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Months into an expedition through the Amazon in the early ’90s, the Kratt Brothers — as Chris and Martin Kratt are known — were on the lookout for giant river otters, German shepherd-sized animals also known as “lobos de rio,” or “wolves of the river.” A sudden snorting sound had tipped them off to the presence of the endangered predators feisty enough to chase off jaguars, so they hopped into their little boat, video camera in hand.

“We were so into it, and they were just right there,” recounts Martin. “We were getting great stuff. Then suddenly, Chris and I realized our feet were getting wet. We were so excited [that we didn’t realize] we were both on the same side of the pontoon boat … and we were already going down.”

They scrambled to protect their video equipment in a waterproof bag as the boat plunged into the river, where the brothers soon found themselves face-to-face with several giant otters.

Here’s your chance to support the many local filmmakers who practice their art in our area. The Whitaker St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase begins tomorrow, July 7 with filmmaking seminars and screenings of locally-produced films.

Tickets

Tickets for film programs from July 8-12 at the Tivoli are $12 each; $10 for students with valid and current photo ID and for Cinema St. Louis members with valid membership cards. Advance tickets are on sale at the Tivoli Theatre box office (5-10 p.m. Monday-Friday and 2-10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday). No phone sales, but tickets can be purchased online (see below). Tickets are on a first-come, first-served basis.

Online Ticket Sales

Tickets may also be purchased in advance at https://tickets.landmarktheatres.com/Ticketing.aspx?TheatreID=258. There is a $1 per-ticket service charge. Click on the show time (not the film title) to go to the purchase area. Purchasers must pick up your at the Tivoli box-office window.

The annual St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase is a great way to support the many local filmmakers who practice their art in our area. Cinema St. Louis, our city’s non-profit cinema-related event planning group, will present The Whitaker St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase July 8-12. This is the 12th annual presentation, which serves as the area’s primary venue for films made by local artists. The Showcase screens works that were written, directed, edited, or produced by St. Louis natives or films with strong local ties. The 16 film programs that screen at the Tivoli from July 8-12 serve as the Showcase’s centerpiece. The programs range from full-length fiction features and documentaries to multi-film compilations of fiction and documentary shorts. Many programs include post-screening Q&As with filmmaker. It all ends with a closing-Night Awards Party Thursday July 12th sponsored by Stella Artois from 8 p.m. to midnight at Blueberry Hill‘s Duck Room,...