Scenes From "There She Goes" Filmed In Beacon On Main Street From Inside Notions N Potions

It was a rainy Thursday afternoon for the filming of the movie “There She Goes,” starring Rachael Leigh Cook (“She’s All That”) and Utkarsh Ambudkar (“Pitch Perfect” and "Ghosts"). At 11am-ish, part of Main Street closed down from Luxe Optique to Bank Square. People could walk down the sidewalk, but it was clear there was a movie filming on one side of the sidewalk. It wasn’t clear if people could shop or not, so many just stopped and stared.

The door was open at Notions N Potions, and owner Sheryl Glickman was standing outside, also watching. A Little Beacon Blog hopped over to say hello. There were two background actors (extras) placed in her doorway, and rumblings on set were that they were getting close to filming. Everyone was getting into their places. So, Sheryl and this blogger sat in Shery’s tarot card reading chairs in her front window to watch the scene unfold.

In the first video, the “walk and talk” rolled by with Rachael and Utkarsh walking and talking to each other, in a build up of a heated moment. Next thing we knew, the actors were headed back down the sidewalk, this time, throwing ice at each other from their drinks! Much to our surprise, the actors actually ducked into Notions N Potions in an unscripted moment. Watch that in the third video. All videos are below.

“There She Goes” Filming In Beacon From Choice Films - Producers of “Poker Face”

UPDATE: Watch scenes being filmed here.

Filming for “There She Goes,” starring Rachael Leigh Cook (“She’s All That”) and Utkarsh Ambudkar (“Pitch Perfect”) from Choice Films happens on Main Street in Beacon, NY between Utensil (143 Main Street) and Digger Phelps Court (M&T Bank) today, Thursday, May 16th, 2024, for today. For interior scenes, the film is using the stages at Umbra in Newburgh. The City of Beacon posted a notice that this round will be for today only, and does involve parking closures and some street blockage. The area between South Avenue and Cliff Street will have intermittent closures to vehicle traffic between 12pm-6pm, according to the City’s announcement.

Choice Films is a regular in Beacon, with filming of “Pokerface” in town (yesss, “in town,” we know Beacon is a city, get over it) and “I Know This Much Is True” (Mark Ruffalo), which filmed at All Sport over the summer of 2019.

Rachel Leigh Cook, in a preview for “A Tourists Guide To Love”

According to IMDB, the plot is “under wraps.” According to the street, this movie will be a romantic comedy. Already, local businesses have been frequented, with purchases of ice at Key Food and film rental equipment from CineHub.

While the trucks are parked in Beacon’s free municipal lot, right next to Beacon Bread, who knows who else will feel an economic lift from the filming. Film crew should visit A Little Beacon Blog’s Restaurant, Shopping, and Beauty Guides for the list of all of the places to go for their needs.

The City of Beacon usually gets a film permit fee, and there may be police overtime charged to the production company. From time to time, City Administrator Chris White will reveal how these fees are spent back onto the City of Beacon. He should feel free to comment at any time on where this film permit will be going. However, since he has a “No Comment” policy for A Little Beacon Blog for himself and every single department head employed by the City of Beacon, we will just have to wait for him to drop a crumb at a City Council Meeting.

Click to listen to Utkarsh Ambudkar on PBS News Hour “Utkarsh Ambudkar's Brief But Spectacular Take On Avoiding Ethnic Stereotypes” .

Fans of “Pitch Perfect” will be delighted to watch the rapper/actor Utkarsh Ambudkar on screen. It is unknown at this time where the scene will take place, or which actors will be in Beacon. For now, fans can watch Utkarsh on PBS News Hour “Utkarsh Ambudkar's Brief But Spectacular Take On Avoiding Ethnic Stereotypes” talk about how he avoids ethnic stereotyping in roles he accepts, and lines he agrees or disagrees to say in auditions.

From the video interview, Utkarsh said:

“So I have been in auditions where they wrote a line in their show about an Indian teacher with a strong accent saying that he would sell 10 goats to get a woman like that in his classroom.”

“So this is offensive. And I told my manager, no, there's no way I'm going to do this.”

“My manager said, OK, go in. You can put your own spin on it. They're fine.”

“So I go and I do my no accent and my improv.”

“He said, ‘Can you just do it the way that I wrote it’"

"‘You want me to do it the way you wrote it, like, even this line about the goats?’"

“The sauce on what I said was so thick that there was only one interpretation to take from it. And that's not how you do business and it's not how we should communicate with each other.”

“In any case, that's my responsibility, but his responsibility is to not write a piece of (EXPLETIVE DELETED) that's offensive, right?”

“Now, when I walk into a room -- and it just happened on ‘Mulan.’ I just went and did this Disney movie, and there were some challenges with sort of the way that our ethnicities were being portrayed.”

“And I was able to go into the room with Disney. I mean, it's a giant conglomerate. And the script was changed and moved around and built and enhanced to sort of speak to some of the concerns that we had.”

Panel Discussion Following Screening Of Film Documenting Injustice Of Parole Release Hearings - Story Screen Theater - Happening Tonight

THE FILM, WHICH FEATURES FORMERLY INCARCERATED ADVOCATES AND FORMER PAROLE COMMISSIONERS WHO EXPOSE THE BOARD’S LAWLESS ADDICTION TO PUNISHMENT, MAKES THE CASE FOR REFORM 

WHAT: A screening of “The Interview”, a short film exposing the injustices of parole release hearings, followed by a panel featuring people directly impacted by New York’s prison system and unjust Parole Board. The film features members of the Release Aging People in Prison (RAPP) Campaign, and other formerly incarcerated advocates, who each faced as many as ten parole denials despite having transformed their lives while behind bars many years earlier. In addition, two Parole Commissioners appear in the film and, in very different ways, articulate how the Parole Board makes decisions about the release of people based solely on the nature of their crime, even after they have already served a minimum sentence.   

The Q&A after the film will feature panelists who have been directly impacted by incarceration and the parole process in New York. 

WHERE: Story Screen Theater, 445 Main St, Beacon, NY 12508

WHEN: Thursday, September 29th at 7pm

HOW TO GET TICKETS: Click here >

WHO: The screening is hosted by Beacon Prison Rides Program and Beacon Prison Books Project, in partnership with the Release Aging People in Prison Campaign and the People’s Campaign for Parole Justice. Panelists include RAPP Executive Director Jose Saldana, RAPP Westchester Community Leader Greg Mingo, Beacon Prison Rides member, Ms. John, and After Incarceration Co-Director, Jose Pineda. 

The Beacon Prison Rides Project is a volunteer-run organization providing free rides for families between the Beacon train station and Beacon-area prisons. Since November 2017, Beacon Prison Rides has provided an alternative to costly taxis or prison vans, providing more than 1,800 rides for more than 200 people visiting their incarcerated loved ones. Find out more about the project and about how to request rides, volunteer, or donate here >

The Beacon Prison Books Project is an organization that provides books to incarcerated persons throughout New York State, by request. People who are incarcerated in NYS use free postcards or simply write to us at our P.O. Box to request books or book recommendations. Then we order the books, connect with individual sponsors, pack up the books, and send them to the person who made the request. Most of this activity happens through Binnacle Books in Beacon, NY. Learn more here >

The People’s Campaign for Parole Justice is a new, statewide, grassroots campaign pushing for parole reform in New York State. The campaign platform is supported by over 350 organizations across New York State and led by a coalition of the state’s biggest and most influential social justice and criminal justice groups, including the Release Aging People in Prison Campaign, Parole Preparation Project, VOCAL-NY, Citizen Action, New Hour for Women and Children, NY Communities for Change, Center for Community Alternatives, Osborne Association, NYCLU, FWD.us, #HALTsolitary Campaign, Legal Aid Society, Center for Justice at Columbia, CUNY Law Defenders Clinic, and NYU Law's Center on Race, Inequality, and the Law. 

