Slamdance Film Festival

On the Scene at Slamdance 2012

Indiewire — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:16:14 GMT

Park City's slightly kookier festival Slamdance celebrated with their annual sled-off, a horror happy hour, and a visit from Stan Lee. Check out the pics below!

'Welcome To Pine Hill' Leads Slamdance Award Winners

Peter Knegt — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:20:14 GMT

The 18th Annual Slamdance Film Festival tonight announced the feature film and short film recipients of this year’s awards in the Audience, Grand Jury, and Sponsored Award categories.

The award winners were announced at the annual Closing Night Awards Ceremony at the Treasure Mountain Inn. As in previous years, juries of leading industry experts and esteemed filmmakers determine the Slamdance Jury Awards for Feature Narrative, Feature Documentary, and Short Film categories. Audience and Sponsored Awards, and the Spirit of Slamdance Award are also bestowed.

The feature competition films in the Documentary and Narrative Programs are limited to first-time filmmakers working with production budgets less than $1 million.

“What a great way to end Slamdance's 18th festival - by celebrating the films our excellent jurors and incredible audiences have awarded these emerging filmmakers,” said Peter Baxter, Co-Founder and President of Slamdance in a statement. “This years narrative and documentary competitions are stronger than ever, and these filmmakers represent the vanguard of true independent filmmaking.”

AUDIENCE AWARDS

Audience Award for Feature Documentary: GETTING UP by Caskey Ebeling

Audience Award for Feature Narrative: BINDLESTIFFS by Andrew Edison

GRAND JURY AWARDS – NARRATIVE

Grand Jury Sparky Award for Feature Narrative: WELCOME TO PINE HILL by Keith Miller, “for its poetic and emotionally honest depiction of one man's final journey in life, crafted from a true spirit of humanity and community."

Special Jury Award for Bold Originality: HEAVY GIRLS by Axel Ranisch, “for its joie de vivre, an incredibly life-affirming film that is presented with a unique vision and an amazing cast."

GRAND JURY AWARDS – DOCUMENTARY

Grand Jury Sparky Award for Feature Documentary: NO ASHES, NO PHOENIX by Jens Pfeifer, "for its adeptly piercing and cinematic look at a basketball team's impassioned struggle not for glory, but to just avoid losing."

Grand Jury Sparky Award for Short Documentary: THE PROFESSIONAL by Skylar Neilsen, for "an honest and natural portrayal of work-as-life, and the slowly disappearing craft of an American working man."

GRAND JURY AWARDS – SHORT FILMS

Grand Jury Sparky Award for Animation: VENUS by Tor Fruergaard, "for its creative use of claymation characters to explore sexual adventure and its lighthearted, touching and memorable story."

Grand Jury Sparky Award for Short Film: I AM JOHN WAYNE by Christina Choe, "for its unique storytelling, cinematography and performances, including the brilliant use of a real horse in an urban environment."

Special Jury Prize for Experimental Short: SOLIPSIST by Andrew Huang, "for its unique blend of live action footage of the human body, puppetry and computer animation that creates a colorful and insightful fantasy world."

Honorable Mention for Best Ensemble: I'M COMING OVER by Sam Handel, "for its extraordinary ensemble which creates a world that extends beyond the film's 25 minute length."

SPECIAL & SPONSORED AWARDS

Spirit of Slamdance Sparky Award: HEAVY GIRLS (Dicke Mädchen) - Axel Ranisch, Heiko Pinkowski, Anne Baeker. Awarded by the Class of 2012 Slamdance Filmmakers to the film team that best embodies the creative, independent, and entrepreneurial spirit of the festival, as well as showing exceptional talent as artists.

The Kodak Vision Award for Best Cinematography: FAITH, LOVE AND WHISKEY by Kristina Nikolova, "for shooting every single frame of this picture in a way that is not only pleasing to the eye, but also strongly supportive to the story being told."

Panasonic AF100 Award for ‘The Five Flavors of Filmmaking’ Competition: JOSH GIBSON, director of the short film Kudzu Vine. Five filmmaking teams created one-minute films during the 2012 Slamdance Film Festival. The winning team exemplifies excellence in visual storytelling and receives a Panasonic AF100 Camera Package.

Slamdance 2012: Doc Competition Offers Sex, Rebirth and Anonymous

Christopher Campbell — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:41:04 GMT

One thing I began to notice last year is that many documentaries are a bit too long. I think some of this has to do with the desire to be sold as a “true” feature length film, although in this day when VOD, online streams and TV formatting overshadow theatrical for nonfiction distribution and viewership, I don’t know why going 90 minutes and above seems favorable to filmmakers when the content just isn’t there. One of the best docs of last year, according to many doc critics and fans (including myself) is Jarred Alterman’s "Convento," which comes in at a mere 50 minutes. We need more of this.

And a place you’ll find more of this immedately is the 2012 Slamdance Film Festival, the increasingly necessary event that coincides with and provides alternatives to Sundance, and which has debuted a number of great docs in recent years, such as "Dear Zachary: A Letter to A Son About His Father," "Mad Hot Ballroom," "American Hardcore," "The King of Kong: A Firstful of Quarters" and last year's "Superheroes." Most of these are in the 90-minute range, but the one that is arguably the most popular and probably the most seen, King of Kong, is only 79 minutes.

This year I’ve seen most of the titles in the Slamdance Documentary Competition and so far my favorite is the shortest of all, although I don’t favor it because of its running time. James Stenson’s "Kelly" is under an hour and still sufficiently exposes us to the life and world of a transgender teen prostitute. It is almost completely dependent on the fact that the eponymous subject is astonishingly compelling and candid. Kelly is the sort of documentary character that becomes a star through little more than straight interview material. And Stenson knows precisely how to capture, present and sell her physical beauty and blunt personality (and meth use) to an audience.

Continue reading this post at the Documentary Channel Blog.

6 Films to Watch at Slamdance 2012

Eric Kohn — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:40:51 GMT

While Sundance will soon consume the lives of many moviegoers in Park City, it's been years since it was the only game in town. Starting in 1995, the Slamdance Film Festival has retained its underdog status at the top of Main Street, where about 30 features and shorts will screen January 20 - 26.

More than just a scruffy alternative to the larger festival, Slamdance regularly serves as a starting ground for emerging filmmakers and movies made off the beaten track. Last year's premiere "Without" went on to play festivals around the world and announced the promising talent of director Mark Jackson, while previous Slamdance breakouts have included "Paranormal Activity" and "King of Kong."

But since the festival relies on a team of programmers with broad tastes and often nabs movies that simply don't fit Sundance's various sections, it can also provide a safety net for experimental and otherwise non-commercial films (such as the recent "General Orders No. 9") that may otherwise never find an audience. Here's a list of some of the potential highlights from the festival, which starts tomorrow.

"Welcome to Pine Hill"

Based on the short film "Prince/William," writer-director Keith Miller's documentary-fiction hybrid chronicles the strange relationship he cultivated with a man whose dog he discovered and adopted. When the duo first met on the street, tensions ran high: Shannon Harper, who raised the dog as a puppy, simply wanted his pet back, while Miller felt he had a say in the decision. The resolution for that situation is merely a jumping-off point for an exploration of class and other social constructs, as Shannon (an African American from a low-income community) and Miller (a white, comparatively sheltered filmmaker) hail from vastly different backgrounds and examine the assumptions they brought to the table in their rather unusual circumstances. If nothing else, "Welcome to Pine Hill" is not your average dog movie.

"Danland"

Known in the porn world as "Porno Dan," Dan Lear has made a name for himself over the past decade for creating amateur-production porn films that are wildly successful precisely because he eschews flashiness for rough, unimaginative sex. While Alexandra Berger's documentary portrait of Lear starts out like an episode of HBO's "Real Sex," it builds into a fascinating look at Lear's psychology and the forces behind his decision to leave his white-collar lifestyle in favor of a far more unorthodox profession. Love him or hate him, Porno Dan makes a terrific camera presence, even (or, to some viewers, especially) when he keeps his clothes on.

"Neil Young Journeys"

Few American filmmakers have nailed the appeal of the music documentary as well as Jonathan Demme and in recent years his muse in the genre has been Neil Young. Demme first worked with the musician for the energetic 2006 "Neil Young: Heart of Gold," followed by the equally acclaimed "Neil Young Trunk Show" in 2010. Rounding out the trilogy, "Neil Young Journeys" tracks Young as he revisits his Canadian roots and plays a show in Toronto. At Slamdance, where "Journey" will have its U.S. premiere, the filmmaker-subject duo will also participate in a "master class" to discuss their working relationship. Sony Pictures Classics has picked up the film for a theatrical release.

"We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists"

In the wake of Occupy Wall Street and other grassroots activism, the protest group Anonymous continues to hold sway over mainstream society with its complex ability to mobilize and maintain a capacity for widespread influence unseen since the era of Vietnam rallies. Brian Knappenberger's documentary promises a close investigation of the mysterious group's history and how it has managed to keep skepticism alive with a combination of polemics and strategic theatricality.

"The Sound of Small Things"

Quirky romances have been done to death many times over, but "The Sound of Small Things" promises a unique riff on the usual two-hander: The story of a rocky marriage between neurotic copywriter and a deaf woman, it promises a distinctive use of sound design to replicate the couple's disconnect. First-time producer-director Peter McLarnan also served as editor and production design, and that degree of control certainly makes sense for this potentially enveloping cinematic experience.

"Sundowning"

Described by one programmer "Chantal Akerman meets Andrei Tarkovsky," this low-budget film follows a woman in Singapore struggling with memory loss and the isolated world that reflects her subjectivity. Impatient viewers may throw up their hands, but the movie nevertheless sounds like a promising attempt to push film form in new directions, with the potential for a cult following along the festival circuit. In other words, ideal Slamdance material.

Slamdance 2012: "Getting Up: The TEMPT ONE Story" is an Inspiring Documentary About Our Collaborative Future

Christopher Campbell — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:16:44 GMT

In Bob Bryan’s low-budget 1995 documentary “Graffiti Verite,” L.A. street artist Tony Quan, aka ‘TEMPT,’ talks about how artists in his community feed off each other like jazz musicians. “Graffiti is very communal...very interactive,” he says. A clip of this interview is also now featured in the new film “Getting Up: The TEMPT ONE Story,” and it provides a great jumping off point with which to consider the overall point of this inspiring documentary.

The feature debut of director Caskey Ebeling (whose short “The Package” premiered at Slamdance in 2007), “Getting Up” follows Quan in the years following his 2003 hospitalization for Lou Gehrig’s Disease, or ALS, which has completely paralyzed him from head to toe. Without the means to speak or breathe on his own let alone continue producing works of art, he became the reason and guinea pig for technology that would allow him to be creative again.

In part, the film is a just another moving cause-doc and an unapologetic advertisement for a few non-profits, including the TEMPT ONE ALS Foundation, as well as an award-winning invention called the EyeWriter, which was co-developed by the film’s executive producer, entrepreneur Mick Ebeling (Caskey’s husband). The primary story concerns the making of this gadget, which allows Quan to type and, more importantly, tag a wall through the movement of his eyes (and for the latter purpose, additional help from lasers). But the simultaneous narrative about Quan’s willpower and triumph over his affliction is the dramatic and emotional center, and it holds up the geekier, more promotional aspects.

Another side to the film, one which I find most appealing, is the overlying point about communal collaboration. Nearly everything about “Getting Up” and its combined stories have to do with this idea of interaction and people working off each other. You’ve got the art of graffiti, the jazzy hip hop music of Money Mark, the nature of filmmaking itself, accented by the documentary structure and the fact that this in a way this film continues from Bryan’s earlier film. Then you have the EyeWriter, which has been designed and produced as an open-source device and program and is already leading to further DIY advancements in the technology.

There’s a hint of politics in the film’s point, as well, because all of this communal support and creation is discussed as an alternative, or substitute for, government funded programs and progress. It’s all about doing things ourselves, and together, rather than waiting on the bureaucratic and profit-minded hold-ups that come with both state and industry. It’s an interesting turn for the future when you take it as a response to Quan’s comments in the film about how man’s progress in the past century seem to have led to new diseases like ALS -- the sad irony would be if one day we discovered spray paint caused his condition, or if the next century brings new problems caused by technological developments like the EyeWriter. I guess we just have to stay optimistic.

“Getting Up,” which I can also appreciate for the double meaning title, is nice in the way it unites the cultures. It’s a doc that can be enjoyed by artists and geeks alike, most evident in the way one nerdy collaborator from Dell speaks at length in non-layman’s terms while being subtitled with more concise, street-friendly jargon (including words like “smooove”). Yet those cultures aren’t the only ones for whom this is an accessible and entertaining doc. From the opening dream sequence, featuring a digital voiceover narration from Quan himself (he’s also credited as writing the film), to the hopeful and heartwarming epilogue during the end credits, it’s a film that will make you smile and think positively about the future of one bedridden artist and of all mankind.

The only thing that would make it better is if it were a fully collaborative documentary and the Ebelings were curator-producers. Maybe some other filmmakers can come along and work off this and remix it.

"Getting Up: The TEMPT ONE Story" just premiered at the 2012 Slamdance Film Festival
Recommended If You Like: "Wild Style"; "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"; "So Much So Fast"

Follow Christopher Campbell on Twitter: @thefilmcynic
Follow Spout on Twitter: @Spout

Watch: Exclusive Trailer For Slamdance Entry 'The Sound of Small Things'

Nigel M Smith — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:51:59 GMT

Come January, Park City sees the Sundance Film Festival generating a press frenzy in Utah, but don't discount the great talent showcasing their latest works at the annual Slamdance Film Festival, occuring just up Main Street.

