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With many annual awards ceremonies, even those that brand themselves celebrators of indie filmmaking, seemingly highlighting films that don’t necessarily need the boost, it’s refreshing when one truly highlights the indie spirit. Enter The Indie Awards, “an annual event dedicated to celebrating the spirit of truly independent filmmaking,” backed by Slamdance. Ahead of a ceremony taking place on December 9, 2024, at the Directors Guild of America Theater in Los Angeles, they’ve now unveiled their nominees.

Among a few picking up multiple nominations are Ryan Martin Brown’s Free Time and Vera Drew’s The People’s Joker, two stellar films we recently named among the best of 2024. Also nominated in the Best Narrative Feature section is Chloé Leriche’s Atikamekw Suns.

Co-founded by Ben Umstead, Paul Rachman, and Peter Baxter, the pool of films being considered could not have their premieres at some of the bigger “indie” festivals but...

Slamdance is celebrating the best indie films from 2024 with an inaugural awards ceremony aptly called The Indies. The Slamdance Film Festival announced Wednesday that its new annual ceremony will toast “the spirit of truly independent filmmaking” on December 9 at the DGA Theater in Los Angeles. Actor/comedians Nic Novicki and Steve Way (“Ramy”) will host.

An interesting caveat, though: For films to be eligible at the ceremony, features must not have held their world premieres at Sundance, SXSW, or Tribeca. However, nominees must have played at one or more domestic film festivals over the last calendar year leading into the ceremony. The Indies also are staying domestic, with a focus on narrative and documentary features from filmmakers only in North America.

“Independent U.S. and Indigenous filmmakers feel neglected and abandoned,” said co-founder Paul Rachman in a press statement. “The current landscape for recognizing fresh voices in cinema has never...

Slamdance, the indie film festival established almost 30 years ago in response to the cultural monolith of Sundance, is unveiling its first ever awards show franchise.

“The Indies” will be an annual ceremony celebrating “the spirit of truly independent filmmaking,” according to organizers. The inaugural event is set for Dec. 9 at the DGA Theater in Los Angeles. Comedian-actors Nic Novicki and Steve Way (“Ramy”) will host.

The Indies will focus on narrative and documentary features from filmmakers in North America. Eligible movies must have played at one or more domestic film festivals held over the calendar year. There’s an added guardrail to keep The Indies as cutting edge as possible: movies that set world premieres at Sundance, SXSW or Tribeca are not eligible for a trophy.

“The U.S. indie film sector is struggling, with only a handful of streamers and studios actively acquiring indie films — and it’s not enough.

Exclusive: Cartilage Films has taken worldwide rights to Ryan Martin Brown’s feature directorial debut, Free Time for a 2024 domestic release.

Pic stars Colin Burgess as Drew, who is approaching the end of his twenties and, with it, his relative youth. Looking to make a sudden change, he decides to quit his cushy desk job and “embrace life” — only to realize he has no idea what to do with this newfound freedom. Cycling quickly through friends, hobbies, and goals, it’s not long before Drew’s search for meaning leads him back in the direction of his recently vacated post. Brown also wrote the pic which stars Rajat Suresh, Holmes (Welcome to Flatch), Jessie Pinnick (Princess Cyd), Michael Patrick Nicholson (Socks on Fire), James Webb and Eric Yates,

Free Time was produced by Mackenzie Jamieson, Paula Andrea González-Nasser, Justin Zuckerman and Nolan Kelly.

Cinedigm announced today the acquisition of North American rights to “Yelling Fire in an Empty Theater,” the feature debut of writer-director Justin Zuckerman. Starting Jan. 24, the film will be available for viewing exclusively on Fandor, Cinedigm’s official streaming platform.

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Fandor and Cinedigm on the film, who are really building an incredible new home for independent film,” Zuckerman said. “When we made this film, we only had set out to prove to ourselves that we could make something fun and interesting with what we already had at our disposal. The support and encouragement from Fandor and elsewhere has meant the world, and we’re excited for more people to see the project.”

Zuckerman shot the 73-minute feature with a mini-dv on a budget that cost less than the monthly rent of the apartment he filmed in. Though the film’s minimal production value...

A long-time coming fit of exasperation gets Lisa (Isadora Leiva) to ask herself the question she should have asked before leaving Florida behind: is New York City a place or just an idea? A stranger at the airport tried to prepare her for this inevitable reckoning by handing over an unsolicited fifty-dollar bill along with advice to temper expectations, but dreams aren’t so easily thrown away. This move is about hope and excitement. It’s about leaving behind the only life she’s ever known to adventure forward into a fresh future with infinite promise. Her college boyfriend (Ryan Martin Brown’s Eric) already resides there, and she’s secured herself a place to stay via a friend-of-a-friend (Kelly Cooper’s Holly). So, what could go wrong? The unfortunate answer is always: everything.

Writer/director Justin Zuckerman has more or less taken all the usual romanticized tropes of a...

