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Third director in film festival’s 10-year history

In a Wade on Birmingham exclusive, Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival announced the hiring of new executive director, Chloe Collins (pictured at left). She succeeds Catherine Pfitzer, who was let go in February.

The board had originally planned on having someone in place by April 1, but made the offer to Collins on Monday. Hundreds of applicants applied for the position.

In a media release, board president Alan Hunter described Collins as “a self-starter and leader who can effectively interface with the corporate and film communities while keeping the office running smoothly.”

Collins’ previous jobs include director of corporate communications for Enjoy the City, a national nonprofit fund-raising coupon book organization; senior account executive with Birmingham marketing firm WilbanksElam; and director of marketing and public relations for the Birmingham Music Cooperative, a nonprofit agency handling three music organizations.

The Sidewalk board previously offered the executive director position to Melissa Kendrick, owner of downtown retail store Sojourns and newly hired part-time development director for the annual film festival. She says she turned down the offer for “personal reasons” but is “still helping with fund development.”

Full media release, on the jump …

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Birmingham film festival to hire leader by month’s end

The next person in charge of the state’s largest film festival will need to be an organizer, a fund-raiser, but not necessarily a film buff. So says Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival’s Alan Hunter.

The Birmingham event finds itself seeking a new executive director for the second time in two years. Catherine Pfitzer was let go in February.

Hunter, president of the board, discussed by phone the challenges ahead for the 10-year-old festival for this exclusive Wade on Birmingham report.

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Barely two years on the job, executive director Catherine Pfitzer is out at Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival. She was fired Wednesday, according to an e-mail sent by board president Alan Hunter.

Pfitzer had been promoted from program director to festival head in February 2007, following the departure of previous executive director and co-founder Erik Jambor. He resigned in November 2006 citing differences with the board over the festival’s direction and his role in it.

Hunter announced the change in an e-mail to festival staffers and volunteers. While he praises Pfitzer’s work, he says the board felt she wasn’t the correct choice for the future:

“After much deliberation we decided we needed to go in a new direction for the sake of the AMIA down the road. We wish Catherine all the best, and we are grateful for her hard work over the last several and sometimes difficult transitional years. She stepped up when times were shaky and helped get us back on our feet. But as is sometimes the case, the people who get the ball rolling or work hard during shifting times aren’t always the right fit for the future.

That said, we are optimistic about the future and will be on the hunt for a new Executive Director almost immediately. We hope this person exists in our area, but we want to make sure the rest of the country knows we’re searching.”

When asked by e-mail to explain what had happened, Pfitzer replied:

“Wish I could. Trying to figure that out myself.”

The festival, which started in 1999, runs for three days each September.

Update: Pfitzer sent out an e-mail on Feb. 15, thanking supporters. An excerpt:

My time with the festival has been truly amazing: chock full of challenges and triumphs, of high highs and low lows. The intrinsic satisfaction I’ve enjoyed by being a part of Sidewalk and all things AMIA over the past six years can’t be measured — from providing opportunities for filmmakers, to supplying access to independent films to a hungry audience, and most of all contributing to efforts that make Birmingham a better city.

It’s because of these reasons that I encourage you to continue to support Sidewalk, Birmingham Shout and all AMIA programs, now more than ever. Not simply because the organization is enduring another challenging transition, but because these are difficult times for all of us, and during times like these it is art and entertainment that allows us to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and get us up and running again.

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More Sidewalk coverage.

Movie review: ‘Adventures of Power’

sidewalk.wadeonbirmingham.com
By Stacy Vance

Mine worker by day, air drummer by night, he’s a man-boy with a dream. In “Adventures of Power,” our hero Power must overcome all to fulfill his musical destiny.

Ari Gold — the writer, director and lead actor — combines elements of “Rocky,” “Zoolander,” “Footloose,” “Rudy” and a heap of “Napoleon Dynamite,” not to mention most comedies and inspirational find-yourself movies.

I’m almost embarrassed to say that I enjoyed as much of this movie as I did. The plot’s not new, but it’s entertaining if you’re up for some silliness.

The movie opens the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival tonight.

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Movie review: ‘The Dhamma Brothers’

sidewalk.wadeonbirmingham.com

I’m fascinated by prisons. But like most people, I don’t give them a lot of thought. Out of sight, out of mind, right?

And I certainly don’t pay much heed to meditation, yoga or Eastern alternative medicine. Give me a pill or a walk on the treadmill any day.

So what to make of “The Dhamma Brothers”? This remarkable documentary examines the first U.S. prison — just over in western Jefferson County near Bessemer — to use ancient vipassana meditation techniques with violent cons.

Vipassana comes from India, focusing on introspection for transformation, but it boils down to men sitting on cushions, utterly silent for 10 days. This potentially dull setup makes for an ultimately engaging story. I’m sure this movie will win an award or two at Sidewalk, and will likely be the best one you see all weekend.

It screens Sunday at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival.

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Movie review: ‘Crawford’

sidewalk.wadeonbirmingham.com
By Stacy Vance

George and Laura Bush moved into Crawford, Texas, population 700, during his bid for the presidency in 1999. Soon after they settled in at the Prairie Chapel Ranch, the panoramas of open fields, endless skies, horses and haystacks of Crawford began to emerge in the national media.

