City of Roswell Announces Southern Circuit Tour

From the City of Roswell:

The City of Roswell’s Historic and Cultural Affairs Division is partnering with South Arts, a nonprofit regional arts organization in Atlanta, to bring the Southern Circuit tour of six independent films and their filmmakers to the Roswell Cultural Arts Center. The series includes five documentary-style films and one narrative film.

Films were reviewed by a panel of industry experts, with final selections determined by screening partners who will present films in their communities. Invited films and filmmakers were chosen from 412 films submitted from across the country.

“We are thrilled to be hosting our first independent film tour in partnership with South Arts,” said Katherine Jones, cultural services manager for the City of Roswell. “One of the neatest parts of the series is the opportunity to speak with each filmmaker during a Q&A after the screening. It will be a wonderful and engaging way for audience members to learn about the art of film-making and the process of becoming a working artist in this particular industry.”

Other organizations in the same film circuit include The Tennessee Valley Art Association/Ritz Theatre, Troy University’s Office of Service Learning and Civic Engagement, Union County Community Arts Council/Wingate University, Crossroads Film Society, Union College and the City of Hapeville Association of Trade and Tourism.

“Our 2016‐2017 slate of Southern Circuit films includes thought‐provoking documentaries, inspiring dramatic narratives and an amusing experimental film. We are excited to screen this impressive collection of films. Audiences will discover the work of an incredible group of filmmakers,” said Teresa Hollingsworth, senior director of film and traditional arts at South Arts.

Each event starts at 7 p.m. and runs approximately two-and-a-half hours. Each film is feature-length and will be shown in full, followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker. Pre-show concessions and beverages will be available to purchase in the lobby 30 minutes prior to showtime. Theatre doors for each event open 30 minutes prior to the beginning of the film.

Tickets will go on sale Aug. 1 for season passes and Aug. 22 for individual tickets. Individual tickets are $10 per film; season tickets are $50. There will also be a “Pick 3” option, where you can select three films for $20, which will also be available Aug. 22.

Tickets for all shows will be available online. Senior, student and military discounts are available by calling the box office at (770) 594-6232 or in-person during business hours.

Sept. 27, 2016: TYRUS by Pamela Tom

"TYRUS" is a feature-length documentary film that tells the unlikely story of 105-year-old Chinese American artist Tyrus Wong and how he overcame poverty and racism to become a celebrated modernist painter, Hollywood sketch artist and ‘Disney Legend’ for his groundbreaking work on the classic animated film, Bambi. This film has explicit content: mild language and artistic nudity.

Oct. 15, 2016: Almost Sunrise by Michael Collins

Almost Sunrise follows two Iraq veterans, Tom Voss and Anthony Anderson, both tormented by depression for years after they returned home and pushed to the edge of suicide. The two embark on an extraordinary journey — a 2,700-mile walk across the country from Wisconsin to California in order to reflect on their haunting experiences of war and to ultimately, save themselves. Will this epic pilgrimage allow them to begin the new life they so desperately seek? This film contains explicit content: some language and violence about war and PTSD.

Nov. 29, 2016: 6 Angry Women by Sridhar Reddy

A young, unarmed black teenager is shot by a white neighborhood watchman. It is up to a jury of six to decide whether or not the man is guilty of murder. Inheriting the classic 12 Angry Men and shadowing the incendiary current events of police brutality, racial profiling and civil rights, 6 Angry Women – done with an improvised script – presents the jury deliberation of six women, strangers brought together by their civil duty, each seeking to do the right thing. But the ultimate question looms for each of them to answer: what is justice vs. what is legal? This film has explicit content and is for mature audiences only.

Feb. 2, 2017: Mind/Game: The Unquiet Journey of Chamique Holdsclaw by Rick Goldsmith

The journey of “the female Michael Jordan” from troubled family life to basketball superstardom reveals a long-hidden battle with mental illness. Even as Holdsclaw begins to embrace her challenges and emerge as an inspiring mental health advocate, she is confronted with new obstacles to her own recovery.

March 12, 2017: Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise by Bob Hercules

Distinctly referred to as “a redwood tree, with deep roots in American culture,” icon Maya Angelou gave people the freedom to think about their history in a way they never had before. Angelou’s was a prolific life. As a singer, dancer, activist, poet and writer, she inspired generations with lyrical modern African-American thought that pushed boundaries. This unprecedented film celebrates Angelou by weaving her words with rare and intimate archival photographs and videos, which paint hidden moments of her exuberant life during some of America’s most defining moments. The film also features a remarkable series of interviews with friends and family, including former president Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Common, Alfre Woodard, Cicely Tyson, Quincy Jones, Secretary Hillary Clinton, John Singleton and Angelou’s son, Guy Johnson. This film has mild profanity.

April 11, 2017: The IF Project by Kathlyn Horan

Women are the fastest-growing segment of the incarcerated population, increasing at nearly double the rate of men since 1985. The IF Project explores the reasons behind these staggering numbers by intimately following a heroic Seattle police officer and the writing workshop she created with a group of inmates at a maximum security women’s prison.

The Southern Circuit of Independent Filmmakers is a program of South Arts and is funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

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