BACKGROUND:
Nearly 1 in 4 people from Dutchess county incarcerated in New York State prisons is over the age of 50, which many departments of corrections across the country define as “older” due to accelerated aging behind bars. About 63 percent are people of color, even though people of color only make up 23 percent of the general population of Dutchess county, and many are serving long sentences with few opportunities for release based on their rehabilitation and current readiness for release. Without parole reform, many will never make it out of prison.

Racism infects the parole release system just as it does every element of the criminal legal system. A white person in a New York prison is significantly more likely on average to be released on parole than a Black or Latinx person and the disparity widened in 2020, according to a Times Union analysis of the nearly 19,000 parole board decisions over the last two years. The data, which spans October 2018 through October 2020, shows the Parole Board granted parole release to 41 percent of white people, compared to 34 percent of Black people and 33 percent of Latinx people. Importantly, these racial disparities are not new. In 2016, the New York Times conducted an investigation of parole release data and similarly found Black and Latinx people were significantly less likely to be released than their white counterparts.

The People’s Campaign for Parole Justice is calling on lawmakers in Albany to pass two bills that will address this pandemic behind bars and prevent similar tragedies in the future: 

Elder Parole (S.15/A.3475) would allow the State Board of Parole to provide an evaluation for potential parole release to incarcerated people aged 55 and older who have already served 15 or more years, including some of the state’s oldest and sickest incarcerated people. 

Fair and Timely Parole (S.1415/A.4231) would provide more meaningful parole reviews for incarcerated people who are already parole-eligible. 

The Campaign is also calling on Governor Hochul to fully staff the Parole Board with 19 Commissioners who come from communities that have been directly affected by mass incarceration and who have professional and clinical backgrounds in areas such as social work, nursing, reentry services, and other fields that allow them to evaluate incarcerated people for who they are today. The Board currently has three vacancies.

From the film:
Former Parole Commissioner Carol Shapiro said, “The research is so clear on this, and has been for years,” regarding low reincarceration rates in New York State among people convicted of murder who are subsequently released on parole. Keeping people incarcerated for decades—well into old age—has changed the very nature of prisons, she says: “We are running geriatric institutions in America right now.”

Dutchess County to Host ‘ThinkDIFFERENTLY’ Sensory-Friendly Movie Day

Poughkeepsie … Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro invites residents of all abilities and their families to a free sensory-sensitive screening of Pixar’s Academy Award-winning film, “Inside Out,” on Saturday, Oct. 15th, at the Bardavon Opera House, 35 Market Street in Poughkeepsie. As part of this special “ThinkDIFFERENTLY” event, the theater will adjust both the lighting and sound to make the experience more enjoyable for those on the autism spectrum or who experience sensory issues. Individuals, families and support agencies are all invited to this free event.

County Executive Molinaro said, “It can be a challenge for individuals with disabilities and their families to enjoy what may seem like a simple outing to some, like going to the movies. We wanted to give all families an opportunity to have fun and take part in a movie experience. Dutchess County is thrilled to partner with the Bardavon to host this movie event, where everyone can relax and enjoy this award-winning movie.”
For additional details, residents can view the event flyer online.

The movie event is the first of three ThinkDIFFERENTLY events the County is sponsoring at the Bardavon in the coming months: “Talking Birds and Golden Fish: A Collection of Global Animal Tales” with David Gonzalez will take place on Nov. 10th, as well as an hour-long, sensory-sensitive performance of “The Nutcracker” on Dec. 9th.

Established in 2015, the ThinkDIFFERENTLY initiative seeks to change the way individuals, businesses, organizations and communities relate to individuals with special needs. Following Dutchess County’s example, more than 100 municipalities throughout New York State have passed ThinkDIFFERENTLY resolutions, committing to create a more inclusive and supportive environment for individuals of all abilities.

Dutchess County remains committed to providing events to those of all abilities, hosting several such events in 2022, including ThinkDIFFERENTLY Thursday at the Dutchess County Fair – which gives individuals of all abilities the opportunity to enjoy the fair without the drawbacks that lights, sounds and crowds can cause – and ThinkDIFFERENTLY Fitness & Field Day at Bowdoin Park, highlighting health and nutrition for people of every ability.

Complimentary Screening of Pixar hit “Inside Out”
Day: Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022
Time: 11am
Location: Bardavon 1869 Opera House, 35 Market Street, Poughkeepsie, NY
Seating is limited; registration is required and can be completed here >

To learn more about how to ThinkDIFFERENTLY, click here >

Newly Repaired Dummy Light Pops Up - Beaconites Cheer

After being accidentally hit by a City of Beacon vehicle during the highly anticipated and appreciated milling of paving of Main Street this spring 2022, Beacon’s iconic Dummy Light hardware has been repaired by the City of Beacon’s Highway Department, financed by the City. The re-painting was commissioned to artist Erica Hauser to refresh the re-paint job she voluntarily did years prior (ALBB covered it in 2015), that had since gotten chipped from various vehicle collisions.

City of Beacon Mayor Lee Kyriacou hugs the Dummy Light after its restoration of parts and paint, after a City of Beacon employee accidentally hit it during milling and paving this spring.
Photo Credit: City of Beacon

During this week’s 8/15/2022 City Council Meeting, Mayor Kyriacou announced the restoration: "You may have heard this, the Dummy Light is back where it is." Mayor Kyriacou is known for his adherence toward historic preservation. Read the City’s full press release here.

During that meeting, City Administrator Chris White said: "I just want to thank Micky Manzie (Beacon’s Superintendent of Streets) for such a terrific job in locating all of the pieces of the light. And thank Dave Way and Sean Duturo for doing a fabulous job for putting it back."

After the unfortunate incident took place, City Administrator Chris told A Little Beacon Blog during a rally at Pohil Park for preserving abortion rights: “The employee who it hit is one of our best, and they felt so badly after it happened.”

Financing For The Dummy Light Repair

During City Council Meetings in weeks prior, City Administrator Chris mentioned that some funding for the acquisition of parts to repair this Dummy Light had been allocated from film fees generated from film projects being filmed in Beacon, like the recent regular, Poker Face.

Statement From The Artist Who Re-Painted The Dummy Light, Erica Hauser

After hearing City Administrator Chris note that a person was paid this time to repaint the Dummy Light, A Little Beacon Blog remembered that the person not paid prior was the local artist Erica Hauser, formerly of Catalyst Gallery, that has since closed during the pandemic (but her art lives on and on). ALBB reached out to Erica to learn more about the commission. Here is a brief interview with her:

ALBB: I thought I heard during a City Council meeting that someone was commissioned to recently repaint the Dummy Light during its repair. If true, was it to you?

“Yes it was me! Mark Price at Beacon Recreation called me after he heard that I had carefully low-key repainted it in 2012 - which was inspired low-key by Dan Weise, after I'd done a painting and shirt of the light in 2009 - and touched it up in 2015.

