Documentary chronicling history of WNY indie film
premieres at new film festival

By David Tunis-Garcia

Western New York has become a Hollywood hub for filming with tax incentives and a burgeoning crew base for productions to pick from, but the heart of WNY film has been and remains independent; kept alive by films shot for thousands of dollars right from the filmmakers’ pockets, not tens of millions put up by a studio.

Rochester filmmakers Adrian Esposito and Curt Markham chronicle the history of upstate indie film in their documentary “Nickel City Tinseltown,” premiering Sept. 13 at the inaugural Amazing Fantasy Fest, a film festival showcasing 83 movies over seven days, one-third of which were produced in Western New York. (For more details on the festival, go HERE)

“We felt something should be out there about the Buffalo film scene to give it more notoriety, give it more publicity and to inspire other film communities,” Esposito said. “To actually inspire other communities and not just in Rochester or Syracuse, but everywhere.”

Esposito and Markham met as members of the Rochester film community but found inspiration in Buffalo. Markham noticed a cultural difference in the Buffalo and Rochester film communities.

“As two people who are slightly outside of it, it was really interesting to see the culture in Buffalo, and how everybody’s really grassroots and helping each other make cool things happen,” Markham said.

“Rochester has the history of Eastman Kodak and so as a result, my observation is that filmmakers in Rochester, at least historically, are very fixated on the prestige and validation that they think should come with that. Whether they personally have any part in that history or not.

Markham attended film school at New York University in the early 1990s. As a self-proclaimed “fan of geek culture,” he encountered resistance from those around him to accept his preferred style of genre filmmaking.

“NYU and I would say New York City in general was more serious. More obsessed with dramas and prestige and not always hugely appreciative of genre and sci-fi fantasy filmmaking,” Markham said. “I think when you get away from some of these cultural centers and more into regional and grassroots filmmaking there is less gatekeeping and more openness about what kind of movie you can make and what is considered art.”

Esposito and Markham bonded over a shared interest in genre filmmaking after Esposito saw Markham’s 2009 film “Saberfrog.” Esposito showcased that interest in “Greetings from Tromaville,” a documentary about the history of Troma Entertainment. He also directed “Diffability Hollywood,” a documentary about the history of people with disabilities in entertainment.

That subject is close to Esposito, who is himself autistic. It is also the subject of his other entry to Amazing Fantasy Festival, “Special Needs Revolt!” It’s an action flick in the Troma-tradition, which features Nolan Tierce – an actor with Down Syndrome – as the lead.

“It stands on its own,” said Kristina Nomeika, the executive producer of the film and Esposito’s mother. “It’s not some cheap little film, even though we made it for about $100,000.”

That budget came partially from donations and “little trickles of money here and there,” according to Esposito. But the bulk came from a home equity loan taken on their house to fund the project.

Esposito said the purpose of the film is to break away from the stereotypical portrayals of people with disabilities.

“It’s giving people with disabilities the chance to be like Rambo on the screen,” Esposito said. “To just be like everyone else.”

Markham, who helped on the production and script of “Special Needs Revolt!,” has his own film in the festival as well. “Ragdoll Assassin” is about a hitwoman who brings her childhood doll along on kills until she is shot in the head. Her brain matter splatters on her doll, killing the hitwoman but bringing the doll to life.

Markham also has the honor of being named the festival’s Filmmaker of the Year. Festival head and organizer Gregory Lamberson noted Markham’s large footprint in the festival, being involved in three separate productions.

“Curt’s been a regular attendee of film-related events. He’s made films of his own and participated in those of others, but this is really a big year for him,” Lamberson said. “It’s his work on his own film, ‘Ragdoll Assassin,’ that really impressed me … He really earned Filmmaker of the Year.”

Lamberson, who previously ran the Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival, appears as a talking head in “Nickel City Tinseltown” and has seen the film eight times now. He is excited for people not in the know to learn about the Buffalo productions outside of the mainstream.

“I guarantee they will have no idea that all these crazy films were being made here right under their noses. People blowing up arms and flipping vehicles and just craziness,” Lamberson said. “The spirit of these movies is wild. And to know that there are so many people around here committed to doing this whenever they can. It’s pretty eye opening.”

Lamberson is proud of all the films at his festival, and is especially proud to present two films – “They Call Her Death” and “Black Eyed Susan” – shot on 16mm film, a rarity in today’s age of digital production.

Amazing Fantasy Fest will appropriately start on Friday, Sept. 13 and will continue through Sept. 19 at Dipson’s Amherst Theatre. A  complete schedule of films is HERE.

David Tunis-Garcia is a writer and filmmaker from Buffalo, N.Y.