2009

SHORT FICTION

AT LAST, OKEMAH!
Friday, 3:30pm              
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
A comedic short film starring Jeff-nominated stage actor Kevin Viol, the story concerns Harvey Grossman, a hipster who works in a record store by day, and hangs out in other record stores by night. But everything changes the day Harvey finds a vinyl copy of Harry Smith's Anthology of American Folk Music. After a self-imposed exile, Harvey is reborn as Winston Thomas, the self-styled 'greatest, and most authentic, folk singer of all time.'  But Winston dreams of more and announces that he is embarking on a holy quest to Okemah, Oklahoma, birthplace of Woody Guthrie, to become mystically anointed.  Director: Michael Smith   Writer: Adam Selzer/Michael Smith   Cinematographer: Jonathan Cohon   Cast: Hector Reyes, Jon Langford, Kevin Viol, Robyn Pennacchia, Suzy Brack

BACK FROM IRAQ
Friday, 3:30pm              
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
When Corporal Sean Murphy, a young patriotic soldier wounded in Iraq returns home, amputation of both his legs seems to be the only option.  Devastated by the lack of support from his military superiors, Sean begins to question his role in the war and finds a confidant in a compassionate nurse When the doctor returns and offers to try to save Sean's legs using an expensive experimental procedure, he restores Sean's faith in humanity.   Director/Producer/Writer: Prasad Paul Duffy   Producer: Jeremy Elliot   Executive Producer: Matt Muzio   Cinematographer: Ulf Soderqvist   Cast: Amro Salama, Greg Cipes, Jeremy Fultz, Malia Dawkins, Nick Noland

BIRTHDAY
North Carolina Premiere
Saturday, 4pm               
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
In this portrait of quiet grief, the undying love between a mother and child is illuminated when a woman finds that the most haunting day of all may be the one that brings healing.  Director/Producer/Writer/Cinematographer: Hans Stiritz   Cast: Anna Stiritz

CHILDREN FOR A DAY
Saturday, 4pm              
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
After his mother's death, eight-year-old Alex has been waiting for her to haunt his house like she should. So he sets out to find her ghost, only to discover Missy, a beguiling older girl who intrigues and exasperates Alex as she follows him on his hunt. Together, they discover that something more eerie than ghosts is haunting both of their lives.  Director/Producer: Glenn Pack   Producers: Diane Ramsey, Elizabeth Wilson   Writer: Damian Lehay   Cinematographer: Patrick Borowiak   Cast: Breanne Elrod, Selassie Singh, Walt Buckhalter

CLONES GONE WILD
North Carolina Premiere
Saturday, 1pm               
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
When Ben Hocker discovers he has a clone, his button-down world comes crashing down. Ben's alter-ego (the enigmatic 'Dulce') is everything that Ben wishes he could be: wealthy, witty, and irresistible to the ladies. The only question in Ben's mind is whether to make peace with the Clone, or make him rest in peace. Director: Harry Frishbers   Producers: Gark Weeks, Chad Mathews, Damon O’Steen   Writer: Gark Weeks, Chad Mathews   Cinematographer: Reuben Steinberg   Cast: Chad Mathews, Philip Boyd, Gary Weeks, Mike Iorio, Emily-Grace Murray, Kristen Scoles, Mike Lutz, James Eppler

COST OF LIVING
North Carolina Premiere
Friday, 3:30pm              
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
Ice caps have melted and global warming is a done deal on the over-populated Island of Pittsburgh. After saving for more than 20 years, Buck is finally able to move into his own place-ish, as he and two strangers, Bill & Penny, experience their first day as roommates in their very tiny government assigned middle class housing unit.   Director/Producer/Writer: Larry LaFond   Producer: Terry Ray   Co-Producer: John Dodt  Writer: Terry Ray   Cinematographer: Morgan Schmidt   Cast: Greg Mullavey, Jim J. Bullock, Kurt Koehler, Michael Q. Schmidt, Molly Hagan, Olga Prohnitchi, Terry Ray, Lucy Hagan

