Why it's Brouhaha of course! Enzian's annual two-day event of films produced in Florida by Florida residents only, the Brouhaha Film & Video Showcase was conceived 15 years ago by future BLAIR WITCH PROJECT producer Gregg Hale. This weekend (Dec. 2 & 3) it takes flight once again, with 33 films to be screened over two programs beginning at 12:30 PM each day. A mix of curated titles from four Florida schools and independently submitted films chosen by a selection committee, the program of shorts from 2 minutes to 15 minutes in length is an eclectic mix of narrative, docs, animation, experimental and even a couple of music videos. Represented schools include University of Central Florida, Florida State University, Valencia Community College, Ringling School of Art & Design, Daytona Beach Community College, Full Sail Real World Education, University of Miami, and Winter Park High School.

And in a process inaugurated last year, the participants in Brouhaha will be judged by a panel of local industry pros with the chosen films going on to a "Best of Brouhaha - Emerging Filmmakers Showcase" at the 2007 Florida Film Festival in March. The Orlando Weekly's Jason Ferguson, Florida Film Monthly's Michael McNamara, and Enzian's own Shannon Lacek will be doing the honors. So come join them, see some things that may surprise you, and show some support for some real up-and-comers. Most of these films are having their first-ever public screenings, and for a mere 5-spot you can be part of their audience. Doesn't that sound like a fun thing to do?

--Matthew

Animation is always a big deal at the Florida Film Festival, and this year we're adding something special. In addition to the usual Animated Shorts program in the American Independent Competition, the International Animated Shorts program, and the "extreme" titles that make their way into the Midnight Shorts, computer animation will be the subject of a just-confirmed new forum.

The beautiful and humorous FIRST FLIGHT, the first original character short from DreamWorks Animation studio, will be the subject of the panel to take place on Friday, March 30. Directors Cameron Hood and Kyle Jefferson--who between them have worked on such films as SHREK, SHARK TALE, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, THE ROAD TO EL DORADO, SPIRIT: STALLION OF THE CIMARRON, SINBAD, and STUART LITTLE 2--will be in attendance to discuss the creative and technical process behind their stunning short about an uptight businessman who finds himself teaching a tiny bird how to fly. This should be a must-see for anyone interested in CG animation or who wants to learn about the passion needed to create a short film within the studio system, so mark your calendars.

--Matthew

No doubt that many of you out there are anxiously awaiting to hear your fate from a certain prominent festival out West somewhere. We certainly want to wish you the best of luck, but also remind you that there are plenty of other fine festivals on the horizon no matter what happens with your film and Sundance. And one of those fine festivals just happens to be the 16th annual Florida Film Festival (March 23 - April 1, 2007), which also just happens to have a late entry (postmark) deadline for both narrative and documentary features coming up this Friday, December 1.

So the time for procrastinating is officially over. If you've got a film over 40 minutes in length that you've been on the fence about when and where to submit besides Park City, do it now! We'd love to see your work, but the window of opportunity will be shutting this weekend. As always, entry info is available at both enzian.org and floridafilmfestival.com.

Is it a shameless plug if we know there's still great stuff out there that's yet to be submitted, or merely the rant of an eternally optimistic programmer?

--Matthew

The first of a number of informative and entertaining panels for this year's 16th annual Florida Film Festival (March 23 - April 1) has been set, and we couldn't be more excited. Thursday, March 29, Enzian will be hosting an extraordinary line-up of succesful screenwriters in a forum discussing the challenges and benefits of working within both the studio system and the independent film world.

Moderating the festivities will be Barry Sandler, University of Central Florida Film Professor and writer of such films as CRIMES OF PASSION and MAKING LOVE. Scheduled panelists include Mike Werb (CURIOUS GEORGE, FACE/OFF, THE MASK); Don Mancini (the CHILD'S PLAY series, HBO's "Tales From the Crypt"); Guinevere Turner (THE NOTORIOUS BETTIE PAGE, AMERICAN PSYCHO, GO FISH); and former Florida Film Festival Programming Coordinator Bob DeRosa, whose romantic crime drama, THE AIR I BREATHE, co-written with writer/director Jieho Lee and starring Kevin Bacon, Forest Whitaker, Sarah Michelle Geller, and Brendan Fraser, is due for release in Spring 2007.

It's never to early to mark your calendars, and this sounds like an event that's not to be missed for both film students and film lovers alike.

--Matthew

This weekend (well, Sunday and Monday anyway) come celebrate the 8th annual Central Florida Jewish Film Festival at Enzian Theater. A joint production of Enzian and the JCC of Greater Orlando, this year's nicely balanced line-up includes both a doc feature and narrative feature each day. Things get going Sunday the 19th at 11:00 AM with Erik Greenberg Anjou's delightful doc, A CANTOR'S TALE, about Brooklyn-born Jackie Mendelson, keeping the art of "hazzanut" (Jewish liturgical music) alive as he embarks on a nostalgic journey through family, neighborhood, and tradition.

