Monthly Archives: March 2021

#SLOFilmFest, San Luis Obispo International Film Festival

THE 2021 SAN LUIS OBISPO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES FILMMAKER AWARD WINNERS

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

THE 2021 SAN LUIS OBISPO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

ANNOUNCES FILMMAKER AWARD WINNERS

Xuan Liu’s BLOOM wins Best Narrative Feature, with Lisa Molomot and Jeff Bemiss’ MISSING IN BROOKS COUNTY
and Paul Michael Angeli’s MEDICINE MAN: THE STAN BROCK STORY sharing the Best Documentary Feature Award

Silje Salomonsen and Arild Ostin Ommundsen’s SISTERS: THE
SUMMER WE FOUND OUR SUPERPOWERS wins the Audience
Award for Best Narrative Feature

Judith Ehrlich’s THE BOYS
WHO SAID NO! wins the Audience Award for Best Documentary
Feature, while MISSING IN BROOKS COUNTY adds to its haul with the Best in Fest honor

San Luis Obispo, CA (March 17, 2021) – The 2021 San Luis Obispo International Film Festival announced this year’s filmmaker award winners during a virtual presentation with more than 150 filmmakers and jury members participating. Winners of their jury awards for the popular film festival included Xuan Liu’s BLOOM (Best Narrative Feature) and Lisa Molomot and Jeff Bemiss’ MISSING IN BROOKS COUNTY and Paul Michael Angeli’s MEDICINE MAN: THE STAN BROCK STORY (Tie for Best Documentary Feature). Audience Award winners were topped by Silje Salomonsen and Arild Ostin Ommundsen’s SISTERS: THE SUMMER WE FOUND OUR SUPERPOWERS, chosen as Best Narrative Feature, Judith Ehrlich’s THE BOYS WHO SAID NO!, Best Documentary Feature, with MISSING IN BROOKS COUNTY taking the Best of Fest award.

 

While this year’s hybrid edition of the popular film festival winds down with encore screenings of the award winners concluding on Wednesday, SLO Film Fest saw increased numbers of virtual viewers this year thanks – in part – to the film festival’s addition of its Short Films, Big Voices: A Program of Diverse Voices programming and a series of panels that invited discussion on issues relating to diversity and racial equity, establishing SLO Film Fest as more than a willing participant in those necessary conversations, but taking the next step to host and lead them as well.

In addition, this year saw a huge turnout to a first-time drive-in edition of its signature Surf Nite surfing movies presentation – even with a day’s postponement due to rain, as well as its first in-person event in more than a year – a Central Coast Filmmaker Showcase event held at SLO Brew Rock. Central Coast film fans clearly were enthusiastic to see what was on tap this year, be it virtual or in-person.

San Luis Obispo International Film Festival Director Skye McLennan,

San Luis Obispo International Film Festival Director Skye McLennan, said, “We were thrilled to welcome back so many from our film festival family and have the opportunity to see several at the drive-in and in-person, just as it was exciting to once again introduce people from all over the state of California to see our films and get a taste of what makes SLO Film Fest so special. We look forward to some of them making the trip to join us in beautiful San Luis Obispo next year.”

 

Additional winners in the George Sidney Independent Film Awards category included; Meital Cohen Navarro’s OVER MY DEAD BODY (Best Narrative Short Film); Jacob Reed’s FULL PICTURE and Dana Frankoff’s VOICE ABOVE WATER (tied for Best Documentary Short Film); Best Animated Film selection KAPAEMAHU from directors Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, and Joe Wilson; and Best Student Film, SOUS LA GRACE, from the directing team of Luce Grosjean, Ismail Berrahma, Flore Dupont, Laurie Estampes, Quentin Nory, and Hugo Potin.

Other films to win the audiences’ favor included; Jacob Reed’s GUM (Best Narrative Short Film); Kris Bowers and Ben Proudfoot A CONCERTO IS A CONVERSATION (Best Documentary Short Film); Miranda Winters and Rocky Romano’s WE CAN’T BREATHE (Best Music Video); and Justice Whitaker’s RESTRICTIONS APPLY (Best Central Coast Film).

Winners of the Central Coast Filmmaker Awards were; Chris Hite and Dennis Ford’s FIRESTORM ‘77: THE TRUE STORY OF THE HONDA CANYON FIRE (Best Feature Length Film); Alix Angelis’ comedy SÉANCE-ING (Best Narrative Short Film); Nick Cavalier’s BODEGA DE EDGAR (Best Documentary Short Film); and Jo Anna Edmison’s stylish documentary, STOKE CHASERS (Best Student Film). The Music Video category was singled out for awards including Miranda Winters and Rocky Romano’s WE CAN’T BREATHE (Best Overall); Taisia Deeva’s PARACHUTE with music by Paul Kalkbrenner (Best International); and Casey Wieber’s INSUFFERABLE with music by Heart to Heart (Best SLO County).

