Trailers and Interviews for the S.U.R.G.E. Film Festival

Thank you from FIGHT OR FLIGHT

2012-02-20T07:11:00.001-08:00

On behalf of all of us, who made "Fight or Flight", I'd like to extend a serious thank you, to the SURGE Film Festival. Leaving aside the honour of you selecting our film to be a part of a socially-conscious programme, it is touching and exciting that our ultra-cheap, homemade movie was picked for theatrical screening.

Thank you all, from the progammers to the audience.

#links

2012-02-13T02:06:00.000-08:00

www.facebook.com/InglesMovie#links

SURGE Film Festival announces the 2012 officially selected scripts, stage plays and teleplays

2012-02-02T15:58:00.000-08:00

SURGE Film Festival is honored to announce the officially selected scripts, stage plays and teleplays of the 2012 Sixth Annual International SURGE Film Festival.

Script Reading Exhibitions will take place in Berkeley, CA, Austin Texas and Los Angeles, California in 2012. Additional cities may be announced as well.

Award presentations will take place in Berkeley, CA, Austin Texas and Los Angeles, California in 2012.

SURGE is a non-competitive event so all officially selected writers are listed in alphabetical order by the title of their scripts, stage plays and teleplays, not in any order of hierarchy or priority.

40 Days Road by Mugs Cahill

Blue Collar Dreams by Natalie Hanson

Casa Del Agua by eddie bauer jr

Diary of a Housewife by Rubaiyat Hossain

Halfway Home by David Schroeder

I'm Not Here Anymore by W. Colin McKay

Land Of The Free, Home Of The Slave by Cliff Zimowski

Love For Sale by Matthew Ballen

Making Up With Mortella by Belle Karper

Marry or Go to Jail by Angel Bailey

Mere-Cats by SCOTT LIAPIS

No Fault Zone by Natalie Hanson

Northern Cross by Melody Cooper

Sweet Mercy by Melody Cooper

The Craigslist Honeymoon by Natalie Hanson

The Truth We Choose by Natalie Hanson

Thesis by Jose Supangco

wild mind 1 by FUJIO TORIKAI

For more details about all of the amazing writers as well as SURGE officially selected films and music videos please visit "Love to S.U.R.G.E." - The Directory of Officially Selected Entries of the S.U.R.G.E. Film Festival at http://www.LoveToSurge.org

For more details about the S.U.R.G.E. Film Festival and the Schedule please visit the official website at http://www.WeSurge.org

Please share this news worldwide. Thanks.

Love,

~SURGE Collective

Acclaim for "FIGHT OR FLIGHT"

2012-01-21T07:35:00.001-08:00

This was taken from an online review, on TriggerStreet Labs, from Tombola Pictures.

Adrenaline Pumping!

"I really like the political and social message at the end of this film and talking shop from a filmmaking perspective, Fight or Flight was in itself a really useful masterclass in "how to" in terms of low budget/guerilla filmmaking. Great innovative use of shots, colour grading that adds suspense to the piece itself, good soundtrack and use of wild-tracking in the woods. Also, employing cleverly the use of open spaces, which I know personally saves on budget, and not getting too involved in twisted and convoluted story lines which could overcomplicate things, which can cause problems logistically/financially when filming low budget filmmaking. Aside from the fighting looking a little staged at times, this was a great short, keep up the good work! :-)"

Making "FIGHT OR FLIGHT", Part II

2012-01-19T06:01:00.000-08:00

Hi, everyone. My name is Stephen Bryce, and I'm the director and main writer for "Fight or Flight". Now that we've gotten the technical side of making the movie, out of the way, I'll take a few minutes to talk about what the SURGE community is probably more interested in: the social and political reasons for making it.

While we definitely didn't want to beat people over the head with it, it is indisputable that there are political currents to "Fight or Flight". Yes, it is basically a seven minute chase scene, but it all comes about because a peaceful protester -- not even a protester, an activist posting signs! -- has attracted the attention of someone who really doesn't like what he's saying. What does this critic do? Hunts him down and kills him.

It's all too common to hear about exactly this kind of thing happening in the Middle East and Third World, but here in North America we don't like to admit that it's happening on our streets too. Yet everyone reading this knows, for instance, about how the Republican Party (with Fox News and its Tea Party nutjobs), view anyone who even suggests helping their fellow Americans get affordable health care:

Most Canadians are aware of what now happens, under our right-wing government, when we peacefully protest near something like the G20 summit -- or even just sing our national anthem:

The police brutality inflicted on the Occupy protesters, because they've stood up for regular Americans, goes without saying. But we should also remember the words of Fox News pundits, particularly when they use metaphors bound to infuriate viewers who think that crosses should be burned into the skins of unbelievers:

Even in supposedly peaceful and progressive Canada, a right-wing Prime Minister who cheated his way into office at least once, with a long track record for harassing and silencing anyone who questions it, managed to get re-elected to a majority. Anyone who criticizes him further, is met with public threats. I should know: I've received threatening phone calls at my house, for writing letters to the editor pointing out that Stephen Harper is corrupt.

In fact, the protagonist of "Fight or Flight", Mike Bridger, is named for Canadian Senate page Bridgette DePape. Ms. DePape made headlines -- and attracted death threats -- for protesting Harper, in front of the entire Senate and the media.

Suffice it to say, that within our homemade suspense movie, is an extremely important message: standing up for your country MUST NOT be turned into a crime. It especially must not become a crime, punishable by death.

Making "FIGHT OR FLIGHT", Part I

2012-01-18T06:25:00.000-08:00

There's a lot of nuances that went into making our suspense film, "Fight or Flight". A future entry will address the more socially relevant parts of that, but for now we'll start with the fun stuff -- and how anyone can do it, now.

