Elegance Bratton’s THE INSPECTION

This year’s Centerpiece Presentation is fresh from its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and stars favorites like Gabrielle Union. One actor to keep your eyes on? Jeremy Pope. This film is his breakout performance as a Black, gay marine who has been cast out by his mother.

“We are honored to screen Indie Memphis alumnus Elegance Bratton’s unbelievably sensitive, assured film THE INSPECTION as our Centerpiece film. There is something almost classical about the film, reminding me of MOONLIGHT, BEAU TRAVAIL, and even more so of Hollywood classic melodramas.” – Indie Memphis

Even More Films!

The amazing films don’t stop there, there’s also Indie Memphis Black Creators Forum guest Alice Diop’s debut narrative film SAINT OMER, Serge Bozon’s offbeat romantic musical DON JUAN starring Tahar Rahim and Virginie Efira, which screened at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, as well as acclaimed filmmaker Stephen Frears’ THE LOST KING, starring Sally Hawkins and Steve Coogan.

A Host of Documentaries

Don’t worry, documentary fanatics. There’s also films for you! Check out  THE ART OF EATING: THE LIFE AND APPETITES OF M. F. K. FISHER, which chronicles the life of renowned food writer M. F. K. Fisher, and Sacha Jenkins’ LOUIS ARMSTRONG’S BLACK & BLUES. Both films continue the strong tradition of films about music and food at the Memphis festival.

There is also the addition of a beautiful restoration print of Billy Wilder’s GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES, introduced by HAPPY HOUR author Marlowe Granados, in the Revivals section.

Connecting with the Community

The festival isn’t just about the amazing lineup of films, there are also ways to get connected with the local film community and beyond. From the Black Creators Forum, Shoot and Splice, IndieTalks panels and more, there are plenty of programs to check out. Want more info? Click here!

For more information on tickets, showings, and more, visit http://indiememphis.com/.

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The post 25 Years of Indie Memphis! – Indie Memphis Film Festival 2022 appeared first on We Are Memphis.

Stax Music Academy has done it again! As students of the academy continue to excel in their goal of keeping Stax Records’ legacy alive, they have taken their talents a step further. From earlier opportunities such as playing international performances and working with singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake, the students are back in the limelight as the focus of a documentary that is currently debuting across the country.

Soul Kids is a film that was recently released on November 24,  first viewed by audiences in Paris, France. The film has been shown at approximately 50 theaters, spanning from France to the Oxford Film Festival in Oxford, Mississippi, to the internationally acclaimed Cannes Film Festival. Back in 2017, director Hugo Sobelman began searching for authentic content for what would be his very first film. He worked alongside producers Carine Ruszniewski, Christophe Baral, and Toufik Ayadi to highlight students’ thoughts on injustices and tell the story of what it means to be Black in the city of Memphis. 

Former student, cast member, and singer Catherine Ealy stated, “I am proud that the world is actually going to see this side of Stax. ” Catherine spoke about the students’ fascination with the smooth process of filming, as well as the amount of opportunities they received following its release. “They did a great job at capturing the story, but also not disrupting our rehearsal time.” She recalled the many events they attended after the film’s release, referring to them as “moments full of joy”. Dancing and singing wherever they were called, Catherine expressed that Soul Kids gave them more opportunities to do what they love.

Their very first gig resulting from the movie came at the Paris premiere. Catherine, alumni Johnathon Lee, and a few instructors headed out for the weekend to perform and left the audience thrilled. Catherine expressed that they were all elated to have such a pure experience. The singer stated that the two moments during the trip that stood out as her favorites and most fond memories from the experience in France were when students were accompanied on stage by a French band and when they performed “Memphis Train”. “Everyone was dancing and having a good time. We made a train around the venue and everyone had smiles on their faces,” Catherine stated.

