IFFF BLOG

IFFF Official Selections Announced January 20th

2012-01-19T15:53:00.000-08:00

The 2012 IFFF Official Film & Screenplay Selections will be announced on Friday, January 20 by 5 pm, PST.

View Selection HERE.

The IFFF receives films submitted into four distinct film competitions by both professionals and aspiring youth: Feature, Shorts, Professional Students (accredited film schools) and YouthFest! (ages 8-18).

Films juried as "Official Selections" will be scheduled to screen at Raleigh Studios, Hollywood, March 21-25.

"Official Selection" films will initially be alphabetically listed by official categories: Drama, Comedy, Animation, Documentary, Educational, Mixed-Media, Music. Films will later be listed with synopsis, cast & crew, screening dates, times and theater location as the final film schedule is determined.

Selected screenplays from only two semi-finalists scripts from each category (Drama, Comedy, Animation, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Music) will have one scene publicly read at the Screenwriter's Showcase on Sunday, March 25.

Ticket purchases will be available once the final film schedule is determined. Group rates are available at http://iffilmfest.org/2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=127&Itemid=124.

The festival is open to general audience and filmmaking professionals.

Alaskan Fisherman's "Dream Package for 2" auction Live - A Perfect Holiday Gift!

2011-11-15T11:21:00.001-08:00

As the Holidays approach, get in on this super opportunity to win a 40% DISCOUNTED fishing extravaganza to Alaska for yourself, a friend or loved one! It doesn't get any better than this if you love to fish.

Bidon the opportunity to win an AlaskanFisherman’s “Dream Package for 2” that is good for the month of June, 2012. There are TWO (2) of these packages, so get in on the bidding today. The auction is live for 10 days and ends November 24th.

Here are the links to the auction:

Auction 1: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160682522643&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

Auction 2: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160682523911&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

Good Luck to all!

IFFF meets with Peking University Education & Investment Co., LTD. officials

2011-10-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

L to R: Ms. Wang Kexin - Supervisor (The Affiliated High School of Peking University Education & Investment Co. Ltd.), Mr. Chris Shoemaker - IFFI Director, Mr. Wu Dian Jie - Director (The Affiliated High School of Peking University Education & Investment Co. Ltd.), Mrs. Jie, Shaina Salin - IFFI Director of Community and International Outreach, Dr. Suzanne Shoemaker - IFFI Educational Director

October 12, 2011

In cooperation with the office of LA Inc. (Los Angeles Visitors & Convention Bureau), the IFFI (International Family Film Institute) greeted guests from Mainland China (Beijing) to discuss the possibility of offering Sino-American Youth filmmaking, video game design & cultural camps (ages 11-16) in association the IFFI for the summer of 2012.

Leaders attending from Beijing were Director Wu Dain Jie, his wife and Supervisor Ms. Wang Kexin all from The Affiliated High School of Peking University Education & Investment Co. Ltd.

The group exchanged gifts, discussed educational goals, trends and laid out some tentative goals of how such an exchange program might work in the future. The Institute plans for not only Chinese youth to visit LA, but for American youth to also visit China for a true cross-cultural experience. Projects developed withing the camp sessions at either hosting country would then be submitted into the IFFF - Youth Fest! for possible festival exhibition, in addition to workshops and other educational experiences offered throughout the year.

Through international exchanges such as this, the IFFI seeks to build better relations and cultural understanding among today's youth for a stronger tomorrow.

L to R: Shaina Salin - IFFI Director of Community and International Outreach, Dr. Suzanne Shoemaker - IFFI Educational Director, Ms. Karran Rouzan - Manager, LA Inc. - Travel Industry Sales & Marketing (seated), Yuan Ding - IFFI translator, Mr. Chris Shoemaker - IFFI Director, Ms. Wang Kexin - Supervisor (seated), Chris Shoemaker, Chinese translator (foreground seated)

Chris Hewitt receives his 2011 IFFF trophy

2011-10-18T12:17:00.000-07:00


L to R: Programmer Patte Dee McKee, Screenwriter Chris Hewitt & Director Chris Shoemaker

June, 2011

Screenwriter Chris Hewitt, stopped by the IFFF offices to pick up his 2011 trophy for "Grizzly", the winning short screenplay in the Animation category. It was a pleasure to learn about Chris' upcoming film efforts and his move from interning at Dreamwork's Animation Studios to Relativity Media in West Hollywood. Keep up the good work Chris!

Invicta Law Group throws a get together for Pacific Northwest Filmmakers at AFM

2011-10-13T19:33:00.000-07:00


Far Left, IFFF Director Chris Shoemaker and host Steve Edmiston (3rd from Left) at a networking discussion at the 2010 AFM, Santa Monica, CA. November, 2010 IFFF Director Chris Shoemaker attended a professional discussion/roundtable in Santa Monica at the AFM for Pacific Northwest Filmmakers hosted by Steve Edmiston, filmmaker and Counsel the Invicta Law Group located in Seattle, WA. Steve is a long time attendee of the IFFF, having screened films at the fest as well as sat on professional panels weighing in on topics related to independent producing and film financing. The Invicta Law Group is a practice that serves "creative people."

