2009

STUDENT

AUTOGENESIS
Saturday, 1pm           
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
Combining elements of mystic tradition with contemporary ideas to create a unique hybrid narrative, Autogenesis follows a young man as he fights to maintain his standards and achieve stability in a rapidly changing world of technological excess, a world proliferated by his beloved companion Mother Earth and his rival Brother Fire. Director/Writer: William Hammargren  Producer: Ryan Walters  Cinematographer: Chris Coyne  Cast: CJ Trahan, Jillian Knox, Robert Hayes, Vic Aviles  School: Savannah College of Art & Design

DOWN IN NUMBER 5
Friday, 6:30pm              
Diana Wortham Theatre
Based on a true story and rooted in the Southern Gothic storytelling tradition, the film follows a terminally ill coal miner as he struggles to find refuge for his developmentally disabled son.  A tender portrait of a man pushed to his limits for the love of his son and a haunting rumination on family and community in Appalachia.  Director/Writer: Kim Spurlock  Producer: David Chan  Co-Producer: Jason Sokoloff, Robert Profusek, Ryan Silbert  Associate Producer: Ann Spurlock   Co-Writer: Mai Spurlock  Cinematographer: Gregory Mitnick  Cast: Carmen Fullmer, Chris Devlin, John Halstead, Michael Meredith, Valerie Blazek, WG Bunch,   School: NYU

FREE LUNCH
World Premiere
Friday, 6:30pm          
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
Walter Tanner Jr. is done with handouts, he's done with his privileged past, and he's done with having to answer to people. Realizing the value of hard work, Walter sets off on the road to the American dream. . . in a lunch truck. Together, Walter and his friend Casey serve the working people of LA, while Walter struggles with the realities of business and being a fish out of water.   Director: Rick Curnutt  Producer: Xavier O’Ryan  Associate Producer: Josh Virnick  Co-Writers: Bubba Murray, Rick Curnutt  Cinematographer: John Honore  Cast: Brook Stone, Charlie Pecoraro, Frantz Delsoin, Joe Hendrix, Katherine M. O’Connor, Kikey Castillo, Mike Cavalero, Ricardo de Castro, Ryan Keating  School: Chapman University

HER NAME IS ANGELA
World Premiere
Saturday, 4pm               
Diana Wortham Theatre
This dramatic thriller follows the character of Thomas, a gun for hire who is receiving his first assignment from a mysterious organization to murder a young woman named Angela.  His dedication to this organization is put to the test when he discovers that the woman he must murder is a single mother. With only one day to finish the job, Thomas must decide whether to kill the innocent woman or to put his own life at risk and save her.   Director/Producer/Writer: Preston Campbell   Cinematographer: Billy Orlando  Cast: Amber Reavis, Glenn Weyler, Kaylee Lancaster, Nathaniel Carter, Preston Campbell   School: North Carolina School of Communication Arts

INSHA' ALLAH
Friday, 12:30pm     
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
The tragic and heartbreaking story of Farhan, Sahar, and their new baby daughter Reem.  Set in modern day Pakistan in the city of Karachi, it challenges audiences to address the issues of people smuggling and the selling of children, while seeing the effects these issues have on the people involved or left behind.  Unlike reading news articles and press releases from charities and aid agencies, the film puts faces and emotions to the people affected, albeit in a fictional context.   Director: Khurrum Mahmood   Producer: Waseem Mahmood  Associate Producer/Writer: Jonathan Griffiths  Cinematographer: Paul Flint  Cast: Mehwish Hayat, Mohib Mirza, Mosa Raza, Rashid Farooqi, Saife Hasan  School: University of Lincoln

LAWINDA
Saturday, 3:30pm  
Asheville Community Theatre
Imagine your own oasis. What would it look like? For brothers “Diamond” Jim and Johnny “Spade” Bowers, it’s LaWinda - the golf course they built in the Carolina Appalachians.  The astonishing story of vibrant personalities, sibling rivalries, and unforgettable music that unified a community. Welcome to LaWinda.   Director/Producer: Ivan Nemergut   Cast: “Diamond” Jim Bowers, Johnny “Spade”Bowers  School: School of Visual Arts

