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X-WR-CALNAME:Free State Festival
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://freestatefestival.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Free State Festival
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TZID:America/Chicago
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DTSTART:20240310T080000
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DTSTART:20241103T070000
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240627T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240627T190000
DTSTAMP:20260823T003012
CREATED:20240513T065142Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240713T142544Z
UID:3490-1719507600-1719514800@freestatefestival.org
SUMMARY:Another Body - FILM
DESCRIPTION:RUN TIME: 1 hour 20 min\n \nPreceded by:\n“Fake Images\, Real Harms: The Technology of Deepfakes and their Social Impact” by David Tamez of Lawrence Talks\n  \nABOUT THE FILM \nThis SXSW Special Jury Award Winning documentary follows American college student Taylor’s search for answers and justice after she discovers deepfake pornography of herself circulating online. She dives headfirst into the underground world of deepfakes\, and discovers a growing culture of men terrorizing women—influencers\, classmates\, friends. More than just a cautionary tale about misused technology and the toxicity of the online world\, this documentary transforms the deepfake technology weaponized against Taylor into a tool that allows her to tell her story and reclaim her identity.  \nABOUT THE SPEAKER\nDavid is a PhD candidate in Philosophy\, studying normative theories of judicial decision-making and issues related to emerging technologies and privacy. Additionally\, he also runs a public humanities/ philosophy initiative called Lawrence Talks. Through Lawrence Talks\, David hopes to bridge the lived experiences of local community members with the theoretical research of KU scholars to issues relevant to the community. Currently\, he is working as the Communications Specialist for the Insitute for Information Sciences. \n\nThis event is supported by Science on Screen®\, an initiative of the Coolidge Corner Theatre\, with major support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
URL:https://freestatefestival.org/event/another-body/
LOCATION:Liberty Hall\, 644 Massachusetts St\, Lawrence\, KS\, 66044\, United States
CATEGORIES:Film,Ideas
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240627T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240627T213000
DTSTAMP:20260823T003012
CREATED:20240513T065508Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240607T180441Z
UID:3497-1719518400-1719523800@freestatefestival.org
SUMMARY:Short & Sweet - SHORT FILM & CANDY PAIRINGS
DESCRIPTION:Unwrap an evening of bite sized movies paired with thoughtfully selected sweets by Squishington’s Candy to complement the themes of the films. \nABOUT THE FILMS \n\nA Man for the Job (15min) by Lyn Elliot\nWhen a young hospital parking valet befriends a middle-aged patient\, he discovers she wants something he may not be able to give.\nBedtime Story (3min) by Jake Jackson\nOn a dark summer night\, evil lurks in the shadows as a young child must decide what bedtime story she would like to hear.\nPayback Time (14min) by Takashi Miyatani\nA man reunites with someone from his past in the workplace leaving coworkers to wonder who bullied who.\nBlue Hour (15 min) directed by J.D. Shields\nTwo personal journeys intersect when a struggling young photographer is hired for a cheap last minute portrait gig. The unfolding photo session\, while transient\, leaves an indelible mark on both women.\nHangman (15min) by Megan Brotherton\nA recently widowed woman works through the complexities of grief with the help of friends\, strangers and Tupperware.\nCottage Grove (13min) by George Elzey Jr.  \nA young man struggles to communicate with his stroke-afflicted father\, and at the same time\, stay true to himself.\n\n 
URL:https://freestatefestival.org/event/short-sweet/
LOCATION:Liberty Hall\, 644 Massachusetts St\, Lawrence\, KS\, 66044\, United States
CATEGORIES:Film
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240628T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240628T180000
DTSTAMP:20260823T003012
CREATED:20240513T071512Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240616T161021Z
UID:3503-1719594000-1719597600@freestatefestival.org
SUMMARY:The Daughter of Dawn Remix - FILM
