It is probably safe to say that John Cooper, the Director of the Sundance Film Festival, dreams in 24 frames per second. He has said in various interviews over the years that film has been part of his DNA going way back to childhood, although his first immersion in the arts was in live theater, ranging from performance to design. He spent the obligatory years in New York City, the center of live performing arts, but in 1989, by chance (or fate), he volunteered at the Sundance Institute...
Sony Pictures Classics has taken the rights to two high profile films at the Sundance Film Festival. The company started off the sales stampede last week with the acquisition of the musical documentary SEARCHING FOR SUGARMAN. The film, a Swedish/UK co-production directed by Malik Bendjelloul, tells the tale of Rodriguez, a 1970s rock n roller who quickly fell out of favor and died, but was rediscovered by avid fans in South Africa. The film follows two South African fans who go on a jo...
Far from the red carpet glamour, the throngs trying to party crash on Main Street, the critics and programmers waiting on lines, there is another Sundance Film Festival taking place behind closed doors. While the Festival does not have an official market, as do such other events as Berlin and Cannes, there is definitely market business going on in private hotel suites and luxurious mountaintop villas. These are the precincts where sleep deprived sales agents hawk their wares to domesti...
TEDDY BEAR (Denmark)
It is now pretty clear that Vikings made landfall in North America several centuries before Columbus collided with the West Indies. If they had colonized the land, we would all be blonds and speaking Norwegian. Such, my children, are the vagaries of history. Well a new invasion from the Scandinavian nation is about to commence at the Sundance Film Festival, where a strong sampling of films from Norway, Sweden and Denmark are literally making waves.
De...
The world comes to the Sundance Film Festival from January 19 to 29. In the past several years, the Festival, which first made its reputation with American Indie cinema, has put as much emphasis on its World Cinema competitions, including sections for Dramatic Feature and Documentary Feature. By laying out a red carpet for international filmmakers and industry professionals, Sundance has been able to go mano-a-mano with such prestigious European-based film festivals as Berlin, Cannes a...
Sundance Institute today announced that Ice-T and hip hop icons Chuck D (Public Enemy) and Grandmaster Caz will perform at 'A Celebration of Music in Film' on January 21 at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. 'A Celebration of Music in Film,' one of the most anticipated music events at the annual Festival, this year celebrates SOMETHING FROM NOTHING: THE ART OF RAP, by director Ice-T, co-director Andy Baybutt and producer Paul Toogood.
The event takes place Saturday, January 21, 8:3...
The Creative Coalition announced the slate of honorees headlining the 2012 Spotlight Initiative Awards Gala Dinner to be held during the upcoming film festival in Park City, Utah. This year's Spotlight Initiative Award recipients include actress Kate Bosworth, actor and artist Common, actor and comedian Tracy Morgan, actress Anna Lynne McCord, and filmmaker Stacy Peralta. Leaders in the entertainment industry will join together to celebrate these luminaries, as well as the art
an...
Sundance Institute announced today the films selected to screen in the 2012 Sundance Film Festival out-of-competition sections Spotlight, Park City at Midnight, NEXT <=> and New Frontier. The Festival takes place from January 19 through 29 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. The complete list of films is available at www.sundance.org/festival.
Trevor Groth, Director of Programming for the Sundance Film Festival, said, “In many ways, the extremes of the Festiva...
Sundance Institute announced today the program of short films selected to screen at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. This year's Short Film program is comprised of 64 short films selected from a record 7,675 submissions, up 16% over submissions for the 2011 Festival. The Festival will be January 19 through 29 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah.
Trevor Groth, Director of Programming for the Sundance Film Festival, said, “As technology allows greater access to short f...
Sundance Institute announced today the films selected to screen in the out-of-competition Premieres and Documentary Premieres sections of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. The Festival will be held January 19 through 29 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. The complete list of films is available at www.sundance.org/festival.
John Cooper, Director of the Sundance Film Festival, said, "The fact that most of the Premieres have been produced completely independently fu...
Sundance Institute announced today the films selected for the U.S. and World Cinema Dramatic and Documentary Competitions of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. The Sundance Film Festival will take place January 19 through 29 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. The complete list of films is available at www.sundance.org/festival.
Robert Redford, Founder and President of Sundance Institute remarked, "We are, and always have been, a festival about the filmmakers. So w...
Relive the Fest
From an emergence of talented young actresses like Felicity Jones, Elizabeth Olsen, and Brit Marling to a powerful batch of docs led by the Grand Jury Prize-winner How to Die in Oregon, highlights from this year's Fest were all enhanced by the conversations surrounding the films. Whether you missed it the first time or simply must see it again, you can watch many great panels, roundtables, and awards ceremonies through our archived live stream...
