Films about Civil Rights-era Children's Crusade and the 'Forgotten Bombs' in Laos to be featured at Tylerman Film Fest
The Tylerman International Film Festival on Aug. 5-7 has made some scheduling changes.
Dr. Walt Whitman and The Soul Children will be at the Studio Movie Grill to open the festival singing "Lift Every Voice" and one of their selections on Friday, Aug. 5.
The fourth annual film festival opens with an all-ages red carpet premiere at 3 and 6 p.m. at the movie theater, 301 Rice Lake Square in Wheaton.
There will be dual short-film presentations of "The Secret Weapon - Yesterday Is Today," written and directed by Ken Sagoes and inspired by the 1963 Children's Crusade in Birmingham, Alabama; and "The McHenry Trial - Don't Judge a Kid by Their Hoodie."
There will be Q&A with the cast and crew of "The Secret Weapon - Yesterday Is Today."
In addition, Regina Brent will lead a Q&A about "Civil Right Heroes" with Mamie King Chalmers, who was a member of the Children's Crusade, and Ruby Shuttlesworth-Bester, daughter of Fred Shuttlesworth who led the fight for civil rights in Birmingham.
The festival continues from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6, and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 7, in the Visitors Center Theater and Joseph Medill Room at Cantigny Park, 1S151 Winfield Road in Wheaton.
The Outdoor Gospel Explosion with the Soul Children and illusionist Walter King, originally scheduled for Aug. 6, will be moved to a future date.
On Sunday, veterans and the community are invited to attend the screening of "Waiting to Explode: Forgotten Bombs of a Secret War" about the millions of unexploded bombs that still remain buried in Laos, decades after the Vietnam War. The short film by Shuja Paul will be shown at 2:40 p.m. with a Q&A by the film's producer Yosh Yamanaka of Naperville. The documentary explores the lingering impacts of nine years of saturation bombing with anti-personnel bombs and other ordnance during the "Secret War" in Laos (1964-1973). It features interviews with Fred Branfman (publisher of "Voices from the Plain of Jars") and others who are active in accelerating UXO clearance. "Waiting to Explode" weaves interviews, photographs, and fact sheets while following several victims of anti-personnel bomb explosions as they strive to move forward after their injuries.
Also on Sunday will be a red carpet presentation of "How We Got Here? Face the Past. Change the Future" from 5 to 8 p.m., with chance to meet the filmmaker and actor Jewel Ifeguni from 8 to 9 p.m.
The weekend pass is $35. Cantigny Park entry is $15 for Saturday or Sunday.
There also will be virtual showings on TylermwanTV.com.
For tickets, visit www.tylermanfilms.com or tylermantv.com.
It is sponsored by Cantigny Park, InUrban Strategies, and ComEd.
Andrew Tyler, founder of Tylerman Films LLC, created the festival as a means for filmmakers to "showcase their skills without filter in support of social awareness" and tell their stories to a wider audience.