2019 UFFyc Lineup Announced
Take a trip around the world without leaving your seat! Over four days in March, the Underexposed Film Festival yc showcases the best in Independent filmmaking from around the world. In its eighth year, the UFFyc screens films that are as diverse in storytelling as they are in origin. Running March 27 – 30, 2019 Underexposed Film Festival yc, presented by Morton & Gettys, welcomes filmmakers and movie lovers to Dina’s Place in the DiGiorgio Campus Center and Plowden Auditorium at Withers Building on the campus of Winthrop University in Old Town Rock Hill, SC.
Established in 2012, the Underexposed Film Festival yc focuses on strength in storytelling, screening films that break down the fourth wall and envelop the audience in the story. Filmmakers often share their experiences during question and answer sessions that follow the screenings, giving festivalgoers a glimpse into their vision and process.
Hollywood may have tried to turn its back on short film projects at the Oscars this year, but the stars have doubled down on their commitment to this art form. The 2019 UFFyc features projects with notable artists including: Nick Cave (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds), Walter Koenig (Star Trek, Babylon 5), Adria Tennor (Mad Men, Bad Moms, The Mindy Project), Olivia Washington (Mr. Robot, Madoff, The Butler), Jessica Paré (SEAL Team, Mad Men, Hot Tub Time Machine), JJ Sonny Chiba (Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2, Shogun’s Samurai, The Street Fighter), Keiko Agena (Gilmore Girls, Better Call Saul, 13 Reasons Why), Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black, Drunk History), and Tom Cullen (Orphan Black, Knightfall, Downton Abbey). In addition to the deep Hollywood involvement outside the studio system in this year’s festival, the UFFyc is thrilled to be able to announce that for the first time, half of the films screening over the 4-days were directed by women – a great achievement, especially in a time when less than 7.5% of films made by the major motion picture studios are helmed by women.
2019 UFFyc | MORE INFO
2019 UFFyc screening times and event locations:
Winthrop University | Plowden Auditorium at the Withers Building
611 Myrtle Drive, Rock Hill, SC 29730
Block A | Wednesday, March 27, 2019 | 7 - 9 PM
There will be a question and answer session immediately following Block A.
Winthrop University | Dina’s Place at the DiGiorgio Campus Center
2020 Alumni Drive, Rock Hill, SC 29733
Block B | Thursday, March 28, 2019 | 7 - 9 PM
There will be a question and answer session immediately following Block B.
Block C | Friday, March 29, 2019 | 3 - 5 PM
There will be a question and answer session immediately following Block C.
Block D | Friday, March 29, 2019 | 7 - 9 PM
There will be a question and answer session immediately following Block D.
Block E | Saturday, March 30, 2019 | 2 - 4 PM
There will be a question and answer session immediately following Block E.
Block F + Awards Ceremony | Saturday, March 30, 2019 | 7 – 9:30 PM
Winthrop University | Johnson Hall Actors’ Studio
1920 Alumni Drive | Room 103 | Rock Hill, SC 29733
Masterclass with Rob Adler | Saturday, March 30, 2019 | 10 AM – 12 PM
Wrap Party | Location to be announced.
Saturday, March 30, 2018 | 9:30 – 12 AM
Awards will be announced immediately following Block F on Saturday, March 30, 2019. The 2019 awards include: Grand Jury Award; Best Animated Film; Best Documentary Film; Best Experimental Film; Best Narrative Film; Woman to Watch; Cinema Carolina; Best Student Film | Collegiate; Best Student Film | High School; and the Terry Roueche Audience Choice Award. 2019 awards partners include: Cinematiq, Final Draft, Samsung, and Toon Boom.
BLOCK A | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27 | 7 – 9 PM
THEME | Changes
Pinchpot
Animation | 2018 | 4 min. 21 sec.
Language | Silent Film
Director | Greg Holfeld
Suggested Rating | G
A short story about art and work, giving and receiving, life and death, and things made from lumps of clay.
Grace in Training
Narrative | 2019 | 9 min. 37 sec.
