University of Kansas - Jayhawker Yearbook (Lawrence, KS)

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-lhesi:tir1ririn.sunrlaiir:e. y The American Specturum i category presents . noncompetitive dramatic T and documentary films l from a diverse group of f emerging filmmakers. T Films included in the 2004 i American Spectrum i category vvere: i C.S.A: Confederate States of America T Dandelion i Dirty Work Everyday People -.B.S. t -et the Church Say Amen Vletallica: Some Kind of Monster T VIVP i Open Vllater A Second Best i September Tapes Speak A The Control Room ?q.C3IllDll5JlIlL C.S.A.: Confederate States of America. vwitten and directed by Kevin Willmott. assistant professor of theater and film, was selected from thousands of entries to be screened with l3 other films in a group called American Spectrum at the Sundance Film Festival. jan. I5-25 in Park City. Utah. Sundance was the first festival to accept the film. but Willmott said his ultimate goal was to have the film released nationally. Mattlaeobson. assistant professor ofthcater and film. acted as the director of photography for the film. The Sundance screening. hc said. was a huge step in reaching Willmott's goal ofa national release. After receiving grants from the University and the Black Filmmakers Coalition back in 1997. Willmott began on the production of the film, which depicts the United States as it would be in the present day if the South had won the Civil War. Willmott said the film took so long to make because of lack of adequate funding. The shooting of C.S.A. had to be broken into many chunks because ofthe fundraising process. Using documentary-style storytelling. the film appears as if it were broadcast on Confederate Television. The story's focus on slavery. which is still very much alive in C.S.A,s fictitious world. is heightened byjarring images like an American alliance with Nazi Germany and advertisements for a slave shopping network. Willmott said although the South lost on the battlefield. it won in some respects because the entire country adopted segregation. He said Kansas was a perfect example because although Kansas fought as a free state. the state was segregated after the war. More than 20 current and former University students and professors helped in the filmmaking process and traveled to Park City for the film festival. At Sundance. the film had four sold-out show titnes and the interest of one very prominent director. Through a mutual agency with the William Morris Agency, Spike Lee viewed the film before the festival and lent his name to it as an executive producer. Lee - well-known and well-respected for racially charged films like Malcolm X. D0 The Right Thing and Bamboozled - said he wanted to help get the film noticed. calling it an eye-opening. jaw-dropping and insightful look at American history. 'LC.S.A. also is a boldfaced. urgent answer to Cold Motintain and you could even say the likes of Cone with the Wind. also. Lee said in a statement released at the film festival. Willmott said Lec's involvement gave the film more credibility with the media. Because ofthe controversial subject matter. Vlfillmott said he heard discussions about the film on buses and sidewalks. At the conclusion of Sundance. lFC Films ptirchased theatrical distribution rights to the film. Miramax Films and Newmarket Films were in negotiations for the rights. but Willmott said IFC was the best option. IFC Films bought and distributed My Big Fat Greek Wedding last year. A Kevin Wilmott, a KU professor of film, spun history y on its head with his independent film Confederate A States of America. confederaleslalesulamerica

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'J 2 3 .WA , 'hint ply i ihfii mel hillt- ntl Members ollour sttrdent ltotrsirrggrvvrrps. the Assoeiation ol'llrriversity l'l,esirlerree llalls,Stot1l'ler' Neiglnhorltoorl Assoeiation, All Seholarship l lall Clorrneil and ,layhawker 'lowers 'lienants Assoeiation, wor'ked on their l'loat lor more than a week. 'l'he lloat was a lirst lor residenee halls, who had never participated in that homeeoming tradition. lt depieted dillerentJayhawks used to represent the University in their respeetive time periods. Alpha Delta Pi sorority and Triangle lraternity spent three weeks eonstrueting their lloat. whieh showed a Baylor Bear' approaelringa,lay hawk on a livotlvall lield. Alter reaehing thejayhawk, the Bear bent down and lmaeked away. 'lio represent the theme. all parts olthe l'loat exeept the Jayhawk were in blaek and white, like elassie TV, said Steve lfyerley. lftrdorajtrnior. Getting the moving parts to work at the eorreet time was the hardest part olputting the lloat together. liverley said. Younger members olthe lraternity sat under the loonlmall lield and made the parts move. The eraxiest lan did not have his own lloat. hut painted his entire hody erimson and hlue and donned a spandex wrestling suit with red lishnet stoekings lor the event. He did jump roping trieks and ran through the parade interaeting with speetators. The lootball team laeed Baylor in the Homeeoming garne later that day. lt was a hard lought mateh but the Jayhawks eame away with a seeond eonseeutive home win and a seore ol'28-Qi. 'The Universily nl Kansas and lhe lawrence eemmunily have heen wenrlerlul le my lamily anrl me. ll's always my nleasnre le nive semelhine haek when I have lhe ennerlunilyf' -Danny Manning, Homecoming parade Grand Marshall and former Kansas basketball player

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Kevin Wilmott, KU professor of film, poses in front of his movies poster. The film was featured at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival and applauded by director Spike Lee. -- photo by Ryan Scarrow iiiii if H 'Wi' - -'vi 1' '- ii Jllililfyiililliifi 1, ,ix , i 'ii ' t 91' ,, fb 511004 8 il Q 4 lg' itil i ff? , N ?:, 'l!!9 with 2 -. I ,wr N il4-'IW' i i l l l l i liiillfll v iilii5ifi iliiilJ5 l' l. ,r' l5.'lf 9'T i liiiilfiiiviiflli' 4-'l'l lYil'iy-lriiZilliul' i , ,'lJ'i i'Eii,'ii.-xl i i lililfililffifllllllhlrgilllll' l iiirillffl if, 5- in li'llflliW9 i ,3'i WWW!-v,,g,i in ,i,Wu'iiiiii-ill l ii , wi ii 'il I, mail. A M- 'i i 1- ii- lil' lil'-ii,-f,li,'. iiliif iiliwn' l , CDllfEl1QLatE StHL2il1f,3Ill2LlC3.,25