The added bonus to the trip was that Alex was graduating from Intel in Pensacola. I couldn’t bear the thought that he would start leave and go home to Rye Brook and I would be in Florida so he flew down to join us for the weekend. It was a perfect opportunity for him to see his grandfather since they missed each other with their respective Christmas holiday visits.

It was great to see Ferd and he is an adverturous host. Thursday night Ferd and I took a sunset cruise around Naples. The boat leaves from Windstar, the community he lives in, and putters through the inland waterways giving its occupants a sightseeing tour of the wealthy homes and then a quick trip to the Gulf to see the sunset. It is completely relaxing and after we had dinner at the club. It was an effortless entry.

The weather was absolutely fantastic. The skies were blue with fluffy clouds, the air was warm and moist and it was a complete relief from February in New York. We jumped into action Friday morning heading off to physcial therapy, cleaning out Bobbie’s closet and office, taking things to the Salvation Army and going grocery shopping. Ferd was frustrated at having been unable to drive and he had lots to accomplish.  Alex arrived late that day and we had already gotten a lot of things accomplished.

Saturday Ferd had booked a fishing trip for the three of us. We left out of Goodland which is a small fishing town south of Naples and motored around the 10,000 Islands. We didn’t catch many fish, which frustrated Captain J, but I don’t think any of us cared. We were just enjoying the outing.

A lot of serious eating was also accomplished. We managed to visit my favorite taco place, Tacqueria San Julian, twice. I shouldn’t tell anyone about it because I don’t want it to ever change, but there is nothing in this world like one of their tacos al pastor with the smokey sauce. You are almost assured to be the only gringos in the place. We had fish and chips at Grouper and Chips–not a low caloric experience, but a must when visiting Naples. We also headed out to Isle of Capri and dined at Capri Fish House. The food isn’t fantastic, but you sit under a chickee hut with a view of the water and it is delightful.

The rest of our visit was divided between lounging and reading, errands, a few more doctors visits and some more gorgeous weather to enjoy. It was delightful seeing Ferd and spending time with him, a complete treat to have more of Alex to myself and a lovely opportunity to de-”Frost” in the warm Florida sun.

 
Here is a lengthy list of some highlights you can enjoy while in the area. As places strike  your fancy, please go to the state’s tourism site for more details so you can easily create your travel plans.

Happy Trip Planning!

******

Here are some examples of what you’ll find in Northwest Kansas, listed in no particular order.

Oberlin - Decatur County Last Indian Raid Museum – Museum has very impressive collection with 14 buildings representing prairie life. 

Oberlin  – Decatur County Antique Guild District – Antique Crossroads of America.

Gorham - Dickinson Ranch – Tour this historic ranch located in the scenic Saline River Valley.

Goodland - Architectural Walking Tour – Self-guided tour of historic homes.

Scott City area – Battle Canyon – Site of the last Indian battle with the U.S. Cavalry in Kansas, 1878.

Kirwin – Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge – Refuge consist of 10,778 acres, located in North Central Kansas.

Wilcox School (WaKeeney)

WaKeeney  – Wilcox School – The Wilcox School-District 29- is listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places.

Ellis – Cedar Bluff Reservoir, State Park, and Wildlife Area – Over 14,000 acres of water and wildlife area make the Cedar Bluff State Park an excellent base camp for hunters, anglers and year-round explorers.

Norton – Keith Sebelius Reservoir, Prairie Dog State Park, Norton Wildlife Area – This 1,000-acre state park is located on the north shore of Keith Sebelius Reservoir.

WaKeeney – Smoky Valley Scenic Byway – Explore the Smoky Hill River Valley-wildflowers, windmills, limestone bluffs & wonders of the past.

Scott City – Steele Homestead Museum – Displays the furnishings and tools of Herbert Steele.

Stockton – Webster Reservoir, State Park, and Wildlife Area – In the Solomon River Valley, the park offers a prairie setting of rolling hills and spacious skies. In a beautiful prairie setting, there is ample opportunity for outdoor recreation.

St. Francis – Arikaree Breaks – A self-guided driving tour of the Arikaree Breaks – A self-guided driving tour of the Mini-Grand Canyon of the High Plains, the “Breaks” are a marked contrast to the plains generally associated with the area.

Atwood – Beaver Creek Audio Car Tour – Enjoy the beautiful area and wildlife along Beaver Creek while learning the history of the area.

Brewster – Beaver Creek Scenic Drive – 60-mile scenic drive along the Beaver Creek between the Minor Family Sod House and Atwood, Kansas.

Hays – Buffalo Herd – This herd of buffalo is a remnant of the vast herds which once roamed the Great Plains of North America.

Castle Rock – A chalk pinnacle rising from the prairie. Voted one of the 8 Wonders of Kansas.

Bazine – Christ Pilot Me Hill – A beautiful setting on the side of a hill “Christ Pilot Me” placed in limestone.

Cimarron – Cimarron Crossing Park – Historical marker tells about the Cimarron route of the Santa Fe Trail.

Cimarron – Kansas Wheat House, Inc. – Food manufacturer of wheat products, i.e., cow patties, flip’n flapjacks, and wheat nubs.

Goodland – Ennis-Handy 1907 Victorian House – Historical house.

Goodland – Kidder Massacre Site – Site of 1867 military/Indian battle. Two years after the Civil War ended, war came to Sherman County.

Sunflower painting in Goodland

Goodland – Giant Van Gogh Painting-Big Easel Project – Giant Van Gogh Sunflower reproduction painting on an 80-foot easel.

Goodland – America’s first patented helicopter was built in 1909.

Hays – Hays Aquatic Park - Historic WPA bathhouse, 8-lane pool, lazy river, plunge pool and zero-entry leisure pool.

Ogallah – Hooves of Heaven – From riding lessons to trail rides to personalized Equine Experiential Learning (EEL) sessions.

Weskan – Mount Sunflower – Highest Point in Kansas. Where the prairie and the sky meet your eye.

Bogue - Nicodemus Livery Company and Wagon Tours – Horse drawn wagon tours around historic Nicodemus National Historic Site.

Hays – Bar-B-Tack – Shop on the ranch at this unique store for western attire, tack, and supplies.

Hays – Blue Sky Miniature Show Horse Farm – Learn about these award winning Arabian type miniature show horses that are 26″-34” tall.

Hill City – Davis Farm – 6,000 acres of land for lease for private hunting of deer, pheasant, turkey, and quail.

Hays – Fairview Farms Alpacas – Family alpaca farm provides tours and information about these interesting animals.

Fairview Farms Alpacas - Hays

Hays – Lazy H Ranch – A top breeding ranch for purebred Angus and Charolais cattle. Free guided tours by appointment.

Brewster – Minor Family Sod House and Bed & Breakfast – Surrounded by wildlife and domestic farm animals. Hunting available.

Hill City – Buffalo Herd – This is a rare opportunity to view buffalo on the open range.

Logan – Dane G. Hansen Memorial Museum – Kansas artists’ work and fabulous traveling exhibitions.

McCracken – McCracken 1901 Post Rock City Jail Museum – 1901 Post Rock McCracken City Jail with original iron cells, Paper Moon movie, Fort Hays-Fort Dodge Trail, and homesteaders.

Ellis – Walter P. Chrysler Boyhood Home & Museum – Founder of Chrysler Corporation historical collection. 

Chrysler's Boyhood Home (Ellis)

Stockton – Frank Walker Museum – The museum features a vast doll collection, medical items, farm equipment, and school items.

LaCrosse - Kansas Barbed Wire Museum – The museum exhibits over 2,000 varieties of barbed wire and over 500 varieties of tools used in the construction of fences.

LaCrosse – Nekoma Bank Museum – Museum tells the story of 20th century rural banking in western Kansas.

Hill City – Exhibit of oil drilling and production.

LaCrosse – Post Rock Museum – Displays relating to post rock for fencing and building materials. Rock quarry diorama.

WaKeeney – Trego County Historical Society Museum and one-room schoolhouse with thousands of area artifacts.

Norton – Adobe House – Earthen walled structure in original location.

******

Keystone Gallery
Kansas fossil museum, 24’ prehistoric sea mural, art gallery, cool rock shop, guided fossil hunts.

Keystone Gallery combines many different venues under one roof. The museum section contains an extensive, scientific collection of local Kansas fossils including a 20-foot Mosasaur and 14-foot Xiphactinus. Many other fish, turtle and bird fossil specimens are also on display.

A colorful mural depicting the ancient Niobrara seaway accompanies our fossil display and was painted by local artist (and co-owner) Charles Bonner. His other paintings adorn the walls of the gallery.

Their gift shop not only has Monument Rocks souvenirs, but U.S. and international fossils, minerals and other items not usually found in this region—it’s a collector’s delight.

The gallery is surrounded by a herd of 400 buffalo that are sometimes nearby or can be spotted in the distance, within our panoramic view of the Smoky Hill River valley.

In addition, they offer guided fossil tours.

401 US 83 26 miles S of Oakley on US 83 Scott City, KS 67871 Phone: (620) 872-2762

Monument Rocks National Landmark

Travel Trailer at Monument Rocks in NW Kansas (photo by E Ogle)

Kansas’ first national natural monument. Cretaceous chalk formations.

Cretaceous chalk formations, Chalk Rock Towers, Butterfield Trail marker. No services available. South of Oakley off of US-83, on a gravel road.

(Blogger’s Comment: Great place for sunset photography. About 30 minutes from Oakley. Exceptional place, as long as it hasn’t been raining.)

Fick Fossil and History Museum
Cretaceous fossils, folk-art, sod house, 1886 replica depot, photos and history.

Museum focuses on local fossils and local history and has items of interest for all ages. See an extensive historic photo display, Mrs. Fick’s creative artwork with fossils and other mediums, fossils, railroad artifacts, the Prather Creamery, General Store, Military display, farm wagon and depression glass. Read about the story of the German family massacre which occurred near Russell Springs, Kansas. Please call to schedule a tour. Families welcome and there’s an area for small children to enjoy. New in 2008, exhibit featuring stations along the Smokyhill Trail and Butterfield Overland Despatch route.

700 W 3rd Oakley, KS 67748 Phone: (785) 672-4839

Buffalo Bill Bronze Sculpture
Larger than life-size bronze sculpture of Buffalo Bill on his horse Brigham, in pursuit of a buffalo.

Did you know that world famous Buffalo Bill Cody earned the legendary title “Buffalo Bill” in this part of the country? The legendary contest between himself and William “Bill” Comstock took place just 10 miles west of Oakley. We are celebrating the “Birthplace of the Legend” in Logan County, Kansas. Come see the bronze sculpture of Buffalo Bill. It stands 16 feet tall and weighs 9,000 pounds. You are welcome to visit the Buffalo Bill Cabin from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Wild West Historical Foundation, Inc. US Hwy 83 & 2nd Street Oakley, KS 67748 Phone: (785) 672-4285

Spirit of the American Dough Boy Memorial
Honoring Logan County’s Dough Boys from World War I. Logan County honored its Dough Boy troops of World War I with this memorial statue. See it in the park to the south of the city building. One of three in the state of Kansas.

126 E 2nd City Park, City Building Oakley, KS 67748 Phone: (785) 672-4862

Cottonwood Ranch State Historic Site
Visit this 1880s English ranch house and outbuildings. Walk the grounds of this relatively unchanged rural ranch and take in the austere beauty of the South Solomon River traversing the High Plains. Constructed from 1885 to 1896 by John Fenton Pratt, Cottonwood Ranch incorporates architectural elements from his English homeland. Explore the ranch where the Pratt family flourished and John Fenton became a successful sheep rancher and businessman.

US 24, RR 1 Box 57M Studley, KS 67740 Phone: (785) 627-5866

Fort Wallace Museum
Newly remodeled. 7-ft tall barb-wire statue. Conestoga wagon, soldiers journals, and more. Many fort era artifacts. Fort cemetery, Custers 7th Cavalry Cenotaph. Newly remodeled. Rest area for highway visitors.

Hwy 40 Wallace, KS 67761 Phone: (785) 891-3564

Butterfield Trail Museum
Two story renaissance-style structure of brick and stone with mansard roof.

515 Hilts Russell Springs, KS 67764 Phone: (785) 751-4242

Cooper Barn at Museum Complex
Biggest barn in Kansas contains antique agricultural implements and photos. Kansas’s biggest barn measuring 114′x66′x48′has been voted one of the 8 Architectural Wonders of Kansas. The lower level contains photos, antique implements and memorabilia depicting last 100 years of agriculture. Cavernous upper level is always open to visitors.

1905 S Franklin Colby, KS 67701 Phone: (785) 460-4590

Garden of Honor
A tribute to our local service men and women. This memorial honors our local service men and women. There is a separate monument for each branch of the service, and a memorial dedicated to the late Kansas Senator Stan Clark (Oakley).

700 W 3rd Bertrand Park Oakley, KS 67748  (located behind Fick Fossil & History Museum)

Grainfield Opera House
Historic 1887 theatre and general store under renovation.

3rd and Main Grainfield, KS 67737 Phone: (785) 673-4744

Pioneer Statue
Pioneer statue ‘Spirit of the Prairie’” by Charles Norton given to the County by citizens for Thomas County’s Centennial on Courthouse lawn.

300 N Court Colby, KS 67701 Phone: (785) 460-7643

Prairie Dog Town
King-sized petting zoo. Buffalo, rattlesnakes, badgers, coyotes, and fox. Kansas souvenirs. World’s largest prairie dog. (Blogger’s Comment: This is across Highway 83 from the RV park.)

457 US 83 Oakley, KS 67748 Phone: (785) 672-3100

El Quartelejo Museum / Jerry Thomas Art Gallery
Fossils, El Quartelejo pueblo replica, 1878 Indian/Cavalry battle, western & wildlife artwork.

Museum with exhibits focusing on fossils, Pueblo history, an Indian camp, a sod home, farming and the feedlot industry. Jerry Thomas Gallery & Collections is nationally known for his wildlife and historical Indian and Western art. Will be opening in summer of 2009.

902 W. Hwy 96 Scott City, KS 67871 Phone: (620) 872-5912

Czech Memorial Museum
Pioneer/Czech immigrant displays, cemetery records, war memorabilia, and newspaper records to 1886. Genealogy gold mine.

114 S Kansas Ave Jennings, KS 67643 Phone: (785) 678-2470

We hope we have helped you plan a fun trip to northwest Kansas.

Display details on all of our parks. 

Display map of all of our parks.

       I was in my recuperation stage, which only means that I was still living way up in North Naples out in the country back in on two dirt roads…. Where the house I lived in was off a dirt road that was off the dirt road called Rock Road…Most people around here know of the Rock Road.  For some reason it seems like everyone has been there somewhere, or has taken it to somewhere.  All I did was find a beautiful house to live in out there….All new with tile floors, two bedrooms and nothing else around except the main house, and the animals that one could hear in the middle of the night that sounded like you were living in the jungle.  There were wild animals neighbor people had brought in from all over the world, not to mention the wild bore, and the chickens in the barn where I was along with the horses there.  The house had been built for their daughter who did not move into it, so special care was taken in the building of it.

