ARTS

 

Opening Night at the Nickel Film Festival in St. John's

 

 

 

 

 

St. John’s, NL – June 19, 2012 – Andrea Edwards-Edwards - The 12th Annual Nickel Independent Film Festival opened for its five day, five night run with sunshine and the Wonderbolt Circus performances to greet attendees. With over a dozen films and nearly 40% dedicated to local film, among them an animated short, a internationally acclaimed documentary and a series of 8mm films shot by local directors.

 

'Pop Flips Out', the light hearted animated short animated short, co-directed by James Grace and David Martingale was a hilarious take on our current influx of BFA's or people who are 'back from away'.

 

‘The Sweetest Hippopotamus’ by Mark Rousell and Red Sneakers Media, this film noir is set in the heydays of cigarette girls and vagabonds, and co-starring Ron Basch

 

The 8mm film's were a trio shot with a strict set of guidelines which Kenneth Harvey found to be a welcome challenge. Filmaker Elsa Morena, delighted with ‘Let’s Talk about.” Director, actor and musician, Jody Richardson’s short featuring local graffiti takes the viewer on a trip around St. John’s showcasing how his favorite things, simple and to the point that art is everywhere, you just need to look for it.

 

 

Kenneth J Harvey (pictured above), international bestselling author, award-winning filmmaker, journalist and recipient of the 2011 Best Atlantic Short award for "I'm 14 and I Hate the World". ‘Confession’ took the fans along on a little shoplifting trip and then on to Church for redemption. Master flutist Rozalind MacPhail sets the tone with her innocent trills and melodies. Harvey said the biggest challenge was that it was all edited in camera. ‘It was all kamikaze and there were no permissions to shoot (which nearly got them kicked out of the local supermarket), you have the Super 8 film and you just needed to get in there. It was a fun little process!”

 

Darcy Fitzpatrick’s 'Meter's is about a grieving widow missing his wife and trying to spread a little happiness around while battling the parking meters and antagonistic meter man played by Republic of Doyle's Sean Panting.

 

The feature film '78 Days' directed by Jason Nardella , a documentary on tree planting near High Level, Alberta examined the grueling labour of a tree planter, who's season runs once a year for typically 70 days. At 10 cents a sapling, on a 70 day stint away from running water and modern conveniences, it's not for the faint of heart, which Jason Nardella illustrates well in his fascinating film. Headline Picture: l-r David Martingale and James Grace of 'Pop Flips Out'

 

 

Get the full schedule of the Nickel Film Festival here!

 

Nickel Film Festival Home Page