“I'd been thinking it needed a repaint anyway, even before it was hit in April by the paving truck. But it was nicer this time to be employed and paid by the City - or by the Beacon Recreation Department - to do it!

“I did it in early July, meant to coincide with the re-installation of the repaired light, but as we know that just happened last week, to great jubilation by all. Well maybe not by those who are worried about people hitting it.

“As for the paint job itself: these were the original colors and design circa 2006 when I first saw the thing. So in 2012 I wanted to match it. The yellow diamonds were actually faded peeling reflective stickers, so I just sanded it clean and painted yellow diamonds instead.

“I don't know how long ago the base was yellow, but people on the Beacon page surely know. I asked Mark if he wanted me to paint it all yellow, but he said no, it should be as it has been most recently. I'm saying this, because I had doubted it after some people were blaming the dark green color for the accidents!

“I was worried that they thought some artist had made the decision, which I would never take it on myself to do, in fact, I had meticulously matched the dark green and historic red!”

Thank you, Erica, for sharing these painting details. For Beacon history enthusiasts, you can add these details to your trivia cards.

Dummy Light In Pictures

According to Brian of @SpandexandSprinkles, the Dummy Light was in the last episode of “Severance,” which filmed in Beacon in March, 2021. ALBB has not fact checked this yet, as we need to check our subscription to Apple TV, but if you can confirm, let us know.

Dummy Light Safety Discussions

The paving collision prompted discussions about safety and the Dummy Light. Located at the intersection of Main Street and East Main (near Dogwood), the Dummy Light was supposed to replace a traffic cop decades ago near the train tracks. At this point, it is an obstacle in an already very unclear intersection which involves a hill and inconsistent crosswalks.

People in social media have suggested some sort of roundabout be created. Beacon’s City Planner John Clark has indicated that something be done to improve traffic and walking flow there. And Beacon’s City Administrator Chris has indicated that other vehicles have hit the cement base since the toppling of the Dummy Light during milling and paving of spring 2022.

It seems as if the campaign to Save Beacon’s Dummy Light is not quite over…

Screening Of "And So I Stayed" Documentary Of Nikki Addimando & Other Jailed Domestic Abuse Survivors

Local Beaconite and blogger Linsey Gatto shared in the Beacon Moms Facebook Group about a screening at Story Screen on May 24, 2022 of the documentary “And So I Stayed,” a portrayal of Nikki Addimando, who in September 2017, in her Poughkeepsie apartment, fatally shot her abusive partner to save her own life. She was taken from her two young children and put into jail. The screening is a fundraiser for Nikki in the continuation of her legal battle to end her sentence. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased here.

Nikki is one of many domestic violence survivors who is incarcerated after defending themselves. However, she has one of the biggest platforms to bring the spotlight to this issue for all incarcerated domestic violence survivors, thanks in part to a grassroots group like Community Defense Committee, of which Linsey Gatto is a part of.

According to Nikki’s website, in February 2020, Nikki was sentenced by Judge Edward T. McLoughlin to 19 years to life in prison. “After securing national media attention and a new legal team at Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, the NY State Supreme Court’s Appellate Division (Second Department) decided that Nikki should have been sentenced under the Domestic Violence Survivors’ Justice Act, and resentenced her to 7.5 years.”

According to the film’s website: “‘And So I Stayed’ is an award-winning documentary about survivors of abuse fighting for their lives and spending years behind bars. This is the story of how the legal system gets domestic violence wrong. It is a moving portrait of Kim, Tanisha, and Nikki, three survivors whose strikingly similar stories are separated by over 30 years. None of them were believed, and each of them was criminalized for fighting back.”

After the screening at 8pm, a Q+A will take place with the film’s directors Daniel A. Nelson and Natalie Pattillo, and Nikki’s sister, advocate and writer Michelle Horton and previously incarcerated DV survivor and advocate Kim Dadou Brown (who are both in the film).

Buy tickets here.

1st Annual Student Film Festival Announced For Beacon City School Students - Submission Deadline Is April 19th

The newly formed Foundation For Beacon Schools has announced its 1st Annual Student Film Festival for Beacon City School District (BCSD) students. The festival will premier on Saturday, May 14th, 2022 at the Seeger Theater at the Beacon High School. Students as young as elementary school can enter for consideration, and content can range from Documentary to Narrative (think fiction, stop-motion with Legos, etc.) to Non-Narrative (think abstract figurative set to haunting music) and must be suitable for general audiences with a maximum length of 2 minutes.

The deadline for film submission is April 19, 2022 and can be filmed using a smartphone. Acceptable file formats can include .mov files (for Apple) and .mp4 (for Android).

The foundation is hosting educational events to help students and caregivers think of topics and how to go about making a short film. The online Q&A sessions have been divided to speak to different age groups: Elementary school age children, and Middle/High School age kids. Register for any or all here.

For Elementary Students (Adult caregiver must attend online with student)

Week 1: Monday February 28 at 7:00 pm. Topic: Pre-Production - Developing Your Film Idea.

Week 2: Monday March 7 at 7:00 pm. Topic: Production - Tips for a Successful Film Shoot.

Week 3: Monday March 14 at 7:00 pm. Topic: Post-Production - Editing Your Film.

For Middle and High School Students

Week 1: Thursday March 3 at 7:00 pm. Topic: Pre-Production - Developing Your Film Idea

Week 2: Thursday March 10 at 7:00 pm. Topic: Production - Tips for a Successful Film Shoot

Week 3: Thursday March 17 at 7:00 pm. Topic: Post-Production - Editing Your Film

Register for any or all film production education events here.

About The Foundation For Beacon Schools

Started as a cousin to an earlier education foundation, Beacon Arts and Education Foundation, that had been fueled by Meredith Heur (current Board of Education Board Member and President) and Kelly Ellenwood (one of Beacon’s most involved volunteers and one-time City Council Member candidate), the foundation’s mission is for Beacon’s public schools to be at the leading edge in creating a learning environment in which all students are able to find and cultivate their talents, live purposeful, fulfilling, and vibrant lives, and carry their gifts into the future.

Board of Director

Anna Sullivan, Chair
Debbie Brennen, Vice-Chair and BAM Co-Chair
Rebecca Libed, Treasurer
Kelly Ellenwood, Secretary
Kit Burke-Smith, Communications
Rebecca Correllus, BAM Co-Chair
Barbara Fisher, Director
Maureen Neary, Director
Carole Penner, Director

Advisory Board

Elissa Betterbid (current Beacon Board of Education Member)
August Eriksmoen
Meredith Heuer (current Beacon Board of Education Member and President)
Matt Landahl (current Beacon Superintendent of Schools)
Gwen Laster
Wren Longno (current City Council Member)
Jason McIntyre
Craig Wolf (current Beacon Board of Education Member)
Susan Wright

MLK Movie Marathon Recommendations - Plus Podcasts & Instagrams To Follow

It’s going to be cold out there, Beaconites. It might even be snowing! A few years ago, pre-pandemic, it was sleeting. The luck of Winter weather and disease has not been with the South Dutchess Coalition for their annual MLK Birthday Celebration and Parade, now in its 44th year. The parade and celebration that is usually inside of the Springfield Baptist Church is canceled this year, but your Dr. Martin Luther King education and inspiration continues!