The San Luis Obispo International Film Festival also continued its traditional support of the development of student filmmakers with SLO’s Filmmakers of Tomorrow Showcase. Award winners included; Jacob Pincus’ LAST STOP (Best Narrative Film); Akash Dewan’s WE ARE THE REVOLUTION (Best Documentary Film); Emmanuel Li’s MUSIC FOR THE END OF THE WORLD (Best International Film); Phoebe Mitchem’s AMPLITUDE OF THOUGHTS (Best SLO County Film); and Piotr Kazmierczak’s SYSTEM ERROR (Best Animated Film).

SLO Film Fest’s jury winners were selected by an impressive lineup of film influencers and professionals, including journalists  Richard Propes (The Independent Critic), Rebecca Pahle (Boxoffice Pro), Tim Molloy (MovieMaker Magazine), Jack Moulton (Letterboxd), Glen Starkey (New Times), and Kirk Honeycutt (Former Film Critic, Hollywood Reporter), filmmakers Beth & George Gage (A HOME CALLED NEBRASKA, BIDDER 70), Sky Bergman (LIVES WELL LIVED), and Patrick Lawler (BLEEDING AUDIO) and industry veterans Erica Thompson (Executive Director, Ashland Film Festival), Logan Taylor (Acquisitions, Screen Media Ventures), Robin Robinson (Programmer, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival & Mountainfilm), and Ryan Suffern (Head of Documentaries, Lucasfilm).

 

Closing Night featured the presentation of San Luis Obispo’s own Brittany App’s directorial debut, WHERE THERE ONCE WAS WATER. Along with the virtual presentation of the call-to-action documentary looking at growing water shortages and how communities are taking steps to head off a potential crisis in the future, SLO Film Fest also put together an impressive panel including; Kandi (Mossett) White (Native Energy and Climate Campaign Coordinator, Indigenous Environmental Network), Kate Lundquist (Co-Director of the WATER Institute & the “Bring Back the Beaver” Campaign, Occidental Arts & Ecology Center), Jason Haas (Partner & General Manager, Tablas Creek Vineyard), and Chief Caleen Sisk (Spiritual Leader and Tribal Chief of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe) joining App to add further depth to the discussion of the film and the issues it presents. It was a fitting capstone to an edition of the film festival that saw it continue its growth from an annual favorite of local film fans to an organization and event accepting the mantle of community arts and activism leader, giving a platform to energized diverse voices.

 

The 2021 San Luis Obispo Film Festival Award Winners:

GEORGE SIDNEY INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS

BLOOM – Best Narrative Feature

Director: Xuan Liu

 

MEDICINE MAN: THE STAN BROCK STORY – Best Documentary Feature (TIE)

Director: Paul Michael Angeli

 

MISSING IN BROOKS COUNTY – Best Documentary Feature (TIE)

Directors: Lisa Molomot, Jeff Bemiss

 

OVER MY DEAD BODY – Best Narrative Short Film
Director: Meital Cohen Navarro


FULL PICTURE – Best Documentary Short Film (TIE)
Director: Jacob Reed

 

VOICE ABOVE WATER – Best Documentary Short Film (TIE)
Director: Dana Frankoff

 

KAPAEMAHU – Best Animated Film

Directors: Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson

 

SOUS LA GRACE – Best Student Film
Directors: Luce Grosjean, Ismail Berrahma, Flore Dupont, Laurie Estampes, Quentin Nory, Hugo Potin

 

AUDIENCE AWARDS

MISSING IN BROOKS COUNTY – Best in Fest (Highest Score)

Directors: Lisa Molomot, Jeff Bemiss

 

SISTERS: THE SUMMER WE FOUND OUR SUPERPOWERS – Best Narrative Feature

Directors: Silje Salomonsen, Arild Ostin Ommundsen

 

THE BOYS WHO SAID NO! – Best Documentary Feature
Director: Judith Ehrlich

 

GUM – Best Narrative Short Film

Director: Jacob Reed

 

A CONCERTO IS A CONVERSATION – Best Documentary Short Film
Directors: Kris Bowers, Ben Proudfoot

 

WE CAN’T BREATHE – Best Music Video

Directors: Miranda Winters, Rocky Romano

 

RESTRICTIONS APPLY – Best Central Coast Film
Director: Justice Whitaker

 

CENTRAL COAST FILMMAKER AWARDS

FIRESTORM ‘77: THE TRUE STORY OF THE HONDA CANYON FIRE – Best Feature Length Film

Directors: Chris Hite, Dennis Ford

 

SÉANCE-ING – Best Narrative Short Film

Director: Alix Angelis


BODEGA DE EDGAR – Best Documentary Short Film

Director: Nick Cavalier


STOKE CHASERS – Best Student Film

Director: Jo Anna Edmison

 

MUSIC VIDEOS

WE CAN’T BREATHE – Best Overall

Directors: Miranda Winters, Rocky Romano

 

PARACHUTE – Best International

Director: Taisia Deeva

Music: Paul Kalkbrenner

 

INSUFFERABLE – Best SLO County

Director: Casey Wieber

Music: Heart to Heart

 

FILMMAKERS OF TOMORROW SHOWCASE

LAST STOP – Best Narrative Film

Director: Jacob Pincus

 