2008 IFFF Screenwriter Eric Carlson comments on contest

2010-11-12T17:30:00.000-08:00

It's good to update your website. Comments and links suddenly appear! IFFF recently caught up with these remarks made by screenwriter Eric W. Carlson at the 2008 IFFF festival in Hollywood.

The link to the original interview with MovieBytes is attached:
http://www.moviebytes.com/ws/interviews.cfm?InterviewID=407&ContestNumber=35

Screenwriter Eric W. Carlson (L) receives this winning certificate from IFFF director Chris Shoemaker (R).

The IFFF is proud to support the artistic efforts of family themed writers.

The Desperate is a Fest Favorite

2010-11-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

Burbank - November 3, 2010

“The Desperate,” a short film that garnered the IFFF 2010 “Drama Winner” award, has gone on to win over 18 other festival awards – the IFFF was proudly it’s first.

BenHur Sepehr, the film’s director/producer, helmed this outstanding drama with his production company banner, Tolerance Through Knowledge. With plans to turn this short into a full-length feature and with some big name talent signing on, the future looks very promising indeed. Congratulations to Mr. Sepehr.

From Screenplay to Film: First Dog

2010-11-02T14:21:00.000-07:00

Burbank - October 25, 2010

In 2008, the screenplay “First Dog,” written by Bryan Michael Stoller won the Best Drama Feature screenplay category.

The following year, Bryan served as a panelist on the IFFF “Screenwriters Panel” and informed the festival that his screenplay would go into production by 2010.

IFFF proudly announces that “First Dog” is now an “Official Selection” and will be screened (drama category) at the 2011 IFFF. The film stars Eric Roberts, Priscilla Barnes, “Tiny” Lister, and introduces the young talent John-Paul Howard and Little Bear as the film eponymous “First Dog.”

The film features original songs written and performed by the legendary Dolly Parton, and is a co -production of the First American Cinema, LLC and the Sobrato Conservatory of the Arts.

“This is exactly why the festival holds a screenwriting competition and supports screenwriters and independent producers like Bryan who have the vision and tenacity to take a family story from screenplay to full production. The IFFF has screened other Stoller produced films in the past, and he has definitely grown into a confident and competent filmmaker. We look forward to screening ‘First Dog’ at the 2011 IFFF,” said Chris Shoemaker, IFFF Executive Director.

2010 Summer Camp at The John Anson Ford Theater was a huge success!

2010-09-23T14:40:00.000-07:00

Hollwood, CA - August, 2010

Following tradition, IFFF hosted a young filmmaker's camp at the John Anson Ford Theater in Hollywood during the month of August. This year there were 75 participants and beyond Filmmaking, they also enjoyed Game Design classes and learned about making Good Choices in their lives.

Unlike recent camps, this year presented a 20 day camp while each camper participated in all three programs. The highlight of the camp came on the last day when world famous animator, director and producer, Mr. Phil Roman (Garfield, The Simpsons) gave a presentation to all of those involved in the camp and shared personal insights about his creative career. Mr. Roman also signed autographs and inspired everyone with his unique story of triumph and personal success in the animation industry.
He reminded everyone present how blessed we all are to be able to fulfill our lives and to get on with "living our dreams."

The IFFF expresses its gratitude to Mr. Roman for his continued support of children and the art of storytelling.

IFFF Directors speak at the 6th International Forum of the Beijing Film Festival for Youth Welfare

2010-09-21T13:19:00.001-07:00

Beijing, China - August 19, 2010 - Festival co-founders Chris and Dr. Suzanne Shoemaker recently spoke at the 6^th annual International Forum of the Beijing Film Festival for Youth Welfare. The weeklong forum, hosted by the Beijing Youth Palce, the China Aizi Movie and Television Education Council and the China Communist Huairou Committee, also brought together youth film leaders from Taiwan, South Korea, Macau and Hong Kong. Mr. Shoemaker served as the forum’s keynote speaker addressing the topic of “Digital Youth Filmmaking in the 21^st Century: A profit and non-profit partnership for Success” and became the Forum’s first foreign attending delegate to address over 300 attending film leaders across China. “It was a true honor and privilege to share our ideas of how to reach youth with our Chinese counterparts and learn that we all share many of the same concerns, successes and obstacles when it comes to educating and engaging our youth – we believe this forum significantly strengthened our commitment to partner on many programs in the years ahead,” said Mr. Shoemaker.

Dr. Shoemaker also spoke on digital media, making a presentation entitled “Visual Communication: A Critical Skill in the 21^st Century.” Her presentation addressed the need for schools, parents and organizations to work closer with standards based curricula and exciting topics that will engage the minds and imaginations of youth people in grades K-12.

The Shoemakers also toured one of China’s premiere film studios, the China Film Group studios in Beijing, where discussions were held on how the United States and China might team up to co-produce films that will connect with audiences on both continents with an emphasis on films made by youth. They also met with a variety of other Chinese educational organizations to establish mutually hosted summer film camps in the summers ahead.

Alpha Blair - 2010 IFFF Comedy Screenplay Finalist

2010-08-03T15:24:00.000-07:00

Alpha Blair, a finalist (comedy category) in the IFFF's 2010 Screenplay Competition received her award for penning the "The Seduction of Auntie Rose," a story about a free-spirited young woman who helps her conservative grandaunt gain the courage to seek her ideal love, and in the process, finds her own.

