American Zombies
WI/IL One Short Slot
YES! Filmmaker(s) Attending for Q & A
Sun Feb 26, 2017 – 5:00 pm | Hendricks Arts Center
American Zombies
Directed by Joseph David Bowes
Narrative Short
United States | 9 min | 2016
A dysfunctional family of Zombies sit down to enjoy dinner.
Joseph David Bowes
Director, Producer, Writer
Bowes is a student of both the Film and Psychology programs at UW-Milwaukee and the combination is apparent in his work. With a deep appreciation for cinema, Joe hopes to continue writing, directing and producing films long into the future.
Film Information
Director: Joseph David Bowes
Country: USA
Year: 2016
Language: English
Runtime: 9 min
Rating: R
Credits
Producers: Joseph David Bowes
Cinematographer/DP: Louis Fisher
Special Effects: Daniel Larson, Sam Kasper, Austin Manchon, Ryanne Gainey
Production Assistant: Peter Murphy, Kyle Kadow, Alex Smith
Sound: Ryan Klassa, Nick Carr
Set Design: Alex Smith
Music: Soul Low, Ghetto Brothers
Second Camera: Xinhao Liang
Gaffer: Pierce Ellener
Animators: Gabriela Riveros, Ryan Klassa
Zombie Dad
Human Girl
Zombie Mom
Blood Shaped Hole in my Heart
WI/IL One Short Slot
Sun Feb 26, 2017 – 5:00 pm | Hendricks Arts Center
Blood Shaped Hole in my Heart
Directed by Kevin Endres
Short Narrative
United States | 6 min | 2016
A forlorn woman searches for truth in her mother’s eclectic sayings, blurring the line between memories and home movies as she reflects.
Kevin Endres
Director, Producer, Writer
Originally from Pennsylvania, Kevin Endres is a filmmaker living in Chicago. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin.
Film Information
Director: Kevin Endres
Country: United States
Year: 2016
Language: English
Runtime: 6 min
Rated: PG
Credits
Producers: Kevin Endres
Assistant Producer: Stephen Winterhalter
Sound Engineer: Andy Bosnak
Dead Van Drivin’
Film Information
Director: Drew Morris
Country: United States
Year: 2016
Language: English
Runtime: 14 min
Rated: PG-13
Credits
Producers: Drew Morris, Grant Stakenas
Democracy in the Driver’s Seat
YES! Filmmaker(s) Attending for Q & A
WI/IL One Short Slot
Sun Feb 26, 2017 – 5:00 pm | Hendricks Arts Center
Democracy in the Driver’s Seat
Directed by Gail Gilbert
Short Narrative
United States | 8 min | 2016
On a crowded city street, a woman runs to catch a bus, but misses it. With frustration in her eyes, she climbs aboard the next bus and begs the driver to do his best to catch up to her husband, who is on the bus ahead of them. At first the bus driver is reluctant to even acknowledge her request, but the other passengers urge him to help the woman out. Soon a positive excitement fills the air, and the driver skillfully moves his way through traffic to reach the other bus. A sense of camaraderie builds as more and more people get involved and show their support. It all reaches a climax when they finally pull up behind the bus and the woman hops off to join her husband.
The passengers revel in their sense of accomplishment as their bus pulls away from the curb. Suddenly, the sound of a gunshot cuts short the celebration. They look out the window and see the other bus driver’s head slammed against the steering wheel. Soon it becomes clear that the woman has shot the other bus driver dead. A look of horror fills the passengers’ faces as they realize the outcome of the action that they had all blindly supported.
Gail Gilbert
Director, Producer, Writer
Born in Seattle, Gail Gilbert has lived all over the world. She has a degree in Radio-TV-Film from Northwestern University, and a certificate in the Basic Program of Western literature from the University of Chicago.
Gail’s career as a Film Editor was fine-tuned in the Chicago advertising community, where she has edited high-end national TV commercials for over 20 years. She compares her role as editor to that of a collage artist — manipulating images and sounds over time. Her success comes from her ability to see what is in the film — not what was intended to be shot. “Anyone can move clips around a timeline. What people hire me for is my level of taste and the decisions I make.” Gail is a creative professional who thrives by providing new ideas and great solutions regardless of budget. Her fresh approaches and versatile talents keep clients coming back for more Gail.
Her career as a filmmaker grew out of her background as a still photographer and her vision of an intimate, personal cinema. By attending the Festival de Cannes and the New York Film Festival annually, Gail keeps up with current filmmaking beyond what arrives to commercial screens. Seeing what is being made on a global level feeds her creative sensibilities as both an editor and a director.
Gail credits her career in film to Luis Buñel’s THAT OBSCURE OBJECT OF DESIRE. It opened her eyes to the possibilities of film beyond a re-creation of the world around us. She is married and has three children. Together they love to travel and ski.
Film Information
Director: Gail Gilbert
Country: United States
Year: 2016
Language: English
Runtime: 8 min
Rated: PG13
Credits
Writer: Gail Gilbert
Executive Producer: Gail Gilbert, Gaby Kuhn
Producer: Gail Gilbert, Barbara Stieglitz
Cinematographer/DP: Ryan Berena
Editor: Amanda Marien
Original Music/Composer: Salvatore Córdova
Kilishek
WI/IL One Short Slot
Sun Feb 26, 2017 – 5:00 pm | Hendricks Arts Center
Kilishek
Directed by Mariah Tralongo
Short Documentary
United States | 10 min | 2016
This documentary explores the everyday lives of two taxidermists from Menasha, Wisconsin, who are dedicated to bringing the dead back to life.
