“Traces of the Trade” – Sat., Oct. 25, Lowell National Park Visitor Center, 246 Market Street.
1pm – Walking tour of Downtown Lowell to establish the direct links between the Lowell mills and the slave South. Tour starts at the Lowell National Park Visitor Center, 246 Market Street.
2pm – Film screening with discussion to follow, moderated by UMass Lowell Professor Bob Forrant.
“Africa Unite“ – Sun., Oct. 26 at 5pm, Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center, 246 Market Street.
“Tom Dowd and the Language of Music“ – Sun., Nov. 2 at 5pm, UMass Lowell’s O’Leary Library, 61 Wilder Street (South Campus).
“Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey“ – Thur., Nov. 13 at 7pm, Pollard Memorial Library, 401 Merrimack Street.
“Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus“ – Sun., Dec. 7 at 2pm, Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center, 246 Market Street.
CONTACT:
Suzzanne Cromwell
Lowell Film Collaborative
p. 617-306-7556
chaucer868@earthlink.net
The Lowell Film Collaborative Brings Music on Film Series to Lowell
Lowell, MA – October 6, 2008 – The Lowell Film Collaborative (LFC) has partnered with Lowell organizations, including the African Cultural Association and the Moses Greeley Parker Lecture Series, to bring a series of free movie events to Lowell in the fall of 2008.
Beginning on October 26, the Music on Film series will consist of four music documentary films screened over a period of six weeks. Each screening will be accompanied by a guest speaker or musical performance related to the film in genre or subject. The series was funded in part by a grant from the Patrick J. Mogan Cultural Center and through its partnership with the Parker Lecture Series.
“There are a lot of independent film lovers in Lowell, and the Lowell Film Collaborative wants to reach those people,” said Suzzanne Cromwell, co-founder of the LFC and co-organizer of the Music on Film Series. “With these screenings, we hope to do more than just bring cinema to the Downtown area, but to pair films with lectures and performances that enhance each experience and make it a true event.”
The series begins on Sunday, October 26 at the Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center with a screening of Africa Unite, a 2008 film that follows the family of Bob Marley in their first-ever trip to Ethiopia in 2005 to commemorate Bob’s 60th birthday. The LFC teamed with the African Cultural Association of Lowell to host the screening, which begins at 5 p.m. and will include an introduction by UMass Lowell Professor Oliver Ibe.
A week later on Sunday, November 2, also beginning at 5 p.m., music lovers will have the chance to see the award-winning 2003 documentary Tom Dowd and the Language of Music at O’Leary Library on the UMass Lowell campus. Detailing the life of famed music producer and recording engineer Tom Dowd, the film will be followed by a Q&A session with Tom’s daughter Dana Dowd.
“Dana was instrumental in helping this film gain the success that it did five years ago,” said Music on Film Series co-organizer Brett Cromwell. “We are so excited to have her join us for this event, especially given the renowned music engineering program at UMass Lowell. I think we will have a great turnout of music students.”
Continuing on Thursday, November 13, the series brings Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey to the Pollard Memorial Library, beginning at 7 p.m. The documentary details the fascinating life of Leon Teremin, Russian inventor of the theremin, considered to be the first electronic instrument to make a lasting impression on the music industry. Kidnapped by Soviet agents and forced to work for the KGB, Teremin lived a life of great passion and mystery. The film will be followed by a live solo theremin performance and demonstration by Boston-area thereminist Jon Bernhardt.
The series concludes on Sunday, December 7 at 2 p.m. at the Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center with a performance by Northampton string band Appalachian Still. Following the performance will be a screening of Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus, a 2003 road film that follows alt-country musician Jim White on his quest to discover how and why the landscape and history of the South has had a profound effect on musicians and writers.
Events that make up the Music on Film Series are free and open to the public, but donations are accepted. Reservations and tickets are not available, and seating will be offered on a first come, first served basis. The Lowell Film Collaborative will continue to host film events in Lowell, especially locally made films, and will assist in coordinating the second annual Lowell Film Festival in April 2009. To access full details, submit film event ideas, or volunteer for an event, visit the Lowell Film Collaborative at www.lowellfilmcollaborative.org or email lowellfilmcollaborative@live.com.