DEATH IN CHARGE
North Carolina Premiere
Friday, 9:30pm              
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
In the tradition of E.C. Horror Comics, this cautionary tale examines life through the eyes of Death who gets derailed when an impatient single Mom carelessly mistakes the scythe-carrying cloaked one for her tardy babysitter and leaves Death to care for her precocious 9-year-old daughter for the evening. Whitney teaches Death about life’s many marvels through violent video games, macaroni and cheese and the magic of Sea Munkees.   Director/Writer: Devi Snively   Cinematographer: Adam Honzl   Cast: Gillian Shure, Kylie Chalfa, Marina Benedict

HERE'S HERBIE
North Carolina Premiere
Friday 3:30pm               
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
Based on an autobiographical story in Harper’s Magazine by author/broadcaster Mike Feder about teenage Mike trapped at home in the troubled web of his mother’s mental illness and his chance encounter with Herbie, whose own disability has been turned into a joyful life. Director/Executive Producer: Mary Wickliffe   Producer: Michael Silberman   Associate Producer: Maura Soden   Writer: Mary Wickliffe, Mike Feder  Cinematographer: Kenneth Stipe   Cast: Chris Coppola, Katy Baumann, Matt Gottlieb, Nick Toth

HOME MOVIE
U.S. Premiere
Saturday, 3pm                                          
35 Below
Blurring the traditional boundaries between documentary and dramatic fiction, Home Movie reveals an intimate and somber portrait of a woman at home with her two small children as they cope with the unexplained absence of their father.   Director/Writer: Braden King  Writer: Mimi Visser   Cast: Mimi Visser, Jonas King, Oliver King

IN FIDELITY
Friday, 9:30 pm             
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
Nicole's marriage has gotten stale and predictable.  She decides to check out matchstick.com, a 'dating website for married people' –recommended to her by her eccentric friend Cindy who uses it to spice up her sex life at home. Despite Cindy's warning not to get too serious, Nicole ends up hitting it off with a man named Peter. Their connection is so strong that they decide to meet in person with great anticipation. However, the meeting ends up throwing Nicole for an unexpected loop.  Director/Executive Producer/Writer: Alex Nesic  Executive Producer/Writer: Brandon Zinn  Producer: Eric Raine, Melissa Sagemiller  Cinematographer: Ricky Fosheim  Cast: Alex Nesic, Melissa Sagemiller, Mike Batayeh, Whitney Cummings

JEOPARDY
World Premiere
Friday, 9:30pm              
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
A serial killer is on the loose leaving a city in panic. On one corner of one street, a beautiful young woman makes her way home minutes before the city wide curfew goes into effect. What she does not realize is, her every step is being watched by a stranger lurking in the shadows.  Director/Producer: Garrick Lane  Producer/Cinematographer: Ryan Weitz  Writer: Richard Deal  Cast: Christina Cupo, Mark Alton Rose, Phil Vaglia

LAND GEWINNEN
Friday, 1:30pm               
Diana Wortham Theatre
A young illegal immigrant couple spends their time furtively avoiding the German authorities.  Both work hard but still can’t afford much and their almost seven year old son has become increasingly isolated. When the boy runs away and goes into the near school, Andrej and Lena realize that the wellbeing of their young son dictates that they resolve their untenable situation.  Director: Marc Brummund  Writer: Fabian Wiemker  Cinematographer: Berrina Herzner  Cast: Radik Golovkov

LAST CALL
World Premiere
Friday, 1:30pm                 
Diana Wortham Theatre
Lou gives last call to Perk, the local barfly. Just when they hear breaking news about a multiple murder that occurred earlier that day, a mild-mannered gentleman who fits the description of the assailant comes in from the rain.  Director/ Writer: Raul Ruiz Miquel, Angel Nunez  Producer/Writer: Robbi D’Allessandro, Angel Nunez   Cast: Alex Winston, Charles Cirrone, Jim Lauletta, Joe Casper Stubblefield,

LULALAND
World Premiere
Friday, 9:30pm                                        
35 Below
While playing with her doll, little Lara is secretly being observed by her grandmother Marlene. The grandmother is horrified when she hears the word Lulaland from the child. Lulaland was the place where Marlene’s son Johannes, Lara's father, fled his mind when he could no longer stand the 'games' his father played with him. Marlene feels powerless, but she will not let it happen again.  Director/Writer: Jan Hellstern  Executive Producer: Silke Schmidt-Albert  Writer: Yvonne Gorlach  Cinematographer: Volker Schellbach  Cast: Judy Winter, Lea Muller, Matthias Deutelmoser

