The Fort Myers Film Festival will open its fest with the world premiere of “Marcus Jansen—Examine & Report,” April 7, 2016. The documentary on the SWFL artist by filmmaker John Scoular features Jansen, the celebrated SWFL artist who has been exhibiting his work on an international scale for the last two decades, includes art celebrities and personalities including Steve Lazarides, Lawrence Voytek, WEST Rubinstein, Brooke Lynn Mcgowan, Noah Becker, Dieter Rampl and more.
Jansen is showing his work as part of a major museum traveling solo exhibition over the next two years, kicking off with the world premiere at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall at the Fort Myers Film Festival April 7, 2016. Tickets are $19 for general admission and $99 for VIP and available at the box office or by calling 239-481-4849.
“I can’t tell you just what this means to our community to be playing the world premiere of this film right here in Fort Myers,” FMFF director Eric Raddatz commented. “His work continues to be such an international inspiration. One day you will look back on this moment and realize you got to see something truly amazing with this one.”
The evening will be celebrated with cast and crew attending the red-carpet rollout, Q&A and afterparty at the Barbara B. Mann.
The film takes a look at Jansen’s first childhood years and influences, which were spent in the Bronx and Queens, New York. He was later transplanted to Europe and educated in Moenchengladbach, Germany in a German speaking school where he studied commercial painting and graphic design. Jansen is a Gulf War veteran who started selling his art from street corners between Prince street and Broadway in New York City as part of the so called “Prince Street Kings” moving later to international exhibitions and museum collections around the world after his discharge from the military.
The documentary features one of his dealers Lazarides, art historians, collectors and artist friends that influenced Jansen as they dissect his work and motivation for painting while examining the direction of his socio-political urban influences that have been gaining more and more critical attention and acclaim over the recent years. The film is directed by award-winning filmmaker John Scoular who is most know for “Lunatics, Lovers & Poets,” released theatrically across the U.S. and produced by Madeline Smith Scoular. “Marcus Jansen—Examine and Report” was shot in four different locations, New York, Miami, London and Fort Myers, Florida where the artist lives and works from his studio loft space “Unit A.”
Art personalities in the film include Steve Lazarides, also known as street artist BANKSY’s first agent, Lawrence Voytek, Robert Rauschenberg’s long time director of art production for over thirty years and Brooke Lynn Mcgowan, art historian, writer, curator and worldwide expert of Jansen’s works. Special footage includes peeks of the artist at work and an intimate look and interviews with Jansen. Watch the trailer here:
The Fort Myers Film Festival will screen 70 films including many other inspiring films. Some highlights include:
• “Maya Angelou and Still I Rise” by Bob Hercules and Rita Coburn Whack, who plan on attending. The inspiring documentary, played only at Sundance before the Fort Myers Film Festival, takes an intimate look at the celebrated authors early years from a tumultuous childhood riddled sexual abuse and racism, and her ascent to become one of the most celebrated and inspirational figures of our era with Diahann Carroll, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Common, Jules Feiffer, Nikki Giovanni, Lou Gossett Jr., Guy B. Johnson, Quincy Jones, Robert Loomis, Dan Martin, Louise Meriwether, Valerie Simpson, John Singleton, Cicely Tyson, Oprah Winfrey featured.
• “Suited,” follows a handful of patrons of Bindle & Keep, a Brooklyn clothier specialized in bespoke suits for gender non-confirming clients, and explores how notions of fashion, appearance and identity can be profoundly interdependent. With Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner, Girls.
• How to Let Go of the World and Love All The Things Climate Can’t Change, Oscar Nominated director Josh Fox (GASLAND) continues in his deeply personal style, investigating climate change – the greatest threat our world has ever known. Traveling to 12 countries on 6 continents, the film acknowledges that it may be too late to stop some of the worst consequences and asks, what is it that climate change can’t destroy? What is so deep within us that no calamity can take it away?
• Embrace of the Serpent: In the early 1900s, a young shaman (Nilbio Torres) in the Colombian Amazon helps a sick German explorer (Jan Bijvoet) and his local guide (Miguel Dionisio Ramos) search for a rare healing plant. A 2016 Oscar Nominated picture for Best Foreign film.
• “Proud to Serve,” by Fort Myers documentarian Kaitlyn Traurig, takes a look into the world of local SWFL law enforcement and an officer’s heart and dedication.
• SWFL filmmaker Jordan Axelrod’s “Seven Ten Split” follows two parallel stories within a small town bowling alley, one in which a recent college grad’s anxiety overwhelms him prior to the arrival of his blind date. It is the young filmmakers freshman submission to the fest.
• “Time Simply Passes” is a film about James Joseph Richardson, an orange picker in Florida who was wrongfully convicted in Lee County of murdering his seven children in 1967. He spent 21 years in prison, until he was released in 1989 when the conviction was overturned due to miraculous circumstances.
• SWFL filmmaker John Biffar follows 95-year-old Norma Miller, the Queen of Swing, on a standup comedy tour in “Norma Miller Unplugged.” She is hilarious and this is one not to miss.
• “Coastal Dune Lakes: Jewels of Florida’s Emerald Coast.” Journey with SWFL filmmaker Elam Stoltzfus to see what makes Florida’s waters unique and how, if at all, they are being protected.
• “The Advocate” features Maurice Young, an educated man who gives up everything to live on the streets and serve the homeless community.
For exact programming and locations visit their website here. Programming will be announced March 7, 2016.