The Ordinary Radicals blog » Filmmaking

Screening! Pasadena, CA

jamie — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 17:49:38 +0000

Just got back from the Brehm Center in Pasadena, CA for another screening of The Ordinary Radicals. I met up with Eugene Suen, a film festival director and excellent host! The 7pm screening went well (I can tell now whether or not if folks are going to be into the film by about the 6 minute mark). Talk back session was great, with a couple dozen questions that led me to believe they were really wrestling with the topics in the film. Thanks to much to everyone who was a part of the event last night. I had a great time and hope to bring the next film to you!

Another World is Possible Vol 1 – Redux

jamie — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:41:25 +0000

Hey all! I have some good news for you. At long last, I’m happy to say that Another World is Possible Volume 1 – War REDUX is available for order. I’m expecting it to ship as early as next month! Here’s the Introduction to the DVD by Shane Claiborne:

Six years after the first installation of the “Another World Is Possible” series, Shane Claiborne, Jamie Moffett and friends return with a much more developed new exploration of the meaning of war and violence in our world.

Retained from the original Volume 1 is Dave Manzo’s jarring Iraq War photo montage as well as Shane’s “Extremists For Love” talk at the annual CCDA conference and a video of the press conference that was held when Shane, Jonathan, Leah and the rest of their Christian Peacemaker Team delegation returned from Iraq.

Volume 1 -War REDUX adds a new introduction with Shane, as well as four new in-depth interviews with a few of his friends who have recently spent time in the various war zones of the Middle East, featuring:

Amber shares stories from her time with the Circus 2 Iraq troupe
Farah bears witness to the devastation of Lebanon during the 2006 Israeli offensive • Jonathan and Leah share their attempts to apply their dramatic experience in Iraq back home in Durham, North Carolina
Logan recounts struggles with his Christian identity during his time in the Army
Ben Cohen of Ben & Jerry’s makes an animated appearance (cookies in hand) to demonstrate the economic and social costs of warmaking.

DVD

-New introduction and conclusion by Shane Claiborne

-5 minute Iraq clip

-“Extremists For Love” talk by Shane Claiborne

-Return from Iraq presentation and press conference

-Extensive Interviews with Amber Christis, Logan Laituri, Farah Mokhtareizadeh, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove and Leah Wilson-Hartgrove

-Dessert with Ben Cohen

-Introduction by Shane Claiborne and music by Psalters

-Sounds from Iraq

-Tony Campolo interviews Shane Claiborne

-”Home For Refugees” and “All Who Are Weary” by Psalters

-”Semaphore” by Jon Felton

-Shane Claiborne reads Ron Sider

-”Drupe-Headed Flower” by Bicycle Days

-”Chant Down the Walls” by Jes Karper

Go pick up a copy! They’re shipping soon!

Screening: Garden State Film Festival – Asbury Park, NJ

jamie — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:45:58 +0000

What a magnificent day in Asbury Park, NJ for a screening of The Ordinary Radicals! Had a great time meeting with the festival coordinators and enjoyed the conversation with audience members. Thanks so much to the fine folks at the Garden State Film Festival for the opportunity to showcase this important story. Here are some photos of my time there.

Screening: Garden State Film Festival

Keep an eye on the calendar, we’ll be screening at a venue near you – and if we’re not, contact our events & promotions guru Ryan Paetzold: ryan@theordinaryradicals.com to set one up! I’d love to come to your town, screen the film and hear your stories.

Meet me at the Garden State Film Festival!

jamie — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 22:25:59 +0000

If you’re born & raised in NJ as I was, you might want to stop by the Garden State Film Festival tomorrow to check out The Ordinary Radicals official screening. Should be a great time in beautiful Asbury Park. Here are the details:

The Ordinary Radicals screening
Sunday, April 5th 3pm
Youth Temple
22 Pilgrim Pathway
Ocean Grove , NJ 07756 (get directions)

Screening: Crossroads Film Festival – Jackson, MS

jamie — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 07:07:19 +0000

Screening: Crossroads Film Festival

Well, I have to say I just about had the best time ever at the Crossroads Film Festival in Jackson, MS. I was picked up by my favorite character of the whole event, Jimmy Taylor. Jimmy, when not driving film directors to and fro, is a full time Mississippi Private Investigator with enough amazing stories to fill a season of Magnum PI…we just need to find him a good Higgins
Anywhoo, I had the pleasure of meeting fellow directors Paige Williams and Micki Dickoff at the opening reception. Paige’s film, “Mississippi Queen“, follows her coming home to Mississippi, digging past southern hospitality to examine gay values and the ex-gay ministry her parents run.
Micki spent the last 5 years working on Neshoba, a film about race, murder and reconciliation in Philadelphia, Mississippi. Watch it!