MARRIED SEX
World Premiere
Friday, 3:30pm              
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
Katie and Eric, newly married, enter their honeymoon suite at a bed and breakfast to engage in their first ever sex as husband and wife. When things heat up between them, memories of all their past sex partners manifest in the room to offer very detailed intimate advice and Katie and Eric find themselves engaged in their first ever fight as husband and wife instead of the much anticipated first sex.  Katie is determined to figure out a way to spend this special night alone with her new husband. But, how?   Director/Producer/Writer: Terri Measel Adams  Cinematographer: David Robertson  Cast: Abby Parker, Bryan Brendle, Carrie Walrond Hood, Colleen Shannon Gaenssley,  David Robertson, Doris Morgado, Dowd Keith,  Eric Mendenhall, Erinleigh Kinyanjui, Greg Savage, Kate Graham, Mindy Castellanos, Nick Arapoglou, Tripp Crosby

MY NAME IS HAROLD
World Premiere
Saturday, 4pm               
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
In this hitman/love story modeled after the classic film noir style, we follow the story of a professional killer by the name of Harold. His newest assignment – a hit on a man named Silus Grey –will set in motion a series of events that will change his life forever. A film about chance, violence, and human relationships in our modern times.  Director/Writer: Seth Wessel-Estes   Executive Producer: Ernie Joseph  Cinematographer: Sam Graydon  Cast: Eric Noll, Ernie Joseph, John Fantasia, Kristen Springer, Paul Davis

NOWHERE KIDS
North Carolina Premiere
Friday, 6:30pm                 
Diana Wortham Theatre
A runaway's search for her biological mother is derailed when she meets a group of punk street kids on their way to the Mesa.  After they commit a series of crimes, she becomes an unwitting accomplice and ultimately must choose between her fragile family bonds and an escape to the unknown.  Director/Producer/Writer: Eric Juhola  Producer: Jeremy Stulberg, Randy Stulberg  Writer: Jeremy Stulberg, Lindsay Goldwert  Cinematographer: Reed Dawson Morano  Cast: Cheryl Johnston, Donnie Mastro, Eleonore Hendricks, Evan Louison, Gregory Kostal, Gregory Higgins, Judith Boxley, Naomi Madsen, Rich Williamson, Robert Haley

OPEN YOUR EYES
Friday, 6:30pm             
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
Struggling to come to terms with her life and marriage after breast cancer, Julia gets more than she bargained for when she attends a bridal shower and finds herself locked in a bathroom with a stranger. The stranger is Kat, the frank-talking, pot-smoking sister of the bride-to-be, who, like Julia, would rather be in the bathroom than out with the other women. Julia finds herself in a very frank and funny conversation and realizes that she can’t hide forever.  Director/Writer: Susan Cohen Producer: Alisa Wiegers, Amy Sommer  Cinematographer: Stephanie Martin Cast: Eric Lange, Suzy Nakamura, Teresa Huang,  Traci Dinwiddie

PARTS
North Carolina Premiere
Friday, 12:30pm           
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
Herb, a butcher, brings leftovers home to make ends meet for he and his wife, who desperately wants a child.  Trying to get ahead, Herb gambles and has accumulated a staggering debt.  Then he gets news that an abandoned child has been found carrying his name and phone number and he has another mouth to feed.  When collectors come to call in the note, the most valuable thing he has is the boy. A boy no one would miss, except his wife.  Director/Executive Producer/Writer: Scott Hanson  Producer: Erin Fairbrother  Writer: Ken Kloser  Cast: Aleisha Force, Edgar Arreola, Gary Schnitzer, Gordon Fox, Jeff Fenter, Keeton Green, Patricia Campbell, Reg Platt, Richard Jackson, Summer Selby