Mariah Tralongo
Director, Producer
Mariah holds a degree in Radio-TV-Film from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, with an emphasis in documentary and radio production. She has a passion for storytelling and keeping a close eye on the details that matter most.
Film Information
Director: Mariah Tralongo
Country: United States
Year: 2016
Language: English
Runtime: 10 min
Rated: PG-13
Credits
Producer: Mariah Tralongo
Writer: Mariah Tralongo
Key Cast: Bucky Kilishek , Joe Kilishek
Connect With This Film
Onere
YES! Filmmaker(s) Attending for Q & A
WI/IL One Short Slot
Sun Feb 26, 2017 – 5:00 pm | Hendricks Arts Center
ONERE
Directed by Kevin Pontuti
Short Narrative
United States | 8 min | 2016
A young woman bears a strange burden. A film about self acceptance and resilience.
Kevin Pontuti
Director, Producer, Writer
Kevin Pontuti is an artist and educator based in the USA. He received his MFA from Syracuse University in 1993 then moved to California where he founded the Los Angeles-based production company Studio P Inc. His image-making expertise and collaborative spirit attracted many top artists and designers to his studio. In 2009, Pontuti accepted a professorship at the University of Wisconsin-Stout where he now serves as program director.
His teaching and creative practice include the moving image, cinematic arts and transmedia studies. Pontuti’s feature film, NORTH PASSAGE premiered at the 2014 Flyway Film Festival. His short film, ONERE premiered at the 2016 Duluth-Superior Film Festival.
Film Information
Director: Kevin Pontuti
Country: United States
Year: 2016
Language: English
Runtime: 8 min
Rated: PG13
Credits
Writer: Kevin Pontuti
Producers: Kevin Pontuti
Cinematographer/DP: Peter Galante, Ed Jakober
Screen: Righter
WI/IL One Short Slot
YES! Filmmaker(s) Attending for Q & A
Sun Feb 26, 2017 – 5:00 pm | Hendricks Arts Center
Screen: Righter
Directed by T.C. De Witt
Short Narrative
United States | 7 min | 2016
A young woman rushes to her love, but the two woman are having a difficult time coming together as an inspired producer injects his ideas into the story.
T.C. De Witt
Director, Producer, Writer
T.C. De Witt was born and raised in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He is the third child of four. The acting bug bit him young while participating in Vacation Bible School plays. In his freshman year of high school, while attending Mary D. Bradford H.S. he was cast in his first real performance role as Vandergelder in Hello Dolly. Finding a passion and talent for live theater, he went on to act in dozens of productions in various roles, including Demetrius in A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream and Albert Peterson in in Bye-bye, Birdie. While attending the University of Wisconsin Parkside on an athletic scholarship for cross country/track and field, he began writing scripts for stage and screen. After graduating with a Bachelor’s in English, he co-starred in his first feature, the independent film Broken Dreams. In 2007, he relocated to Los Angeles in pursuit of a career in film. He started with extra work in big films such as Star Trek and television shows like Heroes. He eventually managed to land a small role as Bruce on the canceled ABC comedy Better Off Ted. His writing took off on the stage performing stand-up comedy as a part of the All-star Comedy Round-up on the Universal Studios City Walk, performing at the John Lovitz Comedy Club. In 2009 a serious brain injury led to his partial blindness. After a long road to recovery, in 2010, he was asked by former band mates and filmmakers Ryan Brooks and Chad Halvorsen to join the Firmament Films production team as a writer. The group since has achieved much success with their shorts the Seven Year Wish and Dangerous Summers. In July 2012, he premiered his first major stage production the Princess Knight, a two-act ensemble musical at the Malt House Theater in Burlington, Wisconsin. He lives in California where he writes, performs, and illustrates full-time. He has published six original works including a collections of his original comic strips
Film Information
Director: T.C. De Witt
Country: United States
Year: 2016
Language: English
Runtime: 7 min
Rated: R
Credits
Producers: T.C. De Witt, Julia Smith, Kris Schulz
Associate Producer: Cate Halvorsen
Executive Producer: Chad Halvorsen
Cinematographer/DP: Timothy Moder
Art Dept.: Candace Ostler
Sound Dept.: Cory Kaseman
Visual Effects: Patrick Brazier
Marion
Sarah / Laura Coppersmith
Charlie
Michael J. Bayheimer
Strongroom
YES! Filmmaker(s) Attending for Q & A
WI/IL One Short Slot
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Sat Feb 25, 2017 – 5:00 pm | Hendricks Arts CenterSun Feb 26, 2017 – 5:00 pm | Hendricks Arts Center
Strongroom
Directed by Megan St. John
Short Narrative
United States | 23 min| 2016
Mickey, a small-time gangster, stores all of his bank robbery loot in a safe under the watch of his sister, Lila. But when he brings a new employee over to the house, Lila plans on being anything but a gracious host and it’s apparent that the money might not be that safe after all.
Megan St. John
Director, Producer, Writer
Megan graduated from the University of Chicago in 2012 and is currently a freelance producer in the Chicago area, specializing in corporate work and music videos.
Film Information
Director: Megan St. John
Country: United States
Year: 2016
Language: English
Runtime: 23 min
Rated: R
Credits
Producers: Megan St. John
Executive Producer: Tom Kinstle
Cinematographer/DP: Tom Kinstle
Production Design: Megan St. John
Lila
Wade
Mickey
