2012 SLAMDANCE FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES NARRATIVE AND DOCUMENTARY FEATURES COMPETITION SELECTIONS

The 2012 Slamdance Film Festival, taking place January 20-26, 2012 in Park City, Utah, has announced their Narrative and Documentary Features Competition lineup. From the official press release:

Slamdance Film Festival announced today the Narrative and Documentary Feature Competition Programs for the 18th Annual Slamdance Film Festival. The Feature Competition Programs present highly anticipated, breakthrough films by first-time feature film directors from around the world. The 2012 Slamdance Film Festival will showcase 18 feature-length competition films – 10 Narrative Films and 8 Documentary Films, including 13 World Premieres. With nearly 5,000 submissions this year, Slamdance is
proud to present the best of emerging filmmakers who are pushing the boundaries of filmmaking with innovation and unique talent. This year’s festival celebrates Slamdance’s continued commitment to diversity, courage and experimentation of truly independent cinema.

The 2012 Slamdance Film Festival will take place January 20 – 26, 2011 in Park City, Utah, at the Treasure Mountain Inn.

“Our competition showcase reflects new approaches to filmmaking that mirror the challenging times in which we currently live. These films showcase filmmakers who have a tremendous ability to innovate, experiment, and lead us boldly into the future of independent filmmaking,” said Peter Baxter, Slamdance President and Co-Founder.

Awards will be presented to competition films in the following categories: Jury Award for Feature Doc, Jury Award for Narrative Feature, Audience Award for Feature Doc, Audience Award for Feature Narrative, and Filmmaker Award for Spirit of Slamdance. Kodak will present the Kodak Vision Award for Best Cinematography.

NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION PROGRAM, PRESENTED BY KODAK:

BINDLESTIFFS – Director: Andrew Edison, Screenwriters: Andrew Edison, Luke Loftin. (USA) World Premiere
Three smart-mouthed high school virgins, suspended from school on a graffiti charge, flee to the inner city to live out the plot of The Catcher in the Rye.
Cast: Andrew Edison, Luke Loftin, John Karna

Comforting Skin – Director: Derek Franson, Screenwriter: Derek Franson. (Canada) US Premiere
A lonely young woman’s desperate need for emotional and physical companionship draws her into a surreal and ultimately destructive relationship with a shifting and whispering tattoo she has willed to life on her skin.
Cast: Jane Sowerby, Tygh Runyan, Victoria Bidewell

Doppelga?nger Paul (or A Film About How Much I Hate Myself) – Director: Dylan Akio Smith, Kris Elgstrand, Screenwriter: Kris Elgstrand. (Canada) US Premiere
The unlikely relationship of two lonely men whose connection sets off a chain of events resulting in the loss of a thumb, the theft of a manuscript, and two appearances on a popular morning talk show.
Cast: Brad Dryborough, Tygh Runyan

Faith, Love and Whiskey – Director: Kristina Nikolova, Screenwriters: Kristina Nikolova, Paul Dalio. (Bulgaria) World Premiere
A young Bulgarian woman, engaged to a well-off American, panics and runs back home, reuniting with her drifter friends and the wild life of her past and falling in love with her passionate but alcoholic best friend.
Cast: Ana Stojanovska, Valeri Yordanov, John Keabler, Lidia Indjova, Yavor Baharov

Heavy Girls – Director: Axel Ranisch, Screenwriters: Axel Ranisch, Heiko Pinkowski, Peter Trabner. (Germany) US Premiere
Sven lives with his elderly mother; Daniel is her caregiver. When she wanders off, their misadventure to find her leads them to discover their confusing affection for each other. Cast: Heiko Pinkowski, Peter Trabner, Ruth Bickelhaupt

OK, Good – Director: Daniel Martinico, Screenwriters: Hugo Armstrong, Daniel Martinico. (USA) World Premiere
A series of demoralizing auditions and a cultish movement workshop push a struggling actor over the edge.
Cast: Hugo Armstrong

Roller Town – Director: Andrew Bush, Screenwriters: Andrew Bush, Mark Little, Scott Vrooman. (Canada) US Premiere
At the peak of disco-mania, three friends try and stop a local crime syndicate from turning their beloved roller rink into a video arcade.
Cast: Kayla Lorette, Mark Little, Scott Vrooman

The Sound of Small Things – Director/Screenwriter: Peter McLarnan. (USA) World Premiere Sam and Cara’s attempt to navigate their young marriage is complicated by miscommunication, suspicion and her deafness.
Cast: Cara Krippner, Sam Hoolihan

Sundowning – Director/Screenwriter: Frank Rinaldi. (Singapore/USA) World Premiere
A story about the relationship between a young woman who has lost her memory and her mysterious caregiver.
Cast: Shannon Fitzpatrick, Susan Chau

Welcome to Pine Hill – Director/Screenwriter: Keith Miller. (USA) World Premiere
A reformed drug dealer, now a claims adjuster by day and bouncer by night, receives earth- shattering news that compels him to return to his past and seek transcendence beyond the Brooklyn concrete.
Cast: Shannon Harper, Mary Meyers, David Williams

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION PROGRAM:

Buffalo Girls – Director: Todd Kellstein. (Thailand/USA) World Premiere
Two eight year old girls fight in rural Thailand’s underground child boxing economy to earn money to support their families.

Danland – Director: Alexandra Berger, Screenwriters: Ann Husaini, Alexandra Berger. (USA) World Premiere
Amateur porn producer Dan Leal, aka ‘Porno Dan,’ searches for intimacy despite his industry and in spite of himself.

The First Season – Director: Rudd Simmons. (USA) World Premiere
To achieve their version of the American dream, the Van Amburg family struggle as they fight against relentless toil, financial ruin and the harsh reality of dairy farming.

Getting Up – Director: Caskey Ebeling, Screenwriter: Tempt. (USA) World Premiere
After being diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease and rendered almost completely paralyzed, Tony “Tempt” Quan, a legendary L.A. graffiti artist, regains his voice through technology that reads the movement of his eyes and enables him to create art and write once again.

I Want My Name Back – Director: Roger Paradiso. (USA) Utah Premiere
Thirty years after the historic recording of the iconic mega-hit “Rapper’s Delight,” Master Gee & Wonder Mike come back to reclaim their identities and rightful place in Hip Hop history.

Kelly – Director: James Stenson. (USA) World Premiere
Having fled a provincial past, a young, transgender prostitute searches for love and acceptance in a landscape of broken Hollywood Dreams.

No Ashes, No Phoenix – Director/Screenwriter: Jens Pfeifer. (Germany) World Premiere
A locker room expose about young basketball players in Hagen, Germany who face their fears of losing and challenge enormous odds to succeed.

We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists – Director/Screenwriter: Brian Knappenberger. (USA) World Premiere
An intimate look inside the world of Anonymous, the radical “hacktivist” collective that has redefined civil disobedience for the digital age.