Sidewalk Film Festival is proud to announce the 2010 Documentary Features Line-up. Sidewalk Film Festival will take place September 24th, 25th and 26th in Downtown Birmingham. Tickets are on-sale now at www.sidewalkfest.com.
In Competition: (listed in alphabetical order by title)
American Jihadist (Saturday, Sept. 26th – 2:45pm – Alabama Theatre Studio)
Filmmaker – Mark Claywell *scheduled to attend
American Jihadist profiles the enigmatic Isa Abdullah Ali, aka Clevin Raphael Holt, a self-declared “professional soldier of Islam.” Having fought in three countries across three decades, Ali is motivated by the oppression of Muslims worldwide. The film asks: “why would somebody pick up a weapon for their religion?”
Automorphosis (Sunday, Sept. 26th – 2:15pm – McWane Science Center’s Rushton Theatre)
Filmmaker – Harrod Blank *scheduled to attend
The film affectionately profiles numerous individuals and their prized art cars. For the film, Harrod traveled across the U.S. and interviewed individuals behind the cars. Specific focus is placed on the reasons for cartists’s intense dedication to the craft of creating and maintaining such vehicles and their personal visions and insights related to the art form.
Ballhawks (Sunday, Sept. 26th – 3:40pm – Alabama Power Auditorium)
Filmmaker – Michael Diedrich
Narrated by Bill Murray, Ballhawks is a moving tribute the loyal fanatics from which the documentary gets its name. Ballhawk is the title given to the dedicated individuals who spend countless hours attempting to catch baseballs that are hit outside of the Wrigley Field during Cubs games.
Barbershop Punk (Saturday, Sept. 25th – 1:30pm – Carver Theatre)
Filmmaker – Georgia Sugimura Archer and Kristin Armfield, Subject of Documentary - Robb Topolski *scheduled to attend
This film delivers a true David and Goliath tale. Captivating and thorough, the documentary carefully investigates the net neutrality debate; who should and who does control the Internet and exactly what is at stake for all Americans.
Cleanflix (Sunday, Sept. 26th – 11:00am – Alabama Theatre Studio)
Filmmaker – Andrew James and Joshua Ligairi
In the late 90’s, video sanitizing became a popular way of attracting Mormon customers to watch movies that would otherwise be off limits. This process, operating from mom and pop rental chains throughout Utah, involved editing popular films to remove the profanity, nudity, and violence, then copying the cleaned up titles to DVD and VHS for rental or purchase.
The Disappearance of McKinley Nolan (Saturday, Sept. 25th – 7:00pm – Alabam Theatre)
Filmmakers - Director: Henry Corra*, Producers: Celia Maysles* and Jeremy Amar*, Executive Producers: Joslyn Barnes, Danny Glover, and David Alcaro * scheduled to attend
Private McKinley Nolan vanished forty years ago in Vietnam. This documentary film follows the Nolan family as they search from Texas to Cambodia to find out what happened to McKinley.
Hey Boo – The Harper Lee Story (Sunday, Sept. 26th – 11:00am - Harambe Room)
Filmmaker – Mary Murphy*scheduled to attend
Hey Boo tells the fascinating story of Lee, going back to her childhood in Monroeville, Alabama. Told through family, friends, and world-renowned admirers (Oprah Winfrey, James McBride, and Tom Brokaw, to name a few), Hey Boo is the definitive tale of this inspiring American hero.
Man in the Glass: The Dale Brown Story (Sunday, Sept. 26th – 1:10pm – Alabama Power Auditorium)
Filmmakers –Patrick Sheehan and Gannon Weaver *Sheenan lives in Birmingham and is scheduled to attend and available for local interviews in Birmingham.
Sidewalk is proud to debut local filmmaker Patrick Sheehan’s documentary feature Man nn the Glass: The Dale Brown Story. A human rights activist, a showman, and one of the greatest college basketball coaches in history, Dale Brown has, and continues to live an astonishing life.
Make Believe (Saturday, Sept. 25th – 7:15pm – McWane –Rushton Theatre)
Filmmakers – J. Clay Tweel and Steven Klein *scheduled to attend
Make Believe focuses on six talented teenagers from around the world as they compete to be crowned Teen World Champion at the annual World Magic Seminar in Las Vegas.
Monica & David (Saturday, Sept. 25th – 3:45pm – BCRI)
Filmmaker –Alexandra Codina
Monica & David is a portrait of the marriage of two adults with Down Syndrome and an exploration of the relationships that they have with the family members that care for them.
On Coal River (Sunday, Sept. 26th – 1:40pm – BCRI)
Filmmakers - Francine Cavanaugh and Adams Wood
On Coal River, follows the trials and tribulations of several Coal River Valley residents as a means to examine the devastation caused by modern mining techniques.
