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Making a documentary on pop culture has many dangers, from nostalgia and overindulgence to smugness and condescension. THE DUNGEON MASTERS is a rare example of a film that avoids all of these pitfalls and portrays characters rich in complexity. It follows three Dungeons and Dragons gamers living in unglamorous corners of lower-middle-class America. Over the course of one year, we see how their real-life aspirations are fuelled by the worlds of their imaginations. Scott, whose self-deprecating humour has not translated into success as a budding novelist, struggles to support his wife and son. Elizabeth, an attractive twenty-three-year-old who dresses as a dark elf, seeks companionship after a failed marriage. Richard, who has a penchant for killing make-believe characters, aspires to reconnect with the real stepson he abandoned. Even if you find it hard to identify with the role-playing fantasy lives of these individuals, it’s easy to empathize with their human selves.
The film reunites the talents of director Keven McAlester and cinematographer Lee Daniel, who is best known for shooting many of Richard Linklater’s films. The first collaboration between McAlester and Daniel, You’re Gonna Miss Me, explored the schizophrenic world of singer Roky Erickson, and earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination. THE DUNGEON MASTERS shares that film’s discerning eye for detail. The opening scene at the annual gaming convention Gen Con establishes the milieu, as participants wander through Indianapolis dressed as magicians and swordsmen. The camera’s gaze may find the humor in the story, but it is also full of affection. The film’s mood is enhanced by a whimsical and haunting score by the band Blonde Redhead.
Seeking escape from life is a universal instinct. For some people, it takes the form of D&D; for others, film festivals. Our imaginations allow us to draw strength and courage to overcome life’s setbacks and surprises. In THE DUNGEON MASTERS, we’re reminded that all rewards come with a certain risk.
Q&A with director Keven McAlester
The Betrayal (Nerakhoon): P.O.V. Film Screening
Thursday, November 13, 7:00 p.m.
The New School, Arnhold Hall, Theresa Lang Community and Student
Center, 55 West 13th Street, 2nd floor
Admission: Free; no tickets or reservations required
P.O.V., the award-winning documentary film program on PBS and the
Department of Media Studies and Film present a screening before the
television premiere of Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath's debut
film, The Betrayal (Nerakhoon). It tells the story of a family's epic
journey from war-torn Laos to the mean streets of New York. Filmed over
the course of 23 years, The Betrayal movingly chronicles the family's
struggle to reckon with that which was left behind while forging a new
and difficult life in a foreign land. Thavisouk gives a first-hand
account of his own boyhood survival of war, his later escape from
persecution and arrest in Laos, his miraculous reunion with his family
and their journey to America, and the second war they had to fight on
the streets of New York City. Thavisouk's mother also gives powerful
testimony of her unflagging efforts to single-handedly raise and
shepherd a family of ten amidst almost constant danger. The result is a
story of what it means to be in exile, of the far-reaching consequences
of war, and of the resilient bonds of family. Thavisouk's
unforgettable journey reminds us of the strength necessary to survive
unthinkable conditions, and of the human spirit's inspiring capacity
to adapt, rebuild, and forgive.
Q&A with the filmmakers to follow.
Sponsored by the Department of Media Studies and Film.
Showtimes: Daily at 1:00 2:50** 5:00 7:00* 9:25
Q&A with author and health expert Howard Straus on Fri. and Sat. following the 7:00 shows and Sun. following the 2:50.
**IDA members can get $2 off the normal ticket price on opening weekend (Fri. 11/14, Sat 11/15 and Sunday 11/16) by printing of this coupon and presenting it at the box office.
Distributed by Cinema Libre Studio - more at:www.thebeautifultruthmovie.com
The Garden
A Film by Scott Hamilton Kennedy
Screening at The Red Nation Film Festival
Friday November 14, 2008, 9pm
Aranti Japan America Theater
244 S. San Pedro
Los Angeles, CA 90012
*Q/A with filmmaker and guests following screening*
Tickets are $12 and are available at the Box office and online. FREE admission for all students (under 25 years of age) with valid I.D. And, to make the festival affordable for all: after this first 200 paying customers, others will be allowed in on a 'pay what you can' suggested donation.
for more info :
www.rednationfilmfestival.com
818-904-9256
View the trailer (and join our website):
www.thegardenmovie.com/trailer
THE GARDEN
This award-winning documentary chronicles the complex and emotional story of the destruction of Los Angeles' South Central Farm. Created from the ashes of the L.A. riots in 1992, the South Central Farm was the largest urban farm in the United States until its destruction in 2006. "The Garden" follows the farmers as they organize and launch an impassioned public battle to save the farm. The film documents the farmers' struggle against the city's backroom deals, and exposes the underlying issues of money, power, poverty and racial discord. The film explores the fault lines in American society, raising crucial and challenging questions about liberty, equality, and justice for the poorest and most vulnerable among us.
Monday, November 17, 6:30 p.m.
The New School, Arnhold Hall, Theresa Lang Community and Student
Center, 55 West 13th Street, 2nd floor
Admission: Free; no tickets or reservations required
Film screening of the new documentary Vincent Who? which continues the
story first presented in the 1987 documentary Who Killed Vincent Chin?
In 1982, Vincent Chin was murdered in Detroit by two white autoworkers
at the height of anti-Japanese sentiments in the United States. For the
first time, Asian Americans around the country galvanized to form a real
community and movement. The documentary, inspired by a series of town
halls organized by Asian Pacific Americans for Progress on the 25th
anniversary of the case, features interviews with the key players at the
time, as well as a whole new generation of activists. Vincent Who? asks
how far Asian Americans have come since then and how far we have yet to
go. Featured interviews include: Helen Zia (lead activist during the
Chin trial), Renee Tajima Pena (director, "Who Killed Vincent Chin?"),
Stewart Kwoh (Executive Director, Asian Pacific American Legal Center),
Lisa Ling (journalist), Sumi Pendakur (Univ. of Southern California) and
a group of five diverse young APA activists whose lives were impacted by
Vincent Chin.
Followed by a Q & A session with the filmmakers Curtis
Chin and Tony Lam. Sponsored by the New School for General Studies
Bachelor's Program.
Monday, November 17, 6:30 p.m.
The New School, Arnhold Hall, Theresa Lang Community and Student
Center, 55 West 13th Street, 2nd floor
Admission: Free; no tickets or reservations required
Film screening of the new documentary Vincent Who? which continues the
story first presented in the 1987 documentary Who Killed Vincent Chin?
In 1982, Vincent Chin was murdered in Detroit by two white autoworkers
at the height of anti-Japanese sentiments in the United States. For the
first time, Asian Americans around the country galvanized to form a real
community and movement. The documentary, inspired by a series of town
halls organized by Asian Pacific Americans for Progress on the 25th
anniversary of the case, features interviews with the key players at the
time, as well as a whole new generation of activists. Vincent Who? asks
how far Asian Americans have come since then and how far we have yet to
go. Featured interviews include: Helen Zia (lead activist during the
Chin trial), Renee Tajima Pena (director, "Who Killed Vincent Chin?"),
Stewart Kwoh (Executive Director, Asian Pacific American Legal Center),
Lisa Ling (journalist), Sumi Pendakur (Univ. of Southern California) and
a group of five diverse young APA activists whose lives were impacted by
Vincent Chin.
Followed by a Q & A session with the filmmakers Curtis
Chin and Tony Lam. Sponsored by the New School for General Studies
Bachelor's Program.