AND, we managed to convince Michael Wong and Brandt Russo to come join us for the film and talk back session. Good times indeed. Special thanks to Chris Spear, Marvin Snell, Nina Parikh, Carolina Whitfield-Smith and everyone at the Crossroads Film Festival for their hospitality and for supporting independent film!

Oh my- Dubai!

ryan — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 22:21:58 +0000

I want to apologize for the hokey title to the post, but let me explain…

“The Ordinary Radicals” is an official selection for the Ion International Film Festival, and each year ION holds their festival in a new location. This year the festival will be held in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates! We are very excited to be part of this unique festival. From the festival’s website:

“ION FIlm Festival strives to bring awareness to individuals and organizations who are creating socially relevant films to positively impact our worlds.”

So, if you happen to be near Dubai, stay tuned as more info will be coming very, very soon.

ALSO, we’re very excited to receive an “Award of Merit” from the Acolade Film Awards!!! We’re off to an exciting new year!!!

Peace-

Ryan

Screening: Berkeley, CA!

jamie — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 20:24:57 +0000

Screening: Berkeley, CA

What a great time! Had a fantastic screening of The Ordinary Radicals at the Pacific School of Religion for their Earl Lectures and Leadership Conference. I had the chance to meet so many good folks, eager to watch the film and talk about all sorts of great stuff. Special thanks to Mary Donovan Turner and John Davis for their commitment to the film!

I had a chance to spend a couple hours with Jay Bakker of Revolution NYC. Turns out we know a ton of the same folks and had a great time chatting it up and talking about faith, the interconnection between Christian and Agnostic folks (plenty of room at the table), and the wonderful world of media. I knew of him of course through his media famous parents Jim & Tammy Faye Bakker, but heard nothing but good things about him from Shane and folks. Let me tell you, the stories are true: this guy is quality. The quantity of drama he’s been through would make an average person throw in the towel. He’s pretty much living out the “Love everyone, no exceptions” model and doing it well. Check out a Sundance Channel mini-series about him called One Punk Under God on Netflix. It’s currently at the top of my queue.

Screenings continue, plus an article

ryan — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 03:26:38 +0000

Happy 2009! All of us here hope your 2009 is off to a great start. Things are busy for us here, in Philadelphia. We are continuing to schedule some screening for the film (if you’d like to set up a screening, there’s still a little time left to email events@theordinaryradicals.com), but at the same time we’re working on additional projects (you’ll hear about them sooner than later). On Tuesday, Jan 27, Jamie will be screening the film out in Berkeley, CA. For more info check out http://events.theordinaryradicals.com. We continue to be really excited by the support we’re still receiving on the film.

Eastern University (the alma mater for some of us involved with the film) recently did a two-page article in their magazine “Spirit”. You can see the whole article in its .pdf glory by clicking here.

We hope 2009 is a great year for all of us. And we hope to see you out on the road.

Happy New Year!!

-Ryan

Happy Buy Nothing Day!!!

jamie — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 16:57:19 +0000

Hiya folks,

We’ve had quite the good times back home in Philadelphia: sharing meals, telling stories and participating in a favorite past time – Buy Nothing Day. It comes from the fine folks at Adbusters, read up on the where & why at their website.

You might be aware some of the interviewees from The Ordinary Radicals have tons of fun every year putting on Buy Nothing Day events all across the US & Canada. One particular BND event close to our hearts here is the Philadelphia event. It’s organized by friends connected to The Simple Way and features everyone’s favorite thrift store super friends: The USAntiheroes!

Read up on their past antics while Jamie heads out to film their latest adventure.

Screening: Philadelphia, PA

jamie — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:32:59 +0000

On the way back to Philly, the Detroit Airport had a string of delays. No sweat, as Jessica from the Potter Street Community house just so happened to be on the same flight! Great times dreaming and scheming about gates and gardens for our little piece of the world in Kensington, Philadelphia.

Made it just in time for the Philly screening at Trinity, home to quite the bunch of close friends from movies, college and life in the 2-1-5. Included in this fine bunch were senior editor Dave Manzo, producer Kevin Hackenberg and visual effects supervisor Stephen Chandler. Special thanks to Meg and folks from Yes! And… CAMP for the popcorn, sweets and “The Ordinary Radicals” cake!

OK, this trip’s been a blast. I’m going to take a nap or two, work on paying off my sleep debt and catch up on life back home. Keep an eye out for info on the Jesus For President tour DVD and the five 60 minute DVD’s of The Ordinary Radicals: Special Topics series coming out in the new year.