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Mandy Gauldin
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INDEPENDENCE FILM FEST OF COLORADO’S SECOND EDITION HITS THE SCREENS SEPT. 3-7, 2008
Highest film festival in the world includes premieres, celebrity tributes and juried competitions in cultural and scenic venues throughout Leadville, Buena Vista and Salida

LEADVILLE, Colo. (July 31, 2008) — Dubbed “Colorado’s feisty new film festival!” by The Denver Post, the Independence Film Fest of Colorado (IFFC) is unique in that it’s the highest film festival in the world and the only major international film festival founded, run and programmed by award-winning veteran filmmakers and members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences.  Established in 2007, the IFFC is based in the historic mountain towns of Leadville, Buena Vista, and Salida along Colorado’s breathtaking Arkansas River Valley.  The Second Edition will take place Sept. 3 – 7, expanding statewide this year to include events in Grand Junction Sept. 12 – 14, and Pueblo Sept. 26 – 28.

Founded, organized, and programmed by director Lawrence David Foldes and producer/former child star Victoria Paige Meyerink, the events focus on Hollywood’s 60s to 80s golden era of substance, story, and character-driven films. Westword recently awarded the IFFC “Best Undiscovered Film Festival” and placed it on its list of Best Colorado Events in 2008. The Colorado Tourism Office recently selected the IFFC as the only film festival to represent Colorado at its major tourism expo in New York City.

“Our goal is to present films, both classic and new, that inspire and enrich the lives of those who view them, and to introduce the educational programs of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences to a new audience in the center of the nation,” explains Foldes. “The IFFC incorporates and showcases the region’s rich cultural history and historic venues — creating a synergy between cinema, culture and community.” 

This year’s eclectic programming includes: film premieres, parties and juried competitions; a special tribute to screen legend Walter Matthau; a tribute to director John Landis (“Animal House,” “The Blues Brothers”); the films of director Franklin Schaffner (“Patton,” “Planet of the Apes,” “Papillion”); a film critics forum with renown critics such as Rex Reed of The New York Observer and Kevin Thomas, The Los Angeles Times; the best of the year’s student Academy Award-winning films; the world’s only “Cinema Train” on board the world-famous Royal Gorge Railroad – a spectacular ride on a rolling movie theater through vibrant fall foliage along Colorado’s stunningly dramatic Royal Gorge; films of the Colorado Rockies; thought-provoking documentaries and shorts; cult and exploitation films at the drive-in; The Magic Lantern – Moving Pictures Before Cinema; film workshops and seminars; programs highlighting the spirit of independent filmmaking; and more.

The summit of Independence Pass (elevation 12,095 feet) will once again be the site of the IFFC’s opening ribbon cutting ceremony, which will kick off this year’s festivities with celebrity guests and elected officials. This year, Leadville’s historic Tabor Opera House comes on board as the IFFC’s primary venue, and Salida’s newly expanded and restored SteamPlant Theater & Event Center will serve as the IFFC’s base in Chaffee County.

In the works for this year:
 
• A major tribute to screen legend Walter Matthau, an icon of American Cinema – with screenings, surprise guests, and a posthumous award.  Matthau starred in over 60 motion pictures, including “The Odd Couple,” “Grumpy Old Men,” “The Sunshine Boys,” and “Hello Dolly.”  He won an Oscar for his tour-de-force performance in “The Fortune Cookie” and received Oscar nominations for “The Sunshine Boys” and “Kotch.”  The evening will include surprise guests and an intimate conversation with his son, Charlie Matthau, who will share memories of life with his father, including rare home movies and behind the scenes footage.

• Director John Landis will be the recipient of the IFFC’s “Distinguished Filmmaker Award & Tribute.”  He will introduce and screen his personal film prints of “Animal House,” “The Blues Brothers,” “Coming to America,” and “Trading Places,” along with the hilarious documentary  “Slasher,” and his newest film “Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project”;

• Director Randal Kleiser (“Grease,” “The Blue Lagoon”) will return to head the Competition Jury, which will include several other prominent filmmakers and celebrities who will judge entries in the categories of narrative film, documentary, and shorts. Anticipated jury members include: Academy Award-Winning Producer Tony Bill (“The Sting”), acclaimed indie director Henry Jaglom, and Oscar Nominee Candy Clark (Best Supporting Actress “American Graffiti”);

• Kevin Thomas, respected long-time film critic of The Los Angeles Times, is expected to join Rex Reed of The New York Observer and others for an in-depth Film Critics Forum;

• A special tribute to the Green family and their company Entertainment Film Distributors Ltd., the largest independent film distribution company in the UK and one of the primary financiers of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, on its 30th Anniversary.  They will be the recipients of the IFFC’s — and the industry’s — first “Integrity in Distribution Award,” preceded by a film retrospective and summary of their contributions and influence on motion picture distribution;

• Continuing the tradition of spotlighting the careers of important and influential filmmakers of the 1960s to ‘80s (which began last year with maverick director Don Siegel), the ’08 IFFC will highlight the eclectic career of director Franklin Schaffner, and screen original 35mm prints of his classic films which include “Patton,” “Papillion” and the original “Planet of the Apes”; 

