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With the Traverse City Film Festival almost upon us, there's a lot of interest in films and moviemaking.

The Glen Arbor Art Association is bringing in filmmaker, writer and radio producer Andrea Maio for a one week documentary boot camp course for teens August 9-12, 10 AM – 5 PM. It will be a whirlwind week exploring the many modes of non-fiction storytelling in all its stages; from research and interview techniques to shooting to making tough decisions in the editing room; students will get hands on experience in every aspect of documentary filmmaking. Students will access the rich cultural resources available to them in the Glen Arbor community to make a collaborative portrait of town. The week will culminate in a screening open to the Glen Arbor Community.

Video camera and laptop computer required, but some equipment is available. Tuition is $260 for Glen Arbor Art Association members and $270 for non-members. Registration can be handled at the GAAA web-site or by calling the GAAA office 231-334-6112.

In addition to Andrea's work on numerous non-fiction film and video projects she teaches filmmaking at Interlochen Arts Camp and the University of Missouri. Her work has been featured on IPR's This American Life. Here's a short video she did set in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore:

Sleeping Bear from andrea maio on Vimeo.

Photo: The Mill by LeelanauLens

Photo: Lucky Kids by J.Renee.Photo

In northern Michigan, we are lucky to have The State theater in our location, because they bring us interesting and unique films. Coming Monday is Swim with Aliens, video shorts covering a wide range of topics, from Sunrise on the Boardman to Alien Invaders of our Waters. Coming next month is the Red Carpet Premiere of Christina! Summer would not be complete without a little polka music at the Annual Cedar Polka Festival. And although, you may have missed the Artist in Residence, Charles Murphy's Reception and Exhibit at the Old Art Building, he still has events this summer worth checking out.

Week's Weather

June 16: Cloudy & 60 (65/54)
June 15: Rain & 67 (72/61)
June 14: Mostly cloudy & 65 (68/61)
June 13: Partly sunny & 68 (74/61)
June 12: Rain & 64 (68/59)
June 11: Rain & 66 (76/55)
June 10: Mostly cloudy & 60 (64/55)

Post your comments about the week's news, observations of the weather or the natural world or events below! You'll also want to check out the Leelanau Calendar and the latest news and features from Leelanau, Traverse City and the surrounding area in our blog! Here's the June 2009 archives, and Leelanau Almanac: June 3 – 9.

Green Carpet Premiere Event on Monday, 6 pm June 21 at the State!

FREE to everyone!

Volunteers for the partner organizations have been hard at work on short videos covering a wide range of topics, from Sunrise on the Boardman to Alien Invaders of our Waters. Come and celebrate our unique environment and the passion of your neighbors at the Green Carpet Gala Premiere event at the State Theater on Monday, June 21, 6:00 PM. There is no charge to attend, though you will need a ticket (available at the State Theater box office).

Anyone who wears green to the event gets free popcorn!

These videos are the result of the Focus on the Watershed project. This is a joint project of the UpNorth Media Center, Grand Traverse Conservation District, Inland Seas Education Association and the Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay.

July 1. 2010: It’s been a busy week for Leland-based 8180 Films owners, Rebecca Reynolds and Jim Carpenter. On Sunday, June 27th, their indie drama, Christina, won two more major awards at New York City’s VISIONFEST 10 at the Tribeca Cinemas: Outstanding Achievement in Writing (Larry Brand) and Outstanding Achievement in Acting (Stephen Lang).

Now the 6PM Red Carpet Premiere at Traverse City's State Theatre on Sunday July 18th is a sell-out. A second screening of Christina has been added at 9PM, also featuring a Q&A with the director and cast following the film. Tickets for the 9PM screening are ten dollars and can be purchased at the State Theatre Box Office or online at www.statetheatretc.org

Leland-based 8180 Films presents A Larry Brand Film: CHRISTINA, Inspired by a true story and starring Nicki Aycox, Jordan Belfi and Stephen Lang

The story is set in World War II and tells the story of a young German woman who is preparing to leave the war-ravaged city of Berlin to begin a new life in America with her G.I. fiancé. But standing between her and a hopeful future is a relentless police inspector who is determined to prevent her from escaping her past.

Head over to christinathemovie.com for more about the film!

Looking for something fun to do This Mother's Day Weekend? Green Fest is free fun for the whole family. Green Saturday, May 8 from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm at Clinch Park in Traverse City.

