This fall the Free Range Film Barn is hosting a visual art! Field Trials II features the work of Catherine Meier and Kristina Estell. The two artists will use the space as a lab space for the generation and exhibition of new work. In agricultural terms, field trials offer farmers the opportunity to see how new practices might be adapted and to closely observe how these management decisions might function on a larger scale. Farmers as well as artists try to minimize failure yet innovation and creativity often comes from taking risks and exploring new ideas. Field Trials II offers a space for artists and audiences to invite chance and wild growth into the artistic process.
Catherine
Meier explores the meaning of “open space” through animation, site-specific
installations, and large-scale prints and drawings. Representing a state of
mind as well as a state of being, these expansive works are redolent of the
artist’s own travels crossing the Great Plains of North America and the Mongolian
Steppe where her experience of freedom and boundlessness also fueled feelings
of fear and paranoia. Meier has shown her work in gallery and museum settings
in the Midwest, South, and Japan, at film festivals, and in the very landscapes
that gave rise to her drawings. She has a BFA in Studio Art from the University
of Nebraska, Lincoln, and an MFA from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Most recently, she was an Artist in Residence at Badlands National Park in
South Dakota, and her awards include a national Jacob K. Javits Fellowship for
Graduate study, three from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, and a McKnight
Visual Artist Fellowship.
Kristina Estell uses daily encounters with natural and constructed environments to generate ideas of implicit action and reaction. Using a variety of processes and materials, Estell creates sculpture, installation, interactive and watercolor works that generate sensitive and dynamic material experiences. She exhibits and participates in creative projects nationally and internationally.
PLEASE NOTE: We programmed four films with exclamation points this year! That was not intentional!
Friday Evening, June 29
7pm
TERRITORY! (3m)
Meow! A line has been drawn and you can’t cross it. Directed by Kittytron Churro and Zoltron Monsieur.
IN OUR WORLD (2m)
Witches are evil. Ghosts are evil. Fire girl is evil. Directed by Kyja Kristjansson-Nelson.
JESSZILLA (7m)
Jesselyn Silva is a monster in the ring. And she’s only 10 years old! Directed by Emily Sheskin.
LESSONS FROM EXES (11m)
The title of this anthology film is also a three-word short story. Directed by Misti Boland, Lyn Elliot, Meg Jamieson, Caitlin Horsmon, Mary C. Taylor.
MY DEAD DAD’S PORNO TAPES (14m)
By Charlie Tyrell
How does a stack of poorly hidden VHS tapes define a person? Directed by Charlie Tyrell.
MINI MOGUL MASTERS MUD MENAGERIE (5m)
The greatest movie ever made is in an empty case. Directed by John Akre.
THE LAST WINDOW SHOW (4m)
Chris Monroe makes the last window show for Treehouse Records. Directed by John Akre.
GRANDPA BEN (20m)
Benjamin Vickery Jr. can seriously carve. And paint. And draw. Directed by Justin Christopher Ayd.
SAUL’S 108th STORY (6m)
Saul was a teenager who wanted to hang out with his friends. Something else happened. Directed by Joshua Carlon.
BREAK
Music by Maple & Beach
9:30pm
LUNA (2m)
People on the moon are clearly dog people. Directed by Yi Rong Jhong.
RODENTS OF UNUSUAL SIZE (71m)
This movie should be subtitled: “Large Semi-Aquatic Beaverlike Rodents with Giant Orange Teeth.” Or: “Why I Live Up North.” Directed by Chris Metzler, Jeff Springer, Quinn Costello
Saturday Afternoon, June 30
2pm
AQUARIUM (6m)
The gorgeous underwater videography in this film will not remind you of Kevin Costner’s Waterworld. Directed by Stephanie Maxwell.
FIRE & LIGHT (11m)
A documentary about fire juggling?! Don’t try this at home. Or near the barn. Directed by Dana Johnson.
PAULETTE IN PARIS (17m)
This is like the origin story of Batman and Robin, except Batman is a pickpocket and Robin is a young girl. Directed by Isabelle Metcalf.
