Slamdance is a showcase for raw and innovative filmmaking self governed – By Filmmakers, For Filmmakers. The year-round organization serves new and emerging artists, filmmakers and storytellers.
Slamdance Film Festival started in 1995 and takes place in Park City, Utah, USA
Ronny Sen’s Cat Sticks, captured in amazing black and white visuals, about junkies in Kolkata, released the official poster and trailer. The film which is set to world premiere at the 2019 Slamdance Film Festival, stars Tanmay Dhanania, Sumeet Thakur, Joyraj Bhattacharjee, Rahul Dutta, Saurabh Saraswat, Sreejita Mitra, Raja Chakravorty, and Kalpan Mitra
The world premiere of the documentary Ski Bum: The Warren Miller Story directed by award-winning filmmaker Patrick Creadon (Wordplay) will open the 2019 Slamdance Film Festival. The documentary chronicles the life and times of legendary filmmaker Warren Miller, who served as a driving force in the development and promotion of skiing in America and throughout the world. Miller, who died earlier this year at the age of 93 while the documentary was still in production, sat with the filmmakers months before his passing in what would prove to be his final interview.
We Are Thankful[/caption]
The Slamdance Film Festival today announced the Narrative and Documentary Feature Film Competition programs, as well as the lineup for its new Breakouts section, for their 25th edition, taking place January 25-31, 2019 in Park City.
The feature competition lineup boasts 18 premieres, including 10 World, 4 North American, and 4 U.S. debuts. In addition to the United States, films come to Slamdance from countries around the globe, including Argentina, Belarus, Brazil, Germany, India, Italy, Kenya, Poland, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. All competition films are feature length directorial debuts with budgets of less than $1 million USD, and without US distribution. Featured films were selected by a team of Slamdance alumni via a blind submission process and are programmed democratically. Films in both categories are also eligible for the Audience Award and Spirit of Slamdance Award, the latter of which is voted upon by filmmakers at the festival.
“When it comes to discovering talent, Slamdance has consistently shown that its artist led community can do it themselves,” said Slamdance Co-founder and President, Peter Baxter. “In a milestone year, our competition lineup symbolizes this ongoing endeavor. It’s full of incredible talent representing a global diversity that we believe will play a significant role in our cultural future.”
In addition, the 2019 festival will see the return of the Russo Fellowship — a $25,000 prize launched in 2018 by celebrated festival alumni Anthony and Joe Russo (Captain America: Civil War, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Infinity War) to enable a deserving filmmaker the opportunity to continue their journey with mentorship from the filmmaking duo. Presented by AGBO Films in partnership with the festival, the inaugural fellowship was awarded to filmmaker Yassmina Karajah for her narrative short Rupture.
Also announced today is the lineup for the festival’s all-new Breakouts section. Breakouts are films by non-first-time-feature directors who demonstrate a determined vision of filmmaking that is instinctively becoming their own. These artists continue to push boundaries in genre and form, and are beacons of light that predict the future of film. Slamdance’s goal is to help daring and resilient filmmakers connect with bigger audiences and take their well-deserved place on the world cinema stage. The 2019 Breakouts feature the work of several Slamdance alumni, including Steven Soderbergh, who executive produced Beats,and Canadian filmmaker Alexandre Franchi who received the Audience Award for best Narrative Feature at the 2010 festival for The Wild Hunt.
“Our newly minted Breakouts section celebrates a group of experienced directors, including some Slamdance alumni, who are genuinely intent on taking bigger risks with their storytelling and career paths,” said Paul Rachman, Slamdance co-conspirator and Breakouts programmer. “These are films from around the world that deliver a bold vision from filmmakers with drive and intent to establish their unique cinematic voices.”
Established in 1995, Slamdance is dedicated to discovering and supporting new talents in independent filmmaking. In addition to the Russo Brothers, notable Slamdance alumni include: Christopher Nolan (Dunkirk), Oren Peli (Paranormal Activity), Bong Joon Ho (Okja), Lena Dunham (Girls), Ari Aster (Hereditary), Gina Prince-Blythewood (Shots Fired), and Sean Baker (The Florida Project).
