BY ANDRE SOARES, LOS ANGELES, USA (CINEMA MINIMA)

Press Release:

Film Screenings, Panel Discussions, and Networking Highlight Six-Day Event

www.independentfilmweek.com

New York, NY (August 5, 2008) – IFP announced today that IFP alumnus Kevin Smith (Clerks), filmmaker and activist Robert Greenwald (Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch’s War on Journalism), and SnagFilms.com CEO Rick Allen will headline public events during the 30th Annual Independent Film Week, September 14-19. For the first time, Independent Film Week will be held at Chelsea’s Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.).

Formerly known as the IFP Market, Independent Film Week is the leading forum in the U.S. dedicated to discovering, showcasing, and supporting new independent film projects and talent. The six-day event consists of: the Independent Filmmaker Conference; free screenings of films by IFP alumni and emerging short filmmakers; and the Project Forum, a showcase for over 150 works-in-progress. It is presented by IFP, the nation’s oldest and largest organization of independent filmmakers.

Smith will kick off the daily "Conversations With" series during the Independent Filmmaker Conference on September 14th with a discussion on making a first feature. His classic 1994 debut feature, Clerks, got its start as a work-in-progress at IFP in 1993. His new film, Zack and Miri Make a Porno stars Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks and is scheduled for release by The Weinstein Company on Halloween. Greenwald will discuss the power of film to spur social change on September 18th, while Allen, who recently launched SnagFilms.com with AOL Vice-Chairman Ted Leonsis and AOL founder Steve Case, will explore the future of film distribution on September 17th.

In addition to the "Conversations With" series, the conference showcases a range of panels on the art and business of independent film. Each day’s panels are structured around a specific theme: Making Your First Feature, Filmmaking 2.0, The Global Marketplace, Alternative Distribution, The Truth About Non-Fiction, and Film and Philanthropy. The full schedule of panels can be found at www.filmmakerconference.com.

For the second year, in partnership with Rooftop Films, Independent Film Week will also showcase two free public screenings of films by IFP alumni. New this year is NextGenNYC, a short film showcase featuring the work of City University of New York (CUNY) graduates.

Screenings include:

* Trinidad (86 min.) directed by PJ Raval and Jay Hodges, alumni of IFP’s 2006 Independent Filmmaker Lab. Premiering at the 2008 Los Angeles Film Festival in June, the documentary provides a fascinating look at Trinidad, Colorado’s transformation from Wild West outpost to "sex change capital of the world. (September 16th, 8:30pm, Hudson River Park, 10th Avenue between 14th and 15th. FREE and open to the public.)

* IFP’s Independent Filmmaker Lab "Sneak Preview" Showcase (120 min.) – Be the first to see previews of films poised to make it big on the festival circuit in the coming year. This screening features excerpts from the 20 works-in-progress – both documentaries and narratives – which participated in the IFP’s Labs, a mentorship program for works-in-progress. Previous IFP Lab films already garnering awards on the film festival circuit include this year’s Slamdance Grand Jury Prize Winner The New Parade and GenArt Grand Jury Prize Winner Half-Life. (September 17th, 8:30pm, Hudson River Park, 10th Avenue between 14th and 15th. FREE and open to the public.)

* IFP’s NextGenNYC Short Film Showcases (90 min. each) - Documentary and narrative short films by CUNY graduates. NextGenNYC is a new program initiated by IFP and the New York City Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre & Broadcasting and is designed to provide a spotlight on New York City’s emerging talent from four colleges within the City University, including: Brooklyn College, City College of New York, the College of Staten Island and Hunter College. (Narrative Showcase, September 16th, 1:30pm, Chelsea Cinemas, 260 West 23rd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues; Documentary Showcase, September 17th, 2pm, Chelsea Cinemas) There is complimentary access with a ticket or pass to the Independent Filmmaker Conference.

The full schedule of film screenings open to the public during Independent Film Week can be found at: www.independentfilmweek.com.

"The annual state of the union on independent film began 30 years ago with IFP’s founding event, now known as Independent Film Week," says Michelle Byrd, Executive Director of IFP. "Since then we’ve expanded our mandate to give the public a greater opportunity to experience the films we nurture through our programs and meet the innovators who are shaping the future of independent film."

Tickets and passes for IFP’s Independent Filmmaker Conference range from $20 for single events to a variety of passes ranging from $70 per day to $320 for the week including all 35 panels, workshops and case studies. Tickets can be purchased at www.filmmakerconference.com.

Sponsors of Independent Film Week include: Premiere sponsors Eastman Kodak Company and HBO; and Gold Sponsors A&E IndieFilms, Panasonic, and SAGIndie.

About IFP Founded as a satellite program of the 1979 New York Film Festival, the nonprofit IFP has evolved into the nation’s oldest and largest organization of independent filmmakers, and also the premier advocate for them. Since its start, IFP has supported the production of 7,000 films and provided resources to more than 20,000 filmmakers–voices that otherwise might not have been heard. IFP believes that independent films enrich the universal language of cinema, seeding the global culture with new ideas, kindling awareness, and fostering activism. The organization has fostered early work by leading filmmakers including Charles Burnett, Edward Burns, Jim Jarmusch, Barbara Kopple, Michael Moore, Mira Nair and Kevin Smith. For more information: www.ifp.org.

About Independent Film Week While the Independent Filmmaker Conference and special screenings are open to the general public, the centerpiece of Independent Film Week is the "Project Forum," a showcase for over 150 new works in development. The Forum is divided into three sections: Emerging Narrative, for writers and writer/directors seeking producers; No Borders International Co-Production Market, for experienced producers seeking financing partners; and Spotlight on Documentaries, for projects in production and post-production that are currently seeking financing partners and festival invitations. IFP expects to arrange more than 2,000 one-on-one pitch meetings between filmmakers and executives from production companies, distributors, exhibitors, broadcasters, and film festivals. For information: www.independentfilmweek.com.