For a crash course, here's our throwback to Rodriguez's Ten Minute Film Schools, with the Mad Twins Film Class on our picture.

To start with, having great locations is a huge asset. Of course, what "great" means to you, will depend as much on the story you're telling, as your own personal tastes. But in general you'll want something that is visually a bit complex, with a lot of detail. And for my money, nothing beats going out to real places and just seeing what strikes a chord with you. Even if we had the cash to build sets, for a lot of things nothing beats the look of just being in a real house, or a real forest.

In the case of not only "Fight or Flight", but nearly every movie I've made so far, I shoot in forests a lot, not just because they can be both soothing yet a little sinister, but because I live in an area that has many forests to choose from. When you're a micro-budget filmmaker, your neighbourhood is effectively your backlot by default, so look at what's around and figure out a story that uses it.

As I said in the video, preparation is VERY important. While this movie has stunt work as an extra reason for that, even in a quieter movie you want to have some idea ahead of time where you're going. It's okay to discover the story as you go along, but you're never going to make a compelling film by just wandering aimlessly with a camera and taping everything willy-nilly.

When you're doing a scripted film, an extra advantage to this is that with no more than a digital camera and a walk through the locations, you can plan every beat of your movie, and know exactly what you're going to need on the day you shoot it for real. Because of work like this, as well as the simplicity of the story, and knowing the locations very well from hiking in that area many times, we were able to shoot all of "Fight or Flight" in about five hours.

Furthermore, we were able to shoot the movie almost entirely in sequence, once again due to this planning. And with the efficiency of digital video technology, this meant that the first rough cut of the film was finished, just two hours after principal photography was completed. Incidentally, all post-production on this movie was done with built-in editing software -- meaning that anyone with a recent computer, can do what we did.

One of the more ambitious things that we did, while making this movie, was do all of our own sound effects and dubbing. Between background noise and a poor on-camera microphone, much of the production sound was unusable (as in many "real" movies). Fortunately, we had bought an MP3 recorder for another project, and we re-used it on this movie (if you have to splurge a bit for one of your own, you can buy one for around $100 in stores, and the onboard mic will usually be decent enough to record on its own). To do our looping on "Fight or Flight", we had to determine ahead of time what sounds would need to be emphasized in the final movie -- usually footsteps, a bit of ambient sound, and anything that a character on-screen did with his hands. And since we live in the area that the movie was shot in, it was no trouble to find somewhere outside that was out of the way, and re-record the sounds there. You get much better looping done that way, versus a studio, because they are essentially natural sounds, just done separately from the picture shoot.

All of this takes some time and work, but it costs very little money, and the only special equipment you need, is between your ears. Go out, and create art!

(Corporate) Synergy?

2012-01-18T00:40:00.000-08:00

SYNERGY is an award-winning dark comedy where the regional sales manager Amelia Lockheart expects a big promotion, after working hard in the merger of the company. She disputes the position with her coworker, Constantine Matters. The competition intensifies when they get stuck with a stranger in a conference room, causing an unexpected outcome.

Wait, wait... Isn’t the competition antithetical to the whole concept of synergy? And in a broader perspective: is it possible to have synergy between the aspirations of an individual and the goals of a corporation? Watch SYNERGY and find out! ;)

2011 Merit Award at the Awareness Film & Arts Festival (Hollywood) • www.synergy-theshortfilm.com • Produced by GABBY EGITO • Director of Photography ANDREW KURCHINSKI • Edited by GABBY EGITO • Original Music by LEO PEREZ • Written & Directed by GABBY EGITO • Produced at NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY - Los Angeles.

18q- A different kind of normal

2012-01-15T18:39:00.000-08:00

The documentary film 18q- A different kind of normal is an intimate, autobiographical documentary with an eclectic mix of 3D animation, observational footage, home video and personal interview, by filmmaker, Veronica Wain, as she navigates life as a single mother when her youngest child, Allycia is with a rare chromosome abnormality known only as Chromosome 18 deletion. After being told there were only a handful of people living with the condition, a ten year search culminates in their meeting an international community, numbering in the hundreds, in the United States. This touching film, featuring beautiful images captured by photographer Rick Guidotti explores ideas about normality, disability, beauty, religion and science as the family embarks upon their journey to find other people born with the same condition. Please visit our website

18q- A Different Kind of Normal - Trailer - Fine Cut on Vimeo.

2012-01-12T17:03:00.000-08:00

In the summer of 2010, world leaders and activists from around the world gathered for the G20 Summit in Toronto, Canada.

What nobody knew was that the police had petitioned the government of Ontario to amend an old war measures act from 1939 which gave the police sweeping powers to arrest people within five meters of the security fence. Even after this rule was officially corrected, the police still used their new powers to arrested people miles away from the fence. The entire city was framed in a legal landscape which was tantamount to martial law.

After several police cruisers were burned on the city streets under suspicious conditions, the police and security forces, over 19,000 strong, used this as a pretext to start arresting massive amounts of people throughout the city of Toronto.

Universities were raided, protesters were ambushed by large numbers of police, and hundreds of peaceful people throughout the city were 'kettled' and arrested in record numbers.

The circumstances in which the police cars were allowed to be destroyed and burned by a small number of destructive protesters raises questions about the security of our democracy in Canada.

Over 1100 people were arrested in total and held in a de facto concentration camp. This was the largest mass arrest in Canadian history and by far the worst violation of civil rights.

The whole world is watching.

