Tallgrass Press Releases

Wichita, KANSAS — Tallgrass Filmmakers Lab, the education arm of the Tallgrass Film Association, presents a screenwriting workshop with Gordy Hoffman, the Sundance award-winning writer/director (LOVE LIZA, A COAT OF SNOW) and founder of the BlueCat Screenplay Competition, from 9a.m.-6p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 16 at Rock Island Studios, 338 N. Mead.

“As a proud alumnus of the University of Kansas, I have felt a profound connection with Kansas throughout my entire professional life as an artist,” said Hoffman. “I'm truly excited about furthering a kinship to screenwriters in Wichita and hope to build a foundation on which we can develop stories and make movies in and around Kansas for years to come."

WICHITA, KAN — The Tallgrass Film Association will screen the 2009 Audience Award winner "Sweet Crude" for the final Tallgrass Third Thursday before the 2010 Tallgrass Film Festival. The film will screen 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 16 at the former Hillside Baptist Church, 147 S. Hillside. Tickets are $10, or $8 for students, seniors and military and can be purchased at the door or in advance online at TallgrassFilmFest.com.

"Sweet Crude" is the story of Nigeria’s Niger Delta — a story that’s never been captured in a feature-length film. Beginning with the filmmaker’s initial trip to document the building of a library in a remote village, Sweet Crude is a journey of multilayered revelation and ever- deepening questions. It’s about survival, corruption, greed and armed resistance. It’s about one place in one moment, with themes that echo many places throughout history.

The historic Wichita Scottish Rite Theatre will screen the 1926 action/comedy The General staring Buster Keaton on Friday, Aug. 27. The film shows at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6 p.m.

The General was Keaton's favorite film, and as writer, director and star, was also the one that he had the most artistic control over. In the film, Johnny (Keaton) splits his love between his train, The General, and the lovely but daft Annabelle Lee. When the Civil War begins, his value as an engineer outweighs his value as a infantry man, and he is turned down for service. Annabelle thinks it's because he's a coward. When Union spies capture The General with Annabelle on board, Johnny must rescue both.

Dinner will be served for $5 before the movie including hotdog, chips, cookie and soft drink. Come early and chow down! Also, prior to the feature, a silent short film will be shown. This is an excellent opportunity to experience a bit of cinema history in a beautiful theater. Built long before the "talkies," the Wichita Scottish Rite Theatre is also one of the best kept secrets in town. A beautiful proscenium stage boasts a 700 seat auditorium complete with a stained glass dome. These movies are free and open to the public.

WICHITA, KAN — The Tallgrass Film Association announces the August selection for Tallgrass Third Thursday: "Left Field," a documentary that the Chicago Reader said "gives new meaning to the term 'tragically hip.'" The film will screen 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 19 at the former Hillside Baptist Church, 147 S. Hillside. Tickets are $10, or $8 for students, seniors and military and can be purchased at the door or in advance online at TallgrassFilmFest.com.

"Left Field" is the story of a unique community of misfits, artists, musicians, geeks and party animals whose lives coalesce around the grade school game of kickball. The film centers around primarily around the stories of Wichita native KC Haywood and his fiance Sarah Hart, two modern American nomads in search of adventure who stumble upon a wild, fledgling community of anarchistic kickballers upon their arrival in Chicago. They quickly find themselves immersed in a vibrant culture of creativity, love, play and excess that embraces them as family.

Wichita, KANSAS – The Tallgrass Film Festival is awarding the 2010 Ad Astra to Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated composer Rolfe Kent.

Kent is an award-winning composer who has scored over 40 films which include small independent films and large Hollywood productions. Some of his most recent work includes the Zac Efron film "Charlie St. Cloud" (released July 30, 2010) and both 2009 George Clooney films: the Oscar-nominated "Up In The Air" (for which Kent won a Satellite Award from the International Press Academy) and "Men Who Stare At Goats." Kent has won numerous BMI Film Music awards for his work, including for the films "Legally Blonde" (2001), "Legally Blonde 2" (2003), and "Sideways" (2004). His score for "Sideways" was also nominated for a Golden Globe. Kent was also nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music for the original Showtime series "Dexter" (2006).

