Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 2, 2010
Santa Cruz Film Festival Enters Ninth Season Under New Leadership
New Team Leveraging 8 Years of History to Carry the Festival into a New Era
SANTA CRUZ, CA: The Santa Cruz Film Festival, an annual celebration of independent cinema and culture in California’s Greater Monterey Bay area, has undergone a change in its leadership structure for its ninth season, May 6-15, 2010. Festival Founder and Executive Director, Jane Sullivan, has taken a sabbatical, leaving a dedicated group of experienced Festival veterans and its Board of Directors to take the reins.
Under its new organizational structure, long-time Board officers Allie Wilson, Beth Gummere, Julian Soler and Mike Gendimenico, along with Creative Director, Eric Sassaman, have joined forces and created the Festival’s Leadership Team. Along with a core group of volunteers and its Board of Directors, the new team will leverage their combined expertise to preserve the Festival’s legacy of presenting cutting-edge, original cinema to the community and driving it forward into the future.
“The Santa Cruz Film Festival is known for its quirky events, high quality independent film screenings, and adventurous programming. We are going to preserve that tradition while cultivating the growth of the Festival by expanding our year-round programming activities,” notes Board President, Allie Wilson. “We look forward to exploring innovative ways to partner with businesses, artists, educators and other organizations, to continue building what has become one of our area's most treasured community cultural events.”
Festival Passes are now on sale for the 2010 Santa Cruz Film Festival which will screen over 100 independent films and videos, and host dozens of related events at the Del Mar Theatre, Regal Riverfront Stadium Twin, Community Television of Santa Cruz County and other local, community venues May 6-15. Tickets to individual screenings go on sale April 16 via the Festival’s website. Anyone can easily see a Festival film for less than the cost of a commercial movie, and a Festival Pass allows unlimited access to all films and events. Discount passes are available for students, seniors and groups.
The Festival officially launches March 13 when the complete program will be announced at the Annual Kickoff Party and Benefit Auction, being held this year at the Mill Gallery at 131 Front Street in Santa Cruz. Information about tickets for the Kickoff Party and Benefit Auction are available now via the Festival’s website.
The Festival continues to accept submissions for consideration through February 22. Entries can be submitted via the Festival’s website. “We continue to seek out creative, original, independent films and videos for our ninth season, particularly from artists creating work within the local Monterey Bay area community,” said Director of Programming, Julian Soler. “The 2010 program is developing quite nicely and we are thrilled about the quality of work we are considering. From narratives and documentaries to animation, student and youth-produced work, and cutting-edge experimental films, the Festival is proud to present the full spectrum of possibilities that moving image art can offer.” he continued.
Dozens of local performance artists, musicians, poets and others create related, interactive events to enhance and support the film screenings. Hundreds of local businesses have partnered to produce events, host dinners and receptions, and sponsor work. The Santa Cruz County Convention and Visitors Council estimates the Festival has generated more than $1 million for the local economy. Filmmakers screening at the Festival have successfully negotiated work presented at SCFF screenings toward distribution deals and further Festival success.
Festival Calendar
- Now: Festival Passes on sale now at www.santacruzfilmfestival.org
- February 22: Final deadline for film and video submissions
- March 13: Kick-Off Party and Benefit Auction at Mill Gallery, 131 Front Street, Santa Cruz CA
- April 16: Regular tickets on sale via the Festival website
- May 6: Opening Night Film and Gala at the Del Mar Theatre and Museum of Art and History
- May 15: Closing Night Film and Gala at the Del Mar Theatre
About The Santa Cruz Film Festival
Since 2002, the Santa Cruz Film Festival has celebrated innovative and original filmmaking in and for the Greater Monterey Bay community. Over the past eight years, SCFF has screened over 1,000 independent films and videos including over 160 locally-produced works to nearly 90,000 enthusiastic and dedicated film lovers, generating nearly $1 million in revenue for Santa Cruz.
Whether fact or fiction, commercial or avant garde, live action or animation, the Santa Cruz Film Festival celebrates the diverse art of talented filmmakers. SCFF presents artists who create films and videos in all genres from around the world in one of the most thought-provoking, entertaining, funfilled, educational regional film festivals in the country. The Festival has been proud to not only showcase new creative talents, but to also provide an interactive experience where filmmakers, musicians, performers, artists and the community can come together to share their art and ideas and to have an enlightening and fun time.
The Santa Cruz Film Festival is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The tax identification number is 30-0053845. Donations are tax-deductible. Visit our website for more information at www.santacruzfilmfestival.org
Media Contact
Julian Soler
Managing Director/Director of Programming
831-359-4462
julian@santacruzfilmfestival.org