"The Comedy category was extremely competitive this past year," says Patte Dee McKee, IFFF Film Programmer and Screenplay coordinator. "Comedy never trends out, especially with so many national and international conflicts and economic crisis these days. We still need to laugh, and no one understands this better than the writers."

Ms. Blair is no stranger to the IFFF, having submitted screenplays in previous years for competition. The festival wishes her the best in turning her fiction into a cinematic reality.

IFFF Premieres the 2011 Poster Art

2010-07-29T14:07:00.000-07:00

Out of the "Art" studio and fresh onto the webpage, IFFF debuts its newest theme-inspired 2011 Poster Art, "Family Films Are Evergreen."

Art Baez, the same illustrator responsible for envisioning the IFFF's 2007 Poster theme, "IFFF Goes To Hollywood," was a natural talent to turn to for this year's time-honored message.

"I've had the wonderful pleasure of working with Art on several projects now, and each time he delivers surprise and a sense of cleverness to everything he does. Beyond being a true professional, it's also a huge plus that he's a thoroughly enjoyable person and parent to work with. He feels a special affinity towards our festival's family spirit," Festival Founder Chris Shoemaker said. "He delivers a clear message on all aspects of the theme."

After he earned his BA in Fine Arts from the Otis College of Art & Design, Art continued immersing himself in the ‘Santa-world’ of toys. His early professional career was spent designing toys for such well-known brands as SpongeBob SquarePants™, The Simpsons™, Powerpuff Girls™, Dora the Explorer™, and Fairly OddParents™.

Art has continued his influence in the toy world as lead designer for Promotional Partners Worldwide (PPW) where he played an instrumental role in bringing their first retail toy to market. PPW’s retail line now includes an assortment of puzzles, games, retro toys, and collectible and concession items.

IFFF is proud to present yet another Baez creation at its yet to unspool 2011 fest. Thanks Art!

SUBMISSIONS OPEN FOR 2011 INTERNATIONAL FAMILY FILM FESTIVAL

2010-06-10T08:36:00.000-07:00

The 16^th annual International Family Film Festival affirms that since the beginning of time “Great Stories Bring Families Together”. With that theme as a slogan, IFFF is scheduled from March 16-20, 2011at the Raleigh Studios, Hollywood, CA.

As is tradition, the festival features premieres and film screenings, the Screenwriters Showcase, Panel Discussions with industry professionals, and lots of opportunities to network with agents, producers, writers, distributors and working professionals in the film industry. Not only is this a great place to have your film screened or your script read, the festival also provides filmmakers an opportunity to conduct market research directly with their audience.

The categories for films are: drama, comedy, computer animation, classic animation, documentary, musical, and educational. Deadline for film and screenplay is January 16, 2011.

The categories for screenplays are: drama, comedy, animation, and sci-fi/fantasy.

Along with Awards for the Best Films and Screenplays, the IFFF presents the most coveted Award of all: the Top Applause Award (the audience favorite).

Go to: www.withoutabox.com and /or www.iffilmfest.org

IFFF 2010 SCREENPLAY WINNER HUGH SCHULZE

2010-04-26T10:28:00.000-07:00

Hugh Schulze's screenplay Dressing Up won the Feature Comedy category in the 2010 International Family film Festival Screenplay competition. Congratulations, Hugh!

IFFF Fest Founders and Staff Hangin' Out!

2010-04-22T10:50:00.000-07:00

Chris Shoemaker Reports:

IFFF Festival "Hard-Core" gang here hanging out at Lucy's El Adobe Restaurant last night for some great food and debriefing (is that what we did?).

Lucy's (on Melrose Ave. next to Raleigh and Paramount Studios) is one of the oldest restaurants in Hollywood and a festival favorite.

In this photo: Chris Shoemaker, Jennifer Wynne Farmer, Alexandra Overton, Suzanne Shoemaker, Patte Dee McKee, Rich Samuels

"The Desperate" Wins Best Short Drama at the 2010 IFFF

2010-04-12T10:00:00.001-07:00

Meet Ben-Hur Sepher, Writer/Director of "The Desperate," which won Best Short Drama at the 2010 International Family Film Festival.

"The Desperate" Wins Best Short Drama at the 2010 IFFF

2010-04-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

Meet Ben-Hur Sepher, Writer/Director of "The Desperate," which won Best Short Drama at the 2010 Internationa

l Family Film Festival

TOP APPLAUSE AWARD GOES TO "FLORIDA ROAD"

2010-04-09T13:42:00.000-07:00

"Florida Road," co-written and produced by Fred Fontana, co-written and directed by Brad Glass, received the Top Applause award at the International Family Film Festival. Because the award is decided only moments before the actual awards ceremony, Fred stopped by the festival office to pick up the award. If you're reading this from Facebook, click here to see the video on the IFFF blog!

NEXT YEAR!

2010-04-02T12:37:00.000-07:00

The dates for the next International Family Film Festival have been set!

Look for us March 16-20, 2011!!

