Tallgrass Film Festival getting even bigger in its 13th year

Thirteen is the lucky number for the Tallgrass Film Festival, which starts on Wednesday and continues through Oct. 18, because that means it’s still going strong.

Attendance keeps growing year after year, with more than 12,000 attending last year, up almost 1,000 from the previous year, according to Tallgrass officials.

“People are really starting to understand that independent films don’t just mean black-and-white expressionist subtitled films,” said festival director Lela Meadow-Conner. “They are movies with wonderful acting, wonderful storytelling. People are discovering that there’s quality beyond the multiplex.”

The number of films that get submitted year after year is growing, too, Meadow-Conner said, which makes it difficult for the programming committee to curate the festival program from more than 2,000 films submitted.

This 13th edition of the fest will screen 203 films (54 features and 149 short films) representing 35 countries. And this year boasts two world premieres – a coveted honor for a film festival. More than 50 filmmakers and guests will be in town to present and talk about their works.

In addition to the films, there also will be panels, workshops, parties and much more. Most everything takes place in various venues around downtown Wichita. For ticket and VIP pass information, complete line-up and schedule, go to www.tallgrassfilmfest.com.

Here are some festival highlights:

▪  “In the Dark,” directed by David Spaltro – Spaltro is a Tallgrass alum whose previous film, “Things I Don’t Understand,” won the festival’s first Stubbornly Independent Award in 2012.

Spaltro says he’s looking forward to coming back to Wichita because he had a great experience here.

“When you make an independent film, the biggest reward is not financial,” Spaltro said on the phone from New York City. “But having a really good screening is. For filmmakers who work years at a time to get their projects made, it’s the best kind of reward.”

“In the Dark” is a horror thriller, and Spaltro, who also wrote the film, said he “loves good stories, even in a horror film. What I really wanted to tell was a character-driven story, real drama, real people.”

There are certainly some chilling moments.

“Family demons become real demons,” Spaltro said.

The film plays at 9 p.m. Thursday at the Orpheum Theatre, 200 N. Broadway.

▪  “I Am Gangster,” directed by Moritz Rechenberg – This hard-hitting drama is about a rebellious teenager, a hardcore gang member and an idealistic cop who risk everything to find their place in a crumbling society.

Rechenberg said on the phone from Los Angeles that he’s very eager for the premiere of his film.

“It’s exciting to put it out in the world now and let it go,” he said.

He cites MovieMaker magazine for inspiring him to submit his film to Tallgrass. The magazine listed the fest as one of the 25 coolest film festivals on the planet.

“I am Gangster” tackles some weighty issues, and Rechenberg said while making the film that he had “a strong sense of social justice. Being in L.A., sooner or later you learn about the ongoing youth violence. I felt really strong about those kids and the things they have to go through. The different lives some of them lead or are forced to lead. I wanted to dig a little deeper and dive in there.”

Rechenberg will be in attendance for the film’s premiere at 5:15 p.m. Friday at the Scottish Rite Center, 332 E. First St. The film will play again at 10:15 a.m. Saturday at the Garvey Center, 250 W. Douglas, but Rechenberg won’t be there.

▪  Opening night gala: “Band of Robbers” (Aaron Nee & Adam Nee, directors) – This comedic adventure re-imagines Mark Twain’s iconic literary characters Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer as grown men in modern day. The directors and others associated with the film will participate in a Q&A session after the film.

It will be shown at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday at the Orpheum; $25 for film and after-party at Union Station.

▪  Centerpiece gala and Ad Astra Award presentation: “The Ever After” (Mark Webber, director) – A married couple struggles to hold onto their marriage in the midst of trauma. Webber (who also stars in the film) will attend and is the winner of the festival’s Ad Astra Award.

Showing at 8 p.m. Friday at the Orpheum; $25 for film and after-party at the Pop-up Urban Park.

▪  Stubbornly Independent gala: “A Light Beneath Their Feet” (Valerie Weiss, director) – A high school senior grapples with leaving for college or staying near her bipolar mother. Weiss and producer Jeffrey Loeb will attend.

Showing at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Scottish Rite Center, 332 E. First St.; $25 for film and after-party.

▪  Closing night gala: “Waffle Street” (Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms, directors) – The true story of Jimmy Adams, a hedge-fund VP who loses his job and gains life lessons working at a waffle shop. Nelms and others will attend.

Showing at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 18 at the Orpheum, $25 for film and after-party at Abode.

▪  “Double Digits: The Story of a Neighborhood Movie Star” (Justin Johnson, director) – This is a heartwarming look at Wichita-based do-it-yourself filmmaker R.G. Miller as he creates epic Michael Bay-style “blockbusters” starring himself and action figures.

This will be the film’s North American premiere (it just played at a festival in Austria), and Johnson says he’s “so psyched and excited for Miller. I’m going to be crying. I’m going to be a mess.”

Johnson says discovering Miller was “really random.” But he finally saw a film Miller submitted to the company he was then working for, and was “blown away. What made it good was that it was made by someone with pure intentions. He’s not doing this as a joke. You could just tell that he loved film and filmmaking.”

Johnson spent three years working on the film, which he came to Wichita from L.A. to make.

“This is such an exciting time,” he said. “It just feels like there’s been this genie in a bottle for the film, it’s been three years, but for Rich it’s been 40 years since he started making movies.”

Miller initially started making movies when he was about 14 years old, shooting on Super 8 film. He had no formal training, but learned on his own. In the film, Johnson shows that children particularly like Miller’s creations.

“That makes me feel great,” Miller said earlier this week.

In addition to showing “Double Digits,” Tallgrass also will show the world premiere of Miller’s newest creation.

“They politely asked me to make something just for the festival,” Miller said. “I told them, ‘Yeah. I would love to.’ ”

The films will start at 6:45 p.m. Thursday at the Scottish Rite Center. It will be a special night in lots of ways.

“It would be really great for the community to rally around R.G.,” Johnson said. “He’s just such a gem for the city.”

This story was originally published October 10, 2015 at 3:21 PM with the headline "Tallgrass Film Festival getting even bigger in its 13th year."