Direct link to Trailer on youtube.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKaaHzp_Nhw

History of the films EARTHSPIRIT and PROPHECY&POLLUTION

2012-01-10T18:10:00.000-08:00

Our Committee for Traditional Indian Land and Life (T.I.L.L.) was formed to give legal and media support to Native American groups defending their rights, and in particular, the Hopi Traditionals. I had heard of the Hopi and read that the name meant “peaceful people”. For a thousand years, they lived in peace and harmony on their high desert mesas in what is now northern Arizona. For myself, the Hopi approach to life came as a relief from the Cold War conflicts grabbing the headlines all through the 1960’s. The Hopi followed their ancient prophecy to protect Mother Earth by living in harmony with nature.

The Hopi elders were passionately committed to making their prophecy heard. My wife and our children and myself were extended a rare and special invitation to come to the traditional Hopi village of Hotevilla to start work on a film. For many years, we spent all school breaks and vacations, winter and summer, living among the Hopi, whom we found to be a gentle, generous, kind people.

On that high desert with freezing winters and blazing summers, the Hopi agricultural way of life had to be in harmony with nature. Their ceremonies marked the correct times for Spring planting and Fall harvest on the silt soil brought down by winter rains.

When corporations sought to drill for oil and dig for uranium and bring in electric power poles, Hopi elders saw that the dangers warned about in their prophecy were about to come true. So many elders risked their lives, throwing their bodies in front of the advancing bulldozers to protect Mother Earth.

At that time, science did not yet foresee that humanity’s increasing use of fossil fuels for an expanding population would soon reach the limit of the Earth’s capacity. But that was exactly what the Hopi prophecy said. I agreed with the elders that harmony with nature is life-or-death for humanity. The Hopi elders requested the presentation on film of their ancient prophecy of the disasters that would come from penetrating Mother Earth. I could not imagine any film project more important.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A HOPI (9 minutes), our documentary short with James Kots (Kootshongsie) and his son Dennis, provides a historical sketch showing the peaceful simplicity of Hopi life. The government-sanctioned Tribal Council did not support the Traditional point of view and prevented further photography on the reservation.

The Hopi elders’ request for a film expressing their prophecy captured me totally, and I could not refuse a request to do my part in alerting humanity. With credit cards and help over the years from friends, family, crew people, and actors, to show the prophecy, we made the docudrama feature EARTH SPIRIT (83 minutes) and won the Neptune Award at the MoonDance International Film Festival:

http://earthspiritmovie.wordpress.com

The internet developed over those years, and video footage began appearing from all over the world showing what has been done to indigenous people by oil and mining. I felt such footage needed to be collected and shown as the very fulfillment of the Hopi prophecy.

So we completed our documentary/docudrama feature PROPHECY & POLLUTION (80 minutes).

http://prophecyandpollution.wordpress.com

PROPHECY & POLLUTION is a trilogy which starts with Part One, AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A HOPI (9 minutes), nearly fifty years ago in a quiet pueblo village where connecting with nature has provided a peaceful agricultural life.

In Part Two, EARTH SPIRIT (35 minutes, a condensation of the longer film) oil and mining development threaten the indigenous pueblo people, who raise protests, citing aboriginal prophecy that incursions into Mother Earth will bring disaster.

In the third and concluding part, THIRD WORLD INVESTMENT SEMINAR (36 minutes), prophecy is fulfilled as corporate capitalism does in fact develop oil and mining on lands of indigenous peoples all around the world, and the results are more protests, but also widespread war, disease, and devastation:

http://prophecyandpollution.wordpress.com/about

PROPHECY & POLLUTION was an Official Selection by the GreenScreen Environmental Film Festival, the Al Jazeera International Documentary Film Festival. the SURGE International Film Festival, and the Third World International Film Festival.

The trailer and download for PROPHECY & POLLUTION are at
http://indieflix.com/film/prophecy-pollution-32759/

http://www.amazon.com/Prophecy-Pollution/dp/B006UYF5KA/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1326245823&sr=1-1

Trailer and download for EARTH SPIRIT:

http://indieflix.com/film/earth-spirit-32748/

http://www.amazon.com/Earth-Spirit/dp/B006MNIT1Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1326246088&sr=1-1

-- Alan Gorg,filmmaker

alankentgorg@yahoo.com

http://alangorg.wordpress.com

Featured filmmaker on Alternative Review:

http://495.b.hostable.me/altreview/

contribution

2012-01-09T19:35:00.000-08:00

I appreciate your having my unfinished script selected.The theme of the first part is the prophecy,"It shall be known to yourself" by the Oracle of Delphi,that of the second part will be the lesson-you must not try to know-found in myths from all over the world.Based on my unusual experience,I have created this drama as a warning to this excessive information oriented society.

"Inglés" - Short Film

2012-01-08T09:46:00.000-08:00

Our Short Film is Based on a True Story... hopefully it can open up dialogue for Bilingual Education in Public Schools.

Since the 1960s, studies have shown that the best time to begin the study of a foreign language is in elementary school. Because children at this age show a better mental flexibility, more creativity, divergent thinking, listening and memory skills, it enables kids to process language early on.

The Center for Applied Linguistics discovered that most countries have mandatory foreign language requirements for children beginning at eight years old. However, in the United States, most students do not begin to learn another language until ninth grade, or the age of fourteen.

“Studying another language, any other language, will help you understand the issues faced by Americans who speak languages other than English, will help you understand the immigrant experience, may help you understand your neighbor, your family, or yourself. And look at the world: America is less isolated […] and the world is more interconnected than ever.” ~ Rutgers-Camden

FIGHT OR FLIGHT Trailer

2012-01-08T05:41:00.000-08:00

To date, SURGE is the only festival to have accepted our short suspense film, "Fight or Flight". It is a simple movie, shot in a few hours by four friends, with a Digital 8 camcorder and an MP3 recorder. It is, first and foremost, a throwback to thrillers by Alfred Hitchcock and Orson Welles (with a touch of early Robert Rodriguez).