Next up at 1:30 on Sunday is a terrific coming-of-age story, WONDROUS OBLIVION, directed by Academy Award nominee Paul Morrison. This nicely crafted period piece tells the story of a Jewish family living in 1960's England, whose lives are changed by the arrival of a Jamaican family (including the excellent Delroy Lindo) that moves in next door. But racial tensions are high, cricket can't solve everything, and the newcomers are not welcomed by all.

Monday afternoon the 20th at 3:30 brings the US Premiere of Paul Smaczny's International Emmy-nominated KNOWLEDGE IS THE BEGINNING. An inspiring and profoundly moving look at Daniel Barenboim and his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra--composed of a mix of Arab and Israeli musicians aged 13 to 26--the doc is filled with glorious performances and a guest appearance by Yo-Yo Ma.

The festival closes Monday evening at 6:30 with the unforgettable Holocaust memoir, FATELESS. A collaboration between Nobel Prize winner Imre Kertesz, multiple Oscar-nominee and composer Ennio Morricone, and the directorial debut of one of the world's great cinematographers, Lajos Koltai (MEPHISTO, COLONEL REDL, BEING JULIA), this stunning and provocative work bypassed Orlando in its limited theatrical release last year.

So buy a Mensch pass or Series pass or even an individual ticket, and come settle in for some extraordinary films. As far as the knishes go, you'll have to ask Chef Josh what's on the menu.

--Matthew

That's right! Another one of those oh-so-final postmark deadlines approaches this Friday, November 17, for all films 40 minutes or less that want to be considered for this year's 16th annual Florida Film Festival (March 23 - April 1). If you've been pondering sending in your baby, whether it's domestic or international, now's the time to make it happen. We love to show short films, and generally feature upwards of a dozen different programs composed of nearly 100 shorts. And of course, our Grand Jury Award winner will automatically qualify for consideration for the 2008 Oscars. Don't procrastinate any longer--entries must be in transit this weekend so everything is received by next week.

As always, information and submission forms are available through Without a Box and at the Enzian and Festival websites (enzian.org and floridafilmfestival.com). Good luck! We look forward to seeing your work.

--Matthew

This past weekend saw the first of two Oscar-qualifying engagements for Documentary Features that will take place at Enzian in the next three weeks. To fulfill the Motion Picture Academy's list of requirements necessary to be in consideration for an Academy Award nomination, docs longer than 40 minutes must open in a handful of cities in four different states for at least a consecutive 2-day run. This is in addition to a week-long engagement in either New York or LA, and they must be advertised, have an admission charge, and be projected in 35mm, along with a bunch of other stipulations (they don't make it easy for the little guy...)

Nearly 200 people came out to see Ronit Avni and Julia Bacha's ENCOUNTER POINT, a powerful, inspiring, and important work that focuses on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the point of view of civilians on both sides that are working for peace. All of these courageous individuals have lost family members, been physically wounded by gunfire and bombs, or been imprisoned by their enemy, so it would be easy to justify perpetuating the cycle of hate. Yet they somehow find a way to look beyond their loss and suffering to do everything in their power to promote understanding and reconciliation, and ultimately peace.

Co-directorJulia Bacha was in attendance and gave generously of her time during the post-film Q & A's that could have lasted twice as long as they moved from the theater out into the courtyard. Particularly moving were her anecdotes about festival screenings of the film around the Middle East, and her own career path getting involved with the Just Vision organization after her role as co-writer and editor of the highly acclaimed CONTROL ROOM. Thanks Julia for making our first documentary Oscar-qualifying engagement a special one that the Central Florida community will remember for a long time.

Next up: water polo and revolution in FREEDOM'S FURY, November 25 & 26.

--Matthew

Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson cruised to re-election Tuesday, handing GOP rival Katherine Harris a beating that could drive her from the statewide stage into political obscurity. How beautiful are those words from the front page of Wednesday's Orlando Sentinel?

Harris gave up her congressional seat in Longboat Key (good) and spent millions of dollars of her own money in hopes of toppling Nelson (doubly good). This is the same shrew who was so instrumental in Bush getting elected in 2000 when she wouldn't let a liitle thing like her position as Secretary of State get in the way of her party affiliation and decisions regarding the vote recount. This is the woman who told a religious publication that voters should send only "tried and true" Christians to office lest they risk having a government that would "legislate sin." This is the woman that was tied to corrupt defense contractor Mitchell Wade, who gave her $32,000 in illegal campaign contributions in 2004, took her out to a $2800 dinner in 2005, and offered to hold a fundraiser for her. She subsequently agreed to submit a $10 million dollar congressional earmark on behalf of his company, and then lied about why she did it and paying her share of the meal.

