Washington DC Independent Film Festival 2009

A 60-something liberal woman in the Bible Belt shares her thoughts on Obesity and Religion. A 5 minute film about the direct link between obesity and religion in America. Click Here To View the Trailer on YouTube Genres: Alternative, Family, Drama, Educational, Black, Christian, Microcinema, Religious, Third World, Underground, Women, Nature, B-movie, Cult, Human Rights, Independent, Senior/Aging, Student, Youth/Teen, Children, Mature/Adult, Environmental, Reality, Spiritual, Health/Medical List of Festivals and Awards for Film: Animal Rights Film Festival 07/2008 Non Violence International Film Festival 09/2008 Contact: Jack Truman Production Company: Dixie Productions Director's Biography: Filmmaker Jack Truman is an award-winning short filmmaker. A 25 year veteran of stage and screen, Truman is also a former professor at Texas A&M. His first film, theaward-winning short mockumentary PHONE SEX GRANDMA, premiered at the 2006 Slamdance Film Festival and has been a cult-following hit, playing over 70 fests worldwide to date. Truman currently has 5 short films playing the fest circuit.

DC Filmmaker Stone shot the video over five days in Paris, Across the Atlantic follows the budding friendship between Oumar, a Senegalese university student in Paris, and Anna, an African American student visiting France. As Anna and Oumar compare experiences, they connect on many levels and discover fresh perspectives on life. Genres: African, African American, Black, Women Contact: Precious Stone Director's Biography: Precious B. Stone teaches communication, theater, and video production at the Community College of Baltimore County. Precious has a B.A. with a major in film studies with theater studies from Yale University, an M.A. in folklore from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and an M.F.A. in film and video production from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Precious has directed and produced several video projects, including Learning Communities at The Community College of Baltimore County and The African Textile Collection of Mrs. Mattye Reed, a National Educational Media Network Bronze Apple winner. While teaching on the high school and college levels, Precious has directed such plays as Tartuffe, The Amen Corner, The Colored Museum, The Importance of Being Earnest, and The Children's Hour. Precious was also a winner of the North Carolina Black Writers' Competition for her play Three Nights. Prior to joining the Community College of Baltimore County, Precious worked for Discovery Communications and National Geographic Television. Precious has an on-going interest in Black culture and is currently developing a video related to early 20th century African American theatre. DC Filmmaker Filmmaker Precious B. Stone will be in attendance.

A child is the only being that can discover the meaning of 21st century modern life as he has had the opportunity to forget - yet. Director's Biography: Denizcan Yüzgül (Izmir, 1983) lives in Zlin/Czech Republic, and is a student at Film School Zlin and Anadolu University.

Article VI examines the intensely divisive - - and sometimes bigoted - - role of religion in contemporary American politics. The film ranges from shockingly angry man-on-street interviews to moments of compassion and understanding as the camera examines the conflict inherent in the interplay of religion and politics, especially as that conflict has escalated during the last two decades. Click Here To View the Trailer on YouTube Genres: Political List of Festivals and Awards for Film: Motor City: Best Documentary Contact: Dean Hale Production Company: Living Biography Media, LLC Distributor: Article VI (2008) Traffic Control (2007) Somerset Films List of Director's Films: Article VI (2008) Traffic Control (2007) Director's Biography: Independent Filmmaker Bryan Hall rejected the traditional Hollywood formula to create his own company, Living Biography, Media. Hall needed freedom to explore the individuals and issues shaping the conversations of the nation and be free to turn those conversations into a compelling film. Hall has been doing so with great success for the past four years. He released his first feature-length documentary, "Traffic Control: The People's War on Internet Porn" in February of 2007. Independent filmmaker Jack Donaldson (has a PhD in Ecology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison) took the harder-to-travel Indy route for his filmmaking career knowing that Hollywood wasn't interested in the substantive topics that he thought would capture the attention of the rest of America. In doing so, Donaldson joined his friend and co-director Bryan Hall on a cross-country odyssey to shoot Living Biography Media’s documentary "Article VI: Faith, Politics, America". Donaldson and Hall have collaborated on several projects in the past including: film, music, stage, and humanitarian work. This is his first feature-length project; however, he brings to the team many years of industry leadership experience, as well as artistic talent and knowledge. With his extensive research experience, Donaldson ensures that the stories told by Living Biography are accurate and relevant. Above all, he is a true humanitarian at his core. Number of Films Directed: 2 Bryan Hall, Jack Donaldson and Dean Hale will be in attendance.

