2019 Premiere Screening in the James Stewart Film Theater. Photo by Theresa Loong
To kick off its 38th annual tour, the renowned international Black Maria Film Festival will present the Stellar Award-winning films chosen by the jury for the 2019 season in partnership with Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts. Festival Director Jane Steuerwald introduces the program featuring short documentary, narrative, and animated films. Filmmakers Lynn Tomlinson and Kelly Gallagher will be present to discuss their work.
The pre-screening reception starts at 7:00 p.m. at 185 Nassau Street. Both the reception and screening are free and open to the public; no tickets required. Free parking is available behind 185 Nassau Street in Lot #10 on Williams Street in Princeton.
FEATURED FILMS IN PROGRAM:
HENRIETTA BULKOWSKI
Animation, 15 min.
by RACHEL JOHNSON (Los Angeles, CA)
Winner of 2019 Jury’s Stellar Award
A determined young woman, crippled with a severe hunchback, will stop at nothing to fulfill her dream of seeing the world. This is the story of how she finds happiness.
MY GOSSIP
Documentary, 15 min.
by KELLY GALLAGHER (Chester Springs, PA)
Winner of 2019 Jury’s Stellar Award
Incorporating live-action, stop-motion and digital animation, this personal documentary colorfully explores the radical importance of women’s close friendships. The filmmaker examines her relationship with her own best friend, and how women’s friendships were historically weaponized against them.
ULISES (ULYSSES)
Narrative, 8 min.
by JORGE MALPICA (Catalonia, Mexico)
Winner of 2019 Jury’s Stellar Award
Warned by Circe, the Goddess, Ulysses orders his men to tie him to his ship’s mast. Thus, preventing him from surrendering to the enchanting mermaid’s call, which devoured the unwary men seduced by it.
VOICE
Narrative, 10 min.
by TAKESHI KUSHIDA (Tokyo, Japan)
Winner of 2019 Jury’s Stellar Award
A lonely man becomes fascinated with a shadow that appears on the wall of his apartment.
THE ELEPHANT’S SONG
Animation, 8 min.
by LYNN TOMLINSON (Owings Mills, MD)
Winner of 2019 Global Insights Stellar Award
The Elephant’s Song tells the true and tragic tale of Old Bet, the first circus elephant in America, as recounted in song by her friend, an old farm dog. Their story is portrayed in colorful, handcrafted animation, created frame by frame with clay-on-glass animation, where oil-based modeling clay is spread thinly on a glass sheet and moved frame-by-frame like a moving finger painting. Old Bet the elephant sings the choruses, which are animated with oil pastel on video frames printed from archival films, paintings, and photographs.