Although that was a truly beautiful moment for the students, that was not the only brilliant part about their trip. Stax Music Academy staff and students were stunned to see a billboard of Soul Kids posted at a Paris mall and, upon their return to Memphis, they were able to share that excitement with their peers.  On March 26, 2022, the crew made their way to Crosstown Concourse to perform and see the movie once more. The audience received a direct Q & A session from the cast, as well as an amazing performance. Alumni and current students of the academy, Christina Childress, Trevor Keys, Dorian Turner, Johnathon Lee, and Rickey Fondren, joined Catherine Ealy to perform a setlist of songs including “Breakdown” by Rufus Thomas, “Soul Man“ by  Sam & Dave, and “Knock on Wood” by Eddie Floyd. They got the crowd moving and grooving showing the audience that not only are they talented on camera, but  live as well!

When asked what questions they received most frequently during the Q & A portion, students stated that many viewers wondered how they were able to openly be themselves and discuss such difficult topics on screen. Even Stax students were able to take away lessons from the answer to such a question. Performing songs from the Stax catalog comes with understanding and the ability to convey emotion through lyrical messages. Memphis history contributes to and is reflected in Memphis music. Congratulations to the students and staff at Stax Music Academy! Continue to spread the importance of Memphis culture, Memphis history, and Memphis music!

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From the earliest days of cinema, music has enjoyed a close symbiotic relationship with the filmic arts, and it’s no surprise to find that many (if not most) musicians are also film buffs, their favorite movies a necessary companion to the usual piles of dusty LPs and frayed paperback classics. In a city such as ours, where so many fortunes have been tied to several genres of popular song for over a century, any independent film festival is all but mandated to seek out innovative ways of uniting the two creative forms, so it’s a blessing that the Bluff City’s own independent film fest, Indie Memphis, has offered reliably compelling independent cinema every year since 1998.

As the festival’s Music Coordinator, John Miller is tasked with the oversight of such cross-media connections. It’s a position that makes perfect horse sense, as few Memphis are connected to the city’s scene(s) as profoundly as Miller, who co-owns the beloved Shangri-La Records and sits on the board of Music Export Memphis. John was kind enough to take time out of hectic preparations for this year’s fest to answer our a few of our burning questions about the musical/film collaborations in store for 2021, and also to offer a glimpse of where Indie Memphis might take such a fusion in future years.

Hi, John, thanks for taking the time to speak with us about your role with Indie Memphis. First off, how long have you been working with the festival, and how did you come by the position of Music Coordinator?

Hey Zach, thanks for reaching out. I always love talking about Indie Memphis! I’ve been working with the festival for a decade now, which has flown by. I first began working on a project for Indie Memphis in my role with an old music development nonprofit called the Memphis Music Foundation. A colleague of mine there, Pat Mitchell, sat on the board of Indie Memphis and knew how much I was interested in the intersection of music and film, so she introduced me and we began working to weave local music into the fabric of the festival.

Indie Memphis started on quite a small scale in the late 90s and has grown considerably in the years since. Over that time, how do you feel the festival has worked to deepen its relationship with the Memphis music scene?

I have always been impressed with the way the festival focused on local and regional storytellers, and diving deeper into that same relationship with local music creators has felt like a natural process through the years, no matter who is helming Indie Memphis. Indie Memphis launched a special screening competition for music videos, with a local only showcase slot, highlighting both the artist and visual creators of those videos. That kind of synergy extends to bringing music documentaries to town that might not otherwise be seen, and when possible, featuring live concert performances by the featured artist(s). We’ve also continued to strive to reach out to new and diverse musicians each year, whose music reflects the vibe of each film shown throughout the festival. That is something I know that out of town festival attendees always point to as a perfect gateway for them to discover more about Memphis and its many divergent
music scenes.

To you, what’s crucial about maintaining a Memphis music presence within the festival? And how might the average festival-goer benefit from such cross-pollination?

Ours is unlike any other film festival I’m aware of because its identity so closely reflects the place in which it takes place. Inarguably, music is a cultural pillar of our city and has been for over a century. Indie Memphis has always recognized the value of our artists (visual and musical) in telling our story, so presenting that as one of the first things anyone experiences when they attend says a lot about the priority we give to joining music and film. Discovering a new film and a new artist simultaneously is a joy that we hear many of the attendees, journalists, and staff talk about every year.

So what are you especially excited about this year? What’s something you’ve had a hand in that you’re excited to share with festival-goers, something no one should miss?