DESCRIPTION:Shot in 1920 in the Wichita Mountains of southwest Oklahoma with a cast entirely made up of members of the Comanche and Kiowa tribes\, this silent film was directed by Norbert A. Myles and screened publicly only twice before disappearing without a trace for nearly a century. The Indigenous actors\, who in 1920 had been living on reservations for less than sixty years\, brought their own tipis\, horses\, clothing\, and material culture with them.  \nFilmmaker Tweesna Rose Mills presents a revisionist take on the film\, interweaving original footage with new imagery and soundscapes to invite viewers to experience the work through a modern lens. \nLive audio description by Audio-Reader Network \nPresented in partnership with the Spencer Museum of Art
URL:https://freestatefestival.org/event/daughter-of-dawn/
LOCATION:Lawrence Arts Center\, 940 New Hampshire St\, Lawrence\, KS\, 66044\, United States
CATEGORIES:Art,Film,Music
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240629T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240629T133000
DTSTAMP:20260823T003012
CREATED:20240507T172135Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240607T180558Z
UID:3457-1719662400-1719667800@freestatefestival.org
SUMMARY:Ultimate Citizens - FILM
DESCRIPTION:Directed by Fracine Strickwerda\nRun Time: 52 min\nFilmmaker Q&A \nABOUT THE FILM\nJamshid is an Iranian who came to study in 1970’s America\, and due to the Revolution\, never went back. As a guidance counselor in Seattle Public Schools\, Jamshid’s best work takes place out of the building and on a playing field with “his kids\,” the children of refugees and immigrants. Their parents are in the grips of their own struggles to make a living and a home in a strange land. Mr. Jamshid is the charismatic\, fiery\, funny human with a Frisbee in hand\, who is the first to show that  love wins on the field\, off the field\, at home with family\, or boldly forging a new community\, in a new country – one kid\, chicken\, extreme mile and friend at a time.
URL:https://freestatefestival.org/event/ultimate-citizens/
LOCATION:Lawrence Arts Center\, 940 New Hampshire St\, Lawrence\, KS\, 66044\, United States
CATEGORIES:Film
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240629T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240629T160000
DTSTAMP:20260823T003012
CREATED:20240513T075603Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240629T141104Z
UID:3516-1719669600-1719676800@freestatefestival.org
SUMMARY:Underneath: Children of the Sun - FILM
DESCRIPTION:Directed by David Kirkman\nRun Time: 1 hr 30 min\nFilmmaker Q&A \nPreceded by the short film\, Old Times Not Forgotten (10 min)\, by Brett Jones.\nAn orphaned teenage girl struggles to survive as America is ravaged by a grisly civil war. \nABOUT THE FILM\nThis time and dimension spanning Afrofuturist epic takes audiences on a breathtaking journey of galactic politics\, heritage\, and destiny. In 1857\, a slave in Little Dixie\, Missouri is thrust into an intergalactic crises after helping an alien from a crashed spaceship. An ultra-powerful alien artifact passes through generations of bloody fingers and inheritors here on Earth\, including the present\, and ultimately leads to an epic battle for control. \n\n 
URL:https://freestatefestival.org/event/the-underneath/
LOCATION:Lawrence Arts Center\, 940 New Hampshire St\, Lawrence\, KS\, 66044\, United States
CATEGORIES:Film
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://freestatefestival.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/underneath2-copy.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240629T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240629T190000
DTSTAMP:20260823T003012
CREATED:20240513T080856Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240629T153521Z
UID:3521-1719684000-1719687600@freestatefestival.org
SUMMARY:Blood of a Poet - ART
DESCRIPTION:This event is SOLD OUT!  \nABOUT THE PERFORMANCE\n“Poets shed not only the red blood of their hearts but the white blood of their souls\,” proclaimed Jean Cocteau of his groundbreaking first film—an exploration of the plight of the artist\, the power of metaphor and the relationship between art and dreams. With choreography and dance by Tristian Griffin\, dancer Gwentessa Alfie\, art by Justin Canja\, music by Alex Kimball Williams\, lighting design by Ann Sitzman and video projections by Peter Jasso\, this multidisciplinary piece brings this 1930 film off the screen and into the realm of live experience for a one night only presentation. \nThis event is presented in partnership with the Spencer Museum of Art. \nTristian Griffin\, Choreographer and Dancer\nA native of Kansas City\, Tristian Griffin graduated from Texas Christian University in Ballet and a minor in English. While at TCU\, his choreography was selected to participate in American Dance College Association’s regional conference and a semi-finalist for nationals. Following graduation\, Tristian began his professional career and danced with Garth Fagan Dance Company\, Wylliams-Henry Contemporary Dance Company\, the Metropolitan Opera House (NYC)\, and Springboard Danse