Art & Culture

Spotlight on Savannah

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By Susanne Katz

Movie goers converge on Savannah for the film festival.

Photographs by Susanne Katz

It was the proverbial star-studded opening. On the red carpet walked Timothy Dalton, Corin, Lynn and Vanessa Redgrave and Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones. You might assume the location was Hollywood. Actually, it was East Broughton Street in historic downtown Savannah in late October.

Each October, downtown Savannah is transformed into a mecca for moviegoers, film students and film industry professionals hosted by the Savannnah College of Art and Design. Celebrating a decade, this annual film festival was an eight-day cultural event that included screenings of more than 50 films selected from more than six hundred entries worldwide.

Opening festivities included lifetime achievement awards for Douglas and the Redgraves, followed by a screening of the soon-to-be-released August Rush at the Trustees Theater. Industry leaders and festival supporters gathered outside and celebrities were photographed and signed autographs as movie lights lit the night.

Amongst the crowd I found Gerry Kramer, an Atlanta boy who moved to Savannah to practice dentistry. Kramer has been an active supporter of the festival for many years.

"This is my tenth SCAD Film Festival," Kramer said, "and we have seen a dramatic increase in the quality of films and film professionals coming to Savannah. Many cities have film festivals that simply bring in films for the masses, but SCAD has developed the festival first for its students, faculty and staff."

The Movies

Festival offerings included films, workshops, panel discussions and a conference for entertainment investors. Film categories included shorts, features, student entries and special screenings. So, with tickets and popcorn in hand, we entered Trustees Theater for the Sunday presentations.

Numero Dos was a short comedy about a crew member of country music artist's Brad Paisley's band, who was in desperate need of a bathroom, but was warned "You can't go numero dos on a tour bus." I am embarrassed to admit that I laughed out loud at this comical situation that my sons would certainly have appreciated with its male-oriented bathroom humor.

The cast of the feature presentation Purple Violet, included Selma Blair, Patrick Wilson, Edward Burns, Debra Messing and Dennis Farina in a contemporary situation. While trying to make a living in real estate, Patti runs into her college boyfriend who is writing a book. While the attraction rekindles their relationship, it reminds her of her own dream to grow her writing career.

Blaine Farrow delivers wishes to her clients in Driftwood, but longs for her own wish for love to be granted. This short, 19-minute film presentation preceded a documentary, New Urban Cowboy: The Labors of Michael E. Arth. This 99-minute feature documented Arth's venture into real estate with a new plan for real neighborhoods.

The Theaters

All four screenings took place in the Trustees Theater at East Broughton Street. Built in 1946 as the Weiss Theater, it was purchased by SCAD in 1998 to provide a "multipurpose facility for the emerging performing arts department" for the college which has contributed to the revival of the Savannah theater district. Other screenings took place at the Lucas Theatre, 32 Abercorn St., which was built in 1921, primarily as a movie palace. Its future, too, is assured by a relationship with SCAD.

Shalom Y'all Jewish Food Festival

Taking a break from the film festival to get a bite to eat, we took a walk to the fountain at Forsythe Park and enjoyed traditional Jewish cuisine at Congregation Mickve Israel's 19th annual Jewish Food Festival. The menu was enough to bring back all of your memories at bubbie's table: matzah ball soup, challah, Israeli salad, potato latkes, noodle kugel, apple strudel, blintzes and creamed herring.

SCAD Film Festival 2007

The film festival presents "independent, innovative and influential films" and brings artists and filmmakers together to provide an opportunity to learn about the art of filmmaking from industry leaders. Panels and workshops provided students and festival goers with a wide range of educational forums, from "The Art of Editing" to "Career Success Stories-Breaking into Hollywood from The Next Generation of Visual Effects Wizards."

Kramer explains SCAD's relationship with Savannah. "We are very fortunate that SCAD has involved the community with the festival and has seen great support by local corporate sponsors and individual film lovers. Our festival allows everyone to get up close and personal with actors, directors, producers and technical people in the film business. We are rapidly becoming a very big deal in film and theater education."

Only in Savannah for the opening weekend, I missed the screening of The Kite Runner, and the Conference for Entertainment Investing as well as many additional screenings that took place during the week and closing weekend. To find out about next year's offerings, visit www.scad.edu and look for the 2008 film festival. See you there!

Did you know that the original Cape Fear, Forrest Gump, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Forces of Nature, The General's Daughter, The Legend of Bagger Vance and The Gift were all shot in the charming southern city of Savannah?

Susanne Katz curates art and sits on the board of the Marcus JCC. She writes monthly about art for Julep.

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