Film wins Naples International Film Festival audience award

Good news -  the BIG CYPRESS SWAMP:  THE WESTERN EVERGLADES won the audience award at Naples International Film Festival!  It's a beautiful film that resonated with our audiences.  - -  Ellen Goldberg, NIFF Senior Program Director

www.naplesfilmfest.com

The documentary film was featured at the NIFF on November 7th & 8th to a full house.  Then was picked up by the featured line up for the Best in the Fest of NIFF at Sidney - Bernie Davis Art Center in downtown Ft. Myers on November 13th & 14th.

www.sbdac.com

Thank you to everyone who supported BCSWE and came out for the many great films at NIFF.

www.bigcypressswamp.org

Naples International Film Festival - 2009

Elam and Nic (son) traveled to Naples to attend the Naples Backyard History event to kick off the 2009 Naples International Film Festival.

The event on 3rd street was for a collection of artists, film makers, musicians, photographers, actors and supporters of the arts.   The event was put together by Dr. Lois Bolin and Lavern Norris Gaynor.   It was great atmosphere to meet new artists, network to share new ideas, and to renew old acquaintances.  

In attendance for the evening was Fred Koenekamp, Cinematographer for Patton, The Towering Inferno, Papillon, the UNCLE series and many other films we all have enjoyed.  It was real honor to meet Mr. Koenekamp and chat with him for a few minutes.  His comment about his career and camera operators, is learn your craft, be well prepared and develop your skills by repetition.   Fred was a two time Academy Award winner and a Lifetime Achievement Award.  Also stopping by to visit was Stephen Bogart, Humprey Bogart's son.

 The NIFF was a master mind effort by Eric Raddatz, Rowan Samuel and Dan Linehan.  Together with a vision for a international festival they put together a great lineup of films from around the world, stellars support of local sponsors, committed board of directors, a ton of volunteers to handle all those little details.  Little items such as a gift bag after arriving at the hotel room, an assigned ambassador, maps, passes, etc.

Kudos to the future of the NIFF events.   One of the best festivals I have ever been a part of.   Thank you Eric for the invitation and all the support the Big Cypress Swamp documentary received from the Naples community.  I was overwhelmed by the hospitality and professionalism displayed for a first annual festival.

Listening to Rep. Mark Hudson talk about his tour over Big Cypress Swamp from an aerial view.  It was pleasure to have Mr. Hudson stop by to show his support to the arts and films.






Chatting with Mr. John Sorey III Council Member talking about Naples along with Don Frinefrock, Executive Director of South Florida International Trust.

Great opportunity to meet Nicholas Petrucci, a local artist with a special interest in the old Naples history.  Nicholas is telling me about the research events with Peter Matthiessen for the Killing Mr. Watson stories.

Thanking Mrs. Lavern Norris Gaynor for supporting and putting on the wonderful event at the Naples Backyard History honoring the local artists and the NIFF.

Before the screening on Saturday evening Nic and I had the wonderful privilege to have supper with Philip and Maureen Hartung.   Maureen had written several articles about the Living Waters and Apalachicola River projects years ago.  It was a great pleasure to meet friends and catch up on all the happenings of life.



Posing with Eric Raddatz with his son Ethan at the Norris Center.
  Fine young man who already has a passion and understanding about film making.

Ambassador Tina and Hostess Carol at the Norris Center before the screening of the film.

A great crowd to screen the film.  Followed by a Q&A.   It was great to see the support and interest about the Big Cypress Swamp.  Questions included:  Is the jetport still there?  How do I do a swamp walk?  Comments: Thanks for making this story and film.  What your going to do next?

Apalachicola River presentation at the 2009 CDC Health Conference

On October 26 and 27th Elam Stoltzfus traveled to Atlanta (up river) to the Center of Disease Control (CDC) 2009 National Environmental Health Conference.   The CDC invited Elam to bring a collection of images and a film to introduce the researchers and scientists to an opportunity to think about using art and images to convey their material with new media.  The purpose was to view the media as a story-telling opportunity to reach their clients or audience.

On Monday in the Grandball room of the Sheraton featured a collection of Clyde Butcher's black and white photos representing the Apalachicola River.   Elam had a series of images of the Apalachicola and Chipola River.  This was an important reminder to everyone about water and health issues and how we are all connected by water.   It worked out well as people walked by the art work to do a meet and greet.  Many people has questions about art, the rivers, the area and support of the programs.

One of the interesting connections was with Jonathan Yoder, Esther's (wife of Elam) nephew that is employed by the CDC in Atlanta.  Jon's connection to the Apalachicola River and Chipola River was his playground as a young boy growing up in the panhandle of Florida.  Its here that he learned to appreciate the great outdoors, water ski, fish and camp along the waterways.   Jon also had traveled with Elam to the deep swamp around Florida as a young teenager.

Later on Tuesday evening the two films of Big River and the Apalachicola River: American Treasure were the featured event for the evening session followed by a Q&A.  In attendance representing the Big River documentary were the film makers that included Aaron Woolf, Ian Cheney, and Curt Ellis, they had produced the well-known King Corn documentary film several years ago.  Big River is a follow up about what happened with the water that is drained off their one acre of corn in Iowa.  Great documentary, must see. Check out www.kingcorn.net. Its about the food process in America.   After the presentation of the two films, the film makers had a panel discussion about the films.  Questions included issues about water, food, film techniques and good questions.  The panel host was Donna Garland.  Hopefully everyone left with a new appreciation about our land and water.   How we are all connected with the waterways around the world.   New ideas on how to use art and images to educate people.