Language | English
Director | Andy Heck
Suggested Rating | G
A loquacious server meets a mysterious customer. They strike up an intriguing conversation that leads to a fulfilling outcome.
Who’s With Me?
Experimental | 2017 | 4 min. 30 sec.
Language | English
Director | Darryl Dillard
Suggested Rating | PG-13
Multi-medium spoken work video with music and imagery.
Sono Pippa
Narrative | 2017 | 28 min.
Language | Italian, Swiss German
Director | Yasmin Joerg
Suggested Rating | PG-13
Former telenovela star Pippa is in her forties and struggling to reestablish herself as an actress. Chasing after her dreams, she hurries from one audition to another, constantly being confronted with the role of the mother. After an unexpected meeting with her estranged daughter Luna, the role Pippa has been denying suddenly becomes her reality.
Live from the Double Door Inn
Documentary | 2016 | 29 min. 34 sec.
Language | English
Director | Chuck Bludsworth
Suggested Rating | PG
The Incredible True Story of the Legendary Music Club. For 43 years, rock, blues and jazz legends performed in a converted house called the Double Door Inn. Music royalty, including Stevie Ray Vaughn, Eric Clapton, Spongetones, Tinsley Ellis, Bob Margolin, Long John Hunter & Gigi Dover have graced the stage. The film traces the history of the club, from humble beginnings to international fame. The club was demolished in 2017, but prior to that, our documentary crew preserved some of the soul, stories and seriously good music performed live at the Double Door.
BLOCK B | THURSDAY, MARCH 28 | 7 – 9 PM
THEME | Ladies Who Lens
Amaterasu
Experimental | 2017 | 14 min. 3 sec.
Language | English
Director | Christine Papalexis
Suggested Rating | PG
"Amaterasu" is based on an ancient Japanese tale about Amaterasu, the sun goddess, and her difficult relationship with her brother Susanowo. The sets and marionettes in this film are made of found objects. Heather Henson executive produced this project.
Consent
Narrative | 2018 | 12 min.
Language | English
Director | Kimmy Gatewood
Suggested Rating | PG
A singer ignores her fan's consent in this romantic comedy gone wrong. An allegory about sexual assault with absolutely no sex.
The Call
Animation | 2018 | 10 min.
Language | Romanian, English
Director | Anca Damian
Suggested Rating | PG
A phone call, a bathroom and a woman are at the intersection of the worlds.
The Gift of the Red Fern
Documentary | 2018 | 11 min. 50 sec.
Language | English
Director | Robyn McSheehy Hartman
Suggested Rating | G
The true story of how a teacher’s act of kindness changed a lonely boy’s life. Now a District Attorney in South Carolina, Kevin Brackett, Esq, narrates the letter he sent to his teacher in 2017, sharing the events she set in motion with her caring gesture.
Fuse
Animation | 2018 | 7 min. 18 sec.
Language | English
Directors | Shadi Adib
Suggested Rating | PG-13
A mousetrap snaps shut, a market place awakens. A group of men heatedly discuss how to kill the animal in the little box. One after the other, they try to trump each other’s sadistic fantasies, and even a stranger’s suggestion to let the creature loose, turns out to be a sick manipulation. But as the macabre game unfolds and spirals out of control, both victim and tormentor suffer the same fate.
Shakespeare in Tokyo
Narrative | 2018 | 20 min. 34 sec.
Language | English
Director | Genevieve Clay-Smith
Suggested Rating | G
An Australian Shakespeare fan with Down Syndrome, sets off on a solo adventure to discover Tokyo in order to get away from his over-bearing older brother. Along the way he uses his knowledge of the Bard, his sketchbook and his wits to win the hearts of the people he meets.
Pie
Narrative | 2018 | 10 min. 44 sec.
Language | English
Director | Adria Tennor
Suggested Rating | PG-13
Carol invites Annette over for homemade pie and after much prodding divulges her special secret and scandalous ingredient. It’s Thelma and Louisemeets Sweeney Toddvia Stepford, Connecticut.
BLOCK C | FRIDAY, MARCH 29 | 3 – 5 PM
THEME | To Be Young
Cellular
Experimental | 2017 | 8 min.
