Happy Holidays to all Philadelphia Independent Film Festival fans and film makers!

Happy Holidays to all Philadelphia Independent Film Festival fans and film makers and many good returns in 2013. We are excited to announce that we have launched our updated website for festival #6 prior to 2013! This is a first for us (we have traditionally put the updated site online in February) and we are proud to let you know. We will have a total overhaul as the months go by. Stick with us and tell your friends to subscribe for updates.
Do not forget that this year we have a new Box Office and that is located at 2002 Ludlow Street Philadelphia, Pa 19103. This is the home of Elkman Advertising. Elkman has 3 generations of marketing and PR experience under their belt and we are very excited to work and join forces with them.
We look forward to seeing you all and look forward to 2013.
We'll see you at the festival,
Benjamin Barnett Festival Director Philadelphia Independent Film Festival #6 June 26 - 30, 2013. @

Philadelphia Independent Film Festival 5 - Festival Winners 2012

Best Feature:

1^st - Things I Don’t Understand Director - Director:  David Spaltro

2^nd - Maybe Tomorrow – Director: Michael Wolfe

Honorable Mention – Santiago - Director: Felix Martinez

Best First Time Director (Feature)

Angels Around Me – Director: Stephen “Stix” Josey

Best Short:

1^st – Organized Criminal – Director: George Santini

Honorable Mention – Nausea – Director: Jeff Curren

Best Local Feature:

1^st – Benny the Bum – Director: Paul and Dan Cantagallo

Honorable Mention – The Descending – Director: Kyle Thompson

Best Local Short:

1^st - Welcome Home – Director: Danny Donnelly

Best Sci-Fi Feature

1^st – Towers – Director: Jet Wintzer

Best Sci-Fi Short

1^st –Serum – Director: Chidi Ozeih

Best Comedy Feature:

1^st Trailer Park Jesus – Director: Sean Gerowin

Best Documentary Feature:

1^st - Contradictions of Fair Hope – Director: Epatha Merkerson

2^nd – The Revolutionary - Director: Lucy Ostrander, Irv Drasnin, Don Sellers
Honorable Mention- Bailout (US) - Director Sean Fahey

Best Documentary Short:

1^st – If I Make It, I Win – Director: Roberto Ferri

Best Social Documentary:

1^st It’s A Girl Thing – Director: Shannon Silva

Best Music Documentary:

1^st – Inside the Perfect Circle: The story of Joel Thome – Director: Chris Pepino

2^nd – Diary of a Decade – Director: Jason Orr

Best Foreign Documentary

1^st – In The Name of Our Mothers (Poland) – Director: Mary Skinner

Best Foreign Feature

1^st – Duck Hunter (Italy) – Director: Edgidio Veronesi

2^nd – Zima (Germany) – Katerina Stankovic

Best Foreign Short

1^st – Ausreichend (Germany) – Director: Isabel Prahl

2^nd  - Sea Pavillion (South Africa) – Director: Todd Somodevilla

Honorable Mention – Suddenly Zinal (Iran) – Director: Navid Azed

Best Animation

1^st – Landscape (France) – Director Anabela Costa

2^nd – The Game (Poland) – Director: Marcin Janiec

Honorable Mention – O-Bon (US) – Director: Robert Kauffman

Best Music Video

1^st - Magic Sounds of Arrows (Sweden) – Director: Oskar Gullstrand

2^nd – It's Over Now - KIN4LIFE (US) - Director: Dorian G. Stone

Thank you,

Benjamin F. Barnett

Festival Director

Philadelphia Independent Film Festival 2011

Posted: 4th Philadelphia Independent Film Festival

June 22nd - 26th, 2011

#film #media #piff2011


Special selections.

Check in at PhilaIndie
or view feed via this blog to your right ~~~~~~>

Who Killed Chea Vichea? #Piff2010 #PUFF #uff #PhilaIndie

Posted: Philadelphia Independent Film festival
/ Philadelphia Underground Film Forum.

Screening's:
Media Bureau - Saturday ~ 2:45pm - 3:45pm
Random Tea Room - Friday ~ 6:00pm -
Ruba - Sunday ~ 12:30pm - 1:30pm

Amy Leonard
freeRADlab

Title: Who Killed Chea Vichea?