Rock Steady Row – Winner of the Narrative Feature Award and the Audience Feature Award. l-r. Bomani Story (Writer) and Trevor Stevens (Dir.) of Rock Steady Row.. Photo credit: Lauren Desbrg/SLAMDANCE[/caption]
The 24th Slamdance Film Festival wrapped last weekend and presented prizes to the winners of this year’s Sparky Awards in the Audience, Jury, and Sponsored Categories. The festival also announced the recipients of three new awards: The Russo Brothers Fellowship, the CreativeFuture Innovation Award, and a curated Acting Award.
The Sparky Award for Best Narrative Feature went to Rock Steady Row, directed by Trevor Stevens and written by Bomani Story. “Rock Steady Row is a shining star in genre, young adult themes, and ‘save the day’ filmmaking. Done creatively in a comic book meets George Miller meets John Carpenter universe. Sharply directed by Trevor Stevens and written by Bomani Story. With strong ingenuity not commonly seen at this budget and experience level, Rock Steady Row stands tall,” said jurors.
[caption id="attachment_26791" align="aligncenter" width="1200"]
Mr. Fish: Cartooning From The Deep End
My Name Is Myeisha Winner of the Audience Beyond Feature Award. Actress Rhaechyl Walker was also honored with an Acting Award. l-r. Alex Hines, John Merchant, Rhaechyl Walker, Dee Dee Stephens of My Name Is Myeisha. Photo credit: Lauren Desberg/SLAMDANCE[/caption]
Awards were also given to festival favorites, voted on by Slamdance audiences. The Narrative Feature Audience Award was presented to Rock Steady Row, directed by Trevor Stevens. Freedom For The Wolf, directed by Rupert Russell, received the Documentary Feature Audience Award, The Beyond Feature Audience Award was awarded to My Name Is Myeisha, directed by Gus Krieger.
The festival also recognized the Audience Award runners-up in their respective feature categories: Charlie And Hannah’s Grand Night Out (Dir: Bert Scholiers), MexMan (Dir.: Josh Polon) and Funny Story (Dir.: Michael Gallagher).
A full list of winners is below:
Pick Of The Litter[/caption]
The Special Screenings program for the 24th edition of the Slamdance Film Festival features provocative work from remarkable talent that celebrates the festival’s DIY spirit. The festival will present four features in the Special Screenings Program: Bernard and Huey, directed by Dan Mirvish; Roll With Me, directed by Lisa France; Quest, directed by Santiago Rizzo; and the world premiere of Pick Of The Litter, directed by Don Hardy and Slamdance alumni Dana Nachman.
Pick Of The Litter will screen as the festival’s Opening Night Film presentation. The Special Screenings program will also feature the festival’s closing night film, Bernard and Huey, a narrative feature directed by Slamdance co-founder Dan Mirvish and written by Pulitzer Prize and Oscar-winning cartoonist, playwright, and screenwriter, Jules Feiffer.
Slamdance will host a filmmaker discussion with Slamdance Alumni, Joe Russo and Anthony Russo. The conversation, moderated by Slamdance Co-Founder and President Peter Baxter, will highlight the filmmaking duo’s history with the fest and impart career insight for the this year’s class of Slamdance filmmakers. During the discussion, Slamdance will also honor the Russo Brothers with the Founders Award, which is presented to a Slamdance alumni who has continued to support the indie spirit of the festival well into their careers. The award was first presented in 2015 to director Christopher Nolan (Inception, Dunkirk).
The 2018 Slamdance Film Festival will run January 19-25.
Goodbye, Brooklyn[/caption]
This year’s 2018 Slamdance Film Festival which kicks off on Friday January 19 thru 25 in Park City, Utah, will feature an impressive Beyond and Shorts programs for their 24th edition. The short film lineup showcases productions from 26 countries, with shorts in the Narrative, Documentary, Animation, Anarchy and Experimental sections all eligible for the 2018 Oscar® Qualifying Shorts competition.
Several Slamdance Alumni return with highly anticipated presentations in the Beyond lineup. All films in this highly-selective program are made by emerging filmmakers working just beyond their first features.
Grace Victoria Cox in ‘Savage Youth’[/caption]
“Savage Youth”, directed by Michael Curtis Johnson (“Hunky Dory“), and produced by Michael Peluso (Producer of TV’s “The Voice” and “America’s Got Talent”) has been officially selected to premiere worldwide at this year’s Slamdance Film Festival. Savage Youth will be featured in the “Beyond” program. “The films in the Beyond Program exhibit singular directorial vision while sharing a common commitment to challenge audiences to step outside their comfort zones”, says Beyond programmer, Josh Mandel. “These bold and adventurous filmmakers represent the most current voices in American independent film, and will continue to push boundaries in the years ahead.”