Award winning short that tells the story of how after discovering the body of a dead police officer in his backyard, a Rastafarian must hide the body to keep the authorities from finding his marijuana crop. Genres: Comedy, Underground, Horror, Crime, Cult, Independent, Urban Contact: Corey Bodoh-Creed Production Company: Wayward Pictures Director's Biography: Born and raised in Baltimore, Corey is attending the University of Southern California, where he is earning a Masters degree in film production. Prior to film school, Corey worked as a screenwriter and cameraman, and has lived all over the world, including Central America and Africa, where he first developed his love for reggae music. He has written, directed, and produced a number of short films, including a web series for the Upright Citizens Brigade. He currently resides in Los Angeles and is working on his next film, "The Average Man." Student Film Kimberley Mohahan will be in attendance.

In the storybook town of New Braunfels, Texas, two best friends, Craig and Angel, together open their very own bakery. What starts out as a fairytale of friendship slowly turns when a fiery new employee named Lacy is hired into the business and when Lacy and Angel form a relationship, dark secrets are revealed and spirals downward to an ending you will never expect. Click Here To View the Trailer on YouTube Genres: Drama, Gay/Lesbian, Fantasy, Independent Contact: Matt Bizer Director's Biography: Matt, born and raised in New Braunfels, Texas, Started his current production company, Willow Productions, in 2001 the summer between middle and high school. A life fan of the film making process he today resides in Austin, Texas where he both writes and collaborates on a variety of independent dramatic films as a Cinematographer. Recently Matt has also taken on other roles as a Location Scout and video assist on studio films. Works that Matt has contributed to have screened at film festivals around the US and he has received mention and awards for his writing as well. Matt has dedicated his life to a passion and lives by what he has always told his mother. "I will either succeed or I will live in a box on the street - maybe both. At least I am making movies." Today Matt is wrapping up his directorial debut film entitled "A Bakery Story‚" a feature script entitled "Dime Store Horses," and a Documentary feature shooting in 2009 about the West. Matt Bizer will be in attendance 4th - the 8th as well as with other attending cast.

Award winning short starring Broadway legend, Joanna Merlin based on the diary written by 80-year-old Jessie Singer Sylvester between 1976 and 1978; we enter an ordinary life full of undiscovered riches. Genres: Family, Drama, Educational, Jewish, Women, Human Rights, Independent, Senior/Aging, Mature/Adult, Culture List of Festivals and Awards for Film: 2nd International Russia Abroad Film Festival 11/2008 (Opening Film) Big Apple Film Festival 11/2008 (Best Short Film) Connecticut Film Festival 12/2008 Beverly Hills High Definition Film Festival 01/2009 Winner, Audience Award Best Short Film Beverly Hills Hi-Def Film Festival In competition Las Vegas International Film Festival In competition Connecticut Film Festival Official Entry Zolotoy Vityaz International Film Festival, Moscow, Contact: Shawna Brakefield Director's Biography: Ragnar Freidank (Director/Screenwriter) makes his feature directorial debut with "Beautiful Hills of Brooklyn." As a stage director, he has worked in New York, Connecticut and Germany and his credits include productions of "The Pleasure of Seeing Her Again," "The Stronger," "Oscar und die Dame in Rosa," "Monsieur Ibrahim und die Blumen des Koran," "Waiting for Godot," "I Have Never Been Here" and "Uncle Ethan Ripley." Director Ragnar Freidnak will be in attendance at the festival.

Naples (Italy), 1950. Four friends are playing soccer out on the street when their ball is accidentally kicked into the evil old lady's yard. They'll never play with their ball again and for that the revenge will be deadly. Genres: Coming of Age , Docu-Drama Contact: Franc Planas