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KIFF2018 Program Details
ROSS RAGLAND THEATER
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 14, 2018 - OPENING NIGHT GALA AND FEATURE FILM
*Gala via Festival Pass only, Feature Film available via Festival Pass or Individual Show ticketOPENING NIGHT GALA
*via Festival Pass only7:00pm FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 14, 2018 - ROSS RAGLAND THEATER
Help us kick off KIFF2018 with filmmakers, sponsors and other VIPs in attendance along with tasty local hors d'ouvres in the lobby of the beautiful Ross Ragland Theater. Be sure to thank our sponsors and engage our filmmakers about their work.
The gala will be followed by an introduction to the festival and our opening feature film, "Lean on Pete", starring Charlie Plummer, Steve Buscemi, and Chloe Sevigny, filmed primaily around Portland and Burns, Oregon, and based on the novel by Portland writer Willy Vlaudin.
Note: the Gala dinner with filmmakers and sponsors is via Festival Pass only. The Festival Pass is an all access pass for admission to all of KIFF2018. In addition, Festival Pass holders will get first seating at all shows, if they arrive at least 15 minutes prior to show time.
LEAN ON PETE
starring Charlie Plummer, Steve Buscemi, Chloe Sevigny8:30pm FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 14, 2018 - ROSS RAGLAND THEATER
Fifteen-year-old Charley Thompson (Charlie Plummer) arrives in Portland, Oregon with his single father Ray (Travis Fimmel), both of them eager for a fresh start after a series of hard knocks. While Ray descends into personal turmoil, Charley finds acceptance and camaraderie at a local racetrack where he lands a job caring for an aging Quarter Horse named Lean On Pete. The horse’s gruff owner Del Montgomery (Steve Buscemi) and his seasoned jockey Bonnie (Chloë Sevigny) help Charley fill the void of his father’s absence—until he discovers that Pete is bound for slaughter, prompting him to take extreme measures to spare his new friend’s life. Charley and Pete head out into the great unknown, embarking on an odyssey across the new American frontier in search of a loving aunt Charley hasn’t seen in years. They experience adventure and heartbreak in equal measure, but never lose their irrepressible hope and resiliency as they pursue their dream of finding a place they can call home.
Filmed primaily around Portland and Burns, Oregon, and based on the novel by Portland writer Willy Vlaudin.
Runtime: 2 hours 2 min. + festival introduction
PELICAN CINEMA
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2018 - KIFF2018 FEATURES
*via Festival Pass, Weekend Pass, Day Pass, or individual show ticketsTOWARD THE SOURCE
Norton Smith - Talent, OR11:45am SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2018 - PELICAN CINEMA
A 55 day solo canoe trip in the Northwest Territories of Canada is a journey of physical challenge, self exploration and awakening.
Runtime: 1 hour 2 min. + Q&A if filmmaker is available
THE ASTRONOT
Tim Cash - Bend, OR1:25pm SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2018 - PELICAN CINEMA
Daniel longed to touch the moon; with Sandy’s help, he’d reach the stars. It was 1969 and America was embarking on the biggest adventure known to humankind with its voyage to the moon. Daniel too was pursuing the unknown; leaving the path of isolation he had known for so long to embrace the love of another. The only question was would he be able maintain that trajectory or would he veer off course never to be seen again. That was the challenge for ‘The Astronot’.
Runtime: 1 hour 12 min. + Q&A if filmmaker is available
BREAK FROM THE HERD
Monica Murray/Chris Holmes - Wilsonville, OR3:15pm SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2018 - PELICAN CINEMA
A trilogy of stories about courage, fortitude and grit, Break from the Herd features a scientist in South Dakota, a farmer in Kansas and a winemaker in Oregon. Their stories explore standing up for unbiased research, fighting to grow healthy soil, and persevering to conserve natural resources. Through first-hand accounts they share the risks taken, the trials endured and the paths forged in order to inspire better ways of improving our food and wine production systems.