One of this year's Slamdance narrative competing films, "The Sound of Small Things," looks especially promising and we've got the exclusive trailer ahead of its premiere on January 21.

The indie drama, from first-time filmmaker Peter McLarnan, concerns a couple navigating the complexities of a young marriage.

Neil Young, Jonathan Demme and Stan Lee Headline Slamdance Master Classes

Nigel M Smith — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:51:22 GMT

Neil Young, filmmaker Jonathan Demme and comic book legend Stan Lee will headline this year's series of Morning Coffee Master Classes at the 2012 Slamdance Film Festival, which runs January 20-26.

Young and Demme will be at Slamdance to support their documentary "Neil Young Journeys," while Lee will be attending to promote the documentary "With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story," directed by Will Hess.

Here's the Morning Coffee Master Classes Schedule:

Sunday Jan. 22nd, 11:00am – 1:00pm: Coffee with Neil Young & Jonathan Demme, in conversation with filmmaker & Slamdance Director Paul Rachman.

Monday, January 23, 2012 10:00am-11:30am: Coffee with notable luminaries in the world of cinematography. Hosted by Kodak.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012 9:30am-11:30am: Coffee with Stan Lee, in conversation with filmmaker Will Hess.

More info here.

Sundance and Slamdance 2012: Documentary Preview

Christopher Campbell — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:26:21 GMT

As I look back on my “Sundance Documentaries People Will Be Talking About” column from last January, I realize this is my equivalent to other bloggers’ annual “Most Anticipated Movies of [the Coming Year]” list. Partly because to preview the docs playing at Sundance is usually to preview the docs we’ll be seeing in theaters in the next twelve months, as well as to spot some of what will contend for the Oscar in the following year. And partly because in retrospect I similarly had high hopes for films that didn’t really meet expectations.

However, those disappointments aren’t so much of a critical nature, the way Green Lantern and The Hangover Part II might look in hindsight with a glance at movie previews from a year ago. They’re films that either were great but unfortunately weren’t talked about enough (How to Die in Oregon; Resurrect Dead; If a Tree Falls) or weren’t as popular at the box office as I envisioned (Project Nim; The Bengali Detective; Life in a Day). Also, like other bloggers comparing their year-end “Best of” list with their year-start anticipated list, I see a few titles I didn’t include in my 2011 Sundance preview that took me by surprise (Senna; We Were Here; Hell and Back Again) and even ended up on my own “Best of” list -- in fact nine Sundance ‘11 titles made my list of Top 20 docs of the year.

What will be this year’s big doc sensations? I can’t be sure, especially since we’re still more than a week away from Opening Night and I’ve only heard minimal buzz on some titles and haven’t yet seen a single one. So far I can only recommend one doc playing Park City this month, the Slamdance dairy farm doc The First Season, but while this terrific verite exploration of generation and restoration among a family and its cows is worth seeing, it isn’t really fodder for huge discussions. More provocative Slamdance offerings should be the child boxing film Buffalo Girls, the transgender teen prostitute film Kelly, the amateur porn doc Danland, the ALS grafitti artist profile Getting Up: The TEMPT ONE Story and the Anonymous profile We Are Legion: The Story of the Hactivists (pictured above).

Continue reading at Movies.com

Slamdance Film Festival Sets Jonathan Demme's Neil Young Doc, Other Special Screenings & Shorts

Bryce J. Renninger — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 15:29:02 GMT

The Slamdance Film Festival announced a long list of special screenings and short films that will play at its 2012 edition. Included in the mix is Jonathan Demme's "Neil Young Journeys," a portrait of the rock star at his 2011 summer solo shows in Toronto. The festival will also screen a never-before-seen TV pilot from Ed Wood as part of their program.

The Slamdance Film Festival will run from January 20-26 in Park City, Utah.

The complete list of films announced today is below. For the competition slate for this year's Slamdance, check out the earlier announced list.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS – NARRATIVE:

Holiday Road – Directors/Screenwriters: Todd Berger, Bill Palmer, Bobby Miller, Daron Nefcy,Benny Grinnell, Ian Eastin, Marcy McIlwain, Aaron Arendt, Michael Suter, Dee Robertson, DougManley, Helena Wei, Andrew Putschoegl. (USA)
World Premiere
A feature length comedic anthology celebrating the hilarious, poignant, and absurd aspects of America's twelve most recognized holidays.
Cast: Wendi McLendon-Covey, Jerry Trainor, Thomas Lenk, Blaise Miller, James Carpinello,Jeff Grace, Kent Osborne, Christing Ulloa

Old Dog – Director/Screenwriter: Pema Tseden. (China)
US Premiere
On the high Tibetan plains, an old shepherd will do anything to prevent his Tibetan Mastiff from being sold to an urban Chinese dealer.
Cast: Yanbum Gyal, Drolma Kyab, Lochey, Tamdrin Tso

Unconditional - Director: Bryn Higgins, Screenwriter: Jo Fisher. (UK)
World Premiere
The psycho-love story of two teenage twins who fall under the spell of a charismatic manoffering love on one condition: the boy becomes his own sister.
Cast: Christian Cooke, Melanie Hill, Harry McEntire, Madleine Clark

SPECIAL SCREENINGS – DOCUMENTARY:

Neil Young Journeys – Director: Jonathan Demme. (USA)
US Premiere
A personal, retrospective look into the heart and soul of iconoclast Neil Young – astold through intimate performances from Young’s 2011 summer solo shows in Toronto’s iconic Massey Hall, and insightful, wistful stories from his life while driving from his idyllic Canadian hometown.

No Room for Rockstars – Director: Parris Patton. (USA)
World Premiere
Through the experiences of four musicians on The Vans Warped Tour, No Room For Rockstars takes you on an emotional journey of hope and determination, and documents the extremehighs and lows that occur in the pursuit of success in today’s era of rock and roll.

Terra Blight – Director: Isaac Brown. (USA)
World Premiere
A global examination of the unseen life cycle of computer consumption, from manufacturing todisposal, that has created one of the largest, most common toxic wastes on our planet.

Wild in the Streets – Director: Peter Baxter, Screenwriters: Peter Baxter, Jay Nelson. (UK/USA)
World Premiere
Every year, thousands of locals from rival sides of a rugged English town brutally compete in an ancient sports game that is the lifeblood of the community – and the origin of soccer, rugby, and football.
Narrator: Sean Bean

With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story – Directors: Will Hess, Nikki Frakes, Terry Dougas, Screenwriters: Will Hess, Nikki Frakes. (USA)
The story of maverick pop culture icon Stan Lee - one man’s journey of perseverance, and howby sticking to what he loved, he became an internationally influential and successful artist.
Cast: Stan Lee, Nicolas Cage, Michael Chiklis, Roger Corman, Kirsten Dunst, Danny Elfman, James Franco, Samuel Jackson, Tobey Maguire, Eva Mendes, Frank Miller, Seth Rogen, Bryan Singer, Kevin Smith, Ringo Starr

SPECIAL SCREENINGS – SHORTS:

Ed Wood's Lost Film Final Curtain – Director/Screenwriter: Edward D. Wood, Jr. (USA)
World Premiere
In a never before seen Ed Wood television pilot, a weary actor prowling a darkened theater at night searches anxiously for meaning which leads him to a surprising end.
Cast: James "Duke" Moore, Dudley Manlove, Jenny Stevens

Franchi is Back - Director/Screenwriter: Alexandre Franchi. (Canada)
World Premiere
A Filmmaker talks about his bout with cancer in a self-promo film in order to avoid repeating his damn story 1000 times to people because it's a pain in the ass.
Cast: Alexandre Franchi

SPECIAL SCREENING - $99 SPECIAL:

Filmmakers are challenged to make a short film in 99 days with $99

Harold's Bad Day – Director: Jordan Brady, Screenwriter: R.J. Buckley. (USA)
World Premiere
A wry, dark comedy about a well-intentioned teacher with a gambling debt.
Cast: Doug Benson, Nicholas Sadler, Zack Pearlman, Curtiss Frisle

SPECIAL SCREENING - MADE IN IRAN: 7 SHORT PREMIERES:

Dances With The Armchair - Director/Writer: Dariush Nehdaran. (Iran)
US Premiere
As an armchair burns down to the ground, all the faces and memories embedded inside it dance away from its body through the flames.

Far From Him, Towards Him - Director/Screenwriter: Javad Rezaei Monfared. (Iran)
WorldPremiere
An atheist with a terminal disease goes on a journey to find and reconnect with his father whom he believes is a servant in a holy shrine.

Room No. 8 - Director/Screenwriter: Zohreh Keshavarz Motlagh Shirazi. (Iran)
World Premiere
A story about a group of people trapped in various social and psychological confines who yearnto break free.

Pondering - Director/Screenwriter: Mohammad Hossein Keshavarz Motlagh Shirazi (Iran)
World Premiere
On a crisp night, under the blue moonlight, a man explores his inner child as he strangely interacts with the streetlights hovering above him.

A Pore As Big As a Knuckle - Director/Screenwriter: Ali Ahmadi. (Iran)
World Premiere
A story about a family that has to face the consequences of a painfully unusual rape incident committed by one of their own.

The Tree - Director/Screenwriter: Hamed Siami. (Iran)
World Premiere
A studio photographer loses the ability to associate people with their pictures.

When The Kid Was a Kid - Director/Screenwriter: Anahita Ghazvinizadeh. (Iran)
World Premiere
A ten-year-old girl strives to understand her divorced mother's world, while preparing for a play in which children imitate their parents.

SPECIAL SCREENING - ANARCHY SHORTS PROGRAM:

At The Formal – Director/Screenwriter: Andrew Kavanagh. (Australia).
US Premiere
Modern and ancient rituals collide in this macabre depiction of a high school formal.

The Dude – Director: Jeff Feuerzeig. (USA)
Documentary
As the inspiration for the beloved central character in the Coen Brothers' cult-favorite film TheBig Lebowski, Jeff Dowd has become a popular figure at Lebowski Fests around the country.

The Fritzl Effect - Director/Screenwriter: Stefanos Sitaras. (Greece)
A musician keeps a young woman in his basement for inspiration. As she tries to escape, she only falls deeper into his trap.

I Saw Your Sister Yesterday – Director: Mina Park. (USA)
Experimental animation about a woman's inner pain due to societal restrictions.

The Magic Man – Director/Screenwriter: DC Kasundra. (USA)
Hoping to secure fame and fortune, a struggling vaudeville magician turns to the dark arts, but the power unleashed could cost him the one thing he truly loves.

Mahahula The Giant Rodent of Happiness - Director/Screenwriter: Nomint Motion Design.(Greece)
An animated short film about happiness.

The Severe Psychosis of a Musicless Man – Director: Ian McClerin, Screenwriter: Matt Gomez. (USA)
World Premiere.
A cartoonish journey into the mundane life of Preston: a middle-aged family man who begins hearing music in his head, fusing with his eccentric family, that plummets him into insanity.

Stihl – Directors/Screenwriters: James Benning, James Raymond (USA)
World Premiere
Experimental filmmaker James Benning and video artist James Raymond collaborate to create a world founded on modern day fears: darker images of chainsaws, teddy bears, porno and masked men that question whether we are the monsters we envision and perhaps want to be.

Stokje – Director/Screenwriter: Léonie de Boer. (Netherlands)
A tale of two boys at the playground, and their descent from child's play to immorality.

We'll Become Oil – Director/Screenwriter: Mihai Grecu. (Romania/Hungary)
World Premiere
The story of oil taking over history.

LIVE ACTION COMPETITION SHORTS:

33 Teeth – Director/Screenwriter: Evan Roberts. (USA)
A 14 year-old boy has a heightened fascination with the comb of his attractive neighbor, Chad.

The Agony and Sweat of the Human Spirit – Directors/Screenwriters: D. Jesse Damazo, JoeBookman (USA)
Two cowboys on a hunt. What are they hunting? Triumph.

Angelito - Director: Paula Lima, Screenwriter: Vitor Coral. (USA/Brazil)
Luisa the nanny tries to find peace taking care of a defiant young boy.

Another Bullet Dodged – Director: Landon Zakheim, Screenwriters: Landon Zakheim, Todd Luoto. (USA)
A wolf in sheep's clothing who thinks he is a sheep.

The Centrifuge Brain Project - Director/Screenwriter: Till Nowak. (Germany)
Portrait of a group of American scientists who in the 1970s conducted bizarre experiments involving amusement park rides.

Codes of Honor - Director/Screenwriter: Jon Rafman. (Canada)
A pro arcade gamer relives his triumphs, defeats and fading legacy.

Cold Blood - Director/Screenwriters: Martin Thibaudeau. (Canada)
An exhausted mother brings her terrified son to the hospital.

Crown – Director/Screenwriter: AG Rojas. (USA)
World Premiere
A middle-aged junkie experiences a surreal high.

DeafBlind - Director/Screenwriter: Ewan Bailey. (UK)
World Premiere
A deaf and blind woman and a young man share a spiritual and disturbing connection.

Eat - Director/Screenwriter: Janicza Bravo. (USA)
After locking herself out of her apartment, a young woman finds herself in the company of a reluctant neighbor.

Eileen Pratt - Director/Screenwriter: Michael Kratochvil. (Austrailia)
World Premiere
A socially awkward bus driver seeks to return to the only place she feels she belongs.

February - Director/Screenwriter: Nick Singer. (USA)
World Premiere
A young plumber has a series of abbreviated encounters.

The Good Person – Director: Yukihiro Katô. (Japan)
US Premiere
A housewife with a missing husband has a bizarre encounter with mysterious visitors.

Hope. You Like Crap. - Director/Screenwriter: Shaun Parker. (USA)
World Premiere
Me, looking back and painfully deconstructing my stupid, insipid student film 20 years later.

