Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

KPBS Midday Edition

Not-So-Silent Short Film Festival Celebrates Women Pioneer Filmmakers

Helen Holmes stars and does many of the stunts in the silent serial "The Hazards of Helen," which screens as part of Vanguard Culture's Not-So-Silent Short Film Festival.
General Film Company/Kalem
Helen Holmes stars and does many of the stunts in the silent serial "The Hazards of Helen," which screens as part of Vanguard Culture's Not-So-Silent Short Film Festival.

Vanguard Culture event provides interactive experience

Vanguard Culture hosts the first of its three Not-So-Silent Short Film Festival on Saturday, June 22, and the focus is on women film pioneers.

Vanguard Culture hosts the first of its three Not-So-Silent Short Film Festival on Saturday, June 22, and the focus is on women film pioneers.

Vanguard Culture likes to think outside the box when organizing creative collaborations across different fields that do not usually intersect. Like bringing together a poet, scientist and chef, and have them create something inspired by climate change. The goal is to bring people together in unique and innovative ways and have them walk away feeling like they just experience something special.

Advertisement

Founder Susanna Peredo Swap described the organization: "Vanguard Culture is a small all volunteer 501-C3 non-profit. We work to advance San Diego's creative industries. So we do that in three components. We do arts coverage with writers that we send out to review shows in the arts. The second thing is professional development for creatives, so we do panel discussions, workshops, industry mixers to help people learn how to make a living doing the thing that they love. And then we do special events and all of our events are collaborative in nature."

The Not-So-Silent Short Film Fest is the result of a partnership between Vanguard Culture and the La Jolla Historical Society. It is three interactive evenings of silent short films each one of them themed around different topics. The first one is focused on women pioneers of cinema both behind the camera and in front. The second, on July 6, is all about wacky inventions and inventors. The last one on Aug. 3 is the Steampunk Soiree.

Each night also provides opportunities for drinks, tastings, gourmet popcorn, and audience participation.

Teeny-Tiny Pit Orchestra’s Scott Paulson is the multi-media curator and will orchestrate the sounds to accompany the films.

Paulson explained, "The theme is women film pioneers and so we have to feature Alice Guy who is the first female director. For her, we’re showing 'Falling Leaves,' which is a beautiful sentimental film and ripe for a lot of wonderful musical gestures that I am doing and that the audience will be doing. You know, I'll let them play on my harp."

Advertisement

As well as on a host of other instruments and noisemakers. Paulson will let audience members help "score" the film live adding cowbells, slapsticks and more to the onscreen images. Although he promises that the more serious moments of the films will be respected.

The Not-So-Silent Short Film Festival's first edition is Saturday at 7 p.m. at IDEA1 in East Village.