BIG NEWS x 2
(1) American Fair finds distribution with prestigious Documentary Educational Resources (DER). Now available for viewing and purchase.
American Fair's Somerville preview and "barn-raising" was successful, raising over 10K for the film. With guests from as far away as Maine and France in attendance.
DER director Cynthia Close after viewing, comments about the films visual style, the sense of people and process and culture, and links it with American documentary film making tradition: Pennebaker, Wiseman... She asks which filmmakers influence my work: I answer, Wim Wenders, Germany, for films like "Paris, Texas" and "Notebooks from Cities". And Len Kamerling, an ethnographic filmmaker working in Fairbanks, Alaska. Len is a mentor and close friend. He has dedicated over 30 years to community-collaborative film making in Alaska and Japan. He has a film in the Library of Congress, "Drums of Winter" made with Sarah Elder. 
Working with DER is a great honor, not just because American Fair will join a world-class collection of ethnographic documentary films, but also because several of Len's films belong to DER. I am honored to be in his company.
Special thanks to American Fair's generous contributors: George and Ann Fischer, Katherine, Michael and Jeanne Widmer, Claudio and Jean Marzollo, Allen and Bonnie Martin, and David Blumsack. Thanks to so many family and friends. Thanks to DER for believing in the film. Cynthia, Brittany, Michael, Razan. Thanks again to Redbones, Avid, and Sherman Cafe.
Final titles and sound design are complete. DVD is professionally mastered. Available for purchase. Submitting to film festivals. Awaiting decisions. Still working on a curriculum guide.
(2) We are returning to China in July.
Two-year agreement with the TODAY ART MUSEUM in Beijing, to develop and operate a film and television production department. Zhao Hong is pregnant with our second child. The 2008 Olympics. The Joe Maneri Birthday project, Pilgrim's Progress, Maiden Voyage. Contemporary Chinese art documentary. All this and more...
Work hard, and make dreams come true.
RJW
