Film shot partly in Belvidere joins Beloit International Film Festival

By Kathryn Menue
Editor
BELVIDERE – “Two strangers brush hands on a crowded Chicago El Train. A week later, without having exchanged a word, she moves in with him. They fabricate a rich romantic history together. But when reality tests their lies, they must decide if their love is true,” the Beloit International Film Festival (BIFF) states about the film, FOOLS.
FOOLS is the narrative, romantic drama that is entered in BIFF. Directed by Benjamin Meyer, FOOLS follows false lovers across Chicago and into Belvidere.
“The entire third act of the film happens in Belvidere. Around 25 minutes,” Meyer said.
The amazing part is the crew shot the entire third act in only three days, which Meyer said “seems like not much time, but we only had fifteen days to shoot the whole film. So, that was a fifth of our shoot.”
Meyer said they filmed the movie in April of 2012.
Despite this filming being nearly four years ago, FOOLS is still near and dear to Meyer’s heart.
“This was a micro budget film, which I wrote, directed and then edited, all while holding down my day job as a television editor,” Meyer said. “So, it took me three years to finish the film. Forever!”
Even though this was a small film and Meyer and his crew were only in Belvidere for a short period of time, the crew thoroughly enjoyed their experience in the area.
“Our shoot in Belvidere was terrific,” Meyer said. “We had no trouble finding vendors for catering, and hotels to put up our cast and crew. And it was a beautiful location to shoot.”
Meyer found Belvidere as the ideal contrast to Chicago.
“Belvidere was the perfect location for FOOLS. The first two-thirds of the movie take place in Chicago, on crowded El Trains, city streets, and in cramped city apartments,” Meyer said. “For the final act of the film, I wanted something completely different.”
“I wanted to get out of the grey urban setting into open spaces, lush greenery, sprawling fields,” Meyer continued. “Belvidere was close enough to the city to transport my Chicago-based cast and crew. But it was a completely different world.”
The country setting provided the perfect contrast from the congested city setting, to change the tone for the end of the movie. Plus, Meyer and his crew were able to film in a rural family home that the Lewis family provided to help Meyer complete his project.
“We shot exteriors on the roads around Belvidere, and scenes in the family home of Rick Lewis, on Donna Drive. Rick was ill at the time, and he has since passed away. I will always be grateful to him and to his family for agreeing to let us film in his home. I am hoping his family will come to see FOOLS in Beloit…the Lewis home was just a perfect, rustic location. It was absolute serendipity.”
To witness the serendipity, people can attend the Beloit International Film Festival, which will showcase nearly 100 films, including FOOLS. Films will be shown in four different categories including: Narrative, Documentary, Short and WI/IL Showdown Films. FOOLS is listed under both the Narrative category and the WI/IL Showdown category.
The film festival will be held from Friday, Feb. 19 through Sunday, Feb. 28.
FOOLS is an hour and 27 minute movie that is R rated. It will air in the film festival at Domenico’s Restaurant, which is located at 547 E. Grand Ave. in Beloit, Wis. FOOLS will be aired on Saturday, Feb. 20 from 2:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. and on Sunday, Feb. 28 from noon to 1:45 p.m.
FOOLS has already received positive reviews from numerous sources including the Examiner which stated the film was “masterfully directed… [and] beautifully intimate…” and the Beloit International Film Festival’s Adam Fogarty stated that BIFF was “proud to have it [FOOLS]” in the festival.
Tickets for the film are $9 for adults and $5 for students. Students must show their ID cards at the check-in. To purchase tickets, go to beloitfilmfest.org/ticket-info/ or call (608) 313-1200.
FOOLS also appears in: Durango Film 2016; IDYLLWILD 2016 International Festival of Cinema; DC Independent Film Festival 2016; SOUTHAMPTON International Film Festival 2015; Garden State Film Festival 2016; Richmond International Film Festival 2016; Big Apple Film Festival 2015; Tulsa American Film Festival; ReadingFilmFest 2015, and Petaluma International Film Festival 2015.
For more information about FOOLS, or to watch the trailer for the film, please visit BIFF’s website at: beloitfilmfest.org/films/fools.
About Director Benjamin Meyer
Benjamin Meyer is a writer, director, and editor working in LA.
According to BIFF, Meyer’s film accolades include: “His short film WHAT ARE YOU HAVING? won the Grand Prix du Court-Metrage at the Deauville Film Festival (Roman Polanski, jury chair), a CINE Golden Eagle, and Best Short Film at the Abuja International Film Festival in Nigeria.”
“His prior short, GEORGIE PORGIE won “Best Short Film” at the Chicago Underground Film Festival, the Boston Underground Film Festival and the Seattle Underground Film Festival; “Best Director” at the Georgetown Independent Film Festival; “Best Drama” at the IFP/Chicago Film Festival; and a Bronze Plaque at the Columbus International Film Festival.”
“He also won multiple festival awards for his prior two shorts, SOLD and BOTHERED… As an editor he has worked on feature documentaries and television specials with such award-winning filmmakers as Michele Ohayon, Ondi Timoner, Eddie Schmidt and Peter Stuart. He edited the feature film NORMAL ADOLESCENT BEHAVIOR for New Line Cinema. Meyer’s short story (and yourself) was recently published by Mullholland Books as part of their Popcorn Fiction series.”
Meyer’s personal achievements include that: “Benjamin received his BA in Film Studies from Wesleyan university with High Honors, and received his MFA in Film Production from Northwestern University.