, her family.
Narrative Short, Portugal, 2019, 19 min, Color
Dinis is a teenager and, like others, he wants to go to university. But he has
recently been diagnosed with schizophrenia. His mother wants him to have a
normal life, but she also needs to protect him. Can she do both?
The Van
Director: Erenik Beqiri
Narrative Short, France, 2019, 15 min, Color
The van finally stops, the doors open, and the son comes out alive. A few more
fights and he will be able to pay his way out of Albania, and hopefully, take his
father with him.

The Venues Roll the Credits!
A huge thanks to all of the people who helped to make
All films will be screened at Bayliss Public Library, a Superior District Library,
located at 541 Library Drive, and the Soo Theatre, located at 534 Ashmun Street,
this year’s Soo Film Festival happen!
both in downtown Sault Ste. Marie. Our Sponsors
Parking Roberts P. and Ella B. Hudson Foundation
Note that Oaka Street and Court Street are closed for construction.
Our media sponsor, Eagle 95.1 FM
You may park on Ashmun Street, in the Parking Garage on Governor Osborne
The dedicated and talented filmmakers who shared their films,
Blvd., or behind the theatre in the Oaka Street lots, accessible by the Parking
without whom this festival would not exist!
Garage entrance. Use the walkway next to the Avery Center to get to the Soo
Theatre entrance on Ashmun Street. The filmmakers, cast members, and panelists who traveled to the Soo
for Q&A sessions about their films. You make it a real film festival.
You may also park on Dawson Street. See the map of Sault Ste. Marie on the back
Our advisory board, for sharing their time, works, expertise, and enthusiasm: Helen Cho Anthos,
page. Rich Brauer, Nick Childs, Steve Hamilton, John Regan, and Steven Wiig. We’re in awe.
Ratings The artists (labels) who allowed their music videos to be screened at the Festival.
Many of these films have not yet been rated by the Motion Picture Association of Ann Kessinger and everyone at the Soo Theatre Project,
America. Please read the full descriptions online, watch the trailers, and choose especially David Kars and Craig Flickinger for technical assistance at the Soo Theatre
responsibly. Kevin Pomeroy, Pat Dougherty, and everyone at National Office Products
The hotels and restaurants who provided a festival discount
How to Fest
Bird's Eye Outfitters, for providing a comfortable meeting space
Where to Stay for the Festival Committee
For information about hotels and motels that are offering discounted lodging to Linda Hoath and the Sault Ste. Marie Convention & Visitors Bureau
Soo Film Festival-goers, please see the Soo Film festival website at The Sault Ste. Marie Downtown Development Authority and The City of Sault Ste. Marie
soofilmfestival.org.
Bayliss Public Library, a Superior District Library
Where to Eat Michigan Digital Imaging -- The Sault News -- Jean Jones and the Sault Area Arts Council
For information about restaurants that are offering discounts to Soo Film Festival- A special thanks to all of our film judges who spent countless hours reviewing more than 350
goers, please see the Soo Film festival website at soofilmfestival.org. submissions to the festival. We could not do it without you!
For more information about the area, visit the Sault Ste. Marie Pure Michigan Our tireless Festival Committee - Jason Markstrom, Allison Youngs, Pat Egan,
website at saultstemarie.com (operated by the Sault Ste. Marie Convention & Susan James, and Liz Brugman
Visitors Bureau).
Sabrina Neveu for social media assistance
Liz Brugman, webmaster and program guide
Everyone who helped after this guide went to press
Everyone who volunteered to help, came to a movie, created a buzz on social media,
or wished us well. Thanks for your energy and enthusiasm!
The Soo Theatre

We see your potential and are working as hard as we can to bring you back to full glory.

Map of Sault Ste. Marie
Soo Film Festival

1001 E 7th Ave, Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783
(906) 440-6086 SooFilmFest@gmail.com
SooFilmFestival.org On Facebook at SooFilmFestival
September 15-19, 2021
Soo Theatre and Bayliss Public Library
Sault Ste. Marie, MI
About Us
Soo Film Festival, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to
promote and host film and allied arts festivals in the City of Sault Ste. Marie,
Michigan. Soo Film Festival, Inc. seeks to showcase the work of independent and
emerging filmmakers from the Great Lakes of North America while bringing
movies back to downtown Sault Ste. Marie and the historic Soo Theatre.
Our Mission: Great Lakes, Great Movies!
48 2021 SOO FILM FESTIVAL

Soo Film Festival 2021

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1

2021 Soo Film Festival Schedule Grid

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Ticket FAQ Flunked

Awards Still photo from The Stories They Tell

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Hell in a Handbasket Earth Is Home

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Rediscovering Humanity Connected

Still photo from A Haunting in Hinsdale

On Facebook at Smithandcompanyrealestate Director: Michael Dotson

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Still photo from The Color of Hate

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Director: Justin Rose Music Video, USA, 2020, 5 min, Color

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A Day in the Life of Kik Pool

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One Left Journey With Mr. Mr.

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Fog and Smoke Music Video, Brazil, 2019, 4 min, Color

Animation, Canada, 2020, 4 min, Color It Fits

Thank You for Your Teeth!

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Cristina Zenato and the Reef Shark Connection

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Liz Brugman, webmaster and program guide

Everyone who helped after this guide went to press

The Soo Theatre

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Soo Film Festival

Our Mission: Great Lakes, Great Movies!

48 2021 SOO FILM FESTIVAL

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