INDEPENDENT FILM SELECTED 2020

DIRECTOR: BOB JONES

The Rite of Saturn is the beginning of a cycle of seven individual Planetary Rites that collectively comprise The Rites of Eleusis. Written and performed by occultist Aleister Crowley, these Rites scandalized the city of London in the fall of 1910, contributing to Crowley’s infamous reputation as The Wickedest Man in the World.

This musical adaptation of The Rite of Saturn incorporates the esoteric themes and culturally challenging world views presented by Crowley into a format that lends itself to the grandiose and nuanced nature of these plays. The creative team at Eleusyve Productions deftly incorporates the complete and unedited dialog of this ritual drama into a rock opera featuring all original music and staging that further illuminates the dramatic narrative.

Shot over the course of several performances and edited to capture the salient points of this ambitious adaptation, this film captures the very best of the theatrical production as it was staged in September of 20

• Melissa Holm DirectorThe Rite of Jupiter, 
• Bob Jones DirectorLiber XV:The Gnostic Mass
• Aleister Crowley WriterThe Rites of Eleusis, The Equinox
• Jon Sewell ProducerThe Rite of Jupiter, Liber XV:The Gnostic Mass
• Melissa Holm ProducerThe Rite of Jupiter, The Rite of Mars
• Bob Jones ProducerThe Rite of Jupiter, Liber XV:The Gnostic Mass
• Jon Sewell Key Cast“Magister Templi”The Rite of Jupiter
• Sunnie Larsen Key Cast“Mater Coeli”The Rite of Jupiter
• Ryan Holsather Key Cast“Capricornus”The Rite of Jupiter
• Tim Bruhn Key Cast“Aquarius”The Rite of Sol

DIRECTOR: Luis Ismael

A heart-warming vignette that portrays a true story of inter-religious kindness when a Nun observes a Jewish ritual.

• Luis ismael DirectorSefarad (2018)
• The Center for Historical Research of the Jewish Community of Oporto WriterSefarad (2018)
• Jewish Community of Oporto ProducerSefarad (2018)

Tod Lending Director

Saul (94, drummer) and Ruby (90, accordion), are both Holocaust survivors and musicians with an insatiable lust for life. When we started filming them four years ago they had just formed The Holocaust Survivor Band, the first of its kind. Their dream was to one day perform their music in Poland, their homeland where they endured unimaginable trauma. Their mission then, and now, is to spread a message of world peace at a time when anti-Semitism and prejudice are growing throughout the world. Through the sharing of their music and stories, they have learned that they are also healing their own wounds while revealing their resilience. 

SAUL & RUBY, TO LIFE!, is a feature documentary (80 min.) directed and produced by Tod Lending, an Oscar nominated and national Emmy winning documentary filmmaker. It is a story full of comedy and tragedy as it follows the inspiring story of these two unique and unusual men. Their musical journey begins in total obscurity, playing in residential homes for the elderly and small Jewish community organizations, to then being invited to perform at venues across the country, including a coveted performance at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage. 

Rebecca Maddalo: Director

When Meg moves in with her longtime boyfriend, she is suddenly terrorized by memories of a past trauma from years earlier. Desperate to move forward with the life she wants, she constructs an imagined space in her mind to confront her ghosts and battle their grasp on her reality.