AIFF 2009 - Francine Lastufka Taylor Recommends Neshoba

At the animation workshop Saturday afternoon, Francine Lastufka Taylor, who's the founder of the Alaska Moving Image Preservation Association (AMIPA), told me she'd been to a great documentary at 1pm.  The movie was Neshoba which will play again

Saturday, Dec. 12, at the Alaska Experience Theater at 5:30 pm. 

The movie is about the three civil rights workers who were killed in the 60s, the recent trial of one of the murderers, and the fact that the others are still around but no one is talking.  So I asked Francine to tell you herself.

AIFF 2009 - Devi Snively, Director of Death in Charge

Here's a brief conversation with Devi after the showing of her film "Death in Charge."  All the films in the Humoresque program were solid, interesting, well made films.  Death in Charge explored the relationship between a young girl and her mom with the help of the grim reaper and some macaroni and cheese. 

AIFF 2009 - Busy Day with Animation and Shorts

A quick check in.  Humoresque was a program of shorts - all of which were quite good.  Definitely worthwhile.  Then the animation workshop, then the animation package.  The internet connection at Out North wasn't working, and so now I'm just posting quickly here at Bear Tooth before watching Bomber.  The director Paul is talking now before the film. 

That's Devi Snively whose short film, Death in Charge played in the 1pm showing at Out North.  We did a quick video afterward, and I'll get that up later. 

AIFF 2009 - So Many Films So Little Time

There's lots happening today.  Best bet is to look at the printed guide on what's playing or look on line for something of interest.

Here's the today's schedule copied from the AIFF website.[It doesn't fit here, so go to the AIFF site to see the whole thing.]

Bear Tooth 1230 West 27th Avenue 907.276.4200

Alaska Experience 1 4th Avenue Marketplace 333 West 4th Avenue 907.272.9076

Alaska Experience 2 4th Avenue Marketplace 333 West 4th Avenue 907.272.9076

Anchorage Museum 121 West 7th Avenue 907.343.4326

Out North 3800 DeBarr Road 907.279.3800

Sat. 12/5

12:30 Snowdance 3 People of the Seal/Unalaska/Prospector/Hugo in the Land of Lemonsharks3:00 Pachamama 5:30 Dear Lemon Lima 7:45 Bomber 10:00 Zombies of Mass Destruction

1:00 Inside the Revolution 3:15 Circus Rosaire 5:30 Peaceable Kingdom 7:45 Inspirational Aspirations Antarctica Challenge/Beyond Limits

3:30 Good Morning Kandahar

1:00 Neshoba 3:15 Playground 6:00 Perfect Cappuccino 8:00 About Face

1:00 Humoresque 3:00 Animation Workshop 5:45 Animation 1 8:00 Super Shorts 2 10:00 Homemade Vigilante

My destinations today are:

First to Out North for  Humoresque at 1pm.  I don't even know what that is, but I want to go to the animation workshop at 3pm, and that way I won't have to drive again.  I'll probably stay at Out North for Animation 1 at 5:45pm after the workshop.

Then I'll leave early so I can get to see Bomber at 8pm at the Bear Tooth.  I've seen the trailer for Bomber which is one of the films in competition and I think it will be pretty good, and I think it only shows that one time.

I'm not a zombie fan, but since I'll already be at Bear Tooth, I'll probably stay at least for the beginning of Zombies of Mass Destruction at 10pm and we'll see how long I stay. 

See you at the Festival.

AIFF 2009 - Beth Varner: Volunteer Opportunites Still Available

I got to interview AIFF volunteer coordinator Beth Varner last night after the showing of Hipster.  Want to see some films free, but low on funds?  Beth tells you how it works.



You can contact her at Three-One-Seven 2001.  Or check the volunteer page.

AIFF 2009 - Animation Workshop Presenter Callum Peterson

Callum is giving the animation workshop Saturday, December 5 at 3pm (Today as I write) along with Anchorage's Peter Dunlap-Shohl. It's at the Out North.



Callum's film Bonefeather is playing as part of the
Program Love and Pain on Friday Dec. 11 at 10pm at the Bear Tooth and
in Animated Treats on Saturday Dec. 12 at 12:15 pm at Loussac's Marston Theater

I wonder how many other films are playing in both the adult only (Love and Pain) and the children's programming (Animated Treats.)

AIFF 2009 - Audience Comments After Hipsters

Hipsters on the big screen was great. Here are just a couple of brief comments, but I did find some Russians to give their opinions.



I had a longer discussion, off camera, with some Russian women who were a little older and they too enjoyed the movie. One said that her mother went to the university in those days and people were not all dressed in gray, they could wear what they wanted. But given that it was a musical it was reasonable accurate.

AIFF 2009 - Waiting for the Opening Night Film

The Bear Tooth had a line an hour early to get into Hipsters and the opening night Gala. 

 People were in a good mood, even those waiting outside.  This couple drove up from Soldotna to see Hipsters and be at the festival. 

       

Inside, the theater was packed. These are people in line to get drinks before the film began.

