Artist, author Sara Bynum brings her story of children of war to film

Bynum on the film set

Film maker Saran LaJoie Bynum began life with everything stacked against her. Born of a wartime liaison between a Vietnamese mother and an African-American soldier, she was rescued from the street as an infant and taken to an orphanage. She came to the United States as part of Operation Babylift at the age of three. Once in the U.S., she began a new life with adoptive parents from New Orleans.

Although her situation improved, she still had difficulties. She encountered prejudice from many ethnic groups due to her biracial heritage. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed her home and she had to flee for a second time. Yet through everything, she maintains a positive attitude.

She has registered her information on sites dedicated to reconnecting service members and the children they conceived while on duty overseas. While she hasn’t found her birth father yet, her efforts led her to connect with the man she considered her Pretend Dad, Larry Taylor, a Vietnam veteran. He told her a great deal about what circumstances were like in those days. Taylor passed away in late 2015, but not before giving his blessing to her new project.

With her latest endeavor, she seeks to share the story of the children of war from their point of view. “Where I Stand,” a film based on a fictionalized version of Bynum’s life, begins filming in May 2016. In the script, an orphan of the war seeks her missing father and discovers he is suffering with cancer caused by the chemical warfare which took place in Viet Nam. The young woman seeks answers to his situation and runs into danger and intrigue as she investigates.

Bynum promises adventure and conspiracy in the independent film. As part of the process, she has started a crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe to raise the rest of the budget. To join her efforts, contribute here. Look for “Where I Stand” in the fall of 2016. A book version will release after the movie’s release.

Originally appeared 04/15/2016 at http://www.examiner.com/article/artist-author-saran-bynum-brings-story-of-children-of-war-to-film

2016 PRCC film expo delights attendees with myriad of subjects

On Saturday, April 23, PRCC’s Digital Media Coordinator/Museum Director and film production instructor Ronn Hague welcomed participants and guests to an evening of independent short films as he kicked off the first annual Pearl River Community College Independent Short Film Expo. The event, held at PRCC’s Ethel Holden Brownstone Center for the Arts, featured eight short films. Seven of those films had roots in the south Mississippi/Louisiana area.

Two of the films were led by female filmmakers. “Scylla,” a horror film by Irene Gracie of Teaghleagh Films, screened in the first half of the program. Jessy Hughes’ “Sam” aired in the second portion, with its supernatural suspense overtones.

Hague and the film production department headed two, both featuring children dealing with un-childlike problems. “The Hole” dealt with a turnabout situation between a bully and his victim and opened the first half. “Hard Choice” portrayed three young people discussing a difficult problem dealing with potential terrorism and the ramifications of various courses of action.

“Almost Mine” by PRCC alumnus and award-winning filmmaker Frank Ladner shared a post-apocalypse love story set in a hardscrabble world. The short aired third in the first half of the program.

Rounding out the first half, “Road to State” followed a Louisiana high school soccer team as they defended their state championship in 2015. Brooks McMahon created the sports documentary, which shared the story of the St. Paul’s High School Wolves in pursuit of a second title.

A half-hour break allowed guests to meet and talk with the people involved in the movies shown in the first half of the program.

The second half opened with Neil Brimelow’s “Mr. Dr. Pepper Sniffer,” a comedic look at a feisty young girl behind the counter of a small diner.

“Hard Choice” followed and Jessy Hughe’s “Sam” led to the biggest event of the evening.

For only the second cinematic airing in the United States, “Black Angel” by two-time Academy Award winner Roger Christian showed on the big screen of the Brownstone center. The movie opened for “Star Wars Episode Five: The Empire Strike Back” in Australia and Europe during the film’s initial release. Lost for decades, the negative was found and restored. Hague negotiated for the opportunity to screen the film as part of the Expo.

A second meet and greet capped the evening, as a community college and Hollywood South offered the world a sample of what a filmmaking class can spark.

Originally appeared 04/24/2016 at http://www.examiner.com/article/2016-prcc-film-expo-delights-attendees-with-myriad-of-subjects

Max Peril debut promises Southern mockumentary fun from filmmaker Frank Ladner

Independent Mississippi movie maker Frank Ladner premieres his latest film, Max Peril, on Friday, May 15 at 7:30 p.m. The event takes place at the impressive Brownstone Center for the Arts on the campus of Pearl River Community College in Poplarville, Miss.