I Am John Wayne - Director/Screenwriter: Christina Choe. (USA)
World Premiere
A young black cowboy struggles with the death of his best friend.

I’m Coming Over - Director/Screenwriter: Sam Handel. (USA)
In an eccentric mountain town, a borderline neo-luddite struggles to maintain and share a fragile state of enlightenment.
Cast: Lauren Ambrose

The Kook – Directors/Screenwriters: Nat Livingston Johnson, Gregory Mitnick. (USA)
A gentle and unassuming member of an eccentric religious sect in the Catskill Mountains experiences a crisis in faith.

Lin - Director/Screenwriter: Piers Thompson. (UK/Bulgaria/Turkey)
A woman appears to be running away from her past.

Little Horses - Director/Screenwriter: Levi Abrino. (USA)
A divorced small town postal worker tries to use a pony to win his family back.

Memory by Design - Director/Screenwriter: Nathan Punwar. (USA)
The objects that three young women use to mark their past take on memories of their own.

New Skin - Director/Screenwriter: Vladimir de Fontenay. (USA)
Helen spends New Year's Eve working at a gas station, where she meets an intriguing young man just before midnight.

Park – Director/Screenwriter: Liz Cambron. (USA
)An unnamed girl living in a trailer park, drifting through life, beginning sexual explorations, and stealing her dad's Vicodin.

People Parade – Director: John Wilson, Screenwriters: John Wilson, Chris Maggio. (USA)
World Premiere
After the star of a long-running variety show passes away, his son is obligated to reunite a weathered cast of television performers and host the final episode.

Reinaldo Arenas - Director/Screenwriter: Lucas Leyva. (USA)
Told from the point of view of a dying shark, the film captures the last moments in the life of an unintentional immigrant in downtown Miami.

Rose and Sophia - Director/Screenwriter: Natalie Neal. (USA)
World Premiere
A childhood interest in spying is rekindled among two teenage girls stuck between adolescence and adulthood.

A Scene at the Sea - Director/Screenwriter: Jaehee Lee. (South Korea)
A father and son, roles now reversed as one becomes the caretaker of the other, execute a delicate dance at the edge of the sea.

A Short Film About Ice Fishing – Director/Screenwriter: Jason Shahinfar. (USA)
In rural South Dakota, two friends go out for an explosive day of ice fishing.

Silent River – Director/Screenwriter: Anca Miruna Lazarescu. (Germany)
US Premiere
Gregor and Vali want to get away from Romania and the Ceausescu regime in 1986.

Solipsist - Director/Screenwriter: Andrew Huang. (USA)
World Premiere
A three part psychedelic fantasy film about otherworldly beings whose minds and bodies converge into one entity.

Soy Tan Feliz – Director/Screenwriter: Vladimir Duran. (Argentina/Colombia)
US Premiere
Fragments of a Saturday winter day with the Vittenzein brothers, who find themselves in a strange intimacy on a stop during a drive to their mother's house.

TMI - Director: Jeff Tomsic, Screenwriters: Jordan Klepper, Laura Grey. (USA)
World Premiere
Obnoxiousness begins at conception.

When Rabbits Fly – Director: Helgi Jóhannsson, Screenwriters: Helgi Jóhannsson, HalldorRagnar Halldorsson. (Iceland)
North American Premiere
A family of three living with a rabbit in a cardboard box seeks six strangers to get their old lifeback.

ANIMATED COMPETITION SHORTS:

Birdboy – Directors/Screenwriters: Alberto Vázquez, Pedro Rivero. (Spain)
A terrible industrial accident changes little Dinky's life forever.

Follow the Sun! - Director/Screenwriter: MK12. (USA)
An homage and/or affront to a Great American Tradition: the drive-in intermission snack reel.

Hietsuki Bushi - Director/Screenwriter: Ryo Hirano. (Japan)
A seamless mixture of traditional Japanese song, blip music, universe, and agriculture.

Hollow - Director/Screenwriter: Oliver Anderson. (USA)
Two young brothers stumble across a disturbing secret in the fleeting light ofa Midwestern summer.

The House - Director/Screenwriter: David Buob. (Germany)
A family story in a revolving house.

The Observer - Director/Screenwriter: Abbey Luck. (USA)
World Premiere
A disenchanted citizen learns how to free his village from a tyrant king by observing patterns in nature.

Peekaboo - Director/Screenwriter: Cecilia Fletcher. (USA)
A woman must decide between reporting a crime and going on vacation.

Soil - Director/Screenwriter: Meejin Hong. (USA)
As imagery transforms between figures and abstraction, the life cycle of an organism and dualities within human nature are explored.

Thumb Snatchers from the Moon Cocoon - Director/Screenwriter: Bradley Schaffer. (USA)
A short tempered Texas sheriff uses his cowboy logic to recklessly defeat a race of condescending, cocoon dwelling critters.

Venus – Director: Tor Fruergaard, Screenwriter: Sissel D. Thomsen. (Denmark)
An erotic comedy in claymation.

DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION SHORTS:

Ben Franklin Blowing Bubbles at a Sword: The Journeys of a Mental Athlete – Director:Jonathan Napolitano. (USA)
World Premiere
Three mental athletes stretch the limits of their minds as they train for and compete in the 2011 USA Memory Championship.

The Devotion Project: More Than Ever - Director: Antony Osso. (USA)
The inspiring true story of two men who forged a 54-year love story despite the odds.

I’m Never Afraid! - Director: Willem Baptist. (The Netherlands)
Eight-year-old Mack ‘the motor midget’ should be dead but nothing is stopping him.

Kiss the Paper – Director: Fiona Otway. (USA)
A poetic documentary contemplating the revival of the nearly obsolete, centuries-old craft of letterpress printing.

Kudzu Vine - Director: Josh Gibson. (USA)
This ode to the climbing, trailing, and coiling species Pueraria lobata evokes the agricultural history and mythic textures of the American South.

The Lookout - Director: Brian Bolster. (USA)
World Premiere
Watching over some of the most fire-prone landscape in North America, a Fire Lookout reflects upon his work.

Murder Mouth - Director: Madeleine Parry. (Australia)
Could you kill what you had for dinner? Maddie, a 21 year-old meat eater, decides to take the question into her own hands.

No Relation - Director: Kieran Dick. (Canada)What is real and how do you capture it?

No Wine Left Behind - Director: Kevin Gordon. (USA)
An Iraq War hero leads a ragtag group of veterans as they try to conquer the wine industry.

On Tender Hooks - Director: Kate Shenton. (UK)
Freak show magician Damien Lloyd-Davies pierces his flesh with meat hooks and performs a "suicide suspension.”

The Professional- Director: Skylar Nielsen. (USA)
Metal-fabricator Neil Youngberg never planned on taking over his grandfather's business and is now faced with passing on his legacy.

We Win or We Die - Director: Matthew Millan. (Libya, USA)
World Premiere
The inspiring story of one man’s heroic sacrifice that liberated a city from the yoke of oppression.

You Can't Win - Director: Jorge Torres-Torres (Puerto Rico/USA)
World Premiere
A typical night at the cockfights in the island of Puerto Rico.

Meet the Slamdance Film Festival Programmers (In Their Own Words)

Brian Brooks — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:31:02 GMT

We all know how Slamdance began when its founders' projects were rejected from the 1995 edition of the Sundance Film Festival. Some 18 years later, it's received the offhand blessing from Sundance founder Robert Redford (who has said he "wishes them well") and become an significant enterprise that, in addition to the Park City festival that still runs parallel to Sundance, includes screenplay and teleplay competitions as well as Slamdance Studios.

And while Sundance outguns Slamdance for media frenzy, the festival has become competitive in its own right. According to the festival's website, this year Slamdance received 5,000 submissions for a total of 100 slots (30 features, 70 shorts).

The yearly lineup fall into eight categories: Feature/Short Narrative Competition; Feature/Short Documentary Competition; Special Screenings; Animated Shorts; Gallery Shorts; Music Videos; Anarchy Shorts; $99 Special Shorts.

As with other installments in our "Meet the Festival Programmers" series, the eight programmers spotlighted here offer practical advice to filmmakers hoping to screen at the festival.

True to the festival's motto "For filmmakers by filmmakers," Slamdance recruits former participants to help program subsequent editions of the festival. Consequently, there are about 50 programmers this year. Indiewire asked the festival to pick a cross-section of its programmers, whose profiles and insights follow.

The 2012 Slamdance Film Festival takes place January 20 - 26. The festival will release its lineup this week.

Indiewire's other Festival Programmer Profiles:

Sundance Film Festival
SXSW Film Festival
Tribeca Film Festival
Los Angeles Film Festival
San Francisco International Film Festival
Woodstock Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival

Drea Clark (Co-Captain of Narrative Features Programming Committee)
One of my first memories is following my mother around the house, reciting the entire scene-by-scene breakdown of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory;" it was light out when I began, and the sun had certainly set by the time I got Charlie into his glass elevator. I have always found film to be an immersive activity, an interactive medium. The conversation it elicited was as important as what was screened, not that I let my mom get a word in edgewise.

As a kid, I felt like I was the only one I knew who had equal passion for Troma, John Hughes and Howard Hawks, though working in festivals for the past 13 years has proven that there's a whole legion of us out there, and I finally had a community willing to discuss minutiae with the weight of importance.

I had my first touch of fame working in the art cinema at the University of Wisconsin. ("Aren't you the girl who wouldn't give me a refund to 'Kids'?") When I attended the University of Warwick in the UK, I was afforded the distinct pleasure of a daily apology in my Hollywood Cinemas course. As in, "apologies to Ms. Clark, but let us talk about the abhorrent view Hollywood takes of motherhood in action films." Warwick is also where I first saw "Breaking the Waves," which led to me following my flatmates around the house, reciting the entire scene-by-scene breakdown (this time in tears). I am nothing but consistent.

After moving to Los Angeles, I began interning at Slamdance in 1998, and the combination of familial vibe, bohemian energy and true commitment to the underdog kept me there in a variety of positions, including Executive Director from 2006-2009, though I've led the narrative feature programming team since 2003. I also served for seven years as the Executive Director of the Music Video Production Association, ran the Directors Cuts Film Festival showcasing short films by music video directors, continue to teach at USC's Summer Program, produce for television and film, and have worked at the Los Angeles Film Festival as a programmer and filmmaker liaison since 2009.

Slamdance is a true launchpad of new voices and the success our films find on the festival circuit is surpassed only by the reception their second film is generally afforded by virtue of that initial Slamdance recognition. Every year I look through lineups of other festivals that I respect, noting their selections and award winners, and our films are heavily represented; we program our films with a full consideration that the opportunity we are giving filmmakers is so much greater than the two weeks they will spend with us in Park City.

Slamdance is a unique niche, for though we have had some noteworthy sales ("Paranormal Activity" or "The King of Kong" come to mind), we aren’t necessarily considered a marketplace festival. And because we don’t court or invite filmmakers, selecting our competition films entirely from blind submissions (an especially daunting task considering they must be by first-time directors for under $1 million), there is an onus on our programming teams to really dig deep for hidden gems.

Other festivals look to Slamdance when considering their own selections, and we take that seriously on behalf of our potential filmmakers, eschewing traditional dealbreakers like premiere status or connections in lieu of reaction to content, programming films that we think present something special and distinctive but also represent a burgeoning talent. Our filmmakers benefit from this both with their inaugural offerings, and also from subsequent films – it’s possible you didn’t see "We Go Way Back" or "Spooner" but you’ve most likely enjoyed the follow-up works by Lynn Shelton and Drake Doremus.

We embrace our more intimate scope, as our hands-on approach to taking care of our filmmakers both during the festival and throughout their festival run is a key facet of what makes Slamdance unique, though we are vigilant in adapting how to best serve the films we do select. Icertainly think it’s rare for a noted festival to pride itself on maintaining a comparatively small lineup of under 30 feature films, but we genuinely do. We are able to get to know our filmmakers as people and as artists, we are looking out for what they will be doing next, and we strive to keep them actively involved in the festival well after we’ve all left Park City. I think our scale is helping us as festivals in general shift in accordance to a changing distribution climate, where the push to premiere increasingly expected films is unrelenting.

Think about the story you want to tell as a first-time filmmaker, and then ask yourself if that’s a story you’ve heard before – and if it is, what are you doing differently to make it worth telling again? Filmmakers who are able to elicit incredible performances, give insight to a moment that is grounded in reality but made transcendent by art, genuinely connect with the world they have created – even if that world is totally ridiculous. That’s what really excites me.

On a broader level, I would advise new filmmakers to push themselves when building characters and worlds. There always seems to be a dearth of onscreen diversity, complex female protagonists, range of ages, community explored. It’s established that artists tend to "write what they know..." and if all you know are white men in their mid-20s, then use this as an opportunity to make some new friends.

We’re looking for films that are engaging, that are consistent in tone and ideally that tone is also something brand new. There is something so exciting about raw talent. We program flawed films every year, happily, because though there may be occasional holes, there are also those moments where a true voice sings through, and it’s so much more invigorating than a film going through the paces. In most instances, when we are pitching our finds to the programming team, it generally involves a variation of "it’s hard to describe, but this one is special."

There’s something about feeling stranded on a mountain that really ties people together, like they’re really a part of something. I’ve been to, and worked at, a lot of other festivals but have to say that Park City naturally fosters a better sense of community than anywhere else. I also have a fondness for the almost pop-up festival vibe of Slamdance, as building out empty spaces into cinemas and social areas lends to the atmosphere of anything-can-happen. We are a short-term happening, an impromptu party under the moon, and that effect keeps filmmakers and audience members lively and passionate.

