OK, Hillary-in-mourning folks: Change the channel in your head! Last night for KIFF film festival, Glenwood Arts/Ranchmart. "Dying of the Light", Eagle Huntress, KIFF local shorts or The Kandidat, thriller about a Slovakian Presidential campaign!

All over town, I find folks in mourning for Hillary's loss.

To gain perspective, here's how to change the channel in your head.  Come to the final night of this town's best film festival, Kansas International Film Festival.  At Ranchmart South, 95th & Mission.

Here are my picks:

5:25  Dying of the Light
          (No, it's not about the meltdown of the Democratic party!!!)  It's an excellent documentary about the fact that movies (and cameras) are now all going electronic--being made digitally, without the special qualities afforded by photochemical film.  This compares to the paintings of The Masters being no longer painted in oil.  It's a funeral for the past.  See how I related it to the thoughts on instant replay in your head???

OR--
5:30pm  The Eagle Huntress
          This is a sneak preview, and will have more screenings, starting around December.  A 13 year old girl in Mongolia becomes the first female in her family's centuries' old tradition of hunting, using giant golden eagles, atop horseback.  In deep snow.  On the steppes of Mongolia.  Which is really really hard to do!!!!  Harder than being paid to be a protester on the Country Club Plaza.  You'll see some of the best cinematography ever captured on film.  Stop feeling sorry about America!  Stop being afraid.  This might be the perfect film for you--and any brainwashed children who are crying today!!!  Stop watching TV news networks and liar-for-hire pollsters try to explain how they quit reporting and actually tweeted out insults and campaigned rather than reporting on our elections!!

Then
7:30 pm: KIFF Local #2
           See seven short films made by local filmmakers.  Maybe discover the next Steven Spielberg!

Getty image.  Melania is from Slovenia, not Slovakia, where KIFF film The Kandidat was filmed... but still--it's about a maniuplative Presidential campaign!  Art imitates life???  ps, I HAVE NO IDEA WHY SHE ALWAYS SQUINTS.

OR--
7:35pm:  The Kandidat
             A cynical black humor thriller, takes place in Slovakia during a presidential campaign.   Based on a novel about a manipulative game of promoting an unknown into the Presidency of a country.  Go figure:  Art imitating life!!!  This is why KIFF is such a terrific film festival.
 Ironically, and no part of this film, Slovakia is right next door to Slovenia, the home country of our next First Lady--Melania Trump!!!  (I guess we have four years to figure that one out.)

 For more details, see www.kansasfilm.org

Great food at KIFF cafe--I love Chef Kat Irons' special curried chicken salad on croissant with Sun Chips...

HOT TICKETS! Win 2 free tickets to meet Ed Asner, Sunday night 5pm at KIFF/Ks Intl Film Festival, Glenwood Arts, Ranchmart South, 95th & Mission. See his doc: "My Friend, Ed."

KCK's loveable hometown movie star, Ed Asner, (aka Lou Grant on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, plus 101 other roles on film and TV), will be our town's version of Robert Redford at Sundance--at the 16th annual KIFF/Kansas International Film Festival running now thru Nov. 10.

About "My Friend, Ed":
Sunday, Nov. 6   one showing only!  5:05pm    

Special Events:
3:30 to 4:15pm            Autograph Party   (one item per person)
4:15 to 4:30pm            Media Interviews
4:30 pm                       Seating for the one showing.  
                                   Festival passes seated first, 
                                    {$60/see 18 possible films in one week. 
                                    Fri. Nov. 4-10 plus mingle all week: attend 2
                                    exclusive parties with filmmakers and stars}

5:05 pm                       Screening of "My Friend, Ed"
                                    55 min. documentary
6p-6:30pm                   QandA: Ed Asner; daughter Liza Asner, and 
                                   Sharon Baker, Director/Writer 

Tony is helping me and my favorite local film festival give away free tickets to selected films this year.
To win, send me a polite request via comment (not on Tonyskansascity but on www.jocopost.com).
You may log on, or click the link Tony provides, or click this blog in the RH column of Tonys site.

I will need your name and email address and phone number--so you can't just be anonymous.  Since I screen all comments first, I won't publish your info, just use it to see if I can score you two free tickets.

I will give away as many tickets as I can.
This one will be VERY popular.
If you win, I will immediately send you the form, and notify the Will Call Desk at the Glenwood Arts.  I will also let you know if you did not win FREE tix, but encourage you to buy them early, as they are selling FAST.
Winners will take your Confirmation Email (print out or just show your phone) to the Will Call in the vast underground theatre lobby Ranchmart South to pick up your tickets.  (You may park on the 95th St. side and walk down the 20 steps, or park in back, off 95th Ter. just east of Mission Rd.)
You may also buy extra tickets there --if it's not sold out.  Goin' fast!

Each of the 35 FULL LENGTH films at this year's KIFF film festival ONLY AIRS ONCE!!!
Tickets are not exchangeable for another film.  Five different indie films (docs, narratives or animations) are screened in the five auditoriums, one time only, at any given time.   Audience members vote on their favorites, to earn additional showings in the future.

This year a record number of filmmakers and performing artists are flying in for the festival.  It's a big deal in the independent film world.  The stars and producers will be partying in Westport, and mingling with fans and other movie producers at the Glenwood Arts, at the KIFF Cafe, where Kat Irons prepares gourmet food.  Paparazzi welcome.  So chew your curry chicken salad on croissant with your mouth closed--please!!!

In addition, KIFF President Brian Mossman has arranged for Sneak Previews one time only of three highly anticipated films that will not open for general release until Christmas!:
Friday, Nov. 4  "Jackie"     7:30pm  one screening only.  Stars Natalie Portman,
                                            drama, Jacqueline Kennedy AFTER JFK was assassinated

Sat, Nov. 5        "Lion"         4:45pm one screening only.  Stars Dev Patel.  True story.
                                              Six year old Hindu boy jumps train, can't get home.
                                              Adopted in Australia.  25 years later, uses Google Earth
                                              to view every train station in India.  Mom???

Sun. Nov. 6       "Neruda"    7:15pm, one screening only.  Right after Asner.
                                             An inspector hunts down Nobel Prize Laureate,
                                             fugitive Chilean poet Pablo Neruda.
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The KIFF Festival is the best in Kansas City--like going to Cannes or Sundance, only you can still get tickets!  Independent films, animations, shorts and the three studio sneaks.

For details, go to www.kansasfilm.com

Here's the complete Ed Asner press release/bio

For more offers of free tickets, and info about the great indie films at KIFF, see our sister site: www.KcmoPost.com