Los Angeles-based film festival Dances With Films has announced its 2014 lineup and this year’s grand jury prize and audience awards winners will receive theatrical distribution and/or VOD distribution.
DWF’s competition feature Audience Award winner will receive a theatrical distribution commitment of one week at the Arena Cinema, while the Grand Jury Award winner will receive a VOD distribution deal with Gravitas Ventures. The short Grand Jury Award and Audience Award winners will both receive Oscar-qualifying runs from Laemmle Theaters.
This year’s festival, which runs from May 29 – June 8 at Hollywood’s Chinese Theaters, celebrates 100+ independent films and boasts sponsoring partnerships with indie film champions such as Laemmle Theaters and new Hollywood exhibitor Arena Cinema.
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DWF is honored to have producer Steve Tisch as the newest member of its esteemed Advisory Board. A partner at Escape Artists and the Chairman and executive VP of the New York Giants, Tisch is the only person with both an Academy Award and a Super Bowl ring, having won an Oscar for producing “Forrest Gump.”
DWF’s Advisory Board also includes Cindy Cowan, Jonathan Dana, Steve Elzer, Kevin Kasha, Eriq La Salle, Michael Lehmann, Mike Macari, Valerie McCaffrey, Mark V. Olsen, Joel Ordesky, Mark Ordesky, Melissa Orlen, Will Scheffer, Hilton Smith, David Spiegelman and Steve Wegner.
Since 1998, DWF has dedicated itself to finding tomorrow’s talent today, mandating that all competitive films have no known actors, writers, directors or producers.
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“Giving these warriors the exposure that their talent, drive, and sacrifice deserve is what DWF has always been about and our belief in our filmmakers is rewarded year after year. Just last year, 8 features were picked up for distribution at the fest,” said co-founder Leslee Scallon, whose festival now draws more than 12,000 attendees.
This year’s sponsors include MovieTickets.com Gravitas Ventures, Escape Artists, Ease Entertainment Services, CAA, The Lot, SagIndie, Final Draft, Movie Magic, VER, KPFK, OHM Night Club, Cabotella Beer, Demidoff Vodka, Lucky Strike, Southern Wine & Spirits, Audio Rents, as well as the Loews Hollywood Hotel.
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The full lineup is below:
PRODS: Eddie Jemison, Sean Richardson, Seth William Meir, John Mese, David Jensen
PRODS: Andy Gunn