AIFF 2009 - Anchorage's Paxson Woelber on His Two Animated Films

Paxson Woelber grew up in Anchorage and is back here working after college.  He has two films in the festival:

Hugo in the Land of Lemonsharks - which was chosen to be in competition
Hugo is part of the Animation 1 program which plays:
Saturday, December 5 – 5:45pm – Out North
Tuesday, December 8 – 7:45pm – Out North


The Prospector - which has some killer Alaska scenery that he created and a lead player who communicates mainly with his eyes. 
Prospector is part of the Animation 2 program which plays:
Thursday, December 10 – 5:30pm – Out North
Sunday, December 13 – 12:45pm – Out North
Breathing Room

And since Paxson is an Alaskan film maker, they both play in Snowdance 3 which plays:
Saturday, December 5 – 12:30pm – Bear Tooth
Tuesday, December 8 – 5:30pm – Out North



And if you can't make it, the links will get you to the YouTube editions of the two short films.

I videod Paxson yesterday in downtown Anchorage.  He talks about the two films and also the benefits of having his films up on YouTube.  He'll be at the Festival so look for him and say hi. 

Gov. Parnell Commits to Seriously Fighting Domestic Violence

Here's a press release and photo from the Governor's office. He's even putting resources into prevention.  He announced this initiative at Bartlett High School, Thursday, Dec. 3.

State of Alaska > Governor > News  > News Details Parnell Leads Effort to End Domestic Violence   Printer Friendly

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. 09-092
December 3, 2009, Anchorage Alaska – With a goal of ending the epidemic of sexual assault and domestic violence within a decade, Governor Sean Parnell today unveiled a comprehensive initiative to fight the cycle of abuse. The package of proposed legislation, budget requests, and administrative actions will comprehensively address domestic violence and sexual assault.


“Today we’re putting domestic violence and sexual assault at the forefront,” Governor Parnell said. “We’ll make it intolerable, unacceptable and the ramifications for those committing these crimes against Alaskans, unbearable.”

The governor’s 10-year plan to stop the epidemic of violence in Alaska’s homes and communities focuses on putting abusers behind bars, protecting victims, and helping them heal, and preventing abuse.

Among the initiative’s highlights:
• In partnership with the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault and the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, production and promotion of extensive public education campaign encouraging Alaskans to “Choose Respect”;

• Provide a more meaningful law enforcement presence for every community that desires it; notably by hiring 15 Village Public Safety Officers (VPSO) every year for the next ten years, as well as more troopers;
• Toughen guidelines for prosecutors in handling sexual assault cases, including limits on plea deals;
• Lead the charge to dramatically increase pro bono legal services available to victims;
• Increase funding for shelters to continue providing victims with the means to break free from abusive situations; and
• Coordination of state, federal, tribal and non-profit programs addressing domestic violence and sexual assault through the hiring of a domestic violence and sexual assault prevention coordinator at the Department of Law.
“Domestic violence and sexual assault must be prevented and stigmatized so pervasively that offenders know that they will face irreparable social, as well as legal, consequences,” Attorney General Dan Sullivan said.
Sullivan noted that the governor’s initiative differs from past efforts to address the problem because of its comprehensive approach, broad-based public education campaign, and guaranteed follow-through with the creation of a coordinator for domestic violence and sexual assault prevention and response.

In his proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2011, Governor Parnell has allocated funds for positions and programs to end what he describes as “this blight on our state.” This includes $75 million for the state’s new crime lab, $1.6 million for 15 VPSOs, and $1 million for VPSO housing.

Meanwhile, the Department of Law is moving ahead with updated guidelines for prosecutors “to ensure that sex offenders are dealt with harshly and shown no leniency,” Sullivan said.

Under the guidelines, when accepting plea deals these perpetrators will be required to plead guilty to sex crimes so that they do not avoid being registered as sex offenders.
Audio from today’s press conference is available at: http://gov.state.ak.us/audio/DomesticViolenceRollout_Dec3-2009.mp3.
More information on the governor’s initiative is available at: http://gov.state.ak.us/pdf/DVSA%20Fact%20Sheet%20final.pdf.
###

In the audio tape, Gov. Parnell sounds serious. He lists statistics:

• Over 50% of Alaska's homicides involve domestic violence.
  
  
• The reported rate of sexual assault is two and a half times, at least, of the national average.
  
  
• The estimated rate of child sexual abuse in our state is six times the national average.

I am concerned with the emphasis on punishment and making life 'unbearable.'  That sounds more like torture.  Most abusers, research suggests, were abused themselves.  They need to be isolated so they cannot continue the cycle of violence, but we, as a society, must recognize how such violence gets learned and how to heal the pain. 

How is he going to handle the evangelical churches that advocate corporal punishment? Henkima had a long post about this in September. In addition to quoting from James Dobson's book (via Max Blumenthal's book),  Dare to Discipline,  which advocates corporal violence, she also cites a 1985 Anchorage Daily News article:

Prevo, whose Anchorage Baptist Temple runs the school, said corporal punishment will no longer be used on the pre-schoolers, “based on the fact it’s hard to spank and not take a chance of accidentally bruising.”

“When that happens, it puts our employees in an awkward position, and it’s not worth the hassle,” Prevo said. . .

He said corporal punishment will continue to be used at the grade school, junior and senior high school levels. [Ref #7]

Is this why Prevo's most visible public stands are against gays and not against domestic violence?   Or is it because he can get his congregants to rally and donate to fight homosexuality, but if he acted as vigorously against domestic violence, he'd be acting against quite a few of his congregants?  There really are victims of domestic violence who need our help and the State's help.