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Films and Series

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The Old Bear

Co-Directed by Julie Busse and Candice Odgers

Featuring Casey Anderson

With an original music score by M.G. Clark

A film by Think Lemonade Productions and Vision Hawk Films

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When old bears go to the mountain for the last time, they aren't just digging their den - they're digging their graves. Through the interweaving of family stories with the final days of bears in the Alaskan wilderness, "The Old Bear" reflects on what nature can teach us about parenthood, aging, and death.

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Premieres Fall 2024

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Kuishi Na Simba
(Living With Lions)

Curiosity Stream, Siima Media, Ouragan Films​

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Directed by Erica Rugabandana

Produced by Jacqueline Farmer

DP Cyril Barbacon

Edited by Julie Rooney Busse

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Two lioness sisters raise their young cubs in Serengeti amongst the abundance of the great herd migrations. But when the lean season arrives, the lionesses have no other option but to prey on the cattle of the Omosoka family, who live in the village bordering Serengeti. The attacks divide the family. Rugari wants to poison and kill the lions, but his daughter Nyange will do everything in her power to save them.

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(Re)Brilliancy Workshops 

Presented by The Clinic and the Kaiser Permanente Nurse Scholars Program

Directed by Drummond West and Tara Rynders

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This feature documentary follows the work and philosophy of The Clinic, a group of artists who use play, art, and movement to create immersive experiences for health care professionals, to remember their (re)brilliancy and rekindle the joy that comes from caring for and being cared by another human being. 

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Premieres May 9th, 2024

SIE FilmCenter in Denver, Colorado

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Wild Places

Music by Aaron Travers

Video by Julie Busse

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Explore some of the world's last wild places in this orchestral and video collaboration. 

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Premieres November 17, 2024

at the Indiana University Cinema

Featured Work
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Editor and Screenwriter
Nominated in 2022 for NY Emmy

Amidst the pandemic, Works & Process, the performing arts series at the Guggenheim produced performing arts creative bubbles for artists to work safely together again. Go behind the scenes as artists return to the studio and stage for the first time since the pandemic. Featuring Music From The SoleLes Ballet Afrik, Ephrat Asherie Dance, The Missing Element, Jamar Roberts, and Seven Deadly Sins.

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Everything,
All At Once

Directed and Edited by Julie Rooney

2009

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This coming of age film uses my own footage, footage I inherited from my great-grandfather, animations, and found footage in this video about abandonment and empowerment experienced on the cusp of adulthood.

Behind The Dance

Produced by The Yard and Dancing Camera

Edited by Julie Busse

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"At the core of The Yard’s mission is a commitment to supporting artists through residency opportunities. Ever wondered what happens in a Yard residency? These videos offer a closer look into The Yard’s programs, allowing you to go behind the dance and experience the power of creativity for yourself." 

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The Intimate Words Deer Whisper To Each
Other At Dusk

Directed and Edited by Julie Rooney

Based on the short story by Dustin Funk,

Narrated by the author

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This short film tells the story of a dissolving relationship as expressed through a herd of invading deer. An exploration of love's irresolute tides of plenty and drought, the deer in The Intimate Words slip from their role of accomplices to unwilling actors, deeply rooted in their animal nature.

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The Complect Voice (Suite for Birds and Mammals)

Film by Julie Rooney

Music by Jonn Sokol

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The Complect Voice seeks the collaborative efforts of humans and animals to create musical performances through a scored musical suite. Although union is seemingly achieved, the tension between the deliberate manipulation of the animals, the blurred distinction between imitation sources, and the animal’s resistance to the formulation of music emphasizes what separates and relates humans to other species.

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Dissolve

Music by Jonn Sokol

Video by Julie Rooney

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Colorful and surreal, this experimental film takes the viewers on an emotionally driven journey through the twisting process of remembering. Through a mixture of animation and footage Dissolve deconstructs a family party from the 1980s and explores the nuances of the event until the validity of the memory falls apart. A powerful original score by award winning composer Jonathan Sokol enhances the uniqueness of this film. Experiential and intense, Dissolve challenges the viewers to question the validity of the party, the fluid nature of time, and even the truth of their own memories.

Cover Image: From "Kuishi Na Simba", video by Erica Rugabandana

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