LOAF OF BREAD
World Premiere
Friday, 1:30pm                 
Diana Wortham Theatre
A young office worker, Jack Madrigal, has fallen into a mundane existence where his happiest moments are when office supplies are delivered. His friend Terry, a schemer and dreamer, convinces Jack to join him in a life of crime to escape his meaningless life. Jack soon learns that happiness is a choice.   Director/Writer: Eric Patton   Producer: Patrick Carr  Cinematographer: Collin Brazie   Cast: Alissa Anderegg, Ben Leddick, Charley Rossman, David Trachtenberg, John Ruby, Justin Okin, Loralyn Peterson  School: Chapman University

MACAWESOME
Saturday, 1pm              
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
Young Josh tackles his high school's production of Macbeth, allying with a foreign exchange student of indeterminate origin and sinking to dastardly lows to earn the leading role and thereby win the heart of Lady Macbeth, a girl totally unaware of his puny existence.   Director: Andrew Mitchell  Producer/Co-Writer: Cameron Strittmater  Co-Writer: Graham Bowlin  Cinematographer: Jared Threatt  Cast: Ali Bayless, Drew Wolber, Dustin Gooch, Josh Dove, Tim Hall  School: North Carolina School of the Arts - School of Filmmaking

MELTING THE SNOWMAN
Saturday, 4pm                   
Diana Wortham Theatre
It's 1974 and Caroline Jamieson, a political columnist at the Los Angeles Times, has just been fired from her job. To make matters worst, that evening Caroline must attend the sixtieth birthday of her father, George, a prominent novelist. Throughout the night, Caroline is ridiculed by siblings, has strange encounters with party guests, and is constantly prided by her father as she struggles to break the news to him. Will Caroline find the strength to come clean, despite the consequences?   Director/Writer:Ora Yashar   Producer: Christina Medina  Cinematographer: Kevin Curtin   Cast: Catherine Day, David Schroeder, Judy Durning, Kevin Michael Walsh, Matt Shevin, Mekenna Melvin, Steve Howard  School: Chapman University

MIKE
Friday, 3:30pm               
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
A short-subject documentary that details the life of Mike Scoglio, a charming young man who was born with Down Syndrome. Utilizing interviews with Mike and his parents, this film introduces the audience to a modern day renaissance man and his compassionate supporting cast.   Director: Joe Cornelius  Producer: John Parason  Associate Producer: Shawn Garnuette  Cinematographer: Joe Cornelius  Cast: Chris Bogs, Erin Wolf, John Scoglio, Mike Scoglio, Pam Scoglio  School: North Carolina School of the Arts - School of Filmmaking

MILITES CHRISTI
Saturday, 4pm                
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
Gunter, a hardened and proficient knight, sets out with his squire Hall on a mission through the wasteland of 14th century Europe. A mission that if successful, will restore power into the hands of those that are truly divine. Director: Jared Outten  Producer: Clint Buckner  Co-Writers: Jesse Threatt, Tyler Murray  Cinematographer: Greg LeFevre  School: UNSA-School of Filmmaking

NERO BLOOM PRIVATE EYE
North Carolina Premiere
Friday, 6pm                   
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
When young private investigator Nero Bloom is hired to follow a down-and-out gambler, everything seems business as usual. But when the gambler winds up dead in a hotel elevator, the game is on and Nero is a suspect. With action, suspense, and seduction, Nero must travel a labyrinth of clues to reach one twisted ending. The adventure never stops and neither does 'Nero Bloom: Private Eye!' Director/Producer: Jason Eberly   Producer/Writer: Nathan Hartman  Executive Producer: Lance Clark   Cinematographer: Jason Eberly, Jordan Steele  Cast: Bethany Edlund, Dana Minnick, Glen Pearson, Jay Duffer, Mark Esch, Randy Neuman, Steve Rodenberger   School: Huntington University

NIGHTLIGHTS
Friday, 3:30pm             
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
An animated story about a young boy with a fear of the dark, much to the frustration of his older brother.  One night, as the two go outside to play, the older brother reveals to his younger brother his supernatural ability to control light.  The young boy not only gains that very ability but also uses his new skill to overcome his fear of the dark.  A story about turning hesitancy into courage, filling darkness with light, and the magic of summer nights and childhood.   Director: Mark Dowell  Cast: Julian Wilson, Laura Gutierrez, Zach Strum  Animators: Frank Ademek, Mark Dowell, Audrey "Lex" Rendon School: UNSA- School of Filmmaking