A brutal examination of doomed youth exiled to society’s edge, “Savage Youth” portrays the lives of six troubled teens in a racially-divided small town while events take a violent turn over drugs and broken hearts. The worldwide Premier will be on Monday the 22nd of January 2018 at 21:45 at the “Gallery”, Slamdance HQ, Screening Rooms and Filmmaker Lounge. Thomas Sanne, Director of Hiventure Media SA, has quoted: “We are thrilled to participate in such an exciting Festival with this amazing project and team behind it, in which we believe strongly. We are especially honoured as this is our first foray as Hiventure Media into Film, and are excited by what the future will bring.”
Starring Grace Victoria Cox (“Heathers”, “Under the Dome”, “Twin Peaks”), Tequan Richmond (“General Hospital”, “The Shield”, “CSI”, “Everybody Hates Chris”), Will Brittain (“Kong: Skull Island”, “Everybody Wants Some!!”), Chloe Levine (“The OA”, “House of Cards”, “The Transfiguration”), it is based on true events. Steve Dollar, the “Wall Street Journal Online” and “Billboard” contributor, has quoted: “Savage Youth (…), is both stylized and understated in its slow-burn towards a brutal true-crime episode drawn from events in the filmmaker’s hometown of Joliet.”
Rock Steady Row[/caption]
The Slamdance Film Festival today unveiled its narrative and documentary feature film competition lineup for its 24th edition, taking place January 19 to 25, 2018 in Park City, Utah.
The feature competition lineup will showcase 10 narrative and eight documentary features. All competition films are feature-length directorial debuts with budgets of less than $1 million and without U.S. distribution.
Captain America: Civil War directors and alumni Anthony and Joe Russo are partnering with Slamdance for the inaugural Russo Fellowship award. The award winner will receive a $25,000 cash prize and mentorship from the Russo brothers in the development of the winner’s next project at their new Los Angeles-based studio. Every participating filmmaker at the 2018 festival is eligible for this prize. The award will be presented annually.
“The Russo brothers exemplify our ‘by filmmakers for filmmakers’ paradigm,” says Slamdance co-founder and president Peter Baxter. “They are joined by a great number of dedicated alumni who’ve shown when it comes to recognizing talent and launching careers, Slamdance’s independent and grassroots film community really can do it themselves.”
“Born out of rejection, Slamdance’s artist-led group continues to discover cutting edge talent creating work outside of convention. Our 2018 competition lineup is daring, varied, and vivid. It represents the spirit of our time and leads us into the future.”
The 22nd Slamdance Film Festival announced the feature and short film recipients of this year’s Sparky awards in the Audience, Jury, and Sponsored Categories. The Audience Award for Narrative Feature went to HONEY BUDDIES by Alex Simmons (pictured), and the Audience Award for Documentary Feature went to THE MILLION DOLLAR DUCK by Brian Golden David. THE MILLION DOLLAR DUCK by Brian Golden David also won the Jury Award for Documentary Feature, and DRIFTWOOD by Paul Taylor is the winner of the Jury Award for Narrative Feature.
“Congratulations to all of the filmmakers this year. Outside of winning a Sparky, as a collective they showed us the power of real independent film and how much it enriches our lives,” stated Peter Baxter, Slamdance President and Co-founder.
AUDIENCE AWARDS
Audience Award for Narrative Feature:
HONEY BUDDIES dir. by Alex Simmons
When David is dumped just days before his wedding, Flula, his upbeat and very German best man, convinces him to go on David’s honeymoon together: a seven-day backpacking trip through the Oregon wilderness. On the trail, the two friends meet a conspiracy theorist, a friendly backpacker, and a bloodthirsty predator, on an unrelenting trek that tests their friendship and their lives.
Audience Award for Documentary Feature:
THE MILLION DOLLAR DUCK dir. by Brian Golden David
The Million Dollar Duck dives into the wonderfully eccentric world of the Federal Duck Stamp Contest, the only juried art competition run by the U.S. government. The Duck Stamp is among the most successful conservation tools ever created, spawning a uniquely American subculture brimming with talent, big money, and migratory birds. The film follows the artists who competitively paint waterfowl in their obsessive quests to win the “Olympics of wildlife art.”
