540 Screen

Featured Presentations

Thanks to Empire Film Group in Association with Cine-Savvy, Screen Media Partners and Fantastic Films the following films will be available for Public Screening at the 540 Film Fest:

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  Through the Moebius Strip

  USA Festival Premiere!

  Director: Glenn Chaika
  Producer: David Kirschner, Frank Foster
  Cast: Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Mark Hamilll, Jean Simmons, Michael Dorn, Peri Gilpen

  Thru the Moebius Strip is a high definition, 3D animated feature film with an epic, science fiction/fantasy story about physicist Simon Weir, who becomes lost and trapped in a distant planet after he crosses a space-time portal he created.

  Eight years later, his son, Jac Weir, a brave, resourceful 14 year old boy, who grew up refusing to accept the loss of his father, finally finds the portal and crosses over to the Planet Raphicca, 27.2 million light years away. Jac finds that his father is prisoner in a kingdom of giant aliens who believe in magic and a medieval code of chivalry.

  In the midst of a raging battle between good and evil, Jac rescues his father, his newfound family of aliens, the planet of Raphicca, and ultimately, the Universe.

  The story, characters and vision originated from award-winning Jean "Moebius" Giraud, who is widely acknowledged as being one of the major, modern day influences in the visual arts field. His design contributions include "Alien", "Tron", "Willow", "The Abyss" and "The Fifth Element".


Phantom Punch
USA Festival Premiere!
"Sonny Liston, the controversial former world heavyweight boxing champion is brought back to vivid life by actor *Ving Rhames* in the *Robert Townsend*directed biopic *Phantom Punch*. From his discovery by a priest while serving time at the Missouri State Penitentiary to the infamous 'Phantom Punch' by Cassius Clay which effectively ended his career, the movie spans the years from 1950 to Liston's mysterious and untimely death in 1971."
"*Phantom Punch* shares Liston's triumphs and tragedy as his run ins with racism, the mob and the law are examined, and his personal relationships with his wife, manager and lover are revealed. From the lows of poverty and jail to the heights of a world championship, *Phantom Punch* provides audiences with a compelling portrait of the man behind the headlines."

Chelsea on the Rocks
Current Theatrical Release
CHELSEA ON THE ROCKS celebrates the personalities and artistic voices that have emerged from this legendary residence in the heart of New York. The 12-storey, 250-room Chelsea Hotel - originally built in 1883 as Manhattan's first cooperative apartment, and the tallest building in New York until 1902 - was converted into a hotel and residence in 1905. Once considered an untouchable, impenetrable tower for writers, artists, musicians and mavericks, it has recently been claimed as a boutique hotel venture for a management company which shows blatant disregard for its formidable history. Interviews include:
Ethan Hawke, Dennis Hopper, Milos Forman, Gaby Hoffmann, R. Crumb, Lola Schnabel, Stanley Bard, Vito Acconci, Janis Joplin (ARCHIVAL), Sid Vicious (ARCHIVAL), William S. Burroughs (ARCHIVAL), Jerry Garcia (ARCHIVAL) and Quentin Crisp (ARCHIVAL).

War Eagle
Special Encore Presentation
Based on a True Story
War Eagle, Arkansas is a character-driven drama about a young man's choice of whether to leave his family and friends for a career in baseball or stay and redeem his struggling community. The story takes place over a few pivotal weeks in the summer after Enoch Cass's senior year, and is set against the backdrop of Arkansas' beautiful Ozark Mountains.
Enoch Cass has two gifts; the first is baseball, and the second is the innate goodness he possesses as he holds his family, members of his community, and most of all, his friendship with Samuel "Wheels" Macon, together. However, Enoch's Achilles heel is the fact that he has a debilitating stutter and can rarely manage a complete sentence.
Wheels is Enoch's best friend and has cerebral palsy. He has been confined to a wheelchair since early childhood, which is how long these two have been inseparable. Wheels' spirit knows no bounds, and combined with Enoch's inability to articulate, the two have relied on one another to make themselves one completely functional human being...though without each other, they are nothing. However, the story finds these two at the crossroads of childhood and independence, the moment where Enoch has to decide if he will put away the things of his youth to pursue his own interests, or remain shackled to his hometown and its people.
Enoch's domineering grandfather, Eugene "Pop" Cass wants nothing more than for his grandson to get a baseball scholarship to a major school and get out of the town he feels he himself was sentenced to forty years before after being forced to abandon his own minor league career. Enoch's mother, Belle Cass, often comes into conflict with Pop over these issues, while Enoch also seeks counsel from Jack, an older African-American man he works with, as well as Wheels' mother, Jessie.
After Enoch performs well in the All-Star game, he is quickly seduced by the new-found attention he's being given both by interested colleges and Abby, a girl Enoch has had a crush on for some time. As all this happens, Enoch's friendship with Wheels becomes more and more distant and finally begins to dissolve. As the film reaches its dramatic climax, Enoch must choose between his best friend, a baseball career, his girlfriend, and the inherent love he feels for his community.
War Eagle, Arkansas poses important questions that face all young people in rural America. The answers we find could touch us all.
Screenwriter: Graham Gordy, born and raised in Conway, Arkansas, has crafted a charming and intimate screenplay that will inspire people everywhere.

Junk Dreams
The Story
Director and Cinematographer - Skye Borgman
Producer - Matt Zettell
"Junk Dreams" is a documentary-adventure that chronicles one magical journey of two ageless brothers in their 80's. Ernie and Charlie Borgman step aboard a 29-foot Chinese junk boat and set sail on a 1,620 mile journey from Port Hadlock, Washington to Valdez, Alaska. The two and a half-month adventure takes them along the Canadian and Alaskan coast, through the Inside Passage and out into the icy waters of the Gulf of Alaska.
These modern day cowboys of the sea battle torrents of rain and raging waters, engine trouble and broken masts...and come face to face with the adventure, their true fountain of youth. As they embark on this journey of the soul they explore issues of family, death and health. Issues that in the later parts of their lives are immediate, haunting and inevitable.
With a keen wit, a sparkle in their eye and an undying devotion to nature these ordinary men tell an extraordinary story of family, of passing along the passion for life to our children and of aging - but never growing old.

Left/Right
The Story
Writer, Director and Lead Actor - Matt Wolfe
Director and Editor - Todd Wolfe
Left/Right is a coming-of-age comedy that follows D. Ray Morton, a small-town have-not who has grown up to be a conspicuous, big-city socialite. But after a human resource audit reveals an overstated educational background, Ray loses his job, his gaudy paycheck, and in turn, his identity. In an attempt to salvage his career and self-worth, Ray returns home to feebly check the boxes on this embellished resume. While there, Ray comes to find out that his obituary, not his resume, will be the true measure of his worth.