However, it is also a movie that needed to be made. In the last four years alone, we've seen rising extremism, even in the supposedly enlightened Western world. It is becoming all too common for people to be harassed, assaulted, even murdered by various parties, just for wanting peace and compassion in the world. While "Fight or Flight" was made as a response to the Tea Party's violence, and the police brutality of the Toronto G20 summit, it can also speak to the Occupy movement, the Norway terrorist attack, the Arab Spring, and countless other actions.

So "Fight or Flight" is a testament to not only how important it is to say these things, but how easy it is for anyone with imagination to say them.

4 Reasons Why Socializing Your Intranet Makes Organizational Change Easier

2011-08-03T12:03:00.000-07:00

4 Reasons Why Socializing Your Intranet Makes Organizational Change Easier

PRODUCERS SEEKING SCREENPLAYS

2011-07-22T21:21:00.001-07:00

The International Screenwriter's Association offers screenwriters worldwide a reliable informational resource providing, events, WRITING GIGS, Podcasts, Discounts and more! Join their FREE Membership and receive the I.S.A. newsletter containing tips on improving your writing skills, secrets to winning contests, pitching to producers and much more!

Join our FREE membership at: http://www.networkisa.org

The International Screenwriter's Association offers screenwriters worldwide a reliable informational resource, a mutual support network and member-only benefits and discounts to improve and create opportunities for a growing career. Our informative monthly newsletter supplies writers articles and free tips on: improving your writing skills, secrets to winning contests, finding the right agent, pitching to producers and much more.

SHORT FILM SCRIPTS WANTED

Looking for Short Film Scripts. Interested in producing several short films of any genre. Requirements: No more than 20 pages. Compensation plus credit available, will discuss.

Click HERE for more info

SCREENWRITER WANTED - SUSPENSE

Eagles Nest Films is a production company looking for a screenwriter to write our next film going into production. Our last film was picked up and distributed around the country. We need a writer that is creative in coming up with intertwined storylines, able to build suspense and original terrifying scenes. We do not have the storyline just a concept. This is a paid deal (non SAG) with some cash up front and a share in future revenues. The funding for the film is already in place, so this film will go to production. The writer will have to enter into an agreement that will include a confidentiality clause, where they will not be allowed to discuss the film with anyone until after it's release.

Some cash up front and a share in future revenues. If you are interested then contact us and submit a script that shows you at your best.

Click HERE for more info

SEEKING FEATURE FILM SCRIPTS PORTRAYING CHINESE HEROES

TAIPEI, TAIWAN: Urgently seeking feature film scripts portraying Chinese heroes! My Asian partners and I are actively seeking 'China-centric' scripts that portray stories and/or characters that contain core elements regarding the culture or people of China or of someone of Chinese descent. The stories don't necessarily have to take place in China but must have strong heroic characters or supporting characters. We're interested in feature-length epics and historical fiction or mini-series pilots for TV. We are in direct contact with investors in China and will be offering a slate of projects to them in the coming weeks and months. Also interested in stories that could be 'sino-sized'. WGA and non-WGA writers welcomed.

Click HERE for more info

For More Info about these postings, join our Email list or visit WRITING GIGS daily at:

http://networkisa.org/#/writing-gigs/4532967165

Special Important Announcement From SURGE!

2011-07-22T21:05:00.001-07:00

SURGE believes in mutual aid! Ayla and the folks at The International Screenwriter's Association are awesome! Please click on the below links to learn more about them!

Thanks!

Love, peace
~On Behalf of the entire S.U.R.G.E.! Film Festival Organizing Collective

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The International Screenwriter's Association offers screenwriters worldwide a reliable informational resource providing, events, WRITING GIGS, Podcasts, Discounts and more! Join their FREE Membership and receive the I.S.A. newsletter containing tips on improving your writing skills, secrets to winning contests, pitching to producers and much more!

Join our FREE membership at: http://www.networkisa.org

FilmFestival.com Publishes 2011 S.U.R.G.E. Official Selections under "News From The Key Circuit Players"

2011-07-13T14:34:00.001-07:00

FilmFestival.com Publishes S.U.R.G.E. Official Selections under

"NEWS FROM THE KEY CIRCUIT PLAYERS" The following article was sent worldwide by FilmFestivals.com on Wed, Jul 13, 2011 at 1:13 PM. Read the entire article on the wonderful FilmFestivals.com website at this direct link.

Special love and thanks to everyone at FilmFestivals.com

The following is from the about page of FilmFestivals.com:

FilmFestivals.com (an M21 Entertainment company) hosts the number one portal site for festivals and film news. It has recently launched it's blog platform fest21.com which hosts more than 1.000 blogs (and growing at a 25% monthly rate) Fest21.com host video blogs from major festivals and filmmakers interested in the festival circuit. Filmfestivals.com’s mission is to be the premiere online entertainment destination dedicated to showcasing film festivals around the world and fostering new film and filmmaking talent.

FilmFestival.com Publishes 2011 S.U.R.G.E. Official Selections under "News From The Key Circuit Players"

2011-07-13T14:34:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,

SURGE works hard to publicize our official selections each year.

love, peace,
`SURGE
--
"...remember that if the struggle were to resort to violence, it will lose vision, beauty and imagination. Most dangerous of all, it will marginalize and eventually victimize women. And a political struggle that does not have women at the heart of it, above it, below it and within it is no struggle at all."
~Arundhati Roy, The 2004 Sydney Peace Prize lecture.

FilmFestival.com Publishes S.U.R.G.E. Official Selections under

"NEWS FROM THE KEY CIRCUIT PLAYERS" The following article was sent worldwide by FilmFestivals.com on Wed, Jul 13, 2011 at 1:13 PM. Read the entire article on the wonderful FilmFestivals.com website at this direct link.