A Little Beacon Blog reached out to Brandon Lillard, a founding member of I Am Beacon and my (Katie’s) co-host at ALBB’s sister podcast, “Wait, What Is That?” While Brandon is eagerly awaiting the birth of their 2nd child, he sent over his movie recommendations for your movie marathon long weekend.

Do read this article at the History Channel that covers the oppression of African American people’s right to vote, and the battle to throw that burden and gaslighting off via the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Voting Rights Act of 1965. According to the article: “After the Civil War, the 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, prohibited states from denying a male citizen the right to vote based on “race, color or previous condition of servitude.” Nevertheless, in the ensuing decades, various discriminatory practices were used to prevent African Americans, particularly those in the South, from exercising their right to vote.”

This suppression included presenting a Black voter with a literacy test, or requirement to recite parts of legislation.

Here are Brandon’s recommendations:

Selma (2014)

From Parade Magazine’s recommendation of this movie: “Ava Duvernay’s Selma was a huge success and won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture, amongst many others. The historical drama centers on King Jr. as a key figure, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the fight for suffrage, the Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. But most prominently, Selma chronicles the history-altering march that was led by King.”

Photo Credit: HBO

King In The Wilderness (2018)

From HBO: “King in the Wilderness chronicles the final chapters of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life, revealing a conflicted leader who faced an onslaught of criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. While the Black Power movement saw his nonviolence as weakness, and President Lyndon B. Johnson saw his anti-Vietnam War speeches as irresponsible, Dr. King’s unyielding belief in peaceful protest became a testing point for a nation on the brink of chaos.

“Dr. King’s leadership during the bus boycotts, the sit-ins and the historic Selma to Montgomery marches is now legendary, but much of what happened afterward – during the last three years of his life – is rarely discussed. It’s a time when Dr. King said his dream “turned into a nightmare.” From the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 to his assassination in 1968, King remained unshakably committed to nonviolence in the face of an increasingly unstable country.

“The documentary debuted at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and is directed by Peter Kunhardt (HBO’s Emmy-winning Jim: The James Foley Story). Drawing on conversations with those who knew Dr. King well, including many fellow members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), King in the Wilderness reveals stirring new perspectives on Dr. King’s character, his radical doctrine of nonviolence and his internal philosophical struggles prior to his assassination in 1968. The documentary also features archival footage, behind-the-scenes video of Dr. King’s private moments, intimate archival photographs and phone conversations recorded by President Johnson, who was both ally and adversary in King’s fight for civil rights.”

The Boy King (1986)

From Parade Magazine’s recommendation of this movie: “Directed by Billy J. Parrot, The Boy King highlights a part of King’s life that is rarely showcased: his childhood. This drama shares some of the early forms of discrimination that King encountered and how it shaped him for his future. It shows how the loving and nurturing home environment that he was cultivated in shaped his ideologies.”

Not sure how to watch this one at moment. Will inquire with library.

Katie is curious about:

Photo Credit: Lifetime

Betty and Coretta (2013)

From Parade Magazine’s recommendation of this movie: “While we often see the men of the Civil Rights era highlighted, under the direction of Yves Simoneau, Betty and Coretta provides a depiction of the friendship between Coretta Scott King and Dr. Betty Shabazz (married to Malcom X) that developed after their husbands were assassinated. Starring Angela Bassett and Mary J. Blige as Scott King and Shabazz, respectively, this television movie showcases the inner strength and dignity of the women who were right there alongside their husbands in their fight for equality and civil rights in the Civil rights era. This movie is a tribute to these two beautiful and intelligent women, and how they continued to raise their families and fight for activism after their husband’s deaths.”

Watch it with the Lifetime Movie Club.

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Podcasts

MINORITY KORNER
So good! A must-listen to stay up to date on many cultural corners from different perspectives. Description of the show, by the show: “Are you easily confused by terms like cultural appropriation, cisgender, toxic masculinity, twunk, queer, black girl magic, and woke? Or maybe you’re tired of explaining terms like these and you need a community that gets you! Welcome to Minority Korner, where we take an introspective look at the world. through an intersectional lens. Join James: a queer, political, comedian, self proclaimed, sexy blerd (that’s Black Nerd) and each week he’s joined in the Korner by another fabulous minority tackling pop culture, the news, media, and history all with a little self care, and self love sprinkled throughout! It’s time to Learn, Laugh, and Play, right here at Minority Korner- because together: we’re the majority!”
Listen Now >

Photo Credit: Black Girl Nerds

BLACK GIRL NERDS
From movies to comics to authors to finance, Black Girl Nerds is a refreshing and energetic listen that you need in your week. From the show: “Black Girl Nerds is an online publication and multimedia space that is the intersection of geek culture and Black feminism.  I named this site Black Girl Nerds because the concept of Black women as geeky-dorky beings is somewhat of an anomaly.  It’s against the order of things in the “Black Girl” world.  We represent a wide array of diverse women who embrace all cultures and refuse to conform to the status quo.

“This community does not have an exclusionary purpose.  The term “Black Girl Nerd” is not intended to be derogatory nor is it racially biased.  It is a term of endearment to all women like me who have been attached to a stigma that is not an accurate representation of my personality or my idiosyncratic behaviors. This is a website for every nerdy girl that can finally come out of the closet and tell the world that they are PROUD to be who they are—no matter what anyone says, does, or think.”

Listen Now >

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Local Instagram Accounts To Follow And Read

Plenty of enriching Instagram accounts are at your fingertips to tap and read. Start with a few of these:

@YellowSwagger: Justice McCray, founding member of Beacon4Black Lives, Desmond-Fish Library employee, past Beacon Library Employee, and current Beacon City Council Member. “Fight for justice, even when it doesn’t serve you. Believe in love that is out of anyone’s control. And then risk everything for it.”

@AliTawfiqMuhammad: Ali Tawfiq Muhammad, past Beacon City Council Member, current resident of Newburgh. Organizer of several initiatives involving politics and youth. Co-Organizer of the march to Free Palestine in Newburgh. “Advocating for community development (CHANGE) through civic engagement since 2003 - I am a champion for human rights, serving differently on purpose.

@BLMHudsonValley: Posting news and quotes to motivate, change and grow minds.

@Beacon4BlackLives: A major change-making group that started in Beacon during the Black lives movement that started in 2020. Organizers of several marches down Main Street and open-mic story sharing sessions, which resulted in several stories being shared by Black neighbors who emerged as leaders, and even a white Beacon police officer. “B4BL is a grassroots organization dedicated to fighting violence & systemic racism against Black people in our community.”

@ToMyOldRacistEarth: Moraya Seeger DeGeare, a certified couples therapist utilizing Emotionally Focused Therapy. Moraya is a grandaughter of Pete and Toshi Seeger. Pete partnered with the Southern Dutchess Coalition to begin the MLK Parade in Beacon. “It’s time we TALK about systemic issues with our kids & create ART as we do.”

New Creative TV Show From A New Beaconite Streamed Live From Inside The Howland Cultural Center - And Her Survival From COVID

TARA O'GRADY HOWLIN' AT THE HOWLAND

Under the ornamental rafters of this historic landmark building, Tara will be interviewing Jon Slackman of Five Corner Films about their music video collaboration, and also performing with guitarist Tony DePaolo.
DATE: ON DEMAND: March 11-25
ORDER TICKETS HERE >
WATCH PROMO HERE >

Beaconite and singer Tara O’Grady has been busy since moving to Beacon from NYC after she survived her long battle with COVID-19 one year ago, which did weaken her voice, thereby canceling her singing career. Upon moving to Beacon, she searched around for new creative income opportunities.

