2011 January Film Festival

Video Installations

Time: 12-2pm Venue: Champagne Room Price: $5(featuring soup & sandwiches) 

Inner View

Director: Patrick Jenkins inspired by Kazuo Nakamura Runtime: 2 mins

Kazuo Nakamura’s art has its roots in the visual patterns found in nature. His keen interest in science and mathematics was a way of rediscovering the structure of our world. In this animation, Jenkins attempts to recreate Nakamura’s work using paint on glass animation. A selection of Nakamura’s paintings and sculptures have been animated as if they are being created in front of our eyes, like constantly growing and evolving plants.  Set to music performed and composed by Paul Intson, with Ron Korb improvising on flute.

The Yarwood Trail

Director: Richard Reeves inspired by Walter Yarwood Runtime: 4 mins

Inspired by the artwork and sculptures of Walter Yarwood.  This abstract film was created by carving stamps and applying the images directly onto the film using bleach. Frames were then hand painted and a soundtrack produced by drawing shapes along the optical sound area directly onto the film. Images represent the structure and design found in Walter Yarwood's artworks, especially the colours of the acid washed bronze and patterns found in his paintings.

The Importance of Hortense

Director: Lisa Morse inspired by Hortense Gordon Runtime: 3:30 mins

Hortense Gordon was a teacher as well as an artist, and studied abstract painting under one of the great teachers of that movement, Hans Hoffman. As an artist who makes figurative images, even in what is known as "experimental" animation, I had to do some research not only on Hortense, but on abstract painting. Also, researching Hortense turned up as much about her teachings (and, by extension, Hoffman's) and philosophies as her work, so in the end I felt I was working through the film as a pupil. These are my exercises.

Old Ink

Director:Rick Raxlen inspired by Harold Town Runtime:3:40 mins

Using primarily the black and white drawings of Harold Town and riffing on the original drawings by primitively animating their contents, this short, abstract, primarily black & white piece eschews continuity and embraces the non-linearity of the drawn/painted etched line.

STROKE

Director:Ellen Besen inspired by Tom Hodgson Runtime:4:14 mins

Action painter, Olympic paddler, bon vivant of the highest order: these are words that exemplify Tom Hodgson, a man of many seemingly contradictory parts. This film explores the connective tissue that held his life together. Vivid, rhythmic imagery pulls the viewer into a world where the mighty sweep of a paddler’s arm becomes the abstracted sweep of paint across a page becomes the primordial, sexual stroke of a life fully lived.

The End is the Beginning

Director:Craig Marshall inspired by Ray Mead Runtime:2:20 mins

“My opinion is … the modern painter cannot express his age, the airplane, the atom, the radio in the old forms of the Renaissance … the modern artist is living in a mechanical age … working and expressing an inner world—in other words, expressing the energy, the motion, and other inner forces.” – Jackson Pollock

Working from Pollock’s notion that the modern world of atom bombs and destruction obliterated the need for representational art and called forth a new, introspective form of art creation, Craig Marshall takes a Ray Mead painting as his starting point and moves backwards.

William’s Creatures

Director:Pasquale LaMontagna inspired by William Ronald Runtime:

With joyful spontaneous energy, William’s Creatures sets on boundaries in this light-hearted and fun adaptation of one of William Ronald’s later Works.  With an oceanic setting of bizarre and unusual sperm creatures playing their performance to the improvisational score Brotherhood of Adventure  (Tiny Orchestra Trio), William’s Creatures will prove to tickle your pickle for a full three minutes!!

As Above so Below

Director:Élise Simard inspired by  Alexandra Luke Runtime:1:45 mins

Guided by Luke’s spiritual and philosophical preoccupations, Simard creates a film that addresses the natural tensions between the extraordinary and the ordinary, and the search to transcend everyday experience.

Traffic Flow II

Director:Nick Fox-Gieg inspired by Oscar Cahén Runtime:2:50 mins

Traffic Flow II is an abstract animation tightly choreographed to a soundscape evocative of mid-20th-century Toronto.

Playtime

Director:Steven Woloshen inspired by Jock MacDonald Runtime:2:44 mins

Jock MacDonald painted in both worlds: figurative and the abstract. Playtime pays homage to his dedication, spirit and wonderful subject matter – both real and imaginary. In Cinemascope.