Special love and thanks to everyone at FilmFestivals.com

The following is from the about page of FilmFestivals.com:

FilmFestivals.com (an M21 Entertainment company) hosts the number one portal site for festivals and film news. It has recently launched it's blog platform fest21.com which hosts more than 1.000 blogs (and growing at a 25% monthly rate) Fest21.com host video blogs from major festivals and filmmakers interested in the festival circuit. Filmfestivals.com’s mission is to be the premiere online entertainment destination dedicated to showcasing film festivals around the world and fostering new film and filmmaking talent.

SURGE Honors the Officialy Selected Films of the SURGE 2011 Film Fest. SURGE 2012 is now accepting film/script entries.

2011-07-13T00:29:00.000-07:00

Screenwriter and Director Rio Collier of the B Media Collective seen here in 2011 after she received the SURGE 'Eternal Flame' award for keeping the flame of

equality and social justice burning bright for all the world to see.
She received the award for her inspiring film 'Armed with Art: A New
Revolution is Necessary - "Armad@s Con Arte. Una Nueva Revolucion es Nescesaria." It was filmed throughout Mexico and shown at the Historic Academy Theater en Español with English subtitles.

To see the video interview in which screenwriter and director Rio Collier is presented with the

Eternal Flame award please click here.

Dear friends in this group and beyond,

The Sixth Annual S.U.R.G.E. Film
Festival, taking place Feb 2012 is accepting entries. However, although SURGE is a non-competitive film festival (meaning no one is a winner or loser) we would like to give honor to the many amazing films that were chosen this year:

In regards to the 2012 Call for Entries...

We accept Multimedia, Film and Script
Entries. We offer wonderful Early Bird discounts until July 14th on
all entry Fees. We accept entries through Withoutabox (click here) or through our
website (click here). After that we accept entries until November 2011 for the
2012 festival.

Direct link to the film fest
submissions page is here: http://www.tinyurl.com/surge2012

Please follow our twitter here:

http://twitter.com/loveforequality

We will follow back everyone who
follows our twitter.

And we will follow back everyone who
follows our linked in page.

Our webpage is here:
http://www.WeSurge.org

The SURGE Film Festival was established
to enable filmmakers and screenwriters to present all styles of films, scripts, music videos and multimedia content.

Multimedia is media and content that
uses a combination of different content forms. The term is used in
contrast to media which only use traditional forms of printed or
hand-produced material. Multimedia includes a combination of text,
audio, still images, animation, video, and interactivity content
forms. Multimedia is usually recorded and played, displayed or
accessed by information content processing devices, such as
computerized and electronic devices, but can also be part of a live
performance.

AT SURGE, you will have the opportunity
see numerous films from around the world, attend educational panels,
hear scripts read by the screenwriters, meet filmmakers and hear from
activists from all over the world about the social movements in which
they are involved.

SURGE is the first international
activist film festival which is not only an annual film, script,
music video and multimedia festival but it is also a film festival
network which enables people worldwide to bring the festival into
their area of the world through the SURGE film festival network! Now
in our sixth year our festival promises to be more amazing than ever!

In 2011, SURGE was scheduled to take
place for only 3 days in Austin, Texas. Yet, because of increased
international interest in SURGE, the SURGE Film Festival took place
for a total of over 10 days nationwide, showing a total of over 40
films in the cities of Austin, Texas; Urbana, Illinois; and Portland,
Oregon! Films from over 15 different countries were shown. These
films included a vast array of independent features and world
premiers by new filmmakers as well as feature films such 'In The
Footsteps of Elie Wiesel' with internationally recognized Emmy and
Golden Globe winning actors such as RICHARD GERE, and feature films
such as 'Love & Valor - The Intimate Civil War Letters' with
Golden Globe winning actors such as BRIAN DENNEHY.

Photo:

Production still from the film 'In The Footsteps of Elie Wiesel' filmed
in France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania and the U S A. High
school students travel through Europe as they trace the life path and,
in this photo, sit in front of Nobel laureate, author, humanitarian and
Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel.

SURGE recognizes that it is extremely difficult for small, independent films to find a wide audience. That is why in 2011, SURGE started the S.U.R.G.E. Collection DVD Compilation which circulated over 1,000 DVDs with two films selected from the 2011 SURGE Film Festival. After filmmakers are officially selected for SURGE they are given a
questionnaire and filmmakers who choose to have their film included in the SURGE DVD Collection may receive a wider audience all over the
world.

In Addition, in 2012 at least one filmmaker and/or
screenwriter will receive our annual “Love & Encouragement” Award.
This award is presented to a filmmaker and/or screenwriter who presents
an excellent film that simply strives to create art and media that does
not promote or cater to politicians or multinational corporations. The
filmmaker will receive round-trip airfare from their city to the film
festival, housing during the film festival, a spending stipend and much
more. In 2011, SHAWN JUNE was honored at the SURGE Film festival in
Austin, Texas for his film Asphyxious. He also received round-trip
airfare from his home in Des Moines, Iowa to the Portland, Oregon
screening of his film at the Historic Academy Theater that screened
during the Grand Finale of the Portland, Oregon portion of the 7 day
SURGE Film festival!

Photo:
Screenwriter and 'Asphyxious' director Shawn June, standing in front of the Marquee
showing the Portland, Oregon screening of the films 'Free World' and
'Asphyxious' at the Historic Academy Theater. This screening celebrated
not only the Grand Finale of the Portland, Oregon portion of the 7 day
SURGE Film festival, but it also marked the 2011 Grand Finale of the
Fifth Annual International SURGE Film festival which ran for over 10
days nationwide in 2011! As always, admission was free of charge for
everyone because everything in the world should be free!

