Feed
Index

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. Read more

2017 Slamdance Film Festival:
January 20-26, 2017. Park City, Utah.

Follow us:



News from Nowhere





Slamdance Cinema Club: Embers
August 7 at 8pm (ArcLight Hollywood)
August 25 at 8pm (ArcLight Chicago)
Tix Here

Slamdance Cinema Club: MAD
August 14 at 8pm (ArcLight Hollywood)
August 24 at 8pm (ArcLight Chicago)
Tix Here


Slamdance Cinema Club: Driftwood
September 18 at 8pm (ArcLight Hollywood)
September 28 at 8pm (ArcLight Chicago)
Tix Here

Slamdance Cinema Club: Before The Sun Explodes
September 19 at 8pm (ArcLight Hollywood)
September 29 at 8pm (ArcLight Chicago)
Tix Here

Slamdance Cinema Club: Alvin's Harmonious World Of Opposites
October 9 at 8pm (ArcLight Hollywood)
October 19 at 8pm (ArcLight Chicago)
Tix Here

Slamdance Cinema Club: The Million Dollar Duck
October 10 at 8pm (ArcLight Hollywood)
October 20 at 8pm (ArcLight Chicago)
Tix Here

Slamdance Cinema Club: Myrtle Beach
November 13 at 8pm (ArcLight Hollywood)
November 23 at 8pm (ArcLight Chicago)
Tix Here

Slamdance Cinema Club: Neptune
November 14 at 8pm (ArcLight Hollywood)
November 24 at 8pm (ArcLight Chicago)
Tix Here

Slamdance Cinema Club: Anarchy Shorts
December 11 at 8pm (ArcLight Hollywood)
December 21 at 8pm (ArcLight Chicago)
Tix Here

Slamdance Cinema Club: SMASH
December 12 at 8pm (ArcLight Hollywood)
December 22 at 8pm (ArcLight Chicago)
Tix Here

Slamdance Digital, Interactive & Gaming (DIG)
Open November 26 - December 3
Opening reception November 26
Closing reception December 3
Submit Here

The 2017 Slamdance Film Festival
January 20-26, 2017. Park City, UT




...and remember, Slamdance Studios is always live, on demand
Can't make it out to these events? Be sure to catch excellent independent films from Slamdance Studios, streaming now on Hulu:
hulu.com/companies/slamdance



Slamdance Is A Year-Round Organization with programs, events, and competitions designed By Filmmakers, For Filmmakers. Follow us on social media to get our daily updates:


Festival Showcase Transitions to ArcLight Cinemas and The Orchard

(Los Angeles, CA – June 9, 2016) Claire Carré's directorial debut, Embers, which closed the 2016 Slamdance Film Festival, is to be released by Slamdance's theatrical distribution enterprise Slamdance Presents.

Written by Claire Carré & Charles Spano, and starring Jason Ritter and Iva Gocheva, the acclaimed sci-fi feature will begin its theatrical release at ArcLight Hollywood on August 5, 2016. Embers is the first narrative feature to be released by Slamdance Presents, which is dedicated to creating innovative theatrical and commercial opportunities for independent filmmakers.



Embers reflects on the collective loss of memory after a global neurological epidemic, those who remain search for meaning and connection in a world without memory. An award-winning favorite at many festivals, and named one of the best undistributed films of 2015, Embers will now introduce ArcLight's theatrical audiences to its innovative and personal twist on science fiction and genre conventions. Embers has won awards from New Orleans Film Festival, Newport Beach Film Festival, Oxford Film Festival, and Sarasota Film Festival.

"Slamdance is known for supporting and launching new filmmakers, and they live up to their reputation, " said Claire Carré. "I'm thrilled for my first feature to be chosen as the first narrative released theatrically by Slamdance Presents. From screening my film at the festival even though it wasn't a premiere, to breaking new ground to bring it to the ArcLight for a week, I feel so fortunate to have Slamdance in my corner, pushing to make it possible for my film to be seen on the big screen."

