Down at the jailhouse there's an old joke that begins, "How many prison guards does it take to push an inmate down the stairs?" Charles Bukowski surely knew the answer. The renowned American novelist, poet, artist and general miscreant spent most of his years on earth exploring our nation's underbelly and reporting back with devious prolificacy. When Bukowski said, "If you want to know who your friends are, get yourself a jail sentence," he was not being deliberately provocative, he was offering a commentary on the inconstancy of the human condition.

Exploring Bukowski's quote as a creative theme became the challenge that the Pueblo 24-Hour Film Festival coordinators leveled at the filmmakers of Pueblo. The film festival rules were relatively simple: entrants had 24 hours to shoot, edit and submit films based on the selected theme - this year, the quote from Bukowski. Eleven teams accepted that challenge, and the films submitted took viewers on a tour of Pueblo often unseen by those unfamiliar with Bukowski's dissolute terrain.

All entries were then screened publicly at the Impossible Playhouse, where a team of judges, including Caroline Peters, Assistant Professor of Contemporary Theory and Art History at CSU-Pueblo; Donny Archuleta Jr., film aficionado; and P.U.L.P.'s Art Director, Adam Gazzola, reviewed the entries.

Emcee Rebecca McGee managed the packed house. Awards were announced at the Downtown Bar after the screening.

After a nicely polished welcoming sequence by Mr. Gazzola, the viewing party opened with Last Call from Against All Odds Productions. The team included Mass Communication students from CSU-Pueblo. Sam Acar, one of the students behind the scenes of the film, said that working on the film "was a great experience. Something I'll never forget."

Bitch and Bull Productions in conjunction with Gypsy House Experience followed with Once Upon a Time in Pueblo (winner of the "Film That Makes Pueblo Look Cool" award), which offered a tour of some of Pueblo's favorite nightspots and delighted Ke$ha fans with repeated blasts of "TiK ToK." The film also offered a sobering reminder to fall asleep somewhere other than on top of your late-night breakfast pancakes.

True Friends: Friendship & Sacrifice came next, produced by M. Stinum Productions. This short film featured a highlight of the festival when two exhausted day laborers were paid for their efforts shoveling dirt all day with two cans of Natural Ice and an I.O.U.

Star Power and cool professionalism were showcased during the festival's fourth entrant, Bail Bond by the Flab Four. Not every film features our town's favorite weatherman (Craig Elliot, playing a city councilman) getting arrested by our town's favorite cop (Police Chief Jim Billings). The hero of this picture was the kindly custodian who finally bails the councilman from lock-up.

Many of the student participants from Last Call recognized the man behind Flab Four as the man behind their classroom podium: Samuel Ebersole, a professor of Mass Communications at CSU-Pueblo. Were the students able to overtake their master with their burgeoning cinematic excellence? Not this year. Bail Bond took home prizes for "Best Cinematography" and "Audience Choice."

"Best Interpretation of Theme" went to Some Friends by Little Effort, which left the audience in the dark - literally - for much of its run. The short film matched its flashes of Zippo lighter with flashes of humor to tell the tale of a cranky (and, some may argue, "Legendary") junkie locked in a closet and taunted by "friends" just outside the door. Cheers to Matt Garber for his "Best Performer" win for his closeted work.

Deep Waters by Kryiah Smith, was ineligible for awards because it was submitted after the strict deadline, but proved to be one of the event's highlights. This short delivered perhaps the most creative approach to the festival's theme. The lead character finds a piece of paper that reads: "This is a jail sentence!!!!!" and heads to his friend's house to discuss the implications of what he's found.

With only two characters, it was conversation-heavy. But if "Best Dialogue" had been a category (and if the film had been eligible), it certainly would have won.

Before the seventh film, The Crush by Salem Horror Films, began, the crowd enjoyed a 15-minute intermission with music, popcorn, and drinks available. Once back in their seats, the audience got a taste of Misery-style horror with a creepy stalker and an even creepier basement.