Favorite Slamdance and non-Slamdance films of recent years:
Slamdance: "Silver Tongues," "Bhopali," "Without," "Down Terrace," One Hundred Mornings," "The Wild Hunt," A Quiet Little Marriage," "I Sell the Dead," "Punching the Clown," "Strongman"
Non-Slamdance: "Beginners," "Drive," "Tomboy," "Attack the Block," "I Saw the Devil," "The Trip," "Another Year," "Monsters," "Never Let Me Go," "The Social Network"

Paul Rachman (Founding Member; Programmer on the Special Screenings Programming Committee)
I started my career as a filmmaker in the mid 1980s within the American Hardcore punk scene shooting bands on super 8 and making music videos of them. This got me to LA and a 10-year career as a music video director at Propaganda films. In 1995 I started making narrative short films and dove into the indie film festival circuit and helped start the Slamdance Film Festival after my first Sundance rejection. I made my feature debut with "Four Dogs Playing Poker" in 1999. I later got into Sundance in 2006 with the documentary "American Hardcore," which was bought at the festival and released by Sony Pictures Classics. As an active film director and festival programmer, I am eternally committed to innovative, single-minded indie cinema from around the world and have been helping these filmmakers for almost 20 years.

Slamdance's importance is that it is committed. We've been doing this for 18 years, so we are not going away. What's important is to recognize very talented filmmakers who might pass under the radar at most fests or under the radar of the indie film industry. When filmmakers are uniquely minded as the filmmakers who come to Slamdance are making their first films, they are usually extremely isolated from the indie community at large. They have no connections, no way to be mentored or helped from within the indie biz. This is what Slamdance looks for and has found success with.

The festival hasn't really changed that much from our initial vision and mandate. It works for us and our filmmakers. We are small, intimate and have a presence during the biggest most important week of American independent filmmaking every year. It's not broken. There's nothing to fix.

Make sure your film feels right -- that it is what it should be. Do not submit too early, wait and improve your film. Slamdance and Sundance, while a great place to be, is not the be all end all for your film.

[We look for] small to modestly budgeted, very very independent films that show future promise for the directors of those films. Many, many Slamdance filmmakers actually break out with their second and third films.

I always tell the Slamdance filmmakers to go hang out at Sundance, meet people, see Sundance films. Over the years, the percentage of Slamdance alumni appearing at Sundance keeps rising. Indiewire should check the math on this, it is very strong. I think a filmmaker who comes to Slamdance with his first small film and then who gets into Sundance a few years later will have much more success because he's been exposed to the Sundance circus.

Favorite Slamdance and non-Slamdance films:
Slamdance: "The Bible and Gun Club," "Surrender Dorothy," "Following," "Gandu"
Non-Slamdance: "Pi," "Blue Valentine," "Social Network"... lots of films I can never remember when I get asked this question.

Summre Garber (Submissions and Programming Manager)
The moment in college when I realized I could major in film, which consists largely of watching movies, I knew I would have a long academic career. At San Francisco State University I was working on my M.A. in Film Theory when I was asked to produce a film, an experience that opened my eyes to filmmaking. I began to feel that academia is rather insular and that the best way to affect true change is by making films.

From there I worked for an internet video company in the Bay Area producing short form internet video. Wanting to work more directly in film or television, and finding a lack of opportunities in Northern California, I soon made the move to L.A. I began working at Slamdance in 2009 and immediately loved the sense of community that is fostered here. The programmers, friends of the festival, and filmmakers that are involved are inspiring, they are truly what keeps me going. It's really the best of both worlds, I still get to watch and discuss tons of films while interacting with filmmakers who are making new and innovative films.

The fact that we focus on first-time directors in our feature lineup and low-budget films helps differentiate us from the films that other festivals seem to highlight. I think that filmmakers who may not find a platform elsewhere can find one with Slamdance. We don’t care about high production values, big-name stars or a glossy look, although it doesn’t count against a film necessarily, either. This helps make the playing field more level. It doesn’t take a million dollars to make a really good movie. We are looking for a unique voice that hasn’t really been heard before and I think that is what some of the best festivals hope to profile.

Although we were indeed born out of rejection, I think that we no longer define ourselves in opposition to any other festival. I think that Slamdance, in its 18th year, stands on its own two feet as one of the premiere independent film festivals in the U.S. When asked about Slamdance, Robert Redford told the press in Park City last year, "The more the merrier." I love that, there is plenty of room in Park City, and in the festival world more generally, for as many fests that are able to find and foster emerging filmmaking talent. At this time it is extremely difficult to get paying sponsors so the more we as festivals can work together the better it will serve us, filmmakers, and the audiences that look forward to seeing our lineups every year.

A lot of entrants will ask me, "Why should I even submit? No festivals ever program blind submissions - you have to know someone who programs or be invited personally to play. What’s the point in paying the submission fee if my film is just going to sit in a pile, and never be seen?” A large part of my job is assuring people like this that we are programmed 100% from blind submissions. I’m devoted to making sure that every film we receive (nearly 5,000 this year) is watched by a minimum of two different programmers and sometimes more.

It gets crazy around the final deadline, but we are committed to making sure this happens for every film. I always ask myself, "What if the next 'King of Kong' is in that stack of films?" We treat every entry like the director might be the next Steven Soderbergh, because who knows unless we watch it? So, don’t feel like your submission fee is in vain, we give EVERY entry equal consideration. We know how tight money is and we owe it to our entrants to make sure they get what they pay for, a fighting chance.

I tell the programmers every year that we prefer films that some people hate and others love over films that everyone "kinda likes" and no one feels passionately about. We are looking for films that spur discussion and, hopefully, intense feeling in the audience. Everyone enjoys seeing a film that they love. Perhaps second best to that is seeing a film that you don’t love but can’t quite figure out why, and then elucidating what exactly you don’t like about it.

Park City during festival week is a great place to be. I can’t think of a better time and place for networking and getting inspiration for future projects. Even if you don’t have a film there, the abundance of ideas and dialogue is inspiring. I met someone once who went every year to mingle a bit at Slamdance and Sundance, watch films, and then would go back to their condo and write, it can be a great cure for writer’s block. Being exposed to the films and filmmakers in Park City gives one a sense of what is getting out there and can help your future projects be in tune with what audiences in the independent world are paying to see.

Favorite Slamdance and non-Slamdance films:
Slamdance: "Shunka," "Pete Smalls is Dead," "Gayby," "Drones," "Blood From a Stone
Non-Slamdance: "Tree of Life," "Exit Through the Gift Shop," "Another Year," "Summer Hours," "Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans"

Todd Berger (Programmer on the Narrative Feature Programming Committee)
I grew up in New Orleans wanting to be a filmmaker since I could remember and would shoot movies on my dad's VHS camera while other kids were off socializing. I studied film at the University of Texas and moved to Los Angeles in the early [2000s] working as a screenwriter ever since. On the side I've been making shorts and documentaries and my first narrative feature "The Scenesters" played at Slamdance in 2010. I just finished shooting my second narrative feature "It's A Disaster."

It's truly "by filmmakers, for filmmakers." The two main requirements of the narrative feature competition (the section I help program) is that the film must be the director's first feature and the budget must be less than a million dollars. This results in truly fresh, independent voices being discovered. On top of that, the films are all chosen by a group of previous filmmakers - which results in Slamdance thinking outside the box more than most fests.

I've always seen festivals as being like any organization, whether it be a business or a nonprofit -- if the people running it know the mission statement and keep to it, the spirit of the organization will maintain. Slamdance has strived hard to keep the anarchist spirit it evolved from 18 years ago. They actively discourage favoritism or nepotism (if you know someone involved with a film that's submitted, for instance, you're not allowed in the conversation about the film's potential programming.) It's maybe the only festival where knowing someone who programs there might not help you at all. An aspect I love about programming is that the festival celebrates polarization. If some of the programmers LOVE a film and others HATE it, it's way more likely to get in than if everyone just thinks it's okay.

As for festivals in general, unfortunately in the past few years the economic climate has affected sponsorship of festivals, which is crucial to some out there for survival. I've seen several festivals have had to shorten their runs or go away all together because of a lack of funds. There's also been a slight pressure on some fests to get "butts in seats" by playing more audience-friendly fare. On a more positive note and at the other end of the spectrum, because of the low cost of cameras these days you're seeing a lot more SUPER low budget fare playing at even the biggest of festivals. It's refreshing to see some bigger fests even starting low-budget sidebars to make sure outer edge voices are heard.

If your film is done and it's time to submit, my biggest piece of advice is to have a good official website. Programmers look at that, I guarantee, because they want to know more about the people who made the film. What's the filmmaker's story? Where and how was the movie made? Were there struggles? This information all helps paint a picture because at Slamdance it's about the film of course, first and foremost. But it's also about the potential of the filmmaker. Slamdance sees itself as a launchpad for new voices, so the people behind the film are just as important.

Something, anything different. I think the biggest misstep a lot of filmmakers make is to see what indie was popular the year before and just try and copy it, thinking that's what programmers or festival crowds are looking for. After "Clerks," there was a glut of slacker guys talking about getting laid. After "Pulp Fiction," there was a glut of non-linear, pop-culture heavy narratives. I can't tell you how many "Paranormal Activity" variations I've seen in the past year. What makes you stand out is that your film is so outside the box of anything we've seen before.

I had never been to Park City until a few years ago, and my mind was blown as to how the town becomes a sort of independent film convention for a week. Whoever you are back in your normal life, whether you're a waiter or an editor or whatever, in Park City you're a filmmaker. Yes, Sundance is happening and yes, Slamdance is happening -- where you can seem movies and panels and what not, but EVERYWHERE you go -- parties, bars, restaurants, boot stores - there are people there just like you in town to have fun. I met so many interesting people from all over the world just waiting in line for a bus or sitting at a bar.

Favorite Slamdance and non-Slamdance films
Slamdance: Simon Arthur's "Silver Tongues," David Bonawits' "Pleasant People," and Damon Russell's "Snow On Tha Bluff."
Non-Slamdance films: "InThe Loop," "Exit Through The Gift Shop," "Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World" and "Final Flesh."

Saskia Wilson-Brown: (Programmer, Documentary Programming Committee)
Best told in third person. Ahem: "Former co-director of Los Angeles’ Silver Lake Film Festival, programmer and juror for organizations ranging from Slamdance to Gen Art, Saskia also headed up the international filmmaker outreach and development arm of Al Gore’s Current TV. Today she curates, produces or lends her support to initiatives around new models in filmmaking or the arts—including the OVA/Workbook Projec Filmmaker Summit at Slamdance, the TEDActive Innovation Lab, WorkBook Project’s DIY Days, and special independent film programs such as the biennial ‘Ultra Fabulous: Beyond Drag’.

In 2009 she started Cinema Speakeasy, a not-for-profit screening series which she runs from Los Angeles with her colleague Georgi Goldman, and which has since expanded to San Francisco (in collaboration with Fhay Arceo, Kate Sullivan and Allison Davis) and Palm Springs (in collaboration with ACE Hotel).

She also writes on the topic of transmedia, marketing and distribution for places ranging from WorkBook Project to Filmmaker Magazine, and is currently producing the social campaign for Stephen Gyllenhaal's new movie "Grassroots." Her newest pet project is producing a series of documentary shorts called "The Story Project" with her partner Micah Hahn, and producing a feature length doc."

The thing that has always differentiated Slamdance, for me, has been its irreverence, its commitment and its consistency. By that, I mean simply that Slamdance has been consistently irreverent, and remains totally committed to its filmmakers. It has a strong role in shedding light on very good, truly independent, sometimes deeply f*cked up and elegant movies. I think that its place, then, is to discover the best of the underground, and it has done so to an impressive degree. It also has a unique approach of being non-competitive with other organizations and festivals, which is different, and helpful for the filmmakers it supports.

As a festival strongly committed to its family of filmmakers, Slamdance's evolution, I imagine, will ape the evolving needs of the people it serves. Right now, issues for independent filmmakers center around discovery, distribution and sheer survival. As such, Slamdance has been focussing on creating solutions for its filmmakers through non-traditional distribution routes. But I also believe that Slamdance will continue its focus on the very thing in which its core strength lies: Curation.

The debate around the role of festivals is one that I've been interested in. My conclusion is that the more content we have, the more we need curators, caretakes, and -- dare I say -- advocates. Festivals have served this role quite nicely, and I imagine will carry on doing this. They will also carry on connecting filmmakers with people who can help (whether acquisitions folks or new platforms). In a perfect world they will increasingly take on a more educational role, helping filmmakers make sense of new technologies and techniques. Slamdance has been especially good at this - and in many ways has moved from being a place where financial transactions take place to a place of education and discovery.

So, in many ways and all the debate about their significance notwithstanding, festivals are still retaining their traditional purposes. It's just the people on the acquisition and distribution end who have changed.

Be authentic, pay attention to your sound design, put your film through a second and a third edit, and be generous to your audience. Don't forget to communicate with the humans that are watching your films. Try to give access points to the story that are somewhat universal. What is it about your topic that other people might be able to relate to?

Also: Watch other people's independent films. If possible, volunteer to program for your local festival, or at least organize a film night. Watch as many independent films as you can. There's no better way to get a sense of what's out there, and you can learn from other people's mistakes.

And listen to your editors.

I can only speak for myself, on this. I like to see some degree of originality in the topic. Although every story has the potential to kick ass, thereare some narrative tropes that I've seen a lot of. These films are thus held to higher standards, simply because they've been done in every possible way.

Put it this way: if you are making a doc about a band criss-crossing the world on a tour, you better make it different from the 2,000 other docs about bands criss-crossing the world on a tour. Pretty much every single possible hijink has been seen by a programmer, at some point. What's the REAL story? What makes this particular iteration of the story DIFFERENT? (hint: it's not how hard they rock).

