Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Wild and Scenic: Standing room only...

Photo: Elise and Jesse interview OnePine and Kevin during the Wild and Scenic Environmental film festival in Nevada City, CA. The Live/Webcast interview can be seen on our Facebook fanpage...

Judy reluctantly stayed home to pack for our upcoming move. OnePine met me in Nevada City to represent our film...and I'm so glad she came to California. What a perfect place to show it. Lots of mature flower children now living in Nevada County who've moved there from the San Francisco Bay Area...(ca. 2 hours from Berkeley). "A hotbed of Progressives" Skeeter called it. Also Home to Kerouac Pal and Beat Poet/Icon, Gary Snyder. (Who through a mutual friend has a copy of our film.)

I was initially a little concerned that because of our very early scheduled screening at 9:30 on a Sunday morning, we might have trouble attracting a crowd...But it turned out to be an overflow crowd of over 200 with standing room only! Wow. That was a relief and to hear such genuine enthusiasm and laughter from the audience throughout the screening was a delight.

They really were moved and taken with our story and there was obvious excitement when the lights came up and the crowd saw OnePine. She had a great time at the festival...and was thrilled to have her oldest daughter, Yava and husband in attendance. They were proudly introduced to the crowd who hung on OnePine's every word...

"All the women in the Ladies Room were talking up your film" another filmmaker told me.
That's a good sign, I said. And it is. Women really relate to our film. Men love it too but there's
so much intimacy that's shared during the film that other women so identify with.

It was great to have OnePine to share the excitement and warmth of Wild and Scenic.
She's a terrific spokesperson for our film, enjoys coming out and meeting new audiences, is completely herself and comfortable with people..and they feel that and it comes right back.

Finally, I want to acknowledge our Wild and Scenic hosts for their warmth, generosity, tight organization and execution of the festivals dizzing details and demands...and for making us feel welcome, honored and important while we were there. You guys rock. Right down to the volunteers who drove us an hour each way to and from the Sacramento Airport.

To my wonderful home away from home, Sandra Rockman and her husband Tony for letting me stay with them during the fest...fed me home-made granola and yogurt, got me there on time, told me family stories...Really made me feel like family. It was a pleasure being with you!

Next up: The Sebastapol Documentary Film Festival in Sebastapol, CA. (March 5-7th)

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Fest: Jan 15-17th



We're very excited to be a part of America's largest Environmental film festival!
Three days of Eco-minded films in Northern California's Nevada City should make for a ton of Green-minded fun, films and networking.

135 films, 8 theaters, 500 volunteers, free workshops
and their mission:
"Using film to inspire activism"

Check out the Wild and Scenic film listings here.
Wild and Scenic

And...If you have friends or family in the Sacramento, Chico, Lake Tahoe, Nevada City area, drop them an email or send them to our website...As usual, we want to show to a full house!

Thanks everyone for an incredible 2009...here's to an even better 2010.
More to come....

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Santa Fe Film Festival: Great Buzz, Great time, New Fans and lots of Salsa!!


Santa Fe was cold outside (8 degress!) but warm inside the festival theaters which screened about 150 films over 4 days. Back to the Garden made good press coverage locally:
a mention on the local NPR station's morning show, a short write up on opening day of the festival in the Sante Fe New Mexican Newspaper and a nice plug in the Albuquerque Arts Magazine too! (check it out)



Our film had great visability during the festival and we gave away a bunch of DVD's to filmmakers and fans to share...planting seeds.

We had two packed showings at the De Vargas Cinemas with very warm audience response at both screenings.

Next Stop: The Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival (Nevada City, California) January 15-17th...

Thanks to all of you who generously responded to our email request to visit our Santa Fe film listing and helped give us some major "Buzz" during the festival weekend. It was a huge help with over 250 responses!

We love you!!

Friday, December 4, 2009

"Garden" receives a FIVE STAR review in Portland's Willamette Weekly


photo: Phil Borges 2008

Portland's venerable Willamette Week Newspaper
rates "Back to the Garden" with Five Stars on eve of it's first theatrical run...anywhere.

The Clinton Street Theater, the oldest art house cinema in Portland is screening "Back to the Garden" for a special one-week run...

send your PTD friends over...If it does well, they're willing to extend the run. Cool!

click on the links above to read the entire review...


