International House Philadelphia: Program Guide Fall 2013 | Page 27

Medora Tuesday, November 12 at 7pm Medora – Special screening!
dir. Andrew Cohn, Davy Rothbart, US, 2013, digital, 100 min.

Wednesday, November 13 – Sunday, November 17 Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival Philadelphia Asian American Film & Filmmakers is a nonprofit organization founded in 2008 to showcase films by and about Asian Americans for the Philadelphia area. PAAFF aims to present captivating programs that engage, inspire, and connect the community. PAAFF’s marquee celebration is the annual Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival, the first and only event of its kind in Philadelphia. The festival brings in audience members from all over the region and Asian American filmmakers, actors, and leaders from around the world. PAAFF also offer numerous smaller film screenings throughout the year. PAAFF’s sixth annual festival promises to be the most successful yet. Hosted over 7 days at International House and elsewhere in Philadelphia, PAAFF’13 will feature over 30 film screenings, speaker panels, receptions, and special events. Many of these events are highlighted by guest appearances from today’s most popular AsianAmerican filmmakers, actors, and directors. 

Filmmakers Andrew Cohn and Davy Rothbart in person with member of the Medora Hornets. Years ago, Medora, Indiana was a booming rural community with prosperous farms, an automotive parts factory, a brick plant, and a thriving middle class. The factories have since closed, crippling Medora’s economy and its pride. The population has slowly dwindled to around 500 people. Drug use is common, the school faces consolidation, and as one resident put it, “This town’s on the ropes.” Medora follows the down-but-not-out Medora Hornets varsity basketball team over the course of the 2011 season, capturing the players’ stories both on and off the court. The Hornets were riding an epic losing streak when we arrived, and the team’s struggle to compete bears eerie resonance with the town’s fight for survival. Medora is an in-depth, deeply personal look at small-town life, a thrilling, underdog basketball story, and an inspiring tale of a community refusing to give up hope despite the brutal odds stacked against them. On a grander scale, it’s a film about America, and the thousands of small towns across the country facing the same fight.

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