The Parking Lot Movie (Saturday, Sept. 25th – 3:40pm – Harambe Room)
Filmmakers – Megan Eckman and Christopher Hlad *scheduled to attend
In one of this year’s hidden indie gems, director Meghan Eckman takes a compelling look into the complicated lives of the Corner Parking Lot’s attendants. Tucked away in the active business and entertainment district of Charlottesville, Virginia, the lot functions like most any car lot—you park your car, you go about your business, then you pay and exit. For the employees, however, the lot is ground zero for a never-ending cultural war.
Pelada (Saturday, Sept 25th – 4:45pm- Carver Theatre)
Filmmakers: Directed by: Rebekah Fergusson, Gwendolyn Oxenham, Ryan White, and Luke Boughen *Fergusson scheduled to attend
Pelada is a documentary following Luke and Gwendolyn, two former college soccer stars who didn’t quite make it to the pros. Not ready for it to be over, they take off around the world, chasing the game—the global phenomenon spanning gender, race, religion, and class. The film tells the stories of the players they meet along the way.
Surviving Hitler: A Love Story (Sunday, Sept. 26th – 4:15pm – BCRI)
Filmmaker – John-Keith Wasson *scheduled to attend
Surviving Hitler: A Love Story tells the remarkable tale of a storybook romance set in modern history’s darkest hour.
Until The Light Takes Us (Saturday, Sept. 25th – 5:40pm – Harambe Room)
Filmmakers – Audrey Ewell and Aaron Aites *scheduled to attend
This documentary is a poetic and haunting ode to the beginnings of black metal and what it meant to its early followers.
Wheedle’s Groove (Saturday, Sept. 25th –11:00am - Harambe Room)
Filmmaker –Director/Producer Jennifer Maas, local Alabama filmmaker Ted Speaker is the associate producer on this film and is scheduled to attend.
In 1972, a thriving Seattle soul music scene was on the verge of national recognition. In 1975, almost suddenly, the scene died and was quickly forgotten by the changing city. In 2001, after the chance discovery of a 45-record, a local DJ uncovers a rich past hidden in plain view.
Special Screenings:
Exit Through the Gift Shop (Saturday, Sept. 25th – 1:40pm – Alabama Theatre)
A Banksy film
Filmmaker - Banksy
Bansky is a British street artist. Beyond traditional graffiti, Banksy creates provocative, often politically fueled works in (mostly) public spaces. But Exit Through The Gift Shop isn’t about that, well kind of… 'Artist' and 'filmmaker' Thieryy Guetta sets out to make a film about his friends and colleagues, but when things go wrong world famous street artist Banksy, takes the project into his own hands.
Marewencol (Saturday, Sept. 25th – 11am –Alabama Theatre)
Filmmaker – Jeff Malmberg
Mark Hogancamp was attacked outside of a bar in Kingston, NY. He suffered brain damage and when released from the hospital had little memory of his life. Mark built Marwencol, a 1/6th scale World War II-era town, in his backyard.
Not My Son (Saturday, Sept. 25th – 10:30am – Alabama Theatre Studio)
Filmmaker: Dwight Cammeron *Alabama Filmmaker
Not My Son investigates youth violence in Birmingham, Alabama through the eyes of mothers who have lost their children. At the center of the film is Carolyn Johnson-Turner who founded Parents Against Violence Foundation (PAV) in 2004 after her 20-year-old son, Rodreckus, was shot and killed on his way to a friend’s birthday party.
Ready, Set, Bag! (Sunday, Sept. 26th – 4:00pm – Alabama Theatre)
Filmmaker – Justine Jacob
This documentary is about the annual U.S. National Grocers Association’s Best Bagger competition. The film is hilarious and filled with a cast of characters (including a Publix bagger from Huntsville, Alabama) who are whimsically idiosyncratic. The line, “put your focus on, put on your game face”, is actually said during the course of the competition.
About Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival
Birmingham’s Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival was founded in 1999 by a small group of independent film lovers including former MTV VJ Alan Hunter. In the 12 years of the festival’s operation, filmmakers from across the country and around the world have come to Birmingham to screen their work at Sidewalk and have been thrilled to discover fresh, enthusiastic crowds eager to view new independent cinema.
Films are shown in various locations of Birmingham’s Historic Theatre District to accommodate festival attendee spontaneity. Low-priced weekend passes provide easy access to Sidewalk venues, encouraging festival goers to seek out new films and sample programming they might otherwise never have the opportunity to view. The result is a crowd rich in diversity and united in a hunger for new film. The 12th Annual Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival is taking place this September 24th, 25th and 26th.
For more information or to inquire please visit www.sidewalkfilm.org or www.sidewalkfest.com or call 205.324.0888
Chatelin Bruno 