Montreal. In 2019\, Tristian reconnected with his passion for choreography by starting his dance company\, Tristian Griffin Dance Company. His company has performed in Kansas City\, Lawrence KS\, Newport RI\, Philadelphia PA\, St. Louis MO\, Kalamazoo MI\, and San Diego CA. TGDC has appeared at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art\, Charlotte Street Foundation\, Newport Dance Festival\, Kemper Contemporary Museum\, and International Dance Festival. As a choreographer\, Tristian has been commissioned by over 15 professional companies\, universities\, art galleries\, and pre-professional institutions. His most recent commissions include Kennesaw University\, Newport Contemporary Ballet (Island Moving Company)\, Peabody Institute of The John Hopkins University\, Wylliams-Henry Contemporary Dance Company\, Malashock Dance Company\, and the University of Kansas. Most recently\, he taught full-time as a visiting professor of practice at the University of Kansas and a guest teaching artist at the University of Missouri Kansas City. From 2019 to 2023\, he was awarded artist-in-residence at Lawrence Arts Center. Tristian is a recipient of the Ann & Weston Hicks Choreography Fellowship. In 2024\, he will pursue his MFA at Duke University\, studying Dance in Composition with an emphasis on African and African-American Studies. \nJustin Canja\, Artist\nJustin Canja is a visual artist who moved to the Midwest from the greater Washington D.C. metro area at the start of 2019. His artworks focus on sociopolitical topics by the means of painting\, collage\, murals and installation. He describes current events and juxtaposse them with points in history with the attempt to link the physical and metaphysical through exaggerated  gestural expression and the emotional connectedness through found objects. Using ironic humor in combination with light hearted color combinations\, he grabs the attention of the onlooker by striking first impression. Justin’s residency at the Interurban Arthouse revolves around identity and the human condition. \nAlex Kimball Williams\, Musician\nAlex Kimball Williams is a multicultural artivist (artist + activist)\, musician\, writer\, & community organizer. Their work focuses on ethnopolitics\, medical activism\, & environmentalism. They received the 2018 MLK Dreamer’s award & 3rd place Community Leader/Hero (Racial Justice/Equity Issues) on Best of Lawrence 2021. Kimball Williams co-founded B.L.A.C.K. Lawrence (Black Literature & Arts Collective of Kansas). \nPeter Jasso\, Projection Design\nPeter Jasso graduated from USC’s School of Cinema-Television with a degree in Film/ Video Production. He taught at the New York Film Academy’s Los Angeles office and worked in development at American Zoetrope and Esparza-Katz and served as the Director of the Kansas Film Commission\, the Kansas Creative Arts Industries Commission and the COO of CACHE . He is an alumnus of Film Independent’s Project Involve Mentorship program\, a recipient of the Mana de Topeka award and was an appointed member of the Kansas State Office of Hispanic Affairs. \nAnn Sitzman\, Lighting Designer\nAnn Sitzman (she/her) is the Technical Coordinator and a lecturer for KU’s Department of Theatre & Dance. She previously designed lights for the University Theatre productions of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street\, Cabaret\, Measure for Measure\, Head Over Heels\, A Midsummer Night’s Dream\, Spring Awakening\, Company\, and Picnic.  She also has designed lights for the University Dance Company and KU Opera.  She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts at KU and Master’s in Lighting Design from SUNY Purchase College in New York. She spent a few years working Off Broadway on shows including Woody Harrelson’s Bullet for Adolf with Jen Schriever and On the Head of a Pin with Zach Pizza at 59E59. Since returning to Kansas City in 2013\, she has worked as assistant lighting designer for David Grill and Kirk Bookman at the Kansas City Ballet and lighting designer/production electrician for Harvest Productions. \n \nGwentessa Alfie is a local performer\, raised right here\, at the Lawrence Arts Center! You might have had the opportunity to see her perform recently at Theatre Lawrence in Fiddler on the Roof. Whether Gwentessa is dancing\, acting\, singing\, choreographing or painting\, she is always on the hunt for the next creative project that she can throw herself into. Coming up next at the Arts Center\, she will be assistant directing and co-choreographing SYT’s Cabaret. In September\, she’ll be performing in LAC’s Theatre and Dance for the Very Young show\, A Tree Through Time. Gwentessa is grateful for this opportunity to work with Tristian Griffin on this thought provoking piece and hopes to explore other similar creative projects in the future.
