Documentary

Having received more than 200 submissions the festival program, the final films have been selected for the 2019 Franklin International Independent Film Festival.  The opening night for FIIFF will be held at the Franklin Theater on August 14, 2019 with screen local film director, Barbara Hall’s American Masters film “CHARLEY PRIDE, I’m Just Me.”

“I could not be more excited about the program lineup,” said Nancy Puetz. President of Williamson County Cultural Arts Commission.  “The storytelling brought by this amazing group of filmmakers is exciting, thought-provoking and most of all entertaining. These filmmakers have carved out their carefully drawn images for film lovers and other filmmakers with a keen eye and great respect for the process. Our festival program is an homage to the power of a truly international group.”

The doors open for the FIIFF programming at 9:30 AM on the 14th, 15th, 16th and 18th with incredible programming in all genres. As Ms. Puetz said, “From documentary, music and drama to comedy and animation and purpose films, there is a film for everyone to enjoy.”

August 17th daylong programming is at Columbia State College with television/ music panels and workshops with such acclaimed experts as Petra Terzi, recent Cannes Film Festival winner of AFI Peacemaker award. Filmmakers represent Cyprus, the Republic of Georgia, Canada, Sweden, Korea and the United States. Local industry greats such as, David Deborde, Andy Hill, Steve Hayes, and others whose passion and knowledge of film, music and media will provide advice and a roadmap for long-term success. A long requested workshop presented by Seed and Spark, the Indie Film crowdfunding platform is also on the program for Saturday.

As an added bonus to audiences, a special celebrity guest host is planned for opening night.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TICKETS:

Festival Passes: http://bit.ly/FIIFFTN 

Daily Events at The Franklin Theatre:  FIIFF 8/14, FIIFF 8/15, FIIFF 8/16, FIIFF 8/18

Workshops and Panels at Columbia State College: FIIFF 8/17

The National Museum of African American Music will present the first public screening of “Charley Pride: I’m Just Me” a feature-length documentary episode of the PBS series “American Masters” at the Franklin Theatre in Franklin, Tenn., on Feb. 8 at 7 p.m.

“Charley Pride: I’m Just Me” traces the improbable journey of Charley Pride, from his humble beginnings as a sharecropper’s son on a cotton farm in segregated Sledge, Miss., to his career as a Negro League baseball player and his meteoric rise as a trailblazing country music superstar. A panel featuring filmmaker Barb Hall and Dr. Dina Bennett, senior curator at NMAAM, will immediately follow the film’s conclusion.

“Helping shine a light Charley Pride’s story, struggles and incredible musical talent through this documentary represents the kinds of stories our museum wants to tell,” said H. Beecher Hicks III, CEO and president of NMAAM. “He’s truly a one-of-a-kind, trailblazing artist whose place in our nation’s and our culture’s musical history is undeniable.”

“At a time when African American singers were more notable for R&B hits, Charley Pride followed his passion for country music, overcoming obstacles through determination and raw talent to make a lasting impact on the genre and create a legacy that continues today,” said Michael Kantor, executive producer of “American Masters.”

Tickets can be purchased from the Franklin Theatre website here. A portion of the proceeds from the screening will benefit the National Museum of African American Music.

“Run Free: The True Story of Caballo Blanco,” a feature-length documentary about ultra-running legend Micah True, will screen at the Franklin Theatre in Franklin, TN, on Wednesday, March 16 at 7 p.m. The one-night-only event is sponsored by the Nashville Striders running club.

Micah True, better known as Caballo Blanco – the White Horse – was the focal character of Christopher McDougall’s 2009 best-selling book “Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen” about the Tarahumara Indians of northern Mexico. Also known as the Rarámuri, or Running People, they are some of the best long-distance runners in the world.

Caballo Blanco was an enigmatic visionary who lived and ran with the Tarahumara after moving to remote Copper Canyon in the 1990s, and who created the fifty-mile Copper Canyon Ultra-Marathon to honor their running traditions and aid in their sustainability. Now in its thirteenth year, the race attracts hundreds of local Tarahumara to the village of Urique to compete alongside some of the best runners in the world. All race finishers receive five hundred pounds of corn, which the international runners traditionally donate to the local Tarahumara, commemorating the spirit of sharing, or “kórima,” which is a way of life among the natives of Copper Canyon.

The documentary is directed by Sterling Noren, a filmmaker from Seattle who met Micah True in 2009. Most of the material for the film was recorded in the weeks leading up to the 2012 race. Shortly after that race, Micah True disappeared in the Gila Wilderness of New Mexico during his daily run, prompting ultra-runners from all over the country to drop everything and join in the search. His body was recovered several days later, found on a trail in a deserted canyon by some of his friends.

“We wanted to tell the story of Micah True in a way that was exciting and authentic, so that viewers could get a sense of what an amazing and inspiring person he was,” said Noren. “Micah’s vision lives on and his legacy is honored in this film. The film shares Micah’s compelling message of love, hope and kórima with the world while helping sustain the people and culture that meant so much to him. We’re honored to be part of this project and are committed to keeping Micah’s mission alive.”

“Micah’s genuine passion for honoring the sacred running traditions of the Tarahumara people was the essence of his being,” said Maria Walton, executive producer of the film and Micah True’s girlfriend at the time of his death. “We made this film to share Micah’s vision of hope for the Tarahumara culture and empower people everywhere with his joy of running.”

The 90-minute film recently won the 2015 Bud Greenspan Memorial Film and Video Award, presented by the Track & Field Writers of America. In addition, the film also was named winner of the prestigious Award of Excellence from the IndieFEST Film Awards, which recognizes film, television and new media professionals who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity, contributing to profound social change. The IndieFEST Film Awards said of its latest winners, “The IndieFEST is not an easy award to win. Entries are received from around the world from powerhouse companies to remarkable new talent. The judges were pleased with the exceptional high quality of entries,” of which Run Free was singled out for its creative excellence.

The film was also named the Best Documentary at the 2015 Arizona International Film Festival.

Most recently, the film won a silver medal at the 2015 Spotlight Documentary Film Awards, which designated Run Free: The True Story of Caballo Blanco as one of the top 250 independent documentaries produced anywhere in the world in 2015.

A percentage of the film’s profits, including from DVD sales, will go to benefit Norawas de Rarámuri (Friends of the Running People), the non-profit agency founded by Micah True to preserve traditional Tarahumara culture. Norawas de Rarámuri works to provide maize, non-GMO seed corn, and cash awards for participating Tarahumara runners, both men and women alike. On this way, the organization offers Tarahumara families nutrition during drought and support for a tradition of small farms necessary to both physical and cultural survival.

Tickets for the event are $11 in advance at www.franklintheatre.com/tickets/more or $15 at the door the night of the show. There is a $2 per ticket preservation fee charged by the theater and online ordered are assessed a $3 transaction fee. The Franklin Theatre is located at 419 Main St. in Franklin.

The largest running club in Middle Tennessee with more than 1,000 members, the Nashville Striders running club is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote running, walking and general fitness as lifelong endeavors. The club’s aim is to help runners achieve their fitness goals, whether as a primarily social runner to the most competitive runner. For more information, go to www.nashvillestriders.com.

For more information about the film, go to www.runfreemovie.com.

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For more information or to arrange interviews with principals of the film, contact promoter Garry Harrington at gharrington3165@hotmail.com or 603-209-5010.