Podcast Episode featuring Fiji Memory, Colonial Time!
Fiji Memory, Colonial Time was featured on Pam Uzzel’s wonderful podcast Art Heals All Wounds. Pam is a friend, film school classmate of Alexi’s and amazing filmmaker in her own right. Her podcast features engaging interviews with artists from different disciplines sharing how they creatively engage with the issues we all struggle with. Thank you Pam for giving us this opportunity to discuss the film! We think the interview turned out nicely! Please give it a listen and share it online! Here is the link: https://play.acast.com/s/5fcc0b1743e5411a7723c61f/625b481facf5f9001268a834
And please follow Pam’s podcast! She’s always interviewing fascinating and passionate artists! https://www.arthealsallwoundspodcast.com/
Private Screening for cast and crew, family and friends!
On November 10th at the Roxie Theater, we were thrilled to do a private premiere screening of Fiji Memory, Colonial Time at the Roxie Theater in San Francisco!
The event featured cast and crew and film subject Jean Bish signed copies of her novel Bells and Shadows, excerpts of which are featured in the film. Thank you to everyone who came out! It was wonderful to show the film on the big screen with a large audience!
For those of you who haven’t seen the film, we are finalizing the last touches of post-production and beginning to apply to festivals and arrange special screenings. Stay tuned for the public premiere!
Fiji Festival USA!
We had a great time at the 2013 Fiji Festival USA in Hayward California! We set up a booth to publicize and record stories for the Fiji Oral History Map. We met great people and got some ‘Fiji Stories’ for the site. (Launch party coming soon-stay tuned.) Here’s a photo of guest of honor Fijian rugby legend Waisale Serevi.
A Great Event!
The 3rd i Film Festival’s Pop-Up Production Showcase was a big success! We met some great people and were able to promote Fiji Time. Also, we had a lot of fun! 3rd i holds a fantastic festival and we saw some wonderful films. Add it to your festival calendar!
Here is the beautiful poster that was debuted at the event:
Here is a photo of Alexi, Kathleen and the other ‘Pop-Up’ filmmakers, Shireen and Alka. Click below to link to their trailers:
Shireen Pasha’s You of Many Days
Alka Raghuram’s Burqa Boxer
Announcing 3rd i Film Festival Showcase!
Here’s some exciting news! Fiji Time will be featured at the 3rd i Film Festival’s PopUp Production Showcase of filmmakers/producers who are currently in the production or post-production phase of their film projects as part of their Castro Reception with the Filmmakers this Saturday! Click below for more information:
http://www.thirdi.org/festival/popup-production-showcase/
This year’s festival looks to be a fantastic and diverse lineup. In fact, our beloved editor Kathleen Dargis was responsible for programming the shorts, and they sound terrific: http://www.thirdi.org/festival/
Read Jean’s Writing:
The Short Stories of J. Maurine Bish
For the first time, buy the collected short stories of J. Maurine Bish (“Mumsy” or “Jean” to those who know her, and the subject of “Fiji Time”). The author was born to a British colonial family in Fiji in 1925, published her first story in 1953, and continues to write from her home in San Francisco today. Her fiction often features the South Pacific settings of her youth.
The collection is available in paperback or hardcover, and features stories previously published in women’s and men’s magazines of the 1950’s and literary journals of the 1980’s, including the original artwork. The full-color cover art from December 1953’s issue of Man Junior (which featured Jean’s first published story) is worth the cover price alone). An exciting and moving collection.
Preview the Short Stories of J. Maurine Bish
Fundraising a success!
We are happy to announce that our two fundraisers in November were successful in raising over $2,000 for the film!
Our first event, the rock show at the Blue Macaw featuring the Meat Sluts, Unko Atama, and Brian Belknap, as well as a program of music videos, was a lot of fun. The bands really rocked out, and the videos looked great. Thanks to the musicians and filmmakers, to Barbara at the Blue Macaw, and to all of you who attended. The doors sales, drink special, cookies, and raffle all brought in money for the film. Thanks again!
Furthermore, the November 11 Art/Cocktail event was a smashing success.
It was a sophisticated evening of art, cocktails, and dance, and everyone seemed to have a great time. A special thanks to all the artists who donated their work, the businesses that donated food, and to everyone who attended and bid on the artwork. Also, thanks to Eleanor for providing the wonderful space and helping with art sales, and to Eric for helping to hang the art. Almost all the pieces sold, and it was great to see people walking out with beautiful art in their hands. Additional thanks to Jean for sharing and signing her stories ($20 softcover, $30 hardcover, place your orders now!). Finally, special thanks to Dan for doing a fabulous job MCing both events, Kristi for making such great cocktails and to Izzie-award nominated dance troupe Hui Tama Nui for providing such amazing entertainment! It was a great night!
A final thanks to our “rag tag” team of event organizers: Wynn, Kathleen, Patti, Pasteveia, and Young-Bin. We couldn’t have done it without you.
Our next step in the process is a January trip to Sydney and Fiji to continue shooting. Of course, the fundraising never ends and we are applying for 3 more grants in the next two months. Keep your fingers crossed and you can always donate or pre-pay for your DVD of the completed film online.
We will all be blogging during our trip and posting photographs, so please keep following along with the film’s progress on the website, Facebook and Twitter.
Lots of love and thanks to all of you for the support!!