Photo by Dianna Renée
High above Sundance, on the gorgeous, snow-drenched slopes of Deer Vally, Raleigh Studios, by far, threw one of the best Sundance bashes of 2011. Raleigh Studios Director of Marketing and Client Development, Michael Newport, organized the bash with Fotokem.
As guests (mostly comprised of filmmakers) entered the large, lodge-like space, they were greeted with massages, an oxygen bar, photo booth and hair extensions from Bella Via (the glittery ...
Marc Lhormer, Chef Michael Chiarello and Susan Sarandon - Photo courtesy of NVFF
On Monday, January 24th, Napa Valley Film Festival (NVFF) Co-Founders and Directors Brenda and Marc Lhormer announce the first annual Nappa Valley Film Festival at their launch party at The St. Regis Deer Valley during The 2011 Sundance Film Festival. The NVFF is an official Sundance Institute Associate. "If the Napa Valley Film Festival's party at Sundance was an indication, my home town ...
Leave it to the House of Hype LIVEStyle lounge to bring you LIVE celebrity karaoke. I went with a few friends and once Blake Lewis hit the mic with Shwayze, no one was volunteering to go next. They were an amazing duo!
Watch the video below and see what I’m talking about:
And if you were wondering - no, there was NO background music. That was ALL Blake.
-Dianna Renée
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Music seemed to be the artform dominating the Sundance Film Festival. I saw more musical acts perform this year than any other I’ve attended. DC Shoes, Skullcandy and Express presented A Tribe Called Quest featuring The Roots for a live performance at the World Famous HarryO’s in Park City, UT.
However, despite a first class ticket and hotel accommodations booked by director, Michael Rapaport, Q-Tip didn’t show and the gig never happened. Maybe it had something to do wi...
The friendly and inviting atmosphere at the Sundance Channel Headquarters made it one of my happiest places to be during the Sundance Film Festival. Festival pass holders and filmmakers who registered for the lounge were invited in for free drinks, cookies and the occasional lunch.
All sorts of people relaxed and mingled in the two floors of the lounge while live broadcasts were conducted up stairs next to the Funny Face Photo Booth where you got to dress up and take silly, photo b...
OneRepublic at the Ralph Lauren Big Pony Party, Photo by Michael Korbic
The Sundance Film Festival has become a favorite for the launch or promotion of new products. This year, Ralph Lauren introduced their newest fragrance line, “Big Pony”, with a live performance by OneRepublic at The House of Hype LiveStyle Lounge. OneRepublic rocked out in the small, packed bar of Cisero’s where the crowd went crazy at the chance to see them so up close and personal.
Ralp...
Anyone who visited the festival this year couldn’t help but notice the green water bottles everyone carried on them suspended by a blue carabiner. Brita, in an effort to promote environmental sustainability, provided thousands of water bottles for festival guests to fill up at their Hydration Stations.
Sundance Channel HQ, Photo by Michael Korbic
In addition to their environmental contributions to the festival, Brita teamed up with The Sundance Institute and Environm...
Fender Security Marcus Zavala, Photo by Michael Korbic
The Sundance Film Festival had a lot of music surrounding it this year. One of the central places to unwind and hear some live tunes was the Fender Music Lodge. With different bands performing throughout the day in a very intimate setting, Fender was the place to be.
Mandi Perkins of Of Verona, Photo by Dianna Renée
During the intimate, live, rock shows, organic, fair trade spirits were served up by Fa...
Studio on Main was the home of Moving Pictures Magazine and featured a multitude of awesome products from Fred Segal. Gifts from Piano Necktie, PaddyWax Candles, Tito Loco, Vita Coco, Patron, The Painted Nail, Right Way Nutrition, rides on Segways provided by Another Side Tours and genuine leather bags by Cape Cod Leather were showered upon such celebs as Elizabeth Banks, Tommy Lee, Juno Temple and other. Of course, I was there to sample all the goodies as well ☺.
The Walt Whitman candle f...
Jury President speaks about Directing and beeing selected at Sundance
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Ambiance from Sundance...
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On Saturday, January 22 at the House of Hype LIVEStyle Lounge, 50 Cent and Randall Emmett announced the action film project “Tomorrow Today”. Curis “50 Cent” Jackson is set to direct. 50 Cent and his “business associate”, boxer Floyd Mayweather, are working on the project together.
The company currently has six feature films wrapped and a 10 picture/$200 million deal firmly in place. Cheetah Vision Films launched at Sundance in 2009.
50 Cent electrified Sundance as he perfo...
How does the king of B and C movies come to dominate the most prestigious film festival for Independent Filmmakers on the planet? This year, a documentary about the life and times of one of the longest running, successful filmmakers in Hollywood made its debut. The documentary centers around Roger Corman, the god of B-rate home cinema who launched the careers of filmmakers such as James Cameron, Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese.
Alex Stapleton's CORMAN'S WORLD: EXPLOITS OF A H...