"Claire's brilliant vision and production nous combine with a great team of filmmakers to make Embers an unforgettable cinematic experience. Yet, it appeared exactly the opposite was going to happen in the world of distribution for this sci-fi gem. Slamdance wanted to stand up and get behind this amazing directorial debut both commercially and for new passionate supporters", said Slamdance president and co-founder Peter Baxter.

Embers will be released online by The Orchard on VOD during the same week as its theatrical play.

The theatrical release of Embers at ArcLight will involve a week-long program of Q & A's following each evening screening with the filmmakers and special guests focusing on themes from the film. Program subjects include Indie Science Fiction: Big Ideas, Small Budget, The Act of Forgetting by the cast of Embers, Women in Genre and Science Meets Fiction:

Friday August 5, 6:30pm
Big Ideas, Small Budget: Indie Sci-Fi


Independent filmmakers discuss how logistical limitations can lead to creative innovation when making science fiction beyond the mainstream.

Guests:
Claire Carré (writer/director/producer EMBERS)
Charles Spano (writer/producer EMBERS)
Rebecca Rose Perkins (producer JACKRABBIT)
Sharon Green (writer OPERATOR)
Moderator:Ben Umstead (U.S. Editor, ScreenAnarchy.com)

Saturday August 6, 6:30pm -
Inner Space: Women in Genre


Female filmmakers talk about their experiences working in genre and crafting worlds and characters different than our own.

Guests:
Claire Carré (writer/director/producer EMBERS)
Amber Benson (actor BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, director DRONES)
Whitney Able (actor MONSTERS, DARK)
Christine Boylan (writer/producer ONCE UPON A TIME, CONSTANTINE)
Moderator: Gretchen McCourt (Executive Vice President ArcLight Entertainment, ArcLight Cinemas Women In Entertainment)

Sunday August 7, 8:00pm -
The Act of Forgetting: The Cast of Embers


Actors from the film talk about what it's like to play an amnesiac.

Guests:
Jason Ritter (actor EMBERS, GIRLS, FREDDY VS. JASON, PARENTHOOD, THE EVENT)
Karl Glusman (actor EMBERS, LOVE, THE NEON DEMON)
Tucker Smallwood (actor EMBERS, STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE, PIXELS, THE SARAH SILVERMAN PROGRAM, DEEP IMPACT, CONTACT)

Monday August 8, 6:30pm -
This Sounds Fantastic: Scoring Sci-Fi


Composers talk about different approaches and inspirations when scoring science fiction, fantasy and horror films.

Guests:
Kim Henninger & Shawn Parke (composers EMBERS)
Bear McCreary (composer THE WALKING DEAD, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE)
Rich Vreeland (composer IT FOLLOWS, FEZ)
Moderator: Jenn Wilson (Film Independent)

Tuesday August 9, 6:30pm -
Visions of the Future: Speculative Design


From designing new technologies to building sets that imagine the future, special guests explore the intersection of art, craft, and futurism.

Guests:
Chelsea Oliver (production designer EMBERS)
KK Barrett (production designer HER, BEING JOHN MALKOVICH)
Heather Schegel (Futurist)
Moderator: James Kaelan (Editor-In-Chief, Bright Ideas Magazine)

Wednesday August 10, 6:30pm -
Science Meets Fiction: The Science of Memory


Director Claire Carré is joined by experts in Neuroscience and memory research to discuss the science that inspired the film.

Guests:
Claire Carré (writer/director/producer EMBERS)
Adam Blake (Memory and Lifespan Cognition Lab, UCLA)

Thursday August 11, 6:30pm -
Piece By Piece: The Making of Embers


The filmmakers of Embers talk about their DIY approach to making a first feature - from crowdsourcing to film festivals and everything in between.

Guests:
Claire Carré (writer/director/producer EMBERS)
Charles Spano (writer/producer EMBERS)
Chelsea Oliver (production designer EMBERS)
Moderator: Stephen Elliot (TheRumpus.Net)

Slamdance's announcement of Embers' release coincides with the organization's opening of submissions for the 2017 Slamdance Film Festival that will run January 20-26 in Park City, Utah. Entries are also open for the 2016 Slamdance Screenplay Competition and the Digital, Interactive and Gaming (DIG) program.