Other Important Dates:

Submissions Open: May 1, 2010

Earlybird deadline: August 31, 2010

Regular Deadline: January 16, 2011

Late Deadline (Film): January 24, 2011

Late Deadline (Screenplay): January 31, 2011

2010-03-22T15:28:00.000-07:00

See Ryan's Work at www.youtube.com/rpguy19 and www.ggrpictures.com

A Special "Thanks" From the Executive Director

2010-03-19T09:41:00.000-07:00

Chris Shoemaker asked that I share this with you:

A major "Thanks" to all the IFFF filmmakers, presenters, sponsors, guests, the China Film Delegation, our supportive Advisors and dynamite staff for making this year's IFFF the best yet! Your creativity and resourcefulness is humbling. We could NOT do it without you all... be well and hope to see you at the 16th annual IFFF next spring!

IFFF - Days 4 and 5!

2010-03-17T22:27:00.000-07:00

Here it is - the last of the three videos summarizing the 2010 IFFF. We still have a couple of little video surprises from the fest that we'll reveal shortly!

IFFF VLOG - DAYS TWO AND THREE!

2010-03-16T17:13:00.000-07:00

Here are some highlights from Days Two and Three of the International Family Film Festival. We'll post highlights from the rest of the fest in just a couple days - keep watching. Also, remember to click on the photo gallery to the right of this blog entry to see dozens of photos taken throughout the entire festival!

Day Three Update!

2010-03-12T15:55:00.000-08:00

We've had a few technical difficulties, so we haven't been able to upload video as often as we'd like - but it's all being recorded, so just stay tuned over the next few days and you've see some great highlights.

Today is day three of the festival. Alexandra Overton and I had the pleasure of accompanying our Chinese guests on a walking tour of Paramount Studios. As I write this, the afternoon screening of "Dogfather" is underway, with a special audience of middle school kids from LeConte Middle School. The local Dominos franchise is supplying the kids with pizza following the screening.

Animator Andreas Deja, who has worked with Disney for thirty years, enthralled his audience with tales from his experiences at the studio. He related one story of having "met" lions that were brought by the studio during devlopment of "Lion King."

We may not have video as often as we'd like, but we're still updating the photostream, and tweeting when we can - make sure you check those out! I just uploading photos from the Paramount Tour!

2010-03-12T11:21:00.000-08:00

THE IFFF VLOG: DAY ONE HIGHLIGHTS!

2010-03-11T11:28:00.000-08:00

Final Dispatch - Day One

2010-03-10T22:39:00.000-08:00

It's been an absolutely amazing day! I'm writing this as I prepare to upload some great photos from the first day of the festival, which not only featured some great Chinese films, but the opportunity to meet and get to know a wonderful contingent of Chinese filmmakers, film executives and actors. I'll be posting some video highlights tomorrow morning before I head back to the festival for day two!

IFFF Dispatch

2010-03-10T18:25:00.001-08:00

We are getting ready for a wine reception to celebrate today's salute
to Chinese films. There's something very special about a real cultural
exchange beyond political distractions. We're all grateful for the
opportunity to share our worlds.

2010-03-10T15:44:00.001-08:00

The first day of the festival is going great. Chinese filmmakers and
actors are having a great time. We look forward to sharing photos and
video later tonight on the website. You can expect to see some of the
biggest names in Chinese film and television.

Remember to Follow the Fest!

2010-03-10T00:04:00.000-08:00

Starting today, you'll be able to follow the festival online!

Watch for blog updates periodically during the day right here on the IFFF Blog.

We'll also be constantly updated the the photo feed at Flikr, also available right here (to the right of the latest blog entry) or directly at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ifffpix

Check here for vlog updates later in the evening, or first thing in the morning (we won't have the chance to upload during the day) - alternatively, if you have a YouTube account, you can subscribe to the webmaster's channel at

http://www.youtube.com/user/WorldAccordingtoRich

to be notified whenever new videos are posted.

We'll also post some surprises on Twitter, so follow us at intfamfilmfest.

See you there!

LATEST IFFF VLOG UPDATE!

2010-03-09T06:36:00.000-08:00

As we move closer to the International Family Film Festival, the entire team is working feverishly under multiple hats. Meet Patty Jean Robinson. muliple hat wearer!

PERSONAL APPEARANCE: LORI LOUGHLIN, STAR OF "MEET MY MOM"

2010-03-07T09:09:00.000-08:00

Lori Louglin, star of Hallmark's film, "Meet My Mom," will be appearing with her film as it screens at the International Family Film Festival.

"Meet My Mom" screens on Thursday, March 11th, at 7:30 pm. Buy tickets here.

FINAL DRAFT ANNOUNCES IFFF SPONSORSHIP

2010-03-07T08:44:00.000-08:00

The IFFF extends a big "THANK YOU" to Final Draft!

Their generous donation will allow winners of the Screenplay Competition to receive Final Draft 8, the industry-standard screenwriting software.

LATEST IFFF VLOG UPDATE!

2010-03-05T10:09:00.001-08:00

The IFFF and Social Networking!

2010-03-02T22:01:00.000-08:00

Rich Samuels, webmaster of both the Freshi Blogs and the International Family Film Festival blog, spoke recently on his vlog, "The World According to Rich" about his special vlog/blog coverage of the International Family Film Festival:

Award-Winning Chinese Films Screening at IFFF

2010-03-01T11:15:00.000-08:00

China will be making its' first appearance at the 15^th Annual International Family Film Festival, (IFFF) scheduled for March 10-14 at Raleigh Studios located at 5300 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California (corner of Melrose and Van Ness). IFFF is a film and screenplay competition that promotes the sharing of family films through exhibition, adjudication and education. It brings the worldwide family together through shared stories and community.

