Tuesday, February 1st, 6:30 p.m.

Landmark'sCentury Centre Cinema, 2828 North Clark

Yourfestival ticket grants you complimentary admission for this panel

Tonight'sTopic: "The State of the Independent Film Market"

Get to know our panelists for the evening. . .

Sam Kitt, Producer, CHERRY; Former Director of Acquisitions, Universal Pictures

Described by Variety as "one of the founders of the modern American independent film movement," Sam Kitt has worked extensively in both independent and studio filmmaking.  He started at indie distributor Libra Films and moved to United Artists Classics where he worked with such filmmakers as David Lynch, John Sayles and Peter Greenaway.  He then joined Universal Pictures, bringing Spike Lee's DO THE RIGHT THING to the studio and working with such filmmakers as Steven Soderbergh (KING OF THE HILL), Richard Linklater (DAZED AND CONFUSED) and Ron Howard (FAR AND AWAY).  In 1997, he became President of Spike Lee's 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, where he produced films including THE BEST MAN, LOVE AND BASKETBALL, 3AM, GOOD FENCES and SUCKER FREE CITY.  He recently formed Future Films, where he is developing several film and television projects, including CHERRY.

Jeffrey Fine, Writer/Director, CHERRY

A graduate of USC's film school, Jeffrey Fine (pictured right with brother and co-producer Matthew Fine) has written, directed and produced for Discover Channel, National Geographic, PBS and others on such shows as WIRED SCIENCE, ROBOCARS, A HAUNTING, THE FBI FILES and THE NEW DETECTIVES.  He also directed the feature film NO EASY WAY starring Khandi Alexander and Alan Boyce, which won the Heartland Film Festival's Crystal Heart Award and the Kodak Visionary Award.