RAIN RAIN
World Premiere
Friday, 6:30pm                 
Diana Wortham Theatre
All Ginny Nallion wants to do is go outside and play, but an afternoon shower ruins her only means of escape (and outlet for her mischievous tendencies).  Ginny's self control gets the better of her and she begins to open doors she shouldn't and discovers a family secret...one that turns out best kept from her!   Director/Writer: Matthew Brown   Producer: Jason Shoup   Executive Producer: Alan Fischer   Cinematographer: David Speck   Cast: Chris Forsyth, Katie Barnes, Madison White

SAM AND JENNY GO TO A PLAY
World Premiere
Saturday, 7pm               
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
Sam loves Jenny. Jenny loves Sam. Sam doesn’t love: the foisty smell of the washing when its been left in the machine, being told off for leaving the washing in the machine, the hellish commute to work, being squashed in on the train like a sardine; and most of all – being forced to watch experimental theatre in the round.  In a night of scarily bad sets and horrifying costumes, Sam is haunted by a ghastly production – and the only exorcism he’s thinking about is the two pints he’s hastily drunk.  When the lights go up and the curtain comes down, Sam’s unlucky night has only just begun.   Director/Producer/Writer: Caz Roberts   Producer: Simon Oxley   Cinematographer: Justin Brown   Cast: Laura Pyper, Michael Legge, Michael Benz, Terrance Corrigan

SAPSUCKER
Saturday, 7pm               
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
One man's determination to track down and dispatch with a rare woodpecker wreaking havoc on his property puts him on the warpath. What he discovers on his hunting trip is an ecology of sight and sound that defies every natural property he's ever trusted in – and an environment far more surreal than he'd bargained for.   Director/Producer/Writer/Cinematographer: Christopher Holmes   Cast: Nik Smith-Hunnicutt, Phillip Ward

SECOND CHANCES
Saturday, 3:30pm          
Fine Arts Theatre - Lower
A behind-the-scenes look at Potty Pals, a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing abandoned toilets.  In addition to offering rehabilitation and foster care to the unwanted toilets, Potty Pals holds a weekly "Adoption Day" to find new homes for their porcelain friends.   Director/Producer/Writer: Christopher Thomas   Producer: Rafael Rivera, Scott Hodges   Cinematographer: Rafael Rivera   Cast: Becky Biggs, Christopher Thomas, Dave R. Watkins, Dolan Wilson, Jon Everry, Lisa Wilson, Ryan Thomas, Scott Hodges, Ted Parker

SENA'S MUSIC
Friday, 4:30pm                                         
35 Below
Sena is a twenty-three year old who faces the unexpected prognosis of complete deafness within two years. The film is about her psychological struggle with losing her world of sound. She learns that, perhaps, with the loss of this one world, she will discover a previously uncharted world--the world of her memory.   Director/Producer/Writer/Cinematographer: S. Cagney Gentry

SLEEPING
North Carolina Premiere
Saturday, 4pm                      
Diana Wortham Theatre
Based on the flash-fiction story by acclaimed author Katharine Weber, this film is a coming-of-age tale about a young girl named Harriet who accepts a babysitting job where the parents instruct her not to check on the baby. As the night unfolds, Harriet fights her growing temptation to look in on the baby, and is brought to a cathartic moment of self-discovery.   Director/Producer/Executive Producer/Writer: Doug Conant   Executive Producers: Christina Nayve, Frank Metayer   Associate Producer/Writer: George Dean IV   Author of Adapted Material: Katherine Weber   Cinematographer: Emily Topper   Cast: April Parker, Brahman Salem, Diane Hudock, Tory Freeth

SLICE OF PIE
Saturday, 1pm               
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
Carter is a middle-aged divorcee with his eye on Juanita, the waitress at the local diner.  In an attempt to woo the girl of his dreams he waxes philosophical about the merits of pie.  But when James, the used car dealer of dating, makes his move on Juanita, subtlety is out the window. Carter pops the question, Juanita accepts and Carter thinks he has the wind at his back. But in the open prairieland of central Illinois, the wind can change direction rather quickly.   Director: Tim Reischauer   Producers: Rick Hall, Tim Reischauer   Writer: Rick Hall   Cinematographer: Toby Birney   Cast: David Atkinson, Donna Weinsting, Kelly Macleod, Liz Ali, Meme Wolff, Rick Hall, Tim Grimm, Whit Reichert

