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Contact: Kent Heier
Title: Assistant PR/Marketing Director
Phone: 816-271-4124
Email: kheier@missouriwestern.edu

WESTERN HOSTS SIXTH ANNUAL GRIFFON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

St. Joseph, Mo. - April 13, 2010 - Missouri Western State University's department of communication studies, theatre and video presents the sixth annual Griffon International Film Festival Monday, April 19 through Friday, April 23. The theme of this year's festival is ''No Excuses: The Early Films of Famous Filmmakers.'' All festival events are free and open to the public. Please note some films might contain adult content.

Feature film screenings will occur daily from 2 - 5 p.m. in the Black Box Theater, Potter Hall room 106. Most of the films run under 90 minutes. A short presentation on each filmmaker will occur before the film and discussion will be encouraged afterward. The feature films are scheduled as follows:

Monday, April 19
''Eraserhead'' by David Lynch. Henry Spencer tries to survive his industrial environment, his angry girlfriend and the unbearable screams of his newly born child.

Tuesday, April 20
TBA by Todd Haynes.

Wednesday, April 21
''Roger and Me'' by Michael Moore. A documentary about the closure of General Motors' plant at Flint, Michigan, which resulted in the loss of 30,000 jobs.

Thursday, April 22
''Near Dark'' by Kathryn Bigelow. A mid-western farm boy reluctantly becomes a member of an outlaw world of vampires.

Friday, April 23
''El Mariachi'' by Robert Rodriguez. A traveling mariachi is mistaken for a murderous criminal and must hide from a gang bent on killing him.

Independent screenings from festival entries are scheduled from 7 - 9 p.m. nightly in Hearnes room 102. The independent screenings are scheduled as follows:

Monday, April 19
''Visibly Impaired'' by Jake Gutman. An invisible teen navigates high school. K-12 entry.
''One For Love'' by Seth Laird. A man misses his girlfriend after their breakup.
''Is It Jazz Yet?'' by Fred Weems. Experimental film explores the essence definition of jazz. Western student showcase
''Poi Dogs'' by Joel Moffett. Two teenagers take a small step towards love by moving beyond their desires to act cool.
''In Charge'' by Brian Duskey. Seeking a simpler life, a young man wishes life to be more like a sitcom. Western student showcase.
''Blues'' by Dena Greenbaum. The story of two boys, a religious Jew and African American, who develop an unlikely friendship through their love of Blues music.

Tuesday, April 20
''Love Forever and Always'' by Hannah Sullivan. A young girl visits with her mother who has passed on. K-12 entry.
''Per Capita'' by Josh Comninellis. A film about our actions in life and the effects they leave on others. Western student showcase.
''Untouchable'' by Justin Levine and Jack Heston. A documentary on the current state of the caste system in India. K-12 entry.
''Sub Rosa'' by Nadiah Hamzah. Regulars on the same bus route, a man and woman attempt to overcome cultural differences.
''Interior View'' by Gregory Gutenko. A ghost walks and remembers within her decaying rural house.
''What'd Ya Want A Happy Ending?'' by Kyle Kleinbart. Boy finds girl in the library. K-12 Entry.
''Dessicator'' by Wijnand Geraerts. Color experimental film exploring a desolate rural landscape.

Wednesday, April 21
''The Nuclear Genie'' by Erik Choquette. A message for nuclear peace, that asks the question: is this really necessary? K-12 Entry.
''Paws And Whiskers'' by Katie Hoffman. A documentary addressing the issues of pet overpopulation, and the effects of economic woes on animal shelters. K-12 Entry.
''Miscommunication'' by Phillip Slavin. Modern methods of communication leave something to be desired.
''Here And There'' by Erin Williams. A young man learns about teleportation. Western student showcase.
''Rose'' by Genevive Farley-Tremblay. A man reminisces about his love for his wife. K-12 Entry.
''Over The Cliffside'' by Eric Cook. A boy remembers his mother's rebellious spirit. K-12 Entry.
''Red Light Green Card'' by Spencer Mondshein. Searching for meaning, a rich kid must choose according to his conscience.
''A Gum's Life'' by Sophia Tran. The perils of high school poetry class as experienced by a pack of gum. K-12 Entry.
''Blindsided'' by Mark Cabaroy. A beautiful psychic helps police with her gift of sight.

Thursday, April 22
''Waiting'' by Gregory Gutenko. An elderly woman waits at a desolate airport for her son to return. The waiting is timeless as the airport floats between the times and the seasons.
''Leka Med Dockor'' (An Affair With Dolls) by Hans Montelius. A woman plays with dolls because her boyfriend wants her to. But the game takes a serious turn.
''Deep Sleep'' by Alejandro Alvarez. Ameron and his sister Fiona are torn apart by the tragic death of Eleanor, his wife and her best friend.
''Erase Una Vez (Once Upon A Time) by Jose Carlos Espinel Velasco. Experimental animation featuring Red Riding Hood and a wolf.
''Hunting Bus'' by Keith Routh. Two friends go hunting in the woods. Western student showcase.
''Transparent Movement'' by Soyeon Kim. Experimental animation using pixelation, photo montage, cut-out and 2D computer animation techniques.
''The Sandbox'' by Colin Mascal. When a veteran escaping redeployment discovers a runaway in the back of his truck, he must decide how to help her-and at what expense. Western student showcase.
TBA by Chris Palmer. Western student showcase.

Friday, April 23
''Dem Shoes'' by Lucas Casso and Adam Maltz. Music video featuring stop motion. K-12 Entry.
''Road Runner'' by Sam Everly. A young woman discovers her inner animal speed. Western student showcase.
''The Stand'' by Olivia Chuba. An entrepreneurial teen tries to corner the lemonade market. K-12 Entry.
''Cabbie'' by Donlee Brussel. Marty has a dream of one day driving a cab.
''Speak The Language'' by Keith Routh. Newly recruited, a student learns just what it takes to become a campus security officer. Western student Showcase.
''Dancer And The Red Ball'' by Tony Cammarata. A prima ballerina's debut is interrupted by a red ball.

''Theatre and video students have been working diligently this semester to prepare,'' said Kelly Wittenberg, assistant professor of theatre and video and the festival director. ''This year's festival will be an intimate affair centered on Western's campus, combining academic enrichment activities in the form of classic film screenings during the day with independent film selections from festival entries showcased each night.''

Students helped select the films to be screened by previewing nearly 80 short films and videos received from around the world. In addition, this year's student showcase portion of the festival will premiere the best video work from current students alongside these international selections. The student filmmaking club, 816 Films, under the guidance of Alan Arrivee, assistant professor and director of theatre and cinema, produced, wrote, directed and shot their own narrative film projects as well as helped put the film festival together and completed their class work.

Students will receive tickets to enter to win two tickets to the Hollywood Theatre. Tickets are not required to attend.

For more information call 271-5923 or visit www.missouriwestern.edu/GRIFF.

Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.
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