News Release

The annual Johns Hopkins Film Festival returns Thursday, April 17, through Sunday, April 20, with several screenings in Shriver and Gilman halls on the university's Homewood campus, 3400 N. Charles St. in Baltimore.

Organized by the student-run Johns Hopkins Film Society, the non-profit festival promotes budding independent and student filmmakers. The program includes documentaries, features, and short films from the festival circuit as well as limited-release local, national, and international films. Displayed formats are 8 mm, 16 mm, 35 mm, VHS and DVD.

The majority of the films will be shown in Shriver Hall, the largest screening facility in Maryland. The cost to the general public is $3 per show, $5 per day, or $15 for a festival pass. The shows are free to Johns Hopkins faculty, staff and students with ID; free to the public where noted. For information, visit www.jhu.edu/~jhufilm/fest or call 410-235-4636.

Thursday, April 17

Shriver Hall Auditorium, 8 p.m.
Martin and Orloff
Martin Flam is insane. After he tries to kill himself, he decides to go see a psychiatrist. As fate has it, the doctor is more insane than he is. An Upright Citizens Brigade movie with tons of cameos, including David Cross, Janeane Garofalo, Tina Fey and Andy Richter. Directed by Larry Blume.

Shriver Hall Auditorium, 10 p.m.
Coming Apart
A psychiatrist on the verge of a nervous breakdown installs a movie camera in his apartment to record the messed-up lives of the women who visit him. This overlooked gem from the late 1960s stars Rip Torn. Directed by Milton Moses Ginsberg.

Friday, April 18

Shriver Hall Auditorium, 5 p.m.
Home Movie
This first-person documentary about the director's journey from Slovakia to America was made as a gift for his American-born son. Directed by Miso Suchy.

Shriver Hall Auditorium, 6 p.m.
"Death by Animation"
This screening will showcase some of the best pieces of underground animation.

Shriver Hall Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.
Go-Go Motel
A Baltimore-based comedy about a seedy strip club with a dark secret. Go-Go Motel is a twisted story from the mind of local filmmaker Daniel Bell, who will attend the screening.

Shriver Hall Auditorium, 9:30 p.m.
20 Questions
Director Batt Anderson joins his wandering uncle on a four- month odyssey across America. Throughout his journey, Anderson asks everyone he meets the same 20 questions, resulting in a unique look at our country. Batt will attend the screening.

Saturday, April 19

110 Gilman Hall, 3 p.m.
Student Filmmaker Showcase
All films made by Hopkins Students. Show includes a feature length video by Johns Hopkins senior Kris Jansma. Free.

110 Gilman Hall, 5 p.m.
Force of Friction
Directed by Johns Hopkins senior Brian Udoff and starring several Johns Hopkins students, Force of Friction is a film about a corrupt university system.

Shriver Hall Auditorium, 1 p.m.
"Breaking Your Soul"
A program of several dramatic shorts.

Shriver Hall Auditorium, 3 p.m.
"Documentaries 'Lite'"
A program of three short documentaries, one about aging, another about a demolition derby with school buses, and another about a children's book author in Montreal.

Shriver Hall Auditorium, 4:30 p.m.
Films by Sike Trike
A program of several comedic short films by Sike Trike, a collective of artists, musicians and filmmakers in Baltimore.

Shriver Hall Auditorium, 5:30 p.m.
"Magical Mushroom Hour"
This miscellaneous shorts program fluctuates from side-splitting humor to crazy transvestites to vegan porn.

Shriver Hall Auditorium, 7:30pm
Zero Day
This disturbing documentary follows two high school students, Andre and Cal, as they declare war on their school. Shot as a video diary, the two plan a terrifying assault on their classmates and explain their views as the film leads to its intense ending. Director Ben Coccio will attend the screening.

Shriver Hall Auditorium, 9:30 p.m.
Audition
A man holds a casting call in order to find himself a new wife, but he has no idea what he has gotten himself into. Featuring one of the most brutal torture scenes ever filmed, this film is not for the squeamish. Directed by Takashi Miike.

Shriver Hall Auditorium, 11:30 p.m.
Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter
This story pits Jesus against a gang of evil lesbian vampires. Directed by Lee Demarbre.

Sunday, April 20

110 Gilman Hall, 3 p.m.
Documentaries
Children of Ibdaa, a short documentary about a Palestinian children's dance troupe. Directed by S. Smith Patrick.; and When I was 14: A Survivor Remembers, a short documentary about a holocaust survivor telling her story in the early 80's. Directed by Marlene Booth.

110 Gilman Hall, 5 p.m.
"Tooth Decay"
An experimental shorts program of bizarre and unique films that push the boundaries of narrative and break the rules of storytelling.

110 Gilman Hall, 6:30 p.m.
"Death by Animation"
This screening will showcase some of the best pieces of underground animation.

110 Gilman Hall, 8 p.m.
Terminal USA
This story about a not so ordinary Asian-American family involves drug deals, skin-heads, sex videos, and the end of the world. Directed by Jon Moritsugu.