JURY AWARDS – NARRATIVE
This year’s Slamdance Narrative Jury Prizes were selected by the esteemed panel of industry members Julie La’Bassiere, Erik Jambor, & Damon Russell.
Jury Award for Narrative Feature:
DRIFTWOOD dir. by Paul Taylor
“A thoroughly original outsider voice that leaves us eager to see what the filmmaker creates next.”
The award winner was granted $3,500 in legal services from Pierce Law Group.
Jury Honorable Mention for Acting-Narrative Feature:
HUNKY DORY dir. by Michael Curtis Johnson, starring Tomas Pais and Edouard Holdener
“Two breakout performances; a heartfelt story about love and families, both biological and chosen.”
JURY AWARDS – DOCUMENTARY
This year’s Slamdance Documentary Jury Prizes were selected by the esteemed panel of industry members Skizz Cyzyk, Vanessa Hope, & Steve Yu.
Jury Award for Documentary Feature:
THE MILLION DOLLAR DUCK, dir. by Brian Golden Davis
“With humor and empathy, The Million Dollar Duck looks into the little-known world of avid, nature-loving duck painters who seek to win the glory and financial dividend of being on a federal stamp. Artfully shot and edited, with a colorful cast of characters, the film weaves these human stories into the larger picture of how the annual competition has served to create and protect America’s many wildlife refuges. It’s about more than the duck.”
The award winner was granted $3,500 in legal services from Pierce Law Group.
Jury Honorable Mention for Documentary Feature:
ART OF THE PRANK, dir. by Andrea Marini
“Shining a spotlight on an interesting person whose mission isn’t likely to get exposure from the media, since the media is his deserving victim. Told with a mischievous glee, the artfulness of this film mirrors its content.”
Jury Award for Documentary Short:
IF MAMA AIN’T HAPPY, NOBODY’S HAPPY, dir. by Mea de Jong
“Multi-generational traditions examined from two very different perspectives within a family. Charming sweetness and comedic sadness, all rolled into one thought-provoking short film. A film that makes clear the power of women who go it alone and take charge of their lives when men disappoint.”
The award winner qualifies for the Annual Academy Awards®.
Jury Honorable Mention for Cinematography- Documentary Short:
THE BULLET, dir. by Jordan Bahat, cinematography by Mike Gioulakis
“Beautiful cinematography offering a peek into a profession most of us would never consider. And who doesn’t love the circus?”
JURY AWARDS – SHORT FILMS
The below Short Film Jury Prizes were selected by the esteemed panel of industry members Steve Montal, Ina Pira, and Mark Shapiro.
Jury Award for Narrative Short:
WINTER HYMNS, dir. by Dusty Mancinelli
“A story where innocence, mischief and brazen confidence abruptly meet at a tragic crossroads. There is beauty and sadness here, and the director handles both with natural, unpretentious skill.”
The award winner qualifies for the Annual Academy Awards®.
Jury Honorable Mention for Narrative Short:
THE BEAST, dir. by Daina Oniunas Pusic
“The Beast, produced in Croatia, portrays the strained and codependent relationship of two aging women. It is a sophisticated and elegant portrayal of anger and despair.”
Jury Award for Animation Short:
MY DAD, dir. by Marcus Armitage
“My Dad expresses compelling universal themes — the director’s powerful, heartbreaking message and the film’s bold, colorful palette are perfectly suited to his experimental animation format.”
The award winner qualifies for the Annual Academy Awards®.
Jury Honorable Mention for Animation Short:
FLAWS, dir. by Josh Shaffner
“Flaws brilliantly portrays the trajectory of life and death within a world of helplessness. It beautifully interlaces images, icons, words and music to deliver a powerful piece of thought-provoking cinema in under three minutes.”
The below Short Film Jury Prizes were selected by esteemed industry members Wally Chung, Dekker Dreyer, & Jack Sargeant.
Jury Award for Experimental Short:
INFRASTRUCTURES, dir. by Aurèle Ferrier
“A pensive and serene vision that challenges the audience to consider and reevaluate not just the structure of film, but also the world in which we live.”
Jury Honorable Mention for Experimental Short:
CUP OF STARS, dir. by Ryan Betschart, Tyler Betschart
“The beauty of the mutable universe and the individual; finding the transcendent in the everyday.”
