Next Gen Film Fest

Spotlight: California Next Gen Film Festival (NGFF)

admin — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 00:34:26 +0000

CALIFORNIA NEXT GEN
FILM FESTIVAL
Sacramento, California - USA
September 23 to 25, 2010

In the Spotlight this week is the 2nd Annual CALIFORNIA NEXT GEN FILM FESTIVAL(NGFF), one of the circuit’s most dynamic new players. NGFF is a three-day cinematic event showcasing the work of cutting-edge artists that challenge boundaries and advance the world of digital filmmaking.

Taking place over a long weekend in California’s capital city, NGFF prides itself on exhibiting its selections utilizing top-notch, industry standard HD projection onto a big screen at the prestigious Sacramento Auditorium. Packing a lot into a short time, NGFF features a glamorous celeb-studdedOpening Night Gala, plus dinners and events throughout the festival, and culminates with an awards ceremony and after-party.

In just their first year, NGFF attracted an impressive roster of panelists, including Academy Award-nominee Don McAlpine (MOULIN ROUGE!, X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE), Demian Lichtenstein (3000 MILES TO GRACELAND), Lauren Greenfield (HBO’s THIN, KIDS + MONEY),Rudy Youngblood (star of APOCALYPTO), ON THE LOT award-winner Will Bigham, and California Film Commissioner Stan Brooks, among others. Already confirmed for this year is Academy Award-nominee and author of Digital Filmmaking Mike Figgis (LEAVING LAS VEGAS).

UPCOMING DEADLINE
July 28, 2010 - Late Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5 on this deadline

MISSION AND OBJECTIVE
The NGFF provides filmmakers a chance to present their cinematic works with cutting-edge technology and offers an audience experience that truly celebrates vision and dedication.

MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
Naturally, all official selections receive passes to all parties, panels, and film screenings, as well as an opportunity to have a Q&A session immediately following their film before an engaged and enthusiastic audience. Award-winners will receive software and production equipment to nurture and nourish their creative pursuits. Top films will be available in Northern California through COMCAST ON-DEMAND

For its second edition, NGFF is particularly interested in showcasing 3D projects, but filmmakers at every level and working in any genre are invited to share their unique visions with a California audience at the second annual NGFF, where numerous feature-length and short narrative, documentary and animated films while be screened, honored and enjoyed.

CurrentTV hails NGFF as “a festival with the filmmakers at heart, and the audience in mind,” and Nick Miller from Sacramento News and Review adds that NGFF “is proving that cinema’s future is now.” If you’re a digital filmmaker - particularly if you’re dabbling in 3D - submit to the California Next Gen Film Festival today!

NEXT GEN EVENT PICS AND VIDEO!

Hatzune — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 23:19:34 +0000

Courtesy of Napkin Nights.

Check out the new Highlight Reel on YOUTUBE or MYSPACE

NEXT GEN 1st YEAR a BIG SUCCESS!!

Hatzune — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 19:28:36 +0000

Thanks to everyone for coming :)

Please check out the official press release… more pics coming soon!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 4, 2008

1^st Annual California Next Gen Film Festival a Big Success

The future of cinematic arts in Sacramento is bright

Sacramento, CA— The California Next Gen Film Festival could only be described as a big success, with a nearly sold out opening night and over 600 walking down the red carpet the following three days. The 1^st annual Sacramento festival kicked off this past Labor Day weekend at Memorial Auditorium and hosted several Hollywood insiders who were on hand to join in the festival’s mission: to showcase the “next gen” crop of filmmakers using the latest HD technology to advance the art and process of film.

Jaime Gonzalez, NGFF founder and president, couldn’t be more thrilled with the outcome of the festival. “Sacramento needed a platform on which independent filmmakers could display their work. I feel our festival accomplished that goal and laid the foundation for future Next Gen festivals.”

The highlight of the opening night ceremonies proved to be the Innovative Artists Panel. The panel was moderated by academy-award winning cinematographer Don McAlpine and included Hollywood producer/director Demian Lichtenstein, photojournalist Lauren Greenfield, and fast-rising film stars Rudy Youngblood and Adam Del Rio.

McAlpine, whose many big-budget film credits include Moulin Rouge and Romeo + Juliet, flew in from Australia to be a part of this groundbreaking festival and was actively involved in discussion panels throughout the entire 4-day event, including serving on one panel alongside television show “On The Lot” winner Will Bigham. Other festival guests included California Film Commissioner Stan Brooks, Sacramento Mayor Heather Fargo, and mayoral candidate Kevin Johnson.

The event was also able to bring business to the neighboring midtown establishments including, The Dream Lounge, Badlands Nightclub, Momo Lounge, and the Park Ultra Lounge. Midtown restaurants, hotels, and boutiques also reaped the benefits from the out of town festival-goers.

Of course the real stars of NGFF were the films and filmmakers themselves. The films spanned many formats including narrative, documentary, and digital animation shorts. Many filmmakers even participated in Q&A sessions after their films were screened.

The Audience Award winning films, Sebastians Voodoo, Burning Man: Voyage in Utopia, Ancestor Eyes, and Aquarium will all be on COMCAST ON-DEMAND later this month along with many of the red carpet interviews.

Sponsors of the film festival included: Christie Digital, VMI, Comcast, Advantage Presentations, The Men’s Wearhouse, JG and Associates, AEGIS Medical Systems, Silverado, The Howard Agency, AVID, Current TV, Production Hub, Metro Hub Network, Core Care Macintosh Support Specialties.

