Saturday, June 19


Saturday, June 19
This evening took place at 8:00 pm; although we planned to have it outside in the James V. Saly Courtyard of the Heritage Discovery Center, a late-forming rain forced us indoors at the last minute! It was a wonderful evening, however. For information on the rest of the festival's programming, see pages for Wednesday, June 16; Thursday, June 17; Friday, June 18. These evenings took place at the Johnstown Flood Museum.
Greg & Donny, Episode 3: Hummus (2:24) --Greg & Donny discuss hummus and other delicacies. Filmmakers Matt Yeager and Jeff Skowron grew up in Johnstown, and have lived in New York City for the past 10 years. Jeff has worked consistently in film, television and theatre, including as a cast member of Enron which ran on Broadway. Matt is the writer for a number of web series, including The Burg, one of the first successful sitcoms on the Internet. They note, "Greg & Donny was born out of love for Johnstown, and your enthusiastic support provides crucial momentum for the show as it is now, and wherever it may go."
The Catalyst (13:25) -- Frank and Francis have been separated for 11 months, but they've not told her family -- yet. Tired of the charade, Frank insists that the truth be revealed TODAY. Filmmaker Dawn Westlake of Los Angeles has made many award-winning shorts, including three that screened at our festival -- Project Ion(2009), 68 Degrees and Clear (2008) and A Life of Death (2007).
John Stallings: Celebration of Life (13:00) -- This documentary examines the amazing work and life of Johnstown sculptor John Stallings. By filmmakers Brendan Toller, a New York-based director, editor and writer, and Scott Foust, who grew up in Johnstown.
The Skeleton Boy (3:05) -- On Halloween, the Skeleton Boy wanders from his graveyard to find a playground full of children in costume. But in a world of false witches, pirates and vampires, can a real Skeleton Boy find a friend? Filmmaker Kristy Puchko is a Johnstown native now based in New York City. The Skeleton Boy, which is her first animated short, has screened in festivals in Ontario, Seattle, San Francisco and San Jose. This marks her fourth collaboration with Matt Miller, a musician who is also a native of Johnstown (among their collaborations screened at our festival: is Smile, in 2008, and Alice & the Devil, 2006). The Skeleton Boy is her first venture with her husband and partner, Zachary Symons, under their production company Decadent Criminals.
Third Place Winner - Follow Me Down (29:50) -- A psychological thriller about a man with a very guilty conscience. He wakes up one morning to discover that everyone else in the world has mysteriously died, and he is all alone. Madness sets in, and his demons catch up with him. This marks Lee "Bo" Whittle's third film project, but it is his writing/directorial debut. Whittle, of Johnstown, shot the film here and notes that City Hall was very helpful in the completion of the project.
Plastic (2:00) -- A short story of a man's journey into madness, by Johnstown filmmaker MJ Meehan. His music video "Sleepless in State College" was screened at the festival in 2009.
Greg & Donny: Episode 4, Gina Gets a Snuggie (3:18)-- Greg and Donny are two buddies from Johnstown, who argue back and forth about things that make them mad 'n' at. Filmmakers Matt Yeager and Jeff Skowron grew up in Johnstown and have three short films in the festival.
INTERMISSION
Shadows of the Shield (7:30) -- Undercover cop Alan Beaumont's life becomes more complicated when his chief orders that he be followed. . . . by a documentary film crew! Can Beaumont solve the case with these inept filmmakers getting in his way? This hilarious mockumentary was written and directed by Hustlebot, a comedy group from Pittsburgh.
Life By the Sevens (3:00) -- A "ten week oixillation animation" centered around the struggles and emotions associated with the eating disorder anorexia nervosa by Lindsay Berkebile, a Somerset native and veteran of our festival. She graduated in 2010 from the Rochester Institute of Technology in film and animation, and now lives in New York directing for various companies.
Second Place Winner -- Reunion (12:00) -- Set at a 10-year high school reunion and interspersed with visually charged flashbacks, this film tells the story of the victims of the Columbine massacre and what their lives might have been like had they not been cut short. Filmmaker Adam Kargman of Los Angeles attended film school at USC. His film Anesthesia screened at our festival in 2007, and Reunion has screened at the LA Shorts Fest and Valley Film Festival.
Happy Wednesday -- (12:00) Lisa, a lifelong hater of birthdays, is forced to relive them after eating a special slice of cake. Filmmaker Doug Keller of Pittsburgh completed this film through Frames Per Second, a group of Emerson College students. Shot on 16mm film in Boston, this film has been shown on the festival circuit.
Viewers' Choice Award Winner - Phillip the Safety Egg (4:51) -- A neurotic egg trained in the arts of first aid saves a little German girl from apocalyptic disaster. An animation by Johnstown native Mike Owens, who is animation director for PUNY Entertainment.
Greg & Donny: Episode 10, Gregeneezer & the Three Monsters(7:12) -- Greg & Donny take on "A Christmas Carol." Filmmakers Matt Yeager and Jeff Skowron grew up in Johnstown, and have three "Greg & Donny" shorts in the festival tonight.
First Place Winner--Arrividerci, Signore Fuccini (14:39) -- A madcap short tackling racism, horse racing, illegal gambling, pawn shop etiquette, and the going rate for used TV/VCR combos on the gray market. The film was shot on 35mm film on location in Johnstown. Kev Stock of Kid Renaissance Films wrote and directed Fuccini while pursuing his master's degree in filmmaking at the Ohio University of Film, but most of it was shot on location in and around Johnstown (keep your eyes open for the bar scene. Look familiar?) Over the past seven years, Stock has written and directed over 25 short films. He is well-known to our film festival, having won the Viewers' Choice Awards in 2007 and 2008 for The Donut Gun and Paper Tiger: Dishonor the Dojo, respectively; Paper Tiger also won third place. In 2009 The Wishing Bone took second place overall. Click here to see a trailer for the film.