I've also recently come to realize the full significance of 'reportage' versus 'documentary.' Some people approach a non-narrative movie as a way to expose a new thing (reportage), and some people approach it as a way to tell a story, with a stronger attention to the cinematic aspects of the movie. I love the former on TV, and I love the latter in a theatre. Sometimes it helps to make the distinction, in any case. So, in short, originality, an engaging story, or barring that, REALLY good execution. If there's no story, make it sheer visual poetry.

'Everyone' is in Park City during the festival, so your film will be seen by people who wouldn't necessarily make it to another smaller festival.

That's also a double-edged sword, 'cause, well... Park City is a circus, and can be a lonely and depressing place. Everyone feels left out of everything, there, and there's no way around that. Also: There's a lot of competition from other films, and the mass mania that is 'buzz' changes at the will of a whisp. Compounding this is the fact that most people are there with a specific agenda that may or may not include giving a toss about your film. But, since there are nonetheless opportunities to network that you wouldn't have elsewhere, Park City augments the experience through sheer access.

The best way to navigate it is to plan what you want out of the experience. (e.g. "I will connect with five distributors who deal with the European market. I will attend four panels on story development. I will not feel like chopped liver if my film doesn't get picked up.") Focus on getting to that goal, don't sweat the fact that you won't be able to get into the gifting suites, know that the "hottest" parties are usually painfully boring, and that the people who can REALLY help you are probably asleep in their hotel rooms, anyways (and always accesible via email after the event).

A doc we programmed last year, "Shunka," was one of the most lovely pieces of film I had ever laid eyes on. Third nature doc, third ghost story, third community profile. Similar in tone, another Slamdance doc called "General Orders No. 9." Then, unrelated to Slamdance: A film called "Littlerock" by a fellow called Mike Ott and a short called "Dos, Por Favor" by Fabian Euresti. There are more, of course, but these four have stuck with me.

Nicole Arbusto (Co-Captain of Narrative Features Programming Committee)
I grew up in New York City, went to Smith College and moved to LA a few years after that. I started working here in LA in casting, initially for casting director Wally Nicita. In the years since I've cast mostly independent films ("Terri," "Easier with Practice," "The Tao of Steve"), as well as theater and TV.

Slamdance is an important launching ground for first-time directors. More and more you're seeing films that premiered at Slamdance crop up at bigger festivals and appear in the Gotham Awards ("Without"), or seeing directors who started at Slamdance go on to make larger films (Drake Doremus, Todd Rohal most recently), or seeing our alums mentioned in Filmmaker Magazine's 25 New Faces of Independent Film (in 2011 Mark Jackson, Damon Russell).

There's just so much more access on all levels. Audiences all over have more access to smaller films, and in turn filmmakers have easier cheaper access to the tools of filmmaking. So filmmakers who might not live in large cities can see "Attack the Block" or "Bellflower." At Slamdance we're definitely seeing more submissions from every corner of the world. And certainly it often feels that there are less traditional screens for films, but at the same time how audiences watch films is changing. And there's just more awareness in the public of film festivals - I think the audiences have become much more diverse at the festivals.

Check out some of the films that have screened at the festival, but don't second guess - I think we've covered a bit of everything over the years. [We look for] original voices and distinctive points of view or a filmmaker with a second film we're also excited to see. And I think we're always looking for people who might slip through the cracks at a larger festival maybe because they don't have access or their film is a little offbeat.

I think people who love seeing films, love being around other people excited to talk or argue about film. It's great to hear what people are talking about as the festivals go on. And of course it's great to be in an area where you have an opportunity to meet the filmmakers.

Favorite Slamdance and non-Slamdance films:
"Without," "One Hundred Mornings," "Murder Party," "Littlerock," "Michael," "Dish & the Spoon," "The Woods," "Frozen River," "Fish Tank"

Randall Good (Co-Captain of the Shorts Programming Committee)
I'm a writer-director by calling, location sound mixer by trade, and co-captain of the Slamdance short film committee (we program the non-documentary shorts). Slamdance screened one of my short films in 2009, and I jumped at the chance to volunteer once I heard that programming is done largely by festival alumni. I've gotten even more involved since then. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and eventually moved to Los Angeles by way of New York. I love living in a city where you can go see film prints of old movies any night of the week.

To discover outsider talent and to be a cinematic tastemaker. That's probably the goal of most well-known film festivals, but our method is to select our competition films entirely from blind submissions, with no invitations granted or films programmed because of connections. We feel that this method of programming is the fairest to filmmakers, and we've been fortunate enough to attract thousands of entries from talented people all over the world. We are a "what you made," rather than a "who you know" festival.

Filmmakers are probably sick of hearing this, but almost every short film we receive is probably too long, even the ones we program. We die a little every year because we don't have room for all 20+-minute films we love, and a lot of them would be stronger films if they were five or 10 minutes shorter. If a film is under 10 minutes, it's even easier to find a place for it. So do yourself a favor and either cut that long short down or expand it into a feature.

Also, if you ever find yourself with an opportunity to volunteer to screen submissions for a film festival near you, I highly recommend it. It's easy to have a skewed sense of the state of independent film because most of us only see what gets programmed at festivals, which is a very small fraction of what's out there. It's really eye-opening to see what is being made, and the experience of passing judgment on others' films will make you demand more of yourself in your own work.

My feeling is that because short films allow a greater degree of creative freedom and autonomy, we should shine a spotlight on filmmakers who make the most of it by working to advance the form of narrative and non-narrative cinema. I'm more interested in raw talent rather than technical prowess, and in creative risk-takers rather than those who fall back on convention. I tend to be an outlier in my taste, and I love it most when Slamdance encourages moviegoers to engage with an unusual film that they would otherwise ignore.

When I first came to Park City, it was as a Slamdance short film director and a crew member on a Sundance feature. After reading so many Indiewire dispatches from Park City, finally I was smack in the middle of this electric madhouse scene. Sundance is amazing and we wouldn't be in Park City if not for them, but as a filmmaker I was so grateful to be able to escape the intensity of it all and be welcomed by the warm Slamdance family into their little corner of the town at Treasure Mountain Inn. That welcoming inclusion has persisted since then. The locals seem to like us, and the elevation is great because it cancels out the lower alcohol content in Utah beer. What are some of your favorite Slamdance and non-Slamdance films of the past couple of years?

Picking a favorite Slamdance short would feel like picking a favorite child. I am forever in love with the bizarre and joyful narrative feature "The Beast Pageant" and the mesmerizing documentary feature "Shunka," both of which premiered at Slamdance 2011.

As far as films from the rest of the festival scene that have stuck with me, I continue to be blown away by Ronald Bronstein's incredibly singular and confounding "Frownland," Andrew Bujalski's moving humanism in "Beeswax," and a devastating Hungarian short that has hardly screened in the USA called "The Counterpart."

Peter Baxter (President/Co-founder/Documentary Programmer)
[I was] brought up in country ditches, socialism (Middlesex Uni), art history (Oxford Uni) and London Street culture. Started working in photography after college. Hitchcock’s unfinished documentary about the rich and poor who religiously attend a famous horse race inspired first short film called "Derby Day." Moved to USA and produced low-budget feature "Loser." Sundance rejected it, which was good because it helped start something I love.

In 1995, I co-founded Slamdance as an independent alternative to Sundance. Since its inception, I have been responsible for developing and maintaining all areas of Slamdance. Have helped build an independent organization synonymous with the discovery of emerging talent...by filmmakers for filmmakers. Current film work includes the documentary feature "Wild In The Streets" and next week I will produce the winning Slamdance screenplay short "Harold’s Bad Day."

When Indiewire asked us to do this, they wanted to know how many key programmers we have. “Over 50,” I said. "That's too many," came the response. Got it for this article, but the lifeblood of Slamdance comes from every one of our programmers. Filmmakers themselves, they will decide if a film is in competition or not. No other power will. We do it altogether. Our entire competition program is derived solely from our submissions. No film is invited until all of them have been viewed and decided upon by our programmers.

We believe this direction offers a level playing field for the entrant. Certainly it's subjective but it's the fairest one we've come up with for the independent artist coming out of nowhere. This way of programming has allowed us to showcase what we believe is a truer representation of independent filmmaking. I think that's important.

When Slamdance first started, its filmmakers banded together to support one another. We found collective strength in doing that, and success. This type of collaboration is part of what indie film is all about. As we became a bit more organized, our community grew stronger to include committed staff and programmers. It's for these reasons we have not expanded our competition programs because if we did I think we'd lose some strength in supporting our filmmakers.

Aside from submission numbers, the festival has remained relatively unchanged. Slamdance's year-round organization, however, is changing. We've found audiences want to see our film programs outside of Park City and they like the Slamdance brand. Slamdance Studios began distributing film year-round on VOD platforms in 2010. More platforms are being launched in 2012. We also expanded our On The Road theatrical program this year.

Too many festivals I think operate independently of one another, fearful it seems of losing premiere quotas and overly competitive in nature. I'd like to see festivals be more progressive and work more closely together so they can improve filmmaker support. That's a change I'd like to see.

First, finish your film. Second, look at what we can and can't do for you before you spend your submission fee. Strong storytelling and independent filmmaking nous.

Park City provides a lot of love at this time of year and hosting Sundance and Slamdance makes for a grand American film experience. It's a place where audiences are as passionate about film as the filmmakers. Anything can happen and frequently does. All kinds of relationships are born here. You'll meet people that you'll likely end up working with for a good part of your life. Business wise, though we are mostly known for our director's, the place attracts film buyers who have done well by us. We must thank Sundance for helping make that happen.

What many don't know is our logo is made of black atoms called Slamdance films. Every year its color becomes more intense and beautiful.

Slamdance Announces "On The Road" Tour

Indiewire Staff — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 07:44:54 GMT

Slamdance is going on the road this year with "On The Road," its new traveling theatrical showcase which will screen the acclaimed documentary "Superheroes," about actual community superheroes who patrol their streets, along with Andrew Putschoegl's short film "Hello Caller."

The program launches in October at New York's IFC Center before traveling to 12 theaters across the US, Canada and Ireland.

Full press release reprinted below:

SLAMDANCE ANNOUNCES 2011 ON THE ROAD TOUR
Filmmakers extend theatrical exhibition with the help of real-life Superheroes
Los Angeles – September 19th, 2011 - In addition to its Video On Demand development, Slamdance has established a traveling theatrical showcase supported by the film festival organization and its filmmakers – Slamdance On The Road. This year Slamdance On The Road presents the award-winning and critically acclaimed documentary Superheroes directed by Michael Barnett. Superheroes is a profoundly funny, eccentric and inspiring film that chronicles the extraordinary lives of real-life superheroes as they take to the streets to protect and support their communities.
Eight months after the world premiere of Superheroes at the 2011 festival, the Slamdance team continues to demonstrate a commitment to their alumni. As director Michael Barnett puts it, “The tremendous exposure our film gained from Slamdance helped us sell Superheroes to HBO. Partnering with Slamdance for a theatrical release shows how forward thinking they really are. Slamdance is truly a festival that is ‘By Filmmakers, For Filmmakers.’”
The On The Road program will launch in October at the IFC Center in New York and travel to 12 theaters across the US, Canada and Ireland. In addition to screening in major cities, On The Road brings popular Slamdance films to audiences that otherwise would not have the opportunity to see them on the big screen. The 2011 venue slate will include several commercially renowned venues as well as micro cinemas like 14 Pews in Houston.
Each screening will begin with the award-winning short film Hello Caller about a suicidal woman who makes a call for help with unexpected and hilarious results. “We’re still in shock that Hello Caller is getting a theatrical release,” admits director Andrew Putschoegl. In his view, “Short films are hard enough to make, let alone find distribution. Slamdance has been a true partner in every sense of the word (well, not sexually...yet...) and we cannot imagine jumping off this cliff with anyone else.”
Slamdance President and Co-Founder Peter Baxter explains, “Slamdance has a proven track record of unearthing great films; yet the commercial challenges many of our alumni face post festival acclaim are harder than ever. This means we are compelled to develop a theatrical program beyond the festival as well as driven to help filmmakers find popular audiences. The standard of Slamdance films like Superheroes and Hello Caller deserve this much and we believe audiences will respond.” On The Road screenings will conclude with a Q & A with the filmmakers and real-life superheroes.
2011 Slamdance On the Road Tour Dates:
October 7-13 – New York, IFC Center
October 14 – Dublin, Ireland. Film Base
October 26 – Brunswick, Maine. Frontier
October 27 – Salt Lake City, Utah. Salt Lake Film Center
October 28-29 – Houston Texas. 14 Pews
October 31 – November 3 - Seattle, Washington. Grand Illusion
November 1-2 – Jeneau, Alaska. Gold Town Nickelodeon
November 2 – Atlanta, Georgia. Plaza Theater
November 5 – Los Angeles, Downtown Independent
November 18-20 – Vancouver, Pacific Cinematheque
November 26 – Minneapolis, Minnesota. Minneapolis Film Society
Additional dates are being added in Omaha, Nebraska at Film Streams and Seattle’s are subject to change.
About Slamdance: As a year-round organization, Slamdance serves as a showcase for the discovery of new and emerging talent and is dedicated to the nurturing and development of new independent artists and their cinematic vision. For the 2011 Festival, Slamdance received a record number of over 5,000 submissions and is well on the way to surpassing that record with the 2012 festival submissions. No other festival is fully programmed by filmmakers. Slamdance counts among its alumni many notable writers and directors who first gained notice at the festival, including Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight), Marc Forster (Monster’s Ball), Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite) and Oren Peli (Paranormal Activity). New filmmakers and writers today realize Slamdance is a great place to launch their careers. In 2010, Slamdance began a Video on Demand partnership with Microsoft and has continued to expand its exhibition efforts theatrically through Slamdance On The Road. New filmmakers and writers today realize Slamdance is a great place to launch their careers. Slamdance 2012 takes place January 20th-26th in Park City and is currently calling for festival entries.