Language | English
Director | Christian Kozlowski
Suggested Rating | G
George fears his phone calls are being tapped. Listen in as he tries to reach his sister to tell her this news, only to reach her voicemail. Cellular is an interactiveshort film, please take out your cellular devices and participate in making George’s nightmare a reality.
After the Rain
Animation | 2018 | 8 min. 42 sec.
Language | Silent
Directors | Valérian Desterne, Rebecca Black, Céline Collin, Juan Olarte, Juan Pablo De La Rosa Zalamea, Carlos Osmar Salazar Tornero, Lucile Palomino
Suggested Rating | G
In a valley, a dog lives happily with his master, an uncommon shepherd. This shepherd doesn’t only shear his sheep’s wool, he creates clouds out of it, to make rain, thus preserving the cycle of life. But if the shepherd wasn’t everlasting, what would happen to the valley ? The young dog would have to be creative and persistent to avoid the worst.
Rachel’s Pitch
Narrative | 2018 | 12 min. 33 sec.
Language | English
Director | Julia Fulmer
Suggested Rating | G
In this satirical portrayal of the entertainment industry, join Rachel Jensen, a quirky but ambitious young filmmaker, as she attempts to pitch her ideas to Mr. McKnight, an intimidating big-time producer. Make-A-Wish South Carolina served as Executive Producer of this project.
Wifi Plaza Cuba
Documentary | 2017 | 3 min. 20 sec.
Language | Spanish
Director | Adrian Kelterborn
Suggested Rating | G
The Cuban soprano singer Maria Dolores Garcia no longer has an audience. These days, the residents of her town San Antonio de los Banos prefer to spend their evenings in the central plaza, where they have access to Wi-Fi. Since the audience won’t come to the theatre, Maria Dolores Garcia decides to go to the Wi-Fi plaza and sing a song for the people gathered there.
Easy Money
Narrative | 2018 | 10 min. 45 sec.
Language | English
Director | Jackson Little
Suggested Rating | PG
Two boys are given the opportunity to make some money by retrieving a brief case. Little do they know what they're getting themselves into...
Kitwana's Journey
Animation | 2019 | 5 min. 45 sec.
Language | English
Director | Ng'endo Mukii
Suggested Rating | PG
This is the story of a boy named Kitwana,
A boy who laughed and played, and went to school,
and did all the things that children do.
One day Kitwana’s life would change and not for the better,
This however, nobody knew.
This short film is based on a true story, and was commissioned by HAART (Awareness Against Human Trafficking) Kenya.
The Afterbirth
Animation | 2018 | 4 min. 0 sec.
Language | English
Directors | Ignacio Rodó, Blanca Bonet
Suggested Rating | G
Two twins discuss, while still inside their mother's belly, what they might find once they are born.
Obon
Animation | 2018 | 15 min. 0 sec.
Language | Japanese
Directors | André Hörmann
Suggested Rating | PG
Akiko Takakura is one of the last survivors of the atomic bomb explosion of Hiroshima. During Obon she receives the spirits of her parents and is haunted by memories. Akiko’s childhood consists of constant rejections and beatings. Finally, Akiko experiences fatherly love in the midst of Hiroshima’s ruins.
IMARA
Documentary | 2017 | 5 min. 40 sec.
Language | English, Swahili
Director | Samuel Wanjohi
Suggested Rating | G
Samuel Mwangi, a young professional Kenyan cyclist, is faced with the challenge of undertaking his career with one leg after the other one got amputated as a result of a tragic crash he encountered during the Tour du Rwanda 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda. However impossible it seems, Samuel keeps his dream alive to become a world cycling champion as he also seeks to inspire a new generation of dream chasers among people living with disability. Currently he is aiming at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo Japan.
Novela Picaresca
Narrative | 2017 | 24 min. 58 sec.
Language | Japanese
Director | Kenji Qurata
Suggested Rating | G
Yoko wishes to become the “bad kid” but she is trapped in her little book store. One day, she falls in love with a phrase written by a novelist and starts to plan a very innocent and mindless crime, which becomes an everyday prank towards a joyful life.