Monday, November 30, 2009

Santa Fe Film Festival: December 2-6, 2009


Heaven Scent Films announces:

the Southwest Premiere of

the award-winning new documentary


Back to the Garden

Flower Power Comes Full Circle

www.backtothegardenfilm.com


screening at the

Santa Fe Film Festival

www.santafefilmfestival.com


Thursday, December 3, 2009 at DeVargas 2 Theater *

Friday, December 4, 2009 at DeVargas 3 Theater *



A new Feature documentary which asks the Question,

Where have all the 'Flowers' gone?


Take a trip back to the remote wilds of Washington State, meet a community of off-grid, back to the land hippies who dropped-out of the American mainstream in the 1970’s.

In 1988, The filmmaker met and interviewed this thriving tribal community and now, 20 years later, returns to find out what’s become of their lives, their families and their dreams of environmental utopia.


Official Selection in 10 International Film Festivals

World Premier: Seattle International Film Festival

WINNER : Best of Washington film Award 2009


Come join us, tell your friends,

burn some sage….


* Filmmakers Kevin Tomlinson and Judy Kaplan will attend

and will host a question & answer session following the film.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Giant Crowd greets Garden Guests in Olywood fest screening.

Olympia Crew: (l-r) Kevin, Judy, Tomas, Harvey, Ginny and OnePine.
(photo: Deborah Vester)

Busking our DVD's...at the Capitol Theater following "Back to the Garden's" screening at the 26th Annual Olympia Film Festival November 8th.
(photo: Deborah Vester)


Olympia Film Festival (November 6-14th) celebrated its 26th Anniversary this year in the historic grand old Capitol Theater... our film was not only a great fit here but also created a lot of local buzz. Our 3:30 Screening was delayed due to the long line of people still waiting in the ticket line. An excited crowd of 400 waited patiently inside while Harvey Swanson and Tomas Caton performed on Guitar and Mandolin many of Harvey's songs from the BTTG soundtrack. We were padding time to get everyone to their seats before rolling the film.

We had the best time with all the old Okanogan friends who came over to gather and play music the night before at Ginny's...So good to have spent time getting to know Ginny, Tibor, Tikva, Avi and girlfriend, Tosi, Eden, Tomas and Brenda...and so many more! Thanks so much for coming out to support our film Olympia!

Many thanks to Shade Rupe, the OFF film programmer extrordinare and to Phil Rollins of Olympia's hipster haven, The Archibald Sisters, for putting up our poster in their display window and being the official sponsor of our film!



Sunday, November 1, 2009

OLYMPIA FILM FESTIVAL screens "Back to the Garden" Nov. 8th, 3:30pm

Capitol Theater...home of the Olympia Film Festival

Come out and join us at the 26th Annual Olympia Film Festival at the venerable, historic Capitol Theater (206-5th Ave. SE) smack dab in the middle of downtown Oly...We want to also thank our Olympia sponsor, the Archibald Sisters for making a special display in their store window and supporting independent film! Thank you!!


Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Bendfilm fest: huge buzz and capacity crowds deliver rave reviews for "Garden"

Bend film Festival happy snaps: (l-R) OnePine, Judy, Deborah Vester & Kevin

Lean and Mean "Garden" crew: Kevin (director/producer), Tim Cash (editor) & Judy Kaplan (producer)

Radio Interview at KPOV in Bend: Brad (interviewer), Tim & Kevin...Plugging "Back to the Garden, Flower Power comes full circle" for this half hour local radio interview show...


There was no shortage of local 'buzz' surrounding our film at Bend with a tremendous outpouring of emotion at the Saturday morning show. The Festival committee had scheduled "Garden" for a single showing but following the huge turnout immediately booked a second show during the 'best of fest' screenings on Sunday.

"Back to the Garden" narrowly missed receiving the Bendfilm Audience Award falling just a few votes short to place second overall. Yikes!!

We had the awesome company of our friends and main subjects of our film: OnePine and Deborah Vester (who drove 6 hours plus down from Chesaw and Bellevue, WA.) along with local Bend filmmaker/editor Tim Cash and his wife Yuvia and 2 sons at the screening.

Big hugs and Kisses to the Bendfilm staff who made us feel like 'VIP' Filmmakers all weekend!
A HUGE thanks to our Bendfilm hosts Steve and Judy McCoy who taxied us all over, fed us and made the whole weekend such a pleasure.

Local News coverage:

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Ellensburg Film Fest loves our 'Garden'... bestows "Best of Washington" film prize

Special Ellensburg FF Guests: (l-R) Deborah Vestor, Judy Kaplan, OnePine & Harvey Swanson (singer-songwriter whose music graces the "Garden" soundtrack.

(l-R) Cousin Tere Van Hulle, Judy & Kevin and new friends from Ellensburg.