Slamdance's film submission opening coincides with the announcement that Withoutabox will be the exclusive third party online system provider. In addition to Withoutabox's submission service, entrants can also submit their work via slamdance.com.

About Slamdance


Slamdance is a community, a year-round experience, and a statement. Established in 1995 by a wild bunch of filmmakers who were tired of relying on a large, oblique system to showcase their work, Slamdance has proven, year after year, that when it comes to recognizing talent and launching careers, independent and grassroots communities can do it themselves.

Slamdance alums are responsible for the programming and organization of the festival. With a variety of backgrounds, interests, and talents, but with no individual filmmaker’s vote meaning more than any other’s, Slamdance’s programming and organizing committees have been able to stay close to the heart of low budget and do-it-yourself filmmaking. In this way, Slamdance continues to grow and exemplify its mantra: By Filmmakers, For Filmmakers.

Submissions are currently open for the 2017 Slamdance Film Festival that will run 20-26 January in Park City, Utah.

Notable Slamdance alumni who first gained notice at the festival include: Christopher Nolan (Interstellar), 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), Jeremy Saulnier (Blue Ruin), Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses), Lynn Shelton (Humpday) and Matt Johnson (Operation Avalanche). Box Office Mojo reports alumni who first showed their work at Slamdance have earned over $11.5 billion at the Box Office to date.

In addition to the Festival, Slamdance serves emerging artists and a growing audience with several year-round activities. These include the popular Slamdance Screenplay Competition, the traveling On The Road screening events, the Anarchy Workshop for student filmmakers, and The ArcLight Presents Slamdance Cinema Club – a monthly cinema club partnership with ArcLight Cinemas based at the ArcLight Hollywood and ArcLight Chicago, with two screenings and filmmaker Q&A’s each month: https://www.arclightcinemas.com/en/news/arclight-presents-slamdance-cinema-club

In January 2015, Hulu partnered with Slamdance Studios to offer a new film collection from Festival alumni. The nascent but already profitable venture allows viewers to access Slamdance Studios on Hulu at http://www.hulu.com/companies/slamdance

Slamdance Presents is a new distribution arm established to access broader distribution of independent films made or acquired by Slamdance Studios. The goal is to build the popularity of independent films and support filmmakers on a commercial level through theatrical releases. The Resurrection of Jake The Snake is the first film to be released by the company. The documentary reached number one on iTunes in December, 2015.

In November, 2015, Slamdance announced DIG, a new digital, interactive and gaming showcase dedicated to emerging independent artists working in hybrid, immersive and developing forms of digital media art. Ten works were featured in the inaugural DIG show that opened in Los Angeles at Big Pictures Los Angeles on December 4, running through December 13, 2015. The show was also featured at the 2016 Slamdance Film Festival. Slamdance is currently accepting DIG submissions for its next showcase that will open November 26 - December 3, 2016 and form part of the 2017 Film Festival.

2016 Slamdance Film Festival Sponsors include Blackmagic Design, Distribber, CreativeFuture, Directors Guild of America, Kodak, Digital Bolex, The International Fusion Doc Challenge, Carhartt, Different By Design, Pierce Law Group LLP, G-Technology, Media Storage Group, Writers Guild Of America West, Salt Lake City's Slug Magazine, Beehive Distilling, and BlueStar Café. Slamdance is proud to partner with sponsors who support emerging artists and filmmakers.