Visit our website to view a full schedule of our event www.nextgenfilmfest.org.

(The NGFF is a non-profit organization)

Contact:

Natalie Minas

Festival Public Relations

(916) 802-3456

nminasnextgenfilm@gmail.com

Sebastian’s Voodoo

admin — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 04:26:00 +0000

Directed by Joaquin Baldwin
A voodoo doll must find the courage to save his friends from being pinned to death.

Biography

Joaquin Baldwin is an animator and website designer from Paraguay, with a BFA in animation and working on an MFA in animation at UCLA. He has been granted several awards including the Jack Kent Cooke full Graduate Scholarship in 2006.

Rabia

admin — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 04:24:06 +0000

Directed by Muhammad Ali Hasan

Rabia is a woman who must blow herself up in order to exist. From the moment she straps explosives to her bare body, we are exposed to flashbacks of Rabia’s past, filled with abuse, rejection, and struggle. By the time she steps onto a popular Israeli beach, awaiting to kill hundreds of innocent civilians in a massive explosion, we find ourselves asking whether Rabia’s act is one of evil or one of heroism?

Biography

3Muhammad Ali Hasan received his MFA in Film Directing from Chapman University in 2007. He currently serves as a political commentator for Fox News, MSNBC, and BBC Radio, and is a former regular guest of Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, as well as the Dennis Miller Show of CNBC. In 2005, Muhammad co-founded the Muslims For America Think Tank, a political organization that provides policy recommendations to American politicians on issues dealing with the War On Terror.

Undocumented

admin — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 04:19:06 +0000

Directed by Joel Rodriguez
An Illegal immigrant and his family are getting ready to celebrate their daughter fifteens party, but will their plans be ruined?

NGFF

admin — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 09:19:24 +0000

NEXT GEN 2010

SEPTEMBER 23rd-25th

SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN!!!

Ancestor Eyes

admin — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 02:35:13 +0000

Directed by Kalani Queypo
After getting sick, a young Native American woman, Willa, returns to her mother’s home where they both must come to terms with her illness. Willa’s mother, who had been a long time ’shut in’, begins venturing outside with her camcorder, taping the sunrise and mountains, bringing the outside world in to the bed ridden Willa.
Pain turns into a source of inspiration, igniting her mother’s gift for storytelling and ultimately paving a path of magical transformations.
Gripping performances by Tantoo Cardinal (Dances With Wolves, Legends of the Fall) and Rulan Tangen (The New World) are beautifully complimented with rich visual images and an impressive original soundtrack.

Biography

Kalani Queypo had humble beginnings as a noted theater actor in New York City which allowed him to originate roles in over a dozen world premiere productions, strengthening his ability to make strong character choices based on his imagination and intuition. He has worked in some of the country’s top Tony Award winning theaters like the Goodspeed Opera House and Trinity Repertory Company. Since his move to Los Angeles four years ago, he has been very active with Native Voices Theatre, in partnership with the Autry National Center in Griffith Park.

Hollywood has embraced Kalani with prestigious projects such as the Oscar Nominated Terrence Malick film, THE NEW WORLD, in which he won the coveted role of Parahunt (the brother of Pocahontas), as well as Steven Spielberg’s Emmy Award winning mini series, INTO THE WEST. You may have recognized him in guest starring roles on hit TV shows like BONES or THE MINOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF JACKIE WOODMAN.

This past fall, Kalani’s short script was awarded with a $10,000 production grant from SCIC’s Intertribal Entertainment. His directorial debut produced an eloquent short film , ANCESTOR EYES, showcasing gripping performances, rich visual imagery and a noteworthy original soundtrack.

Kalani feels a great responsibility to the youth, both Native and non- Native, who are sparingly exposed to Native culture mostly through film, television and theater projects. This past January, after being awarded a grant from the National Geographic Society, he began production on his first feature length film, OUR VOICES, OUR STORIES. OVOS is documentary film revolving around a mentoring program for Native youth in the urban Los Angeles community. Kalani has plans to premiere it in 2009.

Kalani continues to write and develop compelling projects, observing the ever so fascinating human condition.

NGFF PARTIES

admin — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 23:02:20 +0000

We are thrilled to have Dream Ultra Lounge, Momo Lounge, Badlands, and The Park Ultra Lounge hosting the official Next Gen parties August 28th and 29th!

>>more details

Lullaby

Hatzune — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 03:12:32 +0000

Directed by Travis Suhr, 19min
Jack (Jason Wiechert) & Sarah (Cassandra Clark) are not only lovers, they’re best friends. They spend every waking moment with each other, kissing, laughing, and loving. Jack decides that he wants to come off his medication for schizophrenia, and live in a world that might not be real, but at least it’s not controlled. With Sarah by his side, he has to face all the bottled up emotions and secrets that come back after he stops taking his medication. The obstacles they overcome prove true love knows no boundaries, even if the love of your life is imaginary.

Biography
Travis David Suhr was born and raised in a small town of Wyoming called Gillette. He spent most of his life loving movies and telling stories, and it wasn’t until his second year of pursuing a playwriting degree at the University of Wyoming that he realized filmmaking is his passion. He moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 2002 and has spent the last five years before attending the Zaki Gordon Institute writing screenplays and starting a production company “What Am I? Productions”. Travis graduates from ZGI in May, and plans to pursue a career in Producing. He currently lives in Sedona and is married to assistant producer of “Lullbye”, Elizabeth Suhr.