Jury Award for Anarchy Short:
DISCO INFERNO, dir. by Alice Waddington
“An emerging voice with a powerful aesthetic that pays homage to classic cinema while simultaneously affirming a future for visionary film.”
Jury Honorable Mention for Anarchy Short:
GWILLIAM, dir. by Brian Lonano
“Fucking visceral. A fresh take on goblin fun.”
Jury Honorable Mention for Anarchy Short:
HI HOW ARE YOU DANIEL JOHNSTON? dir. by Gabriel Sunday
“A dream meditation on music creativity, mental health, and lost love. A poignant journey into the psyche of the creative mind.”
SPECIAL AWARDS
Spirit of Slamdance Award:
Cast and crew of FURSONAS, dir. by Dominic Rodriguez
The Spirit of Slamdance is awarded by the filmmakers of Slamdance 2016. It goes to the filmmaker who best embodies the spirit of the festival, creatively promoting their film, joyfully participating in screenings and events, and generally putting good energy into the festival.
The Digital Bolex Fearless Filmmaking awards were selected by the esteemed panel of industry members Jeremy Osbern, Misti Boland, Lindsey Haun, Michael Dunaway, Ben Kasulke, Leah Shore & Tina Mabry.
Digital Bolex Fearless Filmmaking Grand Prize:
SMALL TALK dir. by Hilary Campbell
Digital Bolex Fearless Filmmaking Honorable Mention:
YOU WILL FIND A WAY dir. by A.J. Molle
Digital Bolex Fearless Filmmaking Honorable Mention:
EYES OF THE CITY, dir. by Luke Randall
The 2016 Slamdance Film Festival taking place from January 22rd to 28th, 2016 in Park City, Utah, announced their Narrative and Documentary Feature Film Competition. The programs for its 22nd Festival edition includes 12 narrative and 8 documentary films; 16 premieres – 12 World, 3 North American, and 1 US premieres.
NARRATIVE FEATURES PROGRAM
All the Colors of the Night
Director: Pedro Severien; Screenwriter: Luiz Otávio Pereira
(Brazil)
Iris wakes up in her spacious seafront apartment, discovers a body in the living room and enlists the help of other women, setting off a spiral of redemption in an atmospheric drama of dark imagery and questionable reality.
Cast: Sabrina Greve, Sandra Possani, Brenda Ligia, Giovanna Simões, Rômulo Braga
Alvin’s Harmonious World of Opposites
Director & Screenwriter: Platon Theodoris
(Australia/Indonesia) North American Premiere
Agoraphobic Alvin prefers stuffed pandas and online shopping to the aggressive rantings of his neighbor Virginia, until the sludge seeping from his ceiling forces him to search for answers in this offbeat comedy with a tender heart.
Cast: Teik-Kim Pok, Vashti Hughes, Dessy Fitri, Ailis Logan, Nitin Vengurlekar, Tina Andrews, Alicia O’Donnel
Chemical Cut
Director & Screenwriter: Marjorie Conrad
(USA) World Premiere
23-year-old Irene is an artistic misfit turned LA model busy searching for identity, inspiration and a kindred spirit while surrounded by competition, absurdity, and so many nude bras.
Cast: Marjorie Conrad, Ian Coster, Leah Rudick, Michael Lucid, Stephen Saban, Deven Green, Nicolas Coster, Vicki Marlane
Driftwood
Director & Screenwriter: Paul Taylor
(USA) World Premiere
A young woman washes ashore and is claimed and conditioned by an older man in this intricately layered, dialogue-free exploration of familial roles, isolation and captivity.
Cast: Joslyn Jensen, Paul C. Kelly, Michael Fentin
Honey Buddies
Director: Alex Simmons; Screenwriters: Alex Simmons, David Giuntoli, Flula Borg
(USA) World Premiere
Jilted groom David is convinced by his excitable best man Flula to continue with his planned honeymoon, a backcountry trek in the mountains of Oregon, in a highly comedic ode to friendship and the great outdoors.
Cast: David Giuntoli, Flula Borg, Brian T. Finney, Claire Coffee, Jeanne Syquia
Hunky Dory (pictured in main image)
Director: Michael Curtis Johnson; Screenwriters: Michael Curtis Johnson, Tomas Pais
(USA) World Premiere
After his ex disappears, Sidney, a dive bar drag queen, is forced to look after his 11-year-old son in a tale of unconventional fatherhood, the fear of mediocrity, and the pulsing reality of dreams deferred.
