Join The LAVA Center for four evenings of local film screenings and discussions with the filmmakers! Leading up to the 3rd annual LAVA Film Festival (Sept. 22–23), we have invited Valley filmmakers to share and discuss their work. The LAVA Film Festival is open to all Massachusetts filmmakers, but this series is even more locally focused on Valley filmmakers! $5 suggested donation goes to support the filmmakers and LAVA.
Vanessa Query
Thursday, July 13, 6 p.m.
Vanessa Query is a director, writer, performer, and organizer based in Greenfield. She started making short films in Yellow Springs, Ohio over 10 years ago and has more recently made a few in this area.
Vanessa will screen and discuss these short films:
“Alienation” (2019, Greenfield MA)
“The Mythical Monster” (2018, Turners Falls MA)
“Local Woman Still Missing” (2010, Yellow Springs OH)
“Awkward Hugs: An Investigative Report” (2010, Yellow Springs OH)
“Love Conquers All” (2009, Yellow Springs OH)
Samarah Hasan-Kepes and family
Thursday, August 10, 6 p.m.
Samarah Hasan-Kepes (Director, Voice Actor) likes doing gymnastics and playing piano. She is 10 years old, and lives in Easthampton, MA. She enjoys making films and can speak Chinese fluently.
Gyuri Kepes (Assistant Director, Cinematographer, Screenwriter, Sound Designer) teaches multimedia production at Landmark College. He enjoys painting and making films with his daughter, Samarah.
Lorna Kepes (Creative Director, Caterer) was born in England and raised in Mexico. She attended the Museum School of Fine Arts in Boston and has worked as a potter and director of an arts program for Latino youth.
Imre Kepes (Lead Carpenter, Gaffer, Best Boy) is a not quite retired 73 years young. What keeps him youthful and inspired are his children and grandchildren. Among other activities and ventures one of the most inspiring is making off the wall videos with his son Gyuri, granddaughter, Samarah, and wife, Lorna.
The Kepes family will screen and discuss “The Saga of the Golden Potty” (2023) — a scintillating stop-motion-tour-de-force from three generations of filmmakers, led by visionary 10-year-old Director, Samarah Hasan-Kepes.
Althea Levin Rieff Keaton
Thursday, August 31, 6 p.m.
Althea Levin Rieff Keaton is a writer, artist, and arts educator. They received their MFA in Studio Arts from UMass Amherst in 2019 and live in Western Massachusetts with their partner and cats. You can follow them on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram @alrkeaton or visit alrkeaton.com to view more of their work.
Althea will screen and discuss these short films:
“Althea, 2017: The Marriage Question” (1 minute 41 seconds, Animation – acetone transfer, plate lithography, sand)
“Anonymous, 2018: I Knew” (50 seconds, Animation – acetone transfer, printmaking)
“Out of the Blue” (1 minute 25 seconds, Animation – cut out and silhouette)
“Head Space” (1 minute 40 seconds, Documentary)
“Growth” (36 seconds, Animation)
Melissa McClung
Thursday, September 14, 6 p.m.
MELISSA McCLUNG is a filmmaker and animator based in Hadley, Massachusetts. She produced animations for the science documentary, The Arc of Oblivion, directed by Ian Cheney and produced by Wicked Delicate & Sandbox Films with Executive Producer Werner Herzog. The film premiered at South by Southwest 2023 and CPH:DOX 2023. Her short film, All the Marbles, premiered at Maryland Film Festival 2022. Her short documentary, Louie’s Antiques, was an Official Selection of the 58th Ann Arbor Film Festival and had its international premiere at the Melbourne Documentary Festival. The film is preserved in the Historic Northampton permanent archive. Melissa is a recipient of the New England Film Star Award from NewEnglandFilm.com and Women in Film & Video New England, and she has won three national awards from the Alliance for Community Media. In addition to her creative work, Melissa teaches film at Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public High School, serves on the board of Northampton Open Media, and co-owns Ghost Hit Recording Studio with her husband, audio engineer Andrew Oedel. Melissa earned her MFA in Film from Vermont College of Fine Arts and her BA from Vassar College.
Melissa will screen and discuss these short films:
“Louie’s Antiques” (8 min., 2019)
“All the Marbles” (11 min., 2022)
“Elevator of Earthly Destruction” (4 min., 2020)
“Carried Away by the Wind (3 min., 2023)
