It was exciting enough for moviegoers at a Los Angeles gathering this summer to offer a thumbs-up affirmation for a former local dancer’s creativity in a short art film. But now Columbus residents will have a chance to see the literal steps Sarah Farnsley’s choreography has taken in her career.
All because the movie “Absolution,” which features Farnsley’s work, will be among 20 films at the Ninth Annual YES Film Festival Friday through Sunday at YES Cinema downtown. The event last year attracted 718 ticket buyers, according to organizers.
“It’s nice to have family and friends to be able to come and see it, including people I once danced with at Dancers Studio (locally),” Farnsley said, speaking by phone from her home in London, England. “And it’s good to be able to share just a little — well, I don’t know what to call it — maybe home-grown talent of southern Indiana.”
Farnsley, a former performer and later an instructor with Dancers Studio Inc., can’t make it for the showings at 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. But her sister and former Columbus resident, Caleigh Kilijonien, who sings in the film, will be here for question-and-answer sessions following those shows. Also attending will be Stirling Matheson, artistic director of Ballet Theatre of Indiana that performs in the seven-minute film partly about accepting one missteps and mistakes.
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“It’s kind of unusual film in that it’s more like a music video,” said Columbus native Diane Mason, a Florida filmmaker who is the volunteer artistic director for the local fest. “But it’s so beautiful.”
Native Columbus filmmaker Dustin Lowman, winner of the YES Film Festival Audience Award in 2016 for “Chained,” has entered his four-minute short “11-4-32” this year. No wonder he appreciates the local outlet and the fact that Mason and other organizers encourage a local flavor.
“I love having a resource like YES Cinema,” Lowman says in a clip on the film festival web page at yesfilmfestival.com.
The fest also annually has featured some works distributed nationally and internationally. Mason is a big fan of the documentary “Two Elephants” about the Evansville Zoo’s first pachyderm.
“It’s so very touching and moving,” Mason said. “The story is a sad one, but also very uplifting.”
She also loves the fact that, at a time when national division is a huge topic, a collection of films can bring people together — and sometimes give them inspiration and topics through which to find common ground.
“I think that’s absolutely true,” Mason said. “There especially are documentaries that really do bridge those gaps.”
In fact, organizers have done their best in recent years to stretch the time between film showings to give attendees a chance to chat and discuss some of what they have just seen. Diane Doup, among the organizers, knows that is important.
“One of the great things about film festivals are the discussions, where people can talk about various viewpoints where there are several sides to an issue,” Doup said.
Among the behind-the-scenes supporters for all this bridge building and sharing are people such as Columbus community leaders Gregg and Judy Summerville, who also try to catch as many of the flicks as possible each year.
“We think it’s such a neat event for Columbus, and really nice way to spend a weekend,” Gregg Summerville said. “And it’s a place where you can learn a lot.”
As an example, he cited a documentary titled “The Chocolate Case” from last year highlighting the cocoa industry’s reliance on child slavery. So a group of Dutch journalists invents its own “slave-free” chocolate bar — and it becomes a top seller.
Plus, in a city that recently celebrated its elaborate 35th Annual Ethnic Expo international festival, he’s pleased to know that films from nine different nations are part of the festival.
“We’ve got a much more diverse population here now,” he said. “And I think there are a lot of films outside the U.S. that definitely are of interest, especially to some of the younger people in town.”
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What: Ninth Annual YES Film Festival, featuring 20 films, from those with a local or state connection to those from filmmakers in nine different nations. Lineup includes narratives, documentaries and shorts. Proceeds support programs from the nonprofit Lincoln-Central Neighborhood Family Center.
When: Various times Friday through Sunday.
Where: Yes Cinema, Fourth and Jackson streets in downtown Columbus.
Tickets: All-access for $35 per person, or $7 per ticket.
Information, schedule and film summaries: yesfilmfestival.com.
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