Tonight April 27, 2013 @8PM

Here's is the link to the BOX CITY 2013 event, that will screen my documentary:

https://www.facebook.com/events/546558505396849/

The film will start around dusk, approximately 8pm.  I will be there for Q&A afterward, in the hopes some people will have questions.  There will be other speakers as well.

BOX CITY 2013 is the fundraising event to aide The Samaritan Center of Simi Valley, a day shelter for the homeless.

Thank you.

Tomorrow night

I'm getting excited about tomorrow night's screening of "Voices of the Homeless" at BOX CITY 2013's event to raise funds for The Samaritan Center of Simi Valley, a day shelter for the homeless.  But even so, I looked into more festivals to promote this documentary and to my relief I didn't fit into any of the recently advertised festivals via Withoutabox.  Relieved because I am cash poor right now and each submission comes with a fee of anywhere between $30 to $60.  Additionally, even when I do submit, I am  competing with high quality filmmakers who, oddly enough, are NOT jazz singers with day jobs.

But helping the homeless and feeling the need to reach out doesn't evaporate just because you are feeling cash poor or even when you feel you may soon run out of ideas.  Helping the homeless as an artist is something you just keep doing . . . and hoping your efforts are making a difference . . . especially when you are lucky enough to have so much.

BOX CITY 2013
8pm or dusk
at
United Methodist Church of Simi Valley
2394 Erringer Road
Simi Valley, California

Be there, or be square.

Saturday, April 27, 2013

I am honored once again that my documentary will be featured in a fundraiser to help a day shelter for the homeless in Simi Valley, The Samaritan Center.  The event is called BOX CITY 2013.  It is an all day outdoor event, however my documentary will screen at 8p.m. at dusk.

Those wishing to attend the screening and not the all day event may make a $10 (or more) donation at the door.

Here are the particulars:
BOX CITY 2013
Simi Valley United Methodist Church
2394 Erringer Road, Simi Valley
https://www.facebook.com/events/546558505396849/

Thank you,
Toni Jannotta
www.tonijannotta.com

If you would like to view a 5-minute trailer, please go to:
http://www.tonijannotta.com/voth.html

Ojai Film Festival

Now here's a festival I've been waiting for.  The Ojai Film Festival is just inland of the City of Ventura where the Voices of the Homeless live concert was presented and where the documentary was made.  I just submitted online and the 2 DVD submission copies go out in the mail tomorrow.

It would be so very, very nice to have a well respected, local festival accept my documentary since it all happened here.

Wish me luck!

Box City 2013

"Would you give up your bed for just one night to benefit the homeless?"

That's the promotion for a unique event called Box City, designed to raise money for The Samaritan Center of Simi Valley, a day shelter for the homeless in Simi Valley.  "Voices of the Homeless" will screen that night as part of the overnight fundraiser.  I'll be there for the screening and a Q&A afterward.

I'm honored.

Getting It Out There

OK, I'll admit it.  No film festivals yet.  Good stuff.  The ACLU, fundraisers for homeless shelters.  The film is getting screenings and the screenings are educating and helping others.  Wish it made it to a film festival already but, no.  However, I just found out today that the bassist in the film (well his super supportive wife) has been giving out the DVD to fellow musicians, including a guy from the TONIGHT show band.  That's not chump change.  Who knows where it can go when your fellow musicians take an interest in how Music can Help the Homeless.

VFS

The Ventura Film Society is "interested" in screening my film.  This will mark my first acceptance into any type of film society or festival.  I've been turned down by about five so far.  (sob)

But on the plus side, the Samaritan Center of Simi Valley, a drop-in center for Simi Valley's homeless, is having a fundraiser in April and they want to screen my documentary for the fundraiser.  This is the best use of the documentary so far -- using it to help raise money for organizations who help the homeless.

I'll take it!