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Media This Month: Digital disruption in one rural library in Kansas means the creation of a population segment without sufficient access. (Read this blog on our site.)
Northwest Corner: If we told you about a tragic flood that took a horrendous toll on a minority population, you might think we were talking about current events. But an old story of social injustice and tragedy has been resurrected by a collaboration of libraries and citizens, with surprisingly powerful public response. (Read this story on our site.)
- Scott Spicer's article about video integration in University of Minnesota classrooms might be something to pass around. (Link to the article.)
- This Library Journal article about the results of this year's streaming survey (sponsored by Swank Motion Pictures) is fascinating and has the added benefit of a quote by Hofstra Librarian Sarah McCleskey. (Read the whole article.)
At the Market: Many exciting things are about to happen at NMM2017: Old friends and colleagues will get together with new acquaintances. Professional development sessions will feature nationally known experts and enterprising local innovators. The exhibitors comprise a stellar list of North America's best educational media companies. (New sizzle reels available!) But now that we've announced the three finalists for the Best in Show Award, we're going a little nuts having to wait to see who the winner is.
The judges know, but they're not telling. (Oh, believe me, we've tried to get it out of them with the usual assortment of bribes. Curséd integrity!) So, in order to continue with relatively normal life, we've had to learn to distract ourselves in creative, healthy ways.
To start with, we're obsessively poring over the finalists' sites for tantalizing information. For example:
Last Men in Aleppo (Grasshopper Film) has won over a dozen prizes, including Grand Jury Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival. Director Firas Fayyad has won previous awards for his death-defying filmmaking in Syria and other war-torn parts of the Middle East - and you thought you had a rough drive to work.
Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World (Kino Lorber EDU) has been rocking audiences and winning awards from Sundance to Hot Docs with the revelation that many of the most influential and respected people in American music were and are, yes, Native Americans. And, hey - why didn't we already know that?
Ghosts of Our Forests (Cinema Guild) proves once again that Central African pygmies are among the world's most downtrodden indigenous people and also some of the most irrepressible. Young and already prolific director Daniel Roher loves a challenge (check out his Hot Docs interview on Youtube) and has also made a film about a guy who swallowed a human toe. In a cocktail.
That quells our insanity for a while, but when it returns, we go to the website of the Best in Show venue, the Northwest Film Center in Portland. They exhibit, they teach, they nurture new filmmakers - what don't they do? And it's a huge privilege to show our winning film in a legendary venue that hosts five film festivals a year.
If you like film the way we like film, you'll be on pins and needles until we get to the big night!
Explore our website - see what's included with your registration. Remember, our host hotel includes complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast buffet and evening reception with your stay.