(l-R) Kevin & Judy and new friend Mary Makins of Ellensburg.

all photos: Mary Makins

SEE Feature article in Yakima Herald Newspaper:

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Closer to home: Film Fest screenings in Washington/Oregon:

photo: davis freeman

October/November "Back to the Garden..." schedule

Ellensburg Film Fest:
Screening October 4th, (Sunday) at 10am
Recital Hall on CWSC campus
http://www.ellensburgfilmfestival.com/index.html


Bend Film Fest:
screening October 10th, (Saturday) at 10am
Regal Cinema 5
http://www.bendfilm.org/2009-festival/default.aspx


Olympia Film Fest:

Screening November 8th, Sunday, 3:30 pm
At the Historic Capitol Theater
http://www.olympiafilmfestival.org/movies/back-to-the-garden/

Come out and join us and tell your friends to come!

You're supporting independent filmmaking and helping us get the story out to the public.
We really want to fill the house,
I can tell you, it makes a huge difference in the response.

See you there!

Tel Aviv wraps with sold out screening.

(photo: L-R, Judy, Kevin, Harsita Eshel (Festival Director), Anameika Eshel (co-director) and Israeli filmmaker, Yael who presented a film about the Rainbow movement in Israel.)
photo: courtesy of Yohan Segev, Tel Aviv

We were humbled by the turnout and the overwhelming response to our second screening in Tel Aviv. Many commented about how inspired and moved they were by the film's characters and their life struggles.

There were questions about whether our film has distribution or not (We're currently self-distributing ) and whether it will show on Television (we're working on it after it shows at a few more fests). Many young 20-somethings came up to us and told us how they'd been thinking about the film all day, how hopeful the stories are and that they were considering moving up to the north of Israel to grow their own food and change life directions.

One of the members of our audience was NBC News' Middle East correspondent, Martin Fletcher and his wife (who both LOVED the film). Martin is one of NBC's icons (30 years in Israel) and is a huge plus in getting a possible Israeli documentary channel introduction.

More comments:
"I walked out with my heart smiling"..."If the music soundtrack were available on CD, I'd buy it !"

Friday, September 11, 2009

Tel Aviv Spiritual fest draws big crowd.

Opening Night 'Spirit' was in the house at the Beautiful Cineamatheque.

Spreading the gospel of 'the Garden' in the holy land.


Official guests with festival founder/director and sage burning Spiritual shaman, Harsita Eshel.


Lobby entrance...can you spot our poster?


Tel Aviv news stand...Beauty and the Benny.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Tel Aviv Spiritual Film Festival to screen "Back to the Garden" on September 11th and 12th!

We are the guests of the Tel Aviv Spiritual Film Fest. We are so excited to go to Israel...we've never been there.

This is a film fest that particularly honors the spiritual theme which runs throughout "Back to the Garden..." We're especially curious to witness an Israeli audience response to our story of the American dream set in the Back-to-the-land community of rural Washington State.

For more about what kind of International spiritual films we'll be rubbing shoulders with, check this out! Tel Aviv spiritual film fest 2009

We'll keep you posted on our screening direct from the middle east.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Happy snaps from Berlin

A light moment with German director, Michael Verhoeven and Judy at the Globians world and culture documentary film festival in Berlin. August 12-17

Kino Toni: home cinema to the Globians world and culture documentary festival in Berlin. The Theater has been completely renovated, having been in operation during the cold war. It is now owned by the German film director, Michael Verhoeven : The Nasty Girl, The Unknown Soldier, O.K., Mother's Courage and The White Rose (academy award nominee for best foreign film).

Our generous Berlin friends put on a special BBQ for us! We're standing on the top of the Teufelsberg with the city in the background...

Filmmakers lunch during the festival...all 'Global' indie documentary filmmakers from Brazil, USA, Canada, Spain and Germany...Thanks to our festival host, Joachim Polzer we made new friends and talked shop throughout the fest.

On Alexanderplatz, Center of Berlin awaiting our premier at the Globians World and Culture Documentary film festival in the German capitol...
August 12-17th

30 years ago I lived in 'West' Berlin (before the wall was torn down). The hand-colored photograph I'm holding was taken in 1979 not far from this same spot (near The Brandenburg Gate).

What a dream to return to a reunited, thriving Berlin with a film. Flower power comes full circle indeed. Some kind of serendipity too...We showed our film on the 40th anniversary of Woodstock (almost to the day!) and this year (2009) marks the 20th anniversary of the Wall coming down. Was our return to Berlin meant to be?