True/False 2014 Coverage from BN
The Movies
Reviews
Iheard over and over that this was the one movie to see. And despite all of the build up, it didn’t disappoint. >>> More ‘Private Violence’ springs tears and awareness
Approaching the Elephant was the rare film I went into without any preconceived notions — I had no idea what to expect because I wasn’t familiar with the concept of free schools. As the movie explains, free schools arose in Venezuela during the Industrial Revolution to protest the accepted factory-esque model of education. >>> More ‘Approaching the Elephant’ illuminates free school effort with charm and grace
The Notorious Mr. Bout, directed by Tony Gerber and Maxim Pozdorovkin, revolves around the man commonly known as the “Merchant of Death:” Viktor Bout. >>> More ‘The Notorious Mr.Bout’ portrays alternate view of infamous arms dealer
I saw The Green Prince on accident, but it ended up being one of my favorites of the festival, as these things usually happen. >>> More ‘The Green Prince’ delivers age-old message beautifully
Happy Valley treads on dangerous ground. In late 2011, Jerry Sandusky, longtime assistant coach for the Penn State football team, was charged with 40 counts of child sex abuse. Not long after, it was uncovered that Joe Paterno, legendary head coach of the team, was aware of some part of the abuse but never did anything more than report it to his superiors. >>> More ‘Happy Valley’ poses difficult questions, perseveres in truth
It is usually rare to see documentaries in major film festivals like Cannes or Venice. Moviegoers prefer to think of documentaries as a genre that gives some educational insight, while narrative films are another form of art. However, Gianfranco Rosi’s Sacro GRA became the first documentary film to win Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival for Best Picture. >>> More ‘Sacro GRA’ offers artistic insight into the lives of Italians
E-team is not only the best film I’ve seen at True/False this year, but perhaps one of the best documentaries I have ever seen. This is a weighty statement, but what the documentary manages to accomplish is incredible. The film follows four members: Anna, Ole, Fred and Peter, of an emergencies team belonging to the non-profit human rights organization, Human Rights Watch. >>> More ‘E-team’ unrivaled in storytelling and power
In Jodorowsky’s Dune Alejandro Jodorowsky, an eccentric French-Chilean filmmaker, set out with bold aspirations to make a film so powerful it could change the entire human perspective on how films are perceived. Known for his occasionally riot-inciting cult movies made in Mexico during the 1960s, such as El Topo and Santa Sangre, Jodorowsky came across his golden opportunity in the pre-Star Wars 1971: Dune. >>> More Jodorosky’s Dune presents greatest sci-fi film never made
In a country of more than 300 million people, it’s easy to go unnoticed. Except if you’re the President. Or…you look like him. This is the premise of Bronx Obama, which ran tonight in the first full evening of the True/False Film Festival. Imagine walking the streets of your town and going through your daily routine while resembling arguably the most powerful man in the world. The looks would be uneasy, the mummers unsettling. Trying to carry out life with this distraction might be difficult and a burden. Unless, of course, you want to be someone else. >>>More Bronx Obama weaves elegant tale across two lives
At the beginning of Particle Fever, the lights dimmed and the screen lit up to a series of brightly colored, spiraling dots and lines I could only imagine represented particles. From these first images it was obvious Particle Fever told a story of more than just the science behind the Large Hadron Collider. Directed by Mark Levinson, this 2013 thoroughly details the scientific importance of the LHC. Footage of final construction on the collider and graphic representations of the project show its massive size, while interviews with physicists create a build up of excitement for the first beam and ultimately the collection of data. >>>More ‘Particle Fever’ provides thorough images, emotional dimension
The Music
Sounds of the Festival
Jubilee from Bearing News on Vimeo by Brett Stover.
True/False Film Festival hosted an event for Columbia Public School students on their day off Friday, Feb. 28. There was a screening of Particle Feve” before the students traveled to Orr Street Studios for food, crafts and live music.
Music is performed by the musicians at the event: Les Trois Coups, Choff and Paul Rucker.
