Directors to produce Japan documentary this spring

Scene from “Uncanny Terrain”

JUNKO KAJINO and I are headed to northern Japan this spring to begin production on our new documentary, Uncanny Terrain, through Homesick Blues Productions.

We will follow organic farmers battling to remediate their land and hold onto their livelihoods in the face of radioactive fallout, stigma and uncertainty in the wake of the earthquake, tsunami and ongoing nuclear crisis.

We also produced the 2009 psychological drama, The First Breath of Tengan Rei, through Homesick Blues Productions. It’s about a young Okinawan woman named Rei, who kidnaps the teenage son of a U.S. Marine with whom she shares a dark and mysterious past.

WENDY JO CARLTON’s lesbian musical comedy Jamie and Jessie are not Together makes its world premiere June 18 in the Frameline Film Festival at the Castro Theater in San Francisco.

Jacqui Jackson and Jessica London-Shields star Carlton’s story of the romantic tension between two actor roommates as one is leaving for New York.

With Fawzia Mirza and Marika Englehardt. Carlton also directed the 2009 Sharon Gless drama Hannah Free, adapted by Claudia Allen from Allen’s own play. Gretchen Warthen shot both films.

JOE SWANBERG’s Uncle Kent, which premiered in January at the Sundance Film Festival, has its Chicago debut Friday, April 29 at the Gene Siskel Film Center.

Swanberg’s cowriter Kent Osborne, who also collaborated with him on Hannah Takes the Stairs, stars as an L.A. animator hosting a houseguest (Jennifer Prediger) he picked up on Chatroulette.

MICHAEL FORSYTHE AND DAVID J. MILLER of Mindlight Films and Viral Film Video have launched the city girl/country girl web series Hey Girl!  It’s distributed by Koldcast.

Alli Urbanik, Deneen Melody, Kevin Wunder, and Danny Glenn star. Miller also produces the comedy web series Assisted Living.

VICTOR GREYWOLF is recording his second, untitled comedy album this June in Hoffman Estates.

LAST CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS for the 3rd annual Chicago Screenwriters Network Screenwriting Contest. Deadline is April 30. Late entry fee is $65. See details here.

MAY 1 DEADLINE for the first Chicago Comedy Film Festival, scheduled for Oct. 14 and 15 at ShowPlace ICON.  Festival director Jessica Hardy of Flowfeel Films cowrote, directed and acted in the comedies Off the Cuff and Welcome to Gentle Waters.

STARTING MAY 4, Cinema/Chicago’s popular International Screenings Program will spotlight a film representing a different country’s national cinema twice a week for 21 consecutive weeks, sequin into the 47th Chicago International Film Festival in October.

Best of all, the screenings are free and open to all.  The program runs Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m and Saturdays at 2 p.m. at the Claudia Cassidy Theater at the Chicago Cultural Center.