Additional information about the Slamdance is available at www.slamdance.com

Connect with Slamdance:
Facebook: SlamdanceFilmFestival
Twitter: @slamdance
Instagram: @slamogram

Additional References:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slamdance_Film_Festival

About ArcLight Cinemas


ArcLight Cinemas, created by Pacific Theatres, a privately owned, Los Angeles based company with 60 years of theatrical exhibition history throughout California, Hawaii and Washington is a premiere moviegoing experience with an unparalleled commitment to bringing a variety of rich cinematic content to moviegoers in all markets. ArcLight Cinemas operates eight theaters in California including Hollywood, Pasadena, Sherman Oaks, El Segundo, Santa Monica, Culver City and La Jolla, as well as one theater in Bethesda, Md, Chicago and Glenview, Ill, with a new location in Boston for early 2018. ArcLight also owns and operates the historic Cinerama Dome and programs the TCL Chinese Theatre and IMAX in Hollywood. Pacific Theatres currently operates theaters in Los Angeles that include The Grove and The Americana at Brand in Glendale, Calif. Additional information about ArcLight Cinemas is available at
ArcLight Cinemas

Follow ArcLight Cinemas:
www.facebook.com/arclightcinemas
www.twitter.com/arclightcinemas
www.youtube.com/arclightcinema
www.instagram.com/arclightcinemas


Partnership extends lineup to the end of 2016

LOS ANGELES (June 8, 2016) — ArcLight Cinemas and Slamdance continue to bring audiences independent films direct from the Festival circuit in the ArcLight Presents Slamdance Cinema Club through the end of 2016. Now in its second year, the monthly series screens films across the country at both the ArcLight Hollywood and ArcLight Chicago locations. Films featured in the upcoming series include award-winning and audience favorites from the Slamdance Film Festival and beyond, including: Excursions, If There's A Hell Below, MAD, Embers, Driftwood, Before The Sun Explodes, Alvin's Harmonious World Of Opposites, Myrtle Beach, Neptune, Slamdance Anarchy Shorts, and SMASH. Both ArcLight locations will screen two films each month followed by a filmmaker Q&A, with surprise guests and moderators.

“We are excited for audiences to embrace these incredibly diverse independent films, as well as showcasing Slamdance Anarchy Shorts program. It’s partnerships like this that continue to make ArcLight’s programming unique,” said Gretchen McCourt, Executive Vice President, Cinema Programming, ArcLight Cinemas.

Upcoming dates for ArcLight Presents Slamdance Cinema Club in Hollywood and Chicago:

Excursions
by Daniel Martinico
Hollywood – July 10th
Chicago - July 20th

In the hopes of revitalizing their marriage, a husband and wife retreat to a remote cabin getaway with some longtime friends. Their pleasant interaction quickly assumes a relentless intensity as they push one another, mentally and physically, towards transcendence. The shortcut to enlightenment, however, has unexpected consequences.
 
If There’s A Hell Below
by Nathan Williams
Hollywood - July 11th
Chicago - July 21st

Abe is an ambitious young journalist. Debra claims to work in national security with a serious revelation to leak. She insists on meeting Abe in a desolate place in the American West—perhaps because it is near her undisclosed work site, or perhaps because she will only reveal her information in absolute isolation. In minutes they will meet. An hour later, one of them will be dead.

MAD
by Robert Putka
Hollywood - August 14th
Chicago - August 24th

After a late-in-life divorce, and compounded by bi-polar disorder, Mel finds herself in a psych ward. Her two daughters, Connie and Casey, facing varying problems of their own, would rather dodge the responsibility than care for her. Personal grievances, both petty and pointed, bubble to the surface.
 
Embers
by Claire Carré
Hollywood - August 7th
Chicago - August 25th

After a global neurological epidemic, those who remain search for meaning and connection in a world without memory. Five interwoven stories each explore a different facet of life without memory in a future that has no past.
 
Driftwood
by Paul Taylor
Hollywood - September 18th
Chicago - September 28th

A young woman washes ashore and is claimed by an older man in this intricately layered, dialogue-free exploration of familial roles, isolation and captivity.

Before The Sun Explodes
by Debra Eisenstadt
Hollywood - September 19th
Chicago - September 29th

Ken Cooper was a successful comedian in the 1990's, but his single-guy jokes are irrelevant twenty years later. Now he's an anxiety ridden, stay-at-home dad, clinging to a TV show dream that his breadwinner wife doesn't believe in. Tonight could be a big break for Ken- a final shot at selling his pitch. But after an epic fight with his wife, Ken's no longer welcome home. Their clash alters everything- on stage and off. Ken’s crushed, with nowhere to turn, until he meets Holly; a bright, charismatic comedienne, who lures him out of his shell and into her bizarre world. Their very real connection leads to a somewhat surreal, unforgettable and possibly unforgivable night.