BLOB’S ADVENTURE (4m)
Poor Blob has quite a time of it. Directed by Beth Peloff.
JUST COFFEE (11m)
By Matt Dressel
11 minutes
How far can one man take a diner’s free refill policy? Directed by Matt Dressel.
TAKE THE DOG FOR A WALK! (6m)
When was the last time you stumbled upon a portal to the spirit world while walking the dog? Directed by Emily McNeill.
EGG EATING CHICKEN (4m)
Think about that title for a second. Directed by Rachel Yurkovich.
KINDERCHOMPER (17m)
Clutch is just a simple baby-eater looking for dinner. Directed by Mike Scholtz.
NORTH POLE, NY (69m)
This story of a Christmas theme park in New York is on the nice list. Directed by Ali Cotterill.
Saturday Evening, June 30
7pm
CIRCUS (2m)
This is how your brain remembers the circus. Directed by Lindsay Greer.
BIG BROWN’S TV SLAP-DOWN! (1m)
TV is not always good for “friendships.” Directed by Cable Hardin.
IT’S GOTTA BE IN YA! (6m)
A concrete park is saved from annihilation! Directed by Kara Mulrooney.
SILICONE SOUL (71m)
Relationships with real human beings can be hard. Here’s an alternative… Directed by Melody Gilbert
BREAK
Music by Portrait of a Drowned Man
9:30pm
SUNSCAPADES (6m)
Always wear sunscreen. Directed by Ben Mitchell.
HUS (2m)
If that Sunday morning real estate show Homes by Edmunds was any good, it would look like this: lots and lots of houses. By Kyja Kristjansson-Nelson
306 HOLLYWOOD (95m)
A brother and sister treat their late grandmother’s house like an archaeological excavation to search for the life that remains in the objects we leave behind. Directed by Elan & Jonathan Bogarin.
Please note that the festival is now happening the last weekend in June. And from now on, it will always be the last weekend in June. Unfortunately, July weekends are a busy time out here in Farmland and this just works better for the hard-working volunteers at your favorite barn-based film festival.
* All films with an asterisk will be followed by a filmmaker Q&A
FRIDAY EVENING 7pm
CATHERINE (12m)
Cat ownership can be difficult. Directed by Britt Raes.
*THE LEGEND OF CYRIL (3m)
Cat ownership can be beautiful. Directed by Beth Peloff.
SCIENCE TODAY: THE TRUMP PARTICLE (3m)
Trump stumped scientists… until now. Directed by John Akre.
*DEMOLITION DREAMING (52m)
The Minneapolis Gateway District according to the girl in the walls. Directed by John Akre.
HI STRANGER (3m)
Hi stranger. It’s been a while. I’ve missed you. Directed by Kirsten Lepore.
IT SHOULD BE EASY (2m)
Computer ownership can be dangerous. Directed by Ben Meinhardt.
*ON THE WALL, OFF THE CHAIN (7m)
Artist Adam Turman is also a gentleman cyclist. Directed by Greg Carlson
ALL THE PRESIDENTS’ HEADS (9m)
All of our presidents are cement heads. Directed by Adam Roffman.
PERFECTLY NORMAL (13m)
We are all normal in some way. Directed by Joris Debeij.
***** BREAK with music ****
FRIDAY EVENING 9:30pm
BIRDLIME (11m)
The exotic bird industry in heartbreaking stop-motion. Directed by Evan DeRushie.
FRY DAY (16m)
An adolescent girl comes of age thanks to Polaroid photography and the execution of Ted Bundy. Directed by Laura Moss.
LITTLE POTATO (14m)
Imagine growing up gay in the Soviet Union with limited television options. Directed by Wes Hurley.
TOUGH (5m)
Some cultural misunderstanding can only be understood with maturity. Directed by Jennifer Zheng.
ELECTION NIGHT (8m)
The 2016 election takes a turn for the worse at a London pub. Directed by Ryan Scafuro.
REFUGE (20m)
Captivating interviews with refugees arriving in Greece. Directed by Matthew Firpo.
SATURDAY AFTERNOON 2pm
CONDITIONER (5m)
Auditions for a conditioner TV spot get wonky. Directed by Shane Bream.
