ARIZONA MEDIA ARTS FILM SHOWCASE AT THE GALLAGHER THEATER APRIL 21

"Monsoon St. ‘77" by Minda Martin, USA, 2005, 13 min.
A wildly imaginative daughter escapes the life created by a distracted mother in an experimental and visually eccentric look at addiction and creativity.

"Life List" by Tom Dunlap, USA, 2005, 16 min.
The quest to see ever more beautiful and rare birds is a sport to those who measure time and memory by their bird counts.

"The Border Crossed Us" by Rachael J. Nez, USA, 2005, 26 min.
Immigration law denies citizenship to many Tohono O’odham people who used to cross the USA-Mexico border freely, disrupting long established community and culture.

"High and Dry" (Excerpts) by Michael Toubassi, USA, 2006, 120 min.
Tucson has been a hotbed of musical talent for more than 20 years, fostering a thriving music scene with a growing reputation. This music documentary pays tribute to some of the influential and eclectic musicians that make up the Tucson music community.

The first Tucsonfilm.com Shortfest was a success, thanks to the hard work and dedication of UA Media Arts alumnus, and Shortfest director, Timothy Gassen. Interested? Check out his TucsonFilm.com Shortfest blog here: http://www.tucsonfilm.com/ for event pictures/ and feedback.

TUCSONFILM.COM Shortfest 2006...Workshops!!!

I tidbit, that remains appartenly overlooked about this Saturday's TUCSONFILM.COM Shortfest, are the Filmmakers Workshops happening in the early afternoon at The Loft Cinema.

AFTERNOON FILMMAKER'S SEMINAR:
(3 PM-5:30PM)

MARLOWE WEISMAN
DICK FISHER
JOE JONES
MIKE ROM

Names floating just beneath the surface of independent film industry, offering their insights into the business and creative aspects of making the magic happen.

Go here for further details: www.tucsonfilm.com

AIFF UA Alumni Showcase at the Gallagher

Friday April 21 Alumni Films at the Gallagher

The Arizona International Film Festival & the University of Arizona Department of Media Arts proudly present a program of films by alumni screening in the 2006 Festival. This event is the afternoon component of a two part event. Starting at 9:30 Am Friday morning, these filmmakers and others will be sitting in on a panel discussion on the current state of film distribution and production. These panel discussions will be in Marshall Bldg. Room 212, Corner of 2nd St. and Park Ave, in Tucson. (Event info)

Monsoon St. ‘77
Minda Martin, USA, 2005, 13 min.

--A wildly imaginative daughter escapes the life created by a distracted mother in an experimental and visually eccentric look at addiction and creativity.

Life List
Tom Dunlap, USA, 2005, 16 min.

--The quest to see ever more beautiful and rare birds is a sport to those who measure time and memory by their bird counts.

The Border Crossed Us
Rachael J. Nez, USA, 2005, 26 min.

--Immigration law denies citizenship to many Tohono O’odham people who used to cross the USA-Mexico border freely, disrupting long established community and culture.

High and Dry (Excerpts)
Michael Toubassi, USA, 2006, 120 min.

--Tucson has been a hotbed of musical talent for more than 20 years, fostering a thriving music scene with a growing reputation. This music documentary pays tribute to some of the influential and eclectic musicians that make up the Tucson music community.

Media Arts Alums Minda Martin, Bill Kersey (Life List), Rachel Nez, and Michael Toubassi will answer questions from the audience.

Made possible by generous support from the College of Fine Arts Dean’s Fund for Excellence and the Department of Media Arts.

Arizona Media Arts Alumni Festival Showcase
UA Memorial Student Union Gallagher Theater
Friday April 21, 2006
2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Free and Open to the Public

Alumni Update: Timothy Gassen

Timothy Gassen is an Alumni of the UA Media Arts program, who continues to work in film and television above-the-line as a writer, producer and director. Current commercial releases include two rock music DVDs, several audio CDs, and a slew of new productions on the film fest circuit.
He continues to write for media magazines globally, and operates two music publishing companies as well as the Tucson-based PCMP film and video production company (www.purple-cactus.tv). Ramping up for a new dramatic feature, he is especially interested in connecting with and hiring other UA alum for key positions. Timothy also founded the TucsonFilm.com ShortFest, a truly independent film festival which strives to include UA filmmakers excluded from other Arizona festivals.