It’s always hard to narrow that down because the festival has music docs, horror films, moving dramatic and social justice stories, and on and on. I will say that over the last few years the festival has had a number of films telling particular stories centered around a variety of African experiences, with particularly fascinating musical elements in each. This year there is a film showing on Sunday, October 24, called “Elder’s Corner” that tells the story of many of the pioneering Nigerian musicians who created Juju and Afrobeat. It’s a great film and the Obruni Dance Band will be performing beforehand, so I think it’s a particularly great marriage of film and music.

This year, of course, presents a particularly unique challenge to those assembling large gatherings like arts festivals. How has the ongoing pandemic affected the usual Indie Memphis dynamic? What are some of the precautions the festival is taking to ensure the safety of patrons?

Knowing that the only way to present the festival would be to prioritize the safety of attendees and staff guided a lot of the early decisions. The free public block party, among the musical highlights of the festival, had to be canceled, as did the filmmaker lounges where so many people would get to make meaningful connections throughout the festival. All attendees are required to show vaccine cards and masks are required for all indoor screenings (though not for the films showing at the Drive In on Summer).

Speaking personally, would you care to elaborate at all on your personal relationship to music’s involvement with film? Any favorite recollections tied to the intermingling of the two mediums?

I recall the first time I saw “Yellow Submarine” as a kid and realized that artists could devise expanded representations around ideas that weren’t fully realized by the music alone. Each could potentially stand on its own, but it was all about the synergy. That
sort of set the tone for me in terms of valuing the creative multiplication that happens when you combine such dynamic art forms into a singular vision.

Memphis music is nothing if not unique, with specific cultural attitudes and touchstones that distinguish it from other music scenes. Do you find that this is also true of Memphis filmmaking? Do the two forms feed off that same inherent Memphis energy?

There’s a certain “devil-may-care” attitude that I adore about Memphis creatives of all types. It’s not that they don’t care about the result, it’s that there are no rules to the process. That’s a commonality that I would say absolutely runs through both artistic communities.

Are there specific ways that Memphis musicians might benefit from becoming more involved with independent film, both locally and in general?

Absolutely! Obviously, with physical sales currently placing somewhat distantly behind downloads and streams in the overall compensation structure, it’s imperative to find other ways to monetize music for artists. Licensing remains a strong option for potentially both initial and back end payments, and working to that end can be both financially and creatively advantageous for musicians interested in working with filmmakers.

Beyond music’s relationship with the festival, do you see other signs of Indie Memphis expanding to collaborate with more forms of Memphian art, such as visual art?

I’m very excited about the directions that the festival continues to explore. This year they have welcomed a new executive director in Knox Shelton, who used to lead Literacy Mid-South. Knox understands the value of storytelling in a very broad sense and wants to see growth for Indie Memphis on a number of levels. I can’t wait to see what he and Miriam Bale, the Artistic Director, have in store for the future!

Lastly, how do you think the festival organizers might be seeking to build on what Indie Memphis can offer in the future, especially in terms of its ties to local music?

I mentioned the intersection of music and film earlier, both as a creative and financial boost for musicians, and I hope those links can be expanded and deepened in the future. I think continuing to foster relationships before, during, and following the festival remains a priority, and I look forward to working to that end more extensively when health and safety restrictions allow for a more robust and physically connected experience during the festival and beyond.

Thanks again for speaking with us, John!

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Women have been directing films from the beginning of cinema — and have continued to break new cinematic ground since.  Earlier on women sometimes had a good shot at participating, but as the studio system took shape, men largely muscled women out of directing, producing, show running and other key creative roles. Female directors persisted anyway, innovating techniques and tackling subjects once prohibited to their gender. This piece focuses on filmmakers that have innovated or pushed boundaries in some way. Thanks to a push for more women in this film and television space. 

These 5 women filmmakers have produced a wide range of creative content, from narrative and documentary shorts and feature films to commercials and web series, even establishing film festivals. These women have learned from their experience developing projects from concept to completion right here in Memphis and beyond.

