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Kevin Willmott is a professor of film at the University of Kansas and a filmmaker known for work focusing on black issues including writing and directing Ninth Street, C.S.A.: The Confederate States Of America and The Only Good Indian. His film Destination Planet Negro screened at The St. Louis International Film Festival in 2013. Read my interview with Kevin Wilmott from 2013 Here.

C.S.A.: The Confederate States Of America

Kevin will be back at this year’s St. Louis International Film Festival to teach a Master Class on Narrative Screenwriting for Independent film on Saturday November 12th at 1pm. This is a Free event and takes place at Washington University’s West Campus Library (7425 Forsyth Blvd. Basement, 7425 Forsyth Blvd. Basement).

Destination Planet Negro

Filmmaker Kevin Willmott provides an overview of screenwriting, with an emphasis on problem-solving, low-budget filmmaking, and understanding how studio writing works. The master class serves as an opportunity both...

Kevin Willmott is a professor of film at the University of Kansas and a filmmaker known for work focusing on black issues including writing and directing Ninth Street, C.S.A.: The Confederate States Of America and The Only Good Indian. His newest film, in which he costars, is called Destination Planet Negro.

Destination Planet Negro made its premiere last winter, and is continuing to travel the film festival circuit, including a screening this Saturday as part of the St. Louis International Film Festival (Sliff). Wamg contributing writer Sam Moffitt describes Destination Planet Negro as “that rare comedy that actually gets funnier as it goes along. The rocket ship and especially the hardware inside are spot on, beautifully done. Obviously done on a low budget, this is great stuff” (look for Sam’s complete review here at Wamg on Friday)

Destination Planet Negro deftly mimics low-budget 1950s sci-fi to make some comically...

It was no coincidence that actor Wes Studi was cast an the tribal chief Eytukan in director James Cameron's Golden Globe-winning 3D film Avatar or as bounty hunter Sam, the lead character in Kevin Willmott's The Only Good Indian. From the days he was in Dances With Wolves with fellow native American Graham Green, Studi's been a go-to guy for authentic native American characterizations. And though he has often played parts that had nothing to do with his heritage, his passion, and total commitment has made him immediately recognizable. For the 63-year-old Studi, being a Native American has been a driving force for his career --whether in terms of the characters he has played or the issues they have addressed. Usually his performances are charged by a strong, almost arrogant stance, as if expressed by a man who is proud to...

If there’s one movie I’ve seen this year that has started with a great premise but has suffered from a failed execution, it would have to be The Only Good Indian. Written by Thomas L. Carmody and directed by Kevin Willmott (Csa: The Confederate States of America), this fictional pseudo-western tells the tale of a teen-aged Native American boy with the given white man name of Charlie (played by Winter Fox Frank).

Taking place in Kansas during the early 1900’s, the movie follows Charlie’s story, one of many Native American youths that were forcibly removed from their homes and placed into re-education schools that feel more like prison camps. Students are scolded, or even beaten into submission, and punished for speaking their native tongues. These scenes of the school master and the teacher forcing their ways onto these young Native Americans with the idea they are benefiting them are difficult to watch,...

Editors Note: This is part of a series of interviews, conducted via email, profiling dramatic and documentary competition and American Spectrum directors who have films screening at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. From the Sundance catalog: “At the outset, young Nachwihiata lives a peaceful existence with his agrarian family until a band of white marauders attacks their homestead. They forcibly remove him and take him to a white Christian boarding school, …...

Kevin Willmott, director of controversial Sundance title Csa: Confederate States of America, returns to Park City this year with The Only Good Indian, a Spectrum selection period piece focusing the story of a Native American boy kidnapped from his family and sent to an orphanage specializing in forced assimilation. The SUndance catalogue calls Indian an "outstanding revisionist western" and a "a worthy fictional account of an essential American story." Answering the 4 Questions We Ask Everyone, Willmott talks Lena Wertmuller, the importance of casting, and the magic of Payroll Loans. Tell us about your movie: who did you work with, what did you shoot on, why did you make it? Give us the reductive, 25-word or less, "It's like [pop culture reference a] meets [pop culture reference b]!" pitch, then explain what the quick and dirty sell le ...

Kevin Willmott, director of controversial Sundance title Csa: Confederate States of America, returns to Park City this year with The Only Good Indian, a Spectrum selection period piece focusing the story of a Native American boy kidnapped from his family and sent to an orphanage specializing in forced assimilation. The SUndance catalogue calls Indian an "outstanding revisionist western" and a "a worthy fictional account of an essential American story." Answering the 4 Questions We Ask Everyone, Willmott talks Lena Wertmuller, the importance of casting, and the magic of Payroll Loans. Tell us about your movie: who did you work with, what did you shoot on, why did you make it? Give us the reductive, 25-word or less, "It's like [pop culture reference a] meets [pop culture reference b]!" pitch, then explain what the quick and dirty sell le ...

First off, the best news, as I predicted (in private) Duncan Jones' Moon will be premiering, yay! The comedy Adventureland starring the talented Bill Hader is playing. The sweet kid soldier film Johnny Mad Dog is playing in the spectrum section, and the Jesco White story White Lightnin' which we reported on earlier is in the Park City at Midnight section.

But where the hell is Stingray Sam?

Full list after the break.

Premieres

* "Adventureland," directed and written by Greg Mottola, stars Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds and Bill Hader in the story of a college grad who gets a job at an amusement park. A Miramax release.

* "Brooklyn’s Finest," directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by Michael C. Martin, a drama about three Brooklyn cops who come together at the same deadly location. With Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, Don Cheadle and Ellen Barkin.

* "Earth Days," directed by Robert Stone,...

Premieres

To showcase the diversity of contemporary independent cinema, this section offers the latest work from American and international directors and world premieres of highly anticipated films.

Adventureland / U.S. (Director-screenwriter: Greg Mottola)

In 1987, a recent college graduate takes a nowhere job at his local amusement park and discovers the job is perfect preparation for the real world. Cast: Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds, Bill Hader. World premiere

Brooklyn's Finest / U.S. (Director: Antoine Fuqua; screenwriter: Michael C. Martin)

After enduring vastly different career paths, three unconnected Brooklyn cops wind up at the same deadly location. Cast: Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, Don Cheadle, Ellen Barkin. World premiere

Earth Days / U.S. (Director: Robert Stone)

The history of our environmental undoing through the eyes of nine Americans whose work and actions launched the modern environmental movement. World premiere, closing-night film

Endgame / U.K. (Director: Pete Travis; screenwriter: Paula Milne)

A...