Join our visiting filmmakers as they tell stories far away from Hollywood and New York, mixing it up with each other and the audience in sessions that range from the hilarious to the moving. Panels begin at 9am every day Wednesday-Sunday, so you won’t miss lunch or your 12 noon movie. Reserve your free tickets online or at any box office, or just show up the morning of the panel.

Wednesday
“Being Elmo” in Traverse City
Kevin Clash and the entire filmmaking team of “Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey” talk about the creation of their award-winning documentary, and how they made love shine on the screen.
Scheduled to Appear: Kevin Clash, Principal; Corinne LaPook, Producer; Constance Marks, Director/Producer; James J. Miller, Cinematographer/Producer; Philip Shane, Co-Director/Writer/Editor; Justin Weinstein, Writer/Editor.
Sponsored by Bay Bread Co. and Bob & Carol Goff
IPR Broadcast: Thursday 1PM and Friday 9AM

Thursday
The Doc Panel
Each year, we like to gather together the diverse and eclectic documentary filmmakers who make some of the best films at the festival. They open our eyes to the world around us — its problems, its possibilities, its joys, its future. We’re proud to welcome to the stage a large group of the people who made this past year’s best documentary films to talk about their evolving craft.
Scheduled to Appear: Michael Galinsky and Suki Hawley, “Battle for Brooklyn;” Julia Haslett , “An Encounter with Simone Weil;” Paco de Onís and Pamela Yates, “Granito: How to Nail a Dictator;” Susan Saladoff, “Hot Coffee;” Sam Cullman, “If a Tree Falls;” Nancy Buirski and Elisabeth Haviland James, “The Loving Story;” Tony Hardmon and Rachel Libert, “Semper Fi: Always Faithful;” Nick August-Perna and Chris Dapkins, “The Swell Season;” Anthony Baxter and Richard Phinney, “You’ve Been Trumped”.
Sponsored by Longview Winery
IPR Broadcast: Friday 1PM and Friday 9PM

Friday
The Working Class Goes to the Movies
This year’s festival is remarkable for the number of films (fiction and nonfiction) that deal with the travails of the working class. As part of our salute to public employees and our celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Great Flint Sit Down Strike, we welcome to the stage filmmakers who have brilliantly documented the struggle for equal rights and human dignity, and those who have dealt with issues of work and class in feature films.
Scheduled to Appear: Anne Bohlen, “With Babies and Banners;” Sasha Reuther, “Brothers on the Line;” other Special Guests.
Teresa Ann Chapman, Attorney at Law, Grand Rapids
IPR Broadcast: Saturday 1PM

Saturday
Who’s Killing Hollywood In Michigan?
Two of the festival’s best docs this year were shot right here in our home state of Michigan. Filmmakers, subjects, and producers talk about taking a stand for the hand and making great cinema art at the same time — and the new governor’s severe cutback of the Michigan Film Incentive.
Scheduled to Appear: Basma Babar-Quraishi, “Fordson: Faith, Fasting, Football;” Heather Courtney, “Where Soldiers Come From;” Rashid Ghazi, “Fordson: Faith, Fasting, Football;” Jennifer Latham, “Sicko,” “When the Drum is Beating;” Ash-har Quraishi, “Fordson: Faith, Fasting, Football;” Rich Brauer of Brauer Productions.
Sponsored by Clark Hill PLC
IPR Broadcast: Saturday 8PM

Sunday
The Comedy Panel
Movies can lift us out of our malaise with uproarious laughter — or just with a good sock in the keister. Our panel of actors, filmmakers and humorists will have you in stitches as they wrap up this year’s panel series.
Scheduled to Appear: Rodman Flender, “Conan O’Brian Can’t Stop;” Matt hew Modine, “Jesus Was a Commie,” “Married to the Mob;” Katie O’Grady, “Rid of Me;” Jody Shapiro, “How to Start Your Own Country;” James Westby, “Rid of Me;” Gaukur Úlfarsson, “Gnarr”
Nancy Stupsker and Helene Stupsker
IPR Broadcast: Sunday 6PM

2011 Panels sponsored by
Bay Bread Co. and Bob & Carol Goff
Longview Winery
Clark Hill PLC
Nancy Stupsker and Helene Stupsker
Teresa Ann Chapman, Attorney at Law-Grand Rapids

Interlochen Public Radio will air the panels on 91.5, 89.7 and 90.1 FM and at ipr.interlochen.org in the following schedule:

Panel 1: Thursday 1PM and Friday 9AM
Panel 2: Friday 1PM and Friday 9PM
Panel 3: Saturday 1PM
Panel 4: Saturday 8PM
Panel 5: Sunday 6PM