Ruby Mountain Film Festival August 11-14, 2011
Call for Entries Final Deadline: May 15, 2011

Contact Information:
Ruby Mountain Film Festival
PO Box 2776
Elko Nevada USA 89803
phone number 775-299-4484 
 

WEBSITE
http://rubymountainfilmfestival.org/about.html

The team

Festival founder CEO: Kurt James Stefka kjs@rubymountainfilmfestival.org

submissions@rubymountainfilmfestival.org

OUR MISSION

The Ruby Mountain Film Festival is dedicated to the exhibition and nurturing of film and video as an art. The RMFF presents a full range of storytelling through visual arts from independent and student filmmakers to big budget major motion pictures with a particular emphasis on low budget feature films, student films and westerns.

OUR VISION

The RMFF is an annual event which takes place August 11-14 in Elko, Nevada. The film industry is constantly searching for creative, new artistic talent and vision. We seek to unite filmmakers with industry experts, students, educators and film lovers for an aspiring four day celebration of storytelling through visual arts. As a spotlight for programming RMFF will have a special film category award called The Ruby Award. This will be given to the best western film.

Sixty years ago Lowell Thomas called Elko "the last real cow town in the American West." Film buffs and movie goers have enjoyed 100's of Western films since that time. There has been a huge revival of Western films from "No Country for Old Men" and "3:10 to Yuma" recently to "True Grit" currently. RMFF will offer a retrospect of the modern depictions of the American Cowboy as it was the Western movies which shaped the worlds view of the West.

Although the Elko area is known by many as "Cowboy Country" its love of the cinematic experience has ties back to the 1940's. Older Elkoans may still remember the day when Hollywood Rancheros such as Bing Crosby, Joel McRae, and Jimmy Stewart owned ranches nearby and roamed about providing glamour and sophistication to the area. Elko entered a golden age at the end of the 1940's.

On February 7, 1948 Bing Crosby was named "Honorary Mayor of Elko" and held that post until his death in 1977. In July 1950 Bing Crosby also became a member of the Western Shoshone-Paiute tribe at Owyhee, near Elko. His Indian name was "Sond-Hoo-Vi-A-Gund" (the man of many songs). On July 30, 1951 Bing was in Elko for the world premier of "Here Comes the Groom". The movie premiered at the Hunter Theater, which is now the Commercial Casino parking lot.

In 1985 Cowboy Poetry was revived again and in 2000 received its national title. In 2005 the Western film "Don't Come Knocking" was shot and set in Elko. The film was directed by Wim Wenders and co-written by Wenders and the film's star Sam Shepard. Local saddle maker The J.M. Capriola Co. not only does worldwide business making saddles right upstairs in their shop but has notably made saddles for President Reagan, Sylvester Stallone and Harrison Ford. If you are not careful, you just might bump into an actor or filmmaker in Elko today.

FUNDING

The festival is an annual event organized as a non-profit with state and federal tax exempt status under the irs code 501 (c) 3. Corporate sponsors, non-corporate donations, private donors, and foundations interested in supporting the arts will provide the funding.

Sales of general merchandise: hats, t-shirts, mugs, bags, and other items pertaining to the festival's promotion and advertisement are anticipated to supplement funding.

The festival will be promoted widely in the community. film entry fees are expected as another primary source of income.

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LOCATION

The RMFF has a full service screening venue complete with a full service kitchen, a 6, 898 sq. ft. banquet room and the 1,250 sq. ft. sage lounge.

The 11,000 square foot facility, with plenty of free parking available. The screening venue can accommodate groups of 25 up to 500

Each of the eight rooms features the following:

• Audiovisual equipment including lcd, overhead, and slide projectors, screens, tvs and 2 vcrs
• Wireless internet access

• Free-standing or table top podiums

The Laurena Moren Theatre is the perfect venue for performances of any size and has a full 50 by 45 foot stage. the auditorium seats 913 people and is equipped with a complete sound and light booth.

About the Area · Plan your trip · Photo Gallery · Outdoor Recreation

It is said that the Central Pacific Railroad's Charles Crocker liked naming railhead towns after animals. Apparently he hoped to ease the pronunciation of "elk" by adding an "o." Whether or not it rolled off the tongues of those early settlers, the town of Elko had its name.

