If you've been looking for an excuse to visit Sedona and love the movies, here's your perfect opportunity! It'll be "lucky 13" for those of you who are able to attend the 13th Annual Sedona International Film Festival, a HUGE 5-day cinephile's orgy of 150 films. Every year Sedona's film festival in the Red Rocks just keeps growing and getting better, and this will be our biggest year yet! There are 15 countries represented, and two Academy Award-nominated films: My Country My Country (for Best Documentary) and Eramos Pocos (for Best Live Action Short Film). There is an incredible lineup of independent films, featuring both new talent and some very well-known names (Julie Christie, Olympia Dukakis, Parker Posey, Jeff Goldblum, Leigh Taylor-Young, Vanessa Williams, Annabeth Gish, Steve Guttenberg, Nick Nolte, Sally Kirkland, David Duchovny, Sigourney Weaver, Antonio Banderas and Meg Ryan, just for starters).
Olympia Dukakis will be celebrated with a Lifetime Achievement Award for a career that spans five decades and includes nearly 50 film credits. Her latest film, "Away From Her" will kick off the festival on opening night, Wednesday, February 28. It received rave reviews when it premiered at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival, and is sure to be a favorite in Sedona too. The story of the wife of an Alzheimer's patient who finds friendship with Gordon Pinsent, whose wife is also afflicted, is an adaptation of Alice Munro's short story "The Bear Came Over The Mountain". Canadian Actress and filmmaker Sarah Polley makes her directorial debut, and the film also features Julie Christie, Kristen Thomson, Michael Murphy and Wendy Crewson.
New this year, there will be a Festival Pavilion tent set up at Wells Fargo Bank. Between films you'll find food from a variety of local restaurants available for purchase, live music, workshops, panel discussions, the Lunchtime Conversation Series with celebrities and filmmakers, and more. Sounds like it will be a great place to refresh, recharge and relate with other movie-lovers! Free parking and shuttle services from strategic locations should keep traffic hassles to a minimum.
SO - mark your calendar for February 28 - March 4, 2007. There are a wide variety of passes to fit any budget or schedule, and if you become a "Film Sedona" member, you can save 20%. To learn more visit SedonaFilmFestival.com or call 928-282-1177.
Budding filmmakers will have the opportunity to take a two-day "FILM DISTRIBUTION & MARKETING WORKSHOP" through the Zaki Gordon Institute Friday & Saturday, March 2-3.
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