China and the Chinese film community have been participating in the IFFF over the last fifteen years. This year they are sending 14 of their award-winning children’s films as well as a delegation of actors, directors, producers and studio heads to the Festival forming a Chinese film delegation. Of the 19 countries whose films have been accepted to the festival, China leads in number and variety of submissions and size of delegation.

The Festival opens on Wednesday, March 10 with a day dedicated to the Chinese Film block. There will be screenings of 9 of the award-winning films from 1:00 - 7 PM culminating in a welcoming reception at 7:30PM for the visiting film artists from across China. Film stars and creators will be present before and after each screening for a Q&A.In addition to the special block, 6 films will be shown on Thursday March 11, 2 films each day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (March 12 through March 14). The film artists will also be present at each of these screenings for a post film discussion with the audience.

One of the highlights of the Festival is a Panel Discussion with the visiting Chinese Film team on Saturday, March 13 at 12:30 PM entitled “Producing Films in China”. The Panel will be composed of studio executives, producers, and lawyers as well as the featured panelist, Mr. Huaizhi Chen, the Los Angeles China Consulate. Members of the Chinese team will also participate in the Distribution Panel.

The Festival ends on Sunday, March 14 with the Screenwriting Panel Discussion and the Screenwriters Showcase where there is a reading of the finalist scripts which includes a script from a Chinese scriptwriter. The Festival culminates at the Awards Ceremony and Buffet Dinner beginning at 6:00 PM, Sunday, March 14th.

For a complete listing of activities, film synopsis and schedules for the festival visit www.iffilmfest.org

MEET OUR SPONSORS!

2010-02-27T09:00:00.000-08:00

iCrewz.com caters specifically to the film crew industry and provides jobs, crew, equipment and locations for all upcoming productions worldwide. We also work directly with film schools to provide discounted yearly memberships to all students.

iCrewz is an online community with a multitude of perks, not only for your typical film crew job title, but for EVERYONE! This is the portal for even the oddest job, whether it is in pre or post of any television, video, theater or film production.

The most unique feature of the site is the iR8 system. This functionality allows crew members and their employers to rate each other based on completed jobs.

The main goal for iCrewz is to allow people the opportunity to travel the world, work at what they love and most importantly, enjoy life while doing it.

OPENING NIGHT FILM: "MEET MY MOM"

2010-02-26T09:00:00.000-08:00

The 2010 IFFF Film Excellence Award is honoring Hallmark Channel. The Opening Night film on March 11th at 7:30pm from Hallmark Channel is the premiere of “Meet My Mom” starring Lori Laughlin and Stephanie Powers, and introducing Charles Henry Wyson.

MARCH 14TH: AWARDS CEREMONY AND BUFFET DINNER

2010-02-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

Mistress of Ceremonies is Nancy Cartwright (voice of Bart on The Simpsons).

The Film and Screenplay Awards will be announced, and music will be provided by the Saint Tones. The Director of the Awards Ceremony is Producer/Director Jennifer Farmer. Celebrity Presenters are being confirmed and will be announced in two weeks.

The Wine Reception is at 6:00pm (hosted by LA Wine 2010), Ceremony at 7:30pm and Buffet Dinner at 9:00pm. And the Celebration begins!! The IFFF Trophy is an original design by Schlomi Haziza of the H Studios. Schlomi has been proclaimed by Israel as a National Treasure, and has Showrooms in Sun Valley, California and Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Awards Ceremony is always a sell-out event, so make your reservations early.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

2010-02-24T09:00:00.000-08:00

In case no one has told you yet, the economy is tough! One of the biggest groups to be hit economically was the non-profit sector and that means us! Now more than ever we need your help with donations and memberships. A simple IFFF Membership is $35. Almost anyone can handle that amount on their budget. Donations can go from $40 to the moon depending on how much of a tax write-off is needed.

We NEED your help. The founders of the festival work all year as volunteers to bring this event to you and to offer you a platform to sell your films and screenplays and to be seen by an audience. We don’t ask for a salary, we just ask to cover our bills. Please consider digging into your pocket and making a contribution to the festival---we promise to keep working to create opportunity for your films if you promise to help us with financial assistance. To buy a membership or donate please visit the website at www.iffilmfest.org and give! and go to STORE and buy a Membership.

FEST PANEL DISCUSSIONS FILLING UP!

2010-02-23T08:48:00.001-08:00

The Festival has lined up an amazing group of professionals for the Panel Discussions.They are some of the hardest working independent professional filmmakers in Hollywood and it will be an honor to share their insights on the state of the business as swell as having access to them on a face-to-face basis. Keep checking the website for updates on bios of the panel members and be sure and not miss any of the action. The only way you can meet working professionals is to see them at an event they support- otherwise, life is too busy.

We have confirmed many of the usual distributors who will be attending and looking to buy at the festival but this year we have foreign distributors for the first time. China is looking to buy up to 57 films for distribution in China and they must be foreign films. They are not looking for studio produced projects, they are looking for independent film productions. All of you filmmakers remember that there are two billion people in China---that is a BIG audience. Come prepared to do and see it all---this is your time to shine so take advantage of all of it!