Since then, she has been selling her vintage clothing collection from the 1940s-1960s at Jaz On Main; as well as her 5 albums of jazz, blues and folk music; hosted a book signing for her memoir “Migrating Toward Happiness” at Draught; making music videos with collaborator and film maker Jon Slackman of Five Corner Films; and this Saturday, March 11, 2021 at 8pm, is airing their first live-streamed TV show, “Howlin’ at the Howland," also created with Jon.

The singer/songwriter moved to Beacon, New York in August 2020 and “discovered the jewel of her new town, the Howland Cultural Center,” she says. The show will be performed live from within the Howland Cultural Center and then streamed On Demand for limited time, showcasing the Howland’s revered, architecturally ornate backdrop. Viewers can buy tickers here to support the show.

In each episode, Tara will be interviewing a local artist and co-creating with them using their artform, whether it be filmmaking (episode one), music, painting, writing, dress making, photography, etc. In addition, between the art making interviews. Tara will then perform live with different musicians.

Tara tells A Little Beacon Blog: “The show airs a full year and a day after I last performed live in front of an audience in Manhattan. I have not been able to sing since last March when all my gigs and my income ceased. It took me all year to gain back my strength and my voice after having COVID.” Musicians and other live performers have felt the emotional withdraw from connecting with a live audience in the same room, as we heard with the Beacon-based Wynotte Sisters.

About The First Episode

The premiere of Episode One is called "Seasons of Love" featuring the 4 seasons Tara has experienced in the Hudson Valley through cinematography and classic jazz songs about summer, autumn, winter and spring.

Under the ornamental rafters of this historic landmark building, Tara will be interviewing Jon Slackman of Five Corner Films about their music video collaboration, and also performing with guitarist Tony DePaolo.

And Inside Look At This Beaconite’s Battle With COVID

Tara, a writer, shared with us her experience surviving COVID in the early months of 2020 that it was recognized in this country. This is her story:

I just moved to Beacon two weeks ago. It was love at first sight. I had never been here before July when I decided to escape NYC. I stepped on to Main Street and within seconds said out loud, this is my new home. I'm a jazz singer. My last day performing in Manhattan was March 10. I didn't know it would be my last. I didn't know how serious the virus was. My fever started March 24. It lasted 21 days. The shortness of breath lingered for 5 weeks. I couldn't sing. I couldn't even walk half a block to a store. It took me all summer to build up my strength to be able to walk two miles and not get out of breath, to be able to ride a bike up a low incline. But I'm better now. Despite being an unemployed musician. My unemployed neighbors in Queens were also struggling. They are still lining up daily at community centers to receive free food. They are sleeping on mattresses on the sidewalk. Crime has increased. So has suicide. I wanted to get out and find a place where I felt safe. I've only been here two weeks and I've been able to attend live music in the Towne Crier, outdoor yoga at the Stony Kill Farm, and connect with musicians and other artists in town who are as open and friendly as my family back in Ireland. I've never felt so embraced by a community so quickly, except for Donegal where I spent every summer on a farm with my grandparents.

Before I even found an apartment, Jaz on Main, the vintage store, offered to host a book signing for me when I went in to try to sell them my vintage clothing collection that I wear when I perform. I'm also an author with a published memoir. I had plans to continue to perform at book launches and teach writing from here to Europe, but all was put on pause. Living in Beacon for me will me more than a pause to wait out the global pandemic. I have finally found a place to call home, something I've been searching for my entire life. I really love it here.

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"Severance" Films In Beacon's East End - Storefronts Are Dressed - Here's What We Know

If you were walking past your favorite cafe down on the East End of town near Mt. Beacon and saw that it was called something else, your heart may have skipped a beat as you thought: “Oh no! Not another business moving out!” But this time it’s not another business moving out! It’s a film production coming to town. Dressing the storefronts in costume for the Apple TV+ produced show “Severance.”

According to the Poughkeepie Journal: “Severance" is a drama featuring Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Patricia Arquette, Christopher Walken and SUNY New Paltz graduate John Turturro. Ben Stiller is listed as an executive producer and director of several episodes. According to IMDb.com, the show is scheduled to premiere sometime this year.” As stated on IMDB, the premise is: “Lumen Industries, a company that's looking to take work-life balance to a new level.”

Beacon business owners in the area could not confirm or deny if filming was happening, but for those of us window browsing at night, onlookers were puzzled by the newly named storefronts, and were trying to piece together the mystery. Facebook was of course lighting up with speculation. Couples walking along the sidewalk stopped in front of storefronts to ask each other: “Wait, this vintage piece of furniture looks very similar to that piece of vintage furniture in that storefront over there….What is going on?” A person walking their dog really wanted to go inside of a shop, even though the shop was closed.

Storefronts who seem to be selected to be Main Street stars are Beacon Bath and Bubble, Reservoir, The Vault, 13 Floor Mod, Beacon Realty, Beacon Falls Cafe, La Mère Clothing and Goods, Raven Rose, and possibly others. No one would confirm, however, as they alluded to agreements that required disgression.

The boutique, for instance, that is normally called La Mère Clothing and Goods is now called The Midcentenarian. A Little Beacon Blog knows that owner April has not moved her business, as La Mère is an advertiser with A Little Beacon Blog, and we have a shopping date coming up!

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Photo Credits: Ruby Martin, a 10 year old photojournalist, taken during a Remote Learning day.

A Little Beacon Blog reached out to the City of Beacon for confirmation that film permits had been granted and paid to the City, however, City Administrator Chris White reminded us (me) that we are not on speaking terms based on last week’s employment articles that had racist undertones, and would not answer any questions.

A white Haddad truck, which is usually a sign of a big movie production nearby.
Photo Credit: Ruby Martin

Thankfully, a Citizen Reporter called in to the Mayor’s Office, and received confirmation that the production is “Severance,” a production from Apple TV+, and will be filming on Monday and Tuesday. Set dressers have visited storefronts who will be in the scene. April of Le Mere’s shop employee called her to suggest she might want to come in to see the new items in the store, after many antiques were deposited into the store. April had been tending to her three children and mother.

“My employee Facetimed me the situation, and I came in right away. You know me - the store has to be perfect, and all of these antiques were here in the front of the store.” We do know April quite well over the years, and could see that she was twitching. The evening we encountered her, she was pulling a late-nighter in order to make her shop presentable to the public in order for them to shop the weekend before the Monday shoot.

Courtney of Raven Rose says she is a huge fan of Adam Scott, and told A Little Beacon Blog she is very happy that the East End of town is getting this filming action.

The City of Beacon issued a robo-call on Friday evening, listing what street closures would be happening (see below for the street closure list). The City’s robo-call did not mention the film production or the purpose for the street closures. The coordination of rolling street closures may be due to the parking of large film production trucks from Haddad’s, a truck rental company that is used for several union productions in New York City and elsewhere, as well as camera positions for different takes of the scenes.

What We Know About The Scene Being Filmed

Earlier reporting from the Poughkeepsie Journal revealed that scouts had visited Beacon Bread Company and Hudson Valley Food Hall earlier in February 2021, which are storefronts on the other end of town.

