Category: News

Troubadors: Stacy Peralta Travels with Bones Brigade to Bosnia and Herzegovina

Stacy Peralta, the director of Bones Brigade: An Autobiography, shares about his experience with FILM FORWARD in Bosnia and Herzegovina where he screened his film and engaged in dialogue with local audiences.
There is no way to be in Bosnia and Herzegovina without feeling the aftermath of the war.  It is not an oppressive feeling nor is it depressing to hear the local people talk about it even though the experience was clearly a tragedy.

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Stay for the Discussion: Musa Syeed Shares Valley of Saints with Audiences in BiH

Musa Syeed, the director of Valley of Saints, documents his experience with FILM FORWARD in Bosnia and Herzegovina where he screened his film and engaged in dialogue with local audiences.
It’s hard being an independent filmmaker today. To navigate the harrowing journey from fundraising to seeing the final product on a screen (hopefully with an audience) takes a certain intestinal fortitude.

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A Voice from Siroki Brijeg

Ana Kraljević attended FILM FORWARD screenings and discussions in Široki Brijeg and shares her thoughts on the experience.Most of you reading do not even know where Široki Brijeg is. It is a small town in Bosnia and Herzegovina centered next to the historical city of Mostar.

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Reinvention Stories: Braving the New World of Interactive Film

It is one thing to be a transmedia or interactive storyteller when you literally grew up on the Internet and are indigenous to creative coding, network logic and social media.  But, it takes a different level of courage to use these new forms when you have a vetted filmmaking career that started well before Google, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Smart Phones, Kickstarter, or even email and the World Wide Web.
“The big gap in the field is helping traditional storytellers gain access to technology and raising their comfort level with it.

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Your Own Path: Stacy Peralta Shares About Bones Brigade in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Stacy Peralta, the director of Bones Brigade: An Autobiography, shares about his experience with FILM FORWARD in Bosnia and Herzegovina where he screened his film and engaged in dialogue with local audiences.
When I was 17 years old skating pools and being chased out of backyards and down alleyways by cops, I never imagined 40 years later I’d be welcomed to Bosnia and Herzegovina by the US Government’s American Embassy.  It just didn’t seem likely or in anyway possible that the US Government would ever host me for anything other than for the apparent trouble my friends and I were causing angry homeowners and general civilians during the skateboard revolution of the 70s and 80s.

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Sundance Institute Adds Four New Trustees

Los Angeles, CA — Sundance Institute today announced four new members of the Institute’s Board of Trustees: Nadine Schiff, Ava DuVernay, Rob Epstein and Liesl Tommy.
Under the guidance of President & Founder Robert Redford and in close collaboration with Executive Director Keri Putnam, the 22-person Board is responsible for the governance of Sundance Institute. Wally Weisman continues as Chairman of the Board.

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Melonie Diaz and America Fererra Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month officially kicked off September 15, marking the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. To boot, Mexico declared its independence on September 16 and Chile on September 18, making the month the de facto host for celebration among Hispanic cultures.
Independent film, for all its diversity of voices, still has the capacity to grow leaps and bounds in the context of Hispanic filmmakers.

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2014 Sundance Film Festival Kicks Off for Utah Residents

2014 Marks the Festival’s 30th Anniversary
Park City, UT — Sundance Institute will once again offer exclusive events and priority pass and ticket availability for the approximately 15,000 Utahns who attend the Sundance Film Festival® each year. The Sundance Film Festival will be January 16 through 26, 2014.
Locals-only Festival pass and ticket package registration begins today (September 17) and will end October 9.

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FILMFORWARD Washington Social Highlights

It’s been nearly a full week since leaving Los Angeles on my second trip as a field producer with #FILMFORWARD. Still, in some ways, it seems I’ve not yet left the classroom at Roosevelt High School in Seattle where the post-screening conversation led to a surprisingly well-informed discussion around the current situation in Syria. With an endless stream of tweets, breaking news headlines and even a Presidential address, suddenly it’s near impossible to ignore a place I’ve never been, thought much about, or connected with.

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