PANEL DISCUSSION TOPICS

Indie Distribution

Producing Films in China

Guerilla Financing

Film Incentives in California

Screenwiters on Family Films

It's A Wrap! Now What?

go to IFFF website: www.iffilmfest.org for dates and times

SCHEDULE AND TICKET ORDERING NOW LIVE!

2010-02-14T18:20:00.000-08:00

The complete schedule and ticket ordering system for the 2010 IFFF is now LIVE at www.iffilmfest.org!

See you there!

INFO AND TICKETS AVAILABLE SOON

2010-02-08T16:04:00.000-08:00

Information on films screening at the at the IFFF, as well as ticket ordering is now being prepared, and will go online at the International Family Film Festival website, www.iffilmfest.org, by the end of the week.

Stand by!

FILMMAKERS, FILMMAKERS, SEND UP YOUR LINKS!

2010-02-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

Filmmakers and filmmakers whose work is being featured at IFFF are invited to send website information for posting in a new section on the IFFF website. Send your links to the webmaster, rich.samuels@freshiflix.com - please include "FOR IFFF WEBSITE" in the subject line, and remember to indicate your project and category.

PANEL DISCUSSIONS AND SCREENWRITERS SHOWCASE AT THE IFFF

2010-02-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

PANEL DISCUSSION Topics on Saturday & Sunday, March 13TH AND 14TH.

Guerilla Film Financing, Producing Films in China, Indie Distribution, Producing Films in California, It's A Wrap! What Now?, Screenwriters on Family Films

AND

SCREENWRITERS SHOWCASE & Reception on Sunday at 2:00pm The 2 Semi-Finalists from each category will have one scene performed by actors, with Q&A with the writers.

IFFF SUBMISSIONS UP, UP, UP!

2010-02-01T11:00:00.000-08:00

This may be a bad year for the economy but it has been a wonderful year for filmmakers. Not only has it been a record breaking box office year for the United States but that fever to go to the movies has energized audiences worldwide.

The International Family Film Festival, now in its fifteenth year, has seen a dramatic increase in the submissions of both films and screenplays. The number of films submitted doubled over previous years as did the submission of screenplays. The international submissions this year included interesting and exotic films from a long list of both familiar faces and new additions such as Canada, Brazil, China, India, Turkey, UK, South Africa, Italy, Australia, Germany, Japan, Rwanda, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Viet Nam.

We have had an equally abundant submission harvest from the professional film schools with short films entered from Chapman University, California Institute of the Arts, Orange County Arts Academy, Yale, University of Texas-Austin, Victorian College, Chicago Vocational Academy, Ryerson University, Loyola Marymont, Vancouver Film School, University of Southern California, American Film institute, Ringling and Canegie Mellon.

The films are exotic, global, meaningful and all about FAMILY. What a wonderful collection of film for the 15th annual family film festival. The films also have brought together a great list of talent to tell their stories with such names as Diane Ladd, Dean Cain, John Schneider, Adam Arkin, Valerie Mahaffey, Ellen Burstyn, Cass Warner, Stephanie Powers and Lori Laughlin.

IFFF NOW ON TWITTER!

2010-01-29T12:26:00.001-08:00

Keep up with the tweeting at the upcoming International Family Film Festival:

intfamfilmfest

CHINESE FILMS TO SCREEN AT IFFF

2010-01-25T10:57:00.000-08:00

The International Family Film Festival, will be offering a very special block of Chinese children's films at the upcoming festival, March 10-14, 2010.

The presentation, produced in association with China Aizi Movie and Television Education Council and The China Children's Film Association, will feature 14 feature-length films, and include a delegation of 25 of China's leading film directors, producers, cinematographers, distributors, programmers, actors and child stars. It's a truly unique insight into the modern Chinese film industry.

For more information, check out our special Chinese Film Block page at the IFFF website.

IFFF FINAL SELECTIONS: FEATURE FILMS

2010-01-22T09:00:00.000-08:00

MORE DETAIL TO FOLLOW SOON!

DRAMA:

A VILLAGE NAMED NUODENG

APOLOGY

BROKEN HILL

CRANE BALLAD

EMPYREAL DOCTOR

FIND ME

FLORIDA ROAD

FOUR LITTLE SHAO LIN GONGFU STARS

I WANNA BE A STAR

PLEASE, DON’T CRY

PROMISING BLOSSOM

RUN

SHOPPING TRIP

SUMMER ELEVEN

TALKING SAND

THE EXAM

THE FILMMAKER

THE MIGHTY MACS

THE RING OF RAINBOW FLOWER

THE WAY HOME

THE WAY TO DANCE

WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?