This is the lunatic who claimed that several House Democrats from Florida told her they wanted her to beat Nelson; that in the context of a Bush rally in 2004 described a make-believe terrorist plot to blow up the power grid in Indiana; that said that her gay friend in California told her that part of the reason gays are gay is that they don't want normal lives, and that "many people don't realize that the gay community is split on this (gay marriage), too." This is the madwoman whose campaign was beset by a wave of staff resignations prompted by her erratic behavior, tantrums, and lies, and, oh yeah, that Justice Department investigation thing. Even her own party wanted nothing to do with her, and repeatedly tried to get her to quit during the primary. And right up until Election day, on Monday even "W" wouldn't let her onstage with him at a rally in Pensacola, despite her claims to the contrary.

Despite everything (and believe me there's a whole lot more), Harris still got 38% of the vote which is both scary and mind-boggling. How pathetic and corrupt does a candidate have to be before a Republican doesn't vote the party line? So take your "noble cause" Cruella de Ville and stick it--the majority of the people in the state of Florida have spoken and you are an ugly footnote in our political history. Enjoy the private arena and leave us alone for good (riddance).

--Matthew

Orlando really is a small town...today our hearts go out to dear friend of the Festival Heather Rybka and her family, proprietors of Gatorland. This morning a fire broke out at the Orlando institution and destroyed their administrative offices, gift shop and cost the lives of two gators and two snakes.

Heather had her pre-wedding reception there a few years back and recently reuinted a bunch of friends for her mmm mmm birthday party there. My favorite image of her wedding event: A nun in full habit on the back of a live gator grinning ear to ear! Classic.

Two years ago, Gatorland brought gators to the FFF Awards Ceremony at Enzian. Documentary Jurors Susan Norget, Brian Yonce, and Paul Devlin couldn't resist the photo op.

We always recommend filmmakers make a side trip to Gatorland. Way back in 1997, Keythe Farley, Brian Flemming and a lovely friend went to Gatorland to shoot a segment of John Pierson's landmark Split Screen TV series called Gatorlando! Farley and Flemming wrote the off-Broadway hit Bat Boy: The Musical and are currently working on the film adaptation for director John Landis. In 1997 they were at the Festival with Hang Your Dog in the Wind which won an FFF Special Jury Award that year.

Again, from the entire staff of Enzian, our hearts and prayers go out to Heather and the entire Gatorland family.

Congratulations to director Dori Berinstein and her wonderful doc on the Broadway 2003-04 season, SHOWBUSINESS: A SEASON TO REMEMBER. The film, an unflinching and intimate look at the creation and launch of four high-profile musicals--Wicked; Avenue Q; Taboo; and Caroline, or Change --had its Southeast Premiere at the 2006 Florida Film Festival, where it won the Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature and was strongly considered for a Special Jury Award for Editing as well.

The International Documentary Association just announced its nominees for the 22nd IDA Distinguished Documentary Awards, and SHOWBUSINESS is one of five excellent films nominated in the features category. Winners will be announced at a Benefit Gala at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles on December 8, and we wish Dori the best of luck even as we eagerly await getting a look at her forthcoming THE TOY MOVIE project.

--Matthew

Roundball excitement (or at least more than usual interest) is in the air as the Orlando Magic open their 2006-07 NBA season tonight. This may not be a big deal to a lot of you out there, but you have to remember, this team is the only game (and pro sports franchise) in town. The community seems guardedly optimistic that with a nice nucleus of good young players, including budding superstar big man Dwight Howard and mighty mite point guard Jameer Nelson, the Magic should actually make the playoffs for the first time in years and the "Curse of the Shaqino" can be a thing of the past.

For a franchise that's been down in the dumps since Shaq went to the Lakers (first) and Grant Hill stepped off that plane on crutches (second), things certainly are looking up. They ended last year on a nice little 16-6 run, the city committed to building a new arena within the next three years, they resigned all their players but one (DeShawn Stevenson, whose agent overestimated his value and ended up costing his player millions of dollars when he had to sign for virtually the minimum in Washington), and new season tickets and season ticket renewals were at an all-time high.

Now we'll see if they can get past 45 wins for the first time in 10 years (though 42 should be enough to get into the postseason). First up: the Chicago Bulls, who destroyed the World Champion Miami Heat in their home opener by 42 points--the most one-sided loss for a defending champion in their first game of the next season in the history of the NBA. Already the insanity starts, though it'll be hard to top the end of the baseball season for milestones and bizarre behavior.

--Matthew