We know that the producers are keeping this production very hush hush, that it is episodic, and may have a “futuristic mind-bending” kind of twist to its storyline. However, the set dressing of Beacon’s storefront windows for this upcoming week are set back in time. This particular scene may only be one minute in the episode.

Excellent reporting from Geoffrey WIlson in the Poughkeepsie Journal revealed that the production is currently going under a different name, “Tumwater," which is common in the early stages of filming in order to not attract attention. According to the article, some residents had received a letter from the Location Department: “The Location Department for ‘Severance’ listed 'Tumwater"‘ as the project's working title in its letter to Beacon residents.'“ The article went on to say: “Laurent Rejto, director of the Hudson Valley Film Commission, confirmed that a project titled "Tumwater" is starting filming in the City of Kingston Wednesday, and that project was filming at the Rondout Friday.”

According to the resident letter, the production will be filming in Beacon late into the night, with cameras positioned on the rooftop of the 1 East Main Street building in order to take night shots of a couple walking on Main Street down below. 1 East Main houses lofts, Lambs Hill Bridal, Urban Links Design, and Trax Coffee.

According to locals on the ground, the scene filmed on Monday and Tuesday will be a “walk-and-talk.” According to an anonymous source, the “script is awesome” and may have “a futuristic, mind-bending” element to it. Which is interesting, since the storefronts in Beacon are currently set decorated to have a much older look from the past.

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Photo Credit: Charlie Martin

Street Closures:

Sometimes during a big production, there are members of the film crew called Production Assistants (PAs) who will close a street or sidewalk, and tell you to not cross the street just now. We do not know if there will be PAs closing the streets, or if Beacon Police officers will be closing the streets.

For those interested in the City’s income on this, usually when Police Officers are used to close the streets and direct traffic for film jobs, they are paid by the production company. Usaully the officers used are off-duty, so an Overtime Rate is paid. Additionally, the City is paid a day-rate for a union-produced show permit. A Little Beacon Blog reached out to the City of Beacon’s City Administrator Chris White to inquire as to the game-plan and income stream, but he did not respond.

If you, Citizen Reporter, get the answer on what was paid to Beacon, let us know! We are also inquiring via our other sources re the details of the City’s contract.

According to the City of Beacon’s robo-call, parking and street closures will be impacted as follows:

The following streets will be closed and parking will not be allowed on Monday, March 15th from 3pm - 7am Tuesday morning. And from Tuesday March 16th from 3pm - 7am Wednesday morning.

Municipal Parking Lot on Churchill Street
North Street from Main Street to Locust Place
South Street from Main Street to Locust Place
Leonard Street from Amity Street to East Main Street
Verplanck Avenue from Davis Street to Main Street
Churchill Street from Main Street to Spring Valley Street where there will be local traffic only

On Monday March 15th there will be rolling closures, and parking will be allowed on the following streets:

Russell Avenue
Spring Street
Locust Place
Falconer Street
Boyce Street
Grove Street
Liberty Street

On Monday, March 15th from 3pm - 7am Main Street from Tioronda Avenue to Ackerman Street will be closed and parking will not be allowed.

On Tuesday, March 16th from 3pm- 7am Main Street from Teller Avenue to Ackerman Street will be closed and parking will not be allowed.

Have fun, everyone! High fives to the participating businesses.

Featured Businesses In ALBB's Black Owned Business Directory

Maggie and Ease

“We at MAGGIE & EASE are committed to preparing great food and providing a remarkable and enriching experience through bold flavor and savory delights made generously with love.” Try their desserts at Dia: Beacon art museum & Homespun Foods on Main. St.

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Sound Asleep Media

Sound Asleep Media is a production company in Beacon, NY offering photography & videography services including parties, portraits, family photos, and events.

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Salon Dae

A charming and cozy salon studio with a good energy and vibe. A rustic/chic boutique decor. It’s not just a hair appointment, it’s an experience!

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Blacc Vanilla

A Coffee Lounge located in Newburgh, NY with an experience that serves old-world passion evoking a strong sense of community. “Blacc Vanilla may not be an industry leader in the café business, but they have consistently been very active within the city community: hosting community and political events, providing relief for folks during disasters, and creating a business, as well as a community partnership.”

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APG Pilates

“Whether you’re new to Pilates or at an advanced level, at APG Pilates we work with each person individually and in small groups to help you achieve your personal goals. Pilates is designed to improve physical strength, flexibility, and posture, and enhance mental awareness.” Located in Newburgh, NY, APR Pilates is designed to improve physical strength, flexibility, and posture, and enhance mental awareness.

Are you in the Black community and run a business in the Hudson Valley? Let us know about you! Listings in the Black Owned Business category are free. All other categories can sign on as sponsors for a listing.

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"John Lewis: Good Trouble" Playing On Wednesday At 4 Hanna Lane In Beacon

From the people who brought you many of the protest Marches down Main Street in Beacon this summer, Beacon4Black Lives, is staying committed to educating about Black lives by starting new projects, like by establishing a free WIFI hub in Memorial Park, and outdoor movie viewing experiences.

On Wednesday evening, in partnership with Miz Hattie’s Southern BBQ, LNJ Tech, Beahive, and Storyscreen Beacon, you can watch this movie for $7, the proceeds of which go to Beacon4Black Lives to help them continue their work, stating via Instagram: “As we continue to work with our community to create a better tomorrow, we collaborate to educate and fund new and necessary projects for our community.”

For tickets, visit www.beaconfilmsociety.org

As the weather looks stormy, you should keep tabs on a rain or shine status by visiting @beacon4blacklives on Instagram.

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Editorial Transparency Note: Miz Hattie’s an advertiser with A Little Beacon Blog. This did not influence the reporting, or the how or why this article was produced.

Family Movies Streaming Now - Recommended By This Beacon-Based Entertainment Journalist

Spirits rose in the coronavirus-self-isolating world when Disney announced that it would release Frozen 2 early on its streaming service, Disney+. It was one of the first announcements that gave parents and caregivers hope that someone somewhere was thinking of us, and would help make our lives easier as we were home from school for at least two weeks. While I had zero intention of subscribing to Disney+ before, that changes tomorrow (Sunday).

Suggestions were flying Saturday morning around The Beacon Moms Group on Facebook with suggestions on anything from how to create a daily schedule to how to limit screen time (while valuing screen time as a tool as well).

Gwynne Watkins is a mom in the group, and is a entertainment and culture journalist. You can find her analysis at media outlets like Yahoo Entertainment, Vulture, Elle Magazine, and GQ magazine. Here’s a quick rundown of the kinds of articles you can find from her, such as: “How Prison Theater Is Changing Lives” and “33 Best TV Couples Of All Time.” You can also find her on Twitter for all her latest thoughts.

I asked Gwynne for her recommendations for what to stream now with the family. Personally, my family and I are streaming Lost In Space (modern-day Swiss Family Robinson - fighting for their very survival… much like us maybe in 10 days?), and we really loved Raising Dion. Both have been picked up again to make another season.

Here are Gwynne’s movie recommendations - presented by streaming service! She did some research for you on what movies are available now, and where. Oftentimes, show series with episodes (as opposed to movies) move around the streaming services. Like, one day Odd Squad will be on Netflix, and then it disappears for while because Amazon Prime bought it, and it’s over there for a price.

