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Contemporary Indie Cinema Appreciation - Space is Limited, Sign Up Today!

Plus, two TFA screenings this week!

In honor of February's Independent Spirit Awards, Academy Awards and countless cinematic honors, the Tallgrass Filmmakers Lab will present the free workshop "Indie Cinema Appreciation" with TFA Co-Director of Programming Nick Pope from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 26, at the House of Schwan, 3636 N. Comotara.

Independent film has existed since the inception of the movies. From Charlie Chaplin to Quentin Tarantino, filmmakers have found great success making movies outside the studio system. But what is an independent film? And when did "arthouse" go mainstream? Taking a look at some of the most influential independent film directors of the last 20 years, we'll see where these directors began and where they have gone since.

From the Coen Brothers (Blood Simple, True Grit) to Darren Aronofsky (Pi, Black Swan) and many more (including Steven Soderbergh, Quentin Tarantino, Michael Moore, Wes Anderson, Kevin Smith and Christopher Nolan) we'll examine how these artists funded their first feature films and how (and why) they have become mainstays in the contemporary Independent film movement. We'll also take a look at the 2011 Academy Award nominees for Best Director and examine their careers as they've gone from "indie" to "mainstream."

The workshop is sponsored by Tallgrass Brewing Company and is limited to the first 30 registrants. Email RSVP is required.

Please note: Several of the films in discussion are R-rated, parental discretion advised.

About Nick Pope: A child of the '80s, Nick thrived on American independent cinema of the 1990s. Fond of filmmakers such as David O. Russell, Darren Aronofsky, Neil LaBute and others, Nick took his enthusiasm to the University of Kansas where he studied film criticism, history, and production. He has been with the Tallgrass Film Festival since its inception in 2002. A programmer for the last six seasons, Nick currently serves as Co-Director of Programming.