Kansas City jazz documentary selected for Kansas International Film Festival

The Heartland Films, Inc. documentary “Kansas City Jazz & Blues; Past, Present & Future” has been selected for the 2012 Kansas International Film Festival (KIFF).

The festival showcases filmmakers from all over the world including some local filmmakers.

Former Kansas Citian and award-winning documentary filmmaker Sue Vicory’s jazz and blues film will screen at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 11, as the closing selection of the KIFF which is October 5-11.

There are two awards for documentaries, an audience choice and a judged best social justice film.  The winners will have a theatrical run at one of the local Fine Arts Theatres.

Before making her documentary, Vicory was unfamiliar with many of Kansas City’s local musicians and had visited 18th and Vine only once.  After learning more about Kansas City’s unique jazz history, she made a film that is a tribute to its past, present and future. 

The film, which is narrated by Nick Lowery, features original music and has been condensed from hundreds of hours of interviews and performances at B.B.’s Lawnside BBQ, Jardine’s, The Blue Room, Knuckleheads, and many other Kansas City jazz and blues venues.