BLOCK D | FRIDAY, MARCH 29 | 7 – 9 PM
THEME | Movable Type
The Masque of Blackness
Animation | 2018 | 12 min. 45 sec.
Language | English
Director | Epoh Beech
Suggested Rating | G
Epoh Beech's The Masque of Blacknessis a hand drawn animation re-imagining Ben Jonson's 1605 play The Masque of Blacknessand Joseph Conrad's 1899 novella Heart of Darkness. Created over 7 years out of thousands of charcoal drawings, the animation weaves both texts together and explores the spirit of place to take you on a journey from West Africa to the Thames in London and the Rhine in Germany. It has themes of moonlight, oceans, rivers, unexplored territory and mythological symbolism. Our guides on the journey are Hermes, a grey seal, and Pegasus, the winged horse, they are both unconstrained by the straight jacket of time.
An Act of Terror
Narrative | 2018 | 16 min. 7 sec.
Language | English
Director | Ashley Paige Brim
Suggested Rating | PG-13
The true story of Virginia Christian, a 16-year-old African American girl accused of murder in the Jim Crow South.
Icebergs
Animation | 2017 | 9 min. 22 sec.
Language | English
Director | Eirini Vianelli
Suggested Rating | PG
Icebergsis an existential, dark comedy consisting of 14 short vignettes, ranging from the mundane to the absurd. It is based on the book Scenesby Award-winning screenwriter Efthymis Filippou.
You Too?
Narrative | 2018 | 5 min. 41 sec.
Language | English
Director | Rob Adler
Suggested Rating | PG
A short film inspired by the OpEd in the Washington Post by Alexandra Petri, Some Interpersonal Verbs Conjugated by Gender.
This is a special screening of You Too?This film is not in competition.
Coastland - Litoral
Experimental | 2018 | 12 min. 14 sec.
Language | Romanian
Director | Miruna Dunu
Suggested Rating | PG
Coastlandpresents a fictional narrative rooted into architectural research. The story of the Western Black Sea coast begins in a distant future and goes back to its roots, only to reveal cyclical destruction and rebirth. The film is created entirely out of the author’s collection of authentic postcards.
The Scorpion’s Tale
Narrative | 2018 | 22 min. 18 sec.
Language | English, Spanish
Director | Jhosimar Vasquez
Suggested Rating | PG-13
Greed, revenge and death all impact one another in this taught crime drama. Nothing is what is seems in this film written and produced by Maximiliano Hernández and directed by newcomer Jhosimar Vasquez.
MASTERCLASS | SATURDAY, MARCH 30 | 10 AM – 12 PM
THEME | Improv Acting & Directing
Spontaneity on Screen: Skills from a Hollywood Performance Coach
Tickets | Art Council of York County Members $15 | General Public $20
Box Office | underexposedfilmfestivalyc.org | By Phone (803)328-2787
In Person Center for the Arts, 121 E. Main St., Rock Hill, SC
Celebrity acting coach Rob Adler leads a masterclass for actors and filmmakers. In this participatory workshop, Adler will share tools to get you to deliver spontaneous and life-like performances on screen. You’ll learn some of the secrets to screen presence, blending improvisation tools with classical acting techniques.
BLOCK E | SATURDAY | MARCH 30 | 2 – 4 PM
THEME | Perception
Panta Rhei
Animation | 2018 | 10 min. 14 sec.
Language | Dutch
Director | Wouter Bongaerts
Suggested Rating | PG
Like the beached whales he studies, introverted marine biologist Stefaan flees the ocean. But floods, leaking faucets and endless rain keep seeping into his life, and he can’t keep the water out…
Light Rain
Experimental | 2015 | 2 min.
Language | Silent
Director | J. Michael Simpson
Suggested Rating | G
Video of a rain during thunderstorm edited to appear as an abstract painting.
Manhood
Narrative | 2018 | 11 min. 18 sec.
Language | English
Director | Rodney Stringfellow
Suggested Rating | PG
Olivia eagerly anticipates the ritual of becoming a man on her 10thbirthday.
Decay
Experimental | 2018 | 1 min. 56 sec.
