Indie Spirit Film Festival Debuts in 2008 at Colorado Springs

The first annual Indie Spirit Film Festival will launch in Colorado Springs April 25-27, 2008. Independent filmmakers and film students from around the world are invited to submit feature films, documentaries, shorts, and animated films for screening during the independent film festival. The Indie Spirit Film Festival is the only Colorado Springs independent film festival that welcomes filmmakers of all ages, genders, and sexual orientation. More information about submitting an independent film to the Indie Spirit Film Festival can be found at Filmmakers Withoutabox web site or the Indie Spirit Film Festival web site.

Indie film lovers and filmmakers will experience a three-day festival of dreams in the making as dozens of independent films are showcased. The independent film showcased for opening night, Friday April 25, at the Indie Spirit Film Festival is Everyone But You, directed by Eric Shiveley. A cheap camcorder used to film the construction of his house was Shiveley's beginning in filmmaking. This scenario might sound typical of many independent filmmakers starting out with big dreams and no money, but Shiveley's accidental entry into story telling on film will have movie lovers wanting more of Eric Shiveley's talent.

Shiveley combines his extraordinarily authentic talents as film producer, director, and musician to deliver a heart-wrenching documentary account of how building a home in the San Luis Valley of Colorado can evolve into fate of a random universe. Little did Shiveley know that filming the construction of his house would turn into a world of quirky life-changing events including Chihuahuas, tornadoes, and a coffee shop with a pretty blond girl.

Ellen Burstyn stars as Hagar Shipley in The Stone Angel, screening on Sunday April 27 at the Indie Spirit Film Festival. Kari Skogland directs Burstyn in this powerful performance as a dying Mother in search of the final wild adventure. The independent Shipley reflects on her past after escaping the bitter relationship with her son and his wife.

Other independent films scheduled to screen at the Indie Spirit Film Festival include:

The Romanov's Last Photograph directed by Catherine Faris King
Wal-Mart Nation directed by Andrew Munger
Dilly's Program for Kids! directed by Academy Award nominated animator John R. Dilworth
Being Darmaris & Dreams to be Obama directed by Sookyoung Choi
Mysterieuse directed by Samantha Olschan
Gods of Light, Idols of Mud directed by Jeremy Moss

What makes the Indie Spirit Film Festival unique is the special showcase program of Native American independent films. Directors of the Indie Spirit Film Festival, Jim Turner and co-director Matthew Stevens say they will donate a portion of the ticket proceeds from the Native American film screenings to Native American organizations and Native American reservations across North America. Some independent film selections scheduled to screen in the Native American program at the Indie Spirit Film Festival include:

Standing Silent Nation directed by Suree Towfighnia
Reservation(s) directed by Torry Mendoza
The Enlightened Time directed by Stephan Galfas
Good Riddance Chief Illiniwek directed by Torry Mendoza
Kemosabe directed by Torry Mendoza

Quality independent films at the Indie Spirit Film Festival will be screened at five Colorado Springs venues:

Kimball's Twin Peak Theater
115 E. Pikes Peak Ave.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903

Poor Richard's Bookstore
320 Tejon St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903

Edifice Gallery
325 Tejon St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903

Antler's Hilton Hotel
4 S Cascade Ave.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903

The Pike's Peak Center
190 S Cascade Ave.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903

Tickets and passes for the Indie Spirit Film Festival will go on sale April 1, 2008 at indiespiritfilmfestival.org. The Indie Spirit Film Festival all-access pass to attend three days of screenings, parties and entry into the Filmmakers' Lounge is $100. The Indie Spirit Film Festival all-access screenings only pass for the three-day event is $50. The Indie Spirit Film Festival pass to view all Saturday and Sunday screenings is $40 and a Sunday only pass is $20. Tickets for individual screenings of features, docs, or shorts are sold fifteen minutes prior to the screening for $10 each.

Sources:

http://www.indiespiritfilmfestival.org/

http://www.withoutabox.com/03film/03t_fin/03t_fin_fest_01over.php?festival_id=6334