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It used to be that film festivals in the Tampa Bay area were a rarity. No longer. Totaling up all the fundraisers, workshops and side programming that go along with the ever-expanding number of festivals, it’s clear that fest-hopping has become a year-round sport. And that’s great, because we can all stand to broaden our horizons beyond the standard Hollywood pulp that fills the multiplex each Friday. In the next few weeks, there are two festivals of note: one with lots of local appeal, and one a bit farther south that attracts filmmakers (and filmgoers) from all over the world.

Independents’ Film Festival
Hosted by Tampa’s The Education Channel, the 16th annual Independents’ Film Festival promises an intimate look at locally produced films, including a strong program of student films out of USF. I say intimate because all screenings will be held at The Education Channel’s beautiful, newly upgraded screening room with seating for about 65 people. Festival organizers also promise ample opportunity to hob-nob with filmmakers and other fest attendees, as each themed evening begins with a food and drink reception and ends with coffee and dessert. (All included in the $15 ticket price.)

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You came, you saw, you voted: The winner of this year’s College Guide contest is Amanda Abadi of the University of Tampa. Her inventive video, which could be retitled “Crocodile Dundee Meets UT,” drew 6,694 votes. Amanda wins the title CL College Guide 2009, plus a CL briefcase stuffed with movie and concert passes, CDs and DVDs and assorted CL gear plus a $500 shopping spree from CL Deals.

Submission #1: Alex Vera | My UT: “Yes, I’m Losing My Mind”

Alex Vera
University of Tampa
Junior, Graphic Design
21, Tampa
My UT is: “The Minaret, my second home.”

Alex’s video takes viewers behind the scenes for a day (and night) in the life of the UT students who put out the school’s Minaret newspaper. Note the tempers fraying as the night stretches into morning.
(Editor’s Note: Despite any impression you might get from the photo, Alex is not UT’s Spartan mascot. We just happened to have a Spartan costume at the photo shoot, and Alex is an amazingly good sport.) Read the rest of this entry »

Submission#2: Amanda Abadi | My UT: “Where in the world is Spartacus?”

Amanda Abadi
University of Tampa
2nd Year, Masters in Business Administration (Management)
23, Detroit
My UT is: “Community-focused, auspicious, cultural and enriching.”

Amanda’s video follows the intrepid Dingo Dundee as he scours the UT campus in search of the university’s elusive mascot. Dingo goes everywhere from offices to classrooms to the John H. Sykes School of Business, where a surly student tries unsuccesfully to ignore the weird guy with the Australian accent.

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Submission #1: Alex Vera | My UT: “Yes, I’m Losing My Mind”

Alex Vera
University of Tampa
Junior, Graphic Design
21, Tampa
My UT is: “The Minaret, my second home.”

Alex’s video takes viewers behind the scenes for a day (and night) in the life of the UT students who put out the school’s Minaret newspaper. Note the tempers fraying as the night stretches into morning.

(Editor’s Note: Despite any impression you might get from the photo, Alex is not UT’s Spartan mascot. We just happened to have a Spartan costume at the photo shoot, and Alex is an amazingly good sport.) Read the rest of this entry »

What’s the buzz on the latest issues in the Green Community? Check out what you may have missed this past week:

Reconstructing a historic bat tower in Temple Terrace and how to build your own bat roost- Grant Rimbey investigates efforts in Temple Terrace to reconstruct an historic tower for bats, discusses a large community bat roost he designed for the Florida Bat Conservancy, and tells how you can purchase (or build) your own bat roost for your yard.

Summer Solstice: A brief history- Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, occurs this Sunday- June 21st. Here are a few facts you might not have known about it, from Linda Taylor.

Organics: How to eat well without breaking your budget- With the increase of demand over organic food in the last ten years you would think that a wide range of these products would be easily accessible. Here’s some some advice from Kelly Rothwell on purchasing healthy, organic food in this region without breaking your budget.
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Recently, I received an email from a local filmmaker, Arlen Slobodow of Public Media Productions, asking me to take a look at a 17-minute video he just completed on public health and the environmental consequences of air pollution in the Tampa Bay area.  Because I am such a supporter of local independent media production, things that inspire action for the public good, and combating big polluters, I thought I’d share it.  Also, be sure to check out my interview with the film’s writer/director/producer, Arlen Slobodow, in my next post.

Video after the jump
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Have you ever heard the Vietnam-era quote, “war is not healthy for children and other living things?” It is a staunchly obvious and painstakingly reasonable appeal that cuts to the ethical core and casualties of war.  I read an article this week that reminded me of it, but instead of war, the murderous culprit in this story is climate change.

A new report by the Global Humanitarian Forum (GHF) says that global warming already kills about 300,000 people a year.  If that projection is not startling enough– or if you have more of an economic mind, and are not much swayed by stacks of human figures—the report also says that climate change costs around $125 billion in economic losses annually.
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An African-American man laments the fact that people lock their cars when he approaches and says that people write the story of his life based on scripts from TV.

A young man who thinks he might be gay asks, “Why does homosexuality get lumped in with alcoholism, pedophilia and drug addiction as something that is loathed?”

A 20-year-old virgin asks, “Who came up with the three-date rule?”

Stereotypes in America asks questions that are usually taboo, that aren’t discussed in polite company. Read the rest of this entry »

Jesse Cook

Jesse Cook. The Toronto acoustic guitarist performs in a genre known as nuevo flamenco, in which he takes the centuries-old Spanish music tradition and updates it with undulating beats and synth backing. 8 p.m., Wed., March 25, Ferguson Hall, Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, tbpac.orgGiselle. Moiseev Russian Classical Ballet and Orchestra, formerly known as the Russian National Ballet Theatre and Orchestra, presents the famous ballet ghost story. The company was created by Vladimir Moiseev, grandson of the famous Russian folk dance choreographer Igor Moiseyev. Wed., March 25, 8 p.m., Ruth Eckerd Hall, Clearwater, $35-$49 ($10 students with valid I.D.), 727-791-7400.Henri Cole. The University of Tampa’s student literary magazine, QUILT, and Writers at the University welcome award-winning poet Henri Cole for a reading in the Grand Salon. The Boston-based Cole, whose work frequently appears in The New Yorker, is the author of six collections of poetry, most recently Blackbird and Wolf. 8 p.m., Wednesday, March 25, off the lobby of Plant Hall, University of Tampa. Refreshments will be served. Parking is available in the Plant Hall parking lot, off of Kennedy Boulevard and next to the UT entrance.  For further information please contact Wing Barfoot (wbarfoot@ut.edu) or Audrey Colombe (acolombe@ut.edu or 257-3116).