Page 4 - Woods Hole Film Festival 2024

The 33rd Annual Woods Hole Film Festival

DOCUMENTARY Out shows what’s at risk if we keep the status quo.
Do we want an America in which most of us don’t
FEATURES consider ourselves “math people”? Where math MASTER
proficiency goes down as students grow up? Or do
we want a country where anyone can understand
the math that undergirds our society—and can
the civil rights leader and MacArthur genius who
76 Days help shape it. The film is dedicated to Bob Moses, CLASSES
Joe Wein • USA • 2024 • 105 min. saw math access as the civil rights issue of our
July 29, 2024 6:15pm • Redfield Auditorium time, and whose work we follow in some of the
last filmed interviews of his life.
After a whale sinks his sailboat, Steven Callahan Doug Blush
drifted across the Atlantic Ocean in an inflatable First We Bombed New Mexico Monday, July 29, 12:00pm | Community Hall
raft for an incredible 76 days. Forced to come to Lois Lipman • USA • 2023 • 95 min.
terms with his own limitations, Steven finds a July 31, 2024 8:00pm • FA-Simon Center
strength he never knew he had. A gripping first- In July 1945, the US military detonated the world’s Christy Cashman, Producing,
hand account of his NYT bestselling novel. first nuclear bomb in White Sands, New Mexico, Acting and Writing
A Binding Truth covering the soil and water with irradiated fallout Tuesday, July 30, 12:00 pm | Community Hall
Louise Woehrle • USA 2023 • 92 min. and contaminating the land. The facts and conse-
August 2, 2024 5:30pm • FA-Simon Center quences on the people have been concealed for
decades, but inspirational Hispanic cancer survivor
Jimmie and De were classmates in 1965. Jim- Tina Cordova has catalyzed a movement seeking John de Graaf
mie transferred his senior year from an all-Black justice and healthcare for the poisoned people of Friday, August 2, 2:00pm | Community Hall
high school to an affluent white high school in New Mexico still ignored by their government.
Charlotte - he was their first Black football star.
Decades later, a shocking discovery reconnects Follow the Journey
the men and changes both their lives. Their story Liz Witham, Ken Wentworth • USA • 2024 • 105 min.
rooted in the South is also America’s story - one of July 28, 2024 2:00pm • Redfield Auditorium WORKSHOPS
slavery’s legacy and our current racial divide. It’s a The epic journey of 7 mothers and their newborn
story of healing and shows a way forward as Jim- calves from Florida to the Canadian Maritimes
mie and De explore their binding truth. are followed in a deep dive into the lives of one of
The Blues Society the most endangered whales on Earth, the North Alecia Orsini Lebeda
Augusta Palmer • USA • 2023 • 76 min. Atlantic right whale. With remarkable access, we Alecia Orsini is an award winning and multi-
experience the splendor and the plight of this
July 30, 2024 8:00pm • Clapp Auditorium great whale through the eyes of a closely-knit
In the segregated Memphis of the 1960s, blues team of marine biologists, whale disentanglers, media professional with 18 years of experience
masters and beatniks created a music festival that aerial survey teams, ocean advocates and indig- working in the film industry. Alecia is a promi-
rocked the foundations of a conservative world. enous leaders as they race against time to save the nent voice in the region’s film community as
The Blues Society weaves together hypnotic and species from extinction. President Emerita of Women in Film and Video of
unforgettable performances with animation, archi-
val images, and a chorus of diverse voices to create Hunt for the Oldest DNA New England. She will host a workshop on mak-
a moving image mixtape that both celebrates the Niobe Thompson • Canada • 2024 • 82 min. ing a living in independent film. Is it a hobby or a
music and re-evaluates the era. August 1, 2024 5:30pm • Clapp Auditorium profession what skills do you need to work in this
The Body Politic For decades, scientists have tried to unlock the se- sector of the economy.