UNTAMED WORLD: DESERTS (4m)
An intimate look at desert fauna. Directed by Kelsey Juddo.
GUT HACK (13m)
This guy eats poop to feel better. Directed by Laura Heberton.
LINGUA ABSENTIA (10m)
This is difficult to watch because it involves animation of severed tongues. But it is worth it. Directed by Kate Raney & Jeremy Bessoff.
LIFE AT A SNAIL’S PACE (23m)
Snails are surprisingly fascinating creatures, and pretty too. Directed by Alexandra Gaulupeau
THE SEVENTH STAGE OF GRIEF (14m)
These guys think climate change is real! Directed by Jacob Rosdail.
*MANLIFE (94m)
The secret to a healthy life? Eat raw vegetables, abolish income tax, and go to airshows. Directed by Ryan Sarnowski.
SATURDAY EVENING 7pm
BLOOP’S BIRTHDAY (4m)
What did you get Bloop for her birthday? Directed by Julian Glander.
*WALK IN DREAMS (5m)
Edgar Allen Poe says “All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.” Directed by Jonathan Thunder.
BACK TO ABSTRACTION (10m)
Stacy Elaine Dacheux travels back to the future to explore abstraction. Directed by Matthew Quezada.
AMEN (10m)
Adam is 11 and he is a messenger from God. Directed by Marie-Helene Viens and Philippe Lupien.
PENELOPE (13m)
A couple rescues a chicken from an Orthodox Jewish ceremony in Brooklyn. Directed by Duncan Skiles.
IMAGINE KOLLE 37 (8m)
Two carefree young girls laugh in the face of danger. Directed by Michele Meek.
*IN THE SKIP DISTANCE (9m)
A young girl alone in the wilderness finds some analog technology. Directed by Emily McNeill
TOMMY AND DAVID (5m)
Michelangelo’s David does not feel inadequate. Directed by Sara Joe Wolansky.
THE COLLECTION (12m)
Two friends find the holy grail of movie memorabilia in the unlikeliest of places. Directed by Adam Roffman.
THE SCARLET WHALE (15m)
A whale hunter becomes what he hunts. Directed by Jimmy Cho.
ARKABUTLA (14m)
There are certain moments in our lives where we make memories for life. Directed by Katori Hall.
*** BREAK with music by Portrait of a Drowned Man ***
SATURDAY EVENING 9:30pm
OH WHAT A WONDERFUL FEELING (15m)
Stars, hide your fires; let not light see my black and deep desires. Nor any truck. Directed by Francois Jaros.
*WHAT CHILDREN DO (87m)
Two estranged sisters are forced to repair their feral relationship. Directed by Dean Peterson.
Free Associates
An animated treatise on the right of free association, the best right of all. Directed by John Akre (3 minutes)
A Perfect Record
Search for the ideal vinyl with the founder of the Fargo Record Fair. Directed by Greg Carlson (7 minutes)
Bacon & God’s Wrath
A 90-year-old Jewish woman reflects on her life as she tries bacon for the first time ever. Directed by Sol Friedman (9 minutes)
A Letter to My Son
Duluth designer Tommy Kronquist writes a letter to his son. Directed by Tommy Kronquist and Passenger Films (4 minutes)
Canine Freestyle with Patie and Sassy
A woman and her beloved dog show off their fancy choreographed dance moves. Directed by Jen Gross and Josh Gross (3 minutes)
Pickle
A celebration of our capacity to care for all creatures. Even a fish who can’t swim and lives on a sponge. Directed by Amy Nicholson (15 minutes)
They Crawl Amongst Us!