COMEDY:

ALL SCREWED UP

BOOK OF MASTERS

NEW TEACHER

THE DOGFATHER

THE YANKLES

WORKS IN PROGRESS

ANIMATION:

ADVENTURES IN CHARACTER KINGDOM

DOCUMENTARY:

IN PURSUIT OF A DREAM

RWANDA: HOPE RISES

THE BROTHERS WARNER

EDUCATIONAL:

AUTISTIC LICENSE

MUSICAL:

CHENGYUNG RESCUES THE ORPHAN

SENIORITIS

UNITARDS

MIXED MEDIA:

MAGICAL TURTLE

PROFESSOR CRUNCH AND THE DAFFIES

IFFF 2010 FINAL SELECTIONS: STUDENT SHORTS

2010-01-21T09:00:00.000-08:00

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DRAMA:

BASKET BRONX

JAMES WARWICK

LAST DEAL AT THE MT. CARROLL GUN CLUB

STRANGE LITTLE GIRL

THE BIRTHDAY CAKE

COMEDY:

BLUES

SHE’S A FOX

TAKE ME WITH YOU

TRAGIC SELF-IMPROVEMENT OF ROSS LAWSON

ANIMATION-COMPUTER:

ORANGE CITY

SHUTTLE T-42

THE BIRD AND THE SQUIRREL

THE WING

DOCUMENTARY:

B-2247: A D\GRANDDAUGTERS UNDERSTANDING

CONCRETE PARADIGM

MUSICAL:

HARMONY TOWN

MIXED MEDIA:

KABAMIR

MILTON 4.0

THE WANDERING STAR

IFFF 2010 FINAL SELECTIONS: SHORT FILMS

2010-01-20T09:00:00.000-08:00

MORE DETAIL TO FOLLOW SOON!

DRAMA:

A BIKE RIDE

A DREAM IN HANOI

HALF KENNETH

MR. BOJAGI

MY LAST DAY OF WAR

PAPERBOY

RAISED ALONE

RUNNING BACK TO FORWARD

THE DESPERATE

THE SCARECROW & THE PRINCESS

WITT’S DAUGHTER

COMEDY:

SANTA’S LITTLE HELPER

THE MISINVENTIONS OF MILO WETHERBY

THE STOOP

UERRA

ANIMATION-COMPUTER:

DORKY DAD

HAZED

LOST & FOUND

NAN & LILI – BUILDING BLOCKS

TIN CAN HEART

DOCUMENTARIES:

ALL ARE OUR HEROES

ARABS, JEWS, & THE NEWS

DIVE!

MY PEN PAL: AN AFRICAN ADVENTURE

OUR VINES HAVE TENDER GRAPES

EDUCATIONAL:

THE MAGIC BALL

MIXED MEDIA:

JET

THE LIFTER UPPER

IFFF 2010 FINAL SELECTIONS: SHORT SCRIPTS

2010-01-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

More Detail to Follow Soon!

DRAMA:

ARE WE THERE YET?

BEST FRIEND

HAMPTON COURT – EPISODE 1 – ROGUE NATION

HAMPTON COURT – EPISODE 2 – TIL IT’S DONE

ANIMATION:

ALIENS, PRINCESSES, AND A DOG

NAVAEH CAN’T WAIT

SCI-FI/FANTASY:

BLINDA

KEEMO THE ARCHER

THE HUNT FOR THE GOLDEN COBRA

IFFF 2010 FINAL SELECTIONS: FEATURE SCREENPLAYS

2010-01-18T08:39:00.000-08:00

More Detail to Follow Soon!

DRAMA:

CAMP FIRE

DANIELLE’S BEACON

DRAGONFLY

DRESSING UP

ELLIOT

FORT SISSETON – DAKOTA TERRITORY

HOLLY’S CHRISTMAS

RELEVE

ROY RYDELL

SAMSON V-2

SOUTH PADRE

THE FISHING SHACK

THE HUNTERS

THE PRODIGAL SONS

COMEDY:

BLAME IT ON NASHVILLE

DAD TASTIC

INVITATION ONLY

NEVER THE BRIDE

SHAKESPEARE UNPLUGGED

SNAP

STAGE DAD

THE PUMPKIN PRINCESS

THE SEDUCTION OF AUNTIE ROSE

ANIMATION:

A TOUCAN AMAZON ADVENTURE

BEEP

BIRDIGO

ERIN & OWEN IN MYTHATANIA

KHENG KHENG CROCODILE

LILA LYMPHOCYTE SAVES THE DAY

OMARR THE CAMEL

ONE DOWN CLOWN

SPLAT!

SCI-FI/FANTASY:

A HORSE NAMED PEGGY

AMERICAN FUNG-SHUI MAN

BYE CUSPID! THE ADVENTURES OF A MALE TOOTH FAIRY

DUPONT’S MOUND 2

FINDING SANTA

LEITH BHROGAN OF THE CRUEL EYES

SEBASTIAN AND THE LOST ATOLL

THE MANSION

THE RAINBOW

IFFF AWARDS EMCEE PROFILE: NANCY CARTWRIGHT

2010-01-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

Emmy Award-winning actress Nancy Cartwright is best known as the voice of spike-headed underachiever Bart Simpson, but also gives voice to Ralph Wiggum, Nelson Muntz, Todd Flanders and various others in the town of Springfield. Nancy is one of the reasons the show is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, making it the longest running show on television in any genre.

In addition to her work on THE SIMPSONS, Cartwright has portrayed Chuckie in the cable seriesRugrats, as well as Rufus the Naked Mole Rat in Kim Possible and Todd on Disney’s The Replacements. With over two decades at the mic, Cartwright has lent her voice to characters on various other animated series, including Richie Rich, Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, Timberwolf, to name a few.