Celling Out by 10/28 Productions featured one of the largest casts in the festival and perhaps the oddest mix of elements, including casting for Dracula 3, dancing costumed figures, and an acoustic credit roll to David Bowie's "Starman."

Johnmark Wiley and Erica Espinosa, of Same Shit Different Day, brought us Twinkle Toes, in which we learn there are "no tacos in jail." In another festival highlight, the film segued into a court proceeding reenactment employing Star Trek action figures, a miniature Jesus, and a live rabbit that was funny enough, hopefully, to encourage future film teams to look at alternative ways of presenting their stories.

My Own Prison by Freestyle Films examined vigilante justice after a hit-and-run driver kills a little girl. Unlike most other contestants, Freestyle Films took more liberties with audio, lending their work an experimental sound that enhanced its impact. Maybe it was the sweet little girl who met her demise, or maybe it was the call for reason over "justice" at the film's end, but whatever the reason, My Own Prison went on to win the coveted "Best of Festival."

The last film featured, A True, and Very Profound Story by Polenta Productions, closed the festival with lively puppet theater that offered a low-tech payoff that vividly evoked Bukowski's words.

Overall, the festival was lively and fun, and many of the filmmakers are already excited about doing it again next year. "It was fun watching it all piece itself together," Thomas Mattarocci, a member of the Bitch and Bull team, said about their film. "It was a lot of fun, absent of the staying up until two or three in the morning...I'd do it again."

Tim Sparks from Freestyle Film agrees. "If you enjoy creating any form of art, you have to make time for it. Otherwise, you'll never get to it; and doing it is the only way to get better," he says.

But, as every poor sucker who's been bailed out of jail knows, sometimes you need help to get things done. Pueblo P.U.L.P., The Beat Pharm, The Impossible Playhouse, The Downtown Bar, Middle of Nowhere Event and Sound, and LastLeaf Printing, sponsored the film festival this year. Jarrett Pottery created the one-of-a-kind "Pulpie" awards for the winners.

So, how many guards does it take to push an inmate down the stairs? For those of you lucky enough to stay out of the slammer, the answer is easy: None. He tripped.

 

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Best of Festival

My Own Prison

Freestyle Films: Tim Sparks, Jayme Benabides, Matt Sparks, Chrissy Sparks, Ralph Benabides and Clint Stewart

Best Interpretation of the Theme

Some Friends

Little Effort: Matt Garber, Steven Seidner, Josh DiFatta, Krystle Hagen, Gennie Shanefelter and Sid Shanefelter

Best Cinematography

Bail Bond

The Flab Four: Samual Ebersole, Justin Bregar, Richard Joyce, and Sam Lovato

Film that Makes Pueblo Look Cool

Once Upon A Time In Pueblo

Bitch and Bull Productions and Gypsy House: Karen Foglesong and Lisa Conway

Best Performance

Matt Garber in Some Friends

Audience Choice

Bail Bond

Runners Up

The Crush

Salem Horror Films: Bryan Sisson, Tenni Shoe, Steve Gomez, and Albert Gasperetti

Celling Out

10/28 Productions: Paul Abeyta, Charley McMullen, Marty Muniz, Mike Resendes, Lara Craddock, Marvin Hayes, Adelita Fierro, Trish Thompson, Robert Zander, Johnny Lucero, Joe Chainey, Lexi Catalano, Ken Martinez, and Jack Passanante Jr.

Last Call

Against All Odds Productions: AJ Dome, Jessica Stecco, Alex Lannon, Sam Acar, Nikki Martinez and Ye Ming

A True, and Very Profound, Story

Polenta Productions: Rowena Polenta, Rocco Polenta, Dan Lazzarini and Cindy Miller

Twinkle Toes

Same Shit Different Day: Erica Espinoza and Johnmark Wiley

True Friends: Friendship & Sacrifice

M. Stinum Productions: Jason Lynch, Juls Bayci and Lyman Bushkovski

 

Image: Still from My Own Prison

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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