Miriam Bale

Miriam Bale is the Artistic Director at Indie Memphis. Indie Memphis is a year-round program that inspires, encourages and promotes independent films and filmmaking in Memphis. The year-round organization is best known for its annual Indie Memphis Film Festival presented by Duncan-Williams, Inc., which transforms the city into a connecting point for filmmakers, musicians, artists, and audiences. Bale has covered films for popular publications such as The New York Times, Sight and Sound, and Film Comment. She’s organized film programs and founded a film festival in NYC. She, along with The Memphis Indie team has done an exceptional job keeping film in Memphis in the forefront during the pandemic.

Melissa Anderson Sweazy

Melissa is an award-winning screenwriter, film and music video director, podcaster, essayist, and photographer. Right here in Memphis, she began to create films on her own terms.  Resurrecting scripts, and handling the production process, she has been able to direct and produce several of her own works. Sweazy has created an animated short for the Grizzlies through a grant. She also created a documentary about Camp Good Grief which won both juried and audience awards at film festivals. You can see her movies and catch up on her sporadically updated adventures at melissasweazy.com.

Katori Hall

Memphis-native Katori Hall is the book writer and co-producer of the West End and Broadway hit, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical. She’s also the executive producer and showrunner of P-VALLEY, the breakout Starz drama based on her play Pu**y Valley. Katori is an award winner, known for her writing, playwriting, journalism, and acting. She is, perhaps, best known for The Mountaintop. The play, which fictionalizes the last night in Martin Luther King Jr.’s life, won the Olivier Award for Best New Play in 2010 before opening on Broadway in October 2011 to critical acclaim. Katori’s other works include the award-winning Hurt Village, Hoodoo Love, Saturday Night/Sunday Morning, Our Lady of Kibeho and The Blood Quilt. She is also the director of the award-winning short, Arkabutla. Katori is currently developing multiple projects across film, television and theater.

Lauren Ready

Lauren is an Emmy award-winning storyteller with more than a decade of experience. She spent the first part of her career in TV journalism. Ultimately, WMC Action News 5 brought Lauren and her husband Scott to Memphis. And it was here that Lauren found her passion for telling the stories she does now, as owner and Principal Storyteller for Forever Ready Productions. She directed and produced an Emmy award-winning short documentary called “Bike Lee.” It won Audience Choice at the Indie Memphis Film Festival. She created the Emmy-nominated video featuring a former Regional One Health patient who, after a tough battle against near death, was reunited with his doctors and nurses who saved his life. She directed the team-wide production of 2018 Indie Memphis winner “You Must Believe,” which took home the Audience Choice award in the Hometowner Documentary Short category. It also won an Emmy in 2020. Lauren is constantly producing and capturing stories visually.

Zaire Love

Zaire is an award-winning filmmaker, music maker, and writer whose mission is to honor, amplify, and archive the stories and voices of the Black South concentrating her work in Memphis and Mississippi. Her artistry is an ode to being Black and southern in America because the Black South has always had meaningful “cornbread” to share. In her TEDx talk, Baby Hair + Hot Sauce = Embrace What They Ain’t, she talks about the power that Black women [Beyonce and Fannie Lou Hamer] from the South possess and how that power of embracing what others are not is the power that makes them legendary. Zaire is currently making and creating with her studio, Creative Cornbread. Check out her works at zairelove.com.

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In 2o17, The City of Memphis ranked as one of the top 15 Best Places to Work and Live as a Moviemaker. The study on filming locations showed that Memphis attracted 119 client projects, nearly doubling its number of network series, which resulted in 983 reported jobs. Sounds like a win-win! Not only does our city provide the perfect background for the big screen, our very own Memphians and local businesses benefit from these productions. But, hey, this is Memphis. We’re not surprised. We’re changing the world, whether onscreen or in our own backyard. If you’re curious what the fuss is all about, just take a look.

The lure

Empowering. Soul-filled. Diverse. These are just a few words to describe the vibe that has attracted so many to Memphis, but what awards us the spotlight for a top filming location? Ask a Memphian and the list will be endless. As for moviemakers, the lure starts with our “infectious Southern vibrancy” and extends to:

The landscape

Memphis’ unique location as the border city of three states offers moviemakers a wide array of nearby landscapes, ranging from downtown Memphis to the Delta Mississippi.

