It Starts Here: 2018 Jacksonville Film Festival Films Announced

The Jacksonville community will get to experience a variety of films September 14 and 15. The Jacksonville Film Festival will start with a red carpet event Friday, September 14 at 6:15 p.m. After the red carpet, JFF will start with the heartwarming documentary block, “HEART YOUR DOCS.” Following the short documentaries, JFF will screen the world premiere of Demetrius Wren’s feature film, Rehabilitation of the Hill. Mr. Wren will be in attendance for a Q&A following the 90 minute feature narrative about the cultural damages of gentrification.

“I’m really excited to show Jacksonville this collection of films. I think this program brings the festival back with a bang,” said Tim Driscoll, Program Director of 2018 Jacksonville Film Festival.

Saturday is packed with movies! The evening starts with an opening short film followed by a feature film. There will then be a red-carpet event followed by two short film blocks — HOME & ABROAD and UTTERLY MACABRE (viewer discretion advised.) There will be a 15 minute break in between the film blocks.

“We can’t wait to present the 2018 Jacksonville Film Festival to our beautiful city. We are excited about the direction this city is taking when it comes to art and film.” said Niki Logoreci, Festival Director of 2018 Jacksonville Film Festival.

IT STARTS HERE: The mission of the Jacksonville Film Festival is to celebrate motion pictures by discovering and showcasing new talent. We aim to rejuvenate the film industry in Jacksonville by creating an atmosphere that immerses the filmmakers with their audience and community.

“The design, in concept, is the river city combined with an camera aperture. The ripples are representative of the aperture of a camera lense, distorted by and seen through the water of river. The flow emanates from the center of the ripples, acting as it’s epicenter, setting a defined starting point, ‘It All Starts Here,’” said, Dane deRiesthal, who designed the poster.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

RED-CARPET EVENT: Starts 6:15PM

Films Start at 7:15PM

HEART YOUR DOCS

• Peace of Heart – US – Director: Josh Hansbrough (12 minutes)

  • A non-verbal girl with Autism hasn’t communicated with her family in 18 years; but technology and society’s new perspective on her condition may change that, and the face of Autism forever.

• Gift of Wings – US – Director: Ted Snow (8 minutes)

  • This short documentary profiles the human side of aerobatic pilots, the never-ending chase to be the best pilot you can be, and the friends you make in the process.

• How Much I love you – US – Director: Ashley Kramer (5 minutes)

  • In a time when immigration is a highly debated topic, How Much I Love You shares the life of Polish immigrant and single mother, Diane Ostrega. Her daughter expresses how much she loves her mother by sharing her story and life lessons she instilled in her.

• My Paintbrush Bites – US – Director: Joel Pincosy (16 minutes)

  • A man battling reclusion and a racehorse on the brink of death save each other in unexpected ways.

FEATURE FILM

• Rehabilitation of the Hill – US – Director: Demetrius Wren (90 minutes)

  • Pittsburgh’s Historic Hill District is next in line for a full scale gentrification project. Kelly Saikaly, a local Hill District Resident and activist is ready to chain herself to the construction equipment in order to stop folks from taking away her neighborhood and kicking out the residents for new upscale condos. She meets a girl, Gwen Livingston, who she feels sees it the same as she does, as they make a bond of friendship and perhaps even love. But that’s later betrayed when learns that Gwen is the daughter of the original station that is ready to buy up everything.

SATURDAY,  SEPTEMBER 15

FEATURE FILM WITH OPENING SHORT

• True Justice – US – Director: Scott Lowery (4 minutes)

  • What is justice? And is there such a thing as fair justice?

• • The Dirty Kind – US – Director: Vilan Trub (84 minutes)

    • Raymond, a young private investigator specializing in divorce, gets too ambitious and takes a case that involves more than just snapping pictures of cheating couples.

HOME & ABROAD

• Falling South – US- Director: Lorraine Portman (39 minutes)

  • Charlotte puts Rochester in the rear view as she runs away from the life she has known. She has never been on her own and doesn’t know if she’ll make it as her resources are stripped away. She meets diverse women who offer connection, insight and laughter on the road to Florida and a possible new life.

• Mister Biscuits – United Kingdom – Director: Tom Lavinge (8 minutes)

  • John agrees to look after his friend’s house for the weekend, but is in for a surprise when he’s introduced to her beloved pet Mister Biscuits. Hilarity ensues.

• Domestic Policy – United Kingdom – Director: Alicia McDonald (7 minutes)

  • In 1919, a tea lady eavesdrops on a top-secret government meeting called to solve the latest, gravest problem facing the British Empire… A satirical comedy which wryly suggests that today’s obsession with female appearance was borne out of one official government meeting.

• 8328 – Canada – Director: Marc-Andre Girard (5 minutes)

  • 8328 is about an unexpected encounter between young Hugo and Raymond, to whom life has given few gifts- except a few wooden carvings.
    
    

• 15 minute break
  
  

UTTERLY MACABRE – (viewer discretion advised)

• We Summoned A Demon – US – Director: Chris McInroy (6 minutes)

  • They Just wanted to be cool. Instead they got a denom.

• My Monster – US – Director: Izzy Lee (7 minutes)

  • Christmas is coming. If that’s not stressful enough, Lily has to contend with a clueless partner and an unexpected, interdimensional holiday guest who just wants two things — blood and cuddles.

• Imitations – US – Director: Connor Dolby (5 minutes)

  • A captured man desperately needs to escape before his time runs out.

• CELL – United Kingdom – Director: Paul Holbrook (10 minutes)

  • A cowardly deserter is captured during WWII and awakens in a strange underground cell, alongside a mysterious female prisoner. The pair are forced to take part in a cruel psychological experiment to earn their freedom, where all is not what it seems.

• Earworm – US – Director: Tara Price

  • Oh, the things that get stuck in our heads. When a reclusive man is repeatedly woken up over the course of a night by severe headaches, accompanied by musical repetition from an unknown source, his sanity begins to swiftly unravel.

• Lullaby – US – Director: Randy Valdes (6 minutes)

• • Gwen (Elaine del Valle) comes home after a long workday expecting to find her daughter and her mother. They’re not home but something else is and Gwen fears it has taken her daughter captive. She must fight her terrifying fear of the unknown to rescue her little girl.

• Survivor Type – US – Director: Billy Hanson (30 minutes)

  • A disgraced surgeon stranded on a deserted island with no food and only a handful of supplies must go to great lengths to stay alive for a rescue that may never come. Based on the short story by Stephen King.

• Great Choice – US – Director: Robin Comisar (7 minutes)

  • A woman gets trapped in a Red Lobster commercial.

For Festival Program visit: jacksonvillefilmfestival.com

TICKETS:

Friday Pass – $10

Saturday Pass – $15

For tickets please visit EventBrite.