Elko got its start in the last week of 1868 as a small community of tents, a beginning shared by many Old West towns along the soon-to-be-completed Transcontinental Railroad. By March, 1869, it was the county seat of the newly created county of the same name. The railroad's completion in May helped the town grow as a major freight terminal serving the region's vital mining industry. Nearly 125 years later, Elko was named the country's number one small town in Norman Crampton's book The 100 Best Small Towns in America.

At 5,060 feet, Elko enjoys a temperate climate. Encouraged by the high desert's open expanse, cattle ranching soon became as important to the region as mining. It wasn't long before the cattle ranchers, used to having the grazing land to themselves, began butting heads with some new arrivals in the West, Basque immigrants hired for their shepherding skills. After a few armed conflicts, calmer heads prevailed and decided that compromise over who got what would better serve all those involved.

The Basque people hail from the Pyrenees Mountains between Spain and France; their language is unlike any other in Europe. The Basques gather in Elko annually in July to celebrate their culture at the National Basque Festival. Events include folk dancing, weight lifting and wood chopping competitions, a talent show, and the Irrintzi(war cry) contest.
You'll get a good overview of Elko's history at the Northeastern Nevada Museum, 1515 Idaho Street, (702) 738-3418. Exhibits on mining and Basque culture are complemented by an art gallery, wildlife displays, and an impressive collection of historic firearms. Near the entrance stands Elko's oldest structure, an 1860 Pony Express Cabin relocated from the Ruby Valley.
A stroll around town reveals other historic buildings, including the 1869 Dewar Home, the 1910 County Courthouse, and the 1929 Henderson Bank Building. The Chamber of Commerce can provide walking tour information.

For those looking for one-arm bandits and other gaming (this is Nevada after all), there's Stockmen's Casino, Red Lion Casino, and Gold Country Casino. In addition to catering to gamblers, the 120-year-old Commercial Hotel has the distinction of displaying Nevada's largest stuffed polar bear.

The legacy and imagery associated with cowboys and buckaroos are brought into focus at the Western Folklife Center, 5th and Railroad streets, (702) 738-7508. Formerly the Pioneer Hotel, constructed in 1912-13 for the impressive sum of $50,000, the center hosts several art and photography exhibits, concerts, and cultural events throughout the year. It sponsors the famed Cowboy Poetry Gathering in late January. A week of workshops, music, stories, and, yes, poetry, the Gathering is enormously popular. It's not too early to make reservations now if you plan to attend next year.

Southeast of town, the high desert gives way to the aspen, spruce, and piñon of the Ruby Mountains. Nicknamed the "Alps of Nevada," the Rubies run through part of the Humboldt National Forest. The peaks are snow-covered year-round, standing sentinel over alpine lakes, glacier-carved canyons, and high-mountain wildlife.

For a dramatic sampling of the Rubies, visit Lamoille Canyon which shares its name with a small town on its northern edge. Though three years older than Elko, the hamlet of Lamoille lacks much of the hustle and bustle of its neighbor. The 1907 Presbyterian Church, with its alpine backdrop, is one of the most photographed churches in the state. Ruby Mountain Heli-Ski, (702) 753-6867, which helicopters skiers into the mountains to tackle virgin snow, is also based here in winter.

A National Scenic Byway, the 12-mile-road into the canyon climbs past fields of wildflowers to more and more far-reaching vistas. Along the route, interpretive stops explain the glacial forces responsible for the canyon's creation, a short nature trail highlights area flora, and a few hiking trails take off. At 8,800 feet, the road ends at a parking area where one may continue on foot or horseback.

From the end of Lamoille Canyon, the Ruby Crest National Recreation Trail traverses along the mountains, at times rising above 10,000 feet. Sharp eyes may spot deer, mountain goats, or bighorn sheep. Extending to Green Mountain and Harrison Pass Road, some 40 miles to the south, the trail's first 5 to 10 miles tend to be most popular for day hiking. Fishing enthusiasts will find brook, rainbow, and lake trout waiting in quiet isolation in more than 20 alpine lakes that dot the range. The high meadows are rich with wildflowers-paintbrush, lupine, primrose, and sunflower among others.

