Americana Music Association joins Nashville Film Festival to present Americana on Film

Charlie Louvin: Still Rattlin’ the Devil’s Cage”
a Film by Blake Judd and Keith Neltner

Screenings of
“BIG EASY EXPRESS” and
Charlie Louvin: Still Rattlin’ the Devil’s Cage”
Followed by a panel discussion with Rodney Crowell and Jim Lauderdale
The Americana Music Association will present two screenings during the Nashville Film Festival (NaFF) presented by Nissan, taking place April 19-26, 2012 at the Regal Green Hills Cinemas and various venues around Nashville.
On Sunday April 22, at 3:30PM, the AMA will present the screening of “Charlie Louvin: Still Rattlin’ the Devil’s Cage,” directed by Blake Judd and Keith Neltner, at the Regal Green Hills Cinema.  Attendees of the film will not only have the opportunity to view the documentary, which celebrates a true American hero, but also experience an engaging panel discussion on Louvin’s life and legacy with filmmakers Judd and Neltner, along with singer-songwriters Rodney Crowell and Jim Lauderdale, Louvin’s manager Brett Steele and moderator and music journalist Peter Cooper.
The AMA will also present “BIG EASY EXPRESS,” NaFF’s co-closing night feature on Thursday April 26, at 7:30PM, at the Regal Green Hills Cinema. Directed by Emmett Malloy, Big Easy Express captures the incredible musical journey of L.A.‘s Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Nashville’s Old Crow Medicine Show, and Londoners Mumford & Sons on one train over thousands of miles of track through six cities.
Tickets for the screenings, and the films at the 2012 Nashville Film Festival presented by Nissan, which runs April 19-26, are on sale now at www.nashvillefilmfestival.org
Additional Americana, Music or related films featured at the Nashville Film Festival include:
Music Films / Music City Competition
Andrew Bird: Fever Year (Xan Aranda / USA / 81 min.)Filmed during culminating months of the acclaimed singer-songwriter’s most rigorous year of touring, Andrew Bird crosses the December finish line in his hometown of Chicago – feverish and on crutches from an onstage injury. Is he suffering hazards from chasing the ghost of inspiration? Or merely transforming into a different kind of animal ‘perfectly adapted to the music hall?’ FEVER YEAR is the first to capture Bird’s precarious multi-instrumental looping technique and features live performances at Milwaukee’s Pabst Theater with collaborators Martin Dosh, Jeremy Ylvisaker, Michael Lewis, and Annie Clark of St. Vincent. TENNESSEE PREMIERE.
BIG EASY EXPRESS (Emmett Malloy / USA / 67 min.)Directed by Emmett Malloy (“Out Cold,” “The White Stripes Under Great White Northern Lights”) “BIG EASY EXPRESS” documents the musical journey of three bands on one train over thousands of miles of track through six cities. In April of 2011, indie folk heroes Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, Nashville’s Old Crow Medicine Show and Britain’s acclaimed Mumford & Sons climbed aboard a beautiful antique train in California, setting out for Louisiana on a “tour of dreams.” Part road movie and part concert film, “BIG EASY EXPRESS” bears witness to the birth of a new musical era. With poignancy and beauty, Malloy documents these incredible musicians as they ride the rails and wow the crowds, from Oakland … to New Orleans.
Butch Walker: Out of Focus (Shane Valdés, Peter Harding / USA / 90 min.)You may have heard of him, and you’ve definitely heard his work, but now find out about the real Butch Walker and his band the Black Widows as we take you on a personal journey inside one of the greatest minds in contemporary music. TENNESSEE PREMIERE.
Charlie Louvin: Still Rattlin’ the Devil’s Cage (Blake Judd, Kieth Neltner / USA / 46 min.)One year prior to to his death at 84-years-old the legendary country artist Charlie Louvin played an intimate gig at Nashville, Tennessee’s tiny FooBar in front of a packed crowed of kids, elders, hippies and rockers. Louvin was weak off the stage, battling cancer, but on the stage he was powerful and left the crowd chanting his name. It would be his last paid gig, and in an extensive interview the following morning, he shared many of the stories from his 60 year career. With appearances by Sonny Louvin, George Jones, Marty Stuart, John McCrea, Allison Krauss and Emmylou Harris. TENNESSEE PREMIERE.
Don’t Follow Me (I’m Lost) (William Miller / USA / 90 min.)Fighting his way out from the shadow of his famous father with a rock all his own, Bobby Bare Jr. attempts to redefine what it means to be a touring artist today – playing everywhere from small clubs to people’s living rooms, all while dealing with the repercussions of the road – the constant separation and the disconnect from loved ones back home. With very few interviews, the audience is a ‘fly on the wall’ along for the ride as Bobby Bare Jr. weaves his way through complicated rock ‘n’ roll situations. After months on the road, is it ever possible to really reconnect? WORLD PREMIERE.
Hank Cochran: Livin’ for a Song (Wes Pryor / USA / 95 min.)A feature length documentary on the life and music of legendary Nashville songwriter Hank Cochran. A remarkable story that starts in the cotton fields of Mississippi then moves on to California where he partnered with Rock legend Eddie Cochran for much of the 50s then on to Nashville in 1960 where he wrote classics such as ‘Make the World Go Away’, ‘I Fall to Pieces’, ‘She’s Got You’ and many more. The film includes intimate performances by Elvis Costello, Brad Paisley, Lee Ann Womack, Ronnie Milsap and others as well as appearances by Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, and Jeannie Seely to name just a few. After watching this film you will understand why they called Hank “The Legend.” WORLD PREMIERE.
