Tuesday, April 20th, 2010
By Ben McNeely
bmcneely@modernfilmfest.net
Neal Hutcheson went into the woods around Maggie Valley and found Popcorn Sutton.
The ornery mountain man made no bones about what he was: A hillbilly, through and through.
And Popcorn Sutton could make moonshine, Hutcheson said, in the old ways people have been making moonshine in the Appalachian Mountains for generations.
“It really was a superior product,” he said. “He was always improving his process, inventing new techniques.”
Hutcheson met Popcorn for a documentary called “Mountain Talk,” which explores the dialects heard in the Appalachians. Hutcheson works for the Linguistics program at N.C. State University and with its director, Walt Wolfram.
Hutcheson befriended Popcorn, who wanted to shoot a how-to film on making homemade liquor. …continue reading Modern Film Society presents “The Last One” — Popcorn Sutton and his “likker”
Thursday, March 25th, 2010
By Michael Knox
mknox@modernfilmzine.com
My apologies to any readers who have visited this site waiting for new content. The past nine months have been devoted to launching Modern Film Fest, plus planning a new festival, Ricochet Film Fest, as well as directing my second feature length movie, a documentary on the Blue Ridge Rollergirls.
That being said, I will be back writing for this site and hope to have other writers contributing in the next few months, supplying film festival coverage, actor and director interviews as well as reviews of new films. Along the way I will also be writing more personal blogs about trying to find distribution for the circus documentary I directed, “Tearing Down the Tent,” as well as continue a production log on the curretly untitled roller derby documentary.
I will also keep readers updated on movies being submitted to both Ricochet Film Fest and Modern Film Fest, letting readers know what’s been submitted as well as what we are looking to run in each festival.
As a return to this site I am happy to be writing a review of the new Jude Law film, “Repo Men.” It was pretty much what I expected and I am glad I went to see it. Take care and thank you for everyone who has read my stories in the past.
Sunday, May 31st, 2009
So far we have 14 movies that have committed to participate at the Modern Film Fest. We look to have a total of 3 to 4 venues,w ith Gem Theatre handling ticket sales for all movies, no matter what venue. Here is a rundown of the movies that look to be at Modern Film Fest from Sept. 25 to Sept. 27.
For regular updates on the festival go to http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#/event.php?eid=86462300746
or visit http://www.facebook.com/reqs.php#/group.php?gid=77664634286
…continue reading Modern Film Fest collects 14 films for September show
Monday, May 18th, 2009
ModernFilmZine is organizing a film festival in Kannapolis, N.C., coordinating the event at the
Gem Theatre with the
Independent Tribune newspaper as a sponsor.
ModernFilmFest is scheduled for Sept. 25-27, 2009.
Three movies are already set to screen including the circus documentary, “Tearing Down the Tent,” with the popular film festival movies “Sita Sings the Blues” and “Official Rejection.”
Tickets look to cost $4 each, with the Independent Tribune newspaper as a sponsor working with the Cabarrus County Chamber of Commerce. We also look to approach the N.C. Research Campus for help.
We look to collect 12 or more movies to play at the theatre over the three day period.