“My kids are 4 and 12,” Gwynne prefaces. “So I did two categories: one for younger and one for older kids.”

FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY:

• Netflix - Mary Poppins Returns, Coraline, Hugo, The Little Prince, The Croods, Chicken Little, Stuart Little, Space Jam, Adventures of TinTin, Princess and the Frog, Tarzan, Incredibles 2, Ralph Wrecks the Internet, A Little Princess (1995), Bolt, Boy and the World

• Hulu - Chicken Run, The Polar Express, Dr. Seuss: The Cat in the Hat, Curious George, A Boy Named Charlie Brown, Charlotte's Web (1973), How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (Note: many of these are also on Prime)

• Amazon Prime - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, My Little Pony: The Movie, The Court Jester, Odd Squad: The Movie, Sleeping Beauty (Royal Ballet)

KIDS 8-10 AND UP:

• Netflix - Groundhog Day, Hairspray (2007), A Wrinkle in Time, Karate Kid, Monster House, National Treasure, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Miracle, Spy Kids, To All The Boys I've Loved Before

• Hulu - Fighting With My Family, Bumblebee, Rango (Note: many of these are also on Prime)

• Prime - Captain America: The First Avenger, The Avengers, True Grit

What do you like? Tell us in the Comments below.

Interview With Melanie Falick, Author of "Making A Life" and Co-Curator Of Maker Film Festival In Beacon

Photo Credits: From “Making A Life” by Melanie Falick.

It’s not often that the concept of a book is brought to life in the form of a collection of long and short films screened at a local theater. But that is what is happening this weekend, Saturday, February 29 and Sunday, March 1, 2020. Local author and revered publisher Melanie Falick has published her book, “Making A Life” after three years in the works. The book’s arrival onto shelves in 2019 wasn’t the end of that journey. Ideas for a film festival percolated and came to life at Story Screen Beacon with the cooperation of the theater’s founder, programmer and co-owner, Mike Burdge.

What follows below is an interview with Melanie, to find out how a book author, dedicated to a life of making things, co-curated a film festival that brings Beaconites and visitors to our city/town a taste of well-known makers in some specific fields, but mostly unknown to the rest of us.

Poster for the Maker Film Festival at Story Screen. Feb. 29 and Mar 1, 2020.

Most exciting (to this writer), aside from exploring the unknown makers and methods that will be lighting up the screen, is one of the films with a focus on Natalie Chanin, of the fashion and lifestyle line Alabama Chanin (see ALBB’s article for the list of films). Natalie was known for employing women and quilters in Alabama to stitch T-shirts with hand-made flowers and other details you’d pine for.

This writer’s discovery of Alabama Chanin was during my indie designer days when I was producing accessories. I’d been working with a stitcher in the Garment District of New York City. When he closed up shop to open a Chinese restaurant, I somehow discovered Reita Posey, a one-time stitcher for Alabama Chanin, before that phase of the fashion label disbanded for a bit (they are back now). I’d send Reita my fabric and pattern, and she’d send back my inventory.

I valued Reita’s work so much, even though I was not doing the work myself. Something I internally struggled with, and actually had me not sell my things in the Etsy world, because I did not physically stitch each one (something which the Etsy community/rules have moved beyond now).

Working with one’s hands is key to getting in touch with oneself, even if you’re not a professional and even if you don’t know what you’re doing. I just special-ordered my copy of “Making A Life” at Binnacle Books (they have a super easy online form!) and there are now signed copies at the Raven Rose shop on Main Street (near the mountain, across from the Howland Cultural Center) and copies will be available at Story Screen during the festival.

And now, the interview with Melanie on how the Maker Film Festival came to be, and how she got this book published, from concept to pitching it (learn all about Melanie here, including more about her career in publishing):

ALBB: Had you always known you wanted to produce a film festival to fuel the makers movement/lifestyle you are encouraging in your book? How did this come about?

Photo Credit: From “Making A Life” by Melanie Falick.

After I finished writing “Making a Life” but before it came out, I started talking to a few friends at the dog park here in Beacon about a maker film festival (the dog park being the place in town where I regularly socialize). Everyone there seemed excited about the idea, including Marjorie Tarter, who also happens to be one of the owners of Story Screen Beacon Theater. She introduced me to Mike Burdge, another owner and the person who runs the theater, and he was enthusiastic from the get-go.

I wrote “Making a Life” as a way of sharing my belief that making by hand is part of what makes us human and that it can play a key role in our personal wellness as well as the wellness of our communities, culture, and environment. After I finished writing, I knew that I wanted the book to be a springboard for generating conversation and affecting positive change. I also knew that I wanted to get more involved in what is going on locally. The film festival is ticking all of those boxes.

Can you take us into the process of making your book? How long did it take you? From concept to pitching it to making it?

I came up with the idea and submitted a proposal for “Making a Life” at the end of 2015 and began working on it in spring 2016. It was published in October 2019, so the process took a little over three years. However, much of my adult life, both personally and professionally, has revolved around making by hand. It has guided how and where I live, who I spend time with, the work I do, and the places to which I choose to travel.

ALBB: How did you pitch your book? You have a comfort level from your career working in book publishing. Did this help?

Lia Ronnen, the publisher at Artisan, and I had started talking about the possibility of working together in Spring 2015, after I left my job as a publishing director at Abrams (I had my own imprint there called STC Craft / Melanie Falick Books). When I came up with the idea for “Making a Life,” I told her about it on the phone, then quickly wrote a short proposal.

At that point I had been working in publishing for more than two decades—as an author, editor, and publisher—so I definitely had an advantage when it came to understanding the process and what a publisher is looking for. I also had an advantage because Lia was familiar with my body of work, including two books I wrote that were published by Artisan in the late 1990s (Knitting in America and Kids Knitting) and sold very well.

ALBB: How did you discover these films shown in the Maker Film Festival at Story Screen Beacon? Why have you selected this list?

Curating the films for a festival was a new challenge for me. The fact that Mike, who has put on many festivals, was confident in me and could answer my questions, helped a lot. I started by asking maker friends and acquaintances if they had any recommendations, then I began hunting around on the internet, finding new leads, and following them. I watched a lot of films in order to come up with the selection we are offering, which feels relevant to my experience writing “Making a Life” and to the role making by hand plays in modern living.

For example, I chose films about Oaxacan weavers (Woven Lives, Saturday, 3 pm) and Rajasthani block printers (Rediscovering Jajam, Sunday 4 pm) because I visited Mexico and India while researching my book and wanted to share some of what I learned and was inspired by there. I chose The True Cost (Sunday, 1 pm) because what I call the DIY Renaissance (a growing interest in making by hand) is, in part, a reaction to the dangerous fast-fashion practices that this film reveals. The New Bauhaus shows how handwork, art, design, and industry are interconnected.

Some of the shorts (which run in two chunks, starting at 5 pm on Saturday and 4 pm on Sunday) are about or made by makers featured in my book, including slow-fashion pioneer Natalie Chanin of Alabama Chanin and weaver Jessica Green of A Little Weather.

ALBB: Tell us more about “fast fashion” vs “slow fashion.”

Fast fashion is a buzzword for the practice of having trendy, inexpensive clothing made by cheap labor sources, sometimes in unhealthy and unfair conditions. This clothing is not meant to stay in style or last but, instead to be thrown away and replaced by the next fashion trend. The slow-fashion movement—which includes both making and mending clothing—reflects a growing sensitivity about the social, economic, and environmental impact of the fast fashion process.