Bradley Cox's unsettling documentary Who Killed Chea Vichea? follows the investigation of the murder of Chea Vichea, leader of a Cambodian worker's rights union. A champion of justice and the humane treatment of laborers in Cambodia's extensive production industry, Chea Vichea was shot and killed on the Chinese New Year in 2004 in front of a newsstand on the street. Amid demands for justice from Vichea's many supporters, Cambodian police arrested two men alleged to be the culprits despite considerable evidence to the contrary. The political nature of the arrests raise disquieting suspicions about the Cambodian government, giving followers of Vichea little hope of justice or reconciliation in the future. Meanwhile, two men serve a 20-year prison sentence for a murder they likely did not commit while Vichea's family mourns the unresolved murder of a beloved brother, husband, and father.

Featuring interviews with Vichea's family and supporters as well as family and friends of the men convicted for his murder, Who Killed Chea Vichea? weaves a disturbing tale of corruption, injustice, and unanswered questions. Through investigative-reporting style filmmaking, Bradley Cox unveils a nation in sociopolitical turmoil despite reassuring claims to the contrary made by numerous international ambassadors. Under threat of death or incarceration by the government, many Cambodian citizens fear to speak out against this and other injustices occurring in their country.

Who Killed Chea Vichea? speaks to an international audience about human rights and democracy. It provides excellent insight into a disturbing situation, developing a compelling story that calls viewers to action against corruption and injustice around the world.

Movie site: http://WhoKilledCheaVichea.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WhoKilledCheaVichea#!/group.php?gid=76083065273
Twitter: http://twitter.com/RGarella

TRT: 56 min
Language: English / Khmer

Announcing the Panels and Speakers this week... #Piff2010 #PUFF #uff #PhilaIndie

Film makers and Festival supporters,

Programming is still going on! We believe we have accomodated EVERYBODY and their requests. That was a tall order. We believe that because of this we were able to get more than 17 film makers here to represent their movies. Thank you.

We have a great variety of speakers for this years festival. As of this writing, many (42 and counting) film makers have commited to speak and discuss their films. We will be posting to this blog this week as it unfolds but have laready been discussing via Twitter at PhilaIndie and on Facebook as you know. We will have many provacative discussions including journalist Jim Marrs , Actor / Philosopher Mark Borkowski , Director DAVID WHITNEY, Musician Chuck Treece, and many more... Panels will include http://Film.org on the future of film, an Animation discussion, and more!

PUFF, Philadelphia Underground Film Forum, is the sponsor of these events. All events will take place in Northern Liberties and are walking distance!

All events are FREE with festival badge and will sell out! If you would like to attend and do not have a badge, please get there early!

regards,

Benjamin Barnett
Festival Director
Philadelphia Independent Film Festival
June 23 - 27, 2010

Progamming still going on .. Attempting to get everybody the spots they want.

Hello Festival goers and movie makers,
It's coming down to the wire and we'll be working into the night. Many of you have contacted us about better days and we are doing the best we can. For those of you wishing certain slots and explaining that you can come in during those days, we are putting you at the top of the programming list.

Remember, if you plan to attend as a film maker, please let us know. Many of you are on panels and or doing demonstrations already. Let us know if you are interested as their are many people who would love to hear your story ... So you better make them good!


See you at the festival,
Benjamin Barnett
Festival Director

Official selection weekend has commenced! Stop by the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival studio!

Of course we'll be mailing the considerations this Monday as planned but of course we have begun the selection process. If you want to stop by the studio for some insight, please do so at:
Philadelphia Independent Film festival
725 N 4th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19123

Please note: By being posted for discussion / review on this blog does not mean a film have been accepted. Our film forum, PUFF, has had regular discussions and we post them as is. It certainly means we screened your movie ;)

We do plan to post as many reviewes of movies that will screen during the fest!

As usual, we are shocked by the overall style, craftsmanship, and story telling, of the submissions. The range of submissions in our opinion shows people are experimenting with film and that Actors all over the world are going for it. We have experienced a large amount of fantastic use of cinematography. Overall, our thought is that with the proliferation of affordable camera equipment, we are seeing better film making, not worse.

We have a fantastic festival in the works which includes a healthy use of roundtables, discussions, demonstrations, and more.



Check the website and the blog for ongoing discussions!

Thank you ... more soon.