Melting snows feed a vast area of lakes, springs, and marshes on the east side of the range. There, the Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge is one of the state's premier bird viewing areas. The 37,000-plus acres of marsh, meadow, and grassland lie within the migration flyway of over 200 species of birds and waterfowl-among them egrets, sandhill cranes, ducks, falcons, eagles. Camping, boating, and fishing for plentiful bass and trout are permitted. The Ruby Lake Refuge Headquarters is open daily 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Categories
Applicants will submit their film or video to the festival for competition under these following categories:

FEATURE FILM
ANIMATION

SHORT FILM
STUDENT FILM

DOCUMENTARY FILM
DIGITAL MEDIA

DOCUMENTARY SHORT
POETRY TO VIDEO

Submit Film
To submit a film or video to Ruby Mountain Film Festival, applicants will fill out our acceptance requirements form. this form is very informative and establishes the guidelines for eligibility for the various venues in order to enter the festival. to see the rules and regulations of participation and the entry form, CLICK HERE.

Feature Film
Films in this category can be created in any format and the length should be no less than 60 minutes or no more than 140 minutes in total run time. Submitted films should be on DVD Region 0 or 1 in (NTSC) format.

Short Film
Films in this category can be created in any format and the length should be no less than 5 minutes or no more than 30 minutes in total run time. Submitted films should be on DVD Region 0 or 1 in (NTSC) format.

Documentary Film
Films in this category can be created in any format and the length should be no less than 30 or no more than 140 minutes in total run time. Submitted films should be on DVD Region 0 or 1 in (NTSC) format.

Documentary Short
Films in this category can be created in any format and the length should be no more than 30 minutes in total run time. Submitted films should be on DVD Region 0 or 1 in (NTSC) format

All categories below are considered short films and acceptable lengths will be no more than 30 minutes.

Animation
Films in this category can be created on any format and the length should be no less than 60 seconds or no more than 30 minutes in total run time. Submitted films should be on DVD Region 0 or 1 in (NTSC) format.

Digital Media
Films in this category can be created in any digital format however, this does not include films created with a film or video camera. Films created solely with computer software are accepted. The length should be no less than 5 minutes or 30 minutes in total run time. Submitted films should be on DVD Region 0 or 1 in (NTSC) format.

Student Film
The following are the 3 categories of student films broken down by grade:

K through 8th - Students in this category may submit a film or video shot on a video camera or iPhone/Cell phone. The acceptable film length will be 60 seconds to 10 minutes. Basic editing such as cuts, titles, transitions, and music are strongly suggested but are not required. Animations and music videos are also acceptable for this age group.

Download the entry form

9th through 12th- Students can submit a creative work product shot with a video camera, iPhone/Cell phone or a digital creation on a computer. Animations and music videos are also accepted in this category. The acceptable film length will be 5 to 30 minutes.

Download the entry form

Freshman through BA degree- Students in this category may submit an original film or video created within the past 18 months. The acceptable film length will be 5 to 30 minutes. If the project was shot on film it must be converted to DVD. If the dialogue is not in English it must have subtitles. See rules and regulations for further details.

Download the entry form

Criteria for non-acceptance of Student Films into the festival include:

• Excessive or gratuitous violence, nudity, or profanity.
• Content that advocates and supports racial, cultural, religious, or gender bias.

  Films may also be disqualified for technical or procedural reasons, including:

• Any submission not subtitled or dubbed into the English language. (This is enforced for both submission and festival screening purposes. Scripts or dialogue lists may not be sent as a substitution for this rule.)
• Films that are purely educational or instructional in nature.
• Films that are intended primarily for an adult audience.

Entry requirements

• Entry fees are waived for all students films
• All student films in categories K though 12th must show proof of enrollment status. If under 18 years of age, they must have a parental consent signature on their student
  entry form.
• All K-12 students be sure to include the name of your school, teacher and grade level. For High School students, a copy of your student ID card is sufficient proof of enrollment. If you do not attend a school and are planning on achieving a GED, for example, then a valid ID such as a drivers license or state ID would be acceptable

International submissions

If you are a student from another country and you have a different grade structure and/or system, the age range for K-12 should be approximately age 5 through 13 and age 14 through 18 for High School. Foreign students must include some valid proof of age such as a birth certificate, passport, visa, driver's license, school Identification card (ID), or other credible ID to your region showing the student's age.