The GreenFest has something for everyone, bring the kids for a Kite Contest, put their hands to work at the Home Depot® Kid's Corner, let them plant a flower for mom at Green Lake Gardens' potting stand, enter a coloring contest (click here), and enter a Essay Contest. This is the place to connect with people, ideas, information, products and services related to green. Get great ideas from green professionals, discover how to reduce your utility bills, learn about green products and services, and explore green initiatives in our community. Please look at the Schedule of Events here.

There will also be free films at the Traverse City State Theatre ("Ice Age 2", at 10 am, and "Greenburg: A Story of Community Rebuilding", at 8 pm, produced by Leonardo DiCaprio) and in the Con Foster Building speakers (including John B. Carnett, photographer for POPULAR SCIENCE MAGAZINE) to inform and entertain the public and professional communities about the emerging green marketplace and the products and technologies this movement is creating.

Photo: The Beautiful Boardman by OMG its Shortiie

The Michigan State University Spartans basketball team has once again reached the NCAA Final Four. In honor of this, the State Theatre in Traverse City has reworked their Easter Weekend movie schedule (free movies for those stuck at home!) so that you can come and join 600 other crazed Spartan fans and cheer on the team this Saturday on the biiiiiiig screen. Tip off is at 6:07 pm and the doors will open at 4:30 pm.

They are offering this event free of charge, and you can pick up your free ticket beginning at 5 PM sharp today (Wednesday) at the box office. You can also call 231-947-3446 and they'll put tickets aside for you. Limit four tickets per person.

Ken's words about Ananda from his flickr page:

… a very special person in the Glen Arbor art community and beyond . . .

and an inspiring person to me

obit is here.

… I've been asked a few times now about this piece and Ananda, so thought I'd
expand on that and how it pertains to this piece . . .

Ananda started the local art group and I joined when I first moved up to this region and knew nothing about 'art' let alone selling it!
… her family was one of the original investors in my first book that helped launch my regional career.
I've always thought highly of her, her husband and kids … all creative types.
Ananda lived right across from the dune.
I was out Thursday night shooting this piece, not knowing why …
hours of waiting while the images gathered and my thoughts were going in
their direction since they were across the way …
I didn't know that she had passed …
The next day I was driven to edit the piece, but didn't know why, I've learned
to go with my instincts and just kept at it … got to a point I needed a
break and I went in to sit with the cats, have a cup of coffee and read the
local paper that had been sitting there since Wednesday …
I opened the first page and it was the obit page, there she was and then it hit me …
the energy behind the piece . . .
I did a quick re-edit to make it hers just in time to make the gather at their
house that aft and gave a copy to her husband who is a whole other story …
amazing guy .. .. ..

The perfect rendezvous involving sex and films is occurring January 28th for those who have a passion for fine films! The First Annual "Lunar Affair" is a benefit for Active Women Now, a local nonprofit that supports women's charities, through fun creative events.

The eclectic selection of movies, fine food catered by Grandview Catering, and Larry Mawby's Sparkling Wine "Sex" as well as raffle prizes and a silent auction will take place at the City Opera House, 106 E. Front St.,Thursday. Jan 28.

There will be a champagne reception featuring Mawby's "sex" and fine food between 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.; the films will be shown from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $28. The $28 includes one raffle ticket, and the wine toast and refreshments as well as the films.

"We looked for a unique set of films that people won't see in mainstream theaters," said Kaye Krapohl, one of the organizers behind the Lunar Affair. She and co-chair Julie Goodwin, owner of Posh partnered on bringing these films to downtown Traverse City. "These films are about celebrating diversity within our own community and the world. They are created by women, but the content transcends women only issues, hence the name Lunar Affair." she said.

Read more at about the Lunar Affair at MyNorth.com. Or visit the the Lunar Affair site. For more information on the films and the traveling festival, visit LUNAFEST.

For a teaser of the LUNAFEST films, watch this video:

LUNAFEST 09/10 Films from Mara Sohn on Vimeo.

