VINEYARD SHORTS
Sunday, March 26 | 5:45 PM | Grange Hall
51 min.
Followed by a discussion with directors Matt Taylor and Ollie Becker, and producer Chris Fischer
This program highlights the work of Island residents Chris Fischer, Matt Taylor, and Ollie Becker, whose five thought-provoking short films showcase the diverse voices and creativity of Martha’s Vineyard’s filmmaking community.
Tickets for this screening are general admission, and pay-what-you-can.
SHORT FILMS IN THIS PROGRAM:
DEEP ROOTs: DAVID FLANDERS, SIMON ATHEARN, AND THE FISCHER FAMILY
Dir. Matt Taylor | Documentary Short | U.S.A. | 2023 | 20 min.
In 2005, Chilmark resident and filmmaker Matt Taylor shot nearly 100 hours of video footage documenting agricultural practices on Martha's Vineyard. With a 2022 grant from the Vineyard Vision Fellowship, he has created a series of short films which, upon completion, will be donated to the Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society. Three of these films are presented here, profiling farmers Simon Athearn, the Fischer family of Flat Point Farm, and the late David Flanders.
FISH STORIES
Dir. Conor Hagen | Documentary Short | U.S.A. | 2023 | 25 min.
The small volcanic island of Hachijo-jima is nearly 178 miles off the coast of Japan, but considered part of Tokyo’s prefecture. Life there centers around fishing and the ocean, and is therefore slower and, some might say, more fulfilling. The intent of this film, produced by Islander Chris Fischer, was to document the beauty of this special place, and so protect it by encouraging us not to visit, as that would risk changing things.
MARTHA’S VINEYARD SKATEPARK
Dir. Ollie Becker | Documentary Short | U.S.A. | 2023 | 6 min.
Skateboarding has always been a creative way to interact with your surroundings, and on an island with few ideally paved surfaces for it, finding places to skate calls for ingenuity. This short film brings us into the world of skateboarding on Martha's Vineyard, and how its close-knit community came together to create the Island's only skatepark.