Strips

Director:Félix Dufour-Laperrière inspired by Jack Bush Runtime:

Crossing from pictorial representation to abstraction is, among other things, a matter of organizing the visual information in the image. When the frames from a vintage striptease film are cut in stripes and replaced in various orders, we may witness this transition. Filmstrips, stripes and stripteases all together in a short film about the passage to abstraction. Inspired by Jack Bush's painting Stripes to the right.

Hand to Toe

Director: France Benoit Runtime: 8 min

Every Wednesday, at the Salvation Army’s shelter in Yellowknife, in the Canadian sub-Arctic, men and women from the streets gather to share an evening meal and have their feet washed. Winter and summer, they take a load off, swap stories and experience warmth, water and tenderness. In return, the volunteers who provide this service make meaningful connections with their community. Invoking the grace and security of the womb, director France Benoit and videographer Gary Milligan dive foot first into these lively nights with this artful, black and white exploration into the act of giving.

Tell Me a Secret

Director: Dave McLeod Runtime: 3 min

A man travels down a barren country road. He’s pursued, but for what, and by what? 

Blondes in the Jungle

Director: Lev Kalman Runtime: 48 min

On a hunt for the Fountain of Youth, three teenagers in 1980’s Honduras buy drugs, harm nature and have magical encounters. Tons of landscape footage, a meditation on Mayan Archaeology and a heavy TV teen vibe highlight this impulse-buy spiritual adventure.

Gala Screening

Time: 7pm Venue: Northern United Place Price: $5

Score: A Hockey Musical

Director: Michael McGowan Runtime: 92 min

17-year-old Farley has the stick-handling skills to be the next Sidney Crosby not that Farley has any idea who that is. His sheltered life consists of being homeschooled by his pacifist parents, hanging out with Eve, the beautiful girl next door, and playing shinny with the local rink rats. However, his idyllic world is turned upside down when he becomes an overnight success in a major hockey league, throwing him into a whirlwind of media hype and endorsement deals. Farley soon learns that there's an ugly side to hockey fame, which not only threatens to compromise his values, but his relationship with Eve. 

Gala

Time 8:30pm Venue: Top Knight Price: Gala Screening stub or Donation

Shades of Identity

Time: 12-2pm Venue: Champagne Room Price: $5 (featuring soup & sandwiches)

Our Compass

Director: Tess Vo Runtime: 29 min

Our Compass tells the previously unheard stories of a group of youth living in Toronto, who are also labelled as having intellectual disabilities. This diverse group comes together at Compass - a weekly drop-in for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth at Griffin Centre - where they are offered a support group, a social network, and a safe place to explore their identities. Shattering stereotypes, these unforgettable youth talk openly about sex, relationships, battling stigma and coming out. Personal interviews, group footage and dramatic photography capture the resilience of these youth as they come together to form a 'rainbow family'.

A Quest for Excellence

Director: Craig Goodwill Runtime: 48 min

Kevin Connolly, Justin Hines, Coach Matlawe and Ma Li have never met. Their worlds are about to collide. Kevin, a photographer, was asked to travel around the world to capture excellence in various cultures. A seemingly simple mission was complicated by the fact that all of his interviews are with artists living with physical disabilities. Prior to this assignment, Kevin had made it known that he would not be a poster child for the disabled. Born without legs, Kevin never felt he had lost anything. After all, how can he lose legs he never had? With that attitude Kevin had very little contact with groups or individuals who were physically disabled. This documentary takes us on a journey; a personal quest. It offers a deeper understanding of barriers we build and applauds those who try to remove them.

Where the Streets Have no Name

Director: Vijaykumar Mirchandani Runtime: 75 min

Providing the three basic necessities of life to survive - food, shelter and clothing can be quite a task. An emotional journey seen through the eyes of one man who has been working for the last 20 years trying to help alleviate homelessness in Cairns. A hair raising experience as we get into the lives of these street kids, hear their stories and unfold the bitter reality that lies beneath this beautiful paradise island. Backed with real life incidents and first hand interaction with key people who played an integral part in making this mission impossible successful makes it more compelling and inspiring. It is a dark, intimate and unforgettable journey revealing the truth. Where the Streets Have no Name today tells a different story!

Aboriginal Achievement in Film

Time: 7pm Venue: Northern United Place Price: $5

The Garden

Director: Zoe Ballentyne Runtime: 10 min

A mystical gardener harvests fruits from the earth that defy everyone's expectations.

