“You have powers you never dreamed of. You can do things you never thought you could do. There are no limitations in what you can do, except for the limitations of your own mind.” ~ Darwin P. Kingsley
Thanks a million to all the many talented filmmakers, writers, composers, audiences, event staff and volunteers who participated in the 2016 Moondance International Film Festival & made it another memorable season!
CLICK ON THE STAR IMAGE, FOR INFO ON AWARD CATEGORIES!
If you would like to have us send you back your Blu-ray screener, or if you were not able to attend the awards ceremony, & want us to send you your winner’s award star & certificate, please clickHEREfor the form to request it & pay only the minimal postage & handling.
The final deadline for ordering is October 15th!
“Movies are just another form of merchandising – we have our factory, which is called a stage; we make a product, we color it, we title it, and we ship it out in a can, and then try to convince people to buy it.” ~ Cary Grant
Please subscribe to the blog & forward it to your creative artist colleagues!
The 17th annual Moondance International Film Festival was a grand success for everyone who attended; audiences, indie film buffs, filmmakers, writers, composers, workshops & master class presenters, staff & volunteers, and a productive, good time was had by all! We thank you all for your valued participation, enthusiasm & for every one of those great films!
You can download laurels for which you are eligible HERE!
ATTENTION 2016 SELECTED FILMMAKERS & WINNERS!
CLICK ON THE STAR FOR INFO ON AWARD CATEGORIES!
If you would like to have us send you back your Blu-ray screener, or if you were not able to attend the awards ceremony, & want us to send you your award star & certificate, please clickHEREfor the form to request it & pay only the minimal postage & handling.
2016 AUDIENCE FAVORITE FILMS ANNOUNCED!
• FEATURE FILMS:
A Shine of Rainbows Vic Sarin Canada
Mousse John Hellberg Sweden
The Dawns Here Are Quiet… Renat Davletyarov Russia
Tomorrow Ever After Ela Their USA
• FEATURE DOCUMENTARY FILMS:
Rivering Bill Parks New Zealand
The Boy From Geita Vic Sarin Canada
Unit 731 Chris Nebe USA
• SHORT FILMS:
A Game of Chicken Michael Hilf USA
A Wilderness Within Vangelis Maderakis Greece
Behind the Wall Bat-Sheva Guez USA
Omessa Charlène Favier France
Play Date Paige Morrow Kimball USA
Sandboy Vittoria Colonna USA
The Sky Over Berlin of My Childhood Bakhtiyar Islamov Kazakhstan
The Windfisherman Anna McRoberts USA
• SHORT DOCUMENTARY FILMS:
Displaced Niamh Heery Ireland
Meeting With the Leaf Fazlollah Tari Iran
The More Things Change Nathan Myers USA
• MUSIC VIDEO:
Heaven’s Falling Kimberley Williams USA
• ANIMATION FILMS:
Ella Juan Montes de Oca Spain
The Diver Damon Mohl USA
• WORKS-IN-PROGRESS / SNEAK PREVIEW FILM:
Hey! Alex Jovanoski Germany
MOONDANCERS WRITE US!