Benjamin Barnett
Festival director
Philadelphia Independent Film Festival
June 23 - 27, 2010

Philadelphia Independent Film Festival - making the rounds.

Posting:
http://PhiladelphiaIndependentFilmFestival.com
http://Twitter.com/PhilaIndie


Contact: 215 592 - 1242 (USA)

#PUFF Screenings: Drama, Mystery, and Animation with purpose!

Great night...
We watched a series of movies last night that showed a common theme, great Camera work. We also screened 12 animations (We will discuss them later). Their were many comments on the ability of Independent Film to generate good imagery while trying to tell stories. But what was also said was that camera can't save story! Acting also can't be saved by Camera and that a movie is a sum of many, many parts. Their was a lot of disagreement on this ...

Here's 2 discussion points:

Day Labor by Brandon Oneill Kohl is a metaphoric but serious look at immigration. Taken from the Home Depot for cheap labor, the laborer's move about the societies they are hired to work for. With twists and turns, the people we meet on the corner take on a whole new role in their adopted society. This is a great look at a story many people in our immigration challenged society should see. ;)

Yep, the Day Laborer has taken over the set ...

and

Educating Cooper by Bryan Litt. A short story look at a school reporter who's mother has just passed away. Meanwhile, at the same time, he refuses to give into his corrupt / sarcastic Principal who will not print his essay about one of the schools top benefactors. All the while Audrey is running about the school channeling Alley Sheedy. Where does the story go and is it cliche for the older set? If so, does it give you the feeling that these kids are really going through "change" in their lives?


Comments?


Benjamin F. Barnett
Festival Director
Philadelphia Independent Film festival
June 23 - 27, 2010

PUFF: Screening tonight in freeRADlab ... festival screeners.

People of the globe,
The Philadelphia Independent Film festival are screening films tonight via the selection team. Be shocked, surpised, curious, scared, sad, happy, etc. If you are interested to take part, please contact us and come through the studio tonight. We are located at 338 Brown Street, Philadelphia. Call: 215 592-1242.

See you in the studio.

Benjamin Barnett
Festival Director
Philadelphia Independent Film Festival
June 23 - 27, 2010.

Philadelphia Independent Film Festival UPDATE 02 02 2010

Hello,

February is upon us and we are enjoying these winter months. We have been hard at work with our Festival planning and have some updates. We'll be keeping to our weekly posting schedule through February at this point. Of course you will see Tweets and Facebook posts happening as the week goes by as well. Hopefully you feel informed. Let us know if you have any ideas or comments about the fest.


Festival entries: SUBMIT Online now!!!
The Without A Box (WAB) link is up (since last week actually!) You can now submit online. If you would like to continue to send us submissions via the mail, please do so! Call us with any questions: 215 592-1242 (USA)


A few people have gotten in touch already to book their stay during the fest ... We are looking to get early bird Hotel arrangements hooked up by April 1st. This would be a fest first so we are excited to make it happen! Stay tuned! Keep us posted with favorite hotels and we will try to help best accommodate your stay.


PUFF: Philadelphia Underground Film Forum
We've been having great screenings / discussions during the PUFF. We are screening weekly here in the studios as well as discussing via the PUFF web pages and the film makers. See the site for links / updates... Thank you for the support as always!

Next up is Tribeca Film fest entry, Cropsey. A scary (horror?) documentary that will keep you on the edge of your seats. Get ready.


SXSW: Will it happen?
Stay tuned for #PUFF unfestival news at the SXSW Film festival in Austin (March). We will hopefully have upto 8 movies screening there and are working on setting a 2 day event up. Let us know if you are interested in taking part.


And finally, we are sad to hear, as it has been reported, that it appears the film fest landscape has changed (once again) in Philadelphia with the postponing of the content cool Cinefest in April. We expect to see them back next year as planned.


That's it for now.


See you at the Festival,

Benjamin Barnett
Festival Director
Philadelphia Independent Film Festival
June 23 - 27, 2010

Updated #PUFF screenings posted to Festival website ...

#PUFF Schedule Update:

We have posted the January and February PUFF screenings schedule on Philadelphia Independent Film Festival website.



We'll be updating this regularly.


Thank you again to Independent film makers, IFC, and Passion River.



Benjamin Barnett
Philadelphia Independent Film festival
Festival Director