PARABOLA
World Premiere
Friday, 1:30pm                
Diana Wortham Theatre
Parabola follows Lyle, a high school freshman who is trying to survive a world of math tests, family dysfunction, and a few relentless bullies. Winston, Lyle's best friend offers comfort, but is it enough?   Director: Lexi Lefkowitz  Cinematographer: Christopher Lymberis  Cast: Alex McKee, Brennan Clark, Jade Arnold   School: UNCW

SELF-INFLICTED
North Carolina Premiere
Saturday, 4pm              
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
A dark comedy about a veteran detective who investigates a woman for the brutal stabbing of her husband. As she retells the day's events in detail it becomes unclear whether or not the crime in question was truly self-inflicted.  Director/Co-Producer/Writer: Davey Sherwinter  Producer: Luke Howard  Author of Adapted Material: Isabelle Carruthers  Cinematographer: Paul Yee  Cast: Jerry Durkin, Robert Axel, Sarah Karjian  School: NYU

SEQUOIA - A SAILOR AND HIS SHIP
Friday, 4pm            
Asheville Community Theatre
"In 1977, President Jimmy Carter made one of his first executive acts the auctioning of the Presidential Yacht, the U.S.S. Sequoia. The decree marked the end of an era, and this priceless piece of American history - which had served the White House since the Hoover administration - was allowed to sip into decay. However, the yacht was soon restored by a nonprofit foundation with the goal of returning it to presidential service, and Capt. Giles M. Kelly was hired to be its captain. Five years of captaincy turned into two decades of fundraising, lobbying, and fighting to get her back into government hands. In "Sequoia," Captain Kelly reflects on the triumphs and struggles of his and the yacht's journey through the past quarter-century in this documentary about facing - and moving on from - the challenges of life.   Co- Directors/Co-Producers: Conor Britain, Timothy Johnson  Executive Producer:Lauren Limerick  Cinematographer: Conor Britain, Timothy Johnson   Cast: Giles Kelly  School:Elon University

SHE'S A FOX
Friday, 1:30pm                  
Diana Wortham Theatre
It's 1987 and sixth grader Cameron Sawyer wants desperately to make Talia (the hottest girl in school) his girlfriend. Three things stand in his way: Mitch Fallin, Jake Magnum, and a mullet.   Director/Writer: Cameron Sawyer  Executive Producer: Ashley Zastrow   Associate Producer: Kaitlin Walsh  Cinematographer: Jennifer Makhoul  Cast: Anthony Matthew Scott, Bridgette Briggs, Cameron Sawyer, Chad Gleason, Cheri Steinfeld, David Chandler, Doug Wood, Dylan Custard, Eli Makhoul, Emmerson Lopez, Erin Sossamon, George Dickson, Hailee Steinfeld, Hailey Wassilew, Hannah Wassilew, Hayden Menard, Jake Nutty, Lilly Petruzzi, Lou Milford, Michele Nutty, Rya Meyers, Sophia Linkletter, Stephanie Drapeau, Tatyanna Cormier, Todd Mitchell, Trevor Gilmore, Troy Romzek, Tyler Brazil, Tyler Cruz   School: Chapman University

SUCKERPUNCH
North Carolina Premiere
Friday, 10pm                  
Fine Arts Theatre - Lower
At the last party before college, Martin Finch set out to profess his lasting love for his dream girl, Jess Ramsey. Unfortunately, a date rape drug slipped mysteriously into his drink caused him to black out, and he cannot remember what happened. Now Martin and his best friend Andy must put the pieces of the puzzle together to figure out who drugged Martin, and to find out just what happened last night with Jess Ramsey.   Director: Jeff Chan  Producer: Andrew Rhymer, Andrew Gnerre  Associate Producer: Michelle Nash  Co-Writers: Andrew Rhymer, Jeff Chan  Cinematographer: Matt McBrayer  Cast: Brian McElhaney, Brianne Howey, John DeMenil, John Segarra, Nick Kocher, Nick Reinhardt,   School: NYU