Go "behind the scenes at a truly indie film fest created by filmmakers for filmmakers -- Saturday, April 15 at the Loft Cinema in Tucson, Arizona," with El Super Ocho, aka Timothy Gassen, director of the Tucsonfilm.com Shortfest - discuss the local film fest on his site: www.tucsonfilm.com

Festival News - April 06

Media Arts student films from Nicole Koschmann's fall MAR 313 experimental production class have been accepted into the May edition of the Phoenix microcinema, NO FESTIVAL REQUIRED, a monthly screening of selected films that takes place at the art gallery Modified Arts. More information at: nofestivalrequired.com

A Way In, by Eli Cordova
The Sad Tale of Mortimer Peachey, by Clair Corcoran and Kelli Dickson
Share This, by Roberto Gudino

Roberto Gudino's film, Share This, has also been accepted into the Damah Film Festival, screening in Culver city, OK in May.

GLAAD Entertainment Media Director

April 13
Damon Romine
(http://www.glaad.org/)


UA Center for English as a Second Language, room 103
4pm - 5 pm
Free and open to the public

1100 E JAMES E. ROGERS WAY
(Between Park Ave. and Student Union Memorial)

Damon Romine works at the crossroads where the world of entertainment meets lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) content. On any given day, Mr. Romine might be promoting an upcoming LGBT film, advocating for fair and accurate portrayals on TV, and responding to defamation in the media.

Mr. Romine has worked in the entertainment industry since 1987. After graduating from the University of Missouri-Columbia with degrees in both journalism and communications, he worked as a television reporter and news producer for NBC affiliate KOMU-TV in Columbia, Missouri. He moved to Los Angeles where he spent four years developing television series and movies for Davis Entertainment.

In 1992, Mr. Romine turned to the world of entertainment news and journalism and began a 12-year stint as a magazine editor for the popular consumer magazines such as Soap Opera Update, J-14 and Teen. He is also a best selling children's book author.

Mr. Romine's work with non-profits goes back to 1990, when he joined the education committee of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation, where he remains a volunteer today working with college students and communications faculty. For two years, he served as a co-chair of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Leadership Awards. He became affiliated with The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) in 2000 as a volunteer before joining the staff in February 2005.

GLAAD is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. Info at 626-1405

This event is presented by the UA Department of Media Arts as part of the Media Arts 2006 Producing Colloquium, with support from the College of Fine Arts and the Hanson Film Institute.

As always, for further information call (520) 626-1405

Alumni in the Business

Discussions and films
Free and open to the public
April 21, 2006
9:30 am - 4:30 pm
Tucson, AZ

Panel Discussions:
Marshall 212 (Park Ave & 2nd St)

[9:45 - 11:30 am] "Distribution"
Peggy Johnson, Director of the Tucson Cinema Foundation (The Loft Cinema), Tucson
Edward Noeltner, CEO of the Cinema Management Group, LA
Michael Toubassi, Upstairs Films, Director of High and Dry
Michael J. Shoel, Ariztical Entertainment

[11:45 am- 1 pm] "Production"
Minda Martin, Filmmaker
Edye Belasco, Casting Director, Slither
Rachael Nez, The Border Crossed Us
Michael Toubassi, Director of High and Dry


ON-SCREEN: Alumni Short Films

[2:30 pm - 4:30] Gallager Theater (Student Union Memorial)

The Arizona International Film Festival (AIFF) is providing a program of short films from this year's current festival selections. Films created by alumni of the UA Media Arts program will screen followed by a Q & A session with filmmakers. This is a wonderful opportunity to get a sneak peak into this year's AIFF which runs from April 21 to April 30 at venues all around Tucson.

Info at: (520) 626-1405