   As I progressed into trying to get out of the chair and exercise one whole minute at a time, this would eventually roll in to two minutes and on up until I could last 20 minutes or more.  I had to start playing again but I could not remember my music so I would practice my songs over and over.  I would play them as far as I could remember them until I could get them played all the way through.  Once I remembered them I wrote them down in a book.  Sometimes I would write only the words because the music was complicated and I had remembered it and gotten it into my head again.  Then for some of the songs I wrote down all the chords and the words so I would not have to try to remember them again.

Home in a Fog

More of the stationary dock

Only part of the dock

The ramp

Suites @ Topaz by Goodland Development

Proudly brought to you by http://www.PropertyLaunchCollections.sg/SuitesAtTopaz.aspx. Call 6100 0877 for Priority Booking now!

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[Details]

Developer:	Goodlan Development
District:	12
Unit Type:	1RM, 1+1, 2RM, Penthses
Tenure:	Freehold
Storeys:	05
Total Units	46

[Location]

[Unit Type]

1RM 366-474sf 1+1: 495/549sf PentHses: 829-1464sf Developer Hotline: 6100 0877 http://www.PropertyLaunchCollections.sg/SuitesAtTopaz.aspx

]]> http://carolinegkeyser.wordpress.com/2010/05/28/goodland-kansas/ Fri, 28 May 2010 21:52:09 +0000 carolinegkeyser http://carolinegkeyser.wordpress.com/2010/05/28/goodland-kansas/

Caroline and Hubby in front of the easel

The place:  Goodland, Kansas

Why it’s unusual:  It’s home to the world’s largest (so they claim) paint easel

Where it’s located:  Just off Exit 17 on I-70, 17 miles from the Kansas/Colorado border

When to go:  Anytime

If you’re like me, and you have an affinity for any place that calls itself home to the ‘world’s largest’ anything, you can’t miss Goodland, Kansas.  Located smack-dab in the middle of the Plains, this small town boasts one single attraction (other than restrooms for weary travelers)  to draw out-of-towners:  the world’s largest paint easel.  Measuring 80 feet tall, the easel holds a 32- by 24-foot reproduction of one of Van Gogh’s sunflower masterpieces.  Canadian artist Cameron Cross, who has also painted giant reproductions in Manitoba and Australia, painted the giant sunflowers, which were dedicated during Goodland’s annual sunflower festival in 2001.  And, since  Goodland is a decent producer of sunflowers and sunflower products, the choice of painting works out pretty well.  Roadside America’s Web page on the easel says that the giant easel was funded by trade group Sunflowers USA.

Since the easel is in one of the flattest parts of the country, where trees are few and far between, you shouldn’t have much trouble spotting it from afar.  I visited it during a cross-country road trip along I-70 during the summer of 2009, and saw it long before my GPS did.  Goodland’s giant easel was a very welcome, fun little distraction after a long day of monotonous driving through Missouri and Kansas.  The easel is located in a small park area, with a bench conveniently situated across from it for maximum viewing ease.   And, I imagine it’s probably boosting the economy of Goodland, since hubby and I also used our stopover to grab some dinner and crash for the night.

By Terri White   

This original story first appeared in edited form in a 2009 edition of the Phillips County Review

  To a twelve-year-old boy, the excitement of attending a rodeo is often more than a young man bear.  The very thought of seeing real trick riders in action, ropers, bronco busters and bull doggers are the things of which dreams are made.  In 1930 Phillips County, the rodeo was assuming an important place in the program lineup of the much celebrated Fall Festival.   

     Times were tough and getting tougher.  The ground was dry, the summers often hot. But, that certainly didn’t stop young Glen Lambson of Alma, Nebraska.  He wanted to see the rodeo a good 30 miles away in Phillipsburg.   His folks were busy in the fields that morning and were not a position they could just, as we do these days, run their son into the neighboring town.  Glen started out early in the morning and walked to the rodeo.  He was, as reported in the August 11, 1930 issue of the Phillips County Review, seen around five, that evening, heading home.  Young Glen thought he might get a ride, but if he didn’t the rodeo had been worth the long walk–even if it took him until midnight. 

     In 1929, Phillips County began plans for a big Fall Festival which was to be held over a three-day period, September 18-20.  Touting attractions such as baseball games, a Shrine Band and “chanters”, the Tri-City Band, a carnival company with rides, concessions,  a pavement dance, airplane stunts and, yes, a rodeo.  This event was billed as “the biggest celebration that Phillips County has ever planned”.  As the preparations continued and interest grew, the September 12th copy of the Phillips County Review reported, “The Fall festival has been enlarged to include Saturday Sept. 21, and the final performance of the rodeo will be staged that day as the last big feature.” 

     The first “rodeo” parade was planned for that Thursday, September 19th at noon “to include all available riding horses and riders possible.”  Dr. J.G. Buchner was the contact person for the parade and requested all and any “old-time conveyance” to participate.  A $5.00 payment was given to anyone who rode a horse or drove and “old-time” rig into the parade.  However, reports conflict regarding what was actually considered the “first” rodeo parade.  A picture in a 1952 Phillips County Review historic publication states that the first rodeo parade was actually held in 1930. 

The feature attractions planned for the first day were the Isis Temple Shrine Band from Salina, regional town ball teams facing off against each other and the pavement dance.  The rodeo was set to represent the feature for the remaining three days.  Accommodating a total of 3,600, new bleacher seats were constructed at Morse Park.  The rodeo was produced by John A. Stryker who also was affiliated with the nation’s largest rodeos including Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyoming.  Jay Groom, who was recorded as being a well-known figure throughout Western Kansas, was appointed arena director.  According to the Phillips County Review, September 12, 1929 issue, “Groom has combed the hills of Nebraska, Kansas and Colorado for wild broncos, cattle and mules and has succeeded in gathering the best herd of rodeo stock this side of Cheyenne.”  And, remarkably, a motion picture production team was also engaged to take photographs of the rodeo action and celebration as well as shoot moving film footage of the event.  The production team was shooting footage for a feature picture, “Running Wild”, staring Phillips County locals.   D.W. Baird of the Majestic Motion Picture Company, prior to the actual celebration-rodeo week, had been in the process of working in the county on various preliminaries.  In addition to the feature moving picture, a news reel of the City of Phillipsburg was also produced, highlighting the various points of interest and prominent townsmen.  The picture was shown October 4^th and 5^th, 1929 at the Majestic Theater in addition to the planned program for the evening.  The film was then said to have been presented to “some local organization” for the purpose of being archived as a pictorial history for the community, as reported in the September 12, 1929 issue of the Review.                                      

By September 12, 1929, the program had been finalized.  A double-header baseball game opened the celebration on Wednesday afternoon, September 18th at 1:30.  By seven that evening, the festival was in full swing.  The Isis Temple Shrine Band chanters and drill team were scheduled to perform on the square from seven until nine.  After nine, the free pavement dance, concession stands, “and general merriment” would be the order of the night. The rodeo parade was held at ten in that morning and was led by Parade Marshall, Col. W.L. Churchill. Dr. Buchner and Jay Groom were standard bearers and they were followed by the cameraman.  Next in the parade line were the local horsemen and women.  The business sector was next with the rodeo contestants following.  The contestants reigned from several states across the Midwest.  The rodeo opened at two in the afternoon on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Spicer’s cannon opened the rodeo with its voluminous discharge.  It had been heard by thousands as far back anyone could remember, but seldom seen.  Placed in the center of the rodeo arena, the canon was ignited in full view of the crowd.  The rodeo parade circled the arena as an additional attraction.  Serving as the official time-keeper was Dr. J. Pugh.  John A. Stryker, Kansas City, directed and announced the program by means of a three-way megaphone. He boasted that the entire town would be able to hear him.  Many events were offered for the attending children such as calf riding, roping, and clowns.  Other attractions included a “high-class athletic show” sponsored by “Farmer” Burns, a former heavyweight wrestling champion from Omaha. 

     In addition to the rodeo and other festivities, an Old Settlers program was held at the Masonic Temple with A.C. Coolidge of Smith Center speaking. 

The September 26, 1929 issue of the Review hailed the success of the first rodeo and Fall Festival Celebration.  However, the weather did not cooperate, neither did the carnival company.  Thursday and Friday were on the cool and gloomy side and wind and dust blew hard on Saturday.  In all, approximately 4,000 people saw the big rodeo show.  Over 35 contestants from nine states took part in the rodeo program with a prize purse totaling some $1.250.00. A slight glitch occurred that year when the carnival company failed to show up for the festival.  The concessions, miniature railroad, live entertainment referred to as cabaret, and athletic show filled the void.  The Shrine Band drew a large audience, but the baseball games were not such a crowd drawing success.  “Phillipsburg defeated Gaylord in a good game opener, but dropped the second to Kirwin by a disastrous score.”  Continuing, the paper reported, “Kirwin had a real ball team in the field that day, having ‘spiked up’ somewhat and Phillipsburg didn’t help matters any with a few more or less disastrous boots.”  All in all, the first rodeo was an incredible success for its day. 

     Planning for the second road was reported to have begun as early as January of 1930.  August 20, 21 and 22 were the dates selected for the “biggest event ever staged in northwest Kansas.”  From the January 30, 1930 edition of the Phillips County Review, “A rodeo, taking up some forty acres of ground, using about 200 head of stock, and giving prizes totaling some $2,000.00 has been arranged for under the direction of Jay Groom of Almena, veteran rodeo producer in this part of the state, who will devote his full-time to the arranging of details for the attraction.”  Boasting a bigger, better, rodeo with larger grounds, a larger purse, additional seating capacity and a permanent site for staging, the excitement and enthusiasm continued to build.  The writer continued certainly unaware of just how prophetic his statement would prove to be, “It is expected that the Phillipsburg rodeo will become the outstanding annual attraction in northwest Kansas.”  And, instead of committees, the rodeo was sponsored by the Phillipsburg Chamber of Commerce.

     Interest developed to the point that the Rock Island Railroad pledged its help to the Chamber of Commerce by committing to, according to the April 3, 1930 Phillips County Review, “. . .running excursions from Kansas City to Phillipsburg and return for the weekend of the rodeo, give layover privileges here on all excursion tickets sold to the Rocky Mountains and the coast this summer, advertise the rodeo in all of their summer tourist advertising, carry on extensive advertising for the excursion from Kansas City to Phillipsburg and give a 1 1/2 cent fair to Phillipsburg from any place in the state during the rodeo days.”  In return, the last day of the rodeo was deemed “Rock Island Day”.  Rock Island Day included the Rock Island shop band of Goodland which furnished music.  Incorporating a page in their time-table, travel book, the rodeo was the only event of its kind recognized by the railroad. 

     By June, new rodeo grounds were under construction with the addition of a grandstand and new bleachers able to accommodate 5,000 people.  Six double swing chutes are planned, fences, pens and all of the required hardware necessary to meet the needs of such a large event.  The Rock Island Railroad had extended their 1 1/2 cent fares to Phillipsburg to the states of Nebraska and Colorado.  By the end of July, 1930, preparations were winding down.  Feature attractions that were booked included stars of the day such as Sam Garrett, six-time world champion trick roper from Cheyenne, Wyoming, who appeared with his own trained horses; Billy King, trick roper, Morris Bros., clown act featuring two experienced rodeo clowns and two trained mules; Murray Edwards, trick rider and Shorty Ricker.  Other attractions were a group of Indians from the Mayetta reservation, Ole Graham and his famous trick horse, Silver Gold, and Baby Lorraine, world champion child trick rider from Cheyenne, Wyoming.  Baby Lorraine won the trick riding contest in Cheyenne in 1927 and had, by the age of nine, won over $12,000.00 in prize money.  Other attractions included covered wagon races, chariot races, pony express races, Roman standing races, Indian pony races, and Indian war dance, wild cow milking contest and cowboy maverick races.  Two events were scheduled to take place simultaneously so as no delays in the action would occur. Dignitaries such as W.A, Smith, attorney-general of Kansas was present the opening day of the rodeo and Arthur Capper, Kansas’s senior U.S. senator, spoke briefly to a large crowd on Rock Island Day.

     Again, the second year was a huge success.  Crowds were estimated to have ranged from 3,500 to 5,000 per day.  Seemingly, the second rodeo was a huge financial success as well.  The change in the location of the rodeo was hailed.  The Review reported, “The rodeo grounds were ideally situated for the show, as they are just far enough from town to care for stock properly, and yet not far enough to prevent anyone from attending.  All of the rodeo performers were very enthusiastic about the grounds, and they serve the purpose for which they were erected from every angle.”  Evidence tends to hold up regarding the formation of what would be the predecessor of what we now know as the rodeo board.  The Review’s August 14, 1930 issue reports, “Jay groom was ably assisted . . .by Shorty Ricker, assistant arena director, Dr. Buchner, superintendent of livestock, Dr. Pugh, head time keeper, and McDill Boyd, secretary in addition to general arrangements committee, consisting of Herbert Fleisher, chairman, W.A. Barron, Frank Yocum, Dr. Buchner, E.R. Edwards, Dr. Pugh and McDill Boyd.  M.A. Spaulding, chairman of the finance committee, Frank Randall and Bert Hall.”  Additional men were listed in the 1952 publication as influential in working on various phases of the first celebration:  Floyd Dickey, Clarence McIlvain, Ray Nichols, Bill Churchill, W.L. Faubion, F.W. Boyd, Glen Lane, W.C. Whitney, Herbert Fleisher, McDill Boyd, Floyd Murphy, L.L. Holben, W.A. Barron, Francis Jacobs, H.W. Harbaugh, E.J. Fallon, Howard Bridegroom, J.C. Thornton, Ralph Winship, Wm. McCall, D.P. Duvall, Ed Hunt, Dr. J.G. Buchner and Bob Anderson.

     Phillips County history, Kansas history, was made in those early years.  The people of Phillips County had a vision.  They had a dream and made that dream a reality through great planning, hard work, extraordinary cooperation, and shear fortitude.  These pioneers lead the way in establishing a great tradition for our great county and our great state.  This year, Phillips County celebrates the 80^th. Anniversary of Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo” and is looking forward with great anticipation and excitement.  Held for the 79^th year on ground donated by the Buckner family which is now known as the Phillips County Fair Grounds, we owe a great deal to those who had the forethought, ambition, and dedication to those who had the vision, those who planned, organized, and made the first Phillips County Rodeo a great event. 

     And, as for the young boy who once walked 30-some miles one way to see that very first Phillips County Rodeo; I would like to believe some willing soul gave that young man a ride all of the way home.

7/24/15

Mabel and I came out to the Fair for this.  M. Roosevelt is here – big crowd but not unusual.  I am not even crossing the street to see him! Would rather write some Postcards to my friends.  This ___ a building is no credit to the State, cheap looking – English architecture – supposed to cost near 75,000.00 — a house!!   Democratic management.  I am very well.  May be home soon — Your Aunt Anna.