Language | English
Director | Chris O'Neill
Suggested Rating | PG
An experimental short, about the death of the American Dream.
Murder at the Redlight
Experimental | 2018 | 5 min. 2 sec.
Language | English
Director | Hamilton Young Ward
Suggested Rating | PG
A recollection of murder in a small, southern town.
Paint the Forest
Animation | 2016 | 2 min. 33 sec.
Language | English
Director | Karin Neuvirth
Suggested Rating | G
This video was an artistic collaboration by me and my youngest son Miles. The intention was to show the painting process of an entire piece from start to finish within a short amount of time, although the painting itself was done across several days. I captured every stroke during the painting of the piece Maritime Forestand used them to create the video portion of this stop motion. Miles wrote and performed the song (ADD it up) specifically for this project.
Almost Everything
Narrative | 2017 | 24 min. 43 sec.
Language | Italian, Swiss German
Director | Lisa Gertsch
Suggested Rating | PG-13
At only 47 years of age, Paul suffers from early-onset Alzheimer's disease. His wife Leandra is supposed to take him to a nursing home, but Paul would rather go on holiday with her. So they drive to the sea, just like a regular couple.
Almost Everythingwon the Student Academy Awards 2018 (Silver Student Oscar - Narrative - International Film Schools).
Divulge
Experimental | 2018 | 9 min.
Language | English
Director | Haven Nutt
Suggested Rating | PG
Real women’s stories of survival blend together into an eerie experimental tale of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Old Lions
Narrative | 2018 | 8 min. 14 sec.
Language | English
Director | Lee Robinson
Suggested Rating | PG-13
Two brothers pitted against each other in a survival of the fittest battle to see who is king of the jungle.
Uncle Gareth
Narrative | 2018 | 14 min. 50 sec.
Language | English
Director | Chris London
Suggested Rating | PG
After his mother's death, Gareth is caught between his fear of being alone and his fear of dealing with the outside world. The natural solution, hanging out with preserved bodies from his family's funeral home, works perfectly--until he suddenly has to take care of his niece while hiding the bodies from a neighborhood watchman.
Do Not Disturb
Narrative | 2014 | 6 min. 25 sec.
Language | English
Directors | Anil Dhokai
Suggested Rating | PG
While cleaning rooms one morning, a housekeeper discovers something horrific in a guest's room.
Grandpa
Narrative | 2018 | 11 min.
Language | English
Directors | Chris Niespodzianski
Suggested Rating | PG
A man wants to enjoy one final perfect day before his memories fade away forever.
Hope
Narrative | 2018 | 14 min. 30 sec.
Language | English
Directors | Katie Damien
Suggested Rating | PG
Based on a true story. When a widow with mental illness attempts suicide, she survives only to find herself homeless and unable to reconnect with her son. After a year of living in a shelter with no hope of overcoming her situation, she has a chance encounter that changes her life.
BLOCK F + AWARDS CEREMONY | SATURDAY, MARCH 30 | 7 - 9 PM
THEME | A Little of This, A Lot of That
A Thousand Kisses
Animation | 2018 | 16 min. 38 sec.
Language | English
Directors | Richard Goldgewicht
Suggested Rating | PG
Separated by the fear of prosecution in the Nazi Germany of 1933, a young Jewish couple in Berlin make loose plans to reunite on the safe tropical shores of Brazil. Inspired by the actual correspondence recovered 80 years later by the couple’s grandsons in São Paulo, A Thousand Kissespresents a peculiar love story tainted by the harsh historical context of its time, with a light appeal of irony and real-life poetry.
All Inclusive
Documentary | 2017 | 10 min.
Language | Silent
Directors | Corina Schwingruber Ilić
Suggested Rating | G
Under the spell of mass entertainment on the high seas.
All These Creatures
Narrative | 2018 | 13 min.
Language | English
Directors | Charles Williams
Suggested Rating | PG
An adolescent boy attempts to untangle his memories of a mysterious infestation, the unravelling of his father, and the little creatures inside us all.
All These Creatureswon the World Palme D’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
Who is Martin Danzig?
