SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL WILL CELEBRATE ITS
20TH ANNIVERSARY BY LOOKING AT THE FUTURE OF FILMMAKING & ITS DIY ROOTS
20TH ANNIVERSARY BY LOOKING AT THE FUTURE OF FILMMAKING & ITS DIY ROOTS
(October 17, 2013 – LOS ANGELES, CA) Slamdance Film Festival remains true to its Do-It-Yourself roots as it enters its 20th year this January 17-23, 2014. As the festival known best for being made “By Filmmakers, For Filmmakers,” Slamdance marks 2014 as the year to take DIY filmmaking into the future.
With the debut of new multi-hued artwork by renowned artist David Flores, and the world premiere of the Slamdance original documentary DIY, this year’s 20th anniversary celebration looks forward to the future of independent filmmaking, and the Do-It-Yourself ethos Slamdance is known for. All these high-resolution images can be downloaded at: http://bit.ly/GQrp1W
DIY (Do-It-Yourself) is a documentary about the historical development of the Do-It-Yourself indie film movement, and the ability for new artists to sustain truly independent filmmaking. DIY has garnered support by many festival alumni, and will include interviews with current filmmaking heavyweights such as: Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Rises), Oren Peli (Paranormal Activity), Anthony and Joe Russo (Captain America: The Winter Soldier), David Greenspan (Grey’s Anatomy), Rian Johnson (Looper), Marc Forster (World War Z), Penelope Spheeris (Wayne’s World), Matt Johnson (The Dirties), Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of the Southern Wild), and many more.
DIY is helmed by Slamdance President & Co-Founder Peter Baxter and Slamdance TV veterans Ben Hethcoat and Eric Ekman.
“Alumni often tell us ‘it all started at Slamdance’. It’s still surprising to hear this because we didn’t think we’d last a year. But, since 1995, our community has focused on supporting emerging artists, many of whom are among the biggest filmmakers in the world today. From humble beginnings we all shared one thing in common: a Do-It-Yourself filmmaking spirit which, along with self-governance, has allowed the Slamdance community to grow and thrive. You’ll see this in DIY and you’ll see this throughout our 2014 festival,” states Baxter.
Artist David Flores, who has been a staple in the Los Angeles art world with his iconic street murals, undertook this year’s artwork with the intent of symbolizing the spirit of the festival, its filmmakers, and its larger community.
Slamdance has also promoted from within its community, advancing Anna Germanidi to the coveted post of Festival Manager. “This year we’re embracing the festival’s heritage and celebrating its future,” explains Germanidi. “We’ve already received a record number of submissions and we’re constantly humbled by the trust and enthusiasm of our community. We’re excited to have our alumni and our programmers back in Park City mixing with the next generation of Slamdance filmmakers.”
About SLAMDANCE
The Slamdance Film Festival is currently accepting submissions for its 20th edition. Submissions can be made until October 18th through Withoutabox. The 2014 Slamdance Film Festival will run concurrently with the Sundance Film Festival, January 17-23, 2014 in Park City, Utah. This year’s program announcements will begin in December.
Slamdance continues to serve as a showcase for the discovery and development of emerging independent talent and their unique cinematic vision. Slamdance is the only festival programmed entirely by filmmakers. With over half of 2013′s feature films having found distribution after premiering in Park City, Slamdance continues to be a fertile ground for new filmmakers to begin their careers.
Notable Slamdance alumni who first gained notice at the festival include: Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Rises), Oren Peli (Paranormal Activity), Marc Forster (World War Z), Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite), Lena Dunham (Girls), Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of the Southern Wild), Anthony & Joe Russo (Captain America: The Winter Soldier), Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses) and Lynn Shelton (Humpday).
Presented by JuntoBox Films, the Slamdance Screenplay Competition welcomed a record number of entries in 2013 and has just announced Butterfly Children by Melanie Schiele as its Grand Jury Prize Winner with an unprecedented award of $60,000.
The organization supports its alumni beyond the festival, by increasing exhibition opportunities through international and domestic On The Road events and developing commercial distribution through Slamdance Studios. Daniel Martinico‘s OK, Good will be distributed by all major VOD platforms starting November 5th. Slamdance’s 2013 On The Road program has traveled to Austin, Detroit, Los Angeles and New York. Strong audience numbers have further supported feature films such as Nicole Teeny‘s Bible Quiz, Matt Johnson‘s The Dirties and James E. Duff‘s Hank and Asha, as well as a selection of local short filmmakers.
Additional information about the Slamdance Film Festival is available at www.slamdance.com Connect with Slamdance: and / SlamdanceFilmFestival