IndiePix To Bring Bhopal Disaster Doc to U.S./Canadian Theaters

Bryce J. Renninger — Wed, 11 May 2011 07:28:08 GMT

Following an Indian Supreme Court decision regarding the fate of several managers and supervisors who were arrested following the 1984 Bhopal gas leak disaster at Union Carbide, IndiePix has announced that they have acquired the U.S./Canadian distribution rights to Van Maximilian Carlson's doc about the disaster, "Bhopali," which debuted at this year's Slamdance. The film will get a theatrical this fall.

Full release follows...

IndiePix Acquires Documentary Film "Bhopali"
Award Winning Documentary Details Aftermath of World's Worst Industrial Disaster
In a Decision Announced This Morning, Supreme Court of India Dismisses Sentencing Plea
Wednesday, May 11, 2011 New York, New York /Targetwire/ - IndiePix Films announced today the acquisition of distribution rights to "Bhopali", the award winning and much applauded documentary film directed by Van Maximilian Carlson.
"Bhopali" is the story of the survivors of the world’s worst industrial disaster, the 1984 gas leak from a Union Carbide owned and operated plant in Bhopali, India. Shortly after midnight on December 3, 1984, nearly 40 metric tons of toxic methyl isocyanate gas leaked into the atmosphere and was carried by the wind to the residential communities comprising the city of Bhopal in Central India. Over 25,000 people have died from causes directly related to this event, which killed thousands in the pre-dawn hours immediately after the horrific leak and many thousands more, continuously, for the next 27 years from the lingering effects of extensive ground and air polution in the immediate area. Spokespersons for the community say that about 100 thousand people who were exposed to the gas and environmental contamination continue to suffer and die today from afflictions that range from cancer, blindness and birth defects.
Earlier today, the Supreme Court of India dismissed a government plea for stiffer sentencing for seven Indian citizens who were employees who were in management and supervisory positions at the time. As reported by Reuters, the seven employees had earlier been sentenced to two years imprisonment by a lower court, sparking outrage across the country and forcing the government to seek a tougher penalty on grounds of homicide. Attempts to hold Union Carbide, its successor corporations and its global management responsible for the consequences and liabilities of this disaster have continuously failed. Union Carbide claims to have settled claims with the Indian government. The corporation divested itself of its Indian operations before being acquired by Dow Chemicals.
Bob Alexander, President of IndiePix, said: "This film is of striking relevance today, not only for the continuing inattention and suffering that is the legacy of this disaster, but for the fundamental questions of corporate responsibility, liability and governance that it so bluntly raises. We are pleased to have the opportunity to present such an important film of such timely significance."
The film premiered this year at Slamdance, where it promptly took top honors, claiming both the Audience Award and Best Documentary Feature. It has since screened across the country and garnered critical acclaim including Jo Leyndon of Variety Magazine, who called BHOPALI "Intimate…Heart-Wrenching…(and) Impressively polished".
IndiePix will be distributing the film theatrically this fall and handling distribution for home video DVD, digital, broadcast and new media throughout the United States and Canada. The deal was negotiated by Mark DeFrancis of IndiePix Films and Marcus Fishman of Advance Talent Management.

Critics Notebook | At Slamdance, "Superheroes" and "Silver Tongues" Impress

Eric Kohn — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 09:26:38 GMT

"The more the merrier," Robert Redford told a roomful of journalists at the beginning of the Sundance Film Festival this year. He was responding to a question about the Slamdance Film Festival, as he often must. Started in 1995 in response to Sundance's ultra-competitive submission pile, Slamdance initially served as an angry rebuke to the larger festival, but now it appears to pick up some of its slack.

The recently concluded Slamdance provides a unique contrast between the two events. While many consider the 2010 edition of Sundance historic for its eruption of sales, Slamdance concluded with hardly a single distribution deal -- even though a number of movies deserved as much attention as many of the heavily publicized Sundance breakouts.

Michael Barnett's fascinating documentary "Superheroes" was unquestionably the highlight of the Slamdance movies I managed to see in between dozens of Sundance screenings. Barnett's gorgeously-shot survey (featuring his own camerawork) of "real life superheroes" around the country delves into the psychology that drives certain eccentric individuals to dress up in costume and proclaim themselves bonafide crime fighters. In recent years, American cinema has been oversaturated with fictional movies about bumbling wannabe superheroes, from "Kick-Ass" to "Defendor," but Barnett delves deeper into the fantasy by profiling actual people compelled to wear masks and save the needy.

Chatting with those colorful characters in major cities ranging from San Diego to New York, he withholds judgement, managing to avoid viewing their exploits as utter psychotic behavior or mental derangement. "This is me just acting out a need I feel," says one crime fighter, a man equally willing to track down muggers and hand out food to the homeless. Barnett takes the unorthodox view that these people can actually do some good (the legitimate non-profit group Team Justice functions like community activism), and proves it by looking past the presumably crazy exterior of their outfits—but still maintaining the mystery of their identities, and letting the mystique stand.

Another Slamdance movie dealing with identity problems, audience award winner " Silver Tongues" features a devious couple (Lee Tergesen and Enid Graham) traveling from place to place and inventing new characters to play. First, they trick a young couple into deciding to try a foursome, before fleeing the room and leaving their victims to contemplate their newfound sexual boundaries. Then, they're going head to head in a church, leading an entire congregation to believe their leader has swindled them. At an old folk's home, they convince a senile man that they're his long lost children. The intrigue surrounding their motives builds exponentially with each of these instances.

Director Simon Arthur develops a curiously eerie atmosphere that questions the motives of his enigmatic characters, who never seem intent on stealing or otherwise breaking the law; part of their trick involves how much they can create out of nothing while leaving no trace behind. Although some scenes hold together better than others, Arthur's compelling screenplay moves forward with an unconventional rhythm that forces viewers to do the detective work. By the end, it's impossible to know if the gig is up or just beginning.

"Silver Tongues" hasn't found distribution yet, but both it and "Superhero" could at least perform well on VOD or in limited theatrical release with the right approach. Since neither one was picked up during the festival ("Superhero" landed a deal right at the end), it seems likely that talk about the healthy surge of sales in Park City this year says less about the general marketplace for independent productions than it does about the specific marketplace at Sundance. Maybe next year it can share the love.

criticWIRE grades:

"Superheroes": A-

"Silver Tongues": B

"Stranger Things" & "Bhopali" Among Top Winners at 17th Slamdance Film Festival

Brian Brooks — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 10:58:57 GMT

The 2011 Slamdance Film Festival concluded Thursday night with Eleanor Burke and Ron Eyal's "Stranger Things" winning the event's Best Narrative Film prize, while Van Maximillian Carlson's "Bhopali" took Slamdance's Best Documentary Film award in both the jury and audience categories. "Simon Arthur's "Silver Tongues" won the audience prize for Best Narrative Film.

There are three competitive divisions at Slamdance: Grand Jury, Audience Awards and Special Sponsored Awards provided by Kodak, Panasonic, Dos Equis and Good Health. In addition this year Slamdance adds a theatrical distribution award to best feature and short film, offering an alternative to the traditional US theatrical system. Theatrical showings of the winning short and feature program, along with selections from the Grand Jury and Audience Award winning films will be screened in several domestic venues throughout the year, including the IFC Center in New York and 14 Pews in Houston.

Slamdance's feature competitions are limited to first-time filmmakers working with production budgets of $1 million or less. In addition, this year Slamdance donated 10 percent of its Park City box office proceeds back to the filmmakers.

“Not every filmmaker is going home with a Sparky award but like never before it seems everyone is a winner at Slamdance," commented Peter Baxter, Co-founder and President of Slamdance in a statement. "By coming together as a community, each of our filmmakers has been empowered by what Slamdance has created this week and in the long run I think this experience will be most useful and rewarding."

The 17th Slamdance Film Festival winners with descriptions and credits provided by the festival.

Grand Jury Awards:

Grand Jury Sparky Award for Best Narrative Film

Winner: "Stranger Things," written and directed by Eleanor Burke and Ron Eyal

Special Jury Mention: "Without," written and directed by Mark Jackson

Grand Jury Sparky Award for Best Documentary Film
Winner: "Bhopali," directed by Van Maximillian Carlson
Special Jury Mention: "Fordson," directed by Rashid Ghazi

Grand Jury Sparky Award for Best Animated Short
Winner: "Bottle," written and directed by Kirsten Lepore

Grand Jury Sparky Award for Best Narrative Short
Winner: "Bird," written and directed by Petr Stupin
Special Jury Mention: "Son of None," written and directed by Todd Looby

Grand Jury Sparky Award for Best Documentary Short
Winner: "Oaks," directed by Charles Wittenmeier

"Audience Awards:

Audience Sparky Award for Best Narrative Film
Winner: "Silver Tongues," written and directed by Simon Arthur
Winner also receives $3500 in Legal Services from Pierce Law Group

Audience Sparky Award for Best Documentary Film
Winner: "Bhopali," directed by Van Maximilian Carlson
Winner also receives $3500 in Legal Services from Pierce Law Group

Spirit of Slamdance Sparky Award
Winner: "Shunka," directed by CJ Gardella

Sponsored Awards:

Kodak Vision Award for Best Cinematography
Winner: "Shunka," directed by CJ Gardella
Winner also receives 10,000 feet of Kodak film for the filmmaker to make their next feature

Panasonic AF100 Award for Best “Road To Park City” Short Film Award
Winner: "The Road to Park City is Paved with Artists," written and directed by Kevin Brennan and Doug Manley
Director of Photgraphy, Louis Holland

Slamdance / Adobe Re-cut Competition Award
Winner: Nelson Vunda

Slamdance Theatrical Release Offer Award
Feature Winner: "Superheroes," directed by Michael Barnett; written by Michael Barnett & Theodore James
Short Winner: "Hello Caller," directed by Andrew Putschoegl; written by Tom Lenk

Slamdance Extends VOD and Theatrical Distribution; Launches Second Filmmaker Summit

Peter Knegt — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 10:55:17 GMT

A week before its 2011 edition kicks off, the Slamdance Film Festival has announced plans for both their second annual filmmaker summit, and for an extension of the distribution partnership they started last year with Microsoft.

The noted extension will see the Festival Showcase - which launched with four films during the 2010 festival - extend to 17, five of which are featured in the Festival Showcase running exclusively on Xbox LIVE and Zune for the duration of the festival, January 20-27, 2011. Those five films are Doug Manley's "Modern Imbecile's Planet World," Shane Aquino's "Road Dogs," Stephan Wassman's "Scrapper," Damon Russell's "Snow on Tha Buff," and Albert Birney and Jon Moses's "The Beast Pageant." In addition to this year’s films’ debut, previous Slamdance films will also be available starting January 20th and continue year-round.

"Our mission is clear; we want to take greater responsibility working with and supporting our independent talent year-round. We have an identity and the ability of finding great films to do it,” said Slamdance President and Co-Founder Peter Baxter in a statement.

Full release below.

TODAY, TOMORROW AND THE NEXT 50 YEARS OF FILMMAKING
Slamdance launches 2011 with its Second Annual Filmmaker Summit
and Extends VOD and Theatrical Distribution

LOS ANGELES - January 12, 2011 – Slamdance celebrates a new year with some of the most talented up-and-coming filmmakers and continues to create new avenues for the filmmakers of today and tomorrow. The Slamdance Film Festival comes once a year, but its support of independent filmmakers carries on past the festival week. Continuing all efforts to support its filmmakers beyond the festival and improving distribution opportunities for its films, Slamdance and Microsoft will once again present a special Festival Showcase and extend its year-round distribution on Zune and Xbox platforms. Slamdance also presents its second annual Filmmaker Summit, a collective gathering of some of the most innovative thinkers in the industry to discuss the future of independent filmmaking in a new technological era.

At last year’s festival, Slamdance announced a distribution partnership with Microsoft and launched a Festival Showcase with four films from the 2010 festival. This year the list of films extends to 17, five of which are featured in the Festival Showcase running exclusively on Xbox LIVE and Zune for the duration of the festival, January 20-27.

Zune video Marketplace will make these, and more, selected films available through video-on-demand or download to own in the US for viewing on Xbox 360, Windows PC, Zune devices or Windows Phone 7. Movie fans have the opportunity to rent some of the best films screened at the Slamdance Film Festival, both past and present, on their computers or through Xbox LIVE.

“Our mission is clear; we want to take greater responsibility working with and supporting our independent talent year-round. We have an identity and the ability of finding great films to do it,” says Slamdance President and Co-Founder Peter Baxter.

Slamdance is also further developing its year-round exhibition by offering a theatrical distribution award to a best feature and short film during its Park City Festival. The new award offers an alternative to the traditional US theatrical system by collaborating with the filmmakers, sponsors and regional film, arts and community organizations. Theatrical showings of the winning short and feature program will begin in summer 2011. Bookings will be focused in both traditional and non-traditional venues such as the IFC Center in New York and 14 Pews in Houston.

In addition, and in direct line with Slamdance’s mantra “by filmmakers, for filmmakers,” the festival is providing 10 percent of its Park City box office proceeds back to the filmmakers.

Competition Feature Films selected for this year’s Festival and VOD Showcase are:

Modern Imbecile's Planet World - Doug Manley writes and directs a new film in which two of Hollywood’s hottest stars learn the true meaning of “caliente” in this absurd, irreverent comedy.

