Go West, young woman, go West and make us proud!
Today the Indy Film Fest, and Indianapolis as a whole, says goodbye to one of its shining stars, Lisa Trifone. Lisa leaves tomorrow to take on a new role with the internationally renowned Sundance Film Festival. Although we are very sad to see her go, we are also very excited to see her follow her passions and dreams.
It's safe to say the Indy Film Fest would not be where it is today without the dedication and support of Lisa. You might have seen Lisa announcing films and rocking Q & A with filmmakers at events, but the lion share of her work was behind the scenes. She pounded the pavement, getting our name out there to filmmakers and studios alike. She created systems and processes that took our DIY-to-the-extreme organization to a much more organized place. Her tireless efforts have helped catapult this rag tag film festival into the national spotlight (I mean, you guys saw her in the Hollywood reporter, right?) and we will forever be in her gratitude.
Please join us in saying thank you and goodbye to one of Indy’s best and brightest.
Since we are movie nerds we always speak in movie quotes so…
“Here’s looking at you, kid.” – Humphery Bogart as Rick Blaine
Just Pop In! <3 Indy Film Fest
It's here! The 2012 Opening Night event, once again presented by Just Pop In!, is upon us.
Don't have your tickets yet? Have we got a deal for you. Your just one Facebook like away from not only a four-pack of tickets (film and party included!) to the big event, but the amazing Just Pop In! prize pack pictured, too.
All you have to do is like us on Facebook. Easy as that. Like us by 3p Thursday afternoon and we'll pick a winner to join us at Opening Night. Already a Facebook fan? Leave a comment here naming your favorite film of all time, and you'll also be entered to win!
Learn more about Opening Night here - a screening of THE ORANGES starring Hugh Laurie, and a party at Sun King Brewing right after.
Want to guarantee a seat? Get your tickets here. Anyone attending is entered to win tickets to Hugh Laurie's upcoming concert at the Palladium, too. It could be your lucky night!
Looking for a great experience? Inquire within.
As you may've heard already, the Indy Film Fest is an all-volunteer organization. Every one of us works our tookus off because, well, it's worth it.
We're gearing up for the 2012 festivities, and that means all hands on deck. We're specifically seeking two strong interns to help in with our operations and marketing efforts. Do you have what it takes? Here's a few ways to tell:
You love films, but love getting things done more.
True, we're all huge movie buffs here at the festival. But in order to present the most exciting events and parties possible, we work hard and on deadline. We have regular meetings and ongoing conversations; we live and die by our inboxes - both email and texts - and we hold each other highly accountable for those projects and tasks that need doing. Because if we don't make it happen...well, it doesn't happen.
You're available odd-ish hours.
Because we're all making the festival happen in our off hours, our work usually happens in the evening, on weekends or, sometimes if we're awake enough, early morning coffee meet-ups. Your availability is similar to this, or at least aligns here and there. Could be the perfect opportunity to hold a part-time job while rocking it out at a grass-roots arts org, too. We're happy to set a flexible schedule so that you can keep your calendar in order.
You operate well on auto-pilot, and play well with others, too.
The time in-between events, screenings and meetings is essentially, as our second grade teacher called it, independent work time. You'll have a list of tasks and projects, and we'll count on you to jump in and knock them into the Done pile. You'll have a chance to jump on new or underdeveloped projects, too, because that's the kind of take-charge person you are. And when the time comes, you're as good with the group work as you are on your own.
Right now, we're primarily seeking a Marketing & Design Intern and an Operations Intern. These positions would begin as soon as this month, and could run through August, pending your availability. While most weeks would require roughly 6 - 10 hours of work, that commitment ramps up as the Festival approaches in July.
Sound like you're the right person for the job? We can't wait to meet you. Send a resume and brief cover letter to us today!
2012 Film Submissions are NOW OPEN
It's hard to believe, but here we are again - we're officially accepting submissions for the 2012 Indy Film Fest.