Mrs. J. G. Kimmerman
Goodland, Indiana

Link to Information on the Panama Pacific International Exposition – the World’s Fair of 1915 in San Francisco.

Remember the old Holiday Inn Holidomes? They were those roadside mega-hotels for road warrior, cross country vacationing style families that rivaled a water park or Pauly Shore’s “Biodome.” It was like a YMCA surrounded by hotel rooms. If you don’t remember them, you can stop reading, but I sure do remember them. Or the remnants of the Holidomes left over that were built in the 70′s. My favorite part, of this point is, when Dad remembers one thing as something in particular, that’s ALWAYS what it is. This isn’t a smear on my Dad’s reputation. He quite literally has one of the best memories of anyone you will ever meet. If he encountered it directly, he will NEVER forget it.

WHAT WAS…

IS NOW…

When I told him we’d be cutting our return trip into two stages, and that I was trying to think of the best place along our route to stop off, preferably with a pool for Ruthi (you’ll see evidence of this below), He repeatedly told me “I’m pretty sure there’s a Holidome in Goodland.” And he’s right. Our family stayed at that exact place on two different cross country trips, one in the summer of 1986 and the other in the summer of 1991. What’s funny is even after I told him that I booked the Holiday Inn Express in Goodland, he again replied with, “That might be a Holidome.” I told him I didn’t know if it would have lasted quite that long, but it JUST GOES TO SHOW HOW WELL A GOOD BRAND STICKS IN OUR HEAD!

When we arrived, it was evident that the old Holidome had since been eliminated, but was replaced with an outstanding new and clean Holiday Inn Express. I just wonder when I get down the road a bit, and Holiday Inn Expresses are replaced with Holiday Inn Space Town, how long I’ll continue to refer to them as a Holiday Inn Express. Here’s to you Dad!

We left Denver in Colorful Colorado about 9am to head East. We didn’t have any plans for this leg of the trip, so relied upon my 1998 State Farm Road Atlas to point out the sights along I-70. The only one that sounded interesting between Denver and Kansas was the Kit Carson County Carousel.

Kit Carson was a colorful frontiersman who was a busy with a whole range of Wild-West taming, Civil Warring, and pioneering over a 20+ year career. Building carousels wasn’t one of the things he did, but there’s one sitting in the county fair grounds that I think he’d be proud of. The Carousel has 46 stationary, fancifully carved animals, an original brass organ, and several canvas paintings depicting animals, landscapes, and fairy-tale scenes. Some of the horses have real horse-hair tails and the antelope have actual horns. It reaches a speed of 12mph. I can’t believe they only charge twenty five cents to ride this thing. Awesome. Best money I’ve spent on this trip.

We made a command decision to cover as much of Kansas as possible today, but that didn’t stop us from making a few stops along the way. The most notable was Goodland, Kansas. They have the High Plains Museum here, and apparently it’s not well attended because the docent had to turn the lights on for us. This museum houses information on the rain maker industry that sprung up to bilk farmers during the dust bowl years. Amazing. They also have the first helicopter built in the country. It’s a whirligig contraption that is wonderful to behold but would scare the shit out of me if I had to ride the thing.

We chatted with the docent who told us that although Goodland does have an annual sunflower festival in August, it was too early for them to be in full bloom. I didn’t notice any actual sunflower fields in the immediate town environs. Like I mentioned before, they have an 80′ reproduction of Van Gogh’s sunflowers on an easel in the parking lot just West of the museum. Part of me wishes I had been part of the original committee that commissioned that hot mess. It’s a fine example of Americana.

We drove through Hays to see the Fort and dinosaur museum (thanks for the rec, Bill!), but things were closed up by the time we rolled into town. We took it as a sign and decided to make a mad dash for Missouri.

A note about Kansas rest stops: according to the employees, you can camp overnight for free for one night at all the rest stops along the Interstate. While this shouldn’t be a preferred choice, it’s a nice last-ditch option. I wish California were half as generous with both rest stops and camping.

We’re still driving. It’s 9:14pm and we’ve traveled 5915.2 miles.

http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf
It’s Day 19 and we got on the road bright and early … The Captain woke early and started driving again … while the rest of us slept …. once again … we make really good time when we don’t actually “camp”.

We didn’t stop till late night. We finally crashed in a Wal*Mart Parking lot but the Captain was up early and couldn’t sleep so we were “hammer down and east bound” by 4:30 AM … my honey is crazy.
It was COLD last night … so I was happy when the Captain started driving and turned the heat on … we were at 12,000 ft …. I would call that “on top of a mountain” …. and it was much warmer with the heater on and the evaluation dropping.

Once everyone started rousing from sleep, the Captain said we could pick a campground to crash at for the day as soon as we crossed into Kansas … and that was harder than you would think … well … I wanted something family friendly … maybe a pool for the kids to swim … and full hooks up so we could shower and dump the tanks … since we had been “dry-camping” for the past 2 nights …

So … we crashed at KOA campground in Goodland early in the morning …at this point I was confused about what time it actually was … I think we crossed another time zone and it took my phone a few hours to catch up … so I’m not sure what time we actually landed at the KOA … but they were nice enough to let us check in early (and that’s were the niceness ended … I’ll explain more later) … I was thinking … Ok… KOA is everywhere … would be a good place to try … we haven’t really tried any “chain campgrounds” … and thought this would be a good time to check one out ….

They had a pool but we couldn’t swim until after 11:00 … so we got breakfast at the camper … the kids played on the playground … they were enjoying being able to run and play … and I worked on laundry … just 2 loads this morning … but great to get it done while we had a chance … this was a more exspensive laundry … $1.50 per washer … and $0.25 for every 10 minutes in the dryer … but everything worked and I was glad to have the 2 loads completed and put away … (fyi … I store the dirty clothes under the bed … so they are out of the way … but I just like knowing that everything is clean … you never know when we may need something that is dirty

SO … after breakfast, laundry and the playground … it was time to go swimming … we headed to the pool for some R&R … we played at the pool for a bit and Dancing Mermaid decided she wanted to play putt-putt … she had mentioned this earlier at the camper … but the manger was there … and acted like he didn’t want to do that right now … made some comment that he was hoping to get some breakfast … so I told him not to worry about us … we were fine .. we had plenty to do for now ….(I felt like he was busy and we were trying not to be bother-some) ….. I was shocked to learn that it cost $2 each to play … and there was really nothing to the course …. keep in mind that we have great mini-golf courses at the beach and you can play $5 to play all day … but I knew she really wanted to play when she offered to pay with her money … so … she headed to the office to pay and get our clubs … and the Captain went to put the little guys down for a nap … he also needed a nap after driving most of the night …

OK … so here is were things start to get stressful for me … people have been nice to us at every campground, Wal*Mart, rest area that we have stopped at or been too … the Park Rangers and bus drivers have all been very patient with the kids … other vacationers chatting with us … but you know … there is alway one sour-puss somewhere who just has to make things difficult … and today was that day … and the KOA manger/owner was the “one” ….

I really don’t know where to start … except to say that the manager seemed very busy and stressed …so we tried to stay out of his way … and now … back to putt-putting …. Dancing Mermaid said the lady in the office (his wife) told her not to play hole number 10 until she was done because it would take her ball) ….there were only 10 holes … so we played only the first 9 … and let me say that the putt-putt course was not well maintained … and was pretty sad but she and I were having some great one-on-one time … so I wasn’t focusing on any of that … just us having fun … so … we got to the end of the first 9 and decided to play again … around this time the guy comes by on his bike (which he was always doing … riding here and there .. unlocking the store then locking the store back … again … we felt like he was way busy so we just stayed out of his way) … and said that when we were done, could we leave the clubs at the front door of the store … again … I’m not thinking anything “bad” about his comment … just thinking they must have problems with the kids keeping the clubs … or taking them back to their campgrounds … or that they don’t have a lot of clubs and need to have them nearby when others want to play .. anyway .. I just let it go … later I realize that this was his way of hinting to me that we should put the clubs back …

We kept playing … and around this time a storm comes up … you know, we are in Kansas and we were keeping our eye out for a twister to touch down …. that would be a great story to add to our adventure … we almost saw one when we left Arches … anyway … it’s starting to rain and I don’t want to get struck by lightening while putt-putting … so we grabbed a game from the camper and head to the table in the laundry room to play a game or 2 of Sequence … again … she and I were enjoying our time while everyone else was resting in the camper ….

Shortly after finishing our second game of Sequence … the rain stopped and the storm seemed far enough way to go back and play again … since Dancing Mermaid had paid and gotten the clubs … I really didn’t have anything to do with the actually money transaction .. and was not aware that the putt-putt course had to be “turned on” … so … we realized that it had been turned off …and HONESTLY not thinking anything about it … I reached over and turned it back on … since I had felt like the manager was so stressed .. in my mind .. I was thinking …”why bother him with something so simple as turning the putt-putt back on” .. well … that didn’t go over so well … (oh … I guess now would be a good time to point out that he was foreign … and so he had a think accent and the broken english added a bit of humor to the situation …. but at the time … I didn’t think it funny) … so .. the owner comes out of the store saying … “you guys are just all over the place … I guess I need to put a pad-lock on everything” … so … in my mind …I’m thinking … “all over the place” … what is that suppose to mean … I paid to stay here … I’ve dropped at least $5 in the laundry so far … paid $4 t o play putt-putt … it’s not like we have bothered him … we have only giving him business … and I guess I should add … that at this point during the day … we were one of only a few campers in the park … so … I’m thinking … it’s probably no wise to talk to customers like this … especially when it doesn’t look like your business is flourishing … BUT … I say nothing … and he continues to talk and walks over and turns the putt-putt OFF … I am astonished .. but still try to keep the smile on my face and I say … “So … we can’t play?” … and he says … “play … it’s nice out” … not sure what all that was suppose to mean …

Well .. I’m trying to keep my cool and not let this mess up our day … and … we move to some holes that don’t require the electricity to be running …. and after a few minutes .. I say to Dancing Mermaid … “You know what … let’s start back at the beginning … we can work around this .. not going to let this bother us … we still have the World Championship of Putt-Putt to complete” … and we headed back to hole number one ….

Hole number one required electricity to turn one of the flaps (an obstacle …. I guess that’s what it would be called) …. Dancing Mermaid holds up the flap that won’t spin … and out he comes again … wanting to know what we are doing …. at this point … I’m starting to feel like we are being watched … I say that it stopped working after he came out the last time … not wanting to be confrontational or cause any more problems … I figure it is best not to argue with the obvious fact that he turned it off on us …. maybe he is psycho or split personality or something … but you know what is going on when you turn it off on someone … and now he says “next time … let me know you need help and I will help you .. I don’t like for people to do things themselves” … Ok .. I have several thoughts about that but I will let it go … I smile and say Thank YOU … and Dancing Mermaid and I start playing again ….

I’ll remind you at this point … that this is all happening pretty fast … everyone is still asleep in the camper …. so not a lot of time has past because naps don’t last more then 2 hours or some (give or take) …. and we are still having a great time and trying to let all this other stuff roll off our backs ….

So … we finish our game (remember … only 9 little holes … nothing much … just some little wooden boxes with fake grass on top … only takes a few minutes to play all 9) … the sun has come out again .. and it is hot!!! … we decide to go take a dip in the pool … I ask DM if she is done playing and she says maybe one more game after we swim … and I think that should work out just about right (time-wise) … and I was also thinking the little guys would probably like to play when they get up … so we head to the pool to cool off …. a fellow camper comes out to join us at the pool too … I don’t think Mr Happy realized other campers were at the pool or he probably wouldn’t have been so openly rude … but then again … you just never know ….

So … we are sitting at the pool … I’m sitting on the steps because the water is really cold and each time I have to work my nerve up to get back in … I’m chatting with the lady who has come to the pool … and Mr Happy starts heading towards the pool … already I know he is coming for us .. not sure what we have done this time … but I can feel it … the phone rings and he stops to answer it … and I continue talking with DM and the lady … Jikkal has actually wandered out of the camper and has come to see what we were up to … but has decided to head back to the camper … (but he could hear Mr Happy yelling at me on his way back to the camper)

And here is comes …. he says he can’t find the clubs we were using … and I say ….” oh! There right here … she wanted to play some more … just cooling off for a minute” … and he starts yelling at me … and I quote …

“You are being ridiculous .. you only pay $2 …. you take advantage” …. so with the smile plastered to my face … which is now red … because he is yelling and this lady is watching … I said … “if you want the clubs back … I will give them to you but your wife told her she could play as much as she wanted” ,… and he didn’t like that … he continues to tell me about how I am ridiculous and taking advantage … (I’m guessing he is still working on his English vocab … being a homeschool teacher … I was thinking I should give him a list of resources he could use to improve his “word bank” … and place for him to put them) …. He very rudely informed that YES! He wanted the clubs back, NOW! … So I handed them to him …. and he continues to fuss … and I very calmly said .. .OK … I gave you the clubs .. that’s enough … at which point … I just turned my back and walked back to my seat …. I’m thinking … he better be glad that he met this Tabitha because “BC Tabitha” would not have been sooo nice … maybe left a few flat tires when we broke camp …. but ???? …. thankfully he started back to the office … mumbling as he went … but at least he went (after living with a teen in such close quarters for the past few weeks … I can overlook mumbling

Of course, the lady at the pool was astonished … and when I sat down … she said she could not believe how rude he was … I was just glad someone else was there … 1) to witness it and 2) to keep me from saying or doing something I should not … I plan to inform KOA that their GoodLand Ambassador needs some lessons in “Southern Hospitality” …. not good for their name … needless to say … we will not be frequenting another KOA on this trip … maybe ever … but we were the hot topic at the pool that afternoon …

After all this excitement … we headed to the camper … everyone was waking up …. and we took showers and got ready to head into town …. we took our picture with the World’s Largest Easel … you can read about it http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/9183 …. and attempted to go to the local museum but it was closed … our bad! … new time zone and we still didn’t have all the clocks right … next we headed to Pizza Hut for dinner … once again … not very happy people in these parts … but we got our bellies full and moved on … we made a pit-sop at Wal*Mat … and back to the campground …. the Captain thinks everyone here is mad because they are here and can’t figure out how to get out … I don’t know … just love laughing at his point of view …

The kids played on the playground again … met some friends … enjoyed the cool evening weather … could see a cloud forming in the distance … the wind is right brisk coming across these plains … we kept watching to see if a tornado formed … not that we wished that on anyone … just thought that would be fun to film … maybe end up on the weather channel with the Storm Chasers ….BUT … no such luck!!! I sat at the picnic table and worked on typing up all the details of the past days while the kids played … and enjoyed the cooler weather … I bit later … we got everyone in the camper and got everyone settled down for a good nights rest … the Captain plans to drive all the way across Kansas tomorrow ….

I took a few mnutes to look up some totally cheesy spots to stop and take photos .. trying to give the kids a break from educational stuff … I think this will be a fun drive tomorrow.