The Cave

Director: Helen Haig Runtime: 12 min

A hunter on horseback accidentally discovers a portal to another world in this fantastical true Tsilhqot'in story.

A Windigo Tale

Director: Armand Garnet Ruffos Runtime: 90 min

Two stories woven together; one profoundly affecting the other. A Native American grandfather drives north accompanied by his grandson, a youth-at-risk, who comes to learn about the dark secrets of his family and community. In an isolated village an estranged mother and daughter must reunite to exorcise the voracious Windigo spirit tied to a painful past. A Windigo Tale takes its inspiration from Ojibway spirituality and from the history of the residential school system, where generations of children were forcibly taken from their families and aggressively assimilated into Euro-Canadian society.

Anime Matinee

Time: 3pm Venue: Northern United Place Price: $5

Alice

Produced by: Chekoa Youth Program (Yellowknives Dene First Nation Community Wellness Department) Runtime: 3 min

11 young actors and filmmakers led by Catherine Coe produced a video earning them third place in the Honouring Life Network video competition, an organization that reaches out to aboriginal youth and youth workers re: suicide prevention awareness.

The Wind Up Life

Director: Yi-Jen Chen Runtime: 5 min

The Wind Up Life is about the idea of the intersection between dreams and reality. It depicts the connection between what we dream at night and the stress we feel during the day. Symbolically, the idea of pressure is represented by an ocean and fish to show the idea of mentally drowning. This animated film uses dream-like imagery to metaphorically portray the struggles of a person dealing with everyday life.

Barko

Director:  Allison Craig Runtime: 8 min

Barko is a lonely, unloved, and abused dog who has established himself as the unwilling clown of a circus run by poodles. His seemingly random fear of hot dogs is rationalized by flashbacks conveying a former owner who occupies his time tormenting the poor pup with the processed snack. Yet, in the end, Barko suddenly finds himself in the arms of a caring boy who shows him that he can experience a little love after all.

Last Tech

Director:  Robert Dohrmann Runtime: 4 min

Assembled from obsolete electronic components, The Four Tech Bots of the Apocalypse wreak total destruction upon the earth with extreme prejudice. Each in its turn, Pestilence, Famine, War and Death pass judgment and send mankind's most precious possessions straight to Hell - with sword... with hunger... with Death... and by the beasts of the earth.

Scenes From A Secret World

Director:  Amalie Atkins Runtime: 8 min

Scenes from a Secret World delves into the life/death/life cycle of fairy tales while proposing re-imagined archetypal characters. Set in a fictional world, the film investigates the interconnectedness of humans and nature. Influenced by the violent acts witnessed in the directors neighbourhood, often disrupting his sleep and infiltrating his dreams, the film re-works these nightmares into an improbable but desirable utopian narrative.

Timelines

Director: Suzanne Crocker Runtime: 3.5 min

Using a simple, line-drawing style, " Time lines" tells the story of an aging woman who is disgruntled with her wrinkled face… until she looks at her wrinkles from a different perspective.

Journey Of The Healer

Director: Steve Sanderson Runtime: 19 min

A young woman named Rosa whose grandmother is very sick. The grandmother tells her a traditional story about healers in their family and says that the young woman also has the gift of healing.

Kids Court

Director:  Kelvin Redvers Runtime: 15 min

A group of kids aged 6,7,8 have created their own little court, putting each other on trial for the things that concern children... and these kids play hard.

Everyday Enlightenment

Time: 7pm Venue: Northern United Place Price: $5

What's In A Smile

Director: Andy Dejohn Runtime: 23 min

Can a smile really change your day? What about your life? An intellectual query turns into a personal quest as Director Andy De John seeks answers from yogis, scientists, cancer survivors, and artists. In the process he takes ownership of his own well-being, makes fresh personal connections, and even develops better hugging skills.

Vine of the Soul: Encounters with Ayahuasca

Director: Richard Meech Runtime: 52 min

On a quest for spiritual awakening and healing, a naturopathic doctor and an accountant join others in the Amazon to drink a psychoactive brew called ayahuasca or 'Vine of the Soul'. Their dramatic encounters with the sacred medicine offer new insights into the nature of faith and self-healing through a heightened state of consciousness.

