Submissions are being accepted April 1-July 10 for the 5th annual
South Dakota Film Festival (SDFF) in Aberdeen, S.D., Sept. 16-18, 2011.
Each year the festival offers three days of great film as well as panel
discussions with filmmakers, special guest appearances, education
seminars and parties.
The South Dakota Film Festival has been the host to numerous
premieres and critically-acclaimed films including INTO THE WILD, REEL
INJUN, MIRACLE FISH, STRUCK, HOLE IN THE PAPER SKY and MONICA AND
DAVID. In addition, the festival has hosted special guests Kevin
Costner, composer Kyle Eastwood, director Chris Eyre, casting director
Rene Haynes, Screen Actors Guild Associate Director Adam Moore and many
more.
Screening films in three categories–narrative, documentary and
animation–the festival categories include both short and feature-length
films. All films chosen from eligible submissions will be screened for
the public during the three-day festival. Filmmakers will again use
Withoutabox for the submission process. “We are excited about this
partnership because Withoutabox aggressively markets festivals directly
to filmmakers, increasing our exposure to the global filmmaking
industry,” said Troy McQuillen, SDFF co-producer.
“The SDFF is a great opportunity to have a completely different
film-going experience than what the general public is used to,”
McQuillen continued. “Filmmakers need opportunities like this to
exhibit their work to audiences.”
“The SDFF is an extraordinary film festival,” said Towle Neu,
Minneapolis filmmmaker. “It’s what I imagine Sundance, SXSW and Cannes
were when they were young. It’s only a matter of time before it becomes
the premiere film festival of the Great Plains. I had a brilliant time
last year and, as a filmmaker, was treated like royalty. I will
definitely attend again this year–whether as a filmmaker or an audience
member.”
Actor, singer and composer Darren Geffre said, “The 2010 South Dakota
Film Festival was the best yet. The festival gave aspiring actors an
inside look at what casting directors and directors are looking for. We
went through a mock casting call and they shared valuable information
on how to put together a promotional package. Armed with these pearls
of knowledge, I am more confident on how to present and package myself
to casting directors and directors.”
More information about the submission process, rules and guidelines, and
the festival can be found at www.southdakotafilmfest.org. The South
Dakota Film Festival can be followed on Twitter, @SDFilmFest, for the latest news, extension dates, and special guest announcements.
The SDFF is hosted at the historic Capitol Theatre on Main Street in
downtown Aberdeen. A 1926 vaudeville theater, the Capitol has been
renovated for live performance and film screening. The festival –
founded in 2007 by Tom Black, Troy McQuillen, Brent Brandt, Jeremy Smith
and Jim Walker – is a program of Capitol Cinema, a subsidiary of
Aberdeen Community Theatre. Major sponsors include Capitol Cinema,
Aberdeen Hotel Alliance and South Dakota Department of Tourism.