Cast: Tomas Pais, Peter Van Norden, Jeff Newburg, Joy Darash, Edouard Holdener, Nora Rothman, Chad Borden, Chad Hartigan
If There’s A Hell Below
Director: Nathan Williams; Screenwriters: Nathan Williams, Matthew Williams
(USA) World Premiere
In a desolate landscape, an ambitious young journalist in a dusty car meets covertly with a national security whistleblower, and their roving exchange becomes increasingly cloaked in paranoia, tension and escalating threat.
Cast: Conner Marx, Carol Roscoe, Paul Budraitis, Mark Carr
Last Summer
Director: Leonardo Guerra Seragnoli; Screenwriters: Leonardo Guerra Seragnoli, Igort
(Italy) US Premiere
Set on board a luxury yacht in sparkling international waters, this tense and stylish drama captures the four final days a mother is granted with her 6-year-old son to say goodbye after losing a custody battle.
Cast: Rinko Kikuchi, Yorick van Wageningen, Lucy Griffiths, Laura Bach, Daniel Ball, Ken Brady
The Lesson
Director & Screenwriter: Ruth Platt
(UK) North American Premiere
A grisly study of the relationship between a tormented teacher and the troubled teens who bear his wrath once he snaps; this morally challenging horror film is dark, claustrophobic, and shockingly eloquent.
Cast: Evan Bendall, Robert Hands, Michaela Prchalova, Tom Cox, Rory Coltart, Dolya Gavaniski, Michael Swatton, Charlotte Croft
MAD
Director & Screenwriter: Robert G. Putka
(USA) World Premiere
A matriarch past the point of a nervous breakdown, her two daughters that don’t give a damn, and the heat-seeking missiles of resentment they toss at each other create a lively backdrop for this dark and dramatic comedy.
Cast: Jennifer Lafleur, Maryann Plunkett, Eilis Cahill, Mark Reeb, David Sullivan, Conor Casey, Shaun Weiss, Chris Doubek
Neptune
Director: Derek Kimball; Screenwriters: Derek Kimball, Matthew Konkel
(USA)
Set in the late 1980s on an island off the coast of Maine, an orphan girl raised by the church becomes obsessed by the disappearance of a classmate, and her haunted dreams and visions propel her to push past her sheltered life.
Cast: Jane Ackermann, Tony Reilly, William McDonough III, Christine Louise Marshall, Dylan Chestnutt, Maureen Butler
The Tail Job
Directors & Screenwriters: Bryan Moses, Daniel Millar
(Australia) World Premiere
Nicholas hires a taxi driver to follow his fiancé when he suspects her of cheating in this micro-budget comedy action tale that makes every wrong turn crackle with genuine humor and unexpected insight.
Cast: Blair Dwyer, Craig Anderson, Laura Hughes, Kellie Clarke, Dorje Swallow, Grant Dodwell, Gary Waddell, Ursula Mills
DOCUMENTARY FEATURES PROGRAM
1ha 43a
Director & Screenwriter: Monika Pirch
(Germany) North American Premiere
After inheriting a plot of farming land near Dusseldorf, Monika explores the potential of her field through administrative, historic and poetic methods and manages to reconnect with the land and her ancestry in a beautiful and unexpected way.
Art of the Prank
Director & Screenwriter: Andrea Marini
(USA)
Legendary funny man Joey Skaggs has been pulling Americas chain since 1965. His next hoax? Film festivals.
Cast: Joey Skaggs, Robert Forster, Peter Maloney, Charlie Todd, Richard Johnson, Buck Wolf, Sarah Farrell, Jeff Cohen
Dead Hands Dig Deep
Director: Jai Love; Screenwriters: Jai Love, Spencer Heath
(USA/Australia ) World Premiere
From the isolation of his secluded desert compound Edwin Borsheim, founder of the shock metal band Kettle Cadaver, ruminates on a life of violence, mayhem and personal destruction lived on the absolute edge of the known musical universe.
Fursonas
Director & Screenwriter: Dominic Rodriguez
(USA) World Premiere
Like any community, the Furry world is one with gossipers, dreamers, followers, whistleblowers and the one guy who wants to rule them all.