• A series of Film & Video Workshops is being added to the program schedule: “Independent Filmmaking in Today’s Marketplace” and “Getting Films Seen: When the Shooting Stops, the Real Work Begins,” along with two highly interactive and multi-purpose programs, “The 3-hour In-Camera Filmmaking Experience” and “The 24-Hour Moviemaking Challenge” judged and critiqued by a panel of veteran filmmakers and film critics.  These two programs not only serve to educate and inspire the participants, as well as acquaint them with the area, but are also designed to create short film projects specific to this region utilizing existing locations and facilities;

• A ‘Film Music Evening’ utilizing film clips, with local professional and student musicians given the opportunity to perform under the baton of a major film composer, is being planned and will be added to the festival programming either this year or next;

• As established at the ’07 IFFC, there will be Celebrity Actor & Actress Tributes, film premieres, parties, and the return of events showcasing the unique aspects of the region such as the Cinema Train, films at the drive-in, films of the Colorado Rockies, the Local Filming Seminar & Location Scout, along with an encore presentation of the Magic Lantern – Moving Pictures Before Cinema, and the Student Academy Award Winning Films of 2008;

• Pueblo and Grand Junction will be treated to an encore presentation of the IFFC’s salute to late comic genius Don Knotts, followed by a performance of his daughter Karen’s one-woman show, “Tied up in Knotts,” among other highlights from the ’07 IFFC;

• Pueblo’s historic Riverwalk will be the site of the IFFC’s “Floating Cinema Experience” in which the Arkansas River will transport participants on a unique journey through the history of cinema.  The vintage Mesa Drive-In will host a 50’s sock hop and unique outdoor screenings.

• Grand Junction attendees will have the opportunity to attend a unique ‘Screening in the Vineyards’ and wine tasting under the stars at Grande River Winery.  Independence Monument within Colorado National Monument will be the site of Grand Junction’s opening festivities with a ribbon cutting ceremony and VIP kick-off reception.

Located in the geographic center of Colorado, Leadville is just 103 miles west of Denver and 129 miles northwest of Colorado Springs, on US Highway 24, part of the Top of the Rockies Scenic and Historic Byway. Known for its authentic mountain-town hospitality, incredible outdoor recreation, and charming historic district, Leadville is the highest incorporated city in North America. Go to http://www.VisitLeadvilleColorado.info or call 888-532-3845 for more information.

For more details about the IFFC, visit http://www.IndependenceFilmFest.com. 

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Media Note: Interviews, photos, b-roll and logos are available; contact Mandy Gauldin at 970-945-5534.

About Leadville and Twin Lakes
Leadville, the highest incorporated city in North America, is located in the geographic center of Colorado, 103 miles west of Denver and 129 miles northwest of Colorado Springs, on US Highway 24, part of the Top of the Rockies Scenic and Historic Byway. Once one of America’s richest, longest-lived and bawdiest mining boomtowns, 70 square blocks of the downtown area has been designated as a National Historic Landmark of Victorian architecture.  Activities include skiing, fishing, camping, golfing, hiking, whitewater rafting, four-wheeling, biking, museums, historical tours and train rides. Nearby Twin Lakes, located 15 minutes from Leadville at the eastern entrance to Independence Pass, is also a National Historic District and a popular summer destination for camping, boating, hiking and fishing. Go to www.VisitLeadvilleColorado.info for more information.  

About the Founders
Lawrence David Foldes and Victoria Paige Meyerink, the principals of Star Entertainment Group, Inc., are critically acclaimed award-winning filmmakers and members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  In addition to producing, directing and writing nine feature films, they have served on the Executive Committee of the Student Academy Awards for over 10 years, have been on the faculty of the International Film and TV Workshops in Rockport, Maine since 1991, and served as the Directors of Education and on the Board of Advisors for the Breckenridge Festival of Film in 2006.  They have also served on the Advisory Board of the Mount Shasta International Film Festival since its inception.  Their latest feature film “Finding Home” has won numerous honors including 5 Best Picture Awards, and was hailed by Rex Reed of The New York Observer as “Honest and relevant, intense and riveting, a cause for rejoicing!”  NBC-TV’s Jeffrey Lyons calls this powerful emotional journey “Absorbing, it will touch you deeply,” and CBS proclaims it “One of the best pictures of the year!”  Their previous features include the cult classic “Malibu High,” and action hit “Young Warriors.”  Mr. Foldes and Ms. Meyerink have the unique experience of not only making theatrical movies for over 25 years, but also following them throughout their festival lives, and then overseeing each film’s domestic and international distribution.  Ms. Meyerink is also a former child star who co-starred with Elvis Presley in the MGM motion picture “Speedway,” and with Danny Kaye for four season on his weekly CBS Variety series, as well as in numerous other films and television series.  She also helped pioneer a groundbreaking new form of radiation treatment for Acoustic Neuromas, a type of deep seated brain tumor which she was diagnosed with in 1997.