Hands down, ‘The Hands’ is the best
The Hands, a film by Oak Park resident Charise Studesville, was chosen Best Dramatic Film at the Wildwood Film Festival, April 17-18, in Appleton, Wis.
Studesville wrote and directed the film under her production company, Lotus Girl Films. She describes the storyline as “grappling with the ideas of memory, loss, secrets and forgiveness. The Hands is actually a back story for one of the lead characters in a full-length feature I have written called Love, Sydney.”
The Hands can also be seen at The Cannes Film Festival (The Short Film Corner), the Boston International Film Festival, The Heart of England Festival, The Black Harvest Festival of Film, The West Chester International Film Festival, The British Film Festival Los Angeles and the International Film Festival South Africa 2009.
Studesville splits her time between her Los Angeles and Chicago Lotus Girl Film offices and is currently writing a dramatic political thriller, and two television pilots, which she hopes to sell to HBO or Showtime. The filmmaker also has two short films in pre-production, with shooting scheduled to begin this summer.
For more information, visit www.TheHandsMovie.com or www.LotusGirlFilms.com.
Local litter-ati
Last we visited North Lombard Avenue resident Susan Messer, she was taking her weekly five-mile meditation walk/environmental cleanup. [A Literate Litter Lady, News] At the time, she stated she was working on a novel. Sure enough, we recently received an advance copy of Messer’s new novel, Grand River and Joy.
Set in mid-1960s Detroit, the novel tells the story of Messer’s family dealing with the racial turmoil that peaked during that city’s devastating riots in 1968.
The book, published by University of Michigan Press, is due out in July.
Lennon hails from Oak Park
Among the many Hollywood celebrities who once hallowed the halls of Oak Park and River Forest High School, you can include Tom Lennon, star of the TV comedy Reno 911 and the new film 17 Again, currently showing at the Lake Theatre.
Local resident Eric Brightfield said he recently saw Lennon on The Jimmy Kimmel Show, and Lennon mentioned he’s from Oak Park. According to Brightfield, Wikipedia lists him as a 1988 OPRF grad.
Sinbad doesn’t
And while we’re on the subject of celebrities, we keep hearing rumors that the comedian Sinbad lives in Oak Park. That’s true, but not in Oak Park, Ill. He lives in Oak Park, Calif. Turns out there are a number of Oak Parks around the country. No doubt we were the first, so consider it the highest form of flattery.
Name that burger
DineOakPark.com, the site we launched last week to kick off Restaurant Month in the village, is cooking up lots of interest.
Our original two dozen participants – from Philander’s to Tasty Dog – were joined Monday morning by Taste of Brasil and George’s Family Restaurant. And at presstime Tuesday, we had calls from several others looking to sign in.
As you’re clicking on DineOak Park.com looking for deals, don’t miss the stories on local establishments. The amusing and impressive details are as diverse as the cuisines:
Which Oak Park restaurant is in a hall of fame?
Which Oak Park food establishment caters to garlic and nut allergies?
Which Oak Park restaurant has a martini that pays homage to Marshall Field’s?
Which Oak Park restaurant is named for an itinerant bicycle repairman?
Which Oak Park restaurant has a wholesale division that used to supply United Airlines?
Which Oak Park restaurant has a menu item first served here in 1975?
Which Oak Park restaurant regularly appears in Sneed’s column?
Which two Oak Park restaurants are the village’s liquor pioneers?
Which Oak Park restaurant has the biggest burger?