Runtime: 1 hour 16 min. + Q&A with filmmaker
THE LAST HOT LICK
Mahalia Cohen - New York, NY5:10pm SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2018 - PELICAN CINEMA
Jack is a washed up musician on a never-ending tour, desperate to recapture the fleeting fame he experienced in the 1970s. When he meets a mysterious woman, he believes her beautiful voice is the key to his success; but she has a secret that could threaten Jack’s plan.
Set in the rural Pacific Northwest of the United States, THE LAST HOT LICK weaves documentary elements into the narrative to reveal a unique look at American life.
Runtime: 1 hour 28 min. + Q&A if filmmaker is available
SEASIDE SPECIAL SCREENING!
Sam Zalutsky - New York, NY7:15pm SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2018 - PELICAN CINEMA
Starring Tony-nominated actress Ariana DeBose and Outer Critic's Circle Award nominee Sharon Washington
Daphne, a young Portland go-getter, moves to the Oregon Coast with boyfriend, Roger, to start anew when he inherits his childhood beach house. But when they run into Susanna, an awkward local, Daphne realizes that Roger hasn't been entirely honest about his past.
Runtime: 1 hour 28 min. + Q&A with filmmaker
OBSCURA
Andrew Tevis/Bobby Preston - Medford, OR9:25pm SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2018 - PELICAN CINEMA
Young photographer Andrew Kaleen, obsessed with the idea and concepts of modern art, unwillingly becomes a vital part in a serial killer's idea of creating his own masterpiece based around the paintings of a local artist in his town. After leaving behind a trail of clues in the form of 35mm film rolls, Andrew not only develops the film in order to stop the murders, he also develops a false perception of reality as two detectives are closing in on the unknown.
Runtime: 2 hour 18 min.
ROSS RAGLAND THEATER
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2018 - KIFF2018 SHORTS AND AWARDS
*via Festival Pass, Weekend Pass, Day Pass, or individual show ticketsLONG SHORTS I "Docs"
Various Filmmakers11:25am SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2018 - ROSS RAGLAND THEATER
Kicking off our day of short films, this program runs a little over an hour and consists of three longer documentary shorts from Oregon Filmmakers.
Overall runtime: 1 hour 12 min. + Q&A with filmmakers
Ragland
Paul Harris/Jesse Widener - Klamath Falls, OR
Once the fastest growing city in Oregon, Klamath Falls forged one of the state's richest theater histories with more than 20 different theaters in just the first half of the 20th century to the first large-scale performing arts center in Central and Southern Oregon and Northern California. "Ragland" is a brief history of Klamath's colorful theater past with an eye into the American theater scene of the early 20th century through fires, the Spanish Flu, and competing theater moguls, capped by it's namesake theater which now brings performing arts to rural Southern Oregon and Northern California communities as much as 100 miles away.
Runtime: 20 min. 0 sec.
Symphony for Nature: The Britt Orchestra at Crater Lake
Anne Flatte - San Francisco, CA
A behind-the-scenes story of how classical musicians joined with drummers from the Klamath tribes for an extraordinary musical experience, inspired by and performed at the edge of Oregon's spectacular Crater Lake, that gave voice to a body of water.
Runtime: 27 min. 17 sec.
Thou Shall Not Tailgate
Greg Hamilton - Portland, OR
Documentary profile of art car creator and Portland Cacophony Society co-founder Rev. Chuck Linville.
Runtime: 25 min. 0 sec.
LONG SHORTS II "Stories"
Various Filmmakers1:10pm SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2018 - ROSS RAGLAND THEATER
The follow-up to our Long Shorts I, this program runs a little over an hour and consists of three longer narrative shorts from Oregon Filmmakers.
Runtime: 1 hour 6 min. + Q&A if filmmakers are available
Mr. Peterson
Josh Young - Portland, OR
We meet Michael, a freshman in High School, as he is informed of his favorite teacher's suicide the night before. We then follow Michael throughout his day as he grapples with this traumatic loss in the midst of the daily pressures of adolescence. Grief, peer-pressure, sexuality, and identity swirl around Michael as he fights to forge his own path forward.