WE ARE THE REVOLUTION – Best Documentary Film

Director: Akash Dewan

 

MUSIC FOR THE END OF THE WORLD – Best International Film

Director: Emmanuel Li

 

AMPLITUDE OF THOUGHTS – Best SLO County Film

Director: Phoebe Mitchem

 

SYSTEM ERROR – Best Animated Film

Director: Piotr Kazmierczak

 

ABOUT SAN LUIS OBISPO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Located half-way between Los Angeles and San Francisco, San Luis Obispo’s laid-back vibe and serene natural beauty is the perfect setting for this highly regarded annual film celebration. Filmmakers rave about the warmth and attentiveness that is so much a part of the SLO Film fest experience, as does the swelling tide of industry pros and film critics who are fast discovering the film festival’s thoughtful audiences and unique programming sensibility.

 *Featured Photo by J Kevin O’Connor

PRESS CONTACT

John Wildman, Wildworks PR

FilmsGoneWild.com

jswildman@hotmail.com

Mountainfilm

Passes Now on Sale for Mountainfilm Online

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

$100 early bird passes to Mountainfilm Online available until March 15

After welcoming over 9,000 attendees — the highest number in Mountainfilm history — to the online festival last year, Mountainfilm plans to once again bring films to couches and campervans around the world in 2021. Passes to the online festival, which will run May 31–June 6, are now available at Mountainfilm.org at early bird rates.

Mountainfilm Festival Executive Director Sage Martin

“We had incredible success expanding Mountainfilm’s reach and impact with last year’s online festival. When the feedback started rolling in, first it was that we had captured that ‘Mountainfilm feeling’ and second, that our audience wanted us to offer the online festival every year,” said Executive Director Sage Martin, who also notes that just like in years past, the 2021 lineup will bring diverse voices and life-changing perspectives to viewers through film and speaker series.

The 2021 online festival pass includes access to Mountainfilm’s carefully curated selection of films and speakers — all streamable from your living room during the seven-day festival. For a limited time, you can pick up an individual pass for $100 or a household pass for $200. The individual pass provides access for one viewer, while the household pass is meant for multiple viewers tuning in from one location. Both passes are available at their early bird pricing until March 15 after which they’ll increase by $50 — becoming $150 for an individual pass and $250 for a household pass.

Those looking to join Mountainfilm for just a film or two can pick up single program tickets for $15 each, while those interested in offering further support to Mountainfilm during this difficult era can purchase an Ama Dablam or Patron pass, which will include special online festival benefits.

“As Mountainfilm works to navigate these challenging times we’re offering two donor passes, the Ama Dablam and Patron pass, as a way for attendees to receive additional benefits, while also supporting Mountainfilm’s mission,” said Martin.

Mountainfilm also hopes to offer a few extremely limited outdoor screenings in Telluride over Memorial Day weekend — May 28–31 — dependent on the state of the virus come May. Either way, the 2021 Mountainfilm Online festival will be broadcast to living rooms around the world from May 31–June 6.

(Sourced from Mounatinfilm Press release)

television

The 2021 San Luis Obispo International Film Festival moves Surf Nite Drive-in event

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

PRESS RELEASE

The 2021 San Luis Obispo International Film Festival

moves Surf Nite Drive-in event

from tomorrow to Thursday due to rain

 

San Luis Obispo, CA (March 9, 2021) – The 27th Annual San Luis Obispo International Film Festival has announced that their Surf Nite drive-in presentation has been moved to Thursday, March 11 due to expected rainfall tomorrow. Doors will open on Thursday at 6:30PM and the film presentation will begin at 7:30PM.

 

Perhaps the popular film festival’s most well-known and signature event, the Surf Nite celebration, which will be held at the Sunset Drive-in (255 Elks Lane) will be one of two in-person events -including a presentation of works by local and Cal Poly filmmakers at SLO Brew Rock (855 Aerovista Lane) taking place on Thursday for the film festival alongside its virtual online film screenings.

San Luis Obispo Film Festival Director Skye McLennan

San Luis Obispo Film Festival Director Skye McLennan said, “We have been monitoring the weather patterns for awhile now and knew there was the potential for rain tomorrow, so we were braced for the potential need to push it to Thursday. A large crowd, as always, is expected and the latest forecast has inspired us to make this move so as to not dampen everyone’s enthusiasm for enjoying the great surfing films and atmosphere with the classic cars and fun energy that Surf Nite is known for.”

 

 

THE ENDLESS SUMMER

SLO Film Fest’s one-of-a-kind surfing film event at the Sunset Drive-In will feature a double feature of Brent Storm’s new WHITE RHINO and Bruce Brown’s all-time surfing classic THE ENDLESS SUMMER (1965). WHITE RHINO features the surfers and the photographers who followed them during three historic swells hitting the beaches of the South Pacific in 2011-12. Brown’s THE ENDLESS SUMMER, which follows two young surfers chasing the perfect wave, may be the most iconic surfing documentary ever made. Surf Nite will also include the traditional appearance of some classic 60’s surfing autos to add to the atmosphere of what could be called the “Rocky Horror Picture Show” for the surfing film lover.

