• 2009.04.23: April 23, 2009: Headlines: COS - Nigeria: Film: Documentaries: CNY Link: Nigeria RPCV Rob Nilsson was forty when his first feature length film came out  Saturday, May 02, 2009 - 9:32 am [1]

"Presque Isle": Bay Area filmmaker Rob Nilsson is known for improvised movies cast with nonprofessionals



This may be Nilsson's most personal film -- since he grew up in Wisconsin one assumes it contains autobiographical elements. Its leisurely pace might prove trying to those accustomed to slam-bam storytelling. But Nilsson is working from the heart here, and it shows.

"Presque Isle": Bay Area filmmaker Rob Nilsson is known for improvised movies cast with nonprofessionals

The Kansas City Star, Mo., Robert W. Butler Column: Our Critic's Top 10 Guide to the Kansas City FilmFest
April 19, 2009

By Robert W. Butler, The Kansas City Star, Mo.

Apr. 19--I won't tell you I've seen every movie playing this week at Kansas City FilmFest -- critics deserve a life, too -- but what I have seen leaves me with high hopes.

Here are 10 films (presented in chronological order) that I found to be of more than routine interest: narrative features, documentaries and a wildly creative short. All screenings are at the AMC Mainstreet theater unless otherwise noted.

[Excerpt]

--"Presque Isle": Bay Area filmmaker Rob Nilsson is known for improvised movies cast with nonprofessionals (see "Opening," shot in KC a few years back). But with his latest he throws a switcheroo -- a carefully scripted and (presumably) rehearsed memory play.

In "Presque Isle" Danny (a charismatic Kieron McCartney) reacts to a romantic breakup by retreating to an idyllic island in a northern Wisconsin lake. He camps out in the long-abandoned house in which he grew up. There he finds himself surrounded by ghosts from his past and people from his present ... it's hard to tell which is which.

Nilsson's film deals with family, fidelity, friendship and faith in a nonlinear, free-flowing style. His approach is perfectly reflected in Mickey Freeman's black-and-white cinematography, which captures images worthy of Ansel Adams, and in first-time editor Milena Grozeva's dazzling montages.

This may be Nilsson's most personal film -- since he grew up in Wisconsin one assumes it contains autobiographical elements. Its leisurely pace might prove trying to those accustomed to slam-bam storytelling. But Nilsson is working from the heart here, and it shows. (7:30 p.m. Saturday)

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: April, 2009; Peace Corps Nigeria; Directory of Nigeria RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Nigeria RPCVs; Film; Documentary Films

When this story was posted in May 2009, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

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April 19, 2009: Obama's Public Diplomacy Obama engages Students in Roundtable in Turkey 7 Apr To Rebuild US-Muslim Relations Obama Is Not Enough 26 Mar PC Model in Mexico sends Older Specialized PCVs 19 Apr Peace Corps Needs Top-Down Re-Examination 19 Apr Peace Corps Returns To Rwanda with 32 PCVs 17 Apr Read from "First Comes Love Then Comes Malaria" 16 Apr Does Mike Honda want to head Peace Corps? 15 Apr Paul Theroux promotes Responsible Tourism 3 Apr Vice President Biden Meets PCVs In Costa Rica 1 Apr Vote on Christopher R. Hill delayed by opponents 1 Apr Joseph Acaba makes First Spacewalk 31 Mar Petri Vindicated for Advocacy of Direct Loans to Students 30 Mar Mateo Paneitz devotes life to helping poor in Guatemala 29 Mar Read from "The Sultan and the Mermaid Queen" 16 Apr Drew Marinelli makes 6000-mile bicycle trip across US 28 Mar Senate votes to triple AmeriCorps' ranks 27 Mar Four Cycling RPCVs have been friends for 45 years 25 Mar Denice Traina Hopes Hives will Help Harrisburg 24 Mar "Expand the Band" brings Instruments to South Africa 24 Mar Maria Shriver testifies on her Father's Alzheimer's 24 Mar Charles R. Larson donates African collection to UT 23 Mar Read more stories from March and April 2009.

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PCOL's Candidate for Peace Corps Director Honduras RPCV Jon Carson, 33, presided over thousands of workers as national field director for the Obama campaign and said the biggest challenge -- and surprise -- was the volume of volunteer help, including more than 15,000 "super volunteers," who were a big part of what made Obama's campaign so successful. PCOL endorses Jon Carson as the man who can revitalize the Peace Corps, bring it into the internet age, and meet Obama's goal of doubling the size of the Peace Corps by 2011.

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Director Ron Tschetter: The PCOL Interview Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter sat down for an in-depth interview to discuss the evacuation from Bolivia, political appointees at Peace Corps headquarters, the five year rule, the Peace Corps Foundation, the internet and the Peace Corps, how the transition is going, and what the prospects are for doubling the size of the Peace Corps by 2011. Read the interview and you are sure to learn something new about the Peace Corps. PCOL previously did an interview with Director Gaddi Vasquez.

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