Sunday, September 22
FIRE ON THE HILL
7:00 PM
FILMS
Every Nine Minutes
Directed by: DJ O’Neil, Oliver Hamilton
Every nine minutes, the weight of a blue whale (300,000 pounds) in plastic makes its way into our oceans. To call attention to this, the Monterey Bay Aquarium built a life-sized replica of a blue whale made of single use, locally sourced plastic trash.
+ Post-film Q&A with Co-Director Oliver Hamilton
Fire on the Hill
Directed by: Brett Fallentine
On the infamous streets of Compton, California, you’ll find an unexpected sight: a parade of urban cowboys — boots, chaps, hats and all. These city riders find joy and purpose amid the horses of the Hill: the last public stable in South Central L.A. Fire on the Hill is a thoughtful profile of three Compton cowboys: Ghuan, who fights to rebuild the Hill and preserve its unique culture in the wake of a mysterious fire; Calvin, who struggles to balance family responsibilities and the cowboy lifestyle; and Chris, who is on a quest to become a bull-riding rodeo champion. A tale of both hope and redemption, this documentary offers proof that perseverance can be found in the unlikeliest of places.
+ Post-film Q&A with Director Brett Fallentine and Film Subject Ghuan Featherstone
GUEST SPEAKERS
Oliver Hamilton
Film Director, Every Nine Minutes
Oliver Hamilton is an indie filmmaker and cinematographer based in San Francisco. Drawn to the world of visual storytelling, his work invites a wandering eye to settle on dynamic and narratively rich images. When he’s not filming in places as near as Los Angeles and as far as China, you can usually catch him biking around the city, snowboarding in Tahoe or exploring his neighborhood with a camera around his neck. He is the co-director of Every Nine Minutes.
Brett Fallentine
Film Director / Producer, Fire on the Hill
Documentary and commercial director Brett Fallentine was born and raised in Northern California, where he began his film career working at Skywalker Ranch on Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. After working under George Lucas in the film’s editorial department, he attended USC, earning an MFA in Cinematic Arts while working as an assistant editor on James Cameron’s Avatar. Fallentine received multiple awards for his student films before transitioning into commercial and documentary filmmaking in 2008. He has directed commercials for clients such as Toyota, Samsung, Google, Pepsi, IBM, and Facebook, and his campaigns have garnered several Webby Awards and a Cannes Lion. Fire on the Hill (Mountainfilm 2019), a documentary following three urban cowboys in Los Angeles, highlights Brett’s expertise at capturing authentic personal stories in a cinematic format.
Ghuan Featherstone
Film Subject, Fire on the Hill
An ex-soldier who found a new life with the Hill and leads the charge to resurrect it.