I think the Captain is as excited about getting out of Goodland as he was about getting out of California

For his preview to this year’s festival on Live Roots TV, DJ ? conveyed messages from State Street across the street from the Arlington theatre, home to many of the 11-day festivals events, which run from Jan. 22 to Feb. 1. The 24th Annual festival will include feature film showings, celebrity events with appearances by Hollywood A-listers. socialite gatherings and educational panels, as well as an assortment of secondary events for the local community. Thousands of film fans and media professionals from around the world will be descending upon Santa Barbara, so the red carpet will be laid out at the Arlington Theatre, Lobero Theatre and as well as other locations throughout town.

DJ ? has announced a Program Change to the 2009 Santa Barbara Film Festival Aliens Choice Awards. This years ceremony will take place outside the Arlington Theatre near the red carpet on Jan. 22 at 6:00 pm.  2009 Santa Barbara Film Festival Aliens Choice Award Nominees include Mickey Rourke for his performance in the Wrestler and Penelope Cruz for dual performances in Elegy and Vicky Cristina Barclena. Cruz is honored as this years Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2009 Outstanding Performer of the Year.  Rourke will be receiving the Santa Barbara Film Festival 2009 American Rivera Award.

DJ ?’s Aliens Choice award ceremony and the first day of the Santa Barbara Film Festival coincide with Oscar nominations on Jan. 22, as announcements for the 81st Annual Academy Awards come out with much anticipation. Tickets for the 2009 Santa Barbara International Film Festival can be purchased at the Lobero Box Office. For more information on ticket purchases including: Mini-paks, Opening Night Gala, Kate Winslet Montecito Award, Penelope Cruz Outstanding Performer of the Year, Writers Panel, Directors Panel, Virtuosos Award, Clint Eastwood Modern Master Award, Mickey Rourke The American Rivera Award, and Womens panel, visit http://www.lobero.com/calendar/sbiff2009/ Lobero Theatre box office is located at 33 E. Canon Perdido St., Santa barbara CA 93101. First weekend and second weekend platinum passes are also available.

Live Roots TV airs every Friday at 5pm on Channel 17 Santa Barbara, as well as Mondays at 1:30 am.  Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2009 Live Roots TV Special Edition sponsored by BGP Music, Independent Music for Film and Television.

Continuing the annual tradition of highlighting a Guest Director by presenting a retrospective of their work, SBIFF is thrilled to announce David Fincher as the 2009 Guest Director. On Friday,

January 30, SBIFF will present “A Celebration of David Fincher,” where he will be joined by special friends. The evening is sponsored by Macys. One of cinema’s most dazzling visual stylists, Fincher established himself in the world of commercials and music videos before becoming

one of Hollywood’s most respected talents. He made his mark with the unforgettable thriller “Se7en” and has since gone on to create such critically-acclaimed films as “Fight Club,” “The Game,” “Panic Room,” and “Zodiac” before venturing on to the challenge of “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.” He’s a unique and refreshingly honest filmmaker worthy of considerable praise.

The Festival will show a retrospective of Fincher’s films.SBIFF 2008 will kick off at the historic Arlington Theatre with the critically acclaimed thriller “Nothing But The Truth” directed by Rod Lurie and featuring tremendous performances by Kate Beckinsale, Vera Farmiga, Alan Alda, Angela Bassett, David Schwimmer, Matt Dillon and Noah Wyle. “’Nothing But The Truth’ is one of the most powerful films we’ve ever had for Opening night, and we gave it that slot because it deserves to be seen,” commented Durling. The film features Beckinsale as Washington, DC political journalist Rachel Armstrong, who writes an explosive story about a government scandal in which she reveals the name of a covert CIA agent

(Farmiga). When a special government prosecutor demands she divulge her source, she refuses and finds herself behind bars struggling to defend the principles she has based her career upon. Following the Opening Night screening, which is sponsored by UGG Australia and Studio 7, the festivities will continue with a party at Paseo Nuevo in downtown Santa Barbara.  Closing Night will feature the World Premiere of “Lightbulb,” directed by Jeff Balsmeyer and stars Dallas Roberts (from “3:10 to Yuma”), Jeremy Renner (who received an Independent Spirit Award nod for his role in “The Hurt Locker”) and Ayelet Zurer (who stars opposite Tom Hanks in “Angels & Demons”), all of whom will attend. “Lightbulb” is a true and timely rags-to-riches story of two friends – a small-time inventor and a sharky salesman – who hit rock bottom before coming up with a gizmo that becomes a worldwide phenomenon. Closing Night festivities are sponsored by Qantas, Soho and the SB Independent.

SBIFF has become an important showcase for Academy-Award hopefuls, many of whom have gone on to win an Oscar. Continuing the tradition, SBIFF will feature special Tribute presentations, created by long-time fest tribute producer Paul Fagen of P. Fagen Productions, as well as Dana Morrow of RoadShow Media. This year’s complete list of honorees (in date order)

are:

 Kate Winslet will receive The Montecito Award, moderated by long-time friend of the fest, Leonard Maltin on Friday, January 23 at the Arlington Theatre.

 Penelope Cruz will receive the Chopin Outstanding Performer of the Year Award, presented by Chopin Potato Vodka and moderated by SBIFF Director

Roger Durling on Saturday, January 24 at the Arlington Theatre.

 Kristin Scott Thomas will receive the Cinema Vanguard Award, sponsored by Qantas, on Tuesday, January 27 at the Lobero Theatre.

 Virtuosos 2009 Award to Viola Davis (Doubt), Rosemarie DeWitt (Rachel Getting Married), Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky…pending availability), Richard Jenkins (The Visitor), Melissa Leo (Frozen River) and Michael Shannon (Revolutionary Road), in recognition of this year’s emerging film artists. The evening will be moderated by Roger Durling on Wednesday, January 28 at the Lobero Theatre

 Clint Eastwood will receive the esteemed Lucky Brand Modern Master Award, moderated by Leonard Maltin on Thursday, January 29 at the Arlington Theatre.

 A Celebration of David Fincher will take place Friday, January 30, at the Arlington Theatre, where he will be joined by special friends. Sponsored by Macy’s.

 Mickey Rourke will receive the American Riviera Award, sponsored by Foundation for Santa Barbara City College School of Media Arts and moderated by Pete Hammond, on Saturday, January 31 at the Arlington Theatre.

“Our Festival motto this year is ‘Discover by Day – Dazzle by Night’.” Durling also states, “Whereas I can assure our films are full of discoveries, there’s no doubt you will be dazzled by our line-up of honorees this year.”

THE PANELS

The SBIFF has become renowned for creating smart, insightful and informative panels that feature a veritable who’s who in the world of filmmaking, including many Oscar contenders.

The series kicks off at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 24, “Directors on Directing” moderated by producer and co-host of AMC’s “Sunday Morning Shootout” Peter Bart. The panel takes place at the Lobero Theater and is sponsored by Variety Magazine.

That afternoon at 2:00 p.m., also at the Lobero Theatre, is the ever-popular “It Starts With the Script,” screenwriters panel moderated by Variety columnist Anne Thompson. The panel takes place at the Lobero Theatre and is sponsored by Pacifica Graduate Institute.

The insights continue during the Fest’s second weekend starting off with the “Movers & Shakers” panel on Saturday, January 31 at 11 a.m., bringing together top producers to discuss their craft, moderated by Los Angeles Times columnist Patrick Goldstein.

And at 2:00 pm, the next panel is composed of some of the most creative women working in film today entitled “Creative Forces: Women in the Biz,” moderated by Madelyn Hammond, Chief

Marketing Officer, Variety. The panel takes place at the Lobero Theatre and is sponsored by Sandy Stahl. Panelists will be announced shortly.

LOCAL OFFERINGS

The SBIFF takes its commitment to the young people of our community to heart and with enthusiasm. Artful cinema can educate as well as entertain. Following are just a few of the programs the Festival will offer:

10-10-10 Student Screenwriting Competition and Sotheby’s International Realty 10-10-10 Student

Filmmaking Competition – The Screenwriting Competition, sponsored by Business First Bank,

Lucky Brand, Final Draft and The Towbes Foundation, is comprised of 10 students who were

selected out of 23 submissions from Santa Barbara area high school and college students who

submitted a 10-page sample of their best fiction writing – screenplay, stage play, or short story – to

their school’s representative. The five best script samples were chosen from the high school level

and five from the college level. The finalists are then assigned a storyline and an industry

professional to mentor them during the writing of their screenplay. Finalists will meet with their

mentor throughout the process, submitting their final draft in January 2009. On Tuesday, January

20, 2pm at the Montecito Country Club will be the 10-10-10 Press Conference where Screenplays

will be assigned to selected filmmakers.

The 10 student screenplays are matched with a category-appropriate Filmmaking finalist from the

Sotheby’s International Realty 10-10-10 Student Filmmaking Competition, which consists of 10

students selected from 19 submissions. They will then produce a 10-minute film during the 10

days of the 24th Santa Barbara International Film Festival. On Sunday, February 1 at 1 pm at the

Lobero Theatre, all ten completed films will be screened and the winners will be announced. The

winning films will then be screened prior to the Closing Night film.

APPLEBOX – A FREE Family Festival for Children – The SBIFF will produce AppleBox, a family

film section for children during the mornings of the two weekends that bookend the festival –

Saturday, January 24 and Sunday, January 25 and on Saturday, January 31 and Sunday, February

1. Children’s films include shorts programs and is headlined by Richard Gabai’s “Call of the Wild

3D” at the Arlington Theatre on January 24 at 11 a.m. Starring Santa Barbara’s own Christopher

Lloyd (Back to the Future, Taxi) and fellow local Timothy Bottoms (That’s My Bush, The Paper

Chase) star in this three dimensional film that is inspired by the Jack London novel of the same

name. The film will be preceded by entertainment and an actual red carpet where kids of all ages

can walk down and experience what it’s like to be a star of the Fest. Co-presented with the Santa

Barbara Children’s Museum and Sponsored by Nordstrom, Citrix Online, SBParent.com and Cold

Stone Creamery, screenings will enable children to see wonderful movies that are not easily

accessible, in a festive, entertaining and supportive environment-which shows that SBIFF is not

only about the glitz and the glam, but it’s also about the fam!

Field Trip to the Movies– SBIFF provides a fascinating and thought-provoking film, study guides,

and transportation to “Field Trip to the Movies” as part of our Reel Nature series for over 2,000

5th and 6th graders in Santa Barbara County. This educational program, which is scheduled for

January 26 and 27, includes an opportunity for students to explore intriguing facts and new

research about the natural world as they view a film, engage in discussion, and participate in an

interactive film-creating experience with industry professionals and is hosted by acclaimed nature

filmmaker Mike DeGruy. This year, we’re focusing on the multiple award winning documentary

Smalltalk Diaries, a short film about the world as seen by….minibeasts. By using a secret

invention called the Translation Lens, the myriad of creatures that live all around us are suddenly

able to tell us about their world. From cockroach to caterpillar, each has a distinct voice and is

eager to explain all about its life, from “whizpopping to metamorphosis!” The purpose of “Field

Trip to the Movies” is to inspire and excite children’s curiosity with nature and the world around

them, while at the same time introducing them to the possibilities of them being a filmmaker and

5

naturalist. “Field Trip to the Movies: is sponsored by Wells Fargo Bank and Cox

Communications.

3RD Weekend –The SBIFF will continue their tradition of presenting the “3RD Weekend,” which will

feature the highlights of the 24th Festival for Santa Barbara residents. The winning films will be

screened throughout the weekend of February 6-8 at the Riviera Theatre, sponsored in part by

Horny Toad and Central Coast Wine Classic. Screenings are free and tickets are available on a

first come, first serve basis at the Riviera Theatre. Screening times will be posted on the SBIFF

website at www.sbiff.org in the days following Closing Night.

FILM CATEGORIES AND SIDEBARS

The SBIFF continues its commitment to exciting, culturally enlightening, and entertaining

programming and sidebars. In addition to presenting Independent Features, International Features,

Documentary Features and Special Presentation films, programmed by Candace Schermerhorn, the

SBIFF will also offer films from the following sidebars:

 EASTERN BLOC featuring films from Eastern Europe;

 REEL NATURE, the nature films series programmed by renowned nature

cinematographer and Santa Barbara resident Mike DeGruy, sponsored by City of

Lompoc.

 EAST X WEST, a collection of the best cinema from Asia, programmed by Emmynominated

actor and director Tim Matheson

 TO THE MAXXX, sponsored by Horny Toad and Firestone Walker Fine Ales & Red

Nectar, is programmed by Santa Barbara filmmaker Russ Spencer and features

extreme sports films and documentaries including the U.S. Premiere of Joel Conroy’s

“Waveriders,” the story of Ireland’s connection to surfing from its reinvention in

Hawaii in the early 1900s to the rapid growth of big wave surfing in Ireland today

and includes appearances by such surfing icons as Chris, Keith and Dan Malloy,

Kelly Slater and Rabbit Kekai, to name just a few.

 LATINO CINEMEDIA, sponsored by Tinta Latina Magazine and Univision, offers

a collection of films from Spain and Latin America, continuing SBIFF’s commitment

to Spanish and Latin American films, programmed by UCSB professor Cristina

Venegas;

 SANTA BARBARA FILMMAKERS, sponsored by CASA Magazine, programmed

by Russ Spencer and which includes 7 World Premiere feature films.

Attached is a preliminary list of films scheduled to screen at the 24th Annual Santa Barbara

International Film Festival; a complete list will follow soon.

SBIFF is proud to welcome the esteemed 2008 Jury: Dave Stein, Jury Chair; actor/comedian Gary

Anthony Williams, (Director of the new L.A. Comedy Shorts Film Festival); Academy Awardnominated

actor James Cromwell (“W.”); Academy Award-nominated director Gil Kenan

(“Monster House”); actor Hassan Sleiman (“The Visitor”); producer Lauren Moews (“Cabin

Fever”); actor Anthony Zerbe (“The Matrix”); writer and producer Leslie Caveny (“Penelope” and

“Everybody Loves Raymond”); Eddie Schmidt (President, International Documentary Assoc.); actor

Efren Ramirez (“Napoleon Dynamite”) and actor Rodrigo Santoro (“Che,” “Love, Actually”).

Select films will vie for the following awards:

THE AWARDS

The Panavision Spirit Award for Independent Cinema – for the Best Independent film

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Juried by industry professionals

Award: camera package worth $60,000

The Best Foreign Film Award – for the best Foreign Feature

Juried by industry professionals

Nueva Vision Award – for the best Spanish-language feature

Juried by industry professionals

Best Eastern Bloc Cinema Award – for best Eastern Bloc feature

Juried by industry professionals

Best Documentary Film Award – for the best documentary film

Juried by industry professionals

Award: Tunnel Post Production package valued at $100k.

IDA one year membership.

The Fund for Santa Barbara Social Justice Award Sponsored by The Fund for Santa Barbara –

for documentary film that addresses social justice issues

Juried by a committee selected by The Fund for Santa Barbara

Award: $2,500 cash

Bruce Corwin Award for Best Live Action Short Film Under 30 Minutes

Juried by industry professionals

Bruce Corwin Award for Best Animation Short Film

Juried by industry professionals

Sotheby’s International Realty Student Filmmaking Competition – – for Best of the 10-10-10

Student Filmmaking Competitor

Juried by industry professionals.

