Rolling Tapes Youth Film & Art Festival

Rolling Tapes Short Film and Art Festival focuses on young filmmakers in Maine who are creating unconventional, non-traditional or experimental work. The purpose of the festival is to give a platform to the young filmmaker whose work isn’t normally recognized. Our goal is to inspire young artists in Portland and throughout Maine to pursue their passion and talent, and to cultivate community, excitement and support for young local filmmakers.

This evening, will be a short film screening as well as live music and poetry performed by local artists beforehand.

Schedule

8:00pm – The event will begin with live music, spoken word and food provided by local food trucks
8:30pm – The short film screenings will begin
9:30pm – Q&A and artists talkback with filmmakers

Who is behind Rolling Tapes?

Daniel Kayamba is a Portland, Maine-based filmmaker and photographer currently living in Chicago, Illinois and studying film at Columbia College. He has been creating films and taking pictures since his Junior year of high school and has continued to pursue his passion ever since. He was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and his family moved to America when h was 9 years-old hoping to seek a better life and more opportunities. He often takes inspiration from his own life experiences and a lot of his work revolves around his community and stories of the black condition through his eyes. As an artist, he aims to tackle social issues with films and tell stories with universal themes and messages. He considers himself an experimental filmmaker and strives to distinguish his work from traditional and mainstream styles.

Henry Spritz is a 17 year-old filmmaker from Portland, Maine, where he currently attends Waynflete School. He began filmmaking in eighth grade and since, has become involved in the Maine film scene, collaborating with other artists, teaching workshops and screening his work locally. He not only directs, writes and shoots his own films, but also collaborates with local musicians to create the soundtracks in order to create a cohesive vision every time. His work often focuses on his home, Portland, Maine, its conflicts, its residents, and their stories. With his films, his goal is to create an emotional connection with the viewer and express a specific feeling rather than a traditional narrative. His film, “Oldtown”, has been screened in Portland, New York and Miami.

Claude Kirongozi is a Portland-based filmmaker and photographer. He was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and has lived in the US for about 12 years. He says that Maine has played a huge role in his upbringing. Always interested in the process of creation, he’s expressed his interest through everything from drawing to making small films with his friends. Film has helped him express his world views and communicate his ideas to others. His work focuses on the idea of being young and free. He also designs clothes with his brother, through the clothing brand “Lacuna” (which means an “empty space” or “void”).