In 1964, after spending a one year protracted legal battle, co-club owners, Howard and Elly Solomon were finally granted a 'unique' cabaret license and the Cafe Au Go Go opened its doors on February 7. Six weeks later with mounting legal bills and depleting funds the couple were quickly going out of business. With few options, Howard and Elly made a desperate, late minute attempt to keep the club open and reached out to popular comedian, Lenny Bruce. Two days into Lenny's performance he was arrested and booked for obscenity charges, alone with Howard and Elly. THat historic arrest, and the international press it garnered would put the Cafe Au Go Go on the tnertainment world map.
2011
Best Documentary Feature
Documentary Feature
United States
Runtime:
1 hour(s)
27 minutes
Director:
Jason M. Solomon
REIFF 2011
Best Experimental Film
Experimental
Germany
Runtime:
14 minutes
50 seconds
Director:
Florian Krautkramer
REIFF 2011
Everything seemed to go wrong from within and without. The never-ending official arbitrariness was oppressing, the examining glance outside. But lately, resistance has formed here. With excuses and blinders, the protagonist achieved in building his own world without reacting to the events taking place. But when fate tried to force him into making a decision, he chooses again a facade constructed of lies and spectacle. Breaking legs is a silent movie. It makes room for the linguistic incapability of the protagonist, but the inter-titles try to explore this format.
Narrative Short
United States
Runtime:
7 minutes
40 seconds
Director:
Daniel Holechek
REIFF 2011
'A Finger, Two Dots Then Me' is a spoken-word piece based on a popular poem by renowned modern poet Derrick Brown. The film takes a dramatic look at death, life and love through the eyes of Brown, a beat poet who has performed around the world for the last decade both as a headliner and with bands such as the Flaming Lips and the Cold War Kids.
Narrative Short
France
Runtime:
20 minutes
Director:
Nadine Voss
REIFF 2011
Away from home, the Kongo, Michel seeks Asylum in Germany. Sophie is nine years old and today shes misses the School Field Trip and is forced to return home alone. The Chronology of different events will let these two people come together in a very tragic way. For Michel nothing is the same no more. Hes is searching for an answer, that is impossible to give, and so hes is confronted with Sophie`s mother.
Experimental
United States
Runtime:
7 minutes
15 seconds
Director:
Michael Walsh
REIFF 2011
Empty Cache adopts archival footage of Alaskan big game hunts, weaving together an ironic eerie aura of humans hunting for the mount, not for the meat.
Narrative Feature
United States
Runtime:
1 hour(s)
44 minutes
Director:
Chel White
REIFF 2011
In a small, wooded town, a young man struggles to leave a secret militia started by his father. With an eerily beautiful tone, Bucksville touches on the timely topics of ethics and the militia movement, within the context of family conflict. It is also a film about love, loyalty, and the loss of innocence.
Narrative Short
United States
Runtime:
16 minutes
Director:
Chris King
REIFF 2011
Haunted by memories of a love lost, a lonely man finally decides to move on with his life. With family wedding ring in hand, he gathers the last bit of courage he needs before asking the biggest question of his life. Based on a true story.
Experimental
United Kingdom
Runtime:
35 minutes
Director:
Emily McMehen
REIFF 2011
An introduction to Haitian Vodou as told by Vodouisants, Achante is an immersive image-driven portrait of spiritual practices in Haiti.
Experimental
United States
Runtime:
1 hour(s)
Director:
Ronnie Cramer
REIFF 2011
Sixty in 60 is an experimental art film featuring sixty one-minute works of many types. Genres represented include abstract, animation, documentary, experimental, narrative, stop-motion, time-lapse and video art.
Narrative Feature
United States
Runtime:
1 hour(s)
12 minutes
Director:
Matthew Gordon
REIFF 2011
All fourteen-year-old Robbie Hendrick ever wanted was a family. Yet as another Mississippi summer begins, his wayward mother has run off again fearing a breakdown and he's left to burn the days caring for his half brother, Fess. As the deep days and nights pass without her return and with older brother Lucas dangerously in their lives again, Robbie must face the fact that his dream of a family may only be a dream and he might just lose the only family he's ever had: Fess. Filmed on location in the Mississippi Delta town of Glen Allan, MS with all non-actors from the region, The Dynamiter is a story of family in the forgotten America, uncompromisingly told by the very people who live it everyday.