As we look ahead to the new year, one of the first festivals of 2022 has unveiled its lineup. Slamdance Film Festival will return to both Park City, Utah for a physical festival from January 20-23, 2022, along with holding virtual screenings from January 20-30, 2022. With a lineup of 28 features, 79 shorts, and 7 episodes, the feature competition lineup was chosen from over 1,124 submissions.

“We are anti-algorithm. That’s always been true, but it’s more urgent than ever as we continue to celebrate truly unique voices that defy simple classification and transcend analytics,” said Slamdance President and co-founder Peter Baxter. “This year our programmers gravitated towards films that embody the true DIY spirit of guerrilla filmmaking and push the boundaries of what’s possible in storytelling. The Slamdance team is honored to introduce everyone of these storytellers, who are changing the media narrative and elevating the art form of independent film.”

See the lineup below.

Stars: Jeremy Gardner, Michael Patrick Nicholson, Taylor Zaudtke, Larry Fessenden | Written and Directed by Eric Pennycoff

A psychotic musician lures a fellow band-mate, Stu (Gardner) and an unsuspecting woman to a remote mansion for a night of romantic deceit and grinding metal mayhem. However, tensions arise between them as one of the musicians falls in love with Taylor (Zaudtke) the soon-to-be victim. Tangled in a web of violence and deceit, the shell-shocked Taylor is forced to fight for her life in order to escape the confines of a deadly band practice…

Between the opening, which sees the audience present at the end of a brutal family massacre by musician and weed dealer Kevin (Nicholson) and the title Sadistic Intentions, Eric Pennycoff’s film Really lays its cards on the table early And with good reason. To create tension. Long drawn out tension. The kind of tension that has audience’s questioning not if…...

Eric Pennycoff’s Sadistic Intentions is set to have its UK Premiere at FrightFest on August 23rd; and to celebrate the occasion the film has got a new poster from artist Christopher Shy – check it out below.

A brooding and vicious portrayal of grand ambitions gone awry, delve deep into the fragmented psyche of two band mates hellbent on achieving greatness. Desperate for success and quickly losing their mental grip, a pair of metal musicians lure a young woman to a remote mansion in hopes of inspiring their next album. However, tensions arise between them as one accidentally falls in love with their soon-to-be victim. Tangled in a web of violence and deceit, the shell-shocked Taylor is forced to fight for her life in order to escape the confines of a deadly band practice.

Starring Jeremy Gardner, Michael Patrick Nicholson and Taylor Zaudtke; with a special cameo from modern horror icon Larry Fessenden,...

February has been a busy month, as there have been a ton of indie genre offerings coming out each and every week, and I had a chance to check out a trio of recent titles: The Cured from Irish filmmaker David Freyne, the quirky romance/body horror hybrid Are We Not Cats, and Derek Nguyen’s gothic romance, The Housemaid.

The Cured: Right from the start, it is evident that writer/director David Freyne wasn’t looking to make a typical zombie movie, as The Cured begins its story at a juncture where most filmmakers never venture: a deadly zombie outbreak has been curbed after a cure has been discovered, and those no longer afflicted by the disease are able to rejoin the general population. Of course, this causes a myriad of problems, as society doesn’t exactly welcome the former flesh eaters back with open arms, causing a deep...

Adapted from a short film of the same name, Are We Not Cats is a surprising and bold piece of filmmaking by director Xander Robin. It tells the story of a young man, Eliezer (Michael Patrick Nicholson), who is swiftly going nowhere, especially when he loses his job and girlfriend -- and his happy Russian immigrant parents decide to sell everything and move to Arizona. He is gifted his father's truck, in which he must now live, and promptly gets a gig delivering a big engine to upstate New York. While there, he's invited by hothead, druggie, and abusive dude Kyle (Michael Godere, who really sells it) to a local underground music night and meets Anya (the terrific Chelsea Lopez). Eliezer quickly becomes enamored of...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

True love can often be enhanced by shared interests, even if those passions involve eating hair. An unconventional couple explore their unique desires in the new horror romance Are We Not Cats, and with the film coming out in theaters on February 23rd from Cleopatra Entertainment, we've been provided with an exclusive clip to share with Daily Dead readers.

A different kind of nighttime snack is eaten in our exclusive clip from Are We Not Cats, which you can watch below. For those unfamiliar with the movie, we also have the official synopsis and trailer for the film.

Written and directed by Xander Robin, Are We Not Cats stars Michael Patrick Nicholson, Chelsea Lopez, and Michael Godere. Cleopatra Entertainment will release the horror romance in theaters on February 23rd.

Synopsis: "Are We Not Cats is the strange but tender story of a man who, after losing his job, his girlfriend,...

Theatrical Release Date: February 23, 2018 Distributor: Cleopatra Entertainment Written and Directed by: Xander Robin Producers: Theo Brooks, Joshua Sobel Cast: Michael Patrick Nicholson, Chelsea Lopez, Michael Godere Synopsis: Are We Not Cats is the strange but tender story of a man who, after losing his job, his girlfriend, and his apartment in a single …

The post Horror/romance Are We Not Cats hits theaters February 23rd first appeared on Hnn | Horrornews.net 2018 - Official Horror News Site...