The festival (July 19 - 29) will be our 9th annual event, and we can't wait to make a big splash. Does that include your film? You'll never know if you don't send it our way!
To get started, just follow the directions below. Simply click to submit.
We're looking for every kind of film out there - short, feature-length, animated, live action, drama, comedy - you name it, we want to see it. We screen films in three categories - American Spectrum, World Cinema and Matter of Fact (documentaries). And new this year, we've expanded our Hoosier Lens recognition to be an entire category of its own.
Hoosier Lens films are those productions with Indiana ties - you or your cast/crew are from Indiana, went to school here or a significant portion of the film was shot in the Hoosier state. We're stoked to recognize these home-grown productions in front of hometown audiences next summer!
Not a filmmaker, but interested in helping out the festival? If you're local to Indy, you may be right for our screening committee. Fill out the application and we'll be in touch - you might just be a part of deciding which films our audiences see next summer.
2012, here we come!
Festival Intern: join the team today!
We're currently seeking a Festival Submissions and Operations intern for the 2011 - 2012 season! Interested in learning all about what it takes to make a festival run? This is the role for you.
The Indianapolis International Film Festival is an all-volunteer organization, and we need an enthusiastic, organized individual to join us in all the work it'll take over the next several months to make the annual festival happen.
What can you expect to work on? Everything!
Film Submissions - the festival sees over 500 films come through our doors hoping to land a slot in the annual event. We need your help in managing all these incoming movies. From tracking to filing to screening them (with the help of a Screening Committee!), you'll be at the front lines of managing the 2012 Festival experience!
Office Management - as the organization grows, we're making more and more friends. We're hoping to keep track of all of them in our management systems and processes, and you can help! From entering all the data to organizing it in a way that makes it easy to access, you'll be helping to make sure our friends are all accounted for.
Event Participation - this is probably the most fun part - the screenings, parties, discussions and more. As a part of the festival team, you'll always be on the invite list to every event we host. These include cocktail parties, advanced screenings and even some great meet & greets. Want to be on the right side of the red carpet? You will be in this role!
We're looking for college upperclassmen or recent grads; you're local to Indy with reliable transportation. Your schedule is fairly flexible, available for evening meetings and weekend work sessions. You're plugged in to email, social media and ideally, the local arts scene. Sound like you? Check out the complete job description, then shoot us an email with your info to apply!
Image credit: Beth Gray via flickr
Topic Du Jour: Opening Night Selection
The hot topic du jour in the festival office is the opening night film. What film matches the mood we're seeking? Which will help us build buzz? Much thought and discussion goes into this one decision.
While we're digging into our selections and programming this year's lineup, you can have a festival in your own living room. If you're a netflix subscriber, the 2010 opening night film Barry Munday is available to watch instantly.
In the film, Barry loses his ability to procreate after a bludgeoning via trumpet (ouch!). He learns he has unwittingly impregnated a recent sexual partner, no matter that he doesn't recall even meeting her. A quirky and hilarious tale unfolds as Barry tries to navigate a new relationship and the path to parenthood. Earns points for a stellar cast and frequent laughs.
Do tell: have you discovered any of your festival favorites on Netflix?
We Heart You
As the year comes to a close, we'll be off spending time with family and friends. We might be a little bit quiet. But we'll be re-energized and so excited to get back to official festival business in the new year!
Before we head out for our winter break, let us say WE HEART YOU. Thank you for watching movies with us, tweeting with us and supporting independent film in Indianapolis. We love our extended family of volunteers, supporters and fans. Indy Film Fest couldn't possibly be without all of you.
Relive Our Past
We are chugging away with plans for 2011. Of course, we think it will be the best fest yet. Until then, we invite you to relive our past. Check out a recap of all that rocked in 2010, cut together by our own Michael Tressler.
If you went to the festival, what did you like? Or not like? Please do tell us before we finalize our plans for the year. Your feedback, encouragement and constructive criticism are all appreciated!