Many

films were shown with the directors attending Question & Answer
sessions after their films and receiving the distinguished SURGE
'Eternal Flame' award for keeping the flame of equality and social flame
burning bright for all the world to see. It is notable that the
budget for Asphyxious was estimated at $1,000.00. At SURGE, it is not
the cost of the film that matters, but the courage to encourage other
people to follow their dreams in the quest for a better world.

SURGE
also offers officially selected filmmakers user accounts on the
SURGE website so they can upload as many trailers for their films as
they like to our website. Trailers for their films will remain on our
website for at least a year to help promote their films. In
addition, when visiting the SURGE website, people will see the “Love
to S.U.R.G.E. - Film Festival Directory.” This directory not only
extensively profiles the officially selected films of the prior year,
but it also features photos and a great deal of press kit material
highlighting the filmmaker and some of their biography and/or cast
and crew..

SURGE is a non-competitive film festival so all
participants are winners. Because we remain a non-competitive film
festival, when a film, script or music video is officially selected
by our film festival, each member of the cast and crew is permitted
to display our official selection SURGE laurels on their website
and materials. The SURGE laurels not only distinguish you as being a
part of an official selection of SURGE, but more importantly the
laurels distinguish you as someone who works for equality and social
justice on behalf of all people. In addition, each member of the
cast and crew are eligible to receive a certificate. SURGE has also
begun interviewing members of the cast and crew who attend SURGE
and placing the video interviews on our website through Vimeo as
well as Youtube channels. This enables the video interviews to
appear not only on the SURGE website, but these video interviews can
also appear on the filmmakers website through links.

Each and every year admission and ticket fees for people to attend
the SURGE film festival has remained free-of-charge! This enables the
largest possible audience, from all different financial, cultural
and ethnic backgrounds, to participate in the film festival.

Registration fees to submit films into the SURGE film festival
remain low. This enables the largest possible audience, from all
different financial, cultural and ethnic backgrounds to submit
films...

+...in which anonymous entries are accepted as we encourage whistle-blowers to expose injustice!

+...in which some of the entries that are not included in the
festival are still published along with all the other entries in our
International, S.U.R.G.E. Multilingual Film Festival Directory! This
enables all entries to receive exposure and networking with people
from all over the world.

SURGE is so much more than just
another film festival: it is in word and in action the sixth annual
international Social Uprising Resistance and Grassroots
Encouragement (S.U.R.G.E.!) Film Festival!

Mission Statement

Peace,
Equality and Solidarity. Although political protests give us the
opportunity to unite our thoughts in opposition to the route which
our governments are taking us, many of us all over the world have
come to the realization that the lack of peace in the world and
the problems that we see increasing every day have a foundation
deeper than the Republicans, the Democrats, or a few select
multinational corporations. What we face are institutionalized
problems, problems which can only be confronted at the root,
researched and solved by imaginative and broad based, non-violent
social movements - not ballot boxes.

A Forum of Unparalleled Access and Outreach

Access,
Horizontalism and Outreach. The Annual Social Uprising Resistance
and Grassroots Encourage (SURGE) Film Festival begin during the
first Annual International A World Beyond Capitalism (AWBC)
Conference that began in 2005. Much like the AWBC, SURGE has
always aimed at contributing to the process of Access,
Horizontalism and outreach by providing a space for activists - to
reflect on the importance of long term vision, strategy,
face-to-face relationship building and the realization that a
worldwide multi-racial struggle for true universal equality must
pro-actively work to include all races and classes of people,
differently abled people, and even those who do not speak English.
We also seek to bring together and give voice to people working for
a better world: a world of equality, a world of peace.

With
this in mind, SURGE is a film festival that is now moving to the
next level by once again organizing the Annual International SURGE
Film Festival that will take place in several different cities
during several large events.

There has been so much talk
about what kind of ‘charity’ third world countries and immigrants
‘need.’ But there is little talk about the need for
self-empowering justice beyond capitalism and more capitalism.

Once
again, in 2012 SURGE is being organized with hopes of not
replicating the style and approach of traditional film festivals,
which are often alienating and racially homogenized with little
attempt to create outreach and universal accessibility to
non-English speaking people and to the disabled people of our
society. These segments of our society are often the most
vulnerable populations victimized by the oppressive characteristics
of capitalism. Rather, SURGE is an attempt to use outreach to
create an inclusive gathering.

Please spread the word!

Thanks everyone! We love you all!

~SURGE

SURGE Spotlight: Suheir Hammad - Into Egypt (Official Video)

2011-06-21T03:57:00.001-07:00

SURGE Film Festival Interview with Kundalini Screenwriters and Director Nitin Adsul

2011-06-03T10:04:00.000-07:00

Nitin Adsul is interviewed by Sara. Nitin's film screened during the Fifth Annual International S.U.R.G.E.! Film Festival. The name of his film is "Kundalini." Nitin traveled from Washington DC to attend the SURGE Fim Festival which takes place in Portland, Oregon; Austin, Texas; Urbana, Illinois and more cities each year.

The SURGE Film Festival would like to give special thanks to our amazing volunteer videographer, Will, who provided and used his own professional video equipment to film this interview. In addition he very, very quickly took care of the video editing within a couple days after the interview was filmed. SURGE would also like to thank Sara and all the other many participants who helped to make this interview possible. SURGE welcomes volunteers from all over the world on a year round basis who want to help with interviews, graphic design and all the many aspects of organizing that make this film festival with free of charge admission and free snacks possible each and every year in several cities throughout the world.