If there are hellhounds, there have to be hellcats, am I right? A new trailer and release details for Hell's Kitty, starring Doug Jones, Michael Berryman, Courtney Gains, Lynn Lowry, and many more talented actors leads today's Horror Highlights. We also have a look at the Are We Not Cats trailer and release details for the zombie movie Last Rites of the Dead.

Hell's Kitty Trailer and Release Details: Press Release: "Burbank, CA: Today’s greatest horror icons unite for the purrfect scare!

Doug Jones (The Shape of Water), Dale Midkiff (Pet Sematary), Michael Berryman (The Hills Have Eyes), Courtney Gains (The Children of The Corn), Lynn Lowry (Cat People), Kelli Maroni (Night of The Comet), Ashley C. Williams (The Human Centipede), Barbara Nedeljakova (Hostel), Adrienne Barbeau (The Fog), John Franklin (The Addams Family) and a ‘Killer Klown’ team up for some Pawplay this March!

Based on the web series...

"I've been feeling weirdly sick recently." Cleopatra Entertainment has debuted an official trailer for a super strange indie film titled Are We Not Cats, from writer/director Xander Robin. This first premiered at the Venice Film Festival back in 2016 but hasn't really made any kind of impact, despite playing at numerous other festivals. The film is about a man who, after losing his job, his girlfriend, and his apartment in a single day, attempts to restart his life, until he meets a woman who shares his strange habit - eating hair. You're not alone if that makes you gag just reading that sentence, but the trailer is something else entirely. Starring Michael Patrick Nicholson, Chelsea Lopez, and Michael Godere. There's actually some good energy and creativity in this trailer, but I'm really not sure if I can stomach this film, even if it does look inventive. Here's the official trailer...

Cleopatra Entertainment has released the first trailer, poster and photo for Are We Not Cats, the film festival favorite that was written and directed by Xander Robin, which stars Michael Patrick Nicholson, Chelsea Lopez, Michael Godere, Charles Gould and Adeline Thery. The film has been honored with 3 festival awards this year, including the Jury Award at Arizona Underground Film Festival, Best Feature Film at Imagine Film Festival in Amsterdam, and Best Narrative at Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham. But despite all that, be warned, there is some subject matter here that may turn your stomach.

Are We Not Cats tells the story of a young man attempting to restart his life after losing his job, girlfriend, and apartment in a single day. His plans are diverted when he meets a woman who shares his strangest habit, the impulse to pull out and eat their own hair. Xander Robin's genre defying...

I didn't get to see as many films as I would have liked to at Morbido 2016, but Are We Not Cats was one of them. I'm glad to have seen this surprising and bold piece of filmmaking. Directed by Xander Robin, Are We Not Cats (adapted from a short film of the same name) tells the story of a young man, Eliezer (Michael Patrick Nicholson), who is swiftly going nowhere, especially when he loses his job and girlfriend --- and his happy Russian immigrant parents decide to sell everything and move to Arizona. He is gifted his father's truck (in which he must now live) and promptly gets a gig delivering a big engine to upstate New York. While there, he's invited by hothead,...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

We Are Still Here is a haunted house thriller built on meticulous calculation. Writer/director Ted Geoghegan makes it obvious that unspeakable horrors are buried deep beneath this New England-set nightmare’s evil house, yet he doesn’t ruin any surprises early or often. Spirits linger, tension mounts, but nothing truly submerges into darkness until an explosive grand finale that sets a gruesome home restoration in motion with a brand new goretastic look. There are some pacing problems along the way, as we lust for a bloody taste of the action Geoghegan repeatedly teases, but those with more patient horror tenancies will be rewarded in the form of head-splitting insanity.

Geoghegan’s concept is a simple one, calling back to a sleepy town cultism that was more popular in horror films of yesteryear. A time when communities had dark secrets, and the preservation of such beliefs spelled trouble for any...

We’re back with another video round-up, this time focusing on a new look at the Masrani Security Initiative led by Vincent D’Onofrio’s character in Jurassic World, the teaser trailer for the guitar-shredding horror film Deathgasm (which looks like a high-energy, macabre mix of Todd & The Book of Pure Evil and 2008’s Dance of the Dead), and the first footage from the Barbara Crampton-starring We Are Still Here.

Jurassic World: Directed by Colin Trevorrow off a screenplay he wrote with Derek Connolly, Jurassic World stars Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Ty Simpkins, Nick Robinson, Irrfan Khan, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jake Johnson, Omar Sy, Bd Wong, and Judy Greer, Jurassic World will be released in 3D on June 12th, 2015.

Video via Masrani Global viral site:

Deathgasm: “New kid in town Brodie and bad-boy Zakk quickly bond over their mutual admiration of heavy metal. But when these...