SYLVIA & GEORGE
World Premiere
Saturday, 4pm                
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
For nearly sixty years, Sylvia Gray sold furniture, army surplus and thrift at 606 and 608 South Elm Street in Greensboro, North Carolina. For Sylvia, collecting objects became more important than selling them. Sylvia's grandson, George Scheer, has re-imagined the space as Elsewhere Artist Collaborative, where artists create installations from the store's inventory. These new works aren't for sale either.   Director/Producer: Cara Clark   Cinematographer: Kenneth Price  School: UNC at Greensboro

THE ORDER
Friday, 6:30pm                  
Diana Wortham Theatre
Sam, a major driver behind economic policy, devises a plan to get the country out of a depression by harnessing the power behind people’s desires for conflict. In the process he unveils a hidden force that controls us all. This film strikes at the underbelly of the system that we call capitalism that is behind the crisis we are in today.   Director/Writer: Paul Dalio  Producer: Edward McDonald  Co-Producer: Devon Dalio  Associate Producer: Jeff Mansfield  Cinematographer: Jeremy Brunjes  Cast: Abby Royle, Daniel Picciotto, Jake Schwenke, John Pasha, Manu Narayan, Raymond Barry, Richard Flight, Steven Hauck, Xian Xi  School: NYU

THE TIME TRAVELER
North Carolina Premiere
Saturday, 6pm                                             
Asheville Community Theatre
In the year 1961, Air Force test pilot Carter Cartwright is recruited to be the USA’s first time pilot, traveling through time to fight the Soviet Union. After a successful test flight witnessed by the top army brass and intellectuals of the world, Carter becomes a national hero, winning the Cold War and earning himself great notoriety. As he becomes more involved in his mission, though, he begins to lose touch with his devoted wife Bonnie. When their relationship hits the breaking point, Carter resorts to desperate measures.   Director: Nathan Whitcomb  Co-Writer: Alejandro Alvarez, Nathan Whitcomb  Cast: Carl Lundstrom, Jenny Ashman, Shelton Mack  School: Chapman University

THIS IS WHO WE ARE
Saturday, 5:30pm                                        
35 Below
Cheryl, a socially awkward woman who clings to her mother for a sense of self worth, falls into disarray when her mother enters the hospital. She fills the void in her life with a handsome man's expired driver's license and in the process of trying to sustain a relationship with it, she finally learns to stand on her own.  Director/Producer/Writer: Stephanie Willis  Producer: Brooke Randolph  Cinematographer: Robert Edgecomb  Cast: Caroline Stack, Ryan Culver, Willow Hale  School: University of Southern California

UNTITLED MOON PROJECT
Friday, 9:30pm               
Fine Arts Theatre - Upper
It is July 20, 1969. With every passing second, Neil Armstrong and the men of Apollo 8 get closer and closer to the Moon. It seems that the 12 year race for space superiority between America and the Soviet Union could finally come to a close. However, the Reds have one last covert trick up their sleeves. They'll just shoot the Moon Landing in a Television Studio!  Armed with an incompetent cast, a diva actor, and an armed guard eying his every move, small-time director Yuri Tarasov must create a flawless piece of broadcast history....or else!   A short foreign-language comedy about the Soviet Union's Last ditch attempt to win the Space Race in 1969. Producer: Alexandra Thomas, Sarah Gonzalez   Writer: John Moore  Cast: Cody Kirk, Russell Minton, Scot Friedman  School: The University of Texas at Austin

ZWISCHEN LICHT UND SHATTEN (FADING AWAY)
North Carolina Premiere
Friday, 6:30 pm                 
Diana Wortham Theatre
The life of the old married couple Herbert and Martha is portrayed in a series of brief episodic scenes, showing Martha’s gradual retreat into the world of dementia, where reality and imagination seem to overlap and Herbert's desperation about their future together.  Fading Away is a simple, quiet and subtle film. It is about Martha and Herbert's journey, their love, and their fear of losing each other.   Director/Producer: Fabian Giessler   Co-Producer: Walter Wudi  Cinematographer: Dennis Jackstien  Cast: Dietmar Obst, Liane Duesterhoeft, Rosemarie Deibel  School: Bauhaus University

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