October 1
In The Land of Milk and Money
By Susan Emshwiller (90 min). This is a very funny social satire that turns the ‘50s style sci-fi thriller on its head. This comedy shows what happens when mothers turn into monsters.
October 8
So Glad I Made It: The Saga of Roger Salloom, America’s Best Unknown Songwriter
2 hours, including interviews with Roger Salloom (folk/rock writer and performer) and Chris Sautter, filmmaker. Roger Salloom is a musican and local (Northampton) songwriter who has been performing since the late sixties. His music is currently on the 2006 Grammy Ballot in 8 categories, and this film is also listed on the 2006 Grammy ballot in the category of documentary music films. In addition to the film being part biography, it is also a commentary on the changing music industry.
October 15
Albert Schweitzer, My Life is My Argument
Bby Liam O’Brien and Rebecca Abbott. The first film is about Albert Schweitzer’s history as a doctor in Africa, where he dedicated his life to helping build a hospital and community, but also discusses his musical ability and his education. (45 min).
Poets of New England: Agha Shahid Ali
By Elizabeth Wilda (90 minutes). Poets of New England features the late New Delhi poet, Agha Shahid Ali, and focuses on this expatriot’s poems that integrate styles and references to many cultures, and the poet’s own dedication to the work of Emily Dickinson. This film was compiled by the poet’s conversations with Bill Moebius, Professor of Comparative Literature at UMass-Amherst, and features the poet reading his own work. (28 min.).
October 22
The Hole Story
By Alex Karpovsky (90 min). This is a hilarious comedy about one man’s desperate search to unravel a small-town mystery. This feature uses gentle ironies, and has laugh-out-loud moments as the filmmaker attempts to save the project.
October 29
The Poetry of Theodore Seuss Geisel
By Elizabeth Wilda features Prof. Bill Moebius of the Comparative Literature Department at UMass-Amherst, as he explores how Dr. Seuss used images from his life to incorporate poetry and story-telling. While many of his stories were geared toward children, many of his themes were geared toward adults.
Spaghetti and Matzo Balls
By Dave Lewis. This is a film that tells the tale of Joshua, the son of Vinny Rigatoni, an Italian milkman, and Rebecca Manischevitz. As young Joshua comes of age, he incorporates themes of his parents’ cultures, and soon becomes boss of the local schoolyard, where he protects the Jewish kids from bullies (28 min).