• “I’d like to thank you and your team for a wonderful weekend. Everyone at the Moondance festival worked so hard and maintained their smiles throughout. I truly appreciate all your help and the aid of the volunteers, in particular Rachel and Cassia for making this weekend memorable. Your enthusiasm is an inspiration!” ~ Lianne Collinson, personal assistant to Vic Sarin, director of Moondance winning films, A Shine of Rainbows & The Boy from Geita
• “Thank you for curating a festival with integrity. I loved the films I saw (which isn’t usually the case at festivals…) I love your taste in films and you clearly take the time to watch submissions.” ~ Ela Their, Winning Moondance 2016 feature film, Tomorrow Ever After
• “I just wanted to say thank you so much for selecting Displaced as winner of the Short Documentary Film category at Moondance this year. I just checked your website and I’m over the moon! (Pardon the pun!) A festival like yours is exactly why I make films, the fact that you guys focus on women, focus on social justice and global issues and work hard to promote it is very admirable and I’m thrilled to be a small part of it. As I’m thousands of miles away in Ireland and cannot get to the festival this year, I wish you the very best of luck with all the screenings and events, and thank you again for exhibiting Displaced.” ~ Niamh Heery
• “My friends and family came to my screening on Sunday and said that they had a wonderful time. Congratulations on a successful event! ~ Bat-Sheva Guez, 2016 Moondance winner for Behind the Wall
• “Thanks again to you and your staff for making my wife (Gwen) and me feel so welcomed to your wonderful festival. Really enjoyed the time I got to spend with you, and our conversations. I hope our paths cross again.” ~ Jay Kettering, Moondance winning audio play, My Dad & Pre-Socratic Thought
• “Thank you for awarding LUDLOW a first place prize for feature screenwriting. I was pleased to no end to be honored and to receive the Seahorse Award. Barbara and I enjoyed watching A Shine of Rainbows and Rivering, entirely different movies, but both good stories filmed in beautiful locations. ~ Bruce Leaf, multi-award-winning screenwriter
“Fine festival for screenwriters. Good and timely communication make this a recommended festival for screenwriters, both new and experienced.” ~ Jim Norman, FilmFreeway review
• “Just a note to thank you for having me in Boulder. You work hard and have your heart at the right places. I am happy to meet you and that I was able to spend a little time with you. Please also thank the volunteers whom I met, as they were all very kind and caring. I hope our paths cross again in the future.” ~ Vic Sarin,director, winning Moondance films, A Shine of Rainbows & The Boy from Geita, Sepia films
TEHRAN, Sep. 14 (MNA) – Three Iranian films, including ‘The Sea and the Flying Fish’, have been awarded prizes at the Moondance International Film Festival in the US. ‘The Sea and the Flying Fish’ directed by Mehrdad Ghafarzadeh won Best Feature Film award alongside titles from Canada, Germany, Russia and the US. The film is about a young innocent deaf and dumb inmate of a correctional camp who communicates through painting. ‘The Sea and the Flying Fish’ has previously won the Best Actor award at Spain’s film festival.
‘Atlan’ directed by Moein Karimoddini won the Feature Documentary Film award at the festival. The film relates the story of a horse-trainer, Ali Golnejad and his beloved horse, Ilhan, which is supposed to bring much success and glory to the family. In the short film category, ‘The Salt Man’ directed by Sajad Mousavi won an award along with other titles from US, Ireland, France, and Kazakhstan.
Moondance International Film Festival, popularly known as the “American Cannes”, is one of the premier venues for the exhibition and promotion of feature and short films in the US, and one of the leading indie film festivals in the world. This 17th edition of the festival took place on September 4th and 5th, 2016.
SOME THINGS TO THNK ABOUT NOW:
“The world is a mirror; growl at it, and it growls in return. Smile, and the world smiles back at you.” ~ Herbert Samuel
“Life is the perpetual present moment one lives in, and a perception that time is nothing more than the current…an eternal flowing back to the sea.” ~William Least Heat-Moon, author, “River Horse”
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“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” ~ Zen Buddhist Proverb
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“How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.” ~ Wayne W. Dyer
Please forward this news-blog to your creative artist colleagues!
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
Moondance has always been, and continues to be, a “Green” event!
No trees or natural habitats were harmed in the creation of this news-blog!
Tickets for all events will also be available at the registrations & ticket sales table in the lobby of the St. Julien Hotel venue, on September 4th & 5th, starting at 10:AM each day.
We are very pleased to have secured the best venue for screening Moondance films in historic, beautiful Boulder. The world-class St. Julien Hotel & Spa in downtown Boulder is one of the West’s most prestigious luxury hotels, and stands at the forefront of special event spaces in the Rocky Mountain region.
The 17th annual Moondance International Film Festival, featuring its distinct cinematic visions and bold film selections, has distinguished itself around the world as much more than a popular annual film festival! The Moondance is a unique community, a supportive, productive, and creative year-round collaboration between independent filmmakers and movie audiences, between writers, music composers and the world of top-quality filmed entertainment.
Moondancers are part of an amazing worldwide community; a unique collaboration of multi-talented writers, film score composers and filmmakers. The Moondance mission is to entertain, inform, inspire, encourage and educate. We honor those artists who, through their creative work, actively increase awareness, provide multiple viewpoints, address complex social issues, and strengthen ties between international audiences At Moondance, you can come together with other writers, directors and producers to create new opportunities, develop tools for success and forge new alliances within the international film and entertainment industry.