Under African Skies (Joe Berlinger / USA / 102 min.)Paul Simon returns to South Africa to explore the incredible journey of his historic Graceland album, including the political backlash he received for allegedly breaking the UN cultural boycott of South Africa designed to end the Apartheid regime. TENNESSEE PREMIERE.
Duke & the King (Kris Wheeler, Wayne Franklin / USA / 91 min.)There’s danger in meeting your heroes … especially when your hero becomes your boss, and your boss is the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. Duke Bardwell learned that the hard way. “Duke & The King” tells the story of one of the great, unheralded talents in American music and demonstrates what can happen when the right words and music come together to alter destiny and, in doing so, offer a shot at redemption. Featuring Duke Bardwell, Kenny Loggins, Tom Rush, Casey Kelly, Trevor Veitch, David Greely, Leon Medica and Franko “Washboard” Jackson. WORLD PREMIERE.
Narrative Competition
I Am Not a Hipster (Destin Cretton / USA / 90 min.)Things are not looking good for Brook, a young, talented singer/songwriter who has become the clichéd tortured artist. Slow to come to terms with the death of his mother, Brook is self-absorbed, aggressive, and the major obstruction to his own career success. His isolation is lifted when his three sisters and estranged father come to spread his mother’s ashes. Brook’s loving sisters have a magical effect on his anger and apathy, suggesting there may be hope for the misanthropic musician after all. Set in a wannabe-cool, art-and-indie rock scene, “I Am Not A Hipster” is true to its title. Not tragically hip but, rather, emotionally rich, this portrait of a man in pain celebrates the healing power of family love. It aims straight for the heart and hits it. (Synopses from Sundance Institute.) TENNESSEE PREMIERE.
Mariachi Gringo (Tom Gustafson / USA / 102 min.)A stifled, small-town man stuck in a dead end life runs away to Mexico to be a mariachi singer. MARIACHI GRINGO is a musical tour-de-force exploring the reality of “following your dreams” across cultural, personal, social and geographical borders. TENNESSEE PREMIERE.
New Directors
Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best (Ryan O’Nan / USA / 97 min.)In “Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best,” a brokenhearted underachiever (Ryan O’Nan) takes off on a road trip with an eccentric friend (Michael Weston) on which they play children’s instruments during a series of strange shows. TENNESSEE PREMIERE.
The Romance of Loneliness (Sarah Ledbetter, Matteo Servente / USA / 63 min.)Amanda (Amy Lavere), a misfired pistol, has no idea what to make of her life and is determined to avoid finding out. At her cousin Cristina’s renegade wedding to her longtime girlfriend at a West Tennessee farmhouse, she finds out she has nowhere left to hide. WORLD PREMIERE.
Sironia (Brandon Dickerson / USA / 105 min.)Inspired by the music of singer-songwriter Wes Cunningham, SIRONIA is the story of a talented musician who has been chewed up and spit out by the Hollywood music machine. Frustrated by his broken career, Thomas Fisher and his wife Molly impulsively pack up and move to small town Sironia, Texas to live a more authentic life and raise their first child near Molly’s brother and his family. Despite the change of scenery, Thomas’s deep resentment over his lost dreams gets the best of him as he struggles to find peace with his stalled career, until he remembers what he loved about music – and Molly – in the first place. TENNESSEE PREMIERE.
For more about the Nashville Film Festival presented Nissan, currently ranked as one of the top 10 film festivals in the country by The Brooks Institute, please visit  www.nashvillefilmfestival.org.
For Media Inquiries, contact Joe Pagetta, jpagetta@wnpt.org.
Nashville Film Festival
Nashville Film Festival (NaFF) is a cultural arts institution that inspires, educates and entertains through an annual celebration of the art of motion pictures, year-round events and community outreach. Founded in 1969 by Mary Jane Coleman as the Sinking Creek Film Celebration, the organization’s signature eight-day April festival, now known as the Nashville Film Festival presented by Nissan, is the longest running film festival in the South. It also ranks among the most prestigious, continually garnering accolades and notice from a wide range of entertainment and trade publications, including the Associated Press, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal online, MovieMaker Magazine, Film Festival Today, IndieWire, Variety, Billboard, New York and Script Magazine. Since 2004, the Festival has more than doubled its attendance to almost 26,000 and on average screens more than 250 films from 48 nations around the globe each year. In 2012, the festival marks its 43rd year. It is hosted at the Regal Green Hills Stadium 16 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Americana Music Association – Festival & Conference
The Americana Music Association is a professional non-profit trade organization whose mission is to promote awareness, provide a forum, and advocate for the creative and economic vitality of the Americana music genre. The Association produces events throughout the year including the annual Americana Music Festival and Conference, which will take place September 12-15, 2012 in Nashville, TN.  Americana Music Festival and Conference Registrations are now available at  Early Bird rates through the store at americanamusic.org.
About Nissan Americas
In the Americas, Nissan’s operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing.  Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and was recognized as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency in 2010 and 2011. More information, including photos and video b-roll, on Nissan in North America, the Nissan LEAF and zero emissions can be found atwww.nissanusa.com.

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