Acquainted with the Night

Director: Michael Mcnamara Runtime: 80 min

Acquainted With the Night is a documentary journey through the world after dark, from sunset to sunrise, exploring stories of night-time phenomena, customs and rituals. From millions of bats filling the dusk skies of Austin Texas, to a solitary conservationist measuring light pollution on a hilltop in Utah. From a team of warriors engaged in a midnight Easter 'rocket war' in Greece, to bicycle cops keeping the peace at closing time in Clubland, these are stories of how the world changes when the sun goes down, stories that reveal dark truths, beauty and the dangerous consequences of a world that never sleeps. Inspired by the Governor General finalist book of the same title by Christopher Dewdney.

A Collection of Shorts

Time: 7pm Venue: Northern United Place Price: $5

Lily

Director: Susana Casares Domingo Runtime: 11 min

Eleven-year-old Lily is new in the neighbourhood. Her body is changing and she is starting to think about romance. When her mother, Nicole, drags her to the pool of her apartment complex in a new bikini, all of Lily's worries are realized. Unfortunately, Lily has more to fear than just puberty and boys.

Red Princess Blues

Director: Alex Ferrari Runtime: 10 min

In this twisted modern day fairy tale Zoe, a young teenage girl, is lured into an after-hours carnival tent by the sleazy rock-n-roll carney Rimo, she then gets more she bargained for. It is up to the mysterious Princess, the star of the new knife show at Roscoe's Carnical & Freak show to pull Zoe out of the wolf den that she has fallen into to.

Trolls

Director: Brianne Nord-Stewart Runtime: 7 min

There comes a time in every kid's life when they realize their parents are up to more than just "cleaning their room". For nine-year-old Billy, this discovery only comes with the help of his know it all younger cousin, Genevieve. When she explains the rules and point system of the "adults only" game, Billy and Genevieve start counting up their own points. Soon playground gossip turns anatomical, and Billy, with Genevieve close behind, tries to get to the bottom of what "doing it" actually means.

The Girl and the Spanish Boy

Director: Danelle Eliav Runtime: 6 min

This is a film about a sweet bird of a Girl who falls in love with a Spanish boy. Theirs was a beautiful love until one day the boy dies in a freak accident. Full of heartbreak and woe, the Girl attempts to end her life, but then discovers that life is worth living again.

Afghan

Director: Pardis Parker Runtime: 12 min

An afternoon surprise forces two friends to make the best of a bad situation. Afghan is an award-winning short film about hate crimes, humour and friendship, starring Pardis Parker (Halifax Comedy Festival) and Mark Little (Picnicface).

Two Men, Two Cows, Two Guns

Director: Pardis Parker Runtime: 7 min

An unexpected visitor with odd news and an odder story interrupts a family's quiet day at the farmhouse, sending it spiraling into a chaotic whirlwind of unfortunate misunderstandings.

Price of Admission

Director: Tom Abray Runtime: 9 min

Scott, a man who has stopped in a park on his way to the office is guided through an existential crisis by Dana, an attractive co-worker. They share memories and reflections about the search for 'freedom'. When he is finally faced with a number of options, Scott realizes that freedom is much more complicated than he expected. Nonetheless, he must make a choice ... sort of.

Run Granny Run

Director: Nikolaus von Uthmann Runtime: 5 min

The famous Ben Hur chariot race - but this time it's two elderly ladies at their zimmerframes! A darkly funny comedy that proves you're never too old to be an Action hero. Written & directed by WorldFest Houston Platinum winner Nikolaus von Uthmann

Le Green Boy And Dirty Girl

Director: Genevray Jerome Runtime: 3 min

A new super-normal-eco hero is born. Meet Le Greenboy: France's Super Enviro-Hero and His Nemesis: A Chick Called Dirty Girl

International Feature

The Drummond Will

Director: Alan Butterworth Runtime: 81 min

The Drummond Will is a black comedy set in decaying rural England, a collision between old and new. It follows estranged brothers Marcus and Danny Drummond as they find themselves on a surprisingly dangerous undertaking to unravel the mystery surrounding their father's unlikely wealth.

