Around the Circle This Week: May 13, 2016

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Cornelia saga continues

The oceangoing freighter Cornelia was detained in Duluth for six weeks last year during an investigation into the alleged discharge of oily water. Charges have finally been filed against the German company that owns the ship: “one count of violating the Act to Prevent Pollution From Ships and eight counts of false entries/omissions in records in a federal investigation,” reports Lisa Kaczke in the Duluth News Tribune.

The oily water was not discharged in the Twin Ports, officials say, but there’s no word yet on exactly where on the Great Lakes the alleged violation occurred.

Local’s take on Apostle Islands featured in book

An art deco illustration of the Apostle Islands by a local photographer/artist (and avid geocacher) was one of the posters chosen to be featured in the book See America, A Celebration of the National Parks & Treasured Sites, published by Creative Action Network in partnership with the National Parks Conservation Association for the centennial celebration of the National Park Service.

Jamey Penney-Ritter, who operates under Bemused Graphic Design, has done a series of art deco representations of the region, including Duluth, Washburn, Ashland, Madeline Island, Raspberry Island and a poster for Book Across the Bay. The Minneapolis Star Tribune did a story about the See America book.

Jamey’s work is familiar to readers of Lake Superior Magazine. She has been honored in our photo contest and has written about geocaching. She also has done marketing work for Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua.

Duluth Superior Film Festival lineup released

Some of the lineup for regional and indie films has just been announced for 2016 Duluth Superior Film Festival, and the June event will feature a film made by Lake Superior, appropriately named “Superior,” and also “The Seventh Fire” and “American Fable,” which have won acclaim and been screened at major film festivals.

“Superior” is sure to draw big local interest because it’s about taking the Circle Tour around Lake Superior. The year is 1969 at the height of the Vietnam War, and lifelong best friends Charlie and Derek are at a crossroads. Charlie is on his way to Michigan Tech University; Derek is counting the days to his military draft eligibility. They’re embarking on a final adventure: a 1,300-mile bike ride around Lake Superior on two-speed Schwinn bikes and with limited preparation. Writer-director-producer Edd Benda is from Michigan and spent many summers along Lake Superior. Filmed in Michigan’s U.P. in 2014, “Superior” was inspired by a real journey more than 40 years ago.

The festival, which runs June 1-5, offers free admission to its films. Screenings, some with filmmakers in attendance, are at several locations in Duluth. The Comet Theater in Cook, Minnesota, will host the last night of the festival.

Major films on tap include:

June 1: “The Seventh Fire” is a documentary about Rob Brown, a Native American gang leader on the White Earth Reservation in northern Minnesota. Sentenced to prison for a fifth time, he must confront his role in bringing the violent drug culture to his beloved Ojibwe community. Now his 17-year-old protégé, Kevin, dreams of becoming the reservation’s most powerful Native gangster. The made-in-Minnesota film from writer and director Jack Pettibone Riccobono had its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival and was also shown at the White House. The opening night event is at Clyde Iron Works, with a post-screening reception. 8 p.m.

June 3: The Minnesota premiere of “American Fable,” writer-director Anne Hamilton’s debut feature. When 11-year-old Gitty discovers that her father is hiding a wealthy man in her family’s silo to save their struggling farm, she must choose between saving the man’s life or protecting her family from the consequences of their actions. This fairytale thriller, set in the 1980s, was filmed in Illinois and Wisconsin and stars Kip Pardue (“Remember the Titans”) and Richard Schiff (“The West Wing”). Editor Amanda Griffin will be in attendance at the film and various events, representing the crew. At Zinema 2 at 7 p.m.

June 5: The closing night features the Minnesota premiere of “After the Reality,” which was filmed in Virginia and Crane Lake, Minnesota. Director David Anderson will be attending the screening, receptions and Q&A sessions. The story: Scottie Olson is again trying to find purpose in his life, this time by vying for a woman’s heart on the hit reality TV dating show “Young Bucks.” After his father suddenly dies, Scottie quits the series and reunites with his estranged sister, Kate, who had put her life on hold to be their father's caretaker and who is grappling with her own life-changing secret. The film stars Matthew Morrison (“Glee”) and Sarah Chalke (“Scrubs”) and is described as a funny and poignant story about loss, reality show romance and a brother and sister’s love. At the Comet Theater in Cook, 7 and 9 p.m. 

Another festival film is “Bringing It Back Home: Paul Metsa and the Cats Under the Stars,” in which Virginia, Minnesota, native Paul Metsa and his band Cats Under the Stars celebrate 40 years of making music. It’s a story that extends from the hard-drinking, riotous ’70s bar scene of the Iron Range to the unrestrained Minneapolis music scene in the 1980s. This performance documentary features original music from throughout their careers, including the 40th reunion concert recorded live in Duluth in September 2015.

“Minneflowta: A Hockey Hair Chronicle”: ESPN’s latest E:60 documentary premiered on Tuesday, and one local boys’ team appeared throughout. Hermantown, a next-door neighbor of Duluth, is described as having “Minnesota’s greatest hair dynasty.” The Hawks even got their own bonus mini-feature: The Story of Hair-man-town. They won the Class A championship this year after six consecutive second-place finishes.

Paul Shaffer to play Thunder Bay: A native of that Lake Superior city, Paul will bring his former “Late Show” band to the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium in October, reports the Chronicle Journal. He was David Letterman’s bandleader and sidekick for more than 30 years.

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, launches Mayor for a Day contest: It’s open to local students in fifth or sixth grade. Entries are due by May 27.

Meet the new owners of Morty’s Pub in Bayfield: Amy and Rick Sherrard got hooked on the harbor town and left their careers in Stillwater, Minnesota, to take over the pub, in business since 1935. Hope McLeod has the story in the Bayfield County Journal.