The diverse geography showcases Memphis, but can also be transformative when moviemakers need to emulate the streets of Chicago or the neighborhoods of Cape Cod.

The people

When it comes to cast and crew, moviemakers can’t get enough of who Memphis has to offer.

Since Tennessee is a right-to-work state, there are plenty of talented Memphians who thrive in all parts of the movie production process. Moreover, moviemakers have an abundance of casting opportunities, as creative and theatrical professionals live and act all over the city. Look no further than the Orpheum Theatre, the University of Memphis’ theatre program and more.

Accommodations abound

We owe a lot of praise to the Memphis & Shelby County Film and Television Commission. Thanks to its unwavering support and accommodating qualities, moviemakers have had a hard time passing up filming in the River City. In fact, these benefits led the five-time Academy Award-nominated film “Walk the Line” to shoot in Memphis over Louisiana.

Once confirming their filming location, producers have the freedom to choose from a number of public facilities at no cost, including schools, the Shelby County Courthouse and the more than 14,000-acre Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park.

Our city’s Film Commission then goes overboard to ensure that the entire cast and crew has reservations at local hotels, and continues to handle extensions and other accommodations upon arrival.

Travel and transport

When you’re on a tight deadline and hours and days mean thousands of dollars, time is everything. With this in mind, you can’t blame producers for choosing Memphis! The nonstop flights to Los Angeles and New York relieve a lot of the headaches and wasted time of layovers.

People aren’t the only things needing quick transport during crunch time! When a package needs to be overnighted to Memphis, nearby FedEx International works hard to get items delivered, staying open until almost midnight. After all, we all know what a relief it is when your package arrives on time.

The sounds of Memphis

Last but not by any means least, the music roots that grow and gather throughout our city capture the attention of moviemakers looking to cast musical roles and to create iconic, award-winning motion-picture soundtracks.

Made in Memphis

From indie films to Academy Award- and Golden Globe-winners, beloved movies of all genres have featured the iconic streets of Memphis. Luckily, you don’t have to be part of the cast and crew to see these locales up close. Whether you’re in town for a quick business trip, taking it easy on a Saturday afternoon or visiting to soak up the city’s soul and sounds, follow in the footsteps of some of your favorite actors and actresses throughout our city.

While you can always count on Beale Street as a path where legends walk, don’t forget to check out Memphis’ motion-picture moments at other unique spots, including:

• Schwab: “Mystery Train”
• An alley near The Rendezvous restaurant: “Great Balls of Fire”
• Bozo’s Hot Pit Barbeque: “Walk the Line”
• The Butcher Shoppe Steakhouse: “The Rainmaker”
• Central Gardens Neighborhood: “21 Grams”
• Commercial Appeal: “Nothing But the Truth”
• Earnestine & Hazel’s: “21 Grams”
• FedEx International Hub: “Cast Away”
• Graceland: “Great Balls of Fire”
• Jerry’s Snow Cones: “Great Balls of Fire”
• Orpheum Theatre: “Great Balls of Fire” and “Walk the Line”
• Peabody Hotel’s Ballroom: “The Rainmaker”
• Peabody Hotel’s Chez Philippe: “The Client”
• The Pipkin Building at the Memphis Fairgrounds: “Walk the Line”
• Riverside Drive: “The Firm”
• Shelby County Courthouse: “Silence of the Lambs”
• South Main: “Great Balls of Fire,” “Mystery Train,” “Walk the Line”
• Sun Studios: “Great Balls of Fire,” “Mystery Train,” “Walk the Line”
• The Arcade Restaurant: “The Client,” “Mystery Train,” “The Rainmaker”
• The Shrine Building: “The Firm”
• Westy’s: “The Rainmaker”

This is only a portion of some of our city’s most memorable moviemaking landmarks, and as Linn Sitler of the Memphis Film Commission noted, Memphis’ onscreen appearances don’t start or end with movies: “Even in years with major feature films, TV has always been our meat and potatoes.” If you’ve been binge-watching “This Is Us,” you’ve probably spotted our soulful city in some scenes!

Becoming one of the top filming locations for moviemaking is just one of the reasons why the world is quickly falling for the inescapable attraction of Memphis. Don’t be surprised if you keep seeing us on the big screen!

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