Runtime: 21 min. 0 sec.
For the Road
Simon Scott - Portland, OR
Alex Booth recounts her last terrifying night in Jerusalem's Lot, a ghost town overrun by vampires. Based on a short story by Stephen King.
Runtime: 18 min. 20 sec.
Soldier
Alan Becker - Vashon, WA
A troubled teen meets a mysterious runaway soldier and forges a deep friendship that changes his life’s trajectory in a single day. But who are the Soldier and his buddy Blaster, and where do they truly come from? Viewers who closely follow the subtle twists and clues are rewarded with two endings in one short film – one where young Daniel succumbs to his problems, and one where he overcomes them.
Runtime: 27 min. 0 sec.
NORTHERN SHORTS
Various Filmmakers2:50pm SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2018 - ROSS RAGLAND THEATER
Our shorter shorts from our Northern region and filmmakers. This is a great opportunity for our audience and filmmakers to get exposed to films and filmmakers from outside our Southern region. As with our other programs, there is something for everyone in this block...comedy, sci-fi, art films, documentary, animation, drama, etc. Come see what the rest of Oregon is up to!
A number of the filmmakers are expected to be on hand for Q&A with the audience after the show.
Runtime: 1 hour 32 min. + Q&A with filmmakers
Two Balloons
Mark Smith - Portland, OR
Two adventurous lemurs navigate their dirigibles halfway around the world to a place where happenstance and fate threaten to disrupt their reunion.
Runtime: 9 min. 8 sec.
Redemption
Samuel Neff/Sarah Klatt - Newberg, OR
On grief, trauma, and seeking redemption. Based on a poem of the same name.
Runtime: 5 min. 12 sec.
Mnemonics
Daniela Repas/Cintamani Calise - Portland, OR
A Bosnian refugee stores her memories in boxes that are animated to life when she revisits them in her secret room.
Runtime: 12 min. 15 sec.
Lovely Legs
Abby Thompson - Vancouver, WA
In a desperate attempt to start anew, a man living in the not-so-distant future transports his secret sex robot companion to a secluded forest for disposal.
Runtime: 10 min. 0 sec.
North & Nowhere
Scott Ballard - Portland, OR
A girl, a gun and a last chance.
Runtime: 11 min. 30 sec.
Unicorn
Devin Tau - Portland, OR
A single father deals with the balance of raising his daughter and navigating his newly out gay dating life.
Runtime: 12 min. 45 sec.
Breakfast
Sijia Huang - Portland, OR
The story begins with two hands hitting two eggs. As the hitting goes on, the two eggs start to crack and finally explode in to pieces. Two creatures come out of the eggs. One is a duck with hairy human legs. The other one is a muscular guy with duck feet. The duck and the guy both have a crush on each other and start to dance. In the middle of the dance, the two hands interrupt them by hitting on their head. A chase and fight start.
In the end, it turns out all the encounters and fights are happening in a kid’s imaginary world when he play with his toys - a rubber duck and an action figure, during his breakfast time.
Runtime: 4 min. 24 sec.
Tutu Grande
Derek Sitter - Bend, OR
Pain is Temporary. Trauma Is Forever. The tables are turned on a torturer.
Runtime: 13 min. 0 sec.
Vestibular Matching Soundtrack
McKenzie Blake - Beaverton, OR
A filmmaker, who was born deaf, recollects her relationship with sound by examining home movies shot by her parents throughout her childhood.
Runtime: 7 min. 45 sec.
Gut Feeling
Nesto - Portland, OR
Two scientists toss logic, reason, and the scientific method to the wind in favor of a “gut feeling” that their seemingly dangerous experiment will work. What could go wrong?
Runtime: 6 min. 0 sec.
SOUTHERN SHORTS, KIFF2018 AWARDS AND FILMMAKER Q&A
Various Filmmakers5:00pm SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2018 - ROSS RAGLAND THEATER
Continuing the tradition of KIFF's roots, the Southern shorts program caps off our marathon weekend of films. Like the Northern shorts program, there is something for everyone here: comedy, sci-fi, documentary, animation, and more.
