Tallgrass 2009 Sponsors
ABOUT THE TALLGRASS STAFF
TOM MITTLESTADT, Artistic Director
Tom Mittlestadt joined the Tallgrass team in 2003 for the inaugural festival through Timothy Gruver’s powers of persuasion. He is a nationally recognized Prop Master and Art Director. Some of his film credits include Vestron Pictures’ TWISTER, MYSTERY TRAIN, which won Best Art Direction at the Cannes Film Festival in 1989, HEART OF DIXIE, THE GOOD THINGS, and CRUDE OASIS, directed by the Emmy Nominated Alex Graves.
A few of Tom’s National Commercial and Television credits include RESCUE 911, PANASONIC for the European market, and STATE FARM.
Tom’s invaluable vision has contributed to unforgettable events and parties at the Tallgrass Film Festival, including transforming a parking garage in to a NY Underground Club, an art gallery in to a Film Noir set, and a classic theater in to a Baseball stadium. His artistic talents lend way to much of the look and feel of each year’s festivals.
When Tom is not working on films you will find him backstage on live theater productions propping and dressing sets, or renting props to film and theatre projects through his company, PROPS & ANTIQUITIES.
NICK POPE, Programing Coordinator/Film Traffic Director
Born and raised in Wichita, Nick Pope has been associated with the festival since year one. After graduating from the University of Kansas with a BGS in film, Nick returned to Wichita to serve as a volunteer. For the past four seasons he has served as a Programmer and Director of Print Traffic. He has also worked with other staff members to help make Cinema Alfresco and WAMPA special screenings a success.
Outside of the Festival, Nick is an associate designer and draftsman for Lee Products Engineering Services.
SHAN JABARA, Director of Programming
In 2006 Ms. Jabara was named Director of Programming for the Tallgrass Film Festival after serving on the Programming Committee since its inception. She has made noteworthy contributions to the structure and make-up of the festival’s Programming committee and has focused on tailoring the film selections to Wichita’s various audiences.
Recently relocated to Wichita after spending a decade in the art and education worlds of New York City, followed by six years of teaching and traveling overseas, Shan holds a BA from the University of Kansas, and an MA in Art History from the University of Massachusetts, as well as a New York State Teaching License.
Upon meeting Timothy Gruver, Ms. Jabara became very involved with the Tallgrass Film Festival, and along with her Programming Duties, she has coordinated WAMPA’s Cinema Al Fresco series and dedicates long hours to promoting the festival within the Wichita arts community.
Those fortunate enough to bump in to Ms. Jabara at various WAMPA events, will find themselves engrossed in long conversations about film and art, in the Wichita community and beyond.
ARIETTA AUSTIN, Hospitality Coordinator
Arietta Austin, a native of Coffeyville, Kansas has been the festival Hospitality Coordinator since 2004. Arietta became involved with Tallgrass three years ago when she came to Wichita to care for a family member, and coincidentally Timothy Gruver. Despite the fact that she had never previously worked a festival, between her Hollywood affiliations, administrative skills, and love for the arts, Tim was certain that she was the perfect woman for the job.
An integral part of the Tallgrass team, Arietta radiates a warmth that has been proven to turn visiting filmmakers and guests in to life-long friends. She has quickly established herself as “Hostess with the Mostest!”
Arietta currently resides in Sacramento, California and works as an Administrative Assistant for an Architectural Firm. She is the proud grandmother of a baby girl born this spring, pictures available upon request.
GRETCHEN MITCHELL, Production/Programming Coordinator
Gretchen Mitchell has been part of the Tallgrass team since 2005. She became involved when she met Timothy Gruver who was teaching a WAMPA-sponsored filmmaking class in the summer of that year.
Gretchen is actively involved in the Hospitality and Programming for the 2006 Tallgrass Film Festival. A former high school English teacher and Journalism instructor, she now serves as a Technical Writer/Marketing Coordinator for an engineering firm headquartered in Wichita.
If you are a visiting guest or filmmaker at Tallgrass, and you are lucky enough to find yourself in Gretchen’s van, fear not, she keeps her Denali well-stocked!
LELA MEADOW-CONNER, Sr. Festival Consultant
In 2003, lured by the thought of living in “fly-over country”, and by her best friend Timothy Gruver, Lela traveled to Kansas to produce Wichita’s first Tallgrass Film Festival. She returned to Wichita as Producer in the fall of 2004 and in 2005, because the show-must-go-on, she took on the role of Festival Director for the 2006, 2007 & 2008 festivals. Over the last five years the Tallgrass Film Festival has been enjoyed by more than 20,000 people.
Adopted from India when she was an infant and raised outside of Boston, Massachusetts, Lela must have had “Bollywood” in her genes. After high school she moved to Los Angeles where she attended California State University, studying Radio/TV/Film and worked at a boutique talent management firm where she met Tallgrass Film Festival founder Timothy Gruver.