Road Dogs - directed by Shane Aquino and making its world premiere, the film follows three of Hollywood's most visually vibrant and heavily psychotic bands across the U.S. on a D.I.Y. tour occasionally having disastrous results.

Scrapper - directed by Stephan Wassman and making its world premiere, this documentary follows a defiant group of survivalists who eke out a deadly living by scavenging the kill zones of a US military bombing range near the California/Mexico border.

Snow On Tha Bluff - directed by Damon Russell and making its world premiere, this is the story of Curtis Snow, an Atlanta robbery boy and crack dealer who steals a video camera from some college kids during a dope deal, and begins documenting his life.

The Beast Pageant - written and directed by Albert Birney and Jon Moses, this is a story about Abraham who lives in a confined apartment where his only companion is a giant machine; inside the machine are a man and woman who take care of his every need, until a tiny singing cowboy leads him into the wild.

In addition to this year’s films’ debut, previous Slamdance films will also be available starting January 20th and continue year-round. These films include documentary features: B.I.K.E. by Fredric King; Circus Rosaire by Robyn Bliley; Mind Of The Demon by Adam Barker Off The Grid by Jeremy and Randy Stulbery; Orwell Rolls in His Grave by Robert Kane Pappas; Rock The Bells by Casey Suchan and Denis Hennelly; Zombie Girl by Justin John and Aaron Marshall and narrative features bgFATLdy, by Oscar® nominated Adam Pertofsky; Dante’s Inferno by Sean Meredith Omaha: The Movie, narrative feature by Slamdance Co-founder, Dan Mirvish; Punching The Clown by Gregori Viens; We Go Way Back, by Slamdance Grand Prize winner Lynn Shelton.

While in Park City, Slamdance, along with the Ford Foundation, IndieFlix and Banyan Branch, will present the second annual Filmmaker Summit on Saturday, January 22, 2011. Last year the Filmmaker Summit gathered some of the most innovative thinkers in the industry and started a discussion centered on how the film community could help support and encourage the release of independent film. Since then, Slamdance and its partners have continued to make big strides in this endeavor, teaming up with independent curators and micro-cinemas to support and help filmmakers survive economically and broker partnerships with big distributors, theatrically and on alternate platforms, such as Microsoft’s Zune and Xbox.

The truth, nonetheless, remains that most in the independent film community are having a hard time just sustaining a living, much less thriving. Thus, this year’s Filmmaker Summit will take a long hard look at the realities behind the buzzwords, as well as focusing on an examination of the future of storytelling. Crowdsourcing, transmedia, branded content, social media – what do these terms really mean for the independent filmmaker? Should new internet-era tools be embraced and can they help us create a realistic model for a self-sustaining independent community? Or are they simply buzzwords that are a growing distraction for organic independent filmmaking?

This year’s Summit speakers include: Scilla Andreen (IndieFlix), Tiffany Shlain (Director: 'Connected', 'Yelp'), Brian Newman (subgenre media), Jenny Samppala (Banyan Branch), Amy Powell ('Paranormal Activity'), Lance Weiler ('Pandemic 1.0'), John Anderson (journalist), Orlando Bagwell (Ford Foundation), and Greg Pak (comic book scribe and filmmaker).

Slamdance’s 2011 festivities kick off with a program including an opening song by newcomer Joss Scheinberg, Adam Pertofsky’s short Dead In The Room written by Slamdance script winner Marjorie Kaptanoglu and Alexandre’s Rockwell’s Pete Smalls Is Dead. Opening Housewarming Party to follow includes a performance by Insaints from Lilly Ayers’ competition documentary Last Fast Ride and is sponsored by Dos Equis and Ty Ku Sake.

Slamdance Unveils 2011 Special Screenings, Shorts & $99 Specials

Brian Brooks — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 10:01:43 GMT

The 2011 Slamdance Film Festival unveiled four Special Screenings, over 50 narrative and documentary shorts as well as titles in its signature $99 Specials sidebar for its 17th annual event. Slamdance, taking place January 21-27, 2011 in Park City, UT, unveiled its Narrative and Doc competition lineups recently.

Among the films on tap for this year's Special Screenings program is the world premiere of "Summer Children," described as a "neo-noir dramatic feature film shot in black and white in 1965 with Academy Award winner cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond and fully restored from the negatives and optical tracks in 2010." Also, there is the US debut of Alexandre Rockwell's "Pete Smalls Is Dead," with Peter Dinklage, Steve Buscemi, Seymour Cassel, Rosie Perez and Tim Roth in addition to the "drug/punk/rap fuelled adventure" of "Gandu," directed by Q.

The $99 Special shorts include three projects that were created over 99 days with $99. In addition to new works by Slamdance alumni Daniel Casey and Paul Sbrizzi, this program includes "Dead In The Room," directed by Oscar-nominated director Adam Pertofsky and written by Slamdance short script prize winner Marjory Kaptanoglu.

"Our Special Screenings this year showcase the creative spirit that defines Slamdance. From 'Summer Children''s lost 1960s indie neo-noir to 'Gandu''s progressive smack and rap Indian fantasy, this unique program is made by filmmakers driven to create their own vision, whatever it takes," commented Peter Baxter, Slamdance President and co-founder. "The 2011 short film slate continues Slamdance's tradition of seeking out raw talent, inspired risk-takers, and exceptional filmmakers that are utilizing the freedom of shorter lengths to expand the boundaries of cinema," added co-Director of Short Film Programming, Randall Good.

Slamdance Special Screenings, Narrative and Documentary shorts as well as $99 Specials with descriptions and information provided by the festival:

Special Screenings:

"Gandu" - directed by Q (India). 90 mins.
As his mother has sex with her benefactor, an Indian teenager creeps into her room and steals the man's money. He heads out with his friend Riksha on a drug/punk/rap fuelled-adventure shot in bold, stylish, fluid black and white, until he meets a beautiful kitty-girl who, in one gorgeously shocking scene, turns his world into vivid color.

"Kunst-Camera: J.X. Williams' Cabinet of Curiosities" - written and directed by J.X. Williams (US, France, Italy, Libya) World Premiere, 90 mins.
In this very rare film program and presentation, the J.X. Williams Archive opens its vault to screen a collection of cinematic artifacts from its holdings in Switzerland.

"Pete Smalls Is Dead" - directed by Alexandre Rockwell (US). US Premiere, 95 mins.
After hitting rock bottom when his faithful dog is kidnapped by a loan shark, K.C. (Peter Dinklage) sets off on an unexpected and hilarious adventure of redemption and retribution when he agrees to meet up with his long-time friend Jack (Mark Boone Junior) in Los Angeles to attend the funeral of their mutual friend and hot shot Hollywood director Pete Smalls (Tim Roth).
Cast: Peter Dinklage, Steve Buscemi, Seymour Cassel, Rosie Perez, Tim Roth

"Summer Children" - written and directed by James Bruner; cinematography by Vilmos Zsigmond (US). World Premiere, 86 mins.
A brooding Adonis, Stuart Anderson, driven by his jealous infatuation for an ethereal beauty, Valora Noland, competes for alpha male dominance in this visually stylistic neo-noir 1960s film set against Vilmos Zsigmond's cinematography on a yacht crossing to Catalina Island. (B&W 1965 fully restored in HD) Restoration Completed in 2010.
Cast: '60s actors Valora Noland, Stuart Anderson, and David Arkin.

Narrative Shorts (all films are from the US unless otherwise noted):

"5 Dollars" - written and directed by Clay Jeter. 18 min.
Kenny and Lou Ann are paid five bucks to keep their mouths shut when their sister brings an older boy home to their trailer.

"A Family Portrait" - written and directed by Joseph Pierce. 5 min (United Kingdom)
Suspicion bubbles to the surface during a tense family portrait.

"Andy" - written and directed by Andrew Ahn. 6 min.
Six-year old Andy goes to the mall with his family.

"Animal Love" - written and directed by Mollie Jones. World Premiere, 16 min.
In a near future of environmental degradation, a couple meets for an internet hook-up in an animal lover's apartment.

"Aurora Borealis" - written and directed by Matt H. Mayes. World Premiere, 13 min.
A grown son visits his mother in a rest home when a shift of light reveals the spaces between and inside them.

"Bassa marea (Low Tide)" - directed by Roberto De Paolis. 15 min. (Italy)
A lonely man wanders a lonely city in search of medication and memories.

"Beast of Hearts" - written and directed by Jonathan Seligson. World Premiere, 11 min.
Subdued... A long time ago in the distant future, a cryptic deity recounts the kismet of an Alien Space Bat and his nemesis; all wrapped in a mystery and deep-fried in a crispy, crunchy enigma.

"Bird" - written and directed by Petr Stupin. World Premiere, 31 minutes (Russia)
An estranged man encounters a bird that cannot fly and discovers a purpose for himself.

"Block" - directed by Chadd Harbold; written by Mary Beth Minthorn and Helen Rogers. World Premiere, 12 min.
A young actress living in Brooklyn discovers how profoundly her hostile environment has affected her.

"Bottle" - written and directed by Kirsten Lepore. 5 min.
Animated on location at a beach, in the snow, and underwater, this stop-motion short details a transoceanic conversation between two characters via objects in a bottle.

"Bunny Boy" - written and directed by Brandon LaGanke. 5 min.
When a young child walks home from school he encounters a strange-looking man lying in his backyard.

"Checkpoint" - directed by Ruben Amar; written by Ruben Amar and Lola Bessis. World Premiere, 19 min. (Israel)
A young Palestinian boy living in the Gaza strip accompanies his father on monthly visits to the ruins of a destroyed village. Though he doesn't understand his father's ritual, he feels he has a duty to help him.

"Circles and Signals" - written and directed by Ehsan Ghoreishi. World, Premiere, 6 min. (Israel)
A broken taxicab brings more than a headache to an angry auto mechanic and his chaotic garage.

"Death and the Blue-Eyed Boy" - written and directed by Grant Curatola. 18 min.
Charlie falls in love on the first day of school, with a girl who may or may not be the spawn of evil.

"Diamond Bay" - written and directed by David Ratner. World Premiere, 9 min. (Australia)
Diamond Bay is a slightly twisted love story about an elderly Chinese tourist in Sydney, who goes off the beaten path to get away from his wife for a few moments of peace - and finds the opposite.

"Everyday" - written and directed by Will Welles. World Premiere, 3 min.
The infinite spaces of the mind are filled only with violence and childish ideologues berating each other endlessly.

"Flesh Color" - directed by Masahiko Adachi. US Premiere, 4 min. (Japan)
An animated Japanese tattoo world on the skin.

"Gravity" - written and directed by Pamela Romanowsky. World Premiere, 12 min.
Mae lives a quiet life in the north woods with her estranged husband. Amid alienation and brutality, Mae forms an unexpected connection with a wounded rabbit, and finds that its fate is tied to her own.

"Hangnail" - written and directed by Cavan Campbell. World Premiere, 12 min. (Canada)
Photographed entirely in one shot, Hangnail pulls back the skin of parched love.

"Hello Caller" - directed by Andrew Putschoegl; written by Tom Lenk. World Premiere, 6 min.
A suicidal woman makes a call for help with unexpected results.

"Hijo de mi madre" - written and directed by Lucas Mireles. World Premiere, 13 min.
In the desert, a son finds the body of his estranged mother. As he journeys to bury her, he is haunted by memories from the last day he saw her alive.

"Houseboat" - written and directed by Nina Macintosh. World Premiere, 7 min.
Shot on Connecticut's Coginchaug and Mattabesset rivers, "Houseboat" explores the tenderness and strain between a sister and brother as they take care of each other on the margins of society.

"Les chiens jappent (Barking Dogs)" - written and directed by Arthur C. Joron. US Premiere, 13 min. (Canada)
Two teenaged metal heads feel that they are the badasses of their French-Canadian suburb.

"Make Me Stronger" - written and directed by Sarah Hudson. World Premiere, 6 min. (Canada)
When a flash of a blue sweater triggers visions of a perished childhood friend, an alienated young woman is forced to face the event that continues to haunt her.

"Mam" - directed by Hugo Speer; written by Vivienne Harvey. US Premiere, 14 min. (United Kingdom)
When Mam won't get out of bed, twelve year-old Danny must fend for his brothers and sisters.

"Mouth Babies" - directed by Lisa Duva and Katherine Nolfi; written by Lisa Duva. World Premiere, 7 min.
One woman's journey through oral pregnancy.

"Odd Streets Run West" - written and directed by Tannaz Hazemi. World Premiere, 7 min.
A kindergarten teacher with Down Syndrome has been fired, and in her imagination she attempts something that no one would have thought her capable of doing.

"Pampeli ka (Dandelion)" - written and directed by Laurel Parmet. US Premiere, 10 min., (Czech Republic, US)
After a fight with her father, Klara runs away from home to spend the day with her best friend, Lucie.

"Protect the Nation" - written and directed by C.R. Reisser. 16 min. (Germany, South Africa)
When faced with the unexpected kindness of a stranger, a young boy begins to question himself. Does he have the courage to do what's right?

"Push Bike" - directed by Mairi Cameron; written by Tracey Walker. 12 min. (Australia)
When a married woman's clothes are stolen from a local pool one night, she has no choice but to brave a nude bike ride home.

"Raymond & Lina" - written and directed by Mark Pagan. 11 min.
Raymond Johnson, 63 and tired. Lina Overton, eight and troubled. One late summer day, the two will discover that their lives will be closer than they expected.

"Refresh" - written and directed by Hayato Ando. 5 min. (Japan)
How can we relieve ourselves when we are under stress? And what happens to those of us who cannot alleviate the mounting frustration?