The Food
Eating in The District
Looking for somewhere to eat after a couple hours worth of film showings at the True/False Film Festival? Whether you’re craving a dessert, beverage or just a quick meal, be sure to check out these dining locations closest to your film venue. If you’re viewing a film on Ninth Street at Jesse Auditorium, Missouri Theatre, Blue Note or The Picturehouse, consider the following eateries: Booche’s (110 S. Ninth Street) is a pool hall and pub with incredible pool tables and… More >> Where to eat in The District
With the True/False Film Festival only just stating to fade in people’s minds, there are a few moments no one should forget (or ignore as they plan for next year). Similar to many other events this weekend at True/False, the line of people stretched outside the Missouri Theatre waved along the pavement as it wrapped around the corner of 9th and Elm…. More >> Reality Bites is a Must-Do
The Town
Everything Else
This year, True/False Film Festival hosted an event for Columbia Public School students on their day off Friday, February 28. There was a screening of “Particle Fever” before the students traveled to Orr Street Studios for food, crafts and live music. Music is performed by the musicians at the event: Les Trois Coups, Choff and Paul Rucker. >>> More TGITF 2014
On Friday, Feb. 28, True/False film festival’s annual March March was held. Music is performed by a group marching in the parade, who can be seen at the very end. >>> More True/False March March 2014
March March 2014 from Bearing News on Vimeo. By Madi Mertz
Private Violence is a documentary film on the intricacies of a taboo subject: domestic violence. It’s easy to look away, or to ignore the problem, but director/producer Cynthia Hill tackles these problems head-on. Domestic violence, which affects one in four women, is often thought of with many misconceptions. >>> More One-on-one panel with director/producer Cynthia Hill
The Odd Fellows Lodge is an unassuming venue, not flashy or intricate. More like a door in the middle of a block of shops, the only thing to draw attention to it is the large True/False logo above the door. An modest location, but an ideal one for a gathering of artists, who are a bit low-key themselves. >>> More Making Magic/ Realism Panel True/False 2014
Odd Fellows Lodge is quite an odd place. No one is really sure exactly what it is or if it’s just open during True/False weekend, but that’s part of what adds to its charm. Odd Fellows Lodge plays host to the majority of T/F’s panels with directors, including Campfire Stories: an around-the-campfire situation where directors come and share stories of their films and lives with an audience of roughly 30 people. >>> More Campfire Stories ends night with hilarity
I‘ve never understood the concept of masquerade balls. That stretch of a person’s face — from the fan of wrinkles framing one eye to the fan of wrinkles framing the other — is, to me, their most definitive and expressive feature. Why would you ever want to cover that up? >>> More True/False Jubilee prone to grandeur and allure
In Bronx Obama Ryan Murdock, the film’s director and producer, asks the question: “How much does it cost to chase the American Dream worth?” He started by asking the question about Louis Ortiz, the subject of the movie, and during the making of the film it is a question he asks of himself, as well. The story of how the documentary came to be loosely follows the story that he tells in his first feature film. Trying to create this movie and then having it show at the True/False Film Festival while also having the movie go through a rigorous application process was no easy task, he said. >>>More An interview with Ryan Murdock, director of ‘Bronx Obama’
With the first full day of the True/False Film Festival beginning at the multiple venues across Columbia, moviegoers enjoyed started their binge on movies. Particles were split apart (Particle Fever) and four-year-old protegees painted (My Kid Could Paint That) all telling their individual stories through fact based documentaries. This morning at the Ragtag Theater patrons were treated to more of the same. However this film entertained the fictional realm of storytelling as well, a technique somewhat foreign in nature and sparsely seen at True/False. More>>> Both fiction, nonfiction highlight Neither/Nor series
How to T/F
A Beginner’s Guide to the Festival
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The Q – This is the single most important part of True/False for those without a pass. Short for “The Queue,” these are the lines you wait in in order to get tickets for a movie. This is the line for those festival-goers who do not have a ticket reserved for a certain documentary. Although the Queens —more on that later— begin handing out numbers exactly an hour in advance, make sure to arrive even earlier in advance to ensure being near the front of the line, as these… More >> True/False Lingo If you haven’t got all weekend to spend at True/False festivities, here are some highlights of the festival that are must-sees. 1. March March Parade: To kick off the festival, True/False hosts the March March: a parade open to the public on Friday Feb. 28 at 5:15 p.m. View it as a spectator or join in the fun as a participant. T/F encourages everyone to “dress colorfully, to construct and carry fun props, to make noise, and to push the level of imagination,” according to… More >> Highlights of T/F 2014
Have free time between films? Here are some things you can do to fill the space. 1. Grab a warm coffee (or hot chocolate if that suits your fancy): Even though spring is only 35 days away, chances are winter’s sharp sting is still in the air. If you’ve been outside all day waiting in the Q or walking between venues, more than likely your nose will be running and your fingers will be numb. Luckily, there are plenty of splendid, cozy coffee shops lining the… More >> What to do between films
RBHS @ T/F
Students and the Festival
Wth The True/False Film Festival a little more than a week away, a new opportunity arises for high school students. The Thank Goodness It’s True/False program debuts this year, as a free program designed to give students an opportunity to discover the festival. “I have seen some of the most surprising, inspiring, and beautiful things happen at the fest when a student is introduced to a film that takes them… More >> True/False coordinators offers opportunity for students’ day off
TGITF 2014 from Bearing News on Vimeo.
Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 26, director and producer Cynthia Hill came to speak to students in the Performing Arts Center. Her new film, Private Violence, takes a close look at domestic violence, a problem that affects 1:4 women in their lifetime. A highly sensitive yet important topic, domestic violence is often overlooked as being a problem. With questions such as, “Why didn’t she just leave?” Hill argues it is obvious that a majority of Americans are oblivious to the dark reality of abuse in relationships. More >> Director Cynthia Hill of Private Violence comes to PAC
Private Violence Full Presentation from Bearing News on Vimeo.