 

Passes are now on sale and information on the film festival can be found at https://slofilmfest.org.

ABOUT SAN LUIS OBISPO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Located half-way between Los Angeles and San Francisco, San Luis Obispo’s laid-back vibe and serene natural beauty is the perfect setting for this highly regarded annual film celebration. Filmmakers rave about the warmth and attentiveness that is so much a part of the SLO Film fest experience, as does the swelling tide of industry pros and film critics who are fast discovering the film festival’s thoughtful audiences and unique programming sensibility.

PRESS CONTACT

John Wildman

Wildworks PR,  (323) 600-3165

FilmsGoneWild.com

jswildman@hotmail.com,

 

#SLOFilmFest, San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, television

The 2021 San Luis Obispo International Film Festival Announces A Program of Diverse Voices

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

PRESS RELEASE

Film festival teams with City of San Luis Obispo to
amplify discussions of inclusion and racial equity

San Luis Obispo, CA (March 8, 2021) – On the eve of the 27th Annual San Luis Obispo International Film Festival (March 9-14), SLO Film Fest teams with the City of San Luis Obispo to highlight the brand new free-to-the-public Short Films, Big Stories: A Program of Diverse Voices, designed to amplify discussions of inclusion and racial equity in the arts and elsewhere.

As the film festival begins the transition process to bringing back beloved events like Wednesday night’s Surf Nite celebration, which will be held at the Sunset Drive-in (255 Elks Lane), Festival Director Skye McLennan and Artistic Director Wendy Eidson have also worked to take more of a leadership approach regarding engaging the community and connecting them with filmmakers and notable speakers in the interest of furthering discussion and inspiring change in terms of illuminating the issues, concerns, and hopes among an array of under-represented groups.

 

San Luis Obispo Film Festival Director Skye McLennan

San Luis Obispo Film Festival Director Skye McLennan said, “The intent of this program is to continue to be a platform for diverse voices in our community of San Luis Obispo. The murder of George Floyd last year and the increase in the Black Lives Matter protests that followed only amplified the need for more diversity within the arts and how crucially important representation can be. We designed this program to be free and accessible to all and an opportunity for all audiences to fall in love with film festivals and the power of the cinema. This collection of films and panels aims to inspire, stimulate and engage our community and others to participate in creating change. Through the grant received by the City of SLO we are able to pay the filmmakers, programmers, and panelists and this is something we hope to continue to expand and grow and be able to offer more opportunities in the future.”

 

Programmed by Courtney Haile, the Co-Founder of R.A.C.E Matters, Short Films, Big Stories: A Program of Diverse Voices, the short film program features both narrative and documentary films from BIPOC filmmakers, whose visions amplify unique stories and experiences. The accompanying panel discussions promise lively conversations from both grassroots and studio motion picture creative change-makers.

The films include; Kris Bowers and Ben Proudfoot’s A CONCERTO IS A CONVERSATION, about a virtuoso jazz pianist and film composer who tracks his family’s lineage through his 91-year-old grandfather from Jim Crow Florida to the Walt Disney Concert Hall; Orion Rose Kelly and Pedro Cota’s IN THEIR FIGHT, which follows a group of women bravely fighting back as they track the growing violence, learn self-defense, and challenge the systems failing to keep them safe; Keith Powell’s IN WHITE PLACES, about a young black man receiving a mysterious package upon moving into a new community; Jess de la Merced’s PHONY, which focuses on a young Asian American woman with anger issues trying to keep in together during a shopping trip with her mom; and Ciara Lacy’s THIS IS THE WAY WE RISE, which follows a Native Hawaiian slam poet who utilizes her art to protect sacred mountaintop sites atop Maunakea, Hawaii.

Virtual free-to-the-public panels include From the Bottom Up: Building Representation in Film on Thursday, March 11 at 6:00PM PST, with film experts discussing ways to build racial equity and diversity from production to distribution, and Power of Media to Promote Social Justice on Saturday, March 13 at 4:00PM PST, which will bring together local organizations to talk about the power and pros and cons of media for activism.

 

SLO Film Fest also announced an impressive lineup of jury members, including journalists  Richard Propes (The Independent Critic), Rebecca Pahle (Boxoffice Pro), Tim Molloy (MovieMaker Magazine), Jack Moulton (Letterboxd), Glen Starkey (New Times), and Kirk Honeycutt (Former Film Critic, Hollywood Reporter), filmmakers Beth & George Gage (A HOME CALLED NEBRASKA, BIDDER 70), Sky Bergman (LIVES WELL LIVED), and Patrick Lawler (BLEEDING AUDIO) and industry veterans Erica Thompson (Executive Director, Ashland Film Festival), Logan Taylor (Acquisitions, Screen Media Ventures), Robin Robinson (Programmer, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival & Mountainfilm), and Ryan Suffern (Head of Documentaries, Lucasfilm).

Passes are now on sale and information on the film festival can be found at https://slofilmfest.org.