Poetry to Video

Click here for info on COWBOY POETRY
Click here for info on COWBOY MUSIC
Click here for info on CITY SLICKER

Entrants for this category may submit video of an original poetry or musical work which helps the viewer better understand the life of the real cowboy. Unlike the other categories for submission at RMFF, all entries for consideration in this category will focus on stories about the life of rural communities and today's real working west. We look for poems and lyrics that say something original about cowboying, ranching, or rural life.

We seek well-written poems and lyrics with strong, developed stories with themes that are uniquely Western and encourage poems and lyrics inspired by personal experiences. Poets and musicians in consideration and chosen for an "in competition" status for RMFF will be written in the traditional cowboy poetry style, with particularly strong rhyme and meter and are well-developed stories with western driven themes.

We are not looking for idealized "Old West" poems or lyrics; poems or lyrics inspired by a "Hollywood" view of the West; worn jokes turned into poems or songs; Christian cowboy poetry; or for blatantly political, patriotic, religious or romantic poems or lyrics that are not original, well-developed stories about today's working west. For all other style of poetry visit the City Slicker link above. We do consider poems with factual historical themes that relate to cowboying, ranching, or rural life

.

or

Submission Deadline: 11:59 p.m. May 15, 2011
(postmarked) Print out and include each page of this entry form with your submission. Each submission is to have a different entry form.

Submission Guidelines:
Each film must be accompanied by a completed entry form and applicable entry fees (entry form must include working email address). Entries must be submitted on
DVD (on either region 0 or 1, NTSC).

Submissions from anywhere in the world will be accepted for consideration; however, foreign language works must be subtitled in English. Films need not be premieres, but entries must have been completed after January 1, 2009.

Projects with distribution agreements are accepted. Please include a three-line synopsis of your film. Please do not send press kits or any other print materials until they are requested by the festival staff.

*All entered films grant Ruby Mountain Film Festival a non exclusive limited use agreement to use selected portions of films chosen for competition, and or use film
promotional materials to promote the festival including the rights to utilize any excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for exhibition at RMFF for promotional
purposes and/or on RMFF's website. Filmmakers fully retain all rights, title and interest in their films and all intellectual Property.

Shipping:
All shipping costs are the responsibility of the entrant.
DVDs must be sent to the submission address, prepaid. All "Cost on Delivery" (C.O.D.s) will be refused. All DVDs must be labeled with the appropriate category name. You can submit up to five films in one package, however each film must be accompanied by its own entry form with each title and category clearly labeled.

Ruby Mountain Film Festival:
www.Rubymountainfilmfestival.org or any of our affiliates do not accept responsibility for damage or loss of materials.
RMFF will not return any submissions, so please do not send us any original copies, master copies, the only copy you have, etc.

Mail Entries to:
Ruby Mountain Film Festival
PO Box 2776
Elko, Nevada 89803-2776
RMFF Submissions: (add appropriate category name here)
* Please note: Do not use registered mail. Use First class, Priority, Airmail or Media Mail. Fedex, UPS and DHL also accepted. Film entries will not be returned.

Selection and Notification:
All entries will be viewed by RMFF's selection committee and judged on a points system. RMFF will not cut, change or modify films in any way. Entrants will be notified of their acceptance or rejection to the festival by an approximate date of on or about July 1st, 2011 via email.

Selected films will also be listed on our website:http://www.filmfestivalspro.com/bulletin/11/02/www.Rubymountainfilmfestival.org.
RMFF does not pay rental fees for festival screenings. If selected, exhibition format is DVD (region 0, 1, NTSC). It is imperative that a valid email address is included on the submission form.

Awards:
Awards will be given in narative feature, documentary feature, and short film categories. Jury prizes will be given in the world cinema, documentary and western sections.
Any questions please email us at submissions@rubymountainfilmfestival.org

We look forward to receiving your submission!