Quaker Produced Feature NOT TODAY Debuts at 5th Annual PEACE ON EARTH FILM FESTIVAL
The 5th Annual Peace on Earth Film Festival (POEFF), presented by Transcendence Global Media, NFP, in partnership with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special events, presents the Midwest premiere of the feature Not Today on Sunday, March 10, 6:15 p.m. at the Chicago Cultural Center’s Claudia Cassidy Theater, 78 East Washington. Not Today– which tells the story of one man’s journey to redemption set against the backdrop of
human trafficking in India – is directed by Jon Van Dyke, Media Director of Friends Church in Yorba Linda, and produced by Brent Martz, the church’s Pastor of Creative Ministries. Producer Brent Martz will be in attendance and will participate in a Q&A in the GAR Ballroom of the Cultural Center immediately following the screening of Not Today.
Roaming from California to India, Not Today weaves a moving, inspiring story of a young man’s (Hollywood Heights’ Cody Longo) journey from spoiled Orange County “adult-olescent” to a true believer in the fight against human trafficking, risking his life to help the helpless. Not Today is a powerful reminder that change is possible if we’re willing to open our eyes … today. With Walid Amini, Shari Rigby and John Schneider (The Dukes of Hazzard).
Partly shot in India, the movie centers around Dalits, the so-called “untouchables” on the lowest rung of the traditional caste system. Friends Church in Yorba Linda – a Quaker congregation founded 100 years ago with help from Richard Nixon’s family – first connected with Dalits during mission trips. Through the Global Freedom Movement, the Church seeks to help end India’s caste system and bring true freedom to the Dalit people. Using education, health care, social justice and other means to combat poverty, Friends members see the work with India’s Dalits as their church’s single greatest mission opportunity.
Brent Martz is the creative ministries pastor at Friends Church in Yorba Linda, Calif., and no stranger to large-scale entertainment with purpose. He co-wrote, directed and produced an interactive musical-drama,[Jerusalem A.D.], with a cast and crew of more than 200 members, based on the last week in the life of Christ, which ran for three years and drew more than 10,000 viewers. Martz has produced four award-winning films, including Day of Reckoning and Deletes.
Started in 2008, POEFF has been an annual event shining a light on filmmakers’ challenging perspectives regarding issues such as human rights, neighborhood violence, food deserts, domestic violence, bullying, war, world politics, environment, economics and more. The festival strives to put Chicago at the forefront of international efforts for peace and environmental recoveries, while bringing together filmmakers, academics and social activists in discussion panels and educational components. The 5th annual POEFF takes place March 7 through Sunday, March 10 at the Chicago Cultural Center. All screenings are free and open to the public. Learn more atwww.peaceonearthfilmfestival.
2013 POEFF schedule:
THURSDAY, MARCH 7: OPENING NIGHT
6:00pm – Festival Opening
6:20 – Graceland Girls (Jordan Salvatoriello, USA, 28 min.)
6:50 – A Whisper to a Roar (Ben Moses, Australia/USA, 95 min.) Midwest Premiere * director Ben Moses will be in attendance
9:15 – PAD YATRA (Wendy J. N. Lee, India/Nepal/USA, 70 min.) Midwest Premiere
FRIDAY, MARCH 8: LATINO NIGHT
6:00pm – Festival Opening
6:11 – The Second Cooler (Ellin Jimmerson, USA, 87 min.) World Premiere *director Ellin Jimmerson will be in attendance
8:14 – Historias (Gloriana Fonseca-Malavasi, USA, 20 min.) World Premiere
8:35 –180 Grados (Fernando Kalife, Mexico, 105 min.) U.S. Premiere
SATURDAY, MARCH 9
10:00am – Festival Opening
10:11 –The Skin That Burns (Nargas Bajoghi, Iran/USA, 21 min.) World Premiere
10:33 – Children of Kabul (Jawad Wahabzada and Jon Bougher, Afghanistan, 25 min.) World Premiere
10:59 – House Devil, Street Angel (Fivel Rothberg, USA, 30 min.) World Premiere
11:30 – Dream Chasers (Free Spirit Media, USA, 8 min.) World Premiere
11:38 – The Catalyst (Rachel Pontbriand, USA, 8 min.) World Premiere
12:06pm – Dancing Salmon Home (William Doolittle, USA/New Zealand, 67 min.) Midwest Premiere
1:14 – Parrot (Craig Foster, Australia, 24 min.) Midwest Premiere
4:01 – The Other Side of the Mountain (Hak Jang, North Korea, 106 min.) Mainland U.S. Premiere *screenwriter-producer Joon Bai will be in attendance
6:09 – TRUST Alaska (Kelly Matheson, USA, 8 min.) Midwest Premiere
6:18 – Raising Resistance (Bettina Borgfeld and David Bernet, Germany/Switzerland, 85 min.) Midwest Premiere
7:01 – Parallax (Paul DeNigris, USA, 22 min.) World Premiere
7:24 – Liberty Road (Jason Fraley, USA, 17 min.) Midwest Premiere
7:42 – Amazon Gold (Reuben Aaronson, USA, 53 min.) Chicago Premiere
8:44 – Uprising (Fredrik Stanton, Egypt/USA, 85 min.) Midwest Premiere
SUNDAY, MARCH 10
11:00a – 778 Bullets (Angela Aguayo, USA, 18 min.) Chicago Premiere
11:19 – Ru (Water is Life) (Shawn Small, USA, 19 min.) *director Shawn Small will be in attendance
11:39 – The Miracles on Honey Bee Hill (Rob Pondillo, USA, 23 min.) World Premiere
12:11pm – Right There (Florence Buchanan, USA, 17 min.) Midwest Premiere
1:28 – Child 31 (Charles Kinnane, United Kingdom, 31 min.) Midwest Premiere
3:55 – La Decima Onda (Francesco Colangelo, Italy, 15 min.) U.S. Premiere
4:11 – The Suffering Grasses (Iara Lee, USA, 52 min.) Chicago Premiere
6:15 – Not Today (Jon Van Dyke, India/USA, 105 min.) Midwest Premiere
8:16 – Awards Ceremony
POEFF’s mission is … raising awareness of peace, nonviolence, social justice and an eco-balanced world.