Political Documentary

Time: 7pm Venue: Northern United Place Price: $5

China: The Rebirth Of An Empire

Director: Jesse Veverka Runtime: 86 min

China's unprecedented growth has placed it on the verge of overtaking the United States as the world's preeminent power. Meanwhile, Chalmers Johnson, author of 'Blowback' and 'The Sorrows of Empire', argues that America's preoccupation with militarism has all but sealed its fate as a nation in long-term decline. But if China surpasses the United States, what type of power will it become? In today's interconnected and globalized world, the answer effects each and every one of us. In Pakistan and Afghanistan, China's humanitarian activities and investment in infrastructure have won it the hearts and minds of the people. Yet in Tibet and Xinjiang, China is reviled as an imperialistic abuser of human rights. Despite trumpeting its vision of a ethnic unity at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Chinese government has gone to great lengths to silence dissenting voices such as Rebiya Kadeer, de facto leader of the Uyghur people. Kadeer has replaced the Dalai Lama as Beijing's number one public adversary. Will China follow in the footsteps of history's other great powers and use its strength to dominate its neighbours, trample ethnic and religious minorities, and become a 21st century empire? Or will a wealthy China's youth lead the country towards democracy, much like Taiwan? The international community shares responsibility in this outcome, but is it too dependent on Chinese trade to care? Whether it's a peaceful rise or potential threat, China's 21st century emergence as a great world power will change the lives of everyone.

Canadian Feature

Time: 9pm Venue: Northern United Place Price: $5

A Wake

Director: Penelope Buitenhuis Runtime: 93 min

After the mysterious death of their infamous director, members of a formerly renowned theatre company reunite for his wake. Their last ill-fated production was Hamlet. The widow welcomes the thespians to her country house, but the proceedings go awry when old rivalries and jealousies erupt, exposing a myriad of secrets and lies.

Going Beyond

Time: 7pm Venue: Northern United Place Price: $5

For Whom We Ride

Director: Stephen Parker Runtime: 30 min

For Whom We Ride covers a broad scope from the subject of cancer and losing loved ones, as well as anyone that has ever dared to accept a physical challenge and dive head first into the unknown.

Ice Water In The Veins

Director: Cimon Charest Runtime: 45 min

A documentary about the unique history of ice canoeing in Québec. Experience two captivating stories celebrating a little-known tradition. Follow the reconstitution of a St. Lawrence River crossing by the ancestors of the Lachance family from Île-au-Canot (Canoe Island). Discover the modern-day competition through the extraordinary passion of Isle-aux-Coudres (Walnut Island) native, Nathalie Dufour, and her teammates

A Wedged Tale

Director: Adam Herman Runtime: 25 min

Few have seen one of the world's great acts of predation: a wedge-tailed eagle catching a kangaroo. No one has ever filmed it. This is the story of one man's quest to shoot just such a shot.

Going Beyond: Session 2

Time: 9pm Venue: Northern United Place Price: $5

Journey On The Wild Coast

Director: Greg Chaney Runtime: 115 min

A married couple attempt to walk, paddle and ski under their own power from Seattle to the Aleutians along the wild and remote northwest coast of North America. This documentary was filmed with a tiny hand held video camera by the adventurers as they traveled through northern Washington, British Columbia and Alaska. Experience this modern adventure through their eyes as they encounter breathtaking scenery, harsh weather, amazing wildlife, starvation and danger. This modern adventure demonstrates that the most significant aspect of a journey is not reaching the final destination but how the journey changes the trajectory of the rest of a person's life.

Strong Like Two People

Time: 7pm Venue: Northern United Place Price: $5

Hand Games

Director: Joel Maillet Runtime: 5 min

February 2010, Deline, Northwest Territories, was host to a cultural event; a cultural tradition amongst the first Nation People, called "Hand Games".

This mini-documentary reveals fascinating imagery of the rituals and spirit of the game. In the end we are left simply with a curious taste, an appetite to better understand the first nation culture.

Ts'e Whii Ts'e Daa (Your Pathway To Harmony)

Director: George Bailey & Mason Mantla Runtime: 8 min

The rites of passage of the Tlicho an age old custom that has stood the test of time has now been threatened by the rapid growth of modernization and the degeneration of culture; can a new generation of Dogrib youth reclaim their lost birthright?

Savage

Director: Lisa Jackson Runtime: 6 min

On a summer day in the 1950's, a native girl watches the countryside go by from the backseat of a car. A woman at her kitchen table sings a lullaby in her Cree language. When the girl arrives at her destination, she undergoes a transformation that will turn the woman's gentle voice into a howl of anger and pain.

In a place like this, there aren't many chances to be a kid. But when no one's watching… A residential school musical.

