Rapp Sheet 
WICHITA TALLGRASS: BEST SHORTS(0)
June 24, 2011 —
CinemaKC and the Kansas Film Commission bring you a selection of the best short films from the Tallgrass Film Festival of Wichita, planning its ninth year in October. “Elijah Returns,” a comedic seven-minute film realizing the last script of the late festival director, Tim Gruber, directed by Tyler Emerson, is featured with nine other shorts Saturday, June 25 at 7:30 p.m. at Screenland Crown Center. Meet up with filmmakers and festival organizers ready to answer your questions.
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‘RAIN’ CONCLUDES FILM SERIES
Tonight at Screenland: Anne Makepeace’s award-winning documentary, “Rain in a Dry Land,” which follows the story of Somali Bantu immigrants who have come to the US after years in refugee camps; this free program includes a discussion after the film with people who are and who work with Somali and other refugees in our community. Not a part of “America: Now and Here” but serendipitously touching on the same theme of our complex national identity, Crossroads of Culture Film Series is a home-grown success.
TRIBECA COMES TO KANSAS CITY
“America: Now and Here” is in its second week, with art from national artists and reflected by work produced by our local talent. Independent film has a particularly poignant way to show our collective national identity, and tonight at 7 p.m., Studio b (2016 Main, across Baltimore from the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center) is the place to be to see a selection of award-winning Tribeca Film Festival shorts to get us all talking. So, no worries about the rain!
AND THE WINNERS ARE …
Time to celebrate and make notes for what to get on DVD or watch out for on CinemaKC’s weekly television show or at the local theatres like Tivoli and Screenland: the winners of the 2011 Kansas City FilmFest, hosted at the AMC Mainstreet 6 April 6 through 10, are here — including a number of local student filmmakers to keep your eye on.
ALTMAN ACHIEVEMENT AWARD & GRANT, KC FILMFEST CONCLUSION
On Sunday, April 10, CinemaKC presents an award to the late great director from Kansas City, Robert Altman; his wife, Kathryn, and sons, Michael and Robert Reed Altman, as well as actor Michael Murphy, will be on hand for a discussion of “M*A*S*H,” following a big-screen showing of Altman’s 1970 classic. The event benefits the new Robert Altman Emerging Filmmakers Fund.
AMC KANSAS CITY FILMFEST HEADS INTO WEEKEND WITH POWERHOUSE LINEUP
Filmmaker, screenwriter, and Review’s film columnist, Jerry Rapp highlights the array of choices in foreign features, competition documentaries, features, and shorts, as well as workshops and receptions for the third and fourth days (Friday/Saturday) of the AMC Theatres Kansas City Film Fest, April 6 through 10 downtown.
AMC KANSAS CITY FILMFEST 2011 STARTS APRIL 6
The AMC Theatres™ Kansas City FilmFest is on! April 6 through 10, the AMC Mainstreet 6 in the Power and Light District is the place to be — though there are great features playing at the Tivoli, too, and Fringe Central is hosting filmmaker workshops throughout. Stars are coming to town, including Michael Biehn, Michael Murphy and Kathryn Altman. Entertainment, competition, awards, and more — all you need to map out your filmfest schedule is here.
KC FILMS GET NEW WEEKLY TV SHOW
Local arts coverage is expanding in Kansas City with the premiere of a new weekly television show produced by CinemaKC. Starting March 26 (9:30 p.m. on KSMO-TV 62), CinemaKC brings films by area filmmakers to the airwaves, with interviews with directors, producers, and others working to increase Kansas City’s reputation as a great place to make award-winning films.
IT STARTED WITH SHORTS
With new support from AMC Entertainment, the KC FilmFest is fully fledged and ready to fly to even greater heights in April. Part of the growing strength of our filmmaking community are collaborations like CinemaKC, which is hosting a reception and screening of short films from the years leading up to today’s success, curated by Fred Andrews, founder of the original KC Jubilee film festival, on Thursday. Come, watch great examples of where it all began.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF ‘CATS’
“The Cats of Mirikitani” is a humble and profound documentary by skilled story weaver Linda Hattendorf that has traveled the world earning accolades. It makes its way to local soil on February 28, with a screening at 7 p.m. at the Lawrence Arts Center, and is about the life of artist Jimmy Mirikitani. His work has been curated by Roger Shimomura and is on view at the LAC along with Shimomura’s “Shadows of Minidoka” through March 12.
BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS
A new monthly film series sponsored by Jewish Vocational Service and in partnership with Screenland Theatre at the Crossroads starts Thursday, February 10 and highlights the challenges of people with needs served by JVS, people who make up our Kansas City, as well as world, community. The series opener, “Burma: An Indictment,” focuses on the plight of a country of 53 million who live under a military regime without basic rights of free movement, assembly, or speech — and who are at high risk for international sexual exploitation and trafficking. The “Crossroads of Culture” film series is free and open to all and includes informative displays and discussions by filmmakers, refugees, and others for our greater understanding.
A CHILL IN THE AIR
CinemaKC Presents hosts its second major screening get-together Sunday, January 23, at Screenland Crown Center. Join local filmmakers, including director Patrick Rea, for a screening of five of his short films, including “Now That You’re Dead,” “Mrs. Brumett’s Garden,” and “Time’s Up, Eve.” Come mingle at “Winter Chillers” and learn about the strength of the Kansas City and local film community of writers, producers, actors, and technicians.
CINEMAKC PRESENTS ‘CANDY’
Local filmmaker Todd Norris hopes to demonstrate that shooting a movie with a digital SLR camera fitted with special lenses to achieve film-like quality is worth the effort when he debuts “Candy Apple Red” Sunday, November 28 at Screenland Crown Center. Part of CinemaKC Presents, the screening includes Lisa Marie Evans’s “She” and Sharon Wright’s “Change for a Dollar.” Meet these filmmakers at the Q&A following the showing, which starts at 7:30 p.m.
KC PRODUCTION BEGINNINGS: THE CALVIN COMPANY
Back in the 1950s, Kansas City was known as a commercial filmmaking hub nationwide, thanks to the Calvin Company and the vision of its founder, Forrest O. Calvin, who insisted on staying in the city he loved. The Calvin Company made its mark in advertising, pioneered sound-on-film technology, and was among the first firms licensed to process Eastman-Kodak’s color film. Before it closed in 1982, the company kept scores of local actors, narrators, and other technically skilled people to work.
DESIGN ALLIANCE GETS ‘REEL’
The Kansas City Design Alliance, AIA-KC, and other partners present their Reel Design Film Series at the Tivoli Cinemas, starting November 4 with “Infinite Space: The Architecture of John Lautner,” about a break-away student of Frank Lloyd Wright, and continuing November 11 with “The September Issue,” which documents “VOGUE” editor Anna Wintour and the drama of producing the most important magazine issue of the fashion year.