SOME HAPPY 2014 MOONDANCE WINNERS!
The uniqueness and integrity of The Moondance International Film Festival brand, its global reputation for the highest quality, as well as its important mission and goals, and now celebrating our 17th season, is a rare and unmatchable asset. Talented filmmakers, writers and composers from around the world submit their work to the annual Moondance competition; enthusiastic audiences attend the film festival’s screenings of the best indie films, its professional workshops and popular networking events.
WANT TO HELP OUT DURING THE 2016 FILM FESTIVAL?
See our list of volunteer & intern opportunities & sign-up form HERE:
Our dedicated volunteers & interns help make this event so successful!
Volunteers & interns can earn free tickets to films & workshops, based on volunteer hours!
2016 MOONDANCE SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES!
Dear Friends, Moondancers, Supporters, Donors & Sponsors, If you’d like to consider a unique sponsorship at Moondance, to further promote your company or product to our international audiences & event attendees, please take a look at our Sponsorship Categories, and contact Elizabeth English at:director@moondancefimfestival.com
Thanks a million for your interest in a mutually-beneficial working relationship with the 2016 Moondance International Film Festival!
MOONDANCERS COME FROM AROUND THE WORLD!
A MOONDANCER WRITES US:
Thank you SO much for the wonderful news! I am looking into travel prices, and will most likely attend the festival. I am extremely impressed by how organized the festival seems, and how informative the website is. Thank you very much for selecting my film, “Square One”. ~ Ryan Slattery
If you’d like to consider a unique sponsorship at Moondance, to further promote your company or product to our international audiences & event attendees, please take a look at our Sponsorship Categories, and contact our sponsorships coordinator, Alan Rogers, at: alan@moondancefilmfestival.com
Thanks a million for your interest in a mutually-beneficial working relationship with the 2016 Moondance International Film Festival!
MOONDANCERS WRITE US:
“How nice to get your note that you’ve received my screenplay. So often, nothing comes back, and we submitters are like tourists tossing pennies at a fountain… Your greeting was immediate, buoyant and gratefully taken in. Thanks for the “voice back”. I’ll subscribe to the blog and keep up-to-date, and look forward to meeting you at the 17th Moondance. Very glad you consider screenplays.” ~ Stephen Keep Mills
“Thank you for considering us! We love your festival and your free-spirited theme.” ~ Carlos Antonio León
Don’t miss reading great filmmaking, writing & music articles written by the pros exclusively for Moondancers. Read about: how to win a screenplay competition; how to win a film festival competition; winning titles & loglines for films & scripts; screenplay submissions; movie script writing; writing character, dialog & action; how to get an agent; what Hollywood wants to see; directing indie films, documentaries, short films, animation; film scores; stage plays; short stories; TV MOW; TV pilots; kids films; music videos; radio plays, and more!
MALE DIRECTORS ON RAMPANT SEXISM & GENDER BIAS IN HOLLYWOOD
Directors Pedro Almodovar, Paul Feig and Duncan Jones are just a few of the male directors who have been fighting against the Hollywood establishment and its attitude toward women in film. Feig recently addressed the backlash against his all-female remake of “Ghostbusters,” while Almodovar talked about the importance of casting women of all ages to fight against the industry’s “diabolical sexism” at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this summer. Taking a stand and creating change in an industry that should be the standard-bearer for creative liberalism, but sadly isn’t just yet. But with all this important activism comes the realization that change isn’t going to happen with just half of the industry population working to create it. Men also have to join the fight and recognize what a benefit it is to filmmaking when everyone gets the same kinds of opportunities based on talent and merit, not skin color or gender.READ MORE:
SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:
“The unexamined life is not worth living.” ~ Socrates
“They are indolent discoverers who, upon seeing nothing but sea and sky, absolutely deny that there can be any land at all beyond them.” ~ Sir Francis Bacon
Compassion and mindfulness are two wings of the same bird, and we need both in order to live in a wise way. But what about compassion? What is compassion? How is it different from empathy? Empathy is a gateway to compassion. It’s understanding how someone feels, and trying to imagine how that might feel for you — it’s a mode of relating. Compassion takes it further. It’s feeling what that person is feeling, holding it, accepting it, and taking some kind of action.
