The Red Bridge Film Festival (RBFF) committee has solidified its slate of movies to be presented at this year's festival, screening April 17-20 at the Park Theatre in Park Rapids.
Park Rapids graduate Rachel Morgan will be the featured filmmaker at the event, thanks to grant funding from the Region 2 Arts Council. Morgan is currently completing final editing of her full-length feature movie, "Happy Birthday Rita," filmed on location in New York City last summer.
That film will be shown Saturday afternoon during the festival as a work in progress, followed by a discussion of independent movie making.
Morgan graduated from Minnesota College of Art and Design in 2006 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in filmmaking. Last year's festival featured two of her shorts: "Winter Lilacs" and "The Devotions of Steve Alker."
The remaining line-up of movies for the RBFF includes:
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n "Slumdog Millionaire" - Shot on location in India, the movie won eight Oscars this year, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Cinematography and Best Score.
n "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly" - The film is the true story of a French magazine editor who suffers a stroke but manages to write a memoir explaining his psychological torment, with only the movements of his left eyelid, the only part of his body over which he still has control. The movie was nominated for four Oscars and is the winner of many awards.
n "Frost/Nixon" - The docudrama is based on the notorious television broadcasts. Directed by Ron Howard with Frank Langella, the screenplay was nominated for five Oscars and is the winner of many awards.
n "Man On Wire" - The documentary portrays the daring, but illegal, 1974 tightrope walk between tops of New York City's World Trade Center towers. It's the winner of 2009 Oscar for Best Documentary.
n "Shine a Light" - The career-spanning documentary about the Rolling Stones and Mick Jagger, directed by Martin Scorsese, includes concert footage.
n "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" - Director Woody Allen with Scarlett Johansson, Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem tells the story of two girlfriends on a summer vacation in Spain who have their sexy romances challenged by an ex-wife. The film won the 2009 Oscar for Best Supporting Actress (Penelope Cruz).
Short films by former Park Rapids student Grant Ertl and Nevis student Sam Ekren, who's now at Perpich Center for Arts Education, will also be featured at the festival.
Discussions and other events are being planned around town. More information will be available as schedules are firmed up.
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Merchants of the Park Rapids Downtown Business Association, a sponsor of the event, will offer festival specials, available through a coupon booklet that comes with purchase of a festival pass.
One example of these specials is a restaurant's offer of a free glass of wine or dessert with a meal for anyone wanting to go out to eat before the movies.
Under sponsorship of the Park Rapids Lakes Area Arts Council, the Red Bridge Film Festival is made possible, in part, by a grant from the Region 2 Arts Council through funding from the Minnesota Legislature.
For more information contact Rod Nordberg, coordinator, at rodnordberg@att.net or 237-8950.
