Santa Fe Film Fest - Movie Madness

by Robert Nott, Santa Fe New Mexican

New Mexico has gone movie crazy in the past few years, what with tax breaks and financial incentives drawing filmmakers from around the globe to shoot their projects here.

But Santa Fe has been stricken with movie madness for at least a decade, since Jon Bowman and a group of dedicated cinephiles started The Santa Fe Film Festival — five days of films, workshops, panel talks and parties, all celebrating the independent cinematic spirit.

The 10th festival kicks off today with a 7 p.m. screening of Everybody's Fine, Kirk Jones' drama about a widower (Robert DeNiro) who journeys cross country to reconnect with his grown children; at the Regal DeVargas theater DeVargas Center. Several other screenings take place at other venues this evening, too, and the festival hosts its usual opening-night parties.

This year's event is a bit scaled down because of financial restraints, and it marks the 10th and final year that Bowman will serve as executive director. He's retiring, to be replaced by festival operations director Karen RedHawk Dallet. Dallet has already announced plans to move next year's festival to October rather than December.

Bowman, found checking out ticket sales at the film festival's box-office headquarters on Old Santa Fe Trail (in the old Fraser's Pharmacy site), said business was healthy and even a tad better than it was this time last year.

A popcorn machine churned out the kernels — an appropriate treat for visitors — as Bowman spoke, and movie posters for various festival entries covered the walls. ("Some of life's greatest journeys begin at the end," reads the tag line for the locally shot Spoken Word poster.) Bowman said the fest usually attracts 5,000 to 7,000 patrons, roughly 15 percent of whom come from out of state.

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The 9th Annual Santa Fe Film Festival! Dec 3-7

crewnewmexico.com is proud to be a sponsor of the Santa Fe Film Festival!

The Ninth Annual Santa Fe Film Festival is Wed Dec 3 - Sun Dec 7. For
information, please visit www.santafefilmfestival.com

The Festival continues to grow with over 240 films shown in 5 days.
The 5 day extravaganza is filled with panels and workshops with
industry leaders, social and networking opportunities at our Heineken
Happy Hours, our Tamalewood Lounge at Warehouse 21, thanks to Glaceau
and Red Bull, our nightly parties and much more. Please join us for
the fun and excitement. We showcase independent films, worldly films
thanks in part to our partners like the National Geographic All Roads
Film Project, The American Film Institute's 20 20 Project, the New
York Jewish Film Festival, the Mexican, French, and Canadian
Consulates and much more. We honor industry veterans as Luminaria
Tributees and showcase Gala Films. The box office opens Nov 14th.

For information, write to info@santafefilmfestival.com

To sign up for our Festival email updates, please RSVP with your email
address or visit www.santafefilmfestival.com

We're an Official Sponsor of the Santa Fe Film Festival!

We're proud to announce that crewnewmexico.com is an official sponsor of the 9th Annual Santa Fe Film Festival! Though the lineup won't be announced until November, we know that its going to be an excellent roster of films - pop, art-house, documentary, comedy, blockbusters, little-known shorts, foreign films, and more! It's our pleasure to be able to support a world-renowned, industry-related event, and its also our way of promoting our homegrown New Mexico Film Industry while all eyes are on Santa Fe, and New Mexico.

The New Mexico Film Industry is something we're proud of. crewnewmexico.com works hard to promote New Mexico Film as a world-class film destination, and this is just another way that we help support the industry that supports us. The festival always needs volunteers, so feel free to contact them to offer your time!