FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO, NOVEMBER 28, 2009 - Ranked No.3 in the country by Variety Magazine for being among the best places to make movies, New Mexico is steadily becoming a premier location to watch them too.
Santa Fe Film Festival – which runs December 2-6, 2009 – celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. Festival organizers have set their sights on becoming a world-class festival. “Building on the New Mexico film industry’s exciting momentum, we’re working to create a festival that may one day take its place alongside international counterparts like Toronto and the Sundance Film Festival,” the festival’s new operations director Karen Redhawk Dallet said.
According to New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, “The Festival is emerging as one of the more distinguished film festivals both nationally and internationally.” New Mexico’s film industry has experienced tremendous growth thanks to Richardson’s generous film incentive program as well as the new state of the art Albuquerque Studios – one the largest and most sophisticated professional stages in the country.
Santa Fe Film Festival 2009 honorees in attendance include:
- Oscar winning Actor/Director Tommy Lee Jones (The Fugitive, No Country for Old Men, In the Valley of Elah)
- Oscar nominated Director of Photography, Ellen Kuras (I Shot Andy Warhol, Analyse That, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind)
- Oscar-nominated Director Mark Rydell, (On Golden Pond, The Cowboys, Cinderella Liberty)
- Santa Fe’s own Wes Studi (Dances with Wolves, The Last of the Mohicans, The Only Good Indian)
Santa Fe Film Festival’s 2009 Gala Films include:
- Four-time Academy Award nominee Jeff Bridges stars with Maggie Gyllenhaal in the debut feature film Crazy Heart from writer-director Scott Cooper. The film was shot in New Mexico.
- Directed by Kirk Jones, the Opening Night Gala film Everybody’s Fine, stars Robert De Niro, Kate Beckinsale and Drew Barrymore. A widower embarks on a cross-country journey to reconnect with his grown children.
- World permier of Char.ac.ter a conversation about character acting between Dabney Coleman, Peter Falk, Charles Grodin, Mark Rydell, Harry Dean Stanton that includes a very special interview with Sydney Pollack, his last. Drago Sumonja’s documentary takes us into the hearts, minds, and living rooms of some of America’s greatest storytellers. Coleman, Rydell and Lynch are attending.
- Staring George Clooney, the Centerpiece Gala film, Up in the Air is directed by Jason Reitman, the Oscar-nominated director of Juno and Thank You For Smoking. A corporate downsizer and consummate business traveler who, after years of staying happily on the road suddenly finds himself ready to make a real connection.
- Co-winner of the Jury Prize at Cannes, Thursday’s Gala film Fish Tank is an engrossing drama of a rebellious 15-year-old girl, her strained home life with her mother and her even more turbulent relationship with her mother’s new boyfriend. Written and Directed by Andrea Arnold.
- Youth in Revolt, a coming-of-age comedy that puts a fresh and outrageous stamp on a tale of adolescent obsession and rebellion, is the Saturday Gala film. Starring Michael Cera (Juno, Superbad) and Steve Buscemi and directed by Miguel Arteta.
- Emily Blunt and Rupart Friend star in the Closing Night Gala film directed by Jean-Marc Vallee’s, The Young Victoria. On the eve of her 18th birthday and succession to the English throne young Princess Victoria (Blunt) is caught in a royal power struggle. But it is her blossoming love affair with Alpert (Friend) that will determine the strength of her reign.
For more information about Santa Fe Film Festival, a complete list of films, panels, workshops and events, and to buy tickets online please visit: santafefilmfestival.com.
For press inquiries please contact: Anna Wacks, Buzz Media International:anna@buzzmediainternational.com or call 505-699-0577. |
