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Show Wed/Thurs/Fri, January 23-25, 2019 C-3 The Park Record Changes push Slamdance Film Festival into the future Programmers continue search for storytellers SCOTT IWASAKI The Park Record Slamdance Over the past 25 years, Slamdance has grown in popularity as an organization that supports and nurtures first-time independent filmmakers, said co-founder Peter Baxter. This is evident in the amount of submissions this year, he said. “We now receive more than 10,000 submissions a year, and that includes screenplays for our essay contest,” Baxter said. “We are a yearround organization, and have created the ability to review all of these submissions amongst our alumni and programmers.” Of those submissions, the festival’s programmers have selected 11 narrative features and nine documentary features that will screen this year from Jan. 25-31 at Treasure Mountain Inn. Of those films, 18 will be premieres, according to Baxter. While Slamdance focuses on first-time filmmakers, we’re always interested in supporting filmmakers who aren’t necessarily working on their first feature...” Alina Solodnikova, Slamdance festival director Ten of these films were submitted by international filmmakers from Argentina, Belarus, Brazil, Germany, India, Italy, Kenya, Poland, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Four were submitted by North American filmmakers, and four were from the United States, he said. Continued from C-1 Festival nurtures artists wavered from the goal of championing emerging artists, according to Baxter. “In addition, it has helped launched the careers of many filmmakers who have gone on to change the film industry,” When: Jan. 25-31 Where: Treasure Mountain Inn, 255 Main St. Web: Slamdance.com “We had 199 programmers who looked at all the films, and we also have a coverage team that gives constructive feedback to writers for the screenplays,” Baxter said. Keeping tabs on the submissions was a difficult yet exciting job, said festival director Alina Solodnikova. “After reviewing the submissions, we all gathered in and fought for our favorites,” she said. “Even though there are so many opinions in the room, there is a clear understanding of the democratic way we select the films. We defended our favorites and pitched them to our teams, and everybody voted.” The focus was on first-time filmmakers and storytelling, said Solodnikova, who is in her second year as festival director. “There was no pressure, just our 25th anniversary,” she said. “A big chunk of what we wanted to showcase were these original stories that need to be told.” One of these stories was Ronny Sens’ “Cat Sticks,” Solodnikova said. The film is about substance addicts who live in Kolkata, India, and how their stories weave together as they seek to score a strain of heroin called “brown sugar,” she said. “This unique film is from India, and it has beautiful cinematography,” Solodnikova said. “This is filmmaker’s debut world premiere, so the whole crew is coming in from India.” Another unique international film is Darya Zhuk’s “Crystal Swan,” a film shot in Belarus, Russia and the United States, according to Solodnikova. “Crystal Swan” is about Evelina, played by Alina Nassibulina, he said. Those filmmakers include Joe and Anthony Russo, Christopher Nolan, Oren Peli and Rian Johnson, to name a few. They’re part of the Slamdance alumni who have generated around $17 billion at the box office, according to Baxter. “But what’s more valuable than discovering dollars is the artist community we have created over time,” he said. “We help each other build sustainable careers.” Baxter said Slamdance has done that on its own terms. “We didn’t want to be another elite institution that shuts people COURTESY OF SLAMDANCE Ronny Sens’ “Cat Sticks,” a feature about substance addicts who live in Kolkata, India, will make its world premiere at Slamdance. an educated young disc jockey from Belarus whose dream is to go to the birthplace of house music: Chicago. “I think this is will be an audience favorite because of the story and characters,” Solodnikova said. This year’s Slamdance also features a merger of the Anarchy and Documentary Features slate with Stuart Swezey’s “Desolation Center.” The film is about the guerrilla punk rock gatherings of the Reagan era that inspired music festivals like Burning Man, Lollapalooza and Coachella. It combines interviews and rare performance footage of Sonic Youth, Minutemen, Meat Puppets, Swans, Redd Kross, Einstürzende Neubauten, Survival Research Laboratories, Savage Republic, among others, Solodnikova said. Slamdance’s Anarchy Program is traditionally a collection of eclectic shorts, Solodnikova said. “When the documentary team programmers saw this film, they decided it would be a presentation that will be part of the Anarchy Program and Documentary Fea- tures slate,” she said. Another change this year is the evolution of the former Beyond program into the Breakouts program, Solodnikova said. The Beyond program was created to support emerging filmmakers who have made more than one film. “While Slamdance