In the tradition of his award-winning 2012 film, Hickory Never Bleeds, Ladner casts local talent to play the roles in his independent Southern mockumentary film and sets the scenes in and around his community. Some familiar faces return including Ladner, his wife Janna, Mark Forte, Mary Etta Moody, James “Sonny” Howard, Sherri Marengo and Bobby Smith, along with several new actors.

Max Peril tells the story of Riley Young, an aspiring filmmaker who has promised himself to complete a movie by his thirtieth birthday. Now 29 years old, he commits to finishing his latest project. Within Young’s story exists the story he is filming, that of a shadowy figure with big tales of undercover operations. Here’s Ladner’s official synopsis: In an effort to finish a film before turning thirty, and in hopes of winning his county’s first annual film festival, Riley Young documents and re-creates the increasingly far-fetched stories of a retired secret agent using only local talent, a VHS camcorder, and every low-budget filmmaking trick he knows.

The official trailer shares hints of the adventure to come.

Ladner’s approach to storytelling results in winning films, as acknowledged by his 2013 Tupelo Film Festival award in the Feature Film category for Hickory Never Bleeds. As he prepares to share Max Peril with audiences for the first time, Ladner announced that the film has been accepted into the 2015 FestivalSouth Competition set for June 6-20.

Here’s Parental Guidance information from the filmmaker:

No profanity, gore, or adult situations.
Stylized comedic action.
Some gun use.
Minor euphemisms ("dang", "crap", "heck".)
Brief testicular humor.
Brief near-kissing scene.

Tickets to the premiere are priced at $5.00 and must be purchased at the door. Proceeds benefit the PRCC Film Production Class. Look for The Ethel Holden Brownstone Center for the Arts on the PRCC campus located on Highway 11 just north of Highway 26 in Poplarville.

Originally appeared 04/25/2015 at http://www.examiner.com/article/max-peril-debut-promises-southern-mockumentary-fun-from-filmmaker-frank-ladner

Free video available for fans of Mississippi's Frank Ladner

Fans of Mississippi filmmaker Frank Ladner have a surprise treat waiting for them in his release of a short subject on YouTube. His new film, “Almost Mine,” offers a change from his previous Southern mock-umentaries with a tightly scripted plot and cast of two. The more cinematic approach Ladner takes with this new project shows another aspect of the young man’s talent.

Jessy Hughes and Matthew McCoy play a couple living in a post-apocalyptic world in Colorado, struggling to make a living as gemstone miners. Although their lives are difficult, they share a special bond.

Shot entirely on location in Poplarville, the film follows the appealing couple through their routine as they search for and process the lapis lazuli they sell to support themselves in a gritty, hard knocks world. The two stars bring a warm humanity to what could have been a situation beyond the understanding of viewers. Demonstrating a deft comedic touch with a romance in the ruins of civilization, the pair remain beautiful under their tattered exteriors.

As an independent filmmaker, Ladner understands the need for new approaches and creative content. His films bring both, laced with wit and a family-friendly attitude. Viewers of all ages can enjoy his work from the start and appreciate new layers in it with each additional viewing.

Trailers for Ladner’s earlier films, “Hickory Never Bleeds” and “Max Peril,” appeared on YouTube, but “Almost Mine” runs in its entirety, a free gift for viewers to cherish. The award winning filmmaker has maintained his quirky, offbeat perspective for the short subject, offering a fresh look at relationships and survival. The little film carries the potential to introduce a whole new audience to his earlier works. While “Hickory Never Bleeds” is available for purchase on DVD, “Max Peril” is still screening at film festivals across the country and will be available for purchase sometime in 2016.

Look for “Almost Mine” and the trailers to Ladner’s full-length works at YouTube. Visit his website for additional short subjects which showcase the film making talents of Poplarville’s Frank Ladner.

Originally appeared 12/26/2015 at http://www.examiner.com/article/free-video-available-for-fans-of-mississippi-s-frank-ladner