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The 6th edition the Backseat Film Festival is back in Philadelphia on March 13-16th! We are very proud of all the great rock ‘n roll movies we've been lucky enough to show over the years, and we are looking forward to this year’s movies. Once again, we'll be screening the finest shorts, features, documentaries, animations, music videos and everything in between, with genres across the board. Student films and local stuff too! And true to form, we'll be hosting loads of special events and after-parties during the festival at nearby venues. Following this year’s flagship Philadelphia event and Award Ceremony in March 2008, the Backseat Film Festival will again be traveling to several other cities, bringing with it past festival award winners and new submissions alike.

We will be announcing our full programming, festival venue and schedule next week, but here is a sneak peak at some highlights from this year’s festival, which will include over 40 hours of film programming over 13 screening blocks;

Backseat Film Festival 2008 Feature Selections include the Philadelphia premieres of:
The Last Stand – Directed by Lucas Sabien - One summer at one of the last original stands in the Italian Market, through the eyes of South Philly native Frankie and his Dad, Joe Brown.
Dead Noon - Directed by Andrew Wies - Its Dawn of the Dead meets High Noon in this shoot'em up western horror tale. Ancient demons, walking skeletons and cowboy zombies join forces to take the law down in a blaze of hellfire and brimstone.
Been Down That Muddy Road: The Legend of Joe Barry – Directed by Carol Acutt - Joe Barry, rock and roll legend, bad boy and tortured soul. Struggling with personal demons, Barry gave up on music to pursure his life as a pimp, used car salesman, preacher and mercenary. But he always returned to his roots of the Louisiana Bayou.
Eat Your Heart Out - Directed by James Tucker - A thoughtful character study of a lonesome young professional living in New York who falls in love with a zombie prostitute. All wackiness ensues.
The Dead Sleep Easy - Directed by Lee Gordon Demarbe - 15 years after the biggest mistake of his life, a Mexican Wrestling Champ is on a ghost-seeing coke binge which brings him closer to his revenge (as well as justice) on a group of immigrant murderers! Meanwhile, he is dealing with forces on both sides of the boarder! Viva - Directed by Anna Biller - She was a housewife seeking kicks, in a world of swingers, orgies, booze and sin that was the sexual revolution!

Shorts selections include lots of local filmmaker selections and new films from festival favorites such as Bill Plympton, Scott Colonico, John Goras and The Brothers Passera, as well as Kamal Amhed (Jerky Boys), Rodrigo Gudino (Rue Morgue Magazine) and JD Wilkes (Th' Legendary Shack Shakers). Music videos include the latest from the Riverboat Gamblers, Phenomenauts, The Casualties, The Old Souls, The Dozens and tons more!
Also, on Sat, March 15 we are proud to host a Special Screening and Q&A with Filmmaker:
"Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation"
After seeing Raiders of the Lost Ark in 1981, three 12 year old friends, Chris Strompolos, Eric Zala and Jayson Lamb, began filming their own shot-by-shot adaptation in the backyards of their Mississippi homes. Seven years later their film was in the can. Fourteen years later, in 2003, the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema uncovered the film, and with approval from Steven Spielberg, this amazing film can only be seen at select film festivals for a limited time. This will be the Philly Premiere and will likely be the ONLY screening in Philly for a long time. Producer/Star Chris Strompolos will be in attendance for interviews and Q&As, coming directly from a screening at the Smithsonian Institute the day before!
Check out the official website for all the details: http://www.theraider.net/films/raiders_adaptation/index.php