Locals Rule: Highlighting the Washtenaw County creatives in the 62nd Ann Arbor Film Festival
by christopherporter
The Ann Arbor Film Festival (AAFF) draws experimental filmmakers from across the world, but ever since it began in 1963 it's also made room for local creators to show their works.
The Acting Office: Andrew Otchere turned his University of Michigan studies into the comedy "Becoming BFA: The Showcase Showdown"
by christopherporter
Sometimes the most challenging part of a creative project is figuring out the best means of communicating a story to an audience.
Ann Arbor filmmaker Christina Morales Hemenway premieres "Get Real" comedy at the Michigan Theater
by christopherporter
Christina Morales Hemenway got the idea for her new film, Tommy Hollywood and Katie Encino Move to the Midwest to Get Real, in 2005, after she moved back to Michigan following 17 years in Los Angeles.
AADL 2023 STAFF PICKS: HOMEPAGE
by christopherporter
People who work at the Ann Arbor District Library love to give recommendations.
Screen Tests: Experimental shorts by Ann Arbor filmmakers
by christopherporter
Like all great things, the Ann Arbor Film Festival rose from humble beginnings.
The Lord of the Screens: U-M professor Daniel Herbert chronicles the history of New Line Cinema in "Maverick Movies"
by christopherporter
Late August at Hotel Ozone. Stunts. Get Out Your Handkerchiefs. A Nightmare on Elm Street. Critters. House Party. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me. Dumb and Dumber. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. Hedwig and the Angry Inch. The Lord of the Rings. The Notebook.
These films all have one thing in common: New Line Cinema.
Sing Us a Song: The piano men and women of "Duelers" star in a new Michigan-produced film with deep local connections
by christopherporter
Duelers Piano Bar is the home of five young musicians who trade keyboard licks and share solace, shots, and sounds on a nightly basis. But the venue that offers them a routine and respite from problems is about to be sold by a money-hungry owner, which will turn their lives upside down.
Panel Discussion: "Cinema Guild and Campus Film Societies: Their History and Legacy"
by christopherporter
March's 61st Ann Arbor Film Festival (AAFF) was also the soft launch of Frank Uhle's new book, Cinema Ann Arbor, which officially comes out in June.
Uhle hosted a panel at AAFF, "Cinema Guild and Campus Film Societies: Their History and Legacy," a topic covered in the book, documenting the groups who brought cutting-edge films to the University of Michigan—and the controversies that sometimes ensued.
No Restrictions: Independent Film Festival Ypsilanti returns with a full slate
by christopherporter
When Martin Thoburn and Donald Harrison launched the Independent Film Festival Ypsilanti (iFFY) in 2020, they offered cinema fans socially distanced, drive-in-style screenings and a momentary reprieve from the pandemic, which had shuttered movie theaters across the country.
Three years later—and one year after finding a new home at the Riverside Arts Center—iFFY is solidifying its spot on the local film scene with an ambitious scope and schedule, running April 19-23.