 

SHORT FILMS, BIG STORIES: A PROGRAM OF DIVERSE VOICES

A CONCERTO IS A CONVERSATION

Directors: Kris Bowers, Ben Proudfoot

Country: USA, Running Time: 13 min

 

IN THEIR FIGHT

Directors: Orion Rose Kelly, Pedro Cota

Country: USA/Brazil, Running Time: 23 min

 

IN WHITE PLACES

Director: Keith Powell

Countries: USA, Running Time: 10 min

 

PHONY

Director: Jess de la Merced

Country: USA, Running Time: 8 min

 

THIS IS THE WAY WE RISE

Director: Ciara Lacy

Country: USA, Running Time: 12 min

 

FREE PANELS

From the Bottom Up: Building Representation in Film

Thursday, March 11 at 6:00PM PST (virtual presentation)

Film experts discuss ways to to build racial equity and diversity from production to distribution.

Moderator: Brian Khan (Director of Strategic Partnerships and Engagement, Full Spectrum Features)

Panelists include:

Sohini Sengupta (Group Creative Director, Amazon Studios)

Ivette Rodriguez (Founder, American Entertainment Marketing)

Fanshen Cox (Actor, One Drop of Love & Producer and Development Executive, Pearl Street Films)

 

Power of Media to Promote Social Justice

Saturday, March 13 at 4:00PM (virtual presentation)

Discussions with local organizations on the power and pros and cons of media for activism.

Moderator: Fanshen Cox (Actor, One Drop of Love & Producer and Development Executive, Pearl Street Films)

Panelists include:

Harold Brown (Lorde Santcus) (Music Licensing, Connect the Coast)

Alisa Heraldo (Co-Founder, Community Roots Project)

Courtney Haile (Co-Founder, R.A.C.E Matters)

Karen Garcia (Editor, New Times)

 

2021 SAN LUIS OBISPO INTERNATIONAL FF JURY

 Narrative Features

Richard Propes (Founder & Film Critic, The Independent Critic)

Erica Thompson (Executive Director, Ashland Film Festival)

Logan Taylor (Acquisitions, Screen Media Ventures & Professor, Austin Community College)

 

Documentary Features

Beth & George Gage (Directors, A HOME CALLED NEBRASKA, BIDDER 70)

Rebecca Pahle (Deputy Editor, Boxoffice Pro)

María Elena de las Carreras (Lecturer, Cal State Northridge, UCLA)

 

Narrative Shorts

Robin Robinson (Programmer, Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival & Mountainfilm)

Kirk Honeycutt (Former Film Critic, Hollywood Reporter)

Jon Eidson (Writer/Actor, Extremely Decent)

 

Documentary Shorts

Tim Molloy (Editor-in-Chief, MovieMaker Magazine)

Jack Moulton (Contributing Writer, Letterboxd)

Ryan Suffern (Head of Documentaries, Lucasfilm)

Sky Bergman (Director, LIVES WELL LIVED & Professor, Cal Poly)

 

Music Videos
Suzanne Schonig (Program Director, American General Media)
Glen Starkey (Journalist, New Times)
David Hardberger (SLO Film Fest Board of Directors)
Patrick Lawler (Cinematographer/Visual Effects, BLEEDING AUDIO)

Central Coast Filmmaker Showcase:
Jody Nelson (Director, IRON BOY, HERO OF THE GAME)
Cindy Kitagawa (Writer, COAST & Festival Programmer)
Wendy Eidson (Artistic Director, SLO Film Fest)

Filmmakers of Tomorrow Showcase:
Grace Tucker (Industry Relations Coordinator, SLO Film Fest)
Nancy Ross-Joynt (Former Coordinator, SLO Film Fest)

 

ABOUT SAN LUIS OBISPO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Located half-way between Los Angeles and San Francisco, San Luis Obispo’s laid-back vibe and serene natural beauty is the perfect setting for this highly regarded annual film celebration. Filmmakers rave about the warmth and attentiveness that is so much a part of the SLO Film fest experience, as does the swelling tide of industry pros and film critics who are fast discovering the film festival’s thoughtful audiences and unique programming sensibility.

PRESS CONTACT

John Wildman, Wildworks PR,                                   jswildman@hotmail.com                                                                                           (323) 600-3165                                                                          FilmsGoneWild.com

 

 

SXSW

SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST ANNOUNCES SXSW ONLINE XR

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

Fantastical Virtual Versions of Congress Avenue and Red River Cultural District to Host Wide Array of SXSW 2021 Online Programming

Austin, Texas – South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals (March 16-20, 2021) unveiled the SXSW Online XR world and programming as part of the 2021 event. The condensed, fantastical artist representations of Congress Avenue and the Red River Cultural District, using the SXSW 2021 look and feel, will showcase live panels, Meet Ups, special events, a selection of 360° videos from the Virtual Cinema program, as well as 2D video feeds of SXSW programming.

Venues recreated in the space include The Paramount Theatre, the Contemporary Austin, Mohawk, Empire Control Room & Garage, and Cedar Street Courtyard. SXSW worked with world-renowned artists and the social XR events studio VRrOOm to design and produce the festival’s virtual edition, which will be hosted on VRChat.