Heeding the call of Production, Lela and Timothy formed WILD INDIANS ENTERTAINMENT and developed many projects together, including a television series optioned by LAWRENCE BENDER. From there, she went on to work for the Executive Producers/Showrunners of the Disney Channel series SO WEIRD, followed by a stint with the Producer of BLUE CRUSH and CRAZY/BEAUTIFUL.
Lela was later tapped to join the world of movie marketing, as a Producer for Seismic Productions. She was integral in creating marketing campaigns for major motion pictures including, ALL ABOUT THE BENJAMINS, ANGER MANAGEMENT, MAID IN MANHATTAN, IGBY GOES DOWN, CABIN FEVER and the Academy Award winning films THE PIANIST and LOST IN TRANSLATION.
Lela joined Rohr Talent Public Relations in January of 2004 where she honed her skills in entertainment publicity, and created Enzyme Entertainment, a full service, boutique public relations company, in November of that year. In addition to representing talent, lifestyle and independent film clients, Lela has abundant experience in event production having created events for the Oscars®, Sundance Film Festival, Golden Globes, CD & Business launches, non-profit organizations, and a number of celebrity-driven parties. She also attended UCLA for their Public Relations Certificate Program.
After a stint in the Windy City, where she earned a degree in the Culinary Arts at Chicago’s prestigious Kendall College, Lela moved to the Denver Area, where she continues to be involved with independent film, the film festival world and her own personal chef & boutique catering company, the transformed Enzyme Entertainment.
ERIC MOORE, Sr. Programming Consultant
Producer and Senior Programmer, Eric Moore, played a key role in helping late founder Timothy Gruver start up the Tallgrass Film Festival in 2003, along side Lela Meadow. He met Gruver when he was offered a college internship at IFP/West (now Film Independent) helping Gruver market the festival and aiding the programming department to check in and screen submissions. He was subsequently offered a production position with the Los Angeles Film Festival (LAFF).
The Brookline, MA native took up permanent residence in Los Angeles and quickly got involved with a number of other prominent film festivals and events. He has screened films and worked for LAFF, Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF), Palm Springs International Film Festival, and the American Film Institute (AFI). He has also worked in Exhibitor Services and Screenings for the American Film Market (AFM) and served as Security Coordinator for the Independent Spirit Awards in 2005 & 2006.
As a student at Emerson College, Moore put his creative and intellectual talents to work in various ways both inside and outside the classroom, helping start up and produce content for the Children’s Television Department, and receiving the college’s prestigious EVVY Award for his thesis short film. A published author, Moore has contributed to a number of Boston Community newspapers, was a writer in residence at the Wang Center for Performing Arts, and helped edit and select submissions for a nation wide best selling anthology. As a filmmaker, he has served as art director and production designer for a number of shorts and features and has written and directed several of his own short films.
Eric joined the Tallgrass staff as Print Traffic Coordinator in 2003, and quickly proved himself to be an invaluable part of the team. In 2004 he returned as Senior Programmer and in 2005 he added the title of Festival Producer to his plate.
A passionate and creative person, Moore’s overall goal is to bring art and film to areas that don’t have it readily available to them and create programming that opens worlds of discussion without judgment. In his spare time, you might find Moore on stage performing with the critically acclaimed reality-performance troupe GET MORTIFIED in the seedy bars of Hollywood, California. If you find yourself in Nicaragua, you might bump into Moore and his family setting up optometry clinics that provide medical translation, glasses, and basic vision problem prevention, from the north-eastern Miskito Coast to the south-western border of Costa Rica in San Juan Del Sur.
TIMOTHY GRUVER founded the WICHITA ASSOCIATION FOR THE MOTION PICTURES ARTS, a 501(c)3 arts organization that presents the annual TALLGRASS FILM FESTIVAL for Wichita, Kansas. Prior to his work as the Marketing Coordinator for the 2002 IFP/WEST-LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL, Mr. Gruver was the Office Manager for 2001 OUTFEST: LOS ANGELES GAY & LESBIAN FILM FESTIVAL.
As a filmmaker, Mr. Gruver produced the award-winning THE MOMENT AFTER starring its director GERALD MCCULLOUCH (CSI). He co-founded WILD INDIANS ENTERTAINMENT GROUP with LELA MEADOW, developing the television series PARADISE CITY with KEVIN KELLY BROWN (Roswell) and LAWRENCE BENDER PRODUCTIONS (Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting). Wild Indians has also set up the feature motion picture THE BOYS OF ’68 at MIRAMAX PICTURES. Mr. Gruver has also written and produced a documentary, ABSOLUTELY EVERYBODY, and directed the short film, THE OPEN WINDOW.
As a talent manager, Mr. Gruver represented KASIA FIGURA (Ready-to-Wear, The Pianist) and JOHN BURKE (AMC Host).
Mr. Gruver credited his education not only to BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY film school, but to his first industry job, DREAMWORKS SKG, where he worked during the productions of THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, EL DORADO and SHREK.
Mr. Gruver was represented by the WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY.
* Best Short Film, Rhode Island International Film Festival (Academy Award-eligibility acquired) Best Short Film, Honolulu Gay & Lesbian Film Festival