(Posted Nov. 16, 2016)
Two shorts, one feature and one preview, comprise the 2016 London Film Festival.
The festival will once again be held at the London State Theater during downtown London’s Old Fashioned Christmas on Nov. 28.
“This year’s selections include two films that premiered at the State during the year,” said theater owner Rob Treynor.
“Creative Theft 2,” a feature-length heist movie, directed by London High School graduates Jack Spahn and T.J. Ruesch, returns for a second showing. Its first showing was a red-carpet premiere held in August.
Ruesch’s short, “Cries For No Compassion,” won the 2015 London Film Festival.
“I’m thrilled to be a part of the London Film Festival for a second year,” Ruesch said. “I’m excited that more people will get to see the film Jack and I worked so hard on.”
The festival also will include the short, “Claymation Zombies,” by Jake Jolley. Much of Jolley’s film was shot in and around London, including at the Haunted Backwoods.
“A lot of my inspiration came from the old school claymation movies that we never get to see anymore and classic films that Ray Harryhausen worked on that mixed stop motion animation with live action film,” Jolley said. “I also love the nature of zombie movies and how they force people to come together.”
Aaron Garrett’s short, “Debt Comes Due,” returns to the State for the festival. The short film debuted in London last spring, while Garrett was scouting locations to shoot his feature film, “Madison” (originally titled “Last Riot”).
Garrett, a Madison-Plains graduate, has also sent a preview scene of the feature, “Madison,” now in post-production.
“It’s a very rough cut of a scene,” Garrett explained of the preview. “There’s no color correction or sound design. It’s a bit raw.”
The shooting of “Madison” took place over several weeks of July 2016 and features many locals as extras.
“It’s an honor to showcase the talents we have right here in Madison County,” Treynor said. “We hope to continue this festival and highlight other local filmmakers in the years to come.”
The London Film Festival is free and open to the public during Old Fashioned Christmas. The films hit the screen starting at 7 p.m.
London State Theater is located at 67 S. Main St. in downtown London. More information will be available a www.LondonStateTheater.com.