"Resolved" - directed by Kseniya Rukavishnikova; written by Brandon Maurice. US Premiere, 13 min. (Russia, US)
Tormented by a decision from her past, a nurse tries to find redemption through her patient.

"Rice" - written and directed by Taj J. Musco. 20 min. (Singapore)
A man struggles to cook the perfect bowl of rice under the tutelage of a stern Japanese rice master.

"Rita" - written and directed by Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza. 19 min. (Italy)
A blind, ten-year-old girl's claustrophobic world of her home is breached by a wounded boy on the run.

"Scumbag, Pervert and the Girl in Between" - written and directed by Bruce Hwang Chen. World Premiere, 15 min. (Taiwan, US)
A high school outcast tries to impress a girl by retrieving her stolen pair of P.E. shorts from a town pervert.

"Sis" - written and directed by Deborah Haywood. 11 min. (United Kingdom)
When Lauren and Amy hear there is a man who 'likes children' living in the area, they decide to track him down to show him their handstands.

"Sister" - written and directed by Michael Rittmannsberger. US Premiere, 6 min. (Austria)
A couple takes their two daughters to the seaside. It is an ordinary day until one of the girls disappears and drowns. The parents cannot bear the loss and their other daughter goes searching for her sister. She does not even shed a tear; her eyes mirror guilt, fear and loneliness.

"Six Strands" - written and directed by Chaitanya Tamhane. US Premiere, 16 min.
A lonely, mysterious woman in the hills of an unknown town produces the most elusive and expensive tea in the world. Plucked under mysterious conditions, the 'Moonlight Thurston' tea triggers layered sensations encompassing taste, memory, love and pleasure.

"Son of None" - written and directed by Todd Looby. 16 min. (Liberia, West Africa)
Joshua is a seven-year-old Liberian war orphan who is constantly disheveled and falling behind in school, but when a goat goes missing he chooses to help the one thing even more vulnerable than he.

"Stanley Pickle" - directed by Victoria Mather; written by Orhan Boztas and Victoria Mather. 11 min. (United Kingdom)
Stanley lives his life like clockwork, until a mysterious girl turns his world upside down.

"TELEPHONEME" - directed by MK12. 3 min.
The Voice Research Laboratory along with Swedish Secrets Productions produced this colorful, geometric televideo as a means to inform the public of a massive linguistic conspiracy discovered while conducting routine tests on letters & phrases previously thought to be benign.

"The Bellows March" - directed by Eric Dyer. 5 min.
Crowds of animated concertinas live out a cycle of destroy-create-destroy.

"The Strange Thing About the Johnsons" - written and directed by Ari Aster. US Premiere, 29 min.
The Johnsons are an attractive, well-to-do, upper-middle class family. But they hide a secret, and Mr. Johnson has written a memoir that chronicles the ins and outs of a bizarre family dynamic.

"The Wonder Hospital" - written and directed by Beomsik Shimbe Shim. 12 min.
A surreal journey through a mysterious hospital that alters the perception of physical beauties.

"Twist & Blood" - written and directed by Kuba Czekaj. World Premiere, 30 min. (Poland)
A young boy is ridiculed by his peers for being overweight. His parents want to slim him down at any cost, but he has found a way to relieve the pressures of his family and friends.

"X.O. Genesis" - directed by Rowan Wernham. US Premiere, 12 min. (New Zealand)
As an alien protagonist walks the path to rapture through a tactile, painterly landscape, he becomes an unwitting participant in religious cacophony and planetary rebirth. A reclamation of science-fiction on anarchy's terms.

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS (all films are from the US unless otherwise noted):

"Irma" - directed by Charles Fairbanks. 12 min. (Mexico, US)
Filmed in Ciudad Nezahualcoyotl - a notorious district of Mexico City, Irma is an intimate musical portrait of Irma Gonzalez, the former world champion of women's professional wrestling.

"Kinbaku" - directed by Jouni Hokkanen. US Premiere, 29 min. (Finland)
Rope meets flesh in Tokyo, the S/M capital of the world. It started with samurais capturing enemies on a battlefield and after tying over 3,000 people still inspires rope master Haruki Yukimura.

"Missed Connections" - directed by Mary Robertson. 8 min.
Once found on the back pages of local papers, "Missed Connections" is a forum on Craigslist where those who regret their timidity make appeals to the Ones Who Got Away. This documentary short peers inside these popular online messages-in-a-bottle, asking whether love lost can be found again?

"Oaks" - directed by Charles Wittenmeier. 17 min.
Ethan Rose discovers a silent-era pipe organ at the Oaks Park roller skating rink in Portland. He befriends the resident organist, Keith Fortune and this friendship results in Rose's critically acclaimed record "Oaks." The film chronicles how the recording of "Oaks" elicits new life from the Wurlitzer.

"Rhag" - directed by Doug Walker. World Premiere, 40 min.
RHAG recognizes the shear, whacky brilliance of painter and experimental composer Roy Henry Alexander Gover.

"The Laying on of Hands" - directed by Nick Twemlow. World Premiere, 8 min.
Martial arts death dealing meets biblical faith healing.

"This Chair is Not Me" - directed by Andy Taylor Smith. 10 min. (United Kingdom)
While cerebral palsy confines Alan Martin to a wheelchair and inhibits his speech, he refuses to limit himself. When he gains access to technology that enables him to find a voice, his life is transformed.

"Two" - directed by Maya Newell. World Premiere, 17 min. (Australia, England)
Delves into the secret world of adult babies and an Englishman who is locked in a continual state of wanting to be two years old and pampered by his adoring nanny.

"Ultra Violet for Sixteen Minutes" - directed by David Gerson. 17 min.
A sixteen-minutes portrait of Ultra Violet - mistress to Salvador Dali, muse to Andy Warhol, and a born-again Mormon.

$99 Specials (all films are from the US unless otherwise noted):

"Autofocus" - directed by Paul Sbrizzi. World Premiere, 10 min.
Gemma, a wannabe actress, tries to milk her elderly Aunt Rita for acting lesson money, and gets into a cat-fight with her friend Piper over a borrowed sweater. Meanwhile Piper positions herself to pull a real estate scam on the kindly old aunt.
Cast: Laura Russell, Jenny Lee

"Cargo" - directed by Daniel Casey. World Premiere, 7 min.
A man working off a debt to his bail bondsman agrees to drive a potentially dangerous package across the country. Disaster ensues.

"Dead In The Room" - directed by Adam Pertofsky; written by Marjory Kaptanoglu. World Premiere, 7 min.
At a screenwriters' pitch event, a menacing writer turns the tables on an arrogant studio executive.

Slamdance Film Festival Names 18 for Narrative & Doc Lineups

Brian Brooks — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 07:11:14 GMT

The New Year festival lineups are taking shape with the announcements of January's Park City offerings. On the heels of Sundance, the 17th annual Slamdance Film Festival has unveiled ten narrative and eight documentary features for this year's event, taking place January 21 - 27.

"All Is Not Lost" is the theme for this year's Slamdance and all films, the fest touts, have been "made on a small budget and head to Park City without distribution - all full of immense promise."

In keeping with its longtime slogan: "By filmmakers, for filmmakers," this year Slamdance will donate 10 percent of ticket proceeds back to the filmmakers, the festival has said.

Going further, Slamdance said it is, "Taking this mission to a new level." The festival, which is traditionally stationed on upper Main Street in Park City said further it is aiming "help cut down on an epidemic of bankrupt and 'one time only' filmmakers and help bring back to life the 'working independent filmmaker.'"

Continuing further, Slamdance said it is committed to "Supporting the filmmakers beyond the festival and improving distribution opportunities for its films, [which] has become increasingly essential and at the core of what Slamdance stands for."

"The quality and breadth of independent film has increased exponentially over the past few years," commented Peter Baxter, Slamdance president and co-founder in a statement. "However, even as audience dissatisfaction with the standard studio fare grows, independent film continues to be squeezed out at the box office. Slamdance to the rescue! We are screening this year's most exciting, intriguing and 'INDEPENDENT' films."

The 2011 Slamdance Film Festival Feature Film Narrative and Competition Lineups with descriptions and credits provided by the festival:

Narrative Competition - all films are from the United States unless otherwise noted:

"Atrocious" - directed by Fernando Barreda Luna. (Mexico, Spain) World Premiere, 75 min
Recorded evidence of the "Quintanilla Murder Investigation."
Cast: July Quintanilla, Cristian Quintanilla

"Beneath Contempt" - directed by Benjamin Brewer. World Premiere, 101 min
A young man returns to his hometown after serving a prison sentence for killing his friends in a drunk driving accident.
Cast: Colin Janson, Melanie May, Eric Eastman, Mike Bash, Abby Austin, Sarah Newhouse

"Drama" - directed by Matias Lira. (Chile) World Premiere, 80 min
Three kids thinking that life is theatre.
Cast: Benjamin Vicuna, Diego Ruiz, Eusebio Arenas, Fernanda Urrejola, Isidora Urrejola

"Fred and Vinnie" - directed by Steve Skrovan. 89 min
Lonely guy Fred Stoller is thrilled when his good buddy, Vinnie D'Angelo, the world's happiest agoraphobic and fattest vegetarian, comes to live with him, until Vinnie also proves to be the world's most maddening roommate.
Cast: Fred Stoller, Angelo Tsarouches, Scott Chernoff, Bill Rutkoski, John Asher, Harriet Rose, Sarah Rush, Lee Reherman

"Pleasant People" - directed by David Bonawits. World Premiere, 69 min
When a frustrated singer songwriter finds herself at odds with friends and coworkers, she pushes through it the only way she knows how - faking a smile.
Cast: Jiyoung Lee, Josh Hall, Dave Marder, Sarah Atchison, Paula Trude

"Silver Tongues" - directed by Simon Arthur. World Premiere, 87 min
Two lovers travel from town to town playing a dark game of deceit that soon spirals out of control, threatening their very relationship.
Cast: Lee Tergesen, Enid Graham, Tate Ellington, Emily Meade, Harvey Evans, Portia, Rosa Arrendondo, Adam Lefevre

"Snow On Tha Bluff" - directed by Damon Russell. World Premiere, 79 min
Snow On Tha Bluff is the story of Atlanta robbery boy and crack dealer, Curtis Snow who stole a camera from some college kids in a dope deal and made a documentary about his life.
Cast: Curtis Snow, Frank Ringer, Curtis Lockett, Adrienne Lockett, D'Angelo Snow, Brandon Snow, Kita Snow

"Stranger Things" - directed by Eleanor Burke and Ron Eyal. (United Kingdom, US) 77 min
An unusual and touching bond develops when grieving Oona reaches out to a mysterious homeless man, offering him a place to stay in her garden shed.
Cast: Bridget Collins, Adeel Akhtar

"The Beast Pageant" - directed by Albert Birney and Jon Moses. 74 min
"The Beast Pageant" is about a man who goes on an adventure.
Cast: Jon Moses, Ted Greenway, Emily Osinski, S. Michael Smith, Sam Hughes, Jon Eaton, Ron Bauerle, and Tigran Vardanyan

"Without" - directed by Mark Jackson. World Premiere, 88 min
On a remote wooded island, a young woman becomes caretaker to an old man in a vegetative state. Her isolated routine devolves into a struggle with sexuality, guilt and loss.
Cast: Joslyn Jensen, Ron Carrier

A scene from Fernando Barreda Luna's Slamdance Narrative Competition film, "Atrocious." Image courtesy of Slamdance Film Festival.

Documentary Competition - all films are from the US unless otherwise noted:

"Bhopali" - directed by Van Maximilian Carlson. (India, US) World Premiere, 84 min
In 1984, the world's worst industrial disaster devastated and contaminated Bhopal, India. Today the suffering continues, prompting victims to fight for justice and corporate responsibility, which has long been ignored.

"Fordson: Faith, Fasting, Football" - directed by Rashid Ghazi. World Premiere, 93 min
Fordson follows a predominately Arab-American high school football team from Dearborn, Michigan during the last ten days of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and unearths the story of a community desperately holding onto its Islamic faith while struggling to gain acceptance in post 9-11 America

"Last Fast Ride - The Life, Love and Death of a Punk Goddess" - directed by Lilly Scourtis Ayers. World Premiere, 86 min
Last Fast Ride is a documentary film about the infamous bay-area punk rock performer Marian Anderson. Marian died all too young, and this is her story.

"Road Dogs" - directed by Shane Aquino. World Premiere, 83 min
Road Dogs follows three of Hollywood's most visually vibrant and heavily psychotic bands across the U.S. on a D.I.Y. tour occasionally having disastrous results.

"Scrapper" - directed by Stephan Wassmann. World Premiere, 81 min
As the global war on terror takes a heavy toll on some local economies, a defiant group of desert outlaws turn an active US military bombing range near the Mexican border into their own free-enterprise zone of extreme survival. Driven by adrenaline and hunger, Crystal Meth and even scripture, they risk their lives to scavenge lucrative debris from exploded and unexploded ordnance in the kill zones.

"Shunka" - directed by CJ Gardella. US Premiere, 75 min
Shunka is a vision of the material and spiritual worlds, and their coalescence; and of finding stark poetry in the haze of the every day in a small community in the Badlands.

"Superheroes" - directed by Michael Barnett. World Premiere, 90 min
Superheroes is a journey inside the world of real life caped crusaders. From all over America, these self-proclaimed crime fighters, don masks, homemade costumes and elaborate utility belts in an attempt to bring justice to evildoers everywhere.

"Zielinski" - directed by Chase Thompson and Ryan Walker. World Premiere, 65 min
The rise and fall of John Zielinski - the most blacklisted author in the history of Iowa.