Award: Lucky Brand will build the award recipient into their ad campaign and

play their film on their website.

Participation consideration: All participants receive a copy of Final Draft

Software.

The winning films will be screened at the Closing Night Event.

10-10-10 Student Screenwriting Competition, Sponsored by Business First Bank, Lucky Brand,

Final Draft and supported by Towbes Foundation for best screenplay.

Juried by industry professionals

Participation consideration: All participants will receive a copy of Final Draft

software.

Audience Choice Award, sponsored by The Santa Barbara Independent

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival, set to run January 22 through February 1, 2009, is a

non-profit organization dedicated to enriching local culture and raising consciousness of film as an

art form. SBIFF presents quality American and world independent films, Latin American and

Asian sidebars as well as documentary cinema within the beautiful setting of downtown Santa

Barbara, a premier tourist destination. The SBIFF is also committed to education through its 10-

10-10 Student Filmmaking and Screenwriting Competitions, Field Trip to the Movies, and

educational seminars. With a projected audience of over 70,000 viewing more than 200 films over

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its eleven-day run, the SBIFF attracts an affluent local and national consumer base, while

maintaining strong ties with the entertainment industry in nearby Los Angeles. For more

information, please visit www.sbfilmfestival.org.

Tickets for events are still available. In order to meet overwhelming demand and growing

popularity, SBIFF is not only offering new passes, but additional screening times as well, starting

at 8:00 am. In addition to the Platinum Pass, which provides admission and priority seating to all

Festival screenings and events, SBIFF now offers a 1st Weekend Platinum (Thurs-Sun) and a 2nd

Weekend Platinum (Thurs-Sun) for those who cannot be there for the entire festival. Other new

Passes include the State Street Pass, which allows admission to all “Off-Peak” screenings,

including the new 8:00 am screenings and late-night screenings, and excluding the 4:00 and 7:00

pm screenings; The Tribute Package, which provides entry to all the Tributes, Opening and

Closing Night and one 12-film MiniPak; and The Film Geek Package, which offers tickets to

Opening and Closing Nights, a 12-film MiniPak and access to all Panel events to film students of

all ages. The Cinema Pass (admission to all films and Opening and Closing night) and

Introductory Package are also available. Prices and details are available at the Lobero Theatre

box office: www.lobero.com or call 805-963-0761.

For festival information, log onto www.sbiff.org.

# # #

All press must request credentials by logging onto www.sbiff.org and click on PRESS.

PUBLICITY TEAM:

Carol Marshall, Director of Publicity

Phil Jun – Publicist

Stephenie Hope – Publicist

Beth Binker – SBIFF Publicity Assistant

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24th SANTA BARBARA INTERNATIONAL

FILM FESTIVAL FILM LINE-UP

OPENING NIGHT

Nothing But The Truth, USA

Director: Rod Lurie

Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Vera Farmiga, Alan Alda, David Schwimmer, Noah Wylie

Kate Beckinsale stars as Washington, DC political journalist Rachel Armstrong, who writes an

explosive story about a government scandal in which she reveals the name of a covert CIA agent

(Farmiga). When a special government prosecutor demands she divulge her source, she refuses and

finds herself behind bars struggling to defend the principles she has based her career upon.

CLOSING NIGHT

Lightbulb, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Jeff Balsmeyer

Cast: Dallas Roberts, Jeremy Renner, Ayelet Zurer

A true and timely rags-to-riches story of two friends – a small-time inventor and a sharky

salesman – who hit rock bottom before coming up with a gizmo that becomes a worldwide

phenomenon

WORLD PREMIERES

(Descriptions below in main list)

After The Last Round, USA

Amar a morir, Mexico/Colombia

Automorphosis¸USA/UK

Blessed Is The Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh, USA

Follow The Prophet, USA

Going Home, USA

Ink, USA

Inventing LA: The Chandlers and Their Times, USA

Megamall, USA

Ocean (Okean), Russia

On The Pipe Five, USA

One Track Mind, USA

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Rescuing Emmanuel, USA

Skateboard Stories, USA

Suspect X, Japan

The Invocation, USA

The Music Lesson, USA

The Oasis, Australia

The Women and the Waves, USA

Time Warp, US

War Against the Weak, USA

U.S. PREMIERES

(Descriptions below in main list)

20th Century Boys (20-seiki shônen), Japan

4BIA, Thailand

A Woman in Berlin, Germany/Poland

Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone, Japan

Havana Surf, Spain

K-20: The Legend of the Mask (K-20: Kaijin niju menso den), Japan

Kabuli Kid, France/Afghanistan

Landscape No. 2, Slovenia

Lost Islands, Israel

Mapuche Nation (Nación Mapuce, La), Argentina/Italy/Switzerland

Nobody To Watch Over Me (Dare mo mamotte kurenai), Japan

Oso Blanco, USA

Poppy Shakespeare, UK

Tandoori Love, Switzerland

Tears for Sale (Carlston za Ognjeka), Serbia

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The Demons of Eden (Los Demonios del Eden), Mexico

The Divine Weapon, South Korea

The Ghost (Domovoy), Russia

The Inheritors (Los Herederos), Mexico

The Land of the Devil (El pais del Diablo), Argentina

The Man Who Loved Yngve (Mannen som elsket Yngve), Norway

The Racketeer (􀀀 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀 ), Kazakhstan

The Watercolorist (El Acuarelista), Peru

Tiramisu, Netherlands

Treeless Mountain, USA/South Korea

Vacation (Kyûka), Japan

Waveriders, Ireland/UK

Yes Madam, Sir, Australia

Zift, Bulgaria

FEATURE-LENGTH FILMS

(Please note list is subject to change.)

Independent Features Competition:

Apron Strings, New Zealand

Director: Sima Urale

Cast: Peter Elliott, Jennifer Ludlam, Laila Rouass

Food and love are intertwined in this tale of two mothers who must find the courage to confront

the secrets and misunderstandings of the past, in order to set their sons free.

Dim Sum Funeral, Canada

Director: Anna Chi

Cast: Steph Song, Kelly Hu, Bai Ling, Talia Shire

The estranged siblings of a westernized Chinese-American family discover the challenges of trying

to fulfill their mother’s last wish.

Follow The Prophet, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Drew Ann Rosenberg

Cast: Tom Noonan, Diane Venora, Robert Chimento, David Conrad, R.D Call, John Diehl, Annie

Burgstede

A young girl escaping from a Polygamist cult is aided by an Army Colonel and a renegade female

Sheriff who join forces to expose the truth that lies hidden in a town in Utah.

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Ink, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Jamin Winans

Cast: Chris Kelly, Jessica Duffy

John and Emma, father and daughter, are thrust into a fantastical dream-world battle between

forces of good and evil in this allegorical tale of love, loss and the search for redemption.

Poppy Shakespeare, UK – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Benjamin Ross

Cast: Naomie Harris, Anna Maxwell Martin

‘Catch 22′ meets ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ as two patients strike up an unlikely, moving,

funny and tragic friendship in a psychiatric hospital

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Skin, South Africa/UK

Director: Anthony Fabian

Cast: Sophie Okonedo, Sam Neill, Alice Krige

Based on the true story of a black girl who was born to two white Afrikaner parents in South

Africa during the apartheid era.

Sweet Thing, USA

Director: Joe Lia

Cast: Jennipher Foster, Beth Ison, Jacob Teixeira, Michael McFadden

Nineteen-year-old free spirit Liz is on a mission to find love in between her shifts at an espresso

drive-thru. Across town, Jody seeks answers in drugs while shuffling papers at her father’s office.

The two become friends and embark on a summer of avoiding responsibility. As they grow closer,

their lives become more complicated as issues of love, sex, and meaning bubble to the surface.

International Features Competition

A Woman in Berlin, Germany/Poland – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Max Färberböck

Cast: Nina Hoss, Tevgeni Sidikhin

A woman tries to survive the invasion of Berlin by the Soviet troops during the last days of World

War II.

Kabuli Kid, France/Afghanistan – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Barmak Akram

Cast: Hadji Gul, Valery Schatz

A taxi driver in Kabul finds a baby in the back seat of his taxi. The driver searches the city for the

mother and reveals truths about their lives in the process.

Landscape No. 2, Slovenia – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Vinko Moderndorfer

Cast: Barbara Cerar, Slavko Cerjak

While stealing a priceless painting, common thief Sergej’s greed gets the best of him when he

mistakenly takes a mysterious document that refers to some shady dealings near the end of World

War II.

Lost Islands, Israel – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Reshef Levy

Cast: Oshri Cohen, Michael Moshonov, Shmil Ben Ari

A young boy’s value that loyalty to family comes first is challenged by his father’s extramarital

affair in this drama from Israel.

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Tandoori Love, Switzerland – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Oliver Paulus

Cast: Lavinia Wilson, Vijay Raaz

Members of an Indian film crew producing the latest Bollywood extravaganza experience a clash

of cultures and culinary tastes when they encounter the unassuming and peculiar folks populating

the surrounding mountainous region in the Swiss Alps.

Tears for Sale (Carlston za Ognjeka), Serbia – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Uros Stojanovic

Cast: Katarina Radivojevic, Sonja Kolacaric

Two Serbian girls living in a village with no men leave their town and go to the city to kidnap men

and return life to their home town.

The Country Teacher (Venkovský ucitel), Czech Republic

Director: Bohdan Slama

Cast: Pavel Liska, Zuzana Bydzovska

Bohdan Sláma’s exquisite film follows the tender ties that form between a young, gay teacher, a

lonely widow and her teenaged son in a small Czech town riddled with homophobia.

The Ghost (Domovoy), Russia – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Karen Oganesyan

Cast: Konstantin Khabensky, Vladimir Mashkov, Chulpan Khamatova

Pulp detective novel writer Anton Prachenko is suffering from writer’s block. He is helped

overcome this in an extremely unusual manner by a hired assassin who goes by the nickname The

Ghost.

The Man Who Loved Yngve (Mannen som elsket Yngve), Norway – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Stian Kristiansen

Cast: Ole Christoffer Ertvåg, Rolf Kristian Larsen

A teenage boy loses his footing when he finds himself drawn to the new boy in class.

The Racketeer (􀀀 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀 􀀀 ), Kazakhstan – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Akhan Satayev

Cast: Sayat Isembayev

After knocking out his opponent with one swift blow at a boxing match in Almaty, 1993, Sayan

attracts the attention of Ruslan, an up-and-coming racketeer. Faced with few alternatives in a

bleak post-Soviet environment, Sayan drops out of the institute he worked so hard to gain

entrance to, and joins Ruslan’s criminal entourage.

14

Tiramisu, Netherlands – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Paula Van Der Oest

Cast: Jacob Derwig

A straight-laced bookkeeper and a devil-may-care actress past her prime teach each other lessons

about responsibility and life.

Treeless Mountain, USA/South Korea – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: So Yong Kim

Cast: Hee-yeon Kim, Mi-hyang Kim, Song-hee Kim

Set in South Korea, this uncommonly intimate film follows two sisters as they find themselves

abandoned by their mother and placed in the care of their indifferent drunkard of an aunt.

Zift, Bulgaria – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Javor Gardev

Cast: Zahary Baharov, Tanya Ilieva, Vladamie Peney

Moth is freed on parole after spending time in prison on wrongful conviction of murder. Jailed

shortly before the Bulgarian communist coup of 1944, he now finds himself in a new and alien

world – the totalitarian Sofia of the 60s.

Latino CineMedia Competition

Amar a morir, Mexico/Colombia – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Fernando Lebrija

Cast: José María de Tavira, Martina García, Alberto Estrella, Raúl Méndez

The young heir to a vast Mexico City banking empire runs away from the cold, corrupt, racist,

money-driven, super-elite, super-rich world into which he was born, takes a wrong turn down a

wrong road, and finds himself stranded in a remote beach paradise where he experiences love at

first sight with an exotic, darker-skinned local girl—one that will place him—and her—in grave

danger at the hands of a ruthless drug lord.

Before Tomorrow (Le jour avant le lendemain), Canada

Directors: Marie-Hélène Cousineau, Madeline Ivalu

Cast: Peter-Henry Arnatsiaq, Madeline Ivalu

An Inuit woman and her grandson go to an island to dry their fish and return to their camp where

they discover that their family has been wiped out by infection carried by white travellers.

Returning to the island, they confront what it means to be the last human beings on earth.

15

Empty Nest (Nido vacío, El), Argentina/Spain/France/Italy

Director; Daniel Burman

Cast: Carlos Bermejo, Eugenia Capizzano, Inés Efron, Arturo Goetz, Cecilia Roth

Suddenly alone after raising their family, Leonardo and Martha are left to realize their unexplored

desires.

Insignificant Things (Cosas Insignificantes), Mexico

Director: Andrea Martínez

Cast: Paulina Gaitan, Carmelo Gomez

Esmeralda works as a waitress in Mexico City and collects the little things people leave behind.

Mapuche Nation (Nación Mapuce, La), Argentina/Italy/Switzerland – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Fausta Quattrini

Displaced from their own land by landowners and exploiters of natural resources, the Mapuche

folk of Patagonia fight to make the Argentinean State respect the rights of the indigenous peoples

guaranteed, in principle, in its constitution since 1994.

Oso Blanco, USA – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Christian Suau

A documentary highlighting the Oso Blanco prison.

Our Disappeared, USA

Director: Juan Mandelbaum

A personal journey of memory and careful exploration of Argentina’s generation of “disappeared.”

Purgatorio, Mexico

Director: Roberto Rochín

Cast: Pedro Armendáriz Jr., Fidel Cerda

A beautiful black and white tapestry of errant characters in 1940s Mexico.

Tear This Heart Out (Arrancame la vida), Mexico

Director: Roberto Sneider

Cast: Ana Claudia Talancon, Daniel Gimenez Cacho, Jose Maria de Tavira

Andrés — a ruthlessly domineering general with designs on Mexico’s presidency — takes beautiful,

naive 15-year-old Catalina, as his bride. This sweeping epic traces Catalina’s growth as a woman

through 15 tumultuous years of passion, politics, power, corruption, infidelity and murder.

Mexico’s Official Academy submission.

The Dead Girl’s Feast (A Festa da Menina Morta), Brazil

Director: Matheus Nachtergaele

Cast: Jackson Antunes, Juliano Cazarré,

The living saint of a small Brazilian town reveals the underlying pain of the people around him.

The Demons of Eden (Los Demonios del Eden), Mexico – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Alejandra Islas

A documentary about the persecution of Mexican journalist, Lydia Cacho, for her exposé of a

child prostitution ring, linking politics and big business as partners in crime.

The Inheritors (Los Herederos), Mexico – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Eugenio Polgovsky

An unflinching look at the various forms of child labor in poverty stricken areas of Mexico.