All festival winning films will be announced and awarded to the filmmakers after the show, and don't miss our last filmmaker Q&A of the night with feature and short filmmakers!
Runtime: 1 hour 45 min. + introduction, awards, and Q&A with filmmakers
Protected: A Wild & Scenic River Portrait
Freshwaters Illustrated/US Forest Service/BLM/RMS
Follow river paddler, author, and conservationist, Tim Palmer, through the enchanting waters of Oregon’s Wild Rivers Coast, which has the highest concentration of National Wild & Scenic Rivers in the US. With just a canoe, a camera, and an old van, Tim finds his bliss and his calling on these rivers, and has found a way to share their beauty… while reflecting on the significance of national Wild & Scenic Rivers Act that protects beautiful rivers all across country. Produced in Partnership with US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and River Management Society.
Runtime: 12 min. 28 sec.
Arcana
Travis Lorenz - Ashland, OR
An intimate portrait of an artist.
Runtime: 4 min. 21 sec.
Roomies
Kirk McKenzie - Ashland, OR
It’s hard to find someone you can live with.
An obsessive compulsive neat freak thinks he is cleaning up after his roommate for the last time, until his sloven roommate returns, and he finds himself in the biggest mess of his life.
Runtime: 13 min. 52 sec.
Bad Apples
David West - Klamath Falls, OR
When a cop murders an unarmed black man on his way home from work, a team of outlaws and hackers work to expose and bring down a corrupt police department.
Runtime: 8 min. 0 sec.
The List
Mig Windows - Ashland, OR
Nervous after auditioning for the school play, a student actor is thrilled when he sees the cast list and learns that he got the lead! But did he? Every time he looks at it, the list is different. Is his performance to be, or not to be?
Runtime: 5 min. 39 sec.
Milo
Gabriel Morgan - Central Point, OR
Heartbreak... One will go to extreme measures to recover what once produced so much joy. This is the unfortunate circumstance of a grieving old man who tries to recreate his past in the hopes of reliving cherished memories. Milo takes place in a silent home where an overbearing sense of hardship is made imminent. The old man sits at his work desk, tirelessly putting together his masterpiece. It's only when his work is finished is that joy remade, and the memories that have faded, restored.
Runtime: 10 min. 25 sec.
Sam Shade: Misty On My Mind
*K-12 student selectionAubrey Say/Jezzebelle Rowley - Klamath Falls, OR
Sam Shade, the famous detective relives his first caper.
Runtime: 5 min. 8 sec.
The Road Between Us
Joanne Feinberg/Katherine Roselli - Ashland, OR
A father and son bicycle 2,701 miles across America, on Route 66. They discover that the road between them is the life path that connects them.
Runtime: 14 min. 15 sec.
Comin' Out
Darva Campbell - Tulelake, CA
At 9 months and counting, Eva is more than ready to get the little monster out... but can she do it?
Runtime: 5 min. 0 sec.
Broken Reflections
Cailin Tamplin - Medford, OR
A damaged android scavenging for parts, finds a relic of the past: enabling a new dimension of understanding.
Runtime: 7 min. 53 sec.
Don't Read This, Watch the Road
Moriah Doepken - Ashland, OR
Cleaning up the highway for over 27 years, Sam Daniel is an outstanding member of society who embodies environmental stewardship. For Earth Day 2018 we would like to share his message.
Runtime: 5 min. 14 sec.
Los Mambises
Russell McMahon/Kamrin Nielsen - Klamath Falls, OR
The genesis of this film literally started on March 27, 2017 when two filmmakers from the mountains of southern Oregon USA, stumbled on to an obscure tourist video of four musicians performing on the streets of Old Havana. The sounds and faces of these musicians were pleasantly haunting. With a plethora of photographs and video captures on the internet of these four musicians, their names and identity were never revealed which begged the question, 'who are those guys?' The results are a fascinating and lighthearted journey of discovery to Havana to solve that mystery.
Runtime: 12 min. 7 sec.