Alvin’s Harmonious World Of Opposites
by Platon Theodoris
Hollywood - October 9th
Chicago - October 19th

Alvin spends his days working as a Japanese translator, carefully creating the illusion of everyday normality. But then there is all that panda stuff, the good- looking girl downstairs that Alvin spies on but can't summon the courage to approach and the mysterious substance that just keeps dripping from the ceiling. When his crazed and angry neighbor goes on a crusade to rid the block of units of a suspected flea infestation and with tensions in his life and home increasing - Alvin is forced into the ceiling to investigate. In order to bring back peace and harmony Alvin must face his captive emotions and accept the stains that permeate his sheltered existence.

The Million Dollar Duck
by Brian Golden Davis
Hollywood - October 10th
Chicago - October 20th

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, simultaneously spawning a uniquely American subculture brimming with talent, ego, art, controversy, big money, and migratory waterfowl.  Following six wildlife artists striving to win “the Olympics of wildlife art,” THE MILLION DOLLAR DUCK brings to life the high tension competition as one by one each is eliminated, leaving a winner whose life will be changed forever.

Myrtle Beach
by Neil Rough & Michael Fuller
Hollywood - November 13th
Chicago - November 23rd

Like a darker, less whimsical version of Vernon Florida, Myrtle Beach profiles a charismatic cast of local eccentrics, survivors, and lone wolves. Disarmingly quiet and visually arresting, these candid monologues and conversations gently coax disparate world views to the fore a fix a circumspect gaze on the uncharted flip side of life in resort towns.

Neptune
by Derek Kimball
Hollywood - November 14th
Chicago - November 24th

Raised in a church by the island’s insular priest, Hannah Newcombe has led a sheltered life. She plans on attending a prestigious boarding school on the mainland at the summer’s end, but the sudden disappearance of a classmate, swallowed by the sea, leads her to reexamine her ambitions. Hannah’s quiet obsession with the missing boy grows, leading to haunting dreams and visions. To pacify them, she vies to fill the missing boy’s role as a stern-man on his father’s lobster boat.  Now, torn between her commitment to the man who raised her and the man she hopes to save, Hannah is confronted with questions of her own identity for the first time.
 

Slamdance Anarchy Shorts
Hollywood - December 11th
Chicago - December 21st

Slamdance was born out of an oppositional, D.I.Y. gesture, and Anarchy is our attempt to recapture the early spirit of the festival. The casual cinephile might associate the Anarchy program with avant-garde, transgressive, or underground cinema. It is all of these things and none of them. We like to think of Anarchy as an anti-genre. It is a form of resistance to dominant cultural paradigms. The films value innovation of form, violation of taboo, and disdain for institutional modes of representation.

SMASH
by Kevin J Burroughs
Hollywood - December 12th
Chicago - December 22nd

In a small town, tucked deep in rural Florida, a group of blue-collar folks gather to participate in a bi-annual wild event, Figure-8 School Bus Racing! Nineteen full size busses pack a 3/8 mile figure-8 track and race twenty harrowing laps to crown a victor. Smash follows three drivers and the track promoter during a three-week push to prepare for race night.

To reserve seats and learn more about upcoming titles visit ArcLight Cinemas at: www.arclightcinemas.com/news/ArcLight-Presents-Slamdance-Cinema-Club
 

About ArcLight Cinemas


ArcLight Cinemas, created by Pacific Theatres, a privately owned, Los Angeles based company with 60 years of theatrical exhibition history throughout California, Hawaii and Washington is a premiere moviegoing experience with an unparalleled commitment to bringing a variety of rich cinematic content to moviegoers in all markets. ArcLight Cinemas operates eight theaters in California including Hollywood, Pasadena, Sherman Oaks, El Segundo, Santa Monica, Culver City and La Jolla, as well as one theater in Bethesda, Md, Chicago and Glenview, Ill, with a new location in Boston for early 2018. ArcLight also owns and operates the historic Cinerama Dome and programs the TCL Chinese Theatre and IMAX in Hollywood. Pacific Theatres currently operates theaters in Los Angeles that include The Grove and The Americana at Brand in Glendale, Calif. Additional information about ArcLight Cinemas is available at
ArcLight Cinemas