The Land of the Devil (El pais del Diablo), Argentina – U.S. PREMIERE

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Director: Andrés Di Tella

El Pais del Diablo by Andrés di Tella examines an historical episode that happened in the decade

of 1870 when Adolfo Ensina, the former Minister of Defense, proposed a megalomaniac project: to

dig a gulf with a 600 kilometers extension between the Atlantic Ocean and the Andes in order to

sustain the “indigenous threat.

The Path (El Camino), Costa Rica

Director: Ishtar Yasin Gutierrez

Cast: Sherlin Paola Velásquez , Juan Borda, Morena Guadalupe Espinoza

Saslaya and her mute brother, Dario, leave Nicaragua in search of their mother in Costa Rica.

The Sky, The Earth and the Rain (El cielo, la tierra, y la lluvia), Chile

Director: José Luis Torres Leiva

Cast: Ignacio Agüero, Maité Fernández, Julieta Figueroa

Ana is a young woman struggling with loneliness and family responsibilities on a small Chilean

island.

The Watercolorist (El Acuarelista), Peru – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Daniel Rodríguez

Cast: Miguel Iza, Sol Alba

T, a clerk, wishes to fulfill his grand dream of painting a watercolor, but is thwarted by his

neighbors, for whom T’s dream seems sublimely trifle, something impractical, even immoral, and

who of course have a much better idea of how T must spend his time.

Titon, de la Habana a Guantanamera, Spain

Director: Mirta Ibarra

A look at the life and work of Cuban filmmaker Tomas Gutierrez Alea.

17

Documentary Features Competition:

Art & Copy, USA

Director: Doug Pray

Cast: George Lois, Mary Wells Lawrence, David Kennedy, Hal Riney, Jeff Goodby, Rich

Silverstein, Jim Durfee, Phyllis K Robinson, Lee Clow, Dan Wieden, Cliff Freeman

ART & COPY is a film about advertising, creativity, and its profound effects on modern culture. It

features rare interviews with the most influential advertising creatives of our age and tells the

stories of their revolutionary campaigns.

Automorphosis¸USA/UK – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Harrod Blank

Automorphosis looks into the minds and hearts of a delightful collection of eccentrics, visionaries,

and just plain folks who have transformed their autos into artworks.

Inventing LA: The Chandlers and Their Times, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Peter Jones

The epic tale of Los Angeles’ most powerful family and their newspaper.

Megamall, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Directors: Sarah Mondale, Vera Aronow, Roger Grange

A story of money, power and politics in the age of sprawl, MEGAMALL is a provocative new

documentary that explores the controversy behind one of America’s biggest shopping malls, the

Palisades Center in West Nyack, New York. In 1996, the developer broke ground on a toxic dump,

one mile from the filmmakers’ homes, sparking a quest to uncover the forces buffeting a suburban

community and reshaping the American landscape. MEGAMALL documents a local struggle of

epic proportions.

Milking The Rhino, USA

Director: David E. Simpson

The Maasai tribe of Kenya and Namibia’s Himba – two of Earth’s oldest cattle cultures – are in the

midst of upheaval. Emerging from a century of ‘white man conservation’ that turned their land into

game reserves and fueled resentment towards wildlife, they are now vying for a piece of the

wildlife-tourism pie. Charting the collision of ancient ways and Western expectations, MILKING

THE RHINO tells intimate, hopeful and heartbreaking stories of people facing deep cultural

change.

Pirate for the Sea, USA

Director: Ron Colby

Cast: Paul Watson, Farley Mowat, Robert Hunter, Martin Sheen

Filmed worldwide during many campaigns, “Pirate for the Sea” is the biography of Paul Watson,

founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and the most influential ocean environmental

activist, ever.

Rescuing Emmanuel, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Len Morris

Cast: Desmond Tutu, Wangari Maathai

Emmanuel is a stinking, belligerent street boy in Nairobi, Kenya. He grabs us, demands ‘I want to

go to school right now!’ He is treated like vermin and yet his name means ‘God among us.’

Emmanuel is lost, found and rescued. But when he walks into his dream, that dream takes an

unexpected turn.

The Music Lesson, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

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Director: Virginia Galloway

A group of teenage musicians travel to Africa to learn musical traditions from a group of students

in Laikipia, Kenya.

The Oasis, Australia – WORLD PREMIERE

Directors: Ian Darling, Sascha Ettinger-Epstein

Cast: Paul Moulds

Documentary about a grimy inner-city youth refuge run by one tireless man, where tough kids from

tough backgrounds find real love in a world of chaos.

War Against the Weak, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Justin Strawhand

Based on the book by New York Times best selling author and nine time Pulitzer Prize nominee,

Edwin Black, War Against the Weak is the untold story of American Eugenics, a movement that

attempted to breed a Nordic master race through the elimination of those deemed ‘unfit.’

Yes Madam, Sir, Australia – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Megan Doneman

Kiran Bedi is arguable India’s most controversial daughter, both revered by her supporters and

reviled as a publicity seeker by her critics. But no matter what people may think of her, there is no

disputing her professional achievements.

Real-Markable Stories

After The Last Round, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Ryan Pettey

Documentary takes you inside the sport of boxing, exposing its life changing-effects on the fighters

and their families, both inspirational and tragic. The film weaves together the stories of fighters,

active and retired, while revealing the controversy and social fascination surrounding the ‘sweet

science’. ”After The Last Round” uncovers the personal triumphs and heartbreaking outcomes of

those who have chosen a life between the ropes.

Blessed Is The Match: The Life and Death of Hannah Senesh, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Roberta Grossman

Cast: Meri Roth, Marcella Nohynkova

Hannah Senesh parachutes into Nazi-occupied Europe to help save Hungary’s Jews, only to be

imprisoned alongside the person she most wants to save — her mother Catherine. A harrowing

account of the only military rescue mission for Jews during the Holocaust, BLESSED IS THE

MATCH is also a moving mother-daughter tale. Narrated by three-time Academy Award nominee

Joan Allen.

Going Home, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: George Dougherty

Cast: Brian Wilson

A documentary following legendary musician Brian Wilson on the creation of his latest album.

Pray the Devil Back to Hell, USA

Director: Virginia Reticker

Cast: Janet Johnson Bryant, Etweda Cooper, Vaiba Flomo, Leymah Gbowee

A group of women rise up to peace to Liberia and help bring to power the country’s first female

head of state.

19

Speed & Angels, USA

Director: Peyton Wilson

Young Navy Officers, Jay and Meagan, have dreamt of becoming naval aviators flying the F-14

Tomcat since their childhoods. The film follows their journey as it takes them through dogfights,

night landings on aircraft carriers, and eventually to the biggest challenge young officers face:

wartime deployments to Iraq.

The Brothers Warner, USA

Director: Cass Warner

Cast: Dennis Hopper, Debbie Reynolds, Haskell Wexler

An intimate portrait and saga of four film pioneers–Harry, Albert, Sam and Jack who rose from

immigrant poverty through personal tragedies persevering to create a major studio with a social

conscience.

The Invocation, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Emmanuel Itier

Cast: Desmond Tutu, Dalai Lama, Deepak Chopra, Mark Walhberg, Rosario Dawson, Oliver

Stone, Malcolm Mc Dowell, Stewart Copeland, Dave Stewart, songs by Annie Lennox.

An exploration of the notion of the Divine around the World and to get to a new found universal

level of Peace.

20

They Killed Sister Dorothy, USA

Director: Daniel Junge

The story of Sister Dorothy Stang, a North American nun who was brutally murdered in the

Brazilian Amazon rain forest by men who opposed her attempts at land reform; this film is at its

core both a courtroom drama and the moving story of a woman who gave her life for the people

and the land she loved.

TO THE MAXXX

Archy, USA

Director: Bill Ballard

Cast: Matt Archbold

Spanning the 80’s, 90’s, 2000 and on, Archy’s amazing story is one of survival thru surf stardom

at an early age, fame, drugs, alcohol, sponsorships and the surf rock star lifestyle.

Everest: A Climb for Peace, USA

Director: Lance Trumbull

Cast: Orlando Bloom (narrator)

An inspirational documentary about nine “peace climbers” from seven different faiths that

overcome their differences to climb Mt. Everest.

Havana Surf, Spain – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Rodrigo Diaz McVeigh

Cast: Bob Samin, Eduardo Nunez Valdes, Brayam Ramirez Garcia

Shot on location in Cuba, documentary tells the story of six young Cuban surfers and legendary

Australian surfer, Bob Samin, who has made his home in Baracoa, Cuba.

Life as a Movie, USA

Director: Benji Weatherley

Cast: Benji Weatherley, Jack Johnson, Tony Hawk, Chad Bartie, Tosh Townend, Kelly Slater,

Shane Dorian, Ross Williams, Tom Carroll, Kalani Robb, Yadin Nicol, Rizal Tanjung, Todd

Richards, Dave Downing, JP Walker, Jake Burton

Pro-surfer Benji Weatherley takes his friends, who happen to be the world’s best action sports

pros, around the world to experience each others sports.

On The Pipe Five, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Jay Schweitzer

Cast: Robbie Maddison, Mike Mason, Ronnie Renner, Dustin Miller, Josh Grant, James Stewart,

Adam Jones, Bilko, Andre Villa and many more.

The latest in director Jay Schweitzer’s series of films about motocross racing.

21

One Track Mind, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Chris Malloy

A film about the best surfers in the world.

Skateboard Stories, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Erik Hatch

Cast: Mike Pugh, Mike Kresky

Skateboard Stories are several vignettes focused on the lifestyles of various skateboarders.

The Women and the Waves, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Directors: Heather Hudson, Peck Euwer

This documentary surf film explores the lives of female surfers who, through the decades, have

chosen to paddle head first into the male dominated sport of surfing and found a place of their

own.

Truth in 24, USA

Director: Keith Cossrow

Cast: Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish, Rinaldo ‘Dindo’ Capello, Wolfgang Ullrich, Howden Haynes

High tech genius racing team ‘Audi Sport’ attempts to win a record fifth straight 24 Hours of

LeMans, the most grueling road racing event in history, against the local favorite and charging team

Peugeot.

Water Man, USA

Directors: Don King, Sonny Miller

Cast: Laird Hamilton, Dave Kalama, Gerry Lopez, Rob Machado, Chris Malloy, Keith Malloy,

Dan Malloy

Laird Hamilton and a group of professional surfers venture into the heart of Indonesia, into a

hidden paradise of colossal barrels and perfect waves.

Waveriders, Ireland/UK – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Joel Conroy

Cast: Gabe Davies, Richard Fitzgerald, Chris Malloy, Keith Malloy, Dan Malloy, Kelly Slater,

Kevin Naughton, Drew Kampion, Rabbit Kekai, Craig Peterson, Easkey Britton

The story of Ireland’s connection to surfing from its reinvention in Hawaii in the early 1900s, to the

rapid growth of big wave surfing in Ireland today.

EAST X WEST

20th Century Boys (20-seiki shônen), Japan – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Yukihiko Tsutsumi

Cast: Toshiaki Karasawa, Takako Tokiwa

A group of friends work to stop the apocalypse they predicted as children from coming true.

4BIA, Thailand – U.S. PREMIERE

Directors: Youngyooth Thongkonthun, Banjong Pisanthanakun, Parkpoom Wongpoom, Paween

Purikitpanya

Four short horror films from some of Thailand’s hottest directors.

Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone, Japan – U.S. PREMIERE

Directors: Masayuki, Kazuya Tsurumaki, Hideaki Anno

After the second impact, all that remains of Japan is Tokyo-3, a city that’s being attacked by giant

creatures that seek to eradicate the human kind, called Angels. After not seeing his father for more

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than eight years, Shinji Ikari receives a phone call, in which he is told to urgently come to the NERV

Headquarters, an organization that deals with the destruction of the Angels through the use of

giant mechs called Evas.

K-20: The Legend of the Mask (K-20: Kaijin niju menso den), Japan – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Sato Shimako

Cast: Kaneshiro Takeshi, Matsu Takako, Nakamura Toru

Set in a fictional Japanese city in 1949, a master criminal hones in on his latest victim in this epic

action-adventure film.

Nobody To Watch Over Me (Dare mo mamotte kurenai), Japan – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Ryoichi Kimizuka

Cast: Koichi Sato, Yuriko Ishida

When a heinous crime is committed in Japan, society lays the blame on the victimizer’s family,

leaving a troubled cop to protect a young girl being punished for her brother’s actions.

Our Town (Uri dongne), South Korea

Director: Gil-yeong Jeong

Cast: Seon-gyun Lee, Man-seok Oh, Deok-Hwan Ryu

While a serial killer is on the loose a struggling horror writer commits a copycat killing and, in the

process of covering his tracks, begins to find the real serial killer himself.

Suspect X, Japan – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Hiroshi Nishitani

Cast: Shin’ichi Tsutsumi, Masaharu Fukuyama

A genius mathematician and physicist match wits with one trying so pull off the perfect crime, and

the other trying to solve it.

The Chasing World (Riaru onigokko), Japan

Director: Issei Shibata

Cast: Takuya Ishida, Mitsuki Tanimura, Rio Matsumoto

A teenager is transported to a parallel world where everyone who shares his family name is being

hunted down by the dictatorial government.

The Divine Weapon, South Korea – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Yu-jin Kim

Cast: Jae-yeong Keong, Eun-jeong Han, Jun-ho Heo

An historical, epic tale of Korea’s creation of Singijeon, a variation of the Chinese fire arrow.

Vacation (Kyûka), Japan – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Hajime Kadoi

Cast: Kaoru Kobayahi, Hidetoshi Nishijima, Nene Otsuka, Ren Osugi

The imminent execution of a prisoner leaves one prison guard to reevaluate his life.

WORLD CINEMA

$9.99, Australia

Director: Tatia Rosenthal

Cast: Geoffrey Rush, Anthony LaPaglia

$9.99 introduces us to the unique residents of an Australian apartment building in this stopmotion

animated feature.

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Cliente, France

Director: Josiane Balasko

Cast: Nathalie Baye, Eric Caravaca, Isabelle Carre

Judith, a single level-headed woman, buy herself sexual services of young men from escort

websites. This way she meets Patrick, who only does it to pay the mortgage on his beloved wife’s

hair salon, while she thinks he’s a building worker.

Everlasting Moments (Maria Larssons eviga ögonblick), Sweden

Director: Jan Troell

Cast: Maria Heiskanen, Mikael Persbrandt

In a time of social change and unrest, war and poverty, a young working class woman, Maria, wins

a camera in a lottery. The camera grants Maria new eyes with which to see the world. Trouble

ensues when Maria’s alcoholic, womanizing husband, feels threatened by the young man and his

wife’s newfound outlook on life. Sweden’s Official Academy submission.

Gomorrah (Gomorra), Italy

Director: Matteo Garrone

Cast: Simone Sacchettino, Maria Nazionale, Toni Servillo

GOMORRAH effortlessly weaves together five stories of various Italian citizens and their

involvement with the brutal Camorra mafia. Italy’s official Academy submission.

