It's not Hollywood or Bollywood, it's Nollywood!

The poster for Reggae Boys, which stars two of Nollywood's most famous stars.

The Nigerian movie industry also known as Nollywood produces about 2,500 movies a year. Which is about two and a half times as many films as Bollywood and over five times as many as Hollywood. The average Nollywood film costs between $17,000 and $25,000 US. The Nigerian film scene is fiercely low budget and DIY, but what makes it extremely interesting is the authenticity of the movies. This authenticity and proud African point of view is explored in depth in the documentary "Nollywood Babylon". This doc is one of the best written that I have seen in a long time.

Foxes! Dare to do What Others Dream Of

I went to a really fun event last week at the The Cinefamily the venue is also known as "the silent movie theater". I hope that most of you in L.A. know about this great place.

The night sleepover party themed. The main event was a double feature of a film released in 1980 called Foxes. Which stars Jodie Foster and features a teenage skateboarding Scott Baio, and a creepy cradle robbing Randy Quaid.

There was complimentary wine provided by Bear Flag Winery and delicious gelato from Paciugo

This trailer does not do justice at all to the insane campy brilliance of this film's dialog.

Trailer:

If your parents bought you cigarettes as a teenager. If you ever got mixed up with a tranny named Burt. If you have ever gone toe-to-toe with a pimp on the boulevard. If you love Donna Summers or if you love the movie "Nowhere" by Gregg Araki even half as much as I do. This movie is a must.

Emerging Hawaiian Filmmaker

A fellow filmmaker Hagoth Aiono brought to my attention. It's really pretty stuff.

Armed with a Camera

Visual Communications annual armed with a camera fellowship is accepting applications again from now until October 2010.

The information on the website is out of date. So you can check out generally what the requirements are here: http://www.vconline.org/artistops/awc.html

The person to send it to is different (Kennedy Kabasares) so if you have any other questions just email her at her contact below.

How to Apply

Please send the following:

Information Cover Sheet (Go to www.vconline.org to download)

Letter of intent
Resume
Project Treatment (2 page maximum)
Project Timeline (All projects must begin in November 2010 and must be completed by March 30, 2011)
Budget (if proposed budget exceeds $500, you must show/explain other sources of funding; budget items may include artist stipend, equipment, supplies, location fee, food, etc.)
Sample work cued to five minutes
Self-addressed stamped envelope for return of sample work

DEADLINE: Received by 5PM, October 1, 2010. For any questions or concerns, please feel free to call Kennedy Kabasares at (213) 680-4462 x32 or by email.

Email to: kennedy@vconline.org
Fax: (213) 687-4848

Mail to:

Visual Communications, 120 Judge John Aiso St., Basement Level, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Stories from the 2010 SoCal 'Ohana Retreat

Here are a some short videos that I helped Uncle Victor and Auntie Jane Pang get online. Some interesting Hawaiian stories and legends as well as how to put an imu pit together. Enjoy!

New York Smithsonian Screening - Haku Inoa

Sorry for the late update here on the East Coast Smithsonian Screenings. Both of the screenings were really fantastic for two main reasons. Number one to have my first museum screenings at two different Smithsonian museums is an amazing privilege. Secondly, it is inspiring to see the work of other Pacific Islander Filmmakers and learn about other indigenous cultures from all around the world.

First a short update on New York. Shortly I will get up an entry about DC, because the DC screening and trip was really amazing and deserves its own post!!!



The team from the Film and Video Center in New York were lovely. I was happy to be able to attend the artist reception on Wednesday before the Pasifika Showcase began. I had a chance to speak with Nancy Brunning who is in a wonderful Maori film called The Strength of Water. You can see the trailer here. Unfortunately, to be honest, the trailer doesn't do the film justice.

The Strength of Water is paced like a comforting drift of a lazy river. However, this underlying ease is upset by the trauma of the sudden accidental death of a young Maori girl named Melody. The entire village mourns her loss bitterly, but none more so than her twin brother Kimi. The film explores grief through magical realism brought to life through the love and loss of a young child.

Haku Inoa screened on a Saturday afternoon with a collection of other short films. A few hula sisters from New York and film school friends came by, and the Q&A after the films was fairly lively. There were maybe 50 or so folks at the screening, but that is not too surprising since it was a sunny Saturday afternoon in New York.

Two Shadows: A Fresh Cambodian-American Film, Now Casting Small Parts

Los Angeles Production of the exciting new feature film by Greg Cahil (Director of The Golden Voice) begins next week and we still looking to cast a few small roles for a scene that will be shot in Echo Park from 10am - 6pm on June 16th. We are looking for two "groupies", three guys or girls for "bandmates", a "bartender" someone with a greaser kind of look is preferred, and four or more "bar patrons".

Two Shadows is about Sovanna (Sophea Pel) a Long Beach hipster wannabe who receives a cryptic letter from Cambodia claiming that her two long-lost siblings are still alive. Ditching her dead-end lifestyle and alcoholic father, Sovanna travels to her birthplace alone to seek out her brother and sister who disappeared during the civil war 20 years earlier. With guidance from a quirky motorbike driver named Munny (Polo Doot), Sovanna launches her search into the dark corners of Cambodia. Upon discovering a girl who may or may not be her real sister (Lida Lang), Sovanna is ensnared into an increasingly dangerous situation, pitting her in a tug-of-war between her own personal safety, and her hopeful compassion for a stranger.

If you are interested please email Christen at 2shadowscasting@gmail.com with a picture of yourself and the role you are interested in.