Urban Jacksonville

Two of your best bets for achieving awesome during the 2008 Jacksonville Film Festival are the parking garage party on Thursday the 15th and Hip-Hop For The Masses on Sunday the 18th.

I’m stunned that Jacksonville came up with something as awesome as a parking garage party. I went to one called Austin Blowout when I was at SXSW and it was the most fun I had in a while. Granted this COJ sponsored event will likely be much more domesticated, but fun none the less.

Thursday, May 15 (also the 22nd and 29th)
5 - 8 p.m, Rooftop of the Water Street Garage
Free Admission

6 pm. – 8 p.m. - Ceremony and Screening of Inside The Circle
8 p.m. – 11 p.m. – Hip-Hop For The Masses street party

Hip-Hop For The Masses is a Sunday street party that will include a screening of Inside the Circle

The multi-award-winning documentary “Inside the Circle, tells the story of two strikingly talented b-boys (break-dancers), Josh and Omar, best friends who become rivals when they join competing dance crews. Immersed in the b-boy culture of defiant creativity, Omar rises to international renown, while Josh tangles with the criminal justice system.

The Hip-Hop for the Masses street party will take place outside of the Florida Theatre with a one-on-one b-boy battle for $200, live graffiti artists and a hip-hop stage with guest DJ’s and performers.

$15 Includes film presentation and street party. Buy Tickets

Tags: hip hop for the masses, inside the circle

UPDATED: 1:47 PM

Alright Jacksonville, let’s blow the Jacksonville Film Festival out this year. Last year’s festival came and went without me even noticing it. Urban Jacksonville will be having film festival related posts all week. Screw all the other cool stuff going on!

My goal for this year’s Film Festival is to see one more movie than I did last year, which was zero, so I should be able to meet that goal. On Friday Adrienne kicked off the coverage with ARolling Out the Red, The 2008 Jacksonville Film Festival calling it her favorite time of the year.

Today I’m going to let you know all the place, besides Urban Jacksonville, you can get news, showtimes, venue locations and anything else you need to know about the festival. This should be a fun week so let’s get started.

The JaxCal blog will be covering the festival all week. They have an interesting art-oriented point of view so I’m sure they will have some good posts.

EU Jacksonville posted their 2008 Jacksonville Film Festival guide (PDF). Pick up this weeks EU for a printed pull-out guide. Here’s what the guide says:

Our writers have already watched a good deal of the films featured, so we have some reviews from a local perspective. Whether you’re looking for a complete schedule of where, when and what films or just some insight to select the features you are most interested in, there isn’t a better partner you could have at the Film Fest than the EU.

There’s also the official Jacksonville Film Festival website, which is very nice by the way, where you can sign up for email updates and schedule changes. Check out the Jacksonville Film Festival blog where you can find bits of information like this:

The opening night of the Jacksonville Film Festival, May 15, will feature the independent film Crazy…and the appearance of the film’s leading actress, Ali Larter. Larter will be taking a break from her role in Heroes over in L.A. to jet to the River City to be a part of the premier. The film holds a special connection to Jacksonville, as it tells the story of the legendary Nashville guitarist Hank Garland, who in his final years of life called Orange Park his home

The official site has pretty much any information you might need about the festival including:

1. Films
2. Programs
3. Events
4. Panels
5. Schedule
6. Tickets
7. Venues

Don’t even bother going to the Times Union website. Uhhg. You’ll be greeted by something like this, if you find it. You might be safer sticking with the print version.

Which will no doubt be competing with Folio Weekly for print eyeballs. Especially after last weeks Folio cover story which pretty much said the Times Union is a sinking ship.

Updates
The Downtown Jacksonville website lists restaurants, bars and clubs and hotels for the Jacksonville Film Festival.

Tags: jacksonville film festival

It’s that time of year again!  The Jacksonville Film Festival is my favorite time of the year.  It comes and goes so quickly that I’m left wondering if it really even happened.  Last year was no exception to the awesomeness that occurs!

The festival begins Thursday evening, May 15, at the Florida Theatre with the Opening Night Celebration and the Southeast premier of Crazy, an independent feature based on the life of legendary Nashville guitarist Hank Garland.  Director, producer and writer of the film, Rick Bieber, will attend the opening night, along with some of the actors.

Things just get better from there.  Friday night is another Southeast premier!  Meteoro, a Brazillian film, will be screening at the Theatre followed by the Samba! Salsa! And Swing! Party at the Jacksonville Landing, which is included in the price of the film ticket.

Saturday is the Hollywood Night Film Presentation with the screening of The Year of Getting to Know Us, a film starring Sharon Stone, Jimmy Fallon, Lucy Liu, Tom Arnold and Ileana Douglas.  The film is about a successful New York journalist forced to face the realization that if he does not learn how to feel, he will face an empty life.  This is the film I’m most excited to see.

Sunday night is going to be oh so hot at Hip Hop for the Masses!  Inside the Circle is screening beforehand at the Theatre and sounds like a really cool film.  It’s a multi-award-winning documentary about two talented B Boys who are best friends and become rivals when they join competing break dance crews.  Hip Hop for the Masses is a street party right outside of the Florida Theatre with B Boy circles, live graffiti artists and a hip-hop stage with guest DJ’s and performers.  Heck to the yes!

Visit the Film Festival site to find out about the other films that are showing.  I can’t testify enough as to the amazingness of this event.  Thanks to the Florida Theatre and the sponsors for making it an undoubtably good time.  Don’t miss out!

Poster designed by Half Tone Def Studios

This is Joey, I am invading Adrienne’s post to tell you last night I interviewed Levi from Urban Art Warfare about the movie premier he is hosting for Bomb It. Check out the interview below. Then read Adrienne’s post for more details.

Podcast Episode #14: UAW Presents Bomb It the Movie! (30:53)
Subscribe to the Urban Jacksonville podcast

Our pals at Urban Art Warfare are making life better and better with two screenings of Bomb It An Explosive New Graffiti Documentary at the San Marco Theatre May 9th and 10th at 11:55 p.m.

The documentary explores graffiti on different continents and across languages while exposing the opposition to it and also the ideals and opinions of the artists.  This comes at a pretty appropriate time for Jacksonville considering the recent conversations on graffiti downtown and in its neighboring areas.

Come out and see how law enforcement deals with graffiti and how graffiti artists deal with everyone else.  It’s going to be an awesome documentary and a usual good time at the theatre.   And most definitely, don’t forget UAW’s DISCLAIMER NOTICE:

We wanted to remind you to be respectful of the San Marco theatre and to not go tagging shit up after the film is over. Granted you will be totally hyped to do so…but given the nature of the film, we had a very hard time finding a theatre that would show this film so be cool, ya heard. We don’t want to have to start bustin knee caps.

See you guys out!

Tags: bomb it the movie, graffiti, san marco theater

Last year’s 4th Annual Amateur Film Festival at the library was a huge success. This year the theme is, my favorite and yours, Zombies! It’s easy:

Simply make a zombie movie no longer than 7 minutes long on VHS or DVD format and submit it to Scott Adams (sadams@coj.net), Main Library, first floor no later than May 10th.

There are a few requirements:

1. The film must include the word “butterfingers” at least once
2. keep blood/gore to PG levels

The movies will be shown to the public on May 17th, 2:00, in the Library’s multipurpose room, Main Library as part of the Jacksonville Film Fest. If you have questions get at Scott Adams at 630-1940 or sadams@coj.net.

Tags: film festival, jacksonville public library, zombies