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Il Divo, Italy/France

Director: Paolo Sorrentino

Cast: Toni Servillo, Anna Bonaiuto

A portrait of seven-time Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti packed with wicked wit, brilliant

cinematography and drama galore. Andreotti dominated Italian politics until undone by scandal

and the predations of the Mafia.

It’s Not Me, I Swear! (C’est pas moi, je le jure!), Canada

Director: Philippe Faladreau

Cast: Antoine L’Ecuyer, Suzanne Clement

10 year old Léon Doré learns to cope with his mother abandoning him by terrorizing the

neighborhood and falling in love with a girl down the street.

Loss (Nereikalingi zmones), Lithuania

Director: Maris Martinsons

Cast: Valda Bickute, Kostas Smoriginas, Andrius Mamontovas

LOSS is a compelling story of power, love and faith, showing how the lives of a disparate group of

people are inextricably linked through a car accident 26 years ago. Lithuania’s Official Academy

submission

Ocean (Okean), Russia – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Mikhail Kosyrev-Nesterov

Cast: Jorge Luis Castro

A heartbroken Russian fisherman moves to Cuba to get a fresh start, only to discover more

betrayals and disappointment.

O’Horten, Norway

Director: Bent Hamer

Cast: Bard Owe

Odd Horten begins his retired life on a surreal set of comic adventures around Norway. Norway’s

Official Academy submission.

The Baader Meinhof Complex (Der Baader Meinhof Komplex), Germany

Director: Uli Edel

Cast: Martina Gedeck, Moritz Bleibtreu

A look at Germany’s terrorist group, The Red Army Faction (RAF), which organized bombings,

robberies, kidnappings and assassinations in the late 1960s and ’70s. Germany’s Official Academy

submission.

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The Necessities of Life (Ce qu’il faut pour vivre), Canada

Director: Benoît Pilon

Cast: Paul-André Brasseur, Natar Ungalaaq

In 1952, an Inuit hunter named Tivii with tuberculosis leaves his northern home and family to go

recuperate at a sanatorium in Quebec City. Canada’s Official Academy submission.

Three Monkeys (Üc maymun), Turkey

Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan

Cast: Yavuz Bingol, Hatice Aslan

A family suffers from a major communication breakdown during their struggle to to get through

their hardships.

Tulpan, Germany

Director: Sergei Dvortsevoy

Cast: Tolepbergen Baisakalov, Ondas Besikbasov

About a young man who can’t achieve a long-cherished dream of tending his own flock of sheep

without first acquiring a wife.

REEL NATURE

Eye of the Leopard, UK

Directors: Derek and Beverly Joubert

A poignant story of motherhood in nature.

Living With Cats, UK

Directors: Derek and Beverly Joubert

A film about the making of Eye of the Leopard, telling the story of how these two first class

filmmakers, Derek and Beverly Joubert, integrate into the African plains for years in order to reveal

the secrets of these wild animals.

Lobo: The Wolf that Changed America, USA

Director: Steve Gooder

Cast: Cling Youngreen

In 1893, a bounty hunter named Ernest Thompson Seton journeyed to the untamed canyons of

New Mexico on a mission to kill a dangerous outlaw. Feared by ranchers throughout the region, the

outlaw wasn’t a pistol-packing cowboy or train-robbing bandit. The outlaw was a wolf.

Superfish, USA

Director: Rick Rosenthal

This is the story of the fastest predator in the ocean – the giant black marlin.

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Time Warp, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

A fascinating look at nature slowed down to thousands of frames per second.

SPECIAL PRESENTATION

Elegy, USA

Director: Isabel Coixet

Cast: Penelope Cruz, Ben Kingsley, Dennis Hopper

Cultural critic David Kepesh finds his life — which he indicates is a state of “emancipated

manhood” — thrown into tragic disarray by Consuela Castillo, a well-mannered student who

awakens a sense of sexual possessiveness in her teacher.

Fight Club, USA

Director: David Fincher

Cast: Brad Pitt, Edward Norton

An office employee and a soap salesman build a global organization to help vent male aggression.

Sugar, USA

Directors: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck

Cast: Algenis Perez Soto, Rayniel Rufino

Dominican baseball star Miguel “Sugar” Santos is recruited to play in the U.S. minor-leagues.

The Informers, USA

Director: Gregor Jordan

Cast: Kim Basinger, Mickey Rourke, Brad Renfro, Rhys Ifans

A drama based on Bret Easton Ellis’ novel set in 1983 Los Angeles, where movie executives, rock

stars, a vampire, and other morally challenged character mix and commingle.

The Visitor, USA

Director: Tom McCarthy

Cast: Richard Jenkins, Haaz Sleiman, Marian Seldes, Danai Gurira

A college professor travels to New York City to attend a conference and finds a young couple

living in his apartment.

Vicki Cristina Barcelona, USA

Director: Woody Allen

Cast: Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem

Two girlfriends on a summer holiday in Spain become enamored with the same painter, unaware

that his ex-wife, with whom he has a tempestuous relationship, is about to re-enter the picture.

SANTA BARBARA FILMMAKERS

Creature of Darkness, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Mark Stouffer

Cast: Devon Sawa, Sanoe Lake, Matthew Lawrence, Kevin Alejandro, Siena Goines, Fernanda

Romero

A horrifying biologist from another world comes to Earth on a brutal hunt of human specimens for

alien science.

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Dead Horse Opera, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Jeremy Fraye

Cast: Wil Ridge Galbraith

Dead Horse Opera follows folk rock artist Wil Ridge from Santa Barbara for eight years as he goes

from hauling away dead horses to touring Europe with his band.

Green From the Ground Up, USA

Director:

A how-to guide for environmentally friendly construction projects, a supplement to the popular

book.

Hold It Like a Baby, USA

Directors: Michael Love, Tina Love

Cast: Bink Goncharoff, Dana Halverson, Marlon Hoffman, Natasha Baker, Sandy Hacket, Jackie

Kamm, Nick Marcotti, Liz Anne Keigley, Shelly Best, Rebecca Silberman, Rose Acosta, Laura

Artolachipi, Nikole Hollenitsch, Jason Harrell, Scott Dewey, Tom Petra, Jeff Cohen, Paul Diekman,

Deborah Cristobal, Doug Dane, Maurice Janco

‘Hold your anger like a baby’ advises bipolar psychologist Wilbur Waskowicks, and in this dark

ensemble comedy he sets in motion a denouement of furiously funny proportions.

Linkin Park: The Making of Minutes of Midnight, USA

Director: Mark Fiore

Cast: Mike Shinoda, Chester Bennington

A behind the scenes look at the making of Linkin Park’s latest album ‘Minutes to Midnight.’

Luis Leal: A Journey of 100 Years, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Janette Garcia

The biography of Luis Leal, an outstanding educator, scholar and human being who has won

national and international awards and honors and continues to live a rich life at the age of 100

years.

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Mile High: How to Win…and lose…the White House, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Directors: Tod Lancaster, Cassandra Nichols

Mile High captures the intensity of the 2008 presidential election through the eyes of a 17-year-old

Obama volunteer.

Poto Mitan: Haitian Women, Pillars of the Global Economy, Haiti/USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Renee Bergan

Through five Haitian women’s compelling lives, Poto Mitan gives an insider perspective on

globalization, Haiti’s contemporary political/economic crisis, and the resilient women challenging

this system.

The Road to Fallujah, USA

Director: Mark Manning

The Road to Fallujah journeys into the heart of Iraq to find avenues of peace from the horrors of

war.

Whiz Kids, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Tom Shephard

Cast: Hermain Khan, Kelydra Welcker, Ana Cisneros

Follows five young scientists as they enter the nation’s most prestigious science competition.

APPLE BOX

Call of the Wild 3D, USA – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Richard Gabai

Cast: Christopher Lloyd, Jaleel White, Timothy Bottoms

Inspired by the Jack London novel of the same name, Richard Gabai’s CALL OF THE WILD 3D

takes the viewer on a dogsled ride of a good time in this action packed family film. Santa

Barbara’s Christopher Lloyd (BACK TO THE FUTURE, TAXI) stars as Bill Hale, a rough

outdoorsman who takes in his precocious, citified, granddaughter Ryann (Ariel Gade) while her

parents are out of the country. After a rough adjustment to the outdoor life in Montana, Ryann is

transformed after finding a wounded-wolf dog that she names Buck. Recognizing that his

granddaughter’s attitude has transformed, Bill allows her to keep the animal temporarily. All is

well until she encounters the evil Heep (portrayed by Santa Barbaran Timothy Bottoms), who,

impressed by the dog’s size and speed, has designs of his own.

APPLE BOX SHORTS:

Alex’s Halloween, USA

Director: Daniel Persitz

Cast: Jane Lynch, Robert Ochoa, Connor Kramme

Eight-year-old Alex prepares for Halloween by dressing up in different costumes and imagining

himself as those characters. More than anything, he wants to go trick or treating with his older

brother, who only agrees to go if they can acquire tons of candy and sneak it past their healthfanatic

mom…

Crema Suprema, Canada

Director: Ellenora Ventura

A stop motion animation about two bakers who are competing to win the World’s Greatest Cake

Contest. As the bakers sabotage each others’ “masterpiece” cakes, it seems as though neither baker

has a chance of winning. Only one cake can win.

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Dear Fatty, USA

Director: Hsin-I Tseng

A little girl is writing a letter to her pet hamster ‘Fatty’ and imagines its trip as it runs away from

home.

Distraxion, USA

Director: Michael Stern

An office worker’s job is made extremely difficult because of his boss’ taste in music.

Elephants, UK

Director: Sally Pearce

Cast: Jaime Rakic-Platt, Mandy Lawrence

In a totally grey world, a little girl’s life is turned upside down by an infestation of elephants.

Laura – In Action, Denmark

Director: Laerke Drews

Cast: Anna Fabricius, Gry Bay, Christiane Rohde

The cartoonist Laura Fagerholm is destined for success with her superheroine Miss Crystal. Or so

she thought. But in the tough world of publishing, talent just isnt enough!

Plain and Simple, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Merrin Marra

Cast: Trent Trent, Deborah Leydig

What’s a penguin to do? Threatened with removal from the birdhouse of a zoo run by moneygrubbing

Capitalists simply because he does not generate enough profits, a plain little penguin

named Pauly struggles to belong and along the way, learns the true value of inner beauty. Enter the

world of ‘Plain and Simple,’ a ‘children’s story come-to-life,’ combining a unique mixture of

animated creatures, sets, and props with real-life actors. This is one ticket you won’t want to

miss!

Rindin the Puffer, USA

Director: Len Simon

He’s an odd looking fish with googly eyes and no chin!

ALL SHORT FILMS

(Please note list is subject to change.)

A Room for Sarah, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Ginger Swanson

Cast: Elizabeth Kelly

A Room for Sara is a 1920′s era silent comedy about a courageous young woman left to her own

devices to claim her independence.

Acholiland, Germany/USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Dean Israelite

Cast: Christian Oliver, Owiso Odera, Roman Wyden, Jon Collin Barclay, Adrian Turner, Elijah

Kasasa

When a food delivery into a war-torn village in Northern Uganda goes horribly wrong, the leader of

a small UN contingent is faced with a terrible decision: play by the rules and watch children die,

or risk the lives of an entire refugee camp in order to save them.

AM1200, USA

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Director: David Prior

A man on the run follows a mysterious broadcast that may or may not be a distress call to a

remote radio station where he comes face to face with a dark and savage power.

Anatomy of Numbers, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Erin Cantelo

Cast: Tim Frank, Jessica Bennet

Patrick asks his new love how many people she has slept with and gets an answer he did not

bargain for.

Apparition, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Daniel Gruen

Cast: Heather Dawn Rally, Gavin Garrison, Bryce Bommer, Caitlyn Mahon

What happens when a ghost story around a campfire comes true?

Appassionata, Germany

Director: Mirko Echghi-Ghamsari

Cast: Sebastian Stroebel, Marcel Neumueller, Andreas Diekmann, Soenke Moehring

Based on a WW II legend: A German soldier awaiting his doom in the pocket of Stalingrad spots

an undamaged piano in the no-man’s land between the lines. The urge to play one last time

becomes irresistible….

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Beware of Bear, Greece – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Victoria Vellopoulou

Cast: Danai Skiadi, Giorgos Karamichos, Gerassimos Skiadaressis, Giorgos Nakos, Thalia

Argyriou, Despoina Moirou

Angelos, photographer for a nature magazine, arrives in a remote village in Epirus to do a story.

The inhabitants of the village are guarded towards him. And things get worse when he finds out

that a wild beast, a bear, roams the surrounding woods and has already killed one person. As

Angelos wanders in the woods he doesn’t discover the bear but things that maybe he shouldn’t

have…

Boxing Paradise, Italy – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Stefano Quaglia

Cast: Gianluca Migliarotti

‘Where have you been? In the Boxing Paradise’

Bubbles and Seashells, USA

Director: Jameson Jordan

Cast: Jameson Jordan, Henric Hemmerlind, Julie Kragen, Kristina Johnson

A screenwriter attempts to make a movie about all the things that make us happy but finds out

why he cannot.

Business, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: John McKinney

Cast: David Neher, John McKinney

Caleb inherited an office building and made a big mistake when he asked his friend Walker to go

into business him.

Charlie Thistle, USA

Director: Bragi Schut

Cast: Jon Keel, Leslie Stevens

A disillusioned worker for the Department of Normality dreams of a world that isn’t quite so

normal.

Clams with Green Onions, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Sheena McCann

Cast: Emerald Robinson

A girl’s dreamy world is threatened when her new love arrives for dinner.

Claxon (Clacson), Italy – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Takehito Kuroha

Cast: Francesca Faiella, Cristiano Di Vita

Every morning, every woman gets up and knows she will have to make her way through the traffic

to the clacson music in order to survive; every man gets up and knows he will have to be very very

patient in order to survive…

Detour, UK – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: K Akeseh Tsakpo

Cast: Simon Slater, Selina MacDonald, Malcolm Hamilton

All journeys end…

Downstream, USA – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Leslie Iwerks

The modern day David and Goliath story of ‘Big Oil.’ At the heart of the Oils Sands in Alberta,

Canada, one courageous doctor puts his career on the line as he fights for the lives of the aboriginal

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Indians living and dying downstream from one the most polluting and toxic oil operations in the

world.

En Route, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Karl Mefford

Cast: Mike Remorenko

A driver with a mysterious briefcase steers his way through the treacheries of the open road. With

time running out, he races towards his final destination.

Fertilize, Belgium

Director: Senne Dehandschutter

Cast: Carmen Lauwers

Fertilize is the graduation movie of Belgian director Senne Dehandschutter. With the help of

literally hundreds of people from all over the world (mostly students) Senne succeeded in making

the impossible possible. Fertilize became an 8 minutes movie with one of the largest amount of

visual-effect shots ever seen in a live action short film. The soundtrack has been created by Junkie

XL. Not only is this movie unique because of its visual effects. Senne also tried to give all his

attention to the movie itself. He tried to tell the story entirely through dance and fighting

choreography. To do so he created a totally new reality with direct and physical communication.

