The Red Rock Film Festival features films, art and panels that enlighten the senses and empower the mind in Utah. Red Rock began in 2004 as Zion Flix held nearby the red rocks of Zion National Park in Southern Utah in the red desert of the United States, and the area was key to the locations of the film "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid".
The festival's mission is to encourage the production of media in both the independent and professional market that portray the human race in a positive light, and to applaud original works that redefine media through innovation, creativity and sensitivity that both enlightens and educates audiences from around the world.
DEMOCRATIC FILM SELECTION
All films are watched by a previewing committee and scored in Directing, Screenplay, Acting/Talent, Production Values and Post-Production Values. Local or international, friend or stranger, pretty or funky, famous or not: all films are given equal treatment and go through the same democratic film selection.
DEMOGRAPHIC
The demographic is well educated, consisting mostly of empty-nesters, college students and seniors. Other festivals that have accepted more than two of our films have been SXSW, Sundance, Austin Film Festival, Chicago International Movies and Music Festival, Cinequest, Cucalorus Film Festival, Darklight, Florida Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, Galway Film Festival, Mammoth Film Festival, Nashville Film Festival, Reel Rock Film Tour, SIGGRAPH, Sedona International Film Festival, True/False Film Festival, and others.
GENRE
All genres are considered. Although documentaries have been a predominate focus at the Red Rock Film Festival, festival audience often compliment the variety and diversity of films selected for the festival in Utah. Animation, arts, children, comedy, documentary, drama, experimental, fiction, narrative, romance, sports, student, horror, suspense, mystery, musical, music videos, war themes, women's issues, family, and humanitarian films are all taken into consideration. Cultural diversity is also a highlight at the festival; American, Indian, African, Islander, European, Asian, Latino, Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, Spiritual, Yogi, Hindu, and other philosophical, governmental, historical, and artistic cultures are to be explored.
COMPETITION:
All genres are considered including animation, documentary, experimental, fiction, music video and student-made films. The festival has several categories of competition, including unique subcategories of featurette and short-short.
The Program Directors may also select additional categories at their own discretion, depending on how many qualified entries are received.
ALL FILM DESERVES A HOME
One common question we ask when previewing films is "where do we place them?" We expect some films would be great to release to the theaters, others for television, some for the classroom, for our film series. Of course, we also look for films that would make a great premiere at our festival. To encourage the independent spirit, Red Rock strives to find a home for all films that qualify in competition. This gives the filmmaker a chance to give their work exposure even if they may not make the festival finals. The festival also hosts a mini-film market, special screenings throughout the year plus makes recommendations to other festivals.
FILM MARKET
The Red Film Market is a small section at the festival where filmmakers and other industry professionals can view films on their own in the festival library or in special industry screenings given to select finalists and other favorites from the festival.
Awards & Prizes
Audience and Grand Jury Awards include:
Feature Documentary
Feature Fiction
Featurettes (30 - 59 minutes)
Short Animation (5.5 - 59 minutes)
Short Documentary (5.5 - 29 minutes)
Short Experimental (5.5 - 29 minutes)
Short Fiction (5.5 - 29 minutes)
Short-Shorts (1 - 5.4 minutes)
Music Video
Collegiate Student Short
Young Filmmaker Student Short
We also have Aglet Awards for the best micro-cinema films for less than a shoe-string budget that have gone through extreme measures to get made.
Past judges have included Oscar, BAFTA and Sundance winners and nominees as well as other industry professionals such as Graeme Clifford (director of "Frances," editor of "Rocky Horror Picture Show,") Mai Iskander (director of "Garbage Dreams,") Steven Okazaki (director of "Days of Waiting,") Gregg Champion (producer of "Blue Thunder," director of "The Cowboy Way,") Gary Graham (actor from TV's "Alien Nation" and "Star Trek: Enterprise,") and others.