Compassion is empathy in action. Compassion is all about realizing that we ultimately all want the same things out of life (love, safety, health, happiness), and responding in an appropriate way. With a little practice, we can all become more compassionate toward ourselves and others. It’s a bold, brilliant, and radical choice to go against the stream of self-interest and self-centeredness.READ MORE:
Now, the African Elephant Coalition is warning of a mass extinction of elephants on the continent within 25 years. By not taking action, the EU is endangering tens of thousands of elephants each year. Time is running out. We need the EU to act now.
Rhinos are one of the world’s most distinctive and beloved animals, but they are rapidly disappearing from the wild. Why? Demand for rhino horns as a status symbol and fake cure for cancer has skyrocketed. Coupled with a dramatic loss of habitat, all five species of rhinos are threatened with extinction. The public outcry over rhino poaching is growing. With your support, we can keep these species alive and thriving. If we don’t take action now, these precious animals could be lost forever. It’s up to us to step up and do something to protect these majestic animals.
DON’T MISS THESE PLANNED EVENTS AT THE 2016 FILM FESTIVAL:
INDIE FILM SCREENINGS (documentaries, animation, music videos, foreign, feature & short films)
PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOPS FOR FILMMAKERS, WRITERS & COMPOSERS
PRODUCTIVE NETWORKING PARTIES & EVENTS DAILY
CELEBRITY APPEARANCE & PHOTO-OPS
CELEBRITY KEYNOTE SPEAKER
PRIVATE CONSULTATIONS WITH THE PROS
Q&As WITH THE FILM DIRECTORS
AFTER-PARTIES EACH EVENING
GALA AWARDS CEREMONY & BANQUET RECEPTION!
>>> FESTIVAL TICKETS GO ON SALE SOON! <<<
Celebrity Appearance & Keynote Speaker
Moondance 2016
* V I C S A R I N *
A passionate and diverse filmmaker, Vic Sarin‘s career includes award-winning feature films, documentaries and television movies.
We are very proud to announce that the US premiere of Sarin’s feature documentary film, The Boy from Geita, will be screened at Moondance, along with his award-winning feature narrative film, A Shine of Rainbows. READ MORE!
Happy Independence Day to all of our American Moondancers!
SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:
“If you break faith with us who die, we shall not sleep, though poppies grow in Flanders fields.” ~ by Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae
Each one of those 888,246 poppies represented a drop of blood from a brave man or woman who lost their lives in World War I. The Battle of the Somme was launched on July 1st, 1916, one hundred years ago today. The fighting was also in Holland, France, Belgium, Germany, Greece, the Balkans, at sea, and outside Europe, as well. Historical statistics relate that over one million men & women were killed or wounded, but how can we imagine the lost & maimed sons, husbands and brothers, mothers, wives & sisters? 400 British surgeons were also killed in the first few days of the Battle of the Somme – what a terrible loss of knowledge & healing skills, which could have helped so many others! ~ Excerpted & edited from Lady Carnarvon’s blog at Highclere Castle, UK (Downton Abbey)
The Moondance International Film Festival actively promotes, inspires & encourages non-violent conflict resolutions through film, television, radio, writing & music, and the coveted Columbine awards, with recognition of alternatives presented to international & local audiences and annual event attendees.
logo-kid.com
“I’m convinced of this: good done anywhere is good done everywhere.” ~ Maya Angelou
“Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakes,” ~ Carl Jung
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“Artists…notice the things that engage the mind’s private and idiosyncratic interior, that area where the life of the senses mingles with the life of the spirit…” ~Annie Dillard, from An American Childhood
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Robert Duvall & Mary Badham, Universal Pictures
“I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through, no matter what.” ~ Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, (Atticus to Scout)
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www.mommyish.com
“Don’t be discouraged by a failure. It can be a positive experience. Failure is, in a sense, the highway to success, inasmuch as every discovery of what is false leads us to seek earnestly after what is true, and every fresh experience points out some form of error which we shall afterwards carefully avoid.” ~ John Keats
“I choose…to live by choice, not by chance; to make changes, not excuses; to be motivated, not manipulated; to be useful, not used; to excel, not compete. I choose self-esteem, not self-pity. I choose to listen to my inner voice, not the random opinions of others. ~ Author Unknown
Please forward this news-blog to your creative artist colleagues!
