Salem Main Streets

Written by Daryl Bell
“It’s a wrap!” are three words no one but maybe the organizers and volunteers want to hear for the 2010 Salem Film Fest. But Sunday’s Oscars party marked the end of another film fest with high hopes for the coming year and ticket sales this year exceeded 1500 individual tickets not including the various types of passes sold.

But most importantly, the winning films have been chosen…

The Jury Prize went to Severe Clear by Kristian Fraga. Severe Clear is based on the memoir by First Lieutenant Mike Scotti as well as video footage shot by him and other members of 1st Battalion, 4th Marines on the outset of the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

The audience honored No. 4 Street of Our Lady and Rough Aunties. No. 4 Street of our Lady was co-directed by Judy Maltz a first time film maker on hand, Barbara Bird and Richie Sherman. This film tells the story of Francisca Halamajowa, a Polish-Catholic woman who rescued 15 Jews during the Holocaust by passing herself off as a Nazi sympathizer. Rough Aunties was directed by accomplished documentary maker Kim Longinotto. This film is a look at a group of women caring for the abused, neglected and forgotten children of Durban, South Africa. Both films will be given a week’s showing by the Salem Cinema. (Times to be announced)

And finally, The Cove, a hit among the audience, won an academy award for Best Documentary Sunday night. And just to be certain of their dedication to their cause, while staying in Hollywood for the Oscars, the film team carried out three sting operations with the help of authorities, on restaurants serving whale meat. DNA tests on the meat confirmed it was indeed whale, perhaps a sequel is in the making…

Written by Daryl Bell
The smell of popcorn crunching underfoot elicits only one place where the lights are perpetually dim and the working mill about in black. But this past week something different was in the mix here in Salem: The cerebral stimulation of social commentary, injustices around the world, information in, above and below the mainstream, some with comedic undertones, all with a message that only a documentary film can provide. Package this for seven days…you have the third annual Salem (all documentary) Film Festival.

Billed as the largest documentary film festival in New England with over 34 films ranging in styles and genres, this year’s success can be attributed to the support of an entire community. Of sponsors, volunteers, and of course the film makers themselves over 1/3 were available for after screening commentary and Q&A. Read the rest of this entry »

Tonight one last great lineup of films and a post-fest party hosted by ArtThrob!

Main Theater (Capacity 160)
5:00 pm The Philosopher Kings
70 min - Directed by Patrick Shen
6:30 pm Junior
70 min - Directed/Produced by Jenna Rosher
8:00 pmTrimpin: The Sound of Invention
78 min - Produced by Peter Esmonde

Screening Room (Capacity 20)
5:00 pm Footsteps In Africa
67 min - Directed by Kathi von Koerber
6:30 pm Walking the Line
58 min - Directed/Produced by Jeremy Levine, Landon Van Soest
8:15 pm Long Distance Love
77 min - Directed by Magnus Gertten, Elin Jönsson

North Shore Art Throb Wrap Party
Thursday, March. 4th, 9:30pm… at CinemaSalem Cafe
North Shore Art Throb, Dinah Cardin’s hip online arts’ journal, hosts this year’s wrap party which follows our final festival screening. Join us to toast the end of our third festival and to consider the future. Wine provided by Salem Wine Imports.

…at the Salem Film Festival at Cinema Salem. Films on topics ranging from cuban boxing to the affects of global warming on an Alaskan village. Visit www.salemfilmfest.com for the full schedule.

And when it’s all over…
The North Shore Art Throb Wrap Party
Thursday, March. 4th, 9:30pm… at CinemaSalem Cafe

North Shore Art Throb, Dinah Cardin’s hip online arts’ journal, hosts this year’s wrap party which follows our final festival screening. Join us to toast the end of our third festival and to consider the future. Wine provided by Salem Wine Imports.