Arts Council, GSC collaborate on new film series

GAINESVILLE - The Arts Council, Gainesville State College and South Arts are bringing the 2010-2011 Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers to Gainesville.

The tour is an interactive program that will bring six award-winning independent filmmakers and their films to town.

The films are "Dear Lemon Lima" directed by Suzi Yoonessi; "Children of Invention" directed by Sheila Dvorak; "Reporter" directed by Eric Metzgar; "Do No Harm" directed by Rebecca Schanberg; "Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun" producer Kristy Andersen; and "The Electricity Fairy" directed by Tom Hansell.

Each film will include a "Meet the Filmmaker Reception."

Opening the series will be a screening of "Dear Lemon Lima" on Thursday, September 16 at the Arts Council Smithgall Arts Center.

Dear Lemon Lima is a coming of age comedy about a lonely 13-year-old half Yup'ik girl, Vanessa Lemor. Trying to navigate her way through getting dumped by her true love, über-intellectual Philip Gregory, and surviving prep school in Fairbanks, Alaska, she embraces her Native heritage and rediscovers the spirit of the World Eskimo Indian Olympics. BBQ dinner at 6:30pm and screening is at 7:30pm. Tickets are $15 for adults and $13 for seniors and students
and include a BBQ dinner catered by Holbrook of Lake Lanier. Filmmaker Suzi Yoonessi will be available at a meet and greet. Series tickets are $38 per person for the six films and include a BBQ Dinner prior to Dear Lemon Lima and all meet the filmmaker receptions at each of the other films.

The second film in the series is "Children of Invention" and will be shown on Thursday, October 21 at Smithgall center at 7:30pm. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for seniors and students and include reception. "Children of Invention" tells the story of Elaine Cheng as she tries desperately to find the means to support her young children, Raymond and Tina. With few skills and a limited
understanding of the culture of her new country, Elaine juggles numerous jobs, leaving her children to become latch-key kids. When she doesn't return home one night, things take a turn for the worse. Nobody knows the kids are home alone, and they are left to fend for themselves. As the days pass, Raymond comes
up with a plan to take care of his little sister.

"Reporter" will be screened on Thursday, November 11 at the Gainesville State College Continuing Education Building on the GSC Oakwood Campus. Show time is 7:30pm and tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for seniors and students and include reception. "Reporter" follows Nicholas D. Kristof a Pulitzer Prizewinning
columnist who travels the world in search of his stories. "Reporter" puts the viewer in Kristof's pocket, revealing the man and his methods, and why real reporting is vital to our democracy and our awareness of the world around us. The film also explores the urgent crisis in the Congo, which, in turn, can
only reach the public if journalists like Kristof are able to continue to do what they do best - report.

"Do No Harm" will be shown on Thursday, February 17 at the Arts Council Smithgall Arts Center and "Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun" showing on March 17 and "The Electricity Fairy"