Madison's monthly short film series known as Wis-Kino settled into its new digs this summer along Willy Street.
The June screening, featuring a theme of "photography" beat the heat by remaining indoors at Escape Java Joint, but the July edition joined the growing ranks of outdoor events held at the future home of Central Park on the near east side.
This screening, coinciding with La Fete de Marquette and held next to R.P.'s Pasta factory by the bike path, bore a "French" theme, complete with films imported from a recent Kino Kabaret in Paris.
A list and brief descriptions from the June 17 screening follows, many of which are available online for viewing:
People I Love by Shelby Falk This film, Falk explains, is "based on an idea I had taking dynamic portraits of dear ones with an underrated format... the Polaroid." Consisting of three primary segments over the course of three minutes that features people shot both on film and on instant film, this "long, uncomfortable coverage forces you to watch," he concludes. Eat this Child by Grey Gerling It's title translated from Mangez Cet Enfant , this one-minute short is the first in a series of hand-drawn animated films created by Gerling for a weekly cartoon series. Unsuccessful Cartoons of the '70s by E. Tozzi This film featured a sequence of fake cartoons from the bygone era ruled by chess, giant robots, and other likely figures from the chrysalis stage of anime. Chicken Tenders by Roger Bindl This short was created for the 48-Hour Film Project in Minneapolis conducted back in early June. It focuses on a reluctant bride, Bindle explains, who "is transported through magical jukebox to mystery world of whimsical advice." Most important to note, though, is that it's a musical, complete with the bride, a Mexican wrestling-masked groom, and their family all belting out odes to happiness in five-minutes of inspired weirdness. Monarch by Grey Gerling "I thought I'd make a creepy anti-fast food through the looking glass kind of affair while playing Silent Hill last month," explains Gerling in the description accompanying this short. "The result was a very depressing three minute animation that I present to you now." Set to music by Kevin MacLeod and dedicated to Lewis Carroll, it stars a malevolent Ronald McDonald pushing burgers like dope and the manufacturing of box cattle in autonomous, hungry machines right out of War of the Worlds . The crowd ate it up. Untitled by Aaron Catalano Constructed with picturesque photos from decades-old travel books and yodeling by Tyroler Schuplatter, this short provides a traveler's introduction to Switzerland, circa 1970. Roominations by Sara Meredith and Sterling Glass Presented as if it were a hand-tinted reel of film playing on a rickety projector, this short cycles through a string of photography shot in the furnace room of a Madison apartment. How You'll Know by Rob Matsushita In this jokingly introspective look at the gory heart of Rob Matsushita , created of course by none other than himself, the Madison playwright reveals to viewers how they'll know if he has snapped and turned into a spree-killer. R-Rated and absolutely, hilariously irreverent, the short features a stream-of-consciousness phone call by Matsushita about his pitch for a T.V. show titled Eliza Dushku Eats Pie . Alternating between video of the writer making his case and still photos featuring young female stars of genre programs (think Whedon), this very meta- film dives headfirst into manic fandom. If it's canceled, Matsushita concludes, that's how you'll know. The next monthly screening was held only a few weeks later on July 8. To coincide with the second annual Fete de Marquette at the eventual site of Madison's Central Park, this screening has held outdoors at the Fork & Spoon Café on East Main Street, and featured an appropriate "French film" theme. I was not able to attend, but organizers report that rain was absent, the heat was tolerable, and the turn-out was great.
A list of films from the July screening, including several available online for viewing, follows:
SuperVillain by Grey Gerling "I wish more super villains had this 'can do' attitude instead of the maniacal cackling and lousy plans," declares Gerling in the introduction to this 50-second short about the day in the life of a bad guy. SuperVillain II: Revengsicle by Grey Gerling Part two of this saga about a hand-drawn bad guy brings a green-suited challenge. "After a new Super Hero arrives in town and eradicates crime," Gerling notes, "it's up to SuperVillain to reclaim his home turf." These series of animations is already building a fan-base at Wis-Kino. "Seriously, the idea of using a duck to shoot bird poop at your enemies is as priceless as the faces on the crowds when Supervillan brutally kills the Super Hero," declares Josh Klessig, co-director for Wis-Kino. "I can't wait to see your next project." Life Begins by Aaron Catalano iZen by Jesse Shackelford and Chris Ruech Au Revoir by Shelby Falk From its animated title sequence to this black-and-white homage to French New Wave follows a dreamlike downfall from seeming domestic tranquility to explore the resilience of attraction. "This particular film really seems to stick with me," writes Klessig about the short. "What I always come back to is the scene on the beach. Without any blood or gore, the imagery and sound made the scene so brutal." Additionally, Wis-Kino co-directors Josh Klessig and Sam Lawson brought several films from a Paris Kino Kabaret that they participated in back in June. In addition to five shorts created by French short filmmakers, they also screened their own works made in the City of Lights:
Still Photo by Josh Klessig Rapprochement by Sam Lawson This month's screening for Wis-Kino will be held on Sunday, August 19 at the Escape Java Joint & Art Gallery on Willy Street. The reels start rolling at 7 p.m., and the theme is animation.