The complete Virtual Cinema Program, including previously-announced Virtual Cinema Competition and Virtual Cinema Spotlight projects, will also be accessible and downloadable via the VRrOOm store online. The VRChat worlds can be experienced on PC, PCVR and Oculus Quest headsets.

“SXSW really wanted to create a space in the virtual world that brought Austin to life in a spectacular way,” said Blake Kammerdiener, XR and Film Programmer. “So we came together with Louis Cacciuttolo and his company VRrOOm, whose recent work includes Welcome to The Other Side with Jean-Michel Jarre, and artist Vincent Masson to create this fantastical virtual space that honors Austin, and a few of the venues that we are gutted to not be using this year.”

“Attendees can come together, explore these worlds, and watch content created specifically for the VR world and from the greater SXSW Online video channels,” Kammerdiener continued. “Stop by the Paramount Theatre to snap a picture on the red carpet with your friends or head on over to the Red River Cultural District for a party. Be sure to find virtual Theon Cross rocking his tuba or stop by the Contemporary’s rooftop bar to catch a live session.”

SXSW Online XR will also present a wide array of work outside of the VRChat world, including special live theatre performances of Finding Pandora X from Double Eye Studios and Dream from the Royal Shakespeare Company and Marshmallow Laser Feast.

SXSW Online XR Programming includes:

Live Sessions

Making of Reeducated: A VR New Yorker Documentary: Reeducated is a first-of-its-kind 3D 360 VR documentary about detention in Xinjiang, China, guided by the overlapping recollections of three men who were imprisoned together at the same facility. Part of a major multimedia project from The New Yorker, the 20-minute immersive film is based on more than a dozen hours of interviews and uses hand-drawn watercolor cel animation and ambisonic sound to visualize an otherwise inaccessible, authoritarian space.  Filmmakers Sam Wolson and Ben Mauk discuss the making of this project and the difficulties of reporting on Xinjiang that led them to working with firsthand witness accounts, animation, and VR.

Shared Space: A Conversation About XR Public Art: Join New Frontiers Curator Shari Frilot and XR artist Nancy Baker Cahill to discuss XR art in shared public space. What constitutes public art or even public space in the digital era?  How can these sites be activated for thoughtful discourse, inclusion and access?

Performing for New XR Audiences: A discussion about the future of theatre and performing for new audiences, from the team of Finding Pandora X, SXSW Spotlight program feature and winner of the Lion for “Best VR Immersive User Experience” at the 2020 Venice International Film Festival. With Broadway doors closed through the summer of 2021, this panel offers forward-thinking techniques to creating live theatre in socially connected virtual worlds. Our cast and creative team will share insights into the embodiment of avatars and the differences between performing for a physical audience versus a virtual audience.

Virtual Cinema Special Events

Backstage Tours of Mount Olympus
Come take a tour of Mount Olympus, the stage for the Finding Pandora X! The team will take you through this beautiful world created in VRChat.

Dream (United Kingdom)
Director: Robin McNicholas
Special access to a live, online performance set in a virtual midsummer forest. Theatre, music and groundbreaking technology combine in an extraordinary exploration into the future of live performance. Follow a sprite on a moonlit journey through the night until dawn. The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), in collaboration with Manchester International Festival (MIF), Marshmallow Laser Feast (MLF) and Philharmonia Orchestra will stage a live performance using motion capture as the culmination of a major piece of cutting-edge research and development (R&D).

Theon Cross – ‘We Go Again’ (United Kingdom)
Director: Crispin Parry
Virtual avatar of Theon Cross performing We Go Again. This project was devised by British Underground and produced by FKB to combine our two areas of interest at SXSW – new music and immersive technology. The motion capture was filmed at the world famous Abbey Road Studios during our Jazz re:freshed SXSW sessions. (World Premiere)

Welcome To The Other Side (SXSW Special) (France)
Directors: Jean-Michel Jarre, Denis Semionov
Electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre teams with French VR startup VRrOOm for a trailblazing concert-spectacular set in the virtual environment of the planetary landmark Notre-Dame de Paris. Also, for the very first time, experience excerpts from the show at your fingertips in the new standalone app for Oculus Quest! (World Premiere)

Welcome To The Other Side – After Party
Welcome to the after-party of electronic music legend Jean-Michel Jarre’s NYE concert spectacular in a virtual Notre-Dame! Enjoy the concert replay on a gigantic screen, enter each track in 360 and sip a cocktail in the Zeppelin hovering above Paris!

Welcome To The Other Side – Cryptoart 
Following the electronic music legend Jean-Michel Jarre’s NYE concert spectacular in a virtual Notre-Dame,  explore the crypto art exhibition based on the concert highlights, featuring digital pictures and videos authored by the French artist. (World Premiere)

 

Meet Ups and Parties

French Immersion, A Deep Dive Into the French Ecosystem
You are invited to meet in VR with “la crème de la crème” of the French directors, artists and producers. It will also be an opportunity to chat with some of the XR experts interviewed for “FR//XR: A Handbook for Immersive Producers” and to learn more about the program French Immersion, initiated by the Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the US.