ALBB: Is Natalie Chanin still producing? I worked with one of her stitchers when I was having my own designs produced.

Natalie Chanin remains at the helm of Alabama Chanin. Her Florence, Alabama-based company has several different arms, including handsewn couture collections made by artisans in and around Florence; machine-made collections designed and manufactured on site; and the School of Making, through which they educate makers and sell DIY supplies.

ALBB: Thank you, Melanie, for your answers! Tell us about a few quick moments in some of the films that we should keep our eye out for.

—There is a short on Saturday about the artist Ann Hamilton. In it she is shown working on an interactive installation in an old industrial space that makes me think of all of the potential spaces for interactive artwork in the old buildings in Beacon.

—In Oaxaca, Mexico, culture, community, cuisine, landscape, handwork, and history come together in such natural ways. I visited there when I began my research for “Making a Life” and I can’t wait to go back, but for now I can watch Woven Lives and travel there in my mind. I hope viewers will enjoy the journey as much as me.

—I hope The New Bauhaus and a short we’re showing about Black Mountain College on Sunday will inspire viewers to talk about the value of hands-on, experiential, interdisciplinary learning with art at its core. A lot of people are talking about STEM education these days. I just read an article about integrating art into it so that we have STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math).

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Find more of Melanie at other events, during her author tour, which you can keep up with here.

Maker Film Festival At Story Screen Beacon Theater - A Curated Experience So Good, You Might Be There All Weekend

From the beginning, Story Screen Beacon Theater had visions of hosting film festivals and events. That vision has been achieved, and continues in the form of new film festivals, especially ones that may be a new concept for the area, or anywhere.

On Saturday, February 29, and Sunday, March 1, 2020, the Makers Film Festival debuts and includes a lineup of films featuring makers and mediums from all over the world. It will include both full-length and short films, panel discussions, a maker market, and more.

The festival is inspired and co-curated by Melanie Falick, the Beacon-based author of “Making a Life: Working by Hand and Discovering the Life You Are Meant to Live” (buy/order it at Binnacle Books or wherever books are sold, even Anthropologie!). Read A Little Beacon Blog’s interview with Melanie about her inspiration for the film festival here.

In Melanie’s travels across continents, she met quilters and potters, weavers and painters, metalsmiths, printmakers, woodworkers, and more, and uncovered truths about making objects by hand that have been speaking to us for millennia, yet feel urgently relevant today. “Much of my adult life, both personally and professionally,” Melanie reflected to A Little Beacon Blog, “has revolved around making by hand. It has guided how and where I live, who I spend time with, the work I do, and the places to which I choose to travel.”
(Did you spy the same little detail we did? Note the use of pencil in the title on the book cover.)

According to Story Screen Beacon’s press release: “This Maker Film Festival is focused on ‘making by hand,’ and the power it has to give our lives authenticity and meaning… Films were chosen to foster discussion about making by hand and artistic expression, and why they remain vital and valuable in the modern world. Making helps us to slow down, express ourselves, develop competence, and connect with and develop empathy for others, past and present, near and far, similar and different.”

Mike Burdge, the founder, programmer and co-owner of Story Screen Beacon curated the selection of films with Melanie. “For me, the festival is all about diversifying the type of films that we get to show at the theater, utilizing an engagement event to set up a personalized film curation that goes beyond what we typically show,” Mike told A Little Beacon Blog. “We really think this is the start of an awesome new age of festivals and curations at the theater, and working with Melanie on this selection of worldwide films has been a blast and we really think the public is going to love everything about it.”

Film screenings will be held Saturday, February 29, and Sunday, March 1. A  pop-up Maker Market, featuring local artisan makers, will be held on Sunday, March 1 from 1 to 5 pm in the Story Screen Beacon Theater lobby. Tickets for screenings may be purchased at the Story Screen box office or online at storyscreenbeacon.com.

About The Films: Schedule and Descriptions

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2020:

1 pm: Yarn the Movie
1 hour 16 minutes

Starting in Iceland, this quirky and thought-provoking film takes us on a colorful, global journey as we discover how knitting, crochet, and other forms of yarn manipulations connect us all. “A fanciful art doc for the craft-y among us.” –The Hollywood Reporter

3 pm: Woven Lives: Contemporary Textiles from Ancient Oaxacan Traditions
1 hour 16 minutes

Woven Lives traces the development of weaving traditions among the Zapotec communities in Oaxaca, Mexico, demonstrating the vibrant, important role textile-making continues to play in their identity and daily living.

5 pm: Assorted Short Films
1 hour total

Six short films featuring makers whose stories are included in the book Making a Life, as well as the artists who inspire them. Among those featured are weaver Jessica Green, slow-fashion pioneer Natalie Chanin, and multidisciplinary artists Louise Bourgeois, Ann Hamilton, and Tanya Aquinga.

Viewers are invited to stay afterward to talk about the films and the role of making by hand in our own lives. Bring some handwork if you like!

7 pm: Wax Print

Nigerian-British filmmaker and fashion designer Aiwan Obinyan takes us across the globe to trace the 200-year history of African wax print (also known as batik) fabric. Traveling from West African sewing schools and North American cotton fields, to fabric mills in the Netherlands and bustling markets in Ghana, Obinyan tells the story of how the iconic fabric came to symbolize a continent, its people, and their struggle for freedom.

Official Selection 2019 African Film Festival New Zealand, Official Selection 2019 Pan African Film Festival, Official Selection 2019 San Francisco Black Film Festival

SUNDAY, MARCH 1, 2020:

1 pm to 5 pm: Pop-up Maker Market in the Story Screen Beacon Theater lobby featuring local artisan makers.

1 pm: The True Cost
1 hour 32 minutes

The price of clothing has been decreasing for decades, while the human and environmental costs of production have grown dramatically. The True Cost is a groundbreaking documentary, filmed in countries all over the world, about the clothes we wear, the people who make them, and the impact the clothing industry is having on our world. “A sweeping, heartbreaking, and damning survey of the clothing economy.” -CNN

After the Screening: We will follow our screening of The True Cost with a Ted Talk about creating regenerative, distributive economies that support human and environmental health, plus a panel discussion with local makers involved in the slow-fashion movement: a growing force focused on countering the destructive fast-fashion economy by making and mending their own clothing, minimizing consumption, and tracking the sources of their purchases

4 pm: Assorted Short Films
1 hour 50 minutes total

Six short films featuring makers around the world, including Rediscovering Jajam, in which Rajasthani craftsmen share their stories about block-printing large, traditional textiles on which community members traditionally gather, and Stitch, in which northwest Alabamans talk about old-time quilting in their region.

Viewers are invited to stay after the screening to talk about the films and the role of making by hand in our own lives. Bring some handwork if you like!

6:30 pm: The New Bauhaus
1 hour 29 minutes

A documentary about Hungarian-born artist Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, one of the instructors at the Bauhaus in Germany, who emigrated to the United States to escape the Nazis, and the impact he made on design, photography, and arts education through his emphasis on experiential learning in the schools he founded in America.

Official Selection 2020 Palm Springs International Film Festival/ Official Selection 2019 Chicago International Film Festival

Tickets for screenings may be purchased in person at the Story Screen box office or online at storyscreenbeacon.com.