SQUARED
World Premiere
Saturday, 1pm               
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
Canned from his high finance job in New York, headed toward an early mid-life crisis, and forced to move for his wife’s job, Andrew Feldman finds himself in Pittsburgh wanting one thing – for everyone to leave him alone.  He spends his time repelling his cheerful neighbors as they try to welcome him – especially the elderly couple across the street, Margaret and Howard.  But when Andrew breaks his ankle while running in the park and Howard is the only one there to offer help, Andrew must decide whether to accept it.   Director/Producer: Jeremy Braverman   Producer/Writer: Nelson Chipman   Cinematographer: John Rice   Cast: Bingo O’Malley, Carla Bianco, Rita Gob, Sam Turich

TARA
World Premiere
Saturday, 4pm                  
Diana Wortham Theatre
A father, mother and their ten year old daughter travel on a Saturday afternoon to meet the father's new boss.  But why is he the only one who is happy?  Men are clueless and women have secrets Director/Producer/Writer: Laurence Walsh   Cinematographer: Tomasz Augustynek   Cast: Bruce MacVittie, Marsha Dietlein Bennett, Matthew Dixon, Nichole Ehinger, Rebekah Aramini

THE EXHIBITION
World Premiere
Saturday, 4pm               
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
Peter wakes abruptly from the same terrifying dream of being trapped in an overturned car.  He drags himself 7through his days unable to continue his promising art career he had prior to the accident.  When he has the opportunity to finally face the woman who caused the accident, he hopes to find his way out of the hole his life has become.  But his last hope is his own nightmare.   Director/Producer/Writer: Robert Macfarlane   Cinematographer: Richard Thomas  Cast: Adrian Annis, Conor Irwin, Mark Shaer, Tarryn Meaker

THE LATE MR. MOKUN WILLIAMS
Saturday, 4pm                  
Diana Wortham Theatre
This pre-technology tale mirrors a modern day spam email through a hand written letter by a frantic African girl on the run. The urgent letter ends up in the hands of a southern farmer, sending him on a transatlantic mission to save the young girl.  Director/Writer: Kenneth Price Cinematographer: Shawn Lewallen

TRUE BEAUTY THIS NIGHT
U.S. Premiere
Friday, 4pm                      
Diana Wortham Theatre
Last night, Rhett Somers, scraping by on good luck or just plain old ignorance, met the love of his life.  He's sure of it.  But she doesn't know so the only thing left to do is convince her that she's the one.  Not an easy feat considering how they met.   Director/Writer: Peter Besson   Producers: Stephen Sweeney, Tom Sweeney   Cinematographer: Jas Shelton   Cast: Dustin Seavey, Meegan Michelle

TWO HOURS IN THE DARK
Friday, 9:30pm              
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
Blindsided by the success of his hit comedy It Happened One Night, which swept the 1935 Oscars, director Frank Capra became stricken with fear, convinced his next film would fail. He deteriorated to the brink of death – until the day a mysterious stranger showed up, changing Capra’s life, and films, forever.   Director/Producer/Writer: Chip Hackler   Cinematographer: Joe D’Alessandro, S.O.C.   Cast: Phillip DeVona, Jacqueline Zook, Jack Landry, Keith Flippen, Peter Jurasik, Eric Paisley

WILD NATURE
North Carolina Premiere
Friday, 10pm                                             
35 Below
In each edition of this nature program, Langdon Phillips documents yet another elusive animal in its natural habitat.  This week: a member of the primate family.   Director/ Producer/Writer: Jason Calicchia   Director/Cinematographer: Shawn Wickens  
Co-Producer: Mike Brams   Story: Asish Shrestha, Mike Brams   Writer/Story: Shawn Wickens   Cast: Barry Lank, Elise Rovinsky, Muhmood Ahmed, Mark Armstrong, Mike Brams

The Asheville Film Festival is produced by the City of Asheville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department in conjunction with the Asheville Film Festival Committee.
Phone: (828) 259-5800 Fax: (828) 259-5606