IDFA DocLab’s do {not} play Meet Up
In this special edition of IDFA DocLab’s do {not} play, we invite you to meet other SXSW festival-goers, drink across time zones or join the 24/7 dancefloor of Distance Disco. Please make sure to use Google Chrome and a desktop computer/laptop.

VR/AR/XR Developer Meet Up
Come join the SXSW annual developer meet up for those working or interested in working in immersive development!

XR Industry Meet Up
Meet with other XR industry professionals.

SXSW Online XR Opening Party
Special performance by physicist and artist Byrke Lou.

Intermission party
With an exclusive AV set featuring never before heard tracks from Miro Shot’s upcoming album and collaborations from within the Miro Shot Collective.

SXSW Closing Night Party
Join other XR aficionados and SXSW Online passholders of all stripes for a closing night celebration.

Poster Gallery

Check out the SXSW Film Festival Poster Gallery, on view in SXSW Online XR. The winning Poster design will be announced on Friday, March 19.

Art Program

Legacy
Artist: Nancy Baker Cahill
In Legacy, a VR and AR experience in 360°, Nancy Baker Cahill addresses the current discrete but connected threats of climate change and gentrification. The artwork illustrates these entropic forces by animating an abstracted tree as it twists, breaks apart, and coalesces.  (World Premiere)

Previously announced Virtual Cinema programming that will be available in SXSW Online XR:

Virtual Cinema Competition
World and International Premieres of exciting immersive work.

Biolum (France, United Kingdom)
Director: Abel Kohen, Screenwriter: Jon Rowe, Producers: Igal Kohen, Katharina Weser, Paul Kirsten
Biolum is an interactive, narrative VR sci-fi experience which immerses you in the mysterious beauty of deep sea life on a dive that takes a shocking turn for the worse. (World Premiere)

(Hi)story of a Painting (United Kingdom)
Directors: Gaëlle Mourre, Quentin Darras, Screenwriter: Gaëlle Mourre, Producers: Charlotte Mikkelborg, Gaëlle Mourre
(Hi)story of a Painting journeys into the story behind La Grande Jatte, an iconic painting by Georges Seurat that we all know but don’t actually truly know… until now. Follow us as we learn how Georges went from underdog to world-renowned artist. (World Premiere)

Of Hybrids and Strings (Australia, France, Germany)
Director: Lauren Moffatt, Producer: Fabbula
Of Hybrids and Strings is a fabulatory immersion into possible human and non-human connectedness. In a forest, at night, one becomes strangely entangled to plants and creatures. Until the forest starts to crystallise… (World Premiere)

The Passengers: Her & Him (Canada, France)
Director: Ziad Touma, Screenwriter: Nicolas Peufaillit, Producers: Ziad Touma, Oriane Hurard
Enter the thoughts of one of the Passengers, and help them face a pivotal moment in their lives. Welcome aboard an interactive VR experience, in which your gaze and voice influence the story. (International Premiere)

Poison (Republic of Korea)
Directors: Meesol Yi, Cooper Sanghyun Yoo, Screenwriter: Hyunsoo So, Producer: Wooyeol Jeon
Through Poison, an immersive VR experience, users are expected to feel the intelligence of the virus and its danger intuitively. Our primary goal is to let the people be alert, be aware of our enemies, and think about what we can do for our lives. (World Premiere)

A Promise Kept
Directors: Ken Winikur, Ariel Efron, Screenwriters: Susan Abrams, Ariel Efron, Kelley Szany, Ken Winikur, Producers: Susan Abrams, Kelley Szany
This gripping virtual reality experience takes you on a journey back to the notorious Auschwitz killing center with Holocaust Survivor, Fritzie Fritzshall as she fulfills her promise to the 599 women who helped save her life. (World Premiere)

Reeducated
Director: Sam Wolson, Producers: Ben Mauk, Sam Wolson, Nicholas Rubin, Matt Huynh
Reeducated takes viewers inside a “reeducation” camp in Xinjiang, China, guided by the recollections of three men who were caught in what is likely the largest mass-internment drive of ethnic and religious minorities since the Second World War. (World Premiere)

Samsara (Taiwan)
Director/Screenwriter: Huang Hsin-Chien, Producer: Tsau Saiau-Yue
Samsara Episode 1 VR explores the concept of the Embodied Cognition. In this experience, the audiences will be transformed into different beings’ bodies and experience the world from entirely new perspectives. (World Premiere)

Space Explorers: The ISS Experience Episode 2: Advance (Canada, United States)
Director: Félix Lajeunesse, Screenwriters: Félix Lajeunesse, Paul Raphaël, Producers: Felix & Paul Studios in association with TIME Studios
The largest production ever filmed in space, Space Explorers: The ISS Experience is an epic four-part immersive series that invites you to join eight astronauts on life-changing missions aboard the International Space Station. (World Premiere)

Virtual Cinema Spotlight
Shining a spotlight on acclaimed immersive works.