Festival selections generating awards buzz
If programming the festival is the most fun part of my job leading up to the event, the most fun following each year's festival is Awards season, when nominations and accolades are pouring out of the industry and, every once in a while, a few of our feted films receive a little love.
This year is no exception - to date, four different films have garnered the attention of the Awards Gods, and we couldn't be more proud. I don't have kids, but I bet this is what it feels like when they get on the honor role.
So far, a few great documentaries have been shortlisted for Academy Awards (the first step to a nomination). In February, we featured an exclusive Indianapolis screening of Disturbing the Universe: The William Kunstler Story; it's now shortlisted for a Best Doc Oscar, in the ranks with the likes of Waiting for Superman and The Tillman Story.
Also on a shortlist - a shortlist for short films - are two 2010 Festival award winners. Winner of the Social Justice Award, Born Sweet was listed in the Best Short Doc category, while Best American Spectrum Short Film God of Love nabbed a spot among the ten short films up for nominations in the Best Live Action Short Film category. Congrats to filmmakers Cynthia and Luke!
And lastly, the festival proudly presents a screening of SXSW Grand Jury prize winner Marwencol on December 9 - it's now the recipient of a nomination for Best Documentary at the Independent Spirit Awards, presented on Oscars-eve, February 26.
Congratulations to all these incredible films and their filmmakers! And remember - when you're looking for striking, award-winning independent film in Indianapolis, look no further than the Indy Film Fest.
Fall movies = Summer trailers
Have you been as distracted as I am lately? I swear, I can't get through writing an entire email reply without clicking away to see what latest trailer just got tweeted about. Maybe I need to turn off those Tweetdeck alerts...
Or maybe not, because I really, really like what I'm seeing. Let's run these down (just click on the title to watch the trailer):
Getting the most...interesting...film out of the gate first, it's ENTER THE VOID, a film that got selected for several festivals this year and is definitely not your average multiplex fare.
Johnny Depp's...life partner? wife? baby mama?...Vanessa Paradis stars in HEARTBREAKER, the story of a cad who's job it is to distract unsuspecting young women from their bad relationships by getting them to fall in love with him. They had me at the Dirty Dancing reference...
Renee Zellweger and Bradley Cooper go creepy in CASE 39, about a young girl who lands in social worker Zellweger's care only to wreak havoc in some pretty gross ways. Fair warning, this trailer is designed to give you the heebie-jeebies.
Watch Joaquin Phoenix spiral into oblivion (or pull a fast one over on all of us) in the trailer to the Casey Affleck-directed I'M STILL HERE.
Anne Hathaway and Jake Gyllenhaal team up as one very attractive couple in LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS, which sadly appears to be entirely encapsulated in the trailer. Hate when that happens, but will I still pay $10 to look at Jakey-poo for 2 hours straight? Sure will.
The rom-coms keep coming with Reese Witherspoon's latest, HOW DO YOU KNOW, which pits a feckless Owen Wilson against the charming Paul Rudd. Gee, wonder how this one ends...
Darren Aronofsky holds true to form with the seemingly-normal-till-you-get-a-minute-into-it BLACK SWAN, in which it appears Natalie Portman starts to grow...wings? Are those wings??
Helen Mirren goes dark in THE DEBT, about three WWII-era spies who reconnect years later over a secret that, apparently, isn't so secret after all.
Naomi Watts and Sean Penn give a true story the Hollywood treatment in FAIR GAME, a film version of the Valerie Plame story - the CIA agent who was outed by Cheney in a shady string of events.
This last trailer isn't new, but it's a fall release that basically everyone is anticipating - it's the first installment of HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS. And I'll admit - as a Potter-ite myself - it kinda gave me chills.
That's by no means all the films coming out in the next few months, but it's definitely a nice cross section. Every year around this time I worry we're in for a disappointing fall movie season, and every time when these trailers start popping up, I'm pleasantly surprised.