This interview is brought to you by:
The Annual International Social Uprising Resistance and Grassroots Encouragement (S.U.R.G.E.!) Film Festival http://www.WeSurge.org

and
the Annual International A World Beyond Capitalism Conference Organizers
http://www.aworldbeyondcapitalism.org

part of
the Year Round Africa Needs Free Justice School
http://www.AfricaNeedsFreeJustice.org

SURGE Film Festival Interview with the Co-writer, Co-director and Performer Ann Bonifacio

2011-06-03T09:49:00.000-07:00

Ann Bonifacio interviewed by Sara. Ann's film screened during the Fifth Annual International S.U.R.G.E.! Film Festival. She has described the film in the following manner:

"Most films rarely uncover the human's 52 sides. This attempts to do just that. Out of Character contains an actual conversation about being yourself in a society that solicits you to be anything but, 'and more'. It's about identity, religion, the war, neurosis, compassion, competition, school, church, indulgence, socialization, school shootings, the Sun, Time, self-hatred, repetition, History, pain, loneliness, wealth, immaturity, pollution, the word of God, individuality, oppression and depression."

The SURGE Film Festival would like to give special thanks to our amazing volunteer videographer, Will, who provided and used his own professional video equipment to film this interview as well as very quickly taking care of the video editing within a couple days after the interview was filmed. SURGE would also like to thank Sara and all the other many participants, including the organizers at The Variant, the Film festival venue, who helped to make this interview possible. SURGE welcomes volunteers from all over the world on a year round basis who want to help with interviews, graphic design and all the many aspects of organizing that make this film festival with free of charge admission and free snacks possible each and every year in several cities throughout the world.

This interview is brought to you by:
The Annual International Social Uprising Resistance and Grassroots Encouragement (S.U.R.G.E.!) Film Festival http://www.WeSurge.org

and
the Annual International A World Beyond Capitalism Conference Organizers
http://www.aworldbeyondcapitalism.org

part of
the Year Round Africa Needs Free Justice School
http://www.AfricaNeedsFreeJustice.org

SURGE Film Festival Interview with Award Winning Director and Screenwriter Rio Collier

2011-05-25T21:33:00.000-07:00

Award Winning Director Rio Collier is interviewed by Sara. Rio's film screened at the Historic Academy Theater during the Fifth Annual International S.U.R.G.E.! Film Festival. The name of her film is "Armed with Art: A New Revolution is
Necessary - "Armad@s Con Arte. Una Nueva Revolucion es Nescesaria." It was screened En Español with English subtitles.

As Rio described it, ""Armed with Art: A new revolution is necessary" crisscrosses Mexico in a conversation with muralists, printmakers, musicians, and philosophers, exploring the dynamic relationship between art and
social transformation. The role of art spans from the perseverance of
marginalized cultural traditions within the forces of globalization,
to the communication of the voices of the people against state
corruption. Exploding into a resurgence of vibrant visual resistance
in Mexico, artistic practices have a stronghold on social critique in
the public sphere. Creative expression is changing the face of
revolution in Mexico. If another world is possible, a new revolution
is necessary.

This film is part of the Art and Resistance film series from the B
Media Collective about artists who use their creativity to promote
mutual aid, solidarity and self determination.

B Media Collective is a Portland based video art collective that
stands in solidarity with local and global people's movements through
the socialization, documentation, creation, and exchange of media
between communities in the global north and south. Founded in 2004 as
a working of the Portland Central America Solidarity Committee, and
inspired by the democratic media movement integral to the
revolutionary process in Venezuela, B Media began as a media exchange
to distribute independent media in solidarity with people's movements
throughout the Americas. Today B Media is not only interested in the
exchange and socialization of media, but in the active creation and
documentation of people's movements in our midst, with the explicit
goal of cross-border collective to collective solidarity.

"Brought to you by:
The Annual International Social Uprising Resistance and Grassroots Encouragement (SURGE) Film Festival http://www.WeSurge.org

and
the Annual International A World Beyond Capitalism Conference Organizers
http://www.aworldbeyondcapitalism.org

part of
the Year Round Africa Needs Free Justice School
http://www.AfricaNeedsFreeJustice.org

SURGE Film Festival Interview with the Co-writer, Co-director and Performer Ken Lori

2011-05-25T21:22:00.000-07:00

Ken Lori, Co-Director, Co-Writer, and Performer is interviewed by Sara. Ken's film screened during the Fifth Annual International S.U.R.G.E.! Film Festival. The name of his film is "Out of Character."

Ken and his Co-Director and Co-writer Ann Bonifacio have described their film in the following manner:

"Most films rarely uncover the human's 52 sides. This attempts to do just that. Out of Character contains an actual conversation about being yourself in a society that solicits you to be anything but, 'and more'. It's about identity, religion, the war, neurosis, compassion, competition, school, church, indulgence, socialization, school shootings, the Sun, Time, self-hatred, repetition, History, pain, loneliness, wealth, immaturity, pollution, the word of God, individuality, oppression and depression."

The SURGE Film Festival would like to give special thanks to our amazing volunteer videographer, Will, who provided and used his own professional video equipment to film this interview as well as very quickly taking care of the video editing within a couple days after the interview was filmed. SURGE would also like to thank Sara and all the other many participants, including the organizers at The Variant, the Film festival venue, who helped to make this interview possible. SURGE welcomes volunteers from all over the world on a year round basis who want to help with interviews, graphic design and all the many aspects of organizing that make this film festival with free of charge admission and free snacks possible each and every year in several cities throughout the world.