4 Feet High VR (Argentina, France)
Directors: Maria Belen Poncio, Rosario Perazolo Masjoan, Damian Turkieh, Screenwriters: Greta Molas, Javier Correa Caceres, Elisa Gagliano, Rosario Perazolo Masjoan, Maria Belen Poncio, Delphine Agut, Ivana Galdeano, Gabriela Vidal, Producers: Ezequiel Lenardon, Marie Blondiaux
Imagine your last year of High School in a wheelchair. Cast List: Marisol Agostina Irigoyen, Florencia Licera, Marcio Ramses, Natalia Di Cienzo, Francisca Spinotti (Texas Premiere)

Finding Pandora X
Director: Kiira Benzing, Screenwriter: Alyssa Landry, Producers: Kiira Benzing, Lara Bucarey, Chris Dawes, Alyssa Landry
With the passing of ages, the Gods of Mount Olympus have faded away until only two remain: Zeus and Hera. Now they are in danger of disappearing if they can’t recover the box of hope that Pandora removed. (North American Premiere)

Meet Mortaza (France)
Director: Joséphine Derobe, Screenwriters: Joséphine Derobe, Mortaza Jami, Producers: Oriane Hurard, Quentin Noirfalisse
An immersive experience telling the journey of an afghan refugee. (U.S. Premiere)

Namoo
Director/Screenwriter: Erick Oh, Producers: Larry Cutler, Eric Darnell, Maureen Fan, Kane Lee
A narrative poem brought to life as an animated VR film, and an ode to a grandfather’s passing, this story follows the journey of a budding artist — and his tree of life — from beginning to end. (Texas Premiere)

Odyssey 1.4.9 (France)
Director: François Vautier, Producer: Jeremy Sahel
A breathtaking VR journey into the visual heart of A Space Odyssey. A personal tribute unveiling the secrets of Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece. (U.S. Premiere)

Once Upon a Sea (Canada)
Director: Adi Lavy, Screenwriter: Heidi Miller, Producers: Ina Fichman, Nimrod Shanit
Once Upon a Sea is a stunning, immersive trip to the Dead Sea region, the lowest place on earth – and it is our call to action. If nothing is done, the Dead Sea as we know it will be gone for good. (North American Premiere)

Paper Birds (Argentina)
Directors: German Heller, Federico Carlini, Screenwriter: German Heller, Producers: German Heller, Federico Carlini
Paper Birds is the story of a short sighted child with an exceptional talent for music. He must find his way through the world of darkness to bring back his sister, taken away by the shadows.

Potato Dreams
Director/Screenwriter: Wes Hurley, Producers: Mischa Jakupcak, Wes Hurley, Mara Auster, Jonathan Caso
Russian mother and son narrate this innovative 360 documentary which traces their nightmarish past in the USSR. (Texas Premiere)

Under the Skin (Brazil, China, Germany, Luxembourg, United States)
Director: João Inada, Screenwriters: Thamyra Thâmara, Andressa Núbia, Jon Thomaz, Rafael Cruz, Raull Santiago, João Inada, Producer: Diogo Dahl
Under the Skin is an interactive VR documentary that brings users to Complexo do Alemão — Rio de Janeiro’s most notorious favela complex—during a surprise police operation, meeting residents who face police abuse and structural racism. (North American Premiere)

WebbVR: The James Webb Space Telescope Virtual Experience 
Director: Chad Smith
Join the James Webb Space Telescope in orbit beyond the Moon and explore the universe from its perspective. Planetary systems are born, galaxies form, and stars emerge from within colorful nebulas—all before your eyes.

XR Online images here
Film Stills can be found at: http://fif.sxsw.com/media
Publicists for projects in program:  Publicists List

In addition to full access to SXSW Online XR, passholders also have access to the full range of content available during SXSW Online including Film Festival screenings, Conference Keynotes, Featured Speakers, Mentor Sessions, Networking Meet Ups, Music Showcases, Comedy Festival Showcases, Creative Industries Exhibition and Professional Development. For more information on everything SXSW Online has to offer, please visit sxsw.com.

About SXSW Film Festival
Now in its 28th year, SXSW Film Festival brings together creatives of all stripes over nine days to experience a diverse lineup and access to thousands of SXSW Conference sessions with visionaries from all corners of the entertainment, media, and technology industries.

About SXSW
SXSW dedicates itself to helping creative people achieve their goals. Founded in 1987 in Austin, Texas, SXSW is best known for its conference and festivals that celebrate the convergence of the interactive, film, and music industries. In 2021, the event moves to a digital format. SXSW Online offers conference sessions, music showcases, film screenings, exhibitions, and a variety of networking and professional development opportunities. An essential destination for global professionals, SXSW Online 2021 will take place March 16 – March 20. For more information, please visit sxsw.com. To register for the event, please visit sxsw.com/attend.

SXSW Online 2021 Platinum Partners are White Claw, High Grade Hemp Seed, Showtime and The Austin Chronicle.

(Source: SXSW Press Release)