Kahle v. AshcroftTwo movies I learned about at Ebertfest
originally submitted by J.B. Nicholson-Owens:
Every year for a few years now Roger Ebert hosts a movie festival in Champaign, Illinois. I live in Champaign and locally we call it "Ebertfest" but the real name for it is "Roger Ebert's Overlooked Film Festival". At Ebertfest you can see the movies Ebert picks and then hear and then participate in a discussion with someone involved in the movie (usually the director, sometimes a featured actor).
I recall stories from two movies shown at Ebertfest that may interest you.
* Bernard Rose, director of "The Paper House", had to (and I'm using the term correctly here) steal the reels to this movie after it was shown at Roger Ebert Overlooked Movie Festival a couple of years ago. Sony Classics was unwilling to distribute the movie in formats for home video and Rose wanted more people to see the movie. So he took the reels after it was shown in the Virginia Theatre (the theatre in Champaign where the Ebertfest movies are shown because of its lovely large screen and balcony seating).
* Jonathan Caouette directed "Tarnation" which was made on his computer for what is described as "an initial cost of $187" by the Ebertfest literature. Caouette later discovered that clearing the rights for the snippets of other movies used in Tarnation would cost roughly half a million dollars.
I don't have any connection to either director, but perhaps someone on your team has some connections or knows Roger Ebert's phone number and would be willing to ask him to connect you with these men.
Stifled uses
J.B. Nicholson-Owens:
I am unconnected to the copyright holders or directors of the aforementioned works. I merely thought you'd want to know about the films and their stories.
Best of luck to you.