Documentary by Columbia Filmmaker to Screen at American Film Institute's Silver Theatre

October 5, 2007, COLUMBIA, S.C. – “Unfettering the Falcons,” a short documentary film created by Columbia filmmaker Laura Kissel, will screen 7 p.m., Oct. 9 at the American Film Institute Silver Theater in Silver Springs, M.D., as part of a program of award winning shorts produced during the 2007 International Documentary Challenge.

Kissel’s film—part road movie, part nature documentary—questions the false gender identity of the Atlanta Falcons football team via a bird-of-prey expert who sparks a quirky courtship between an American Kestrel falcon and a has-been 1991 Toyota Tercel. Kissel and her team created the short documentary film during a timed filmmaking competition this past March. Ninety-five teams from 10 countries had just five days to create their films. Finalists premiered at Hot Docs at Hot Docs, the Canadian International Documentary Festival.

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Twelve films will screen during “Best of the International Documentary Challenge” Oct. 9. A couple on the list are: “The Art of Recovering,” a film that explores one woman's faith in the power of self expression to instill a sense of dignity in the lives of the men and women at a Baltimore homeless shelter, and “Beyond the Wire: The Bright Hope House,” a story about a young man's journey of moving past his prior history of crime, drugs and poverty to a positive place in his community of contribution.

The AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center is dedicated to artists, educators and audiences of the world. Located in Silver Spring, M.D., AFI is a national institute providing leadership in screen education and the recognition and celebration of excellence in the art of film, television and digital media. For more information, call (301) 495-6720.

About the S.C. Arts Commission

The South Carolina Arts Commission is the state agency charged with creating a thriving arts environment that benefits all South Carolinians, regardless of their location or circumstances. Created by the South Carolina General Assembly in 1967, the Arts Commission is celebrating 40 years of increasing public participation in the arts by providing services, grants and leadership initiatives in three areas: arts education, community arts development and artist development. Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., the Arts Commission is funded by the state of South Carolina and by the federal government through the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information, visit www.SouthCarolinaArts.com

Source: South Carolina Arts Commission