URL:https://freestatefestival.org/event/blood-of-a-poet/
LOCATION:Lawrence Arts Center\, 940 New Hampshire St\, Lawrence\, KS\, 66044\, United States
CATEGORIES:Art,Film,Music
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240629T200000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240629T220000
DTSTAMP:20260823T003012
CREATED:20240513T081244Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240608T171442Z
UID:3481-1719691200-1719698400@freestatefestival.org
SUMMARY:Chasing Chasing Amy - FILM
DESCRIPTION:Directed by Sav Rodgers\nRun Time: 1 hour 35 min \nScreening with: Suburban Family Classics Presents: Zach Has a Secret (5min) by Emily Anne-Fraser\nIt’s all fun and games\, until someone catches a vibe. Will Zach accept himself and live his truth? Or keep his secret for eternity. With a classic 80’s sitcom “mother/ son” talk\, Zach makes a choice. \nABOUT THE FEATURE FILM\nKevin Smith’s cult classic\, Chasing Amy\, is a movie that saved director Sav Rodger’s life as a queer kid coming of age in Kansas but it also received mixed reviews from the LGBTQIA+ community. Through candid interviews with Smith and star Joey Lauren Adams\, this thoughtful documentary is a trans coming of age love story set against the backdrop of an indie film that solidified some careers and damaged others. \n\nPresented in partnership with the University of Kansas Department of Film and Media Studies\, Lawrence Pride and the Trans Lawrence Coalition. \nQ&A with Director Sav Rodgers Moderated by KU Theatre and Dance/ KU Film and Media Studies Professor Laura Kirk!  \nSav Rodgers\, Director\nSav Rodgers’ experiences as a queer Midwesterner with a wild imagination have spurred the writing of scripts that center on highly specific\, surprising stories about LGTBQ+ people. His screenplays have been recognized by GLAAD\, Outfest\, ScreenCraft\, among others. \nNamed to Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2024\, Sav is also the Founder and Executive Director of the Transgender Film Center\, a nonprofit aiming to help trans creators bring finished films to audiences around the world.
