alamo drafthouse

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Kansas City FilmFest 2014

This year’s Kansas City FilmFest brought together the local film community for over a week of screenings and events including animated, documentary and narrative features and shorts, as well as web series.

The 18th annual Kansas City FilmFest took place April 5-13, screening mainly animated films at the Alamo Drafthouse and live action narratives and documentaries at Cinemark Palace at the Plaza.

Drew Burbridge, KC FilmFest Digital Media Coordinator: “We really reach out to every single big commission, any filmmaking community in Kansas City, and not just Kansas City, Missouri, [but also] Kansas.

“That’s one of the best things about the Kansas City Film Festival, we do things from homegrown shorts to bringing in different organizations, people coming in, all the big filmmakers, the stars, then we film their question and answer panels afterwards, which also audiences get to participate in.”

Jeff Staab, actor in web series “Smoke Break”: “You made some history by bringing the top 10 filmmakers in town, together, to make your web series.”

Bryce Young, producer of web series “Withered World”: So with “Withered World” I’m super happy that the collaborative process behind it involved – my number one goal was to make it good, second goal was to get as many people involved as possible, and we got 200 people from the film community in Kansas City under one umbrella and that – I’m always gonna be proud of that fact.”

Barry Opper, producer of “Slingshot”: “The reception has been great. And I’ve said this before, but the audiences in this area are terrific audiences. They got things in our film that we’d only dream people would get.”

For Kansas City Film, this is Alex Lamb.

Local web series in the Kansas City FilmFest

This was the first year web series have played in the festival. Here are several featured ones made in Kansas City.

“Withered World”

The Field from Withered World on Vimeo.

A web series of vignettes from various KC filmmakers about the last day on Earth.

“Smoke Break”

This 115 episode daily web comedy series shows characters from a corporation as they come outside for smoke breaks.

“Kill Em All”

This dramatic web series follows Carson McCullough as he takes revenge on the Italian mob for killing his brother.

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Middle of the Map Film Festival Wrap-up

The Alamo Drafthouse theater at 14th and Main St. hosted the Middle of the Map Film Festival April 16-20.

The Alamo Drafthouse theater at 14th and Main St. hosted the Middle of the Map Film Festival April 16-20.

Ink’s 2014 Middle of the Map Festival ran it’s final leg over the weekend, ending with a successful second year for the film festival section. From April 16-20, 27 different films screened at the Alamo Drafthouse in downtown Kansas City, Mo.

Nearly half of the films tied into the musical interests of Middle of the Map. The documentary “Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton” profiled record label Stones Throw Records, while the Academy Award-nominated “The Broken Circle Breakdown” followed a heartbreaking love story between two bluegrass performers.

Four screenings featured live musical performances, including local band Spirit is the Spirit playing songs from the soundtrack of “Dazed and Confused” before its showing. Filmmaker Q&A sessions also followed three films, including the locally made “Manhattan.”

Ryan Davis, creative manager for the KC Drafthouse, acted as one of the festival’s moderators. He also helped bring SXSW Audience Award-winner “Before I Disappear” to the festival.

“It’s depressing, surreal and has a great soundtrack,” Davis said. “Basically everything I love in a movie.”

The gonzo Japanese yakuza spectacle “Why Don’t You Play in Hell?” proved to be an audience favorite, selling out at its second screening.

“It’s the biggest surprise I’ve seen in the last five years,” festival attendee Tim DePaepe said, who loved it so much he saw it twice.

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Local Film News: Mickey Rooney’s KC Connection, ‘Slingshot’ Director Interview and Indiana Jones Dinner Party

Mickey Rooney and Hayley Atwell’s Kansas City Connections – Classic Hollywood star Mickey Rooney, who died last week, actually lived in the city’s East Side as a young child. Additionally, “Captain America” actress Hayley Atwell lived in Kansas City in the summers while growing up.

Interview with ‘Slingshot’ Director Paul Lazarus – I saw the terrific documentary “Slingshot,” about inventor Dean Kamen and his solution to providing clean water throughout the world, at the KC FilmFest this weekend. Here’s an interview with director Paul Lazarus that considers some big problems in society.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom Dinner Party – Enjoy the darker Indiana Jones sequel on the big screen tonight at the Alamo Drafthouse with a four course meal, inspired by the film, to accompany it.

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Local Film News – March 3, 2014

Best Moments from the Oscars – From the record-breaking selfie to the stars sharing pizza to the most memorable speeches, this roundup highlights the best moments from last night’s Academy Awards show.

Wes Anderson Month at Alamo Drafthouse – To celebrate Wes Anderson’s new film “The Grand Budapest Hotel” opening in the Kansas City area on March 21, the Alamo Drafthouse Mainstreet is screening five of his previous movies throughout the month.

Cinemark Classic Series Throughout March – Cinemark Merriam and Palace at the Plaza will be screening five more previous award-winning films this month, including “Rear Window,” “The Shawshank Redemption” and “The Silence of the Lambs,” as part of Cinemark’s Classic Series.

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Local Film News – Feb. 17, 2014

‘Jayhawkers’ brings a legend back to life – “Jayhawkers,” the new movie from local filmmaker and KU film professor Kevin Willmott, premiered over the weekend at the Lied Center in Lawrence. It tells the story of basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain’s time at KU and how he changed the game as well as racial attitudes in Lawrence.

Director John Waters coming to Lawrence to talk about William S. Burroughs – Waters is speaking Thursday night at 7 in the Lawrence Arts Center for the exhibition “William S. Burroughs: Creative Observer.” He also has a new book, “Carsick,” coming out June 3, detailing his experience hitchhiking across America.

Philip Seymour Hoffman Memorial Double Feature – The Alamo Drafthouse Mainstreet will be screening “Punch Drunk Love” and “The Master” on Saturday in memoriam of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman. He plays “Mattress Man” Dean Trumbell and the L. Ron Hubbard-like leader Lancaster Dodd, respectively.