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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels October 6, 2004 A festive off-season for films By Chris Honor� Tidings Correspondent The Ashland Independent Film Festival is presenting a special "off-season" weekend of films and film-related Friday through Sunday Southern Oregon University's Meese Auditorium. The weekend will include three nights of a documentary film double-feature; a film screening with a community forum about voting; and a seminar with the award winning documentary filmmaker, Charlotte Lagarde, who directed and produced both films to be featured, "Voting in America" and "Heart of the Sea: Kapolioka'ehukai." Tom Olbrich, Executive Director of the Ashland Independent Film Festival, commented that they felt that Lagarde's recent documentary film, "Voting in America," was such an important film that it was worth creating a special off-season festival to look at the subject of voting in America. Especially given that the festival will take place just a month before the national elections and a few days before the registration to vote deadline. "As well," Olbrich stated, "we have had so many requests for the film 'Heart of the Sea,' also produced by Lagarde, that we felt it would be a perfect pairing, allowing us to create a special event around these two films." He mentioned that Lagarde, who was born in France, was astounded at the lack of voting in this country which led her to produce her documentary. "Our hope with the festival is to have a panel discussion following the screening of 'Voting in America' Saturday night and that this will facilitate the voting process," he said. "Heart of the Sea: Kapolioka'ehukai," is a hour-long documentary, and the winner of the Best Documentary award at the 2003 AIFF and the PBS Independent Lens Award. It also won the audience award at both the San Francisco International Film Festival and the Newport Beach Film Festival. It is a moving portrait of Hawaiian legend Rell "Kapolioka'ehukai" Sunn, known worldwide as a pioneer of women's professional surfing and as a community activist for at-risk youth. Sunn was named one of the most influential women of the 20th century by ABC television and was considered an icon in Hawaii not only for her physical power but for her grace. She captured the heart of Hawaii during her 14-year battle with breast cancer. Rell Sunn died January 8, 1998, at the age of 47. "Heart of the Sea" will be followed by "Voting in America," a collection of nine short films by award winning filmmakers examining why people don't vote and innovative ways communities are trying to increase voter turnout across the country. "Voting in America" takes you from an animated history of voting to "Out of the Closet and Into the Booth" which is about the gay vote in America and more. Charlotte Lagarde's other films include "Every Child Should Have a Chance" (2001), Tribal Sovereignty: Unplugged" (1998) and "Juvenile Justice: Unplugged" (1997). Born in France, Lagarde became an American citizen in 1995 and, as her bio sketch points out, she did so in order to vote. Lagarde will speak to the audience and answer questions after the Saturday and Sunday screenings. These two films will be screened Friday, Saturday and Sunday. All show times are 7:30 p.m. at SOU's Meese Auditorium. Admission includes both films - $8 for the general public and $4 for students w/valid ID and AIFF members. Tickets will be available at the door. There will also be two special featured events: On Saturday from 2 to 4:30 p.m., the topic "Why Vote? The Fight to Increase Voting in America" will be examined at SOU's Meese Auditorium. There will be a screening of the documentary "Voting in America" followed by a panel and community discussion led by local radio talk show host Jeff Golden about voting and voter turnout efforts at SOU. The panel will include Charlotte Lagarde; Ruth Walsh from Ashland's League of Women Voters; Wind Woods, President of SOU's student government; Kathy Beckett, Jackson County Clerk; Bill Hughes, a professor in the Department of Political Science at SOU; and an introduction by SOU president Elisabeth Zinser. The audience will be encouraged to participate. Volunteers will be on hand with registration forms. Admission, including the film, is $4 at the door for the general public and free to students with valid ID. To register in advance, visit www.sou.edu/takeaclass. On Sunday from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at SOU's Meese Auditorium, there will be an afternoon discussion with filmmaker Charlotte Lagarde focusing on the topic "Documentary Film: The New Activism." Lagarde will examine the new popularity of controversial independent documentary film as a tool for influencing public opinion. "Fahrenheit 9/11," "Outfoxed," and "Super Size Me," are examples of documentaries that are reaching audiences in record numbers. Questions that will be considered are: How are they making it to the big screen? Do filmmakers have to be in your face controversial to make the audience care about an issues? Is this advocacy or propaganda? Lagarde will feature film clips and discuss her film industry experience and then invite the audience to join in this "guerilla filmmaking" conversation. 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