August 2004

Roberto Arévalo’s 30-minute documentary "Understanding Violence" is about the problem of violence in Boston -- why it happens and how it is dealt with. But, perhaps more importantly, it’s about the prevention of violence. Without preventing violence, the film’s youth and law enforcement officials agree, the cycle of crime and punishment continues, leaving crippled, incarcerated and dead kids in its wake.

Grant writing is, for most, the least exciting, most exasperating aspect of filmmaking. The drudgery of pounding out a synopsis, the agonizing over every little adjective to avoid spilling over a word limit, the months of waiting for the seemingly inevitable rejection -- all repellant enough to make anyone run screaming from an arts foundation and head for the hills. For a filmmaker anxious to tell their story, passion can take a backseat to financial roadblock. Getting an independent film funded can halt the creative process for years at a read more...

Christopher Odom has never been afraid to dream big or share his opinions, no matter how far from the supposed norm they may fall. His latest work documents the lives of several players in the industry, just about to (hopefully) break into success. With a deeply probing mind, Odom’s conversations are mind-opening walks through a myriad of seemingly unrelated subjects, all tied by the common thread of his own perspectives. With a focused mind and unwavering determination, Odom is certainly one to watch.

AG: How did you start out in film?

Some filmmakers search far and wide for the subject of their next film but Jennifer Cobb found her subject right in her hometown of Newport, Rhode Island. In Newport, Sylvia Mureddu is known as "Saucy Sylvia" and has entertained in the lounge of the Hyatt Regency Hotel every weekend for 30 years. In fact, the hotel has changed ownership three times and she has stayed right at her spot behind the piano in the lounge. She is a local legend with a devoted fan club that ranges from college kids to octogenarians.

Also take a look at an interview with Michele Meek, the founder/publisher of NewEnglandFilm.com in the August 2001 isssue.

And for a unique look at the past decade of NewEnglandFilm.com, visit WayBackMachine Internet Archive.

Email news to news@newenglandfilm.com. 

Ah...the end of summer.  Maybe the DNC didn’t bring in the financial windfall everyone thought it would, but at least it provided one week where (to the rest of the country) Boston was not just a city that provided a good reality television cast base.

But New Englanders knew that already.  The region is one of the best areas to be in the industry, even if Ben Affleck becomes Senator. 

Set in picturesque Cape Cod, MA, "Retreat" tells the story of four orphaned brothers who, as adults, journey back to the summer home where they suffered abuse at the hands of a cruel governess. Together again, they are forced to face their estrangement from one another, as well as a past that continues to haunt them. "Retreat" brings pain, resentment and, ultimately, healing to the surface, as it explores the complexities of human relationships and the depths of the human heart.