Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival Announces Closing Night Films
Alabama Moon and True Adolescents
Birmingham, Alabama-- August 27, 2009-- The Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival, recently recognized as one of MovieMaker magazine's "Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals", is pleased to announce that this year's festival will conclude with two very special closing night films, Alabama Moon, a heart-warming coming of age story set in the woods of Alabama and True Adolescents, a grittier coming of age tale, set in the woods of the great Northwest.
The World Premiere of Alabama Moon, directed by Tim McCanlies (Secondhand Lions), starring Jimmy Bennett (2009's Star Trek, Evan Almighty, Firewall, Poseidon), John Goodman (The Big Lebowski, Raising Arizona, O Brother Where Art Thou, The Babe), Clint Howard (Frost/Nixon, Halloween, Cinderella Man), and Uriah Shelton (currently filming Lifted in Birmingham). Beyond the title, Alabama Moon has many connections to the state of Alabama as the film is based on the award winning book, Alabama Moon, by Alabama native and resident, Watt Key, and was produced by Lee Faulkner, a native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Kenny McLean, a native of Pt. Clear, Alabama.
Alabama Moon is a family friendly film, set in the early 80's. Eleven-year-old Moon Blake (Jimmy Bennett) has spent most of his life hiding out in the forests of Alabama with his father, an anti-government radical who clings to conspiracy theories and trusts no one. Moon's life suddenly changes when the land they live on is sold to a lawyer just as his father becomes ill and suddenly dies. He has never known any truth but his Pap's and so he tries to follow his last instructions: make your way to Alaska where "people could still make a living off trapping." Moon quickly finds himself in the path of civilization, when the lawyer, Mr. Wellington (John Goodman), discovers him on his land. Thinking he is doing what is best for the boy, he calls the local authorities. Moon bolts, fearing the very thing he has been hiding from his entire life. Unfortunately, he is captured by the mean-spirited Constable Sanders (Clint Howard), who takes him to a boy's reform school to become property of the State. Here, Moon meets other boys his age and learns what friendship is all about. However, Moon is determined on getting to Alaska and escapes from the school bringing two of his friends Kit (Uriah Shelton) and Hal (Gabriel Basso) back to the forest to live with him. Moon uses his wilderness survival skills to outwit Constable Sanders and provide food and shelter for him and his friends. Moon writes smoke letters to his Pap, letting him know he is ok. However, Moon begins to question his father's beliefs when Hal leaves and Kit gets gravely ill and is in need of medical attention. As Moon encounters other lifestyles, true friends and true enemies, he adapts and learns to survive in the outside world, and even, perhaps, make his home there.
Alabama Moon will screen at the fabulous Alabama Theatre on Sunday, September 27 at 6:30pm.
Clint Howard, Gabriel Basso and Uriah Shelton are scheduled to attend, along with the film's producers, Lee Faulkner and Kenny McLean, and the films' composer Ludek Drizhal.
True Adolescents, written and directed by Craig Johnson and starring Mark Duplass (Humpday, The Puffy Chair, Baghead), Academy Award Nominee Melissa Leo (Frozen River, Homicide: Life on the Street, The "L" Word), Bret Loehr (Identity,Vertias: Prince of Truth) and Carr Thompson (Arthur's Missing Pal). True Adolescents was an official selection of South by Southwest, Nashville Film Festival and the Florida Film Festival and has received rave reviews from Indiewire.com, Cinematical.com, and The Austin Chronicle.
Sam (Mark Duplass) is 30 going on 16. He spends his days sleeping in, hanging out in coffee shops and papering Seattle with his band's show flyers. When his girlfriend gets tired of his freeloading ways he finds himself, once again, in his Aunt Sharon's (Melissa Leo) spare bedroom. When his cousin Oliver's (Bret Loehr) deadbeat father bails out on a camping trip, Sharon manages to guilt Sam into taking Oliver and his best pal, Jake (Carr Thompson), on a boys weekend in the nearby Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. When three adolescents are left to their own devices in the woods things are bound to go awry. Get lost they do, but that's only the half of it. Despite what seems to be a somewhat traditional set-up, True Adolescents is driven by an incredibly refreshing script that turns out to be anything but pedestrian. It is a coming of age film on multiple levels; issues of maturity, friendship, masculinity, aspiration and sexuality are investigated within a unique and refreshing context. It is poignant, funny, intensely entertaining and downright charming.
True Adolescents will screen at The Carver Theatre on Sunday, September 27 at 6:45pm.
Both Alabama Moon and True Adolescents are in competition within the narrative category at Sidewalk 2009.
Sidewalk Tickets go on sale Friday, August 28. For more information about Sidewalk 2009, including trailers, film schedule and ticketing information visit www.sidewalkfest.com
Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival
Birmingham's Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival was founded in 1999 by a small group of independent film lovers including former MTV VJ Alan Hunter. In the 11 years of the festival's operation, filmmakers from across the country and around the world have come to Birmingham to screen their work at Sidewalk and have been thrilled to discover fresh, enthusiastic crowds eager to view new independent cinema.
Films are shown in various locations within Birmingham's Historic Theatre District to accommodate festival attendee spontaneity. Low-priced weekend passes provide easy access to Sidewalk venues, encouraging festival goers to seek out new films and sample programming they might otherwise never have the opportunity to view. The result is a crowd rich in diversity and united in a hunger for new film.
PLEASE NOTE: Media registration for Sidewalk is now open - contact Ashley Fulmer at Ashley@wilbanksagency.com
for instructions on requesting press credentials. Press credential requests must be submitted by Friday, September 18, 2009. Walk-up requests for press credentials will not be granted.
Press Contact:
Ashley Fulmer
Ashley@wilbanksagency.com
205.251.2225 (O) - 205.251.8885 (F) - 205.515.9114 (C)