Even the environment itself changes at the influence of emotion.

French Roast, France – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Fabrice O. Joubert

In a fancy Parisian Café, an uptight businessman finds out that he’s lost his wallet and that he

can’t pay the check.To save time he decides to order more coffee…

Glock, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Tom Everett Scott

Cast: Tom Everett Scott, Michael McMillian, Ciaran Hinds, Stephen Root, Rhys Coiro, Krysten

Ritter

The story centers on a promising new spy who is given a cell phone by his agency and told to wait

for his first mission. However, the phone never rings and our hero slowly descends into a

downward spiral of heartbreak and frustration.

Gone Fishing, UK

Director: Chris Jones

Cast: Bill Paterson, Devon Murray, James Wilson, Ruth Gemmell, Lin Blakley

An old man and young boy deal with bereavement through their shared love of fishing, and the

legend of Goliath, the biggest pike ever caught.

Hakim, Germany

Director: Ismail Sahin

Cast: Joseph Sanga

The short life of a boy in Africa, who loses his mother to AIDS and finds his last home in an

orphan village.

His Good Will, Canada/USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Cayman Grant

Cast: Donis Leonard Jr., Ashley Jones, James Avery, Arita Trahan

A heart-warming story set in 1950 about a young boy struggling against poverty in a small town

and how his innocence and optimism, in the simplest of ways, touch those around him.

Hot Dog, USA

Director: Bill Plympton

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In this episode our plucky hero joins the fire company to save the world from house fires and gain

the affection he so richly deserves.

How Children Fly (De como los niños pueden volar), Mexico

Director: Leopoldo Aguilar

The imaginary universe of a child and his desire to take flight.

Hungu, Canada

Director: Nicolas Brault

Inspired by the grace and raw beauty of African rock paintings, we enter a world where humans

and nature are subtly linked.

I Am So Proud of You, USA

Director: Don Hertzfeldt

Dark family secrets cast a shadow over Bill’s recovery, in this second chapter to Don Hertzfeldt’s

‘Everything will be OK’.

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Ima, USA

Director: Jeremy Cohen

Cast: Christian Kramme, Jon Weinberg, Christopher Smith, Ellyn Stern

Shortly after the liberation of Auschwitz, two survivors meet a young Hitler Youth searching for his

mother. The irony of the situation leads one of the survivors to seek revenge, and the situation

looks dire until all find redemption in someone else’s mother.

In The Dark, USA – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Alex Fazeli

Cast: Maz Jobrani, Marsh Mokthari, Jamie Anne Allman, Ali Dean, Nina Nayebi, Sheila Vand,

Max Amini, Jivann Peoples, Alfred Adelpour, Kavon Karami, Bobby Naderi, Peter Shahriari,

Omid Zader, Sarah Fazeli

The eve of Ayatollah Khomeini’s return to Iran, a double agent, hunted by the new revolutionary

government, agrees to exchange crucial information with the CIA in return for safe passage out of

the country.

Jacinta, Mexico

Director: Karla Castañeda

Cast: Ana Ofelia Murguía

It can be so lonely aging alone. Jacinta looks out her window in hope.

Jerrycan, Australia

Director: Julius Avery

Cast: Tristan Burke, Walter Currie

Five bored kids with nothing to do decide to blow something up. Paper, scissors rocks seals the

fate of Nathan, who risks everything after he is bullied, into making a life and death decision.

Jesus Blues, USA

Director: Max Littman

Cast: Paul McCormick, Oliver Hamilton, Jillian Garnett

A restless young girl slips out of church during a sermon by her alcoholic pastor to follow a guitarclad

Jesus and a homeless sax performer on a musical adventure.

La Grande Maladie, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Shane Atkinson

Cast: Ashley Ivory, J.R. Boyce

A tale of sorrow, success and unrequited love.

Love You More, UK

Director: Sam Taylor-Wood

Cast: Harry Treadaway, Andrea Riseborough

Two teenagers are drawn together by the Buzzcocks’ single ‘Love You More’ in the summer of 1978.

Produced by the late Anthony Minghella.

Make My Day, Denmark

Director: Pelle Møller

Cast: Mathias Mandrup Larsen, Jakob Weble, Claes Bang

Peter is injured after being bullied at school. At the hospital Peter faces the man who bullied his

father when they were kids.

Medusa, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Directors: Catherine Bennett, Robin Bisio

A multimedia event combining live dance and music with video.

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My Friends Call Me Miss Chase, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Shelley Bookspan

Through her own words, the memories of those close to her this film tells the story of Pearl Chase,

one of Santa Barbara’s most influential 20th Century figures.

Next Floor, Canada – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Cast: Jean Marchand, Simone Chevalot, Ariel Ifergan

Eleven pampered guests participate a ritualistic gastronomic carnage.

No Corner for Old Mime, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Jordan Riggs

Cast: Don Baldaramos, Darron Johnson, Kyle Cowgill

Just because you can’t make a sound doesn’t mean you can’t go out with a bang!

On The Road to Tel-Aviv, Israel

Director: Khen Shalem

Cast: Guy Arieli, Amos Lavie , Dana Kabesa

In the wake of a terrorist attack, a young Israeli and his fiancée find themselves in a tricky

situation when a suspicious-looking Arab woman boards their bus.

Pascal’s Bike, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Jacob Seigel-Boettner

For the average American, the bike is just an expensive toy. For a coffee farmer in Rwanda, it is a

way up and out.

Pawn, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Jeremiah Friedman

Cast: William Russ, Lionel D. Carson, Nick Hoffa

In the aftermath of Presidential assassination, a young federal agent must interrogate the gunman

to learn the truth behind the assassination. But once the truth is discovered, who will be ready to

hear it?

Premature, USA

Director: Rashaad Ernesto Green

Cast: Zora Howard, Suzette Azariah Gunn, Stephen McKinley Henderson

After Tisha, a streetwise teenager from the Bronx, discovers she’s pregnant and receives no

support from her community, she has no where to turn and is faced with the most difficult

decision she will ever make.

Rattus, USA

Director: Carlos Barbot

A film about rats… and the people who love them.

Resolution, Russian Federation

Director: Pavel Oreshnikov

Cast: Dimitry Podnozov, Dimitry Petrushkov

A day in the life of a small Russian village where one man’s frustration with disrespecting

neighbors forces him to see his life from a different angle.

Ripple, UK

Director: Paul Gowers

Cast: Ben Crompton , Bill Thomas, Lucy Holt, Tony Bluto

36

A black comedy. One small random act of malice forces an ordinary man off the safe road and on

to a dark journey that he’ll never forget.

Run, New Zealand

Director: Mark Albiston

Cast: Nic Sampson

A Samoan brother and sister live in fear of their over-protective widowed father who rules with a

military regime in order to protect his children from a bleak future. The children learn that only

together can they show him that he is their biggest obstacle.

Santa Cruz Island: Restoring Balance, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Michael Hanrahan

An island off the coast of California endures massive shifts in its ecological balance as a result of

ranching an unforeseen circumstances. Dedicated scientists study the problem and attempt to

restore balance to this delicate island ecosystem.

Sanza Hanza (King Surfer), South Africa

Director: Nadia Hallgren

Sanza Hanza follows V.I.R.U.S a group of young Train Surfers on their journey thru Soweto, South

Africa

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Sarah, USA

Director: Rashi Bahri Chitnis

Cast: Megan Boone

With the deep desire to connect with her mother, Sarah decides to tackle her hydrophobia by

learning to swim, only to discover, that there are deeper hidden secrets in the water than just her

fear of it!

Showing Disaster: Tea Fire Reflections, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Ethan Turpin

While recording a wild fire and the homes it has destroyed, the filmmaker grapples with the ethics

of photographing the ruins of peoples’ lives.

Sikumi (On The Ice), USA

Director: Andrew Okpeaha MacLean

Cast: Tony Bryant, Olemaun Rexford

An Inuit hunter drives his dog team out on the frozen Arctic Ocean in search of seals, but instead,

becomes a witness to murder.

Stolen Youth, UK

Director: Leon Chambers

Cast: Perry Spencer, Simon Poland, Jade Williams

A delinquent’s rampage on a small town is not as horrifying as the secret he discovers.

Ten Minutes to Ithaca, USA

Director: Zac Palladino

The Odyssey: compressed, mashed, twisted, and animated into a ten minute frame.

The Beholder, USA

Director: Roxanne Teti

Cast: Caroline Teti

Follows the routine of an anorexic teenager who soon discovers a loss of individuality when she

realizes the face in the mirror is literally not her own.

The Dark Side of the Loon, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Gail Osherenko

The eerie calls and striking black and white plumage of the Common loon captivate those of us

who spend time on northern lakes and ponds between April and October. Then the loons

disappear. Quiet descends. Where do they go? How do they survive in winter?

The Early Worm, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Ray Pivato

Cast: David Zanolini

A chain reaction of misfortune befalls a young professional whose only crime is waking an hour too

early.

The Fisherman, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Director: Jason Hallows

The tale of a poor fisherman who accidentally pulls his destiny from the sea.

The Future of the Gaviota Coast, USA – WORLD PREMIERE

Directors: Shaw Leonard, Marc Mirabile

A short documentary film focusing on the coastal preservation of the Gaviota Coastline in

Southern California.

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The Glasses (Las Gafas), Spain

Director: Albert Garcia Martin

In a deserted place, two guys chat dressed under the asphyxiating sun. They have to carry out a

mission from a boss whom they have never seen. The mission: to recover a pair of glasses.

The Last Confession, USA

Director: Chandler Landon

Cast: Brandon King

A priest goes overboard while taking gods work into his own hands.

The Necktie (Le Noeud Cravate), Canada – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Jean-Francois Lévesque

The Necktie is fifteen years in the life of Valentin, a faithful employee working a useless task in a

dead-end job.

The Stars Don’t Twinkle in Outer Space, UK – U.S. PREMIERE

Director: Peter Thwaites

Cast: Janos Orsos, Anna Sefel

A 1940′s space adventure story in which two children, ‘Starman’ and ‘the Princess’ struggle to

escape their doom. As the truth of their situation becomes clear we realize the terrible nature of

their predicament.

The Surf Magazines Don’t Talk About Lapsed Catholics, USA

Director: Todd Stewart

A short memoirumentary surf film about an often unreported crux of the surfing experience.

The Witness – From the Balcony of Room 306, USA

Director: Adam Pertofsky

Cast: Samuel ‘Billy’ Kyles

With every truth there bears a witness. And it is with this thought that we hear Reverend Samuel

‘Billy’ Kyles story. In 1968 on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel Rev. Kyles stood next to Dr.

Martin Luther King as he was shot down in cold blood. With support from Maxine Smith and Dr.

Benjamin Hooks we hear why Dr. King was in Memphis and what went on in the last hour of his

life.

This Way Up, UK

Directors: Adam Foulkes, Alan Smith

Laying the dead to rest has never been so much trouble.

Tongzhi in Love, China/USA

Director: Ruby Yang

Cast: Frog Cui

‘Frog’ Cui and his friends navigate the dilemmas of being gay in modern China, torn between the

lures of city life and the unyielding traditions by which they were raised.

Toyland (Spielzeugland), Germany

Director: Jochen Alexander Freydank

Cast: Julia Jäger

What happens when a German kid believes that his Jewish neighbors are going to Toyland? A

story about lies and guilt.

Verlaine, USA

Director: Nick Lentz

Robert Seay, Ingo Neuhaus, Katrina Cameron, Heath Michaels

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James is on the run and desperately needs to disappear. He arranges a meeting with an eccentric

man named Verlaine who may be able to help. But when Verlaine is reluctant to negotiate the

terms, James must decide if a new identity is really worth the price.

We Have Lost our Wings, But Still We Dream of Flying, USA

Director: Elia Vargas

Cast: Kate Polakiewicz

The unraveling of consciousness. A dreadful fantasy.

Honorees at the Santa Barbara Film Festival 2009 include Penelope Cruz, Clint Eastwood and Mickey Rourke

 Events and festival schedule at http://www.lobero.com/calendar/ or available at Lobero box office

Hosted by DJ ?, Live Roots TV Special Santa Barbara International Film festival episode bids official welcome to the festival from various locations in town. This year’s festival runs Jan. 22 to Feb 1., an 11-day event that brings Hollywood A-listers, thousands of film buffs, media from national and international press organizations. The 24th annual festival will feature film showings, celebrity events, educational seminars, panels and a variety of events coinciding with the events that span two weekends. Tickets can be purchased at lobero.com/calendar/sbiff2009/ Past honorees include Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Helen Mirren, Jodie Foster, George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio. This year’s award winners include Penelope Cruz, Clint Eastwood, and Mickey Rourke. Santa Barbara’s close proximity to LA has made this festival a star powered event. Also, the first day of the festival (Jan.22) is also the same day Oscar nominations come out. The Academy Awards will air the 81st edition on February 22.

This year’s official first welcome to the festival presented on Santa Barbara Channel 17 Live Roots TV, previews the SB Film festival 09 and features live music performances.  BGPMUSIC artist features include storyboards, live art, as well as reggae legends Michigan and Smiley, The Goodland at Soho, Coyotes and Bourbon and rapper C-Los.  DJ Questionmark hosts the show. 

The 24th annual festival will not disappoint this year, featuring movies galore, celebrity appearances from Hollywood A-listers, tributes, education panels, seminars and various events throughout Santa Barbara.  Star power is this year’s fortay, as the Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2009 honors several distinguished actors including Penelope Cruz for Outstanding Performance. The 2009 Virtuosos Award honorees are Viola Davis, Rosemarie DeWitt, Richard Jenkins, Melissa Leo and Michael Shannon. The Award presentation will take place Wednesday, January 28 at the 24th edition of the Fest. Kristin Scott Thomas will receive the Cinema Vanguard Award. Multiple Academy Award winning director, producer, actor and composer Clint Eastwood has been selected to receive the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s highest honor, The Lucky Brand Modern Master Award Tribute will take place on Thursday, January 29, at the historic Arlington Theatre.

A serious buzz has been created by Mickey Rourke’s performance in The Wrestler as well. He will receive The American Rivera Award.  The festivals close proximity to Oscar nominations make it a highly anticipated event. The 81st Academy Awards will air Feb. 22. Oscar nominations come out the same day as the festival opening, which is Jan. 22. 

For more information on ticket purchases including: Mini-paks, Opening Night Gala, Kate Winslet Montecito Award, Penelope Cruz Outstanding Performer of the Year, Writer’s Panel, Director’s Panel, Virtuosos Award, Clint Eastwood Modern Master Award, Mickey Rourke The American Rivera Award, and Women’s panel, visit http://www.lobero.com/calendar/sbiff2009/

Tickets can also be purchased through the Lobero Theatre box office, 33 E. Canon Perdido St., Santa barbara CA 93101. First weekend and second weekend platinum passes are also available.

Festival dates are Jan. 22 to Feb. 1

I gotta get outta here.

BD at Cagnes-sur-Mer 29.01.89, died later.