3 Columbia film festivals to catch this week

Movies provide a means of escape through entertainment. They make you laugh or cry, make you think heroes really can save the world with superpowers or fend over evil in a galaxy far, far away.

But some like to experience films in a different way, in a more intimate setting. They want to be challenged by films, educated or enlightened.

Several local film festivals offer Columbia fans an opportunity to do all of the above.

Fans can learn about different cultures, discuss the film making process or just be entertained in several venues this fall. Here are some of those opportunities:

The 2nd Act Film Festival

When: 7-11 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19.

Where: The Market at 701 Whaley, 701Whaley St.

Tickets: $12.50-$75 at www.eventbrite.com.

Info: www.secondactfilmfestival.com

The 2nd Act Film Festival, presented by the Jasper Project, strives to encourage and promote the growth of independent filmmaking in South Carolina.

“The 2nd Act Film Festival is completely unique,” said Wade Sellers, festival director and executive producer of Coal Powered Filmworks. “It was born out of frustrations with similar projects that exist. We don’t believe filmmakers should be charged a fee to make a movie, so we don’t charge an entry fee. In fact, last year, we started giving our filmmakers a small stipend and continue that this year.

“But what really makes the festival unique is that, from day one, we encourage collaboration among the teams themselves. Usually filmmakers participating in film projects never speak with each other before the screening and that makes for some awkward moments at the screening. We don’t want anything to do with that dynamic. We want our filmmakers to leave happy about what they have created, but forming a solid creative relationship with a peer is much more important.”

Filmmakers are given the first and third acts of a script, with the task of writing the second act and making the film.

“The scripts we provide have no character names or genders, no scene descriptions or directions,” Sellers said. “Our main rule is that the lines we give the filmmakers have to be the first and last lines of dialogue in the film.”

Festival organizers make the first and third act as generic as possible to avoid influencing the filmmakers.

“It does offer us a chance to play with traditional narratives, and this year is no different,” Sellers said.

Films can be no longer than six minutes.

“Filmmakers like the format of 2nd Act because it gives them a gentle creative push, but they have complete creative control over their film,” Sellers said.

In its fourth year, the festival has been well received in Columbia, playing to full houses in the past and finding its niche in the city’s art scene.

“Creation of the films has involved artists from multiple disciplines, not just filmmakers, and that helps grow the foundation of that scene,” Sellers said. “…We have had filmmakers from diverse backgrounds come together and support each other throughout the entire and very difficult process of making a film. That has already proved its benefits as past 2nd Act participants have gone on to work together after the festival.”

For information about the filmmakers, visit http://secondactfilmfestival.com/filmmakers.

Arkhaios Film Festival

When: Thursday, Oct. 19, through Saturday, Oct. 21.

Where: Gambrell Hall, University of South Carolina Pedestrian Mall.

Tickets: Free.

Films, times and info: www.arkhaiosfilmfestival.org

Arkhaios is a Greek word that means “ancient.” It’s also the root of the English derivatives “archaeological” and “archaic.”

The three-day Arkhaios Cultural Heritage and Archeology Film Festival is part of the 26th annual South Carolina Archeology Month – an educational event showcasing based on archeology or anthropology research shared through documentary films.

“If you are passionate of history or an avid world traveler, if you love to wander in a museum or are curious about other people’s culture, this festival will take you on a journey to uncover the latest discoveries of the history or prehistory of humanity around the world,” said Jean F. Guilleux, Arkhaios Film Festival founder and director. “These stories have the power to inspire us to be better people.”

The fifth annual event offers 14 films from around the world, including the American premieres of “The Birth of Prehistory, part 2,” “The Enigma of the Celtic Tomb,” “The Tomb of Genghis Khan: The Secret Revealed,” “Bog Bodies,” and “The Southern Campaign of the American Revolution: Backcountry Battles,” and the U.S. premiere of “Roman Mining Technology.”

“Arkhaios is an international juried film competition dedicated to cultural heritage and archeology,” Guilleux said. “It is the second of only two such film festivals in the U.S., while there are more than a dozen in Europe, several of them having run for over 20 years.”

The Columbia Jewish Film Festival

When: Through Sunday, Oct. 29.

Where: The Nickelodeon Theatre, 1607 Main St.

Tickets: www.nickelodeon.org/series/columbia-jewish-film-festival

The Columbia Jewish Film Festival is underway, and you can still catch some of this year’s films. The remaining ones:

▪ “There Are Jews Here” tells the story of dwindling Jewish communities in Texas, Montana, Pennsylvania and Alabama. 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22.

▪ “Aida’s Secrets” tracks a family’s secrets, lies and drama across generations from World War II to an emotional 21st-century family reunion. 5:30 p.m. Sunday Oct. 22.

▪ “Amor” follows Daniel as he returns to his childhood home in Israel and finds the love of his life dying. 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24.

▪ “The Pickle Recipe” tells the story of a down-on-his-luck party emcee who attempts to steal his grandmother’s top-secret pickle recipe. 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct.29.

Lezlie Patterson, Special to Go Columbia

This story was originally published October 17, 2017 at 4:26 PM with the headline "3 Columbia film festivals to catch this week."