Moondance now offers feedback & professional critiques on screenplays, stage plays, and TV pilots that are submitted for the 2016 competition, for only $50! Select the FEEDBACK option on the FilmFreeway entry form, or the Moondance entry form. Meet our professional reader, Jasmine Sahu, at: https://moondancefilmfestival.com/meetouradvisoryboard/
Jasmine Sahu
The Moondance International Film Festival, featuring its distinct cinematic visions and bold film selections, has distinguished itself around the world as much more than an annual film festival! The Moondance is a unique community, a supportive, productive, and creative year-round collaboration between independent filmmakers and movie audiences, between writers, music composers and the world of top-quality filmed entertainment.
DON’T MISS THESE PLANNED EVENTS AT THE 2016 FILM FESTIVAL:
~September 4th & 5th, Boulder, Colorado, USA~
INDIE FILM SCREENINGS (documentaries, animation, music videos, foreign, feature & short films)
PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOPS FOR FILMMAKERS, WRITERS & COMPOSERS
PRODUCTIVE NETORKING PARTIES & EVENTS DAILY
CELEBRITY APPEARANCE & PHOTO-OPS
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
PRIVATE CONSULTATIONS WITH THE PROS
Q&As WITH THE FILM DIRECTORS
AFTER-PARTIES EACH EVENING
GALA AWARDS CEREMONY & BANQUET RECEPTION!
SUBSCRIBE to the popular Moondance news-blog for info, updates, articles, creative inspiration, & announcements:
You must be great. Your first script must be great in order to sell. Why? Because it has two challenges that it must meet. First, it must be better than the mass of other submissions from first-timers. Luckily, this may not be so difficult if you do a good job. Second, your work must be strong enough to shoulder its way through the ranks of established writers to find a place in the production budget. If the producer or agent who has just read it doesn’t want to give you a contract to purchase the piece, then your work, as it stands at that moment, simply isn’t good enough. In the end, you have to wow them. Anything less leads to a failure.
You must understand this. There is no middle ground, for there are only two types of scripts. A work is either: 1. Great-and-wonderful and anyone who reads it wants to buy it, or 2. Not good enough and it gets rejected. It sounds like a near impossible task, but time and time again, I have seen new writers embrace what is necessary to succeed. So I know it is inside each one of you to make your script great.READ MORE:
Monarch butterfly mural in Minneapolis, Minn., by Roger Peet and Barry Newman
• Just as nature inspires art, art inspires actions to defend wild places and the wild creatures that live in them. With this in mind, the Center for Biological Diversity is launching an Endangered Species Mural Project, teaming up with local artists to bring endangered wildlife onto the streets through art in cities and towns around the country. Spearheaded by Portland artist Roger Peet, the mural project will feature wildlife species that are special to their regions, promoting an affinity for the natural world and the diverse species that help define it.
• “Everywhere on Earth is unique, with qualities that distinguish it from other places both near and far. One of those qualities is the biodiversity of a place — the plants and animals that call it home and may not be found anywhere else. Those species embody an area’s natural history and contribute to what makes it irreplaceable. They also have something to say about the future, as many are in danger of going extinct. And when we lose species, the places and lives we live become poorer and shallower places as a result. To help bring these species into the light, we decided to paint them on the walls.
Mountain caribou mural in Sandpoint, Idaho, by Mazatl & Joy Mallari
“The goal of this project is to create murals in towns and cities around the United States that focus on endangered species, fostering connections between people and the other forms of life that surround them. Whether that’s a fish in a river, a butterfly flitting from plant to plant, or a caribou chewing lichen off a tree trunk, we’re bringing together artists and communities to create big, bold images that will become part of the neighborhoods where they’re created, making it a little easier for people to care about the native species struggling to survive in their midst.” ~ Roger Peet
Arctic grayling mural by Roger Peet in Butte, Montana
“Good or bad, each of life’s events is a steppingstone to a greater tomorrow.” ~ Juanita Foster
Boulder has been named the official “TREE CITY USA” by the Arbor Day Foundation, for the 32nd year, and is often called The Emerald City, due to all the green trees and vistas of our town’s surrounding green open-spaces & natural riparian habitat!
