PUTNEY, Vt. – Next Stage Arts screens “Family Matters: A Tour of Vermont Short Films” on Saturday, Oct. 19, at 6 p.m., at Next Stage.
“Part of the love we have of programming is highlighting Vermont-based talent. These are filmmakers who choose to live in Vermont, while creating professional and personal tendrils into the larger filmmaking ecosystem,” says Keith Marks, executive director of Next Stage Arts. “Supporting our regional artists is one of our core values, and we’re excited to be stepping into the world of Vermont-made films.”
Presented by The Vermont Production Collective, a group of four award-winning filmmakers explore what it means to be a family in Vermont. The program features four short fiction films that offer a uniquely Vermont perspective on the pains and joys of being a family. The film screening will be followed by a filmmakers mixer in the Next Stage community room. All are welcome to join and build the southern Vermont creative community.
The four films to be shown are as follows:
“Bloodroot” is a tender relationship portrait of two brothers, told over the course of their lives.
In “Bad Mother,” a mother copes with her husband’s confession of infidelity on the eve of a funeral.
“I Guess It Might Be Selfish” is a poetic reflection on the clash between individual and family needs.
“The Thaw” is a beautifully rendered 19th-century Vermont horror story.
“After decades of screening films in film festivals, I had a dream of programming my own series. I wanted to be very intentional about how each of the films in a program can inform each other. I saw ‘Bad Mother’ and ‘The Thaw’ and was excited, not only by the quality of the films, but how such differently crafted films can tackle the same subject matter; family dynamics that are unique to Vermont. I immediately understood that my own film, ‘Bloodroot,’ was in conversation with these movies. I helped produce ‘I Guess It Might Be Selfish’ and knew the story and level of craftsmanship would complement the program,” said Lukas Huffman, program organizer.
Huffman continued, “In the growing sea of content, it’s essential that independent movies find the right audience. And vice-versa, audiences need help finding movies that speak to them. I’m thrilled to be bringing these local Vermont filmmakers, telling distinctly Vermont stories, to all corners of the state.”
Next Stage is located at 15 Kimball Hill in downtown Putney, Vt. Tickets are by a small suggested donation. For information, call 802-387-0102. Advance tickets are available at www.nextstagearts.org. Next Stage will provide a beer, wine, and cocktail cash bar.