Narrative | 2018 | 11 min. 17 sec.
Language | English
Directors | Michael Baker
Suggested Rating | PG
A mysterious old man (Martin Danzig) sits in the park feeding pigeons, ruing the refuse of humanity encroaching on his sanctuary. A man in a crisp white suit approaches and informs him that although still needed, he is no longer wanted. Facing feelings of uselessness, Danzig begs to stay, but is rebuffed. As a final gift, Danzig gets to meet his much younger replacement and learns to accept his future - with the fate of all humanity in the balance. Starring Walter Koenig (Star Trek) and Kevin Page (Robocop, Seinfeld, Dallas)
Carlotta’s Face
Animation | 2018 | 5 min.
Language | German
Directors | Valentin Riedl, Frédéric Schuld
Suggested Rating | G
As a child, Carlotta didn’t expect the people around here to have faces. She even doesn’t recognize her own face. Years later, she learns about a rare, untreatable deficit of her brain. It was art, after all, that offered her a way to finally recognize herself.
Souls of Totality
Narrative | 2018 | 18 min. 50 sec.
Language | English
Directors | Richard Raymond
Suggested Rating | PG-13
A love story about the intensity of a looming moment that can change everything. Lady 18 and Guy 3 have a secret. They are members of a cult that believes if they die during a Solar Eclipse their souls will be taken to paradise. But that’s not their secret… They are also profoundly in love. Starring Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black, Drunk History) and Tom Cullen (Orphan Black, Knightfall, Downton Abbey).
WRAP PARTY | SATURDAY, MARCH 30| 9:30 PM – 12 AM
To Be Announced |Rock Hill | SC
Celebrate the 2019 festival! The wrap party is open to the public. Tickets are $25.
In addition to the wrap party on Saturday night, there will be after parties held at The White Horse Restaurant, 300 Technology Way, Suite 203, Rock Hill, SC on Thursday night, and at the Courtroom in the Gettys Art Center, 201 East Main Street, Rock Hill, SC on Friday night.
UFFyc tickets are on sale now, starting at $8 per block when purchased in advance, $10 at the door. Tickets are available online at underexposedfilmfestivalyc.org and yorkcountyarts.org, by phone at (803)328-2787, or in person at the Center for the Arts, 121 E. Main St., Rock Hill, SC. Winthrop students are admitted free of charge with valid student ID. Seating is limited.
Thanks to the 2019 jurors for their time and consideration: Rob Adler (iVote, You Too?), Allan Arkush (Rock ‘n Roll High School, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Ally McBeal), Meghann Artes (Sesame Street), Coretta Bedsole, Laura Rinaldi Dufresne (Winthrop University), Dick Feury (The Family, Satisfaction, Reckless, Ghost Whisperer), John Gallen (Daddy, Maverick, The Crazy Ones), Carol Green [Heathers (TV),American Horror Story, Franklin & Bash, The Tempations], Cashell Horgan (Ancient Lights, The Clockmaker’s Dream, Paddy), Daniella Koffler (Compartments), John LeBlanc [Madonna: Truth or Dare, Cocoon, The Parent Trap(1998) Dog Down!], Michael Rivers, Terry Roueche, Karen Stock (Winthrop University), David White (Single. Parents. Collection.), John T. Williams (Jilava, Black Train is Coming).
The Underexposed Film Festival yc is presented by Morton & Gettys, and is made possible by partnerships with Carolina Fresh Farms; Cinematiq; Karen Collins, Dr. Susan Collins; Concerts at the Courtroom; Final Draft; Founders Federal Credit Union; Hilton Garden Inn; Lightworks; Melton Insurance; Old Town Association; Teresa & David Rector; Samsung; Sharp Business Systems; Toon Boom; Winthrop University; Wells Fargo; The White Horse Restaurant; Winthrop University College of Visual and Performing Arts; WRHI AM/FM, Interstate 107, and 104.1 The Bridge.
The 2019 Underexposed Film Festival yc is a part of the 2019 South Carolina Humanities Festival. Visit York County has partnered with South Carolina Humanities to host the 2019 SC Humanities Festival in York County for the first time.