Boulder Creek
MOONDANCE SUPPORTS & RECOMMENDS:
DRILLING FOR OIL OFF OUR COASTS PUTS US ALL AT RISK
When Shell Oil dumped nearly 90,000 gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico a few weeks ago, it was just the latest in a long line of reminders of what happens when we allow Big Oil to drill for oil off our coasts. Everywhere you look, oil companies are spilling crude wherever they operate. Meanwhile, month after month and year after year, we’re experiencing record high temperatures, which will bring the devastating impacts of climate disruption to our doorsteps, no matter where we live.
Scientists are warning us that up to 80 % of fossil fuel reserves must be kept in the ground, unburned, to prevent the worst effects of climate disruption, so ending offshore drilling is critical to protecting current and future generations. And given the greater difficulty of cleaning crude oil from coastal ecosystems — and the serious harm that pollution causes — ending risky offshore drilling is a no-brainer.
If you agree it’s time to move beyond dirty fuels, and keep them safely in the ground, take action today to make sure we start by putting an end to dangerous offshore drilling!
We all know the problems caused by dirty energy: Air and water pollution undermine our quality of life. Yet we have the solution. Clean energy saves money, creates good-paying jobs, and protects our health and climate.
Scientists have just announced that 93% of the Reef is now ‘bleaching’ due to warming waters – a direct result of carbon pollution from mining and burning fossil fuels. And coal is the most polluting of them all. Together, we can bring an end to dirty coal. The evidence is black and white. Coal pollution destroys the things we love. So we will build a world without it. Clean air and water, free from coal pollution. Protected natural wonders and a thriving Reef. Clean politics, free from fossil-fuelled corruption. And a fair deal for the coal workers who deserve a just transition.
That’s why we’re building an unstoppable wave of global citizens who are willing to stand up for a world that puts people first, instead of coal. Now the world has promised to move on from toxic energy – and it’s up to us to hold leaders to their word.Will you take the next step with me and join the Coal Free movement?
Please forward this news-blog to your creative artist colleagues!
You may also submit your entry to Moondance via Withoutabox or FilmFreeway:
DON’T MISS THESE EXCITING EVENTS AT THE 2016 FILM FESTIVAL:
Top-quality Indie film screenings (documentaries, animation, music videos, drone films, feature & short films); professional workshops for filmmakers, writers & composers; productive networking cocktail parties & events daily; celebrity appearances & photo-ops; private consultations with the pros; industry keynote speakers; Q&As with the film directors; after-parties each evening; gala awards ceremony & reception, and more.
SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT TODAY:
“Charlie”, photo by C. Anastasiadis
“Know yourself. Don’t accept your dog’s non-judgmental admiration of you as conclusive evidence that you are simply wonderful.” ~ Ann Landers
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“Let your hook always be cast in the stream where you expect a fish.” ~ Ovid
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“Magic is believing in yourself. If you can do that, you can make anything happen.” ~ Goethe
ENVIRONMENTAL ALERTS
INDONESIA’S ORANGUTANS SUFFER AS FIRES RAGE
Excerpts from an article by: Joe Cochrane • April 5, 2016 • The New York Times
Photo by Kemal Jufri
The blazes in the Indonesian regions of Borneo and Sumatra are an annual occurrence, when farmers clear land by burning it, often for palm oil plantations. The blazes have recently destroyed more than 10,000 square miles of forests, blanketing large parts of Southeast Asia in a toxic haze for weeks, sickening hundreds of thousands of people and, according to the World Bank, causing $16 billion in economic losses.
Multinational palm oil companies, giant pulp and paper businesses, the huge plantations that sell to them, local farmers and even day laborers all contribute to the problem. While it is against Indonesian law to clear plantations by burning, enforcement is lax.
The fires also killed at least nine orangutans, the endangered apes native to the rain forests of Borneo and Sumatra. More than 100, trapped by the loss of habitat or found wandering near villages, had to be relocated. Seven orphans, including five infants, were rescued and taken to rehabilitation centers here. The suffering of the wildlife is part of a larger story of corporate expansion in a developing economy crashing into environmental issues in an era of climate change.