A stop-motion documentary about life in New York City — as told by its creepy-crawlies. Directed by Sihanouk Mariona (13 minutes)
Skips Stones for Fudge
Enter the high stakes world of competitive stone skipping. Where winning means glory. And also fudge. Directed by Ryan Seitz (52 minutes)
9:30pm BLOCK
Forever Professor
A psychologist who is obsessed with time owns, not coincidentally, the world’s largest collection of talking clocks. Directed by Mika Johnson (32 minutes)
Alternate
After a long day of reality, Philip wants to surf through some alternatives. Directed by Conor Holt (4 minutes)
Cat Bird Coyote
Freak accident in stark laboratory frees animal! Directed by Amy Raasch (3 minutes)
This Video Is Harmless
It’s possible this entire movie takes place in the mind of a dog. Possible. But not likely. Directed by John Kelley (3 minutes)
Something About Silence
“You are here because you are boring. Let the audio-visual experience sink into your subconscious in order to become more exciting and fashionable.” Directed by Patrick Buhr (13 minutes)
Count
Nosferatu, driven by his quenchless thirst for blood… goes to a costume party! Directed by Jesse Larson (11 minutes)
The Eve
Santa Claus plus murder equals one crazy bananas movie. Directed by Luca Machnich (20 minutes)
Saturday, July 30
2pm BLOCK
Some Days Are Bug Days
Poor Junebug. She’s having another one of those days: A bug day. Directed by Mary C. Taylor (3 minutes)
STO[NE]S
This is exactly the sort of short film you might’ve seen on Sesame Street in the 70s. Which is the highest compliment we can give a film. Directed by Marcin Gizycki (3 minutes)
Balloon Cat
How one cat learned to fly. Directed by Michael Cerminara (4 minutes)
Growing Good Bugs
A movie about growing good bugs. Was that not clear from the title? Directed by Julie Philips (3 minutes)
In the Waves
The beginning of life as seen through a microscope. But animated. Directed by Ying-Fang Shen (6 minutes)
The Mountain Funeral
An Appalachian funeral in the mountains of Iceland. Directed by Jonathan Johnson (6 minutes)
A Cup of Coffee & Pieces of Wood
Old Scandinavians have got it figured out: Life is nothing more than good coffee, nice scenery and a little bit of romance. Directed by Andreas Gejke.
13 minutes
Who Stole the Ruby Slippers?
Somebody stole the ruby slippers from the Judy Garland Museum in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. Was it you? Directed by Theodore James (12 minutes)
Henny’s Opus in B Minor
A classical musician struggles with aging and dementia. But she still has Bach. Directed by Andrea Conte (5 minutes)
The Liberators
Missing Nazi treasure finally turns up in a small Texas town. Because, of course it does. Directed by Cassie Hay (74 minutes)
7pm BLOCK
Scratchorama
Cameraless animation in extreme widescreen set to “Jungelaya” by Los Straightjackets. Directed by Robert Lyons (3 minutes)
Honeycomb Hideout
Rob Berry has a lot of cereal boxes. Like, A LOT of cereal boxes. Directed by Brian Barber and Paul Lundgren (5 minutes)
Bright Spots
An animated portrait of scientist Nick Holmes and his work preventing extinctions on islands. Directed by Jilli Rose (8 minutes)
The Creature
Dr. Frankenstein brings her husband back to life… with unexpected results. Directed by Jesse Damazo (11 minutes)
The Itching
Your parents were right: Quit scratching that. Directed by Dianne Bellino (16 minutes)
Love Is: A Message from Uganda’s Gay and Transgender Community
Y’know, that is a very descriptive sub-title. Directed by Katie G. Nelson (3 minutes)
These C***sucking Tears
The man behind the world’s first gay-themed country music album, 40 years after its release. Directed by Dan Taberski (16 minutes)
My Friend the Trees
Silly drawings make for lifelong friends. Directed by John Akre (5 minutes)
LOVE
Visit a distant planet without ever leaving the comforts of the barn. Directed by Réka Bucsi (15 minutes)
The Champion
Chicago cab driver Estaifan Shilaita has a secret: He used to be an Iraqi boxing champion. Directed by Brett Garamella and Patrick McGowan (18 minutes)
9:30pm BLOCK
Getting Away With It
In 1970, war photographer Don McCullin’s camera stopped a bullet. Today, the Society for Ontofabulatory Research asks: “What? Really?” Directed by Adam O’Meara (6 minutes)
Nuts!
John Brinkley cures impotence with goat testicle implants. And that’s just for starters. Directed by Penny Lane (79 minutes)
