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International Film Festival Docs Zoom In On True Crime, Stadium Financing, More

Chris Clark (at left) and Ben Scholle joined Friday's talk show to talk about this year's St. Louis International Film Festival. Michael Bertin joined the conversation by phone.
Lara Hamdan | St. Louis Public Radio

The 28th St. Louis International Film Festival returned this week to offer local moviegoers the chance to view international films, documentaries, American indies and shorts over the course of 11 days. On Friday’s St. Louis on the Air, host Sarah Fenske talked with Cinema St. Louis artistic director Chris Clark about some of this year’s highlights. 

Joining the discussion were two film directors whose works take a look at issues pertaining to the region, albeit vastly different ones. 

Ben Scholle is a professor of digital cinema arts at Lindenwood University, and his “Through the Cracks” looks at how the 2002 murder of 6-year-old Cassandra Williamson in Valley Park, Missouri, continues to reverberate in the community. 

Michael Bertin’s “Throw a Billion Dollars from the Helicopter” will have its world premiere at the festival. It examines the public financing of sports stadiums and arenas in the country. It hits the streets of downtown St. Louis, which has had its share of sports ups and downs: from the empty domed stadium, once home to the St. Louis Rams football team, to the effect that Ballpark Village has had on competing bars and restaurants in the downtown area.

Related Event

What: Cinema St. Louis Presents 2019 St. Louis International Film Festival
When: Nov. 7-17, 2019
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St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is hosted by Sarah Fenske and produced by Alex Heuer, Emily Woodbury, Evie Hemphill, Lara Hamdan and Tonina Saputo. The engineer is Aaron Doerr, and production assistance is provided by Charlie McDonald.

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Lara is the Engagement Editor at St. Louis Public Radio.