CLIMATE-RELATED DEATH OF CORAL AROUND WORLD
Excerpts from an article By Michelle Innis, April 9, 2016, New York Times
Photo credit XL Catlin Seaview Survey
SYDNEY, Australia — Reports of damaged or dying coral reefs around the world have become a major concern. Reefs that take centuries to form can be destroyed in weeks. The damage off Kiritimati is part of a mass bleaching of coral reefs around the world, only the third on record and possibly the worst ever. Scientists believe that heat stress from multiple weather events including the latest, severe El Niño, compounded by climate change has threatened more than a third of Earth’s coral reefs. Many may never recover.
Coral reefs are the crucial incubators of the ocean’s ecosystem, providing food and shelter to a quarter of all marine species, and they support fish stocks that feed more than one billion people. They are made up of millions of tiny animals, called polyps, that form symbiotic relationships with algae, which in turn capture sunlight and carbon dioxide to make sugars that feed the polyps. In Indonesia, fish supported by the reefs provide the primary source of protein. Rising temperatures due to climate change have pushed corals beyond their tolerance levels.
FUN FACTS: THE BAGEL LEGEND
It is said that, in 1683, a Jewish baker in Vienna, Austria, was looking for a way to thank the king of Poland for having protected his compatriots from the invading Turks. He created a small bread in the form of a stirrup (‘beugel’, in Austrian German), which pleasantly reminded the king, who loved riding, of his favorite hobby.
Adopted by the Polish, bagels became the official gifts offered to new mothers upon the birth of a child. They are even mentioned in the civil registers of communities of that era. Bagels were also used as nutritious teething rings that babies could easily chew and manipulate.
When bagels arrived in Russia, they were given the name “bubliki” They were sold at market stands and on city streets. Because of their circular form, they were said to bring happiness, and were believed to have magical powers. There even seems to have been songs about bagels! “The Bagels’ Bagel Book” by Marilyn and Tom Bagel
Thank you for your interest in the Moondance International Film Festival!
Please forward this news-blog to your creative artist colleagues!
Lights, Camera, Action! The Moondance International Film Festival invites all talented US & International filmmakers, writers and music composers to submit their films, written works and film scores to our annual season, to take place in September, at our fabulous & memorable festival event location venue.
Moondance is known as the “American Cannes” of film festivals, and features the very best of indie films, music & writing by talented artists from around the world, Plan now to participate in this unique competition and attend this major film festival! The annual Moondance International Film Festival has showcased many hundreds of top-quality award-winning indie films, and hosted filmmakers, writers, composers, actors, industry professionals, celebrities, and media, from around the world.
The secret to our international success and longevity can be directly attributed to upholding our founding principles, goals, values and mission. We continually strive to inspire talented filmmakers, writers, composers and audiences, locally and globally, for the benefit of the community and the world. Maintaining the Moondance reputation for top-quality indie films, professional workshops, and productive networking events, is always the first priority. Our valued sponsors, donors, supporters, friends of the Moondance, as well as our staff, volunteers, competition entrants, enthusiastic audiences and festival attendees, are an integral element of our long-term and continued success.
DON’T MISS THESE EVENTS AT THE 2016 FILM FESTIVAL:
INDIE FILM SCREENINGS (documentaries, animation, music videos, drone films, feature & short films)
PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOPS FOR FILMMAKERS, WRITERS & COMPOSERS
People are the creators and the story-tellers. Not machinery, not conglomerates, but talented, inspiring, creative people. We want to put faces to all the stories you are telling in films, screenplays, short stories, music, and more! Plan to attend the 17th annual Moondance International Film Festival in September. We want to get to know you!
TAKE A LOOK INSIDE THE MOONDANCE PHOTO ALBUM!
Click on album image!
INSIDER TIPS FOR ACTORS:
YOU CAN ACT ON CAMERA!
