Walking With WYN

"I recently met James "the jesus guy" in Vero Beach Florida, and i got some fantastic photos of him.

So today i was killing a hour before i had to pick my father up from a meeting and i saw a man who looked like Jesus walking down a major road bare foot, so having my camera on me i instantly turned around and snapped some shots of him while he was walking. I then decided to get out of the car and talk to him, i talked to him for almost a hour and even walked about a mile with him as he was heading to Tampa.

He never once pressed Religion on me, he asked about my beliefs but never went further than that, i then brought it up later on. He was the most warmhearted man i have ever met in my life and if anyone ever sees him, i really think you should take the time to talk to him.

I am not a very religious person and its a rather hot topic with me, but after speaking with him i feel my spiritual beliefs have become more open.



-Cameron"

Thanks Cameron for sharing your story and your photos!

"What's Your Name?" Speaks in NJ

On September 11th( last Friday), "What's Your Name?" was a special guest speaker at mass in Saint Aloysius School in Jackson, New Jersey, and was a big hit. The school and community gathered as the first mass of the school year was celebrated in the new church by the Parish’s new associate priest, Father Brian Woodrow. Those who lost their life in the attacks on September 11th were also remembered with honor and in prayer. The school would like to thank him and wish him luck as he continues his walk with the Lord.

Thanks to Olive for the information!

Spotted!

Ken, a fellow-follower, spotted "What's Your Name?" yesterday, Sunday, May 10 on 15th Street in Hazelton, PA. Ken spoke with "What's Your Name?" for about 10 minutes and sent us this photo. Thanks Ken for keeping us posted on the whereabouts of "What's Your Name!"

Have you spotted "What's Your Name?" Send us the info (where, when and what you discussed)!

Marlin's Mystery Box

We received a box at our office from Marlin Heckindorn. He managed a website for "What's Your Name?" before Sean started the movie and took over from there. Marlin tracked WYN's whereabouts online for all to see. When Marlin contacted us to see if we were interested in a "box of WYN stuff" left over from when he was running the website, we were eager to receive it.

The mystery box arrived and with great care we examined the contents. Enclosed were various newspaper clippings, press interviews and notes WYN made along his journeys. We admit we were hoping for an old robe, a lock of hair or an old prayer book, but what we discovered was just as interesting, including a letter from the Scranton Diocese, articles with photos of a "young" WYN (not the full beard) and "fan notes" from Pennsylvania to Michigan.

News from the LA United Film Festival

The Jesus Guy premiered in Beverly Hills at the LA United Film Festival on April 20th.  The film was in good company, with a roster of award-winning films and documentaries...some that played with The Jesus Guy at other festivals.  I finally got to see Darius Goes West, which I highly recommend, now available on DVD at dariusgoeswest.com.  Jason Connell's fun film, Strictly Background, strictlybackground.com  also played, and is one of my favorites from the festival circuit that I've seen. 

The LA festival kicked off with a great party at the Gibson Guitar Museum and showroom, with a live performance from one of the festival film's subjects, Larry Pierce, from Dirty Country, dirtycountrymovie.com.  Let's just say it wasn't politically correct, but it was hilarious.  

Perhaps the best part of the festival in LA is that a lot of my friends, who have moved there to pursue careers in commercials and movies showed up to support the movie. actor/writer, 

Brian Connors, producer/writer, 

Kim Reeves, singer/songwriter, Kelly Slattery, art director Rob Engel, actress, Lea Renay-Contarino, 

actor/comedians, 

Jim & Tamra Meskimen, 

found at: appliedsillyness.com...thanks to all for coming!

Director's Recap from Ozark Foothills FilmFest

Click here for the story in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.

Ozark Foothills is a great little film fest with great big heart!
Bob and Judy Pest have put together a fantastic venue (the Independence Hall Auditorium) and a great group of people to see an artfully-selected group of films. Bob Pest has been involved and on the Board of Directors of some other fine festivals (Indie Memphis, Hot Springs, PBS, etc.), so when he gets behind a film and programs it, you can be sure it's worth the watching. Bob is passionate about film and supporting the filmmakers. He knew my film and understood its meaning and message as well as anyone who's seen it. Thanks for paying attention, Bob!

During this trip, I especially enjoyed the time I got to spend meeting Chris Eska (writer/director) and Jason Wehling (producer), of August Evening, this year's Cassavetes Award Winner at the Indie Spirit Awards. Chris and I were picked up and dropped off at the airport together (going our separate ways to the East and West Coasts), and had much time to talk about indie distribution, festivals, and filmmaking in general. On the way, we saw the areas flooded out by the Mississippi and the White Rivers. Just a few weeks earlier, on a trip via Memphis to the Oxford Film Fest, I saw the ravages of the tornadoes that passed thru just days earlier. If The Jesus Guy is scheduled to air in your town, better watch the weather!

