Regent Theatre's Successful Summerdance Film Festival

The Regent Theatre was packed with high-energy film fanatics, mingling about their favorite films at this year's Summerdance Film Festival. Noted as one of the best local film festivals, the event immersed audiences in discussions and seven distinct short indie films.

Matthew Beltz, the host of the Film Stock Podcast, welcomed each filmmaker to the stage to discuss the making of their beloved projects.

A Woman Under an Inferno Sky was the first short film of the program. Directed by Kris Salvi, this abstract film is about a woman of faith in the 1900s who attempts suicide. Transported to several decades, she discovers how dark each period becomes the further she travels.

“My movies are about broken people,” Salvi explained. He wanted to branch out with this film and go further in his filmmaking. Shot at a ferocious pace, A Woman Under an Inferno Sky is a well-shot short film that harbors ambiguity and a strong message.

A wave of emotions swept through the audience during the next short film, Distant Memories. The film powerfully symbolizes Alzheimer’s disease. Director Chris Esper chose to explore this intricate story in a different format - from the perspective of an Alzheimer’s patient.

Set up in the dark chamber of a woman’s deteriorating mind, a woman looks through a dollhouse, home movies, and slide shows of fading memories. As a rare choice, no music plays and only sounds emphasize the situation. “Let it be authentic,” Esper commented about his approach to the film.

Gabrielle Rosson was next, presenting her darkly captivating short film, Le Monstro. It depicts the tragic events inspired by the lives of Victorian Ape Woman, Julie Pastrana, and her husband, Theodore Lent. Rosson directed, wrote, edited, and starred in the film.

Rosson wanted to make a period film that defined inner beauty. Filmed in two days, Rosson decided to do a Wizard of Oz cinematography approach with a black-and-white tone, changing to color in some sequences. “There’s always two ways to look at (editing),” Rosson explained. This is a story from history that needed to be told.

The second half of The Summerdance Film Festival presented its comedy films. Audience reaction has always been my favorite part of any event, and laughter bounced off the walls of The Regent Theatre.

Samuel Carl Cohen’s The Banana Movie was the wildest thing ever. The bizarre film is about how we enjoy the things we love a bit too much. The interview ended when a man dressed in a banana costume took the director away. You never know what to expect!

Take 2 is a doc-style short film that tells crazy stories that occur on movie sets, especially audition processes. This was Mark Meagher's impressive film debut. Joined by producers and cast members, Becca Lerman and Anthony Waldmyer, they had a lot of fun shooting this film, improvising most of their dialogue and figuring out creative edits for the style.

Rob Levinson takes the screen with Thursday’s Special, a film about culture, romance, and unexpected connections. This was a gigantic production for a small movie starting in January of this year. The film has a lot of heart, detailing Levinson’s love for his hometown, New York, and showing how we can create unexpected bonds.

The final short film of the evening was Bandiots, directed by Michael Gonza. Joining inexperienced house bandits, this crime comedy is a blast! The short movie was filmed in two days, with clever edits, hilarious dialogue, and a twist that had audiences applauding.

Regent Theatre’s annual Summerdance Film Festival was a success. The audience laughed, applauded, and reacted in delight at the distinct short films. Well done to all the directors. I cannot wait to attend the next Summerdance Film Festival for more exciting films and engage with audiences.