When introduced to the people of “Crawford,” we learn about their lives before we learn about their politics, allowing us to view them as individuals first. The documentary isn’t without some bias, but it’s ultimately a story about everyday people thrown into extraordinary circumstances.

The film screens Saturday at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival.

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Movie review: ‘ ‘Bama Girl’

sidewalk.wadeonbirmingham.com
By Erin Shaw Street

“At the University of Alabama, every girl wants to be homecoming queen.”

Every girl? Really?

Such is the assertion from documentary director Rachel Goslins, whose documentary “’Bama Girl” follows a black finalist for homecoming queen. Maybe not every student covets the crown, but the movie is sure to spark some interesting conversations.

The film closes the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival on Sunday.

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Movie review: ‘Goliath’

sidewalk.wadeonbirmingham.com
By Chance Shirley

Watching “Goliath” cold — I hadn’t even seen the trailer — I entertained the thought that it would be a sequel to “Colossus: The Forbin Project,” a movie from 1970 in which two supercomputers, Colossus and Goliath, take over the world. After the opening credits, I realized this would be a considerably more intimate flick.

The Goliath of the film’s title is not a supercomputer, nor a biblical giant. Goliath is a cat. More specifically, “the sweetest, most wonderful cat in the whole world.”

But it’s really about the cat’s owner, an unnamed guy (played by David Zellner) who lives in an initially unnamed town (eventually revealed to be Austin) working at an unnamed job.

The film screens Sept. 28 at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival.

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Michael McKean, Adrian Grenier star in comedy

sidewalk.wadeonbirmingham.com

The 10th annual Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival will start with a drum roll, of sorts.

“Adventures of Power,” a comedy about a small town miner/air drummer, opens Sidewalk 2008 on Sept. 26. The movie debuted at Sundance earlier this year.

Written, directed and starring Ari Gold, the movie features Adrian Grenier (“Entourage”) and Michael McKean (“A Mighty Wind”).

The official description:

“Adventures of Power” is a comedy about an outcast mine worker named Power who journeys across America to save his hometown by air-drumming. On his journey, he gathers an assortment of outcasts who believe that their obsession could change the world.

The screening takes place at 8 p.m. at the Alabama Theatre. Tickets will be $12 in advance, $15 at the door.

Trailer and reviews, after the jump …

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Time to go to the movies. But not just the standard Hollywood fare at the multiplex.

Welcome to the 2008 Ultimate Summer Movie Guide, with more than 60 movies in over a dozen venues. And most of them are free — some even have free food and drink.

It’s a comprehensive look at all films in all places around Birmingham. So thank you, and enjoy the movie.

Updated with full alphabetical and chronological lists …

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Then and now

Artistry all around: Two of Birmingham’s biggest festivals made September a downtown destination. Artwalk had another successful outing, pulling in more than 10,000 visitors over two days. Your 2007 winners are Omni Studio (First Place), Bobby Michelson (Second Place), Royal Miree (Third Place) and Scotty White (Honorable Mention).

The Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival closed out the month without the turmoil of the past year (funding issues! staff changes! filmmaker bickering!). The three-day festival featured a new executive director, a better opening night film (“The Ten,” which sent a few audience members scurrying out early), and the usual slate of parties, films and fun. In all, the judges and audience selected 34 winners … 10 more than the Oscars.

Photographer Larry O. Gay shares his snapshots from Artwalk …

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Another whirlwind weekend of music, movies and parties known as Sidewalk has zipped by. Remember: You can still win swag from the film fest by entering our haiku contest by noon today.

But before we wrap the ninth Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival, a few more capsule reviews of hits and misses …

Update: “The Devil Came on Horseback” and “Darius Goes West” added.

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Wanna see a movie this weekend? How about 150 of them?

The ninth annual Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival starts tonight, with the biblical comedic romp, “The Ten.” Tickets for tonight’s 8 p.m. opener are $13 at the door.

It’s $30 for Saturday and Sunday, or $7 per film ($17 for three films). More info on the official site.

So what’s the story on this year’s festival? More previews, more interviews, plus you could win free Sidewalk stuff …

A dish best served cold | Check out “Lunch,” a funny short by first-time filmmaker and Birmingham resident James Brown. His lunch was stolen from the office fridge — now, he wants revenge. But don’t take my word for it as a hired publicist, hear James on WBHM’s “Tapestry” [MP3] from Thursday. And watch this trailer:

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Contributing writer Stacy Vance reviewed “Row Hard No Excuses” by director Luke Wolbach:

Two people, 3,000 miles, 100 days at sea.

I love a good adventure story. Man attempts to conquer nature. Nature takes the lead. Man becomes one with nature. Or does he?

In the documentary “Row Hard No Excuses,” John Zeigler and Tom Mailhot set out to travel the open seas in a trans-Atlantic rowing race from the Canary Islands to Barbados.

The film screens Sunday at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival.

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Contributing writer Stacy Vance reviewed “Overflow” by Birmingham director Jana Harris:

For those of us who miss the guilty pleasure of the ABC after-school special, “Overflow” gives a respectable shot at resurrecting the teenage drama, complete with the valuable lesson to take away.

The film screens Sunday at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival.

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