DesignWise Films and Video Production

A screening of “Wo Ai Ni (I Love You), Mommy” followed by a discussion with the film’s director, Stephanie Wang-Breal kicks off 3-day NALIP Workshop,

Stephanie Wang-Breal is fortunate to have a foothold in two worlds. Born in the USA to Chinese speaking parents, she is fluent in English and Mandarin. Nonetheless, she had to interview more than a hundred families before she found the right one to work with. She invested a good deal of her own money to launch the film project but eventually managed to secure significant additional funding to see her film reach completion.

In production, Stephanie found that her role as filmmaker would at times include that of translator and thus, she was reluctantly drawn in as a supporting actor in her own film. As documentaries often do, the project took on a life of its own. Her efforts have resulted in the creation of a remarkable record of the pairing and bonding of Fang Sui Yong, an 8-year-old Chinese orphan girl and the Sadowskys, a Jewish family from Long Island, New York.

Stephanie also touched lightly on another kind of second life that controversial documentary films must now inhabit – the one that is spawned on blogs and in discussion boards across the Web after a film is released. Not all of these “reviews” have been positive, but they fault the subject and not the film. In some ways this too can be seen as a success, exposing the issue to public scrutiny and fostering a passionate debate. Stephanie Wang-Breal is winning awards for her thought-provoking work, including her most recent, “Best Emerging Director in a Documentary Feature” at the Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF) in New York.

I’d like to extend a thank-you to the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) and to Stephanie Wang-Breal for providing such an unusual opportunity. “Wo Ai Ni, Mommy” will be broadcast on PBS: POV on August 31, 2010.

LINKS:

Wo Ai Ni Mommy Official Website

www.facebook.com/pages/wo-ai-ni-mommy

Chicago, Illinois – USA
October 22 to 24, 2010

In the Spotlight this week is the 5th Annual ILLINOIS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (IIFF), celebrating a broad spectrum of indie films and screenplays against the vibrant backdrop of Chicago, Illinois.

With the belief that no matter the film’s budget or the director’s vision it’s the filmmaker’s passion that drives a film, IIFF declares itself a “no limits” festival, screening a multi-genre lineup of films from around the world. From underground and horror films to the more traditional family-friendly fare, IIFF has been known to show a diverse selection of works, offering something on the schedule for film fans of all ages. Noteworthy selections from years past include CRAZY, MASS ROMANTIC, GOD’S EARS, and documentaries HEARTS OF HOPE, JACK BE NIMBLE, FACING SUDAN, and FOUND IN CHINA which enjoyed sold-out screenings.

IIFF’s list of alumni only furthers the point: the festival is rapidly growing and picking up steam early on. Alumni include Mike Reiss (ICE AGE 3, “The Simpsons”), who unveiled QUEER DUCK at IIFF; Tony Wash (IT’S MY PARTY AND I WILL DIE IF I WANT TO), who recently inked a distribution deal; and Mark Roberts (writer/producer of “Two and Half Men”), who presented WELCOME TO TOLONO and declares it “a wonderful experience for showcasing my film.”

UPCOMING DEADLINE
July 31, 2010 – Late Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5 on this deadline

MISSION AND OBJECTIVE
The Illinois International Film Festival brings audiences and filmmakers together to better enjoy the art and fun of filmmaking.

MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
Exhibiting filmmakers receive two all-access passes to IIFF festivities and a gift bag filled with swag. What’s more, the Festival emphasizes the filmmaker’s role in the equation; filmmakers participate in engaging Q&A sessions, sharing their behind-the-scenes stories and perspective on their films. Networking opportunities abound with fellow filmmakers and visiting industry players. Alum Warren Sheppard (STEWARD) gushes that IIFF “is an amazing…opportunity to meet…artists. I had the best time!”

Filmmakers & Screenwriters: to present your work in the great city of Chicago, submit to the Illinois International Film Festival today!

I hope to meet you at “Doing Your Doc,” an upcoming 3-day seminar in St. Paul sponsored by the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) in conjunction with Native American Public Telecommunications, Native American Journalists Association, InMotion, St. Paul Neighborhood Network, IFP Minnesota, Intermedia Arts, UST, Latino Public Broadcasting, NBPC, ITVS, CAAM, PIC and Twin Cities Public Television.

Here’s a unique chance to work with story consultant Fernanda Rossi, the Documentary Doctor, author of the book “Trailer Mechanics,” plus receive project mentoring on your proposal, trailer or documentary idea. This intensive 3-day workshop is tailored for anyone… whether you are just beginning, have already shot footage on a documentary project or are seeking finishing funds.

“Doing your Doc” is designed especially for media makers in the diverse communities of Minnesota, preparing them to receive production funding and apply to national professional programs while developing unique stories and views. It takes place starting at 3 pm on Sunday and runs all day on Monday and Tuesday.

The Oscar-winning documentary film has been edited by Japanese distributor Unplugged, blurring out faces of fishermen and police, inserting tickers that express opposing points of view in parts where opinions differ.

If that’s not bad enough,  3 of the 26 theaters that planned to screen the film have backed off, canceling their scheduled screenings after threats of violence and intimidation. Japanese nationalists call the film anti-Japanese and claim that foreigners are trying to disrupt a 400-year-old tradition.

But scientists and environmental activists agree that one of the most important issue affecting the Japanese people is not about saving sea mammals. Dolphin and whale meat has been found to be very high in mercury says Tetsuya Endo, a professor at the Health Sciences University of Hokkaido and one of the world’s foremost authorities on mercury levels in dolphins and whales caught off Japan’s coastal waters. He has shown in studies conducted on hair samples taken from residents of  Taiji, Japan who eat the whale and dolphin meat sold in local stores, that they have extremely high concentrations of mercury in their bodies.

The Monday, July 5, 2010 edition of CBC’s As it Happens radio show features an interview with Ric O’Barry who had a lead role in the film and just returned from Japan. He was once the dolphin trainer on TVs “Flipper,” who has become a committed campaigner against dolphin abuse.