Jul
27
Gotta Get Down To It
SYNOPSIS Valerie Martin, a young African-American college professor, works at Sedalia College, a small midwestern liberal arts school. When the college’s invitation to a controversial conservative speaker threatens to divide the campus, Val is pressured into introducing the speaker and serving as the public face of the event. When she discovers that trying to keep everyone happy may cost her more than she is willing to lose, she chooses a side. https://vimeo.com/421664721 ONLINE AVAILABILITY Dates: Thursday, August 27 - Thursday, September 3 Time: All hours Access to the film: Fest Pass or Ticket Q&A with Filmmaker: Available during Festival CREDITS…
Jul
24
Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President
SYNOPSIS If it hadn’t been for a bottle of scotch and a late-night visit from musician Gregg Allman, Jimmy Carter might never have been elected the 39th President of the United States. This dynamic film charts the mostly forgotten story of how Carter, a lover of all types of music, forged a tight bond with musicians Willie Nelson, the Allman Brothers, Bob Dylan and others. Low on campaign funds and lacking in name recognition, Carter relied on support from these artists to give him a crucial boost in the Democratic primaries. Once Carter was elected, the musicians became frequent guests…
Jul
24
John Lewis: Good Trouble
SYNOPSIS An inspiring chronicle of the life and career of the legendary civil rights activist and Democratic Representative from Georgia, John Robert Lewis. Using interviews and rare archival footage, the documentary portrays Mr. Lewis’ 60-plus years of social activism and legislative action on civil rights, voting rights, gun control, health-care reform and immigration policy. Using present-day interviews with Lewis, who just recently passed away at 80 years old, director Dawn Porter explores his childhood experiences, his inspiring family and his fateful meeting with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1957. Included as well are interviews with political leaders, Congressional colleagues…
Jul
27
Life in Synchro
SYNOPSIS Welcome to the beautiful, cold, hard world of synchronized ice skating - the toughest sport you’ve never heard of. Synchro has been empowering generations of women since 1956 when it was founded by a father who saw the need for team sports for girls. Today these skaters lift, leap, and spin together in ways the rink has never seen before, but this innovative sport is still somehow overlooked by mainstream media. Journey alongside incredible women around the country as they push their teams and themselves beyond the routine and up towards greatness. https://vimeo.com/386405046 ONLINE AVAILABILITY Dates: Thursday, August 27…
Jul
27
#LIKE
SYNOPSIS On the first anniversary of her sister Amelia's death by suicide, high school senior Rosie discovers that the mysterious man who sexploited her sister, bullying her into ending her life, is back online trolling for new victims. After the authorities refuse to get involved, she finds a darker side to her personality that she never knew she had. Echoing the terrifying true stories that are all over the internet, #LIKE is the story of one teen who fights back. https://vimeo.com/387042268 ONLINE AVAILABILITY Dates: Thursday, August 27 - Thursday, September 3 Time: All hours Access to the film: Fest Pass…
Jul
27
The Marina
SYNOPSIS By the summer of his 19th birthday, Charlie Hall, champion wakeboarder, doesn't know if he'll ever get back on a wakeboard following an injury. When he flees his anguish and uncertainty by going to his cousin Noah's house in the town of Chambly, he meets Juliette, a young employee of the local marina. The chemistry clicks and the two youngsters develop a unique relationship that only has as obstacles the fear of their ambitions. ONLINE AVAILABILITY Dates: Thursday, August 27 - Thursday, September 3 Time: All hours Access to the film: Fest Pass or Ticket Viewing Limited: US residents…
Jul
27
Martha: A Picture Story
SYNOPSIS In 1970s New York, photographer Martha Cooper captured some of the first images of bold graffiti appearing on the city’s subway cars. Decades later, she realizes she’s become an unexpected icon of the established street art world. Now, at age 75, Martha must navigate her way through this vastly changed culture. https://youtu.be/IOMUHQEYsBQ ONLINE AVAILABILITY Dates: Monday, August 31 - Thursday, September 3 Time: All hours Access to the film: Fest Pass or Ticket Viewing Limited: Vermont residents only CREDITS Director: Selina Miles Writer: Selina Miles Producer: Daniel Joyce FILM INFORMATION Genre: Documentary Feature Length: 82 min Location: Australia, Brazil,…
Jul
27
Murmur
WINNER: Best Narrative Feature SYNOPSIS Donna has recently been convicted of “Driving While Impaired” and is ordered to perform community service at the local animal shelter. When an elderly dog is scheduled to be euthanized, Donna decides to take the dog home and quickly realizes his companionship can ease her loneliness. In a futile attempt to fill the emptiness she feels, Donna begins to take home more and more animals and she is soon in over her head. https://vimeo.com/351006898 ONLINE AVAILABILITY Dates: Thursday, August 27 - Thursday, September 3 Time: All hours Access to the film: Fest Pass or Ticket…
Jul
24
Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band
SYNOPSIS Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band is a confessional, cautionary, and occasionally humorous tale of Robertson’s young life and the creation of one of the most enduring groups in the history of popular music, The Band. The film is a moving story of Robertson’s personal journey, overcoming adversity and finding camaraderie alongside the four other men who would become his brothers in music, together making their mark on music history. Once Were Brothers blends rare archival footage, photography, iconic songs and interviews with Robertson’s friends and collaborators including Martin Scorsese, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, and…
Jul
27
The Rabbi Goes West
SYNOPSIS A fish out of water story about a young and charismatic Hasidic Chabad rabbi who moved from Brooklyn, New York to Bozeman, Montana to bring his brand of Judaism to the American west. His mission: to place a Mezuzah, an encased prayer offering, on the doorpost of every Montana Jewish home. As he travels across this “big sky” landscape, he confronts threats to Jews from neo-Nazis and objections to his proselytizing from members of the Jewish community. https://vimeo.com/349042176 ONLINE AVAILABILITY Dates: Thursday, August 27 - Sunday, August 30 Time: All hours Access to the film: Fest Pass or Ticket…
Aug
17
River City Drumbeat
SYNOPSIS River City Drumbeat is a powerful and uplifting story of music, love, and legacies set in the American South. Edward "Nardie" White devoted his life to leading the African-American drum corps he co-founded with Zambia Nkrumah in Louisville, Kentucky three decades ago. Together they inspired youth from their West Louisville neighborhood to thrive by connecting them with the art and cultural traditions of their African ancestors. Now Albert Shumake, whose destiny was shaped by the drumline, must take up the mantle for the next generation. Follow this creative community of mentors, parents, and youth making their way in a…
Jul
27
Sisters Rising
WINNER: Thaddeus Stevens Award for Social Engagement by a Vermont Filmmaker SYNOPSIS Sisters Rising is an urgent call to action, a stunning portrait of women acting in solidarity, and a demand for tribal sovereignty and self-determination as the necessary step towards ending violence against Indigenous women in the United States. The film follows six women who refuse to let this pattern of violence continue in the shadows: a tribal cop in the midst of the North Dakota oil boom, an attorney fighting to overturn restrictions on tribal sovereignty, a teacher of Indigenous women’s self-defense, grassroots advocates working to influence legislative…