This interview is brought to you by:
The Annual International Social Uprising Resistance and Grassroots Encouragement (S.U.R.G.E.!) Film Festival http://www.WeSurge.org

and
the Annual International A World Beyond Capitalism Conference Organizers
http://www.aworldbeyondcapitalism.org

part of
the Year Round Africa Needs Free Justice School
http://www.AfricaNeedsFreeJustice.org

Trailer for A NEW KIND OF LISTENING

2011-05-11T11:11:00.000-07:00

Trailer for the documentary film, A New Kind of Listening
Screening as part of the SURGE Film Festival on Wed, May 18 @ 3:21pm

at The Variant, 4810 Northeast Garfield Avenue, Portland, OR 97211

Trailer for "Love & Valor"

2011-05-05T12:58:00.000-07:00

"Love & Valor - The Intimate Civil War Letters" is a narrative documentary based on the story of a Union Soldier and his wife as told through their actual letters. Among the best, if not the best, set of letters between a husband and wife during the American Civil War. Narrated by Brian Dennehy, the movie also includes the strange stories of how filmmaker Charles Larimer found his great great grandparents letters.

Trailer for "Love & Valor"

2011-05-05T12:51:00.000-07:00

"Love & Valor - The Intimate Civil War Letters" is a narrative documentary based on the story of a Union soldier and his wife as told through their actual letters. Among the best, if not the best, set of letters between a husband and his wife during the American Civil War. Narrated by Brian Dennehy, the movie also includes the strange stories of how filmmaker Charles Larimer found his great great grandparents letters.

Trailer for "Out of Character"

2011-05-03T21:22:00.000-07:00

Friday May 20
5:12 pm
Out of Character
Location: The Variant, 4810 Northeast Garfield Avenue, Portland, OR 97211
Admission: FREE!

Trailer for" Out of Character"

2011-05-03T21:17:00.000-07:00

Friday May 20
5:12 pm
Out of Character
Location: The Variant, 4810 Northeast Garfield Avenue, Portland, OR 97211
Admission: FREE!

Trailer for "Out of Character"

2011-05-03T21:08:00.000-07:00

Friday May 20
5:12 pm
Out of Character
Location: The Variant, 4810 Northeast Garfield Avenue, Portland, OR 97211
Admission: FREE!

Trailer for "What I Meant To Tell You: An American Poet's State of the Union"

2011-05-03T17:58:00.000-07:00

Sunday, May 22, 2011
5:40 p.m.
Location: The Variant
4810 Northeast Garfield Ave.
Portland, Oregon, 97211
Admission: Free of Charge

Trailer for "Revenge of the Rat Bastard Brother"

2011-05-03T17:34:00.000-07:00

Written and Directed by Jeanette Castillo

For more information about the Mickee Faust Club.

Trailer for "Plight of the Earth Fairy"

2011-05-03T16:12:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, May 17, 2011
3:22 p.m.
Plight of the Earth Fairy
Location: The Variant
4810 Northeast Garfield Ave.
Portland, Oregon, 97211
Admission: Free of Charge

Trailer for "What's Up?"

2011-05-03T15:25:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, May 17, 2011
3:03 p.m.
What's Up?
Location: The Variant
4810 Northeast Garfield Ave.
Portland, Oregon, 97211
Admission: Free of Charge

Trailer for "Sick-Amour"

2011-05-02T15:28:00.000-07:00

Description: S.U.R.G.E. Film Festival, Thu, May 19, 6:26pm – 7:00pm

Where: The Variant, 4810 Northeast Garfield Avenue, Portland, OR 97211 ()

Admission: Free of Charge

Trailer for "Pink Smoke Over The Vatican"

2011-05-02T14:34:00.000-07:00

Pink Smoke Over the Vatican is a documentary film about the controversial movement of women seeking to be ordained as priests in the Roman Catholic Church. On June 3, 2008, The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which is the modern name for The Holy Office of the Inquisition, issued a sweeping order of excommunication for “the crime of attempting sacred ordination of a woman.” Pink Smoke Over the Vatican chronicles the events that led up to this severe punishment and tells the stories of the determined women and men who, through the forbidden and illicit path of female ordination, are working to end the underlying misogyny and outdated feudal governance that is slowly destroying the Roman Catholic Church.

Pink Smoke Over the Vatican explores the complex ethical choices made by the women who are painfully discerning the difference between man’s law and God’s law. Their struggles encompass both the internal battles wrought by going against the Church they love as well as the external battles with the Church hierarchy, centuries-long tradition, police, and the rampant prejudice that still prevails against women in positions of power. But it is the impression that all have been undeniably touched by spirit that is certain to move both Catholics and the general public alike. Informative, beautifully filmed and edited, with a powerful soundtrack, this film will inspire any women or men who have experienced discrimination and marginalization to stand up to power, no matter the odds, and follow their true call.

Trailer for "FREE WORLD!"

2011-05-02T09:52:00.000-07:00

We hope you are able to attend a FREE screening of the short documentary FREE WORLD at the 2011 S.U.R.G.E. film festival. Check out the trailer below!

MAY 23, 2011
5.30pm
at

The Historic Academy Theatre

7818 SE Stark Street

Portland, OR

Admission: Free of Charge

Trailer for "END:CIV"

2011-05-02T07:46:00.000-07:00

END:CIV examines our culture’s addiction to systematic violence and environmental exploitation, and probes the resulting epidemic of poisoned landscapes and shell-shocked nations. Based in part on Endgame, the best-selling book by Derrick Jensen, END:CIV asks: "If your homeland was invaded by aliens who cut down the forests, poisoned the water and air, and contaminated the food supply, would you resist?"

Trailer for "Peace Through Education: Stealing The Light"

2011-04-30T18:51:00.000-07:00

.

March 13th, 2011
12 noon
Peace Through Education: Stealing The Light
Location: La Peña
227 Congress Ave.
Austin, TX 78701
Admission: Free of Charge