Insider Tips for Delivering a Great Performance, Every Time
By D. W. Brown
Here’s another must-read title from Michael Wiese Productions. In this book, a companion piece to the author of the acclaimed book, You Can Act: A Complete Guide for Actors, states“…an actor and a camera have a special relationship and the conditions for recording a performance have their own unique challenges.” He fills this important and detailed book with 32 principles of Acting on Camera, An Actor’s Manifesto, and many other examples of the challenges a film actor may face during the shoot, and with well-thought out solutions and advice in this easy-to-follow book. It is an acting insider’s guide to getting the best performance from yourself, for the film’s director, as well as for the ultimate success of the film, and for your future career as an actor who can be trusted to be relied upon, no matter the character he or she plays, or the circumstances of a film production.READ MORE:
WATCH THE VIDEO:
~ History of the World in 2 Minutes ~
Hold on to your seat and don’t blink your eyes for a second!! This is amazing. Seventeen year-old Joe Bush got a high school assignment to make a video reproduction. He chose history as a theme and tucked it all into a great 2 minute visual ride: http://marcbrecy.perso.neuf.fr/history.html
MOONDANCE RECOMMENDS & SUPPORTS:
LOLITA DESERVES TO RETIRE IN PEACE AND DIGNITY!
Watch Ric O’Barry as he makes an impassioned plea to the owners of the Miami Seaquarium to allow Lolita, the solitary orca held in captivity for more than 46 years, to retire in peace and dignity. Photo credit: ScubaFilmFactory / VIMEO: https//vimeo.com/157166898
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Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project encompasses Ric’s work around the world as he saves dolphins from slaughter and exploitation. Visit DolphinProject.net for more details.
The Oceanic Preservation Society (OPS) is an Academy Award-winning team of filmmakers and activists, based in Boulder, Colorado, who are committed to sustainability and the preservation of our oceans and planet. OPS founder and director, Louie Psihoyos, takes us on a journey that illuminates the challenges facing species around the world. Join us in supporting Louie and his mission to save the planet.
PROTECT THE GREATER YELLOWSTONE GRIZZLY: STOP THE DE-LISTING!
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has just released a proposal to remove Endangered Species protections from grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone region. Grizzly bears are an essential piece of the American West, a wildlife icon that has been integral to the Yellowstone region for centuries. Each year, visitors spend millions in the region, hoping to catch a glimpse of a grizzly, this beautiful and powerful symbol of our wild heritage. And as an apex predator, their presence is crucial to the health of wildlife in the Greater Yellowstone region.
Thanks to Endangered Species protections, grizzly bears are making a remarkable recovery after being hunted to the brink of extinction — but they’re still vulnerable. The proposal to de-list the grizzly fails to preserve this progress — in fact, it will reverse it. The bears’ naturally slow reproductive rate, loss of key food sources to climate change, and state plans to reduce numbers through methods like trophy hunts, all spell disaster. Get more details and take actionHERE:
It’s critical that U.S. Fish and Wildlife gets this right, and this plan isn’t right. Speak out and demand a healthy future for Greater Yellowstone grizzlies today!
IF OBAMA WASN’T “BLACK” BEFORE, HE IS NOW.
artcreationforever.com
Article by Leonard Pitts, Jr.
Miami Herald, Feb. 29, 2016
Today’s column is for the benefit of one Dr. Benjamin Solomon Carson. He shouldn’t need what follows, but obviously does. No other conclusion is possible after his interview with Politico a few days ago.
The subject was Barack Obama and what the Republican presidential contender sees as the inferior quality of the president’s blackness. “He’s an ‘African’ American,” said Carson. “He was, you know, raised white. I mean, like most Americans, I was proud that we broke the color barrier when he was elected, but . . . he didn’t grow up like I grew up . . . ”
Want to know if you’re black? Try to rent a house in Miami. Try to hail a cab in Times Square. Try to win an Oscar in Hollywood. You’ll find out real quick. And there is something spectacularly absurd in the fact of Barack Obama being criticized as “not black” by a Republican.
Think about it: In the unlikely event he somehow managed to live the 47 years before his presidency without being insulted, bullied and oppressed by people who think they are white, Obama has sure made up for it since. Members of Carson’s party have called him “boy,” “uppity” and “ape” and have gone to extraordinary and unprecedented lengths to block him from doing . . . anything. So the good doctor can relax. If Obama wasn’t “black” before, he certainly is now. READ MORE:
SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT TODAY:
“Amelia”, photo by SKV
Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement. ~ Golda Meir
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Mahatma Gandhi
“The daring not only blaze new trails, the pave them for others.” ~ Source Unknown
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Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of that candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared. ~ Buddha
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Love is the only force capable of transforming enemies into friends. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
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It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves. ~ William Shakespeare
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