FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, contact: Mandy Gauldin, 970-945-5534
INDEPENDENCE FILM FEST OF COLORADO’S SECOND
EDITION HITS THE SCREENS SEPT. 3-7, 2008
Highest film festival
in the world includes premieres, celebrity tributes and juried competitions
in cultural and scenic venues throughout Leadville, Buena Vista and Salida
LEADVILLE, Colo. (July 31, 2008) — Dubbed “Colorado’s
feisty new film festival!” by The Denver Post, the Independence
Film Fest of Colorado (IFFC) is unique in that it’s the highest
film festival in the world and the only major international film festival
founded, run and programmed by award-winning veteran filmmakers and members
of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. Established in 2007,
the IFFC is based in the historic mountain towns of Leadville, Buena Vista
and Salida along Colorado’s breathtaking Arkansas River Valley.
The Second Edition will take place Sept. 3 – 7, expanding statewide
this year to include events in Grand Junction Sept. 12 – 14, and
Pueblo Sept. 26 – 28.
Founded and run by director Lawrence David Foldes and producer/former
child star Victoria Paige Meyerink, the events focus on Hollywood’s
60s to 80s golden era of substance, story, and character-driven films.
Westword recently awarded the IFFC “Best Undiscovered Film Festival”
and placed it on its list of Best Colorado Events in 2008.
“Our goal is to present films, both classic and new, that inspire
and enrich the lives of those who view them, and to introduce the educational
programs of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences to a new
audience in the center of the nation,” explains Foldes. “The
IFFC incorporates and showcases the region’s rich cultural history
and historic venues — creating a synergy between cinema, culture
and community.”
This year’s eclectic programming includes: film premieres, parties
and juried competitions; a special tribute to screen legend Walter Matthau;
a tribute to director John Landis (“Animal House,” “The
Blues Brothers”); the films of director Franklin Schaffner (“Patton,”
“Planet of the Apes,” “Papillion”); a film critics
forum with renown critics such as Rex Reed of The New York Observer and
Kevin Thomas, The Los Angeles Times; the best of the year’s student
Academy Award-winning films; the world’s only “Cinema Train”
on board the world-famous Royal Gorge Railroad – a spectacular ride
on a rolling movie theater through vibrant fall foliage along Colorado’s
dramatic Royal Gorge; films of the Colorado Rockies; thought-provoking
documentaries and shorts; cult and exploitation films at the drive-in;
The Magic Lantern – Moving Pictures Before Cinema; film workshops
and seminars; programs highlighting the spirit of independent filmmaking;
and more. (Details below.)
The summit of Independence Pass (elevation 12,095 feet) will once again
be the site of the IFFC’s opening ribbon cutting ceremony, which
will kick off this year’s festivities with celebrity guests and
elected officials. This year, Leadville’s historic Tabor Opera House
comes on board as the IFFC’s primary venue, and Salida’s newly
expanded and restored SteamPlant Theater & Event Center will serve
as the IFFC’s base in Chaffee County.
Located in the geographic center of Colorado, Leadville is just 103 miles
west of Denver and 129 miles northwest of Colorado Springs, on US Highway
24, part of the Top of the Rockies Scenic and Historic Byway. Known for
its authentic mountain-town hospitality, incredible outdoor recreation,
and charming historic district, Leadville is the highest incorporated
city in North America. Go to http://www.VisitLeadvilleColorado.info or
call 888-532-3845 for more information and lodging packages.
For more details about the IFFC, visit www.IndependenceFilmFest.com.
Media Note: Interviews, photos and b-roll are available; contact Mandy
Gauldin at 970-945-5534.
In the Works for This Year:
A major tribute to screen legend Walter Matthau, an icon of American Cinema
– with screenings, surprise guests, and a posthumous award. Matthau
starred in over 60 motion pictures, including “The Odd Couple,”
“Grumpy Old Men,” “The Sunshine Boys,” and “Hello
Dolly.” He won an Oscar for his tour-de-force performance in “The
Fortune Cookie” and received Oscar nominations for “The Sunshine
Boys” and “Kotch.” The evening will include surprise
guests and an intimate conversation with his son, Charlie Matthau, who
will share memories of life with his father, including rare home movies
and behind the scenes footage.