The selection of short films includes:

• "A Summer Rain," A young Israeli immigrant struggles with her transition to American life.
• "Plastic,” A young woman redefines her self-image moments before a first date.
• "Roz (and Joshua),” Separated from her son, Roz lives for the time when they will reunite permanently.
• "Monday Before Thanksgiving," Through a chance encounter, a single woman learns that the life she lives is exactly what she wants.
• "DIY: Emancipation 101," A playful animation about women and bicycling.
• "The Kinda Sutra," How are babies made?
• "A Vida Politica," A Brazilian hairstylist explains how beauty can be a form of activism.
• "Anjali," When Anjali becomes witness to her father's betrayal, she must decide if she will share her secret and risk devastating her family.
• "Omelette," A mother battles with the challenges of inflation.
• "The McCombie Way," Words of wisdom from a mystic in the middle of the Mojave Desert.

"The movies are all different, but have one thing in common: unique storytelling." Krapohl said.

Tickets are available through the City Opera House box office at www.cityoperhouse.org.
For more information you can also visit www.lunaraffair.org.

Rebecca Reynolds, Hollywood recognized actress, writer, and producer who has continually
possessed creativity, resilience and flexibility throughout her 30 year career in show business will be at the Leland Public School Performing Arts Center on the night of Wednesday, January 20th at 7:00 pm to present “My Hyphenated Life: Or What I Really Want to be When I Grow Up” hosted by the Leland Educational Foundation. Join Rebecca Reynolds as she shares her journey from stage, screen and television performances to Executive Producer for the newly created 8180 Films based in Leland, Michigan. Gain insight into how she reinvented herself through the often challenging and exciting realm of show business “from summer stock as a dead Cherokee Indian in silhouette to Executive Producer and Writer/Producer today, from a go?go dancer in Puerto Rico to appearing on Broadway with Kevin Kline and Patty LuPone in John Housman’s Acting Company, from stand?up comedy at Catch a Rising Star in New York City to cowriting psychological thriller films, from the mundane overly?dramatic world of soap operas to the exciting, no?holds?barred comedy world of HBO. Rebecca’s verve has lead to a diverse career which will intrigue and inspire any audience”.

The Insight and Inspiration Speaker Series will be held throughout the 2009/2010 school year to illuminate, entertain, and inspire the community by providing an interaction with Leelanau’s many, often nationally recognized, local experts in their respective fields. These individuals will bring the world to Leelanau while sharing how Leelanau has influence their lives.

The series is open to individuals 12 years and older and will begin with a 6:30 pm reception and followed by a short Q & A. Individual tickets are available for $10.00 at the door or in advance from the Leland Public School office. Free admission is provided for students 12 years and up with on?site childcare for children 11 years and under. All proceeds will benefit the Leland Educational Foundation which funds enrichment programs for Leland Public School students and classrooms.

A membership in the Insight and Inspiration Speaker Series is also available through a Subscriber or Patron Membership. A Subscriber Membership of $75.00 provides 10 tickets which are good for any of the lectures held throughout the 2009/2010 school year. A Patron Membership provides 10 tickets and recognition on display at the Performing Arts Center lobby as a special supporter of the speaker series for a contribution of $150.00. You may claim $50.00 of a Patron’s contribution as a charitable tax deduction.

The Leland Educational Foundation mission is to complement and enhance the world?class educational
experience for students (K?12) attending Leland Public Schools through private donations received from
local businesses, community organizations, parents and other area residents. For more information about the Leland Educational Foundation or the Insight and Inspiration Speaker Series go to
www.lelandeducationalfoundation.org.

The Bay Theater is delighted to present Seraphine.
Not Rated – 125 min

Based on a true story, Seraphine centers on Séraphine de Senlis (Moreau), a simple and profoundly devout housekeeper whose brilliantly colorful canvases now adorn some of the most famous galleries in the world. Wilhelm Uhde (Tukur), a German art critic and collector – he was the first Picasso buyer and discoverer of naïve primitive painter Le Douanier Rousseau – discovers her paintings while she is working for him as a maid in the beautiful countryside of Senlis near Paris in the early part of the 20th century.

Visit the official website trailer and more!

Here's how it works:
One film per month -only $5.50 each
February 7-9 – Treeless Mountain (South Korea)

March 7-9 & April 11-13 – To Be Announced

Choose a showtime: Sunday @ 2:00, Sunday @ 5:00, Monday @ 6:00, or Tuesday @ 6:00.
Don't worry, if you can't make it to your showtime, we'll accept your ticket at one of the other times.
If you would like to receive a brochure complete with movie descriptions, photos, and subscription form, please send your mailing address to thebay@chartermi.net
Or call 231-271-5800.