Gabriel Francis Paz Goodenough • USA • 2023 • 91 min. crets of ancient DNA. But life’s genetic blueprint is
incredibly fragile, and researchers have struggled
August 2, 2024 6:15pm • Redfield Auditorium to find DNA in fossils that could survive millions Monday, July 29, 2:00pm | Community Hall
In Baltimore, Brandon Scott, an idealistic young of years. Then, one maverick scientist had the
leader with an ambitious plan to stop chronic vio- controversial idea to look for DNA not in fossils or
lence in the city, is elected mayor. Throughout his frozen ancient tissue – but in dirt. Join the hunt as
first year in office, he fights powerful political forces scientists decipher the oldest DNA ever found and
to save lives in Baltimore and reveal a pathway reveal for the first time the genes of long-extinct PANELS
toward healing for the nation. creatures that once thrived in a warm, lush Arctic.
Brief Tender Light Linda Perry: Let It Die Here
Arthur Musah • USA • 2023 • 93 min. Don Hardy • USA • 2024 • 93 min. Panel: The State of
July 30, 2024 4:00pm • Redfield Auditorium July 29, 2024 8:30pm • Redfield Auditorium Independent Film hosted
A Ghanaian filmmaker follows four African under- Linda Perry is one of the most outspoken and by Women in Film and Video
graduates through MIT, America’s premier techno- recognizable artists of the past 30 years. The hat,
logical university and his alma mater. The students tattoos, attitude, and of course, her massive hit New England
embark on their MIT education with individual single “What’s Up?” In the decades since that
ambitions. And while their missions are distinct, song topped the charts, Linda’s been even more Thursday, August 1, 2:00pm | Community Hall
they are fueled by a common goal: to become successful as a songwriter and producer for artists
agents of positive change back home. like Dolly Parton, Christina Aguilera, and Pink. But
Champions of the Golden Valley behind the fame is a vulnerable and courageous Panel: What Do You Want
Ben Sturgulewski • USA • 2024 • 81 min. woman who dreams big but still struggles with From Film Critics? hosted
the past and present, with fear, shame, identity,
August 3, 2024 5:00pm • Clapp Auditorium and the burdens of family.
In the remote mountain villages in Afghanistan, a by the Boston Society of
newfound passion for skiing attracts young ath- Luther: Never Too Much Film Critics
letes from rival ethnic groups who showcase their Dawn Porter • USA • 2024 • 101 min.
resourcefulness and skill on the slopes. Equipped July 27, 2024 8:45pm • Redfield Auditorium
with minimal gear, makeshift skis, and no chairlift, Luther Vandross always believed he would be a Film criticism, like the movie business in general,
a determined ski coach organizes a ski race like star, but his journey to success was far from over- is evolving, for better or worse. Five members
no other, uniting the community in a moment night. He began his career supporting industry of the Boston Society of Film Critics will discuss
of joy and camaraderie. However, when their icons like David Bowie, Roberta Flack, and Bette
country falls to the Taliban, many of the skiers are Midler. Despite earning platinum records and the changing landscape and how it affects their
displaced across the globe as refugees, confronted accolades, Luther initially struggled to break into work. They also will engage with attendees to
with an uncertain future. mainstream success beyond the R&B charts. hear what filmmakers and other moviegoers
The Cigarette Surfboard Driven by unwavering determination, he overcame want from film critics.
personal and professional hurdles, ultimately es-
Ben Judkins • USA • 2024 • 93 min. tablishing himself as one of the greatest vocalists Saturday, August 3, 1 pm | Redfield Auditorium
July 31, 2024 5:30pm • Redfield Auditorium in history.
An impassioned surfer creates a functional surf-
board with 10,000 littered cigarette butts collected
from California beaches. The surfboard becomes
a global platform to spark ocean stewardship and
the symbol of a grassroots campaign to hold Big In person Virtual Screenings
Tobacco accountable for their toxic, plastic waste.
Counted Out screenings and events, Sunday, August 4 through
Vicki Abeles • USA • 2024 • 89 min. Saturday, July 27 through Sunday, August 11.
July 30, 2024 5:30pm • Clapp Auditorium Saturday, August 3.
Through a mosaic of personal stories, Counted Note: some films available in-person only.