A very big thanks to Wichita artist Dustin Parker for giving Stubbornly Independent Stella a 1920’s makeover!

Parker, who lives and works in Wichita, is an accomplished painter and digital artist. Parker earns his bread and butter as a graphic designer and illustrator. Since 2000, Parker has participated in over 60 group exhibitions and nine solo exhibitions throughout the United States, Canada and Japan. Parker's work has been featured in numerous online and printed publications including Logo Lounge, Look Look, Head Magazine, Blanket Magazine, Moloko Plus, Women's Focus, The Wichita Eagle, Cru-A, F5 and Proteus Mag.

We know Wichitans love their music, so TFF is excited to be adding the “Grasscendo” program our 2010 lineup, brought to you by The Cotillion. Confirmed films include:

Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone from filmmakers Chris Metzler (Plagues and Pleasures on the Salton Sea) and Lev Anderson tells the story of the band Fishbone. Screening during the Saturday Night Spotlight presented by Tallgrass Brewing Company, the film will be followed by live performance with members of the band.

The Legend of Stuart Mossman, featuring the brothers Carradine, tells the story of the legenday Kansas luthier. This is David Carradine’s last film and shows him as a musician, singer and songwriter.

Do it Again chronicles Boston Globe reporter Geoff Edger’s in his personal quest to reunite his favorite rock band, The Kinks. Among those you’ll meet along the way: Sting, Zooey Deschanel, Robyn Hitchcock, Clive Davis and Warren Zines.

The Kid is Chaplin’s 1921 comedic masterpiece on which the great comedian worked on for a whole year. The digitally re-mastered print of this classic silent film will be accompanied by a live, and original score by Wichita native Arri Simon and will screen at the Closing Night Gala presented by WSU’s Ulrich Museum of Art.

WICHITA, KAN — The Wichita Association for Motion Picture Arts and the Tallgrass Film Festival announces the Tallgrass Third Thursday screening for March: The Horse Boy, directed by Michel Orion Scott. The screening, co-hosted by the Flint Hills Therapeutic Riding Center (FHTRC), takes place at 7 p.m., Thursday, March 18 at the home of the Riding Center, the Murfin Stables, on the southeast corner of 143rd Street east and 13th Street north. The screening will be preceded with a wine and cheese reception from 6 to 7 p.m. with music by the Celtic band, Knocknasheega, and the film immediately followed by a question and answer session led by Theresa Flaigle of the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association. This event is a fundraiser for both the Tallgrass Film Festival and the Flint Hills Therapeutic Riding Center and tickets are available at the door on the evening of the event. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $10 for seniors and students.

In a gesture of true "stubborn independence," we're not going to let a little thing like mother nature stop us from heading over to the Bruce Ward Gallery tonight! So despite the weather join us tonight from 7-10 for the photography exhibit, and did we mention FREE live music, wine and snacks?!

Bruce Ward Gallery presents over 600 photographs from the 2009 Tallgrass Film Festival with music by Raleigh Hinman & Nick Wagner, snacks & wine! Plus, enter to win a pair of VIP All Access Passes to the 2010 TFF!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WICHITA, KAN — Wichita Association for the Motion Picture Arts/Tallgrass Film Festival announces February’s Tallgrass Third Thursday screening: CSA: The Confederate States of America, directed by Kevin Willmott, University of Kansas Associate Professor of Film and Media Studies. The screening takes place at 6 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 18 in the CAC Theater at Wichita State University’s Rhatigan Student Center and is immediately followed by a panel discussion. This event is co-sponsored by the Ulrich Museum of Art, Wichita State University, and is free as part of the public programs offered in conjunction with the exhibit, Crossroads: The Art of Gordon Parks and the film series accompanying that exhibit: Black Films that Challenge/Black Films that Matter.