Follow ArcLight Cinemas:
www.facebook.com/arclightcinemas
www.twitter.com/arclightcinemas
www.youtube.com/arclightcinema
www.instagram.com/arclightcinemas


About Slamdance


Slamdance is a community, a year-round experience, and a statement. Established in 1995 by a wild bunch of filmmakers who were tired of relying on a large, oblique system to showcase their work, Slamdance has proven, year after year, that when it comes to recognizing talent and launching careers, independent and grassroots communities can do it themselves.

Slamdance alums are responsible for the programming and organization of the festival. With a variety of backgrounds, interests, and talents, but with no individual filmmaker’s vote meaning more than any other’s, Slamdance’s programming and organizing committees have been able to stay close to the heart of low budget and do-it-yourself filmmaking. In this way, Slamdance continues to grow and exemplify its mantra: By Filmmakers, For Filmmakers.
 
Submissions are currently open for the 2017 Slamdance Film Festival that will run 20-26 January in Park City, Utah.  

Notable Slamdance alumni who first gained notice at the festival include: Christopher Nolan (Interstellar), 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), Jeremy Saulnier (Blue Ruin), Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses), Lynn Shelton (Humpday) and Matt Johnson (Operation Avalanche). Box Office Mojo reports alumni who first showed their work at Slamdance have earned over $11.5 billion at the Box Office to date.

In addition to the Festival, Slamdance serves emerging artists and a growing audience with several year-round activities. These include the popular Slamdance Screenplay Competition, the traveling On The Road screening events, the Anarchy Workshop for student filmmakers, and The ArcLight Presents Slamdance Cinema Club – a monthly cinema club partnership with ArcLight Cinemas based at the ArcLight Hollywood and ArcLight Chicago, with two screenings and filmmaker Q&A’s each month: https://www.arclightcinemas.com/en/news/arclight-presents-slamdance-cinema-club

In January 2015, Hulu partnered with Slamdance Studios to offer a new film collection from Festival alumni. The nascent but already profitable venture allows viewers to access Slamdance Studios on Hulu at http://www.hulu.com/companies/slamdance

Slamdance Presents is a new distribution arm established to access broader distribution of independent films made or acquired by Slamdance Studios. The goal is to build the popularity of independent films and support filmmakers on a commercial level through theatrical releases. The Resurrection of Jake The Snake is the first film to be released by the company. The documentary reached number one on iTunes in December, 2015.

In November, 2015, Slamdance announced DIG, a new digital, interactive and gaming showcase dedicated to emerging independent artists working in hybrid, immersive and developing forms of digital media art. Ten works were featured in the inaugural DIG show that opened in Los Angeles at Big Pictures Los Angeles on December 4, running through December 13, 2015. The show was also featured at the 2016 Slamdance Film Festival. Slamdance is currently accepting DIG submissions for its next showcase that will open November 26 - December 3, 2016 and form part of the 2017 Film Festival.

2016 Slamdance Film Festival Sponsors include Blackmagic Design, Distribber, CreativeFuture, Directors Guild of America, Kodak, Digital Bolex, The International Fusion Doc Challenge, Carhartt, Different By Design, Pierce Law Group LLP, G-Technology, Media Storage Group, Writers Guild Of America West, Salt Lake City's Slug Magazine, Beehive Distilling, and BlueStar Café. Slamdance is proud to partner with sponsors who support emerging artists and filmmakers.

Additional information about the Slamdance is available at www.slamdance.com

Connect with Slamdance: 
Facebook: SlamdanceFilmFestival
Twitter: @slamdance
Instagram: @slamogram
 
Additional References:
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slamdance_Film_Festival
 
Press Contact:
Annie Jeeves / Cinematic Red
annie@cinematicred.com


 
  Getting more posts...