Director John Landis will be the recipient of the IFFC’s “Distinguished
Filmmaker Award & Tribute.” He will introduce and screen his
personal film prints of “Animal House,” “The Blues Brothers,”
“Coming to America,” and “Trading Places,” along
with the hilarious documentary “Slasher,” and his newest film
“Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project”;
Director Randal Kleiser (“Grease,” “The Blue Lagoon”)
will return to head the Competition Jury, which will include several other
prominent filmmakers and celebrities who will judge entries in the categories
of narrative film, documentary, and shorts. Anticipated jury members include:
Academy Award-Winning Producer Tony Bill (“The Sting”), acclaimed
indie director Henry Jaglom, and Oscar Nominee Candy Clark (Best Supporting
Actress “American Graffiti”);
Kevin Thomas, respected long-time film critic of The Los Angeles Times,
is expected to join Rex Reed of The New York Observer and others for an
in-depth Film Critics Forum;
A special tribute to the Green family and their company Entertainment
Film Distributors Ltd., the largest independent film distribution company
in the UK and one of the primary financiers of the “Lord of the
Rings” trilogy, on its 30th Anniversary. They will be the recipients
of the IFFC’s — and the industry’s — first “Integrity
in Distribution Award,” preceded by a film retrospective and summary
of their contributions and influence on motion picture distribution;
· Continuing the tradition of spotlighting the careers of important
and influential filmmakers of the 1960s to ‘80s (which began last
year with maverick director Don Siegel), the ’08 IFFC will highlight
the eclectic career of director Franklin Schaffner, and screen original
35mm prints of his classic films which include “Patton,” “Papillion”
and the original “Planet of the Apes”;
A series of Film & Video Workshops is being added to the program schedule:
“Independent Filmmaking in Today’s Marketplace” and
“Getting Films Seen: When the Shooting Stops, the Real Work Begins,”
along with two highly interactive and multi-purpose programs, “The
3-hour In-Camera Filmmaking Experience” and “The 24-Hour Moviemaking
Challenge” judged and critiqued by a panel of veteran filmmakers
and film critics. These two programs not only serve to educate and inspire
the participants, as well as acquaint them with the area, but are also
designed to create short film projects specific to this region utilizing
existing locations and facilities;
A ‘Film Music Evening’ utilizing film clips, with local professional
and student musicians given the opportunity to perform under the baton
of a major film composer, is being planned and will be added to the festival
programming either this year or next;
As established at the ’07 IFFC, there will be Celebrity Actor &
Actress Tributes, film premieres, parties, and the return of events showcasing
the unique aspects of the region such as the Cinema Train, films at the
drive-in, films of the Colorado Rockies, the Local Filming Seminar &
Location Scout, along with an encore presentation of the Magic Lantern
– Moving Pictures Before Cinema, and the Student Academy Award Winning
Films of 2008;
Pueblo and Grand Junction will be treated to an encore presentation of
the IFFC’s salute to late comic genius Don Knotts, followed by a
performance of his daughter Karen’s one-woman show, “Tied
up in Knotts,” among other highlights from the ’07 IFFC;
Pueblo’s historic Riverwalk will be the site of the IFFC’s
“Floating Cinema Experience” in which the Arkansas River will
transport participants on a unique journey through the history of cinema.
The vintage Mesa Drive-In will host a 50’s sock hop and unique outdoor
screenings; and
Grand Junction attendees will have the opportunity to attend a unique
‘Screening in the Vineyards’ and wine tasting under the stars
at Grande River Winery. Independence Monument within Colorado National
Monument will be the site of Grand Junction’s opening festivities
with a ribbon cutting ceremony and VIP kick-off reception.
About Leadville and Twin Lakes
Leadville, the highest
incorporated city in North America, is located in the geographic center
of Colorado, 103 miles west of Denver and 129 miles northwest of Colorado
Springs, on US Highway 24, part of the Top of the Rockies Scenic and Historic
Byway. Once one of America’s richest, longest-lived and bawdiest
mining boomtowns, 70 square blocks of the downtown area has been designated
as a National Historic Landmark of Victorian architecture. Activities
include skiing, fishing, camping, golfing, hiking, whitewater rafting,
four-wheeling, biking, museums, historical tours and train rides.
Nearby Twin Lakes,
located 15 minutes from Leadville at the eastern entrance to Independence
Pass, is also a National Historic District and a popular summer destination
for camping, boating, hiking and fishing. Go to www.VisitLeadvilleColorado.info
for more information.
About the
Founders
Lawrence David Foldes and Victoria Paige Meyerink, the principals of Star
Entertainment Group, Inc., are critically acclaimed award-winning filmmakers
and members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In addition
to producing, directing and writing nine feature films, they have served
on the Executive Committee of the Student Academy Awards for over 10 years,
have been on the faculty of the International Film and TV Workshops in
Rockport, Maine since 1991, and served as the Directors of Education and
on the Board of Advisors for the Breckenridge Festival of Film in 2006.
They have also served on the Advisory Board of the Mount Shasta International
Film Festival since its inception. Their latest feature film “Finding
Home” has won numerous honors including 5 Best Picture Awards, and
was hailed by Rex Reed of The New York Observer as “Honest and relevant,
intense and riveting, a cause for rejoicing!” NBC-TV’s Jeffrey
Lyons calls this powerful emotional journey “Absorbing, it will
touch you deeply,” and CBS proclaims it “One of the best pictures
of the year!” Their previous features include the cult classic “Malibu
High,” and action hit “Young Warriors.” Mr. Foldes and
Ms. Meyerink have the unique experience of not only making theatrical
movies for over 25 years, but also following them throughout their festival
lives, and then overseeing each film’s domestic and international
distribution. Ms. Meyerink is also a former child star who co-starred
with Elvis Presley in the MGM motion picture “Speedway,” and
with Danny Kaye for four season on his weekly CBS Variety series, as well
as in numerous other films and television series. She also helped pioneer
a groundbreaking new form of radiation treatment for Acoustic Neuromas,
a type of deep seated brain tumor which she was diagnosed with in 1997.
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