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The Indie Memphis Film Festival connects and inspires filmmakers and film-lovers through the unique creative landscape that is the "home of the Blues and the birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll." The festival transforms the city into a connecting point for filmmakers, musicians, artists, and audiences.

Now entering its 15th year, the Indie Memphis Film Festival is a two-time Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences grant recipient and has twice been ranked by MovieMaker Magazine (as one of "25 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee" in 2011 and one of the "25 Coolest Film Festivals" in 2009). With a focus on regional filmmaking, the festival brings a broad range of dynamic and engaging independent features, documentaries and short films to Memphis from all corners of the country. Presented by Duncan-Williams, Inc., the 2012 festival is set to take place November 1-4 in Midtown Memphis, the city's cultural and creative center and home to a plethora of restaurants, bars and clubs -- all within walking distance of the festival's three main venues (the Playhouse on the Square, the Studio on the Square, and the Circuit Playhouse).

Filmmaker awards include $25,000 in color grading and finishing services from Nice Shoes in NYC, a $1,000 cash prize for the winner of the Duncan-Williams Scriptwriting Award, and more TBA. Travel and lodging is provided for competition feature filmmakers participating in the festival's "Filmmakers Asking Questions" program, funded by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

The 2011 Indie Memphis Film Festival attracted more than 8,000 attendees with high-profile screenings including "Undefeated" and "Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory", both on the final 15 "short list" for 2012 Oscar nomination. Last year's special guests included JASON BALDWIN of the West Memphis Three ("Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory"), CRAIG BREWER ("Hustle & Flow", "Footloose"), TANYA WRIGHT ("True Blood"), screenwriter DANIEL WATERS ("Heathers"), MARK BELL (Film Threat), MIKE RYAN ("Junebug"), Emerging Pictures' IRA DEUTCHMAN, and former "Saturday Night Live" cast member CHRIS PARNELL ("30 Rock", "Subugatory"), who hosted the festival's closing night Awards Show.

Other recent attendees have included former New York Times film critic ELVIS MITCHELL (KCRW's "The Treatment"), PETER GILBERT ("Hoop Dreams"), SCOTT MOSIER ("Clerks", "Chasing Amy"), LARRY KARASZEWSKI ("Ed Wood", "The People vs Larry Flynt"), MATT LOPEZ ("Race to Witch Mountain", "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"), IRA SACHS ("Forty Shades of Blue"), JOHN SAYLES ("Matewan"), GIANCARLO ESPOSITO ("Breaking Bad", "Do The Right Thing"), RAY MCKINNON ("The Blind Side", "Footloose"), BARRY CORBIN ("No Country For Old Men", "Northern Exposure"), ANGELA BASSETT ("What's Love Got To Do With It"), JOEY LAUREN ADAMS ("Chasing Amy"), ALBERT MAYSLES ("Grey Gardens", "Gimme Shelter") and BOB MONDELLO (National Public Radio).

The Indie Memphis Film Festival also connects filmmakers and festival attendees to the live music scene that pulses through the city. Memphis musicians, including Amy LaVere, Snowglobe, Blind Mississippi Morris, Robert Belfour, Bluff City Backsliders, Valerie June, Grace Askew, the Subteens, and Pez have performed in theatres prior to festival screenings, during music showcases at the Festival Cafe, and at various festival parties and receptions throughout the festival weekend. Prior years have also featured special performances by visiting musicians including the ALLOY ORCHESTRA, who performed their acclaimed live accompaniments to silent film classics "The General" and "Man With A Movie Camera", and British singer/songwriter ROBYN HITCHCOCK, who closed the 2009 festival with an intimate solo concert in one of the festival theatres.

Word on the street:

"Indie Memphis made me enjoy going to festivals again."
~ SCOTT MOSIER, producer of "Clerks," 2010 festival juror

"I've had screenings of my films all around the world. I've watched my films premiere at the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles, as well as the Prince's Palace in Marrakech. But there has never been an experience to equal my premiere at Indie Memphis."
~ CRAIG BREWER, "Hustle & Flow," on screening "The Poor & Hungry" at Indie Memphis in 2000

"Indie Memphis has so much that I look for in a film festival: programming with a thoughtful and idiosyncratic point of view that reflects its leadership, and reaches out to promising new filmmakers whose work has an unmistakable sense of place; an excited and eager community that attends the films in force looking to be surprised by the fare, rather than congratulated for coming out; and, oh yeah, barbecue."
~ ELVIS MITCHELL, 2008, 2009 & 2010 festival juror, host of KCRW's "The Treatment"

"Local support is imperative to any great festival, and the Memphians fill the theaters and embrace the films and moviemakers as their own... Memphis rolls out the red carpet and spreads its loving arms wide, pulling you in for a big ol' bear hug, saying 'We're glad you're here -- just like mama would."
~ SCOTT TEEMS, "That Evening Sun" in MovieMaker Magazine, Winter 2010

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