URL:https://freestatefestival.org/event/chasing-chasing-amy/
LOCATION:Lawrence Arts Center\, 940 New Hampshire St\, Lawrence\, KS\, 66044\, United States
CATEGORIES:Film
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240630T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240630T153000
DTSTAMP:20260823T003012
CREATED:20240513T082212Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240620T042933Z
UID:3473-1719752400-1719761400@freestatefestival.org
SUMMARY:Lawrence Modern Presents Kiss Me Deadly - FILM
DESCRIPTION:Directed by Robert Aldrich\nRun Time: 1 hr 46 min\nQ&A with Kellee Pratt (live!) and Alan K. Rode (virtual!) \nABOUT THE FILM\nIn this atomic adaptation of Mickey Spillane’s novel\, the good manners of the 1950s are blown to smithereens. Ralph Meeker stars as snarling private dick Mike Hammer\, whose decision one dark\, lonely night to pick up a hitchhiking woman sends him down some terrifying byways. Brazen and bleak\, this film noir masterwork is an essential piece of cold war paranoia. \n  \n\nABOUT LAWRENCE MODERN\nLawrence Modern’s mission is to raise awareness of midcentury and modern architecture in Lawrence and promote its preservation to ensure that future generations will have significant examples to appreciate and/or to live in. \nABOUT THE SPEAKERS\nAlan K. Rode is a film scholar\, preservationist\, cinema host and producer. His books include Michael Curtiz; A Life in Film\, Charles McGraw: Film Noir Tough Guy and Blood on the Moon. He is the producer and host of the annual Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival in Palm Springs\, California—celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2024. Alan is a charter director and treasurer of the Film Noir Foundation and is the co-host of the Noir City Hollywood and Chicago film festivals. In addition to his filmed discussions with golden era Hollywood artists available via his web site and YouTube channel\, Alan has written and recorded numerous commentaries for Blu-ray classic film releases\, produced and appeared in myriad documentaries and special features and was a Spotlight co-host on TCM in 2018. \nAlan K. Rode\n\nKellee Pratt (she/her) is a film blogger (Outspoken & Freckled)\, classic film instructor\, and Marketing Director for the Classic Movie Hub. She has served as a Social Producer and selected as an Ambassador for Turner Classic Movies’s film festival. Additionally\, Kellee serves on the board of the Classic Movie Blog Association. For many years\, her classic film courses focus on an engaging\, in-depth exploration of the studio era of cinema history and are offered through the City of Lawrence. \nKellee Pratt\, Film Scholar\n  \nThis screening is made possible by support from Lawrence Modern founder\, Tom Harper with Stephens Real Estate. \n 
URL:https://freestatefestival.org/event/kiss-me-deadly/
LOCATION:Lawrence Arts Center\, 940 New Hampshire St\, Lawrence\, KS\, 66044\, United States
CATEGORIES:Film
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240630T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240630T173000
DTSTAMP:20260823T003012
CREATED:20240513T083440Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240617T232211Z
UID:3477-1719763200-1719768600@freestatefestival.org
SUMMARY:Community Squirrel Hunt - FILM
DESCRIPTION:Directed by Kevin McKinney \nPreceded by the short film Bound in the Heartland by Rey Dean (6min)\nKansas City locals express their love for the history and culture of the queer leather communities. \nABOUT THE FEATURE FILM\nRun Time: 52min\nWhen a small town gathers for their annual squirrel hunt\, they’re met by a team of filmmakers and scads of crafty squirrels. Come to the forest for the history\, charm and uncomfortable truth of the community squirrel hunt. \nCONTENT WARNING: Depictions of animal hunting.
URL:https://freestatefestival.org/event/squirrel-hunt/
LOCATION:Lawrence Arts Center\, 940 New Hampshire St\, Lawrence\, KS\, 66044\, United States
CATEGORIES:Film
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://freestatefestival.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/squirrel-copy.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20240630T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240630T200000
DTSTAMP:20260823T003012
CREATED:20240513T084454Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240630T131019Z
UID:3472-1719770400-1719777600@freestatefestival.org
SUMMARY:The Heroic True-life Adventures of Alvin Brooks - FILM
DESCRIPTION:Directed by Academy Award winning filmmaker Kevin Willmott \nABOUT THE FILM\nA heartfelt\, inspiring documentary that shares engaging\, funny\, and tragic stories of the life and career of civil rights activist Alvin Brooks. Brooks was one of the city’s first Black police officers\, an educator\, Assistant City Manager\, and founder of Ad Hoc Group Against Crime. Brooks was appointed to organize and then lead the Kansas City Human Relations Department\, making him the first Black person to be a department Director in Kansas City government history. He was elected to City Council in 1999\, serving the 6th District At-Large. He was re-elected in 2003 and named Mayor Pro-Tem. For his work in public service\, he has been honored by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)\, President George H.W. Bush\, the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce\, and many others. \n\nKevin Willmott\, Filmmaker\nThis film is presented in partnership with the University of Kansas Department of Film and Media Studies.
URL:https://freestatefestival.org/event/alvin-brooks/
LOCATION:Lawrence Arts Center\, 940 New Hampshire St\, Lawrence\, KS\, 66044\, United States
CATEGORIES:Film
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