Sean Tracey, Chris Eska, Jason Wehling

Photo by Keith Sturch

Harvard University Divinity School Screening

What can you say when a 66-minute movie is followed by a 2-hour Question & Answer session?

Fantastic! That's what happened recently when The Jesus Guy screened at Harvard Divinity School to an enthusiastic audience of religious scholars, students, and clergy. We had to shut down the questions, because they just wouldn't stop. The audience's questions were thoughtful, incisive, deeply probing—what I had hoped for from Harvard. For me, being invited to screen at the Divinity School (see HDS link above) legitimizes the film. We've had great success and reviews from film festival audiences, but I wouldn't expect them to be as critical as the Harvard group. This cross-denominational group, it seemed from the Q&A, was surprised at the depth of the film and its subject, and was very curious to learn more about "What's Your Name's?" beliefs and background. We had a similar experience with an early screening with the Bishop and clergy from the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire. At this event, the questions went well into the night and some clergy commented that they "lost sleep" over issues that this film and WYN's life illuminated, including what commitments and sacrifices they had/had not made for their own mission and the relatively comfortable lifestyle they had as priests. Thanks, Harvard!

Oxford Film Festival Screening

The Jesus Guy screened at the 5th Annual Oxford Film Festival on Sunday, February 10, 2008 at 4:00pm at the Malco Oxford Studio Cinema at 1111 Jackson Ave. W in Oxford, MS. Director, Sean Tracey, attended! The film received "#1 Top Buzz" for the festival (before the screening) according to the B-Side (website administrator).

Comments from the director:
It’s been a couple weeks since I returned from the Oxford FF. We had another great screening. This time in a brand new multiplex with Dolby Sound, a huge screen, and stadium seating. We had a great audience, too. It’s fascinating to see people in different theaters, different cities, states, etc., all have the same reactions at the same moments in the film. Better yet, they’re the reactions I had hoped for. Laughs when I expected them, and suspicion-detecting “hummmms???” when they should occur.
I saw a couple of other great documentaries, including “The Devil Rides on Horseback” and “Nobody”. I met the directors of Nobody and hope to share info about distribution and theatrical release. Unfortunately, What’s Your Name could not make it to the festival.
Oxford is an enigma on it’s own. So beautiful, quite upscale, classic Southern looking town square. The disconnect is every Thursday-Saturday night when shuttle busses full of University of Mississippi kids funnel into the town to drink themselves silly.
By midnight, the streets are strewn with staggering frat boys and coed girls sitting (or laying prone) on the sidewalks because they’re so drunk they can’t walk in their high heels. Yes…they get decked out in expensive little cocktail dresses to drink beer! (There’s a documentary film waiting to be made here.)
The film is on to screenings at Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, the Connecticut Film Festival, and St. Anselm’s College (”Best of the Best of the NH Film Festival” night), all in March. More later. Thanks for checking in.

Film Screens Opening Day at the NH Film Festival

We were privileged to screen The Jesus Guy opening day at the NH Film Festival. It's always been a dream to screen at The Music Hall here in Portsmouth. It was great to finally showcase the film for friends, family and colleagues. The attendance and Q&A were great. And the 2nd screening at the Muddy River Smokehouse was packed as well. Thanks to everyone that came out to support the film. Looking forward to your thoughts.

Nina (featured in the film) with Director, Sean Tracey and wife, Lina.

Nina (in the film), Ariane (Media Coordinator) and Rita (Associate Producer)

World Premiere at Sidewalk

The Jesus Guy had its World Premiere at the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival on September 30, 2007 at 1:45pm at the Carver Theatre in Birmingham, Alabama. The screening was well attended, filling the theatre! And with "What's Your Name?" in attendance, it only drew more buzz. The Q&A and panel following the screening was great. Thank you, "What's Your Name?" for attending! Prior to the audience screening, "What's Your Name?" had his own private screening of the film as he had yet to see it. Overall the premiere was a huge success, complete with a TV segment on Fox 6 Evening News, an interview with the Starz network and "Wake Up Alabama" CBS host Alexa Jones as well as various morning radio show interviews. We enjoyed meeting other talented filmmakers and the amazing Sidewalk staff! Thank you for a great time and fabulous hospitality!
If you got to see the film, do share your thoughts with us!

NHPR "Front Porch" Interview

Sean was featured on New Hampshire Public Radio's "Front Porch" with Liz Bulkley on Friday, September 21 at 6:30pm. If you didn't get to tune in, click here to listen!

A Visit with Albert Maysles

Hello friends:
A treasured moment for me this Monday in NYC. A nice long meeting with my documentary-making mentor and friend, Albert Maysles, about the completion of my own feature-length doc, The Jesus Guy.
www.mayslesfilms.com