focuses on first-time filmmakers, we’re always interested in supporting filmmakers who aren’t necessarily working on their first feature, but still taking big risks,” Solodnikova said. “We feel they deserve our attention; documentaries and features.” An example of a Breakout program film is Patrick Creadon’s documentary, “Ski Bum: The Warren Miller Story” (see story on C-4), which will open this year’s Slamdance festival with a look into the life of the eponymous, late ski film icon. Creadon is known for his 2006 documentary “Wordplay,’’ which covered New York Times Crossword editor Will Shortz and the puzzle community. “Park City is an exciting place to open ‘Ski Bum,’” Solodnikova said. “I just heard from Patrick that many of the athletes and skiers from the film will be in town.” Another experienced filmmaker in the Breakout category is Alexandre Franchi, whose 2009 thriller, “The Wild Hunt,” won a Slamdance audience award. Franchi’s new film, “Happy Face,” is about a teen who de- forms his face with bandages and attends a therapy workshop for disfigured patients to reconnect with his manipulative mother, living with illness. “Once again, it’s the stories that make these films interesting and unique,” Solodnikova said. “And storytelling is the most important part of Slamdance films.” out,” he said. Slamdance aims to support emerging filmmakers by working with high profile alumni, such as Joe and Anthony Russo, who are set to premiere their new blockbuster “Avengers: Endgame” this summer. Last year, the Russos and Slamdance debuted the Russo Brothers Fellowship, which includes a $25,000 grant and hands-on support and mentorship from the brothers, Baxter said. “If you look at Anthony and Joe as examples of filmmakers, programmers and mentors, and as Award givers, they show how our community works,” he said. “While they have amazing ca- reers themselves and, now run a studio in Los Angeles, they have never forgotten their roots at Slamdance.” The fellowship’s first recipient was filmmaker Yassmina Karajah. “She is currently receiving Anthony and Joe’s mentorship of her next project, which is being developed out of her short film, ‘Rupture,’ that was at Slamdance last year,” Baxter said. “We will continue awarding the fellowship to other emerging filmmakers who will come through the festival.” The fellowship is crucial to new filmmakers, Baxter said. “Oftentimes the film industry doesn’t invest in developing talent over long periods of time, because it likes to see instant success,” he said. “This will be very important in our next 25 years because we want to develop mentorships and programs year round.” Slamdance also cultivates relationships with veteran filmmakers through its Founders Award. “The Founders Award is given to a Slamdance alum who has represented our organization and has supported our filmmakers well into their careers,” Baxter said. This year’s award will be given to filmmaker Steven Soderbergh, known for “Oceans Eleven” and its two sequels, as well as “Erin Brockovich.”. He is the third recipient after Christopher Nolan and Anthony and Joe Russo. “Why Steven?” Baxter asked. “Well, he told us when we were getting Slamdance started to never ask for permission to do anything, and that impressed us. Here was the director of what Roger Ebert called the ‘poster boy of the Sundance Generation’ offering us his support.” In addition, throughout his career, Soderbergh hasn’t lost the indie spirit, Baxter said. “For every ‘Ocean’s Eleven,’ he made a ‘Schitzopolis,’” Baxter said. “He remains a committed DIYer, long after other major directors would have holed themselves up in their studios with an array of assistants around them.” Throughout the past 25 years, Soderbergh has been part of many important Slamdance milestones. “The year he made ‘Schitzopolis’ (1996), was the year Soder- bergh saw the Russo Brothers’ debut ‘Pieces,’” Baxter said. “Steven approached Anthony and Joe and offered to produce their next film, which became ‘Welcome to Collinwood.’” Soderbergh also produced Greg Mottola’s 1996 comedy, “Day Trippers.” “That was Slamdance’s first acquisition, and represented an acquisition that was on par with any deal that was made a Sundance at the time,” Baxter said. In 2010, Soderbergh premiered “Everything Is Going Fine,” his first documentary, and this year, he will introduce “High Flying Bird” at Slamdance, a comedy that was filmed entirely on an iPhone 7, according to Baxter. “Steven’s presence at Slamdance has been ongoing, and we thank him for that,” Baxter said. “We’re honored to present him with the Founders Award.” Baxter said he doesn’t know what the next 25 years will bring, but he knows Slamdance is dedicated to its mission to seek out and support new filmmakers. “We want our filmmakers to have a sustainable career,” he said. TO ACHIEVE FINANCIAL SECURITY, THERE ARE TWO HALVES TO CONSIDER: GROW COURTESY OF SLAMDANCE Alina Solodnikova, who is now in her second year as Slamdance’s festival director, said some significant changes are on tap for the festival’s 25th year. 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