Los Punks; We Are All We Have
Director: Angela Boatwright; Screenwriter: Christine Triano
(USA) World Premiere
A cobbled-together family of Hispanic youth comprise the thriving backyard punk scene of South Central and East L.A.: bands, fans, and production are interwoven into a sub-culture of thrash, noise and pits.
Cast: Gary Alvarez, Nacho Corrupted, April Desmadre, Jennie Oi, Alex Pedorro, Natalie Rodriguera
The Million Dollar Duck
Director: Brian Golden Davis; Screenwriter: Martin J. Smith
(USA) World Premiere
Artists from different walks of life vie to win the Federal Duck Stamp Contest, the only art competition of its kind sponsored by the U.S. government.
Cast: The Hautman Brothers, Rebekah Nastav, Tim Taylor, Dee Dee Murry, Rob McBroom, Adam Grimm
Myrtle Beach
Directors: Neil Rough, Michael Fuller
(Canada) World Premiere
Myrtle Beach is a disturbingly intimate peek into the lives of the deviants, outcasts and forget-me-nows that inhabit this deformed stepsister of Coney Island.
Peanut Gallery
Director & Screenwriter: Molly Gandour
(USA)
An intimate and unflinching exploration of one family’s tragic loss and their attempt to heal after decades of silence.
Cast: Jackson Gandour, Mary Jane Gandour, Molly Gandour, Aimee Gandour
Slamdance will partner with the filmmakers of The Resurrection of Jake the Snake for the multi-city theatrical release of the 2015 Slamdance Film Festival favorite documentary beginning in Portland, Oregon on September 2nd. The Portland Film Festival will host the film’s release with a special event screening of the documentary and a Q&A session moderated by UFC superstar Chael Sonnen with Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Diamond Dallas Page and director Steve Yu. The event format is a key element of the film’s continuing theatrical release with personal appearances by Jake “The Snake” Roberts, filmmakers and special guests.
The theatrical release marks the initiation of Slamdance Presents, a new distribution moniker for Slamdance’s world premier programs dedicated to creating theatrical and other innovative commercial opportunities for independent filmmakers.
The inspiring documentary feature opened the 2015 Slamdance Film Festival and went on to win critical acclaim as well as this unique theatrical distribution partnership with Slamdance Presents. When The Resurrection of Jake the Snake screens at Portland Film Festival, it may very well be the first time two festivals have come together to support a nationwide release of an independent film.
Directed by Steve Yu, The Resurrection of Jake the Snake documents one of the most famous professional wrestlers in the world, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, as he battles his personal demons in a struggle to reclaim his life and the family that had given up on him. The feature-length documentary is also features Diamond Dallas Page and Scott Hall (aka Razor Ramon). Diamond Dallas Page is the film’s producer.
We’re thrilled that Slamdance believes enough in our documentary to pursue this innovative theatrical strategy,” said the film’s director Steve Yu, “As filmmakers we were fortunate to be at the right place at the right time, and capturing Jake’s incredible story was as compelling as any fictional narrative – except this was 100% real.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iwntL5wVWk
Find Tickets Now
Portland Film Festival. Portland, OR.
Wednesday September 2, 2015. 8:15pm.
Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan Portland, OR 97219
Tickets Here
Living Room Theater. Portland, OR.
September 6-11, 2015. 341 SW Tenth Avenue Portland, OR 97205
Tickets Here
Landmark Midtown Art Cinema. Atlanta, GA.
September 18-24, 2015. 931 Monroe Dr NE, Atlanta, GA 30308
Tickets Here
Sony Pictures has picked up first-time feature filmmaker Branden Kramer’s cyber-suspense thriller RATTER, starring Ashley Benson (“Pretty Little Liars”).
RATTER debuted in competition at the 2015 Slamdance Film Festival and will have its Los Angeles Premiere on Sunday, June 14, at 9:40pm PST in the Nightfall section of this year’s Los Angeles Film Festival.
Written and directed by Kramer, RATTER is based on the short film Webcam, which has been viewed more than six million times on Vimeo. Benson stars as Emma, a graduate student living alone in New York City. She is being watched by a “Ratter” who stalks her by hacking into all of her personal technology–laptop, cell phone, and other web connected devices–to record her most intimate moments. Eventually the video feeds aren’t enough and the stalker moves from the virtual to the physical – with disturbing consequences.
The film also stars Matt McGorry (“Orange Is the New Black”) and Rebecca Naomi Jones (The Switch).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=si4dNU6AQJU