Schooling the World: The White Man's Last Burden

Director: Carol Black Runtime: 65 min

If you wanted to change an ancient culture in a generation, how would you do it? You would change the way it educates its children. The U.S. Government knew this in the 19th century when it forced Native American children into government boarding schools. Today, volunteers build schools in traditional societies around the world, convinced that school is the only way to a 'better' life for indigenous children. But is this true? What really happens when we replace a traditional culture's way of learning and understanding the world with our own? 'Schooling the World' takes a challenging, sometimes funny, ultimately deeply disturbing look at the effects of modern education on the world's last sustainable indigenous cultures.

Strong Like Two People: Session 2

Time: 9pm Venue: Northern United Place Price: $5

Experimental Eskimos

Director: Barry Greenwald Runtime: 70 min

In the early 1960s the Canadian government conducted an experiment in social engineering. Three young Inuit boys were separated from their families in the Arctic and were sent to Ottawa, the nation's capital, to live with white families and to be educated in white schools. The consequences the experiment would have on the boys, their identity and culture was brushed aside. The bureaucrats did not anticipate the outcome. The three grow up to be political activists and leaders - often at odds with the government that brought them south. They establish aboriginal rights in Canada and are instrumental in the creation of Nunavut, the world's largest self-governed aboriginal territory. But it all comes at a tremendous personal cost. Peter Ittinuar, Zebedee Nungak, and Eric Tagoona recount their stories, achievements and challenges in this film about an attempt at assimilation, empowerment, and the triumph of the human spirit

Cockamamie

Time: 7pm Venue: Dannaray (Below Legion)Price: $5

Foodland

Director: Adam Smoluk Runtime: 80 min

FOODLAND ... It will have you rollin' in the aisles. What would happen if a naive grocery store clerk unknowingly aided in his inept manager's robbery of the store? After the money's lifted, this unlikely pairing must contend with an incompetent detective who gets them in further over their heads. Further complicating matters is an icy blonde cabaret singer who grifts every guy she lays her eyes on. FOODLAND: an unparalleled shopping experience where you'll get more than you bargained for.

Gerald

Director: Jeremy Warner Runtime: 25 min

After Mel Gibson's death by monsters in 2006, the U.S. built the National Monster Refuge, nestled at the base of the mountains. One evening, a young hipster, Gerald Cromwell, slays a monster while working at a restaurant, saving the customers. The ensuing media frenzy draws the attention of Bethany, a young woman who was at the restaurant that night. Gerald's best friend and roommate, Tucker, becomes wary of the girl and her clique of friends. The film follows Gerald as he encounters athletic d-bags, a kind medic girl, a blogger, and a public access show host and his puppet. Worlds collide as Gerald learns about life, trust and love in a time of monsters.

Cockamamie: Session 2

Time: 9pm Venue: Danna Ray (Below Legion) Price: $5

Lick - Filmmaker Screening

Director: Chris Agoston, Runtime: 94 min

WAMP presents a screening of Lick with both the film's Director and Producer present for a Q & A afterwards.

Behind the idea of a sharp, up-and-coming marketing rep, a familiar candy company - looking to boost the sales of an old favourite - starts a national contest. The old "How many licks does it take to get to the center?" conundrum from decades ago was never solved, and perhaps someone in the new millennium will have better luck. In this mock-documentary, the crew of LICK has chosen to follow three unlikely contestants: A fifty-something filmmaker, a twenty-something scientist, and a teen-something boy with ADHD. All seem determined, but from the moment we meet them, it's fair to question whether any one of them has an honest hope. In watching each one of their unique paths to victory, we're left to wonder: where did we find these bizarre people, and did the journey teach them anything?

Unrated Midnight Movie

Time: Midnight Venue: Capitol Theatre Price: $5

Nude Study

Director: Stefan Popescu Runtime: 90 min rated: 18+

Emotionally ravaged and haunted by tragedy in Australia, young filmmaker Sarah, escapes to a small-town in the Yukon searching for artistic inspiration. She decides to make a series of films based on famous nude paintings, and local girl, Lyndsay, seems the perfect model. But, as the intimate project develops, so to does the emotional intensity of the work and their relationship, which has ramifications for all concerned. With unforgettable performances and stunning cinematography, Nude Study is an absorbing study of self, identity, love and raw sexual desire.