BROWNSBURG — Though the inaugural Indiana Actors.com Film Festival won’t feature the bon ton that’s turned so many other similar events into tawdry spectacles, its exposure for grassroots filmmakers and charitable fund raising promise to make it an annual event.
The festival is set for March 10 at Pavilion Cinemas, 1555 N. Green St., Brownsburg. There will be more than 25 feature-length films of various genres, documentaries, and shorts shown on two screens. Doors open at 9 a.m. with films starting at 10:05 a.m.
“We didn’t turn down anything that was submitted, considering this is the first time,” said Steve “Papaw” Pyatte, the proprietor behind Indiana Actors.com who’s spearheading the film festival. “We wanted to get enough to fill one screen, and got enough for two. We’ll probably have to be more selective next year. But for now there’s no theme and it’s not competitive. It’s just another outlet for people to show their work.”
Proceeds from the event will go to Dr. Denise Faustman, a leading researcher in curing juvenile (type 1) diabetes.
Cost is a minimum donation of $20 for an all-day pass for people ages 18 and older, $5 for those younger than age 18 who are accompanied by an adult, and $10 for those younger than 18 without an adult.
“Our House & the Mustard Seed,” by Robbie and Denise Grimes from Higher Ground Family Ministries in Brownsburg, is the commencing film.
“I can’t think of a better film to open the festival,” Pyatte said. “It’s an exceptional film. I immensely enjoyed it.”
Another highlight is a special guest appearance by Hal Fryar, who portrayed Harlow Hickenlooper on Indianapolis’ Channel 6 from 1962-72. As Hickenlooper, he’ll introduce a Three Stooges short. Pyatte is making a documentary on Fryar, portions of which will be filmed at the festival.
“There’s nothing currently out there on Hal or Harlow Hickenlooper,” Pyatte said. “I want to leave a legacy for him and his family.”
The world premiere of the movie “Postpartum” is set for 7:30 p.m. at the festival. Indiana’s Cheryl Carmin Shaver, who wrote the book the movie is based on, will be at the screening.
Pyatte is a local métier in numerous fields: author, motivational speaker, web development.
He got into film-making almost by accident. An avid motorcyclist, Pyatte was asked to find an antique motorcycle for one area movie project. He ended up being cast as an extra in the film “Somewhere in Indiana” and caught the bug.
“I always wanted to be an actor,” he said.
He started writing scripts and soon met Daniel Risk, a Brownsburg High School senior who’s done numerous film projects and started his own production company. He helped Pyatte edit his first feature, “Crossroads,” and served as director of photography for the project. They also worked together on “The Key,” which is now available online and will be shown at the festival.
Risk’s film “In the Line of Duty” will be screened at the festival. Pyatte is having auditions for his next undertaking, the comedy/thriller “Don’t See it Alone,” at the film festival. Besides operating Indiana Actors.com, which provides a free forum for its members, Pyatte also started his own production company, Frankenstein 1931.
“I just enjoy giving back to my community,” Pyatte said. “To do something I have a passion for, and combine it in a way that I can help people — to me that’s a wonderful thing.”
A complete schedule for the festival can be found online at www.indianaactors.com.
wade.coggeshall@flyergroup.com
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Related Photos
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Steve “Papaw” Pyatte is organizing the first Indiana Actors.com Film Festival, set for March 10 at Brownsburg’s Pavilion Cinemas. Pyatte wants to provide a forum for area filmmakers and raise funds to help find a cure for juvenile (type 1) diabetes. / SUBMITTED PHOTO
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