Cartwright, while best known for her work at the microphone, is not camera shy. She has portrayed memorable roles in numerous television series and movies including Fame, Empty Nest, Cheers, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Twilight Zone-The Movie and Godzilla, as well as a lead in the TV movie Marian Rose White.

Cartwright received an Emmy Award and an Annie Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Voice-Over Performances as Bart Simpson. They are displayed alongside the multiple SIMPSONS Emmys, her Emmys forAnimaniacs and Pinky, Elmyra and the Brain, a People’s Choice Award, and the DramaLogue Award she received for her one-woman play, In Search of Fellini. Another extremely well received one-woman show, My Life as a Ten-Year-Old-Boy based on her book of the same name, world-premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August 2004. The best selling autobiography, My Life as a Ten-Year-Old-Boy (Hyperion/Bloomsbury), takes a behind-the-scenes look at her unique life as it relates to the phenomenon of THE SIMPSONS with an updated version released as an audio book.
Cartwright’s production company, SportsBlast, and partners Turner Sports Interactive hosting Nascar.com, were recognized with the Silver Award by the Houston Film Festival for their original series The Kellys. The Kellys also received an Aurora Gold Award and Cartwright Entertainment received an Aurora Gold Award for her Day in the Life documentary.

Cartwright actively supports many non-profit organizations that help children, including PALS (Police Activities League Supporters) for which she holds an annual Monte Carlo Night which has helped to raise funds for a center for at risk youth, The Way to Happiness Foundation, Famous Fone Friends, and Make-A-Wish Foundation, for which she received their highest honor, the Wish Icon Award in 2007. She is in her fourth term as Honorary Mayor of the North San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, on the board of the Chamber of Commerce and actively participates in her local community in numerous other ways as well. She is the co-founder of Happy House, a non-profit organization dedicated to Building Better Families and is a member of ASIFA and The Chouinard Foundation. She is equally committed to helping those in her home state of Ohio, where she has established a perpetual scholarship for students at her high school alma mater in Kettering to attend Ohio University.

When not creating and producing news projects, bringing life to animated characters or organizing fundraisers or working on other philanthropic and awareness building efforts, Nancy is an avid golfer, race car driver (she is licensed by NASCAR) and has just learned to play poker so she can participate in yet more celebrity fundraisers for various charities.

To find out more about Nancy and her career go to www.nancycartwright.com

WINNER PROFILE: THE HALLMARK CHANNEL

2009-12-30T09:00:00.000-08:00

Hallmark Channel, the recipient of the IFFF's 2010 Film Excellence Award, is the quintessential 24-hour television destination for family-friendly programming and a leader in the production of original movies. The network launched in 2001 and brings to audiences a brand with a 50-plus year legacy that resonates with consumers. Hallmark Channel has been one of the fastest-growing major ad-supported cable networks since its launch, and its strong ratings often rank the channel in the top 10 in Prime Time. Hallmark Channel is seen in 88 million homes across the United States and has developed a stellar reputation for keeping viewers engaged and entertained.

A staple to the network, Hallmark Channel Original Movies are characterized by strong storytelling through compelling themes and vibrant characters. Rounding out its schedule, Hallmark Channel also airs a mix of popular television series, including “The Golden Girls,” “I Love Lucy,” “Touched by an Angel,” “Murder, She Wrote,” “Cheers,” “Jack Hanna’s Animal Adventures” and “Little House on the Prairie.”

Hallmark Channel continues to expand its offerings to viewers through its companion network, Hallmark Movie Channel, available in both standard definition (SD) and in high definition (HD). Crown Media Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRWN), owns and operates the networks.

Hallmark Channel, along with its sibling network Hallmark Movie Channel, serves as the exclusive cable home to the prestigious Hallmark Hall of Fame library, the longest-running and most-awarded movie series in television’s history.

Launched on April 2, 2008, Hallmark Movie Channel in HD is simulcast alongside Hallmark Movie Channel SD, and offers audiences an unparalleled viewing experience. Hallmark Movie Channel, the second linear channel from Crown Media, is a 24-hour digital cable network dedicated to bringing viewers the very best family movies of all time with a mix of classic theatrical films, presentations from the acclaimed Hallmark Hall of Fame library, original Hallmark Channel movies and special events. It’s seen in nearly 25 million homes in the United States.

For more information, check out IFFF's Hallmark Page.

WINNER PROFILE: MR. ANDREAS DEJA

2009-12-28T10:36:00.000-08:00

Andreas Deja, who will be the 2010 recipient of the IFFF's Friz Award for Excellance was born 1957 in Gdansk, Poland. Deja moved with his family to Dinslaken, Germany in 1958. After graduating from Theodor-Heuss Gymnasium (secondary school), he studied graphic design at the Folkwang-Schule in Essen, Germany. A lifelong fan of Disney animated films, Deja was hired by the studio in 1980 after he had corresponded with Eric Larson. The first film on which he worked was The Black Cauldron, during which time he shared a cubicle with the film director Tim Burton.

During his rookie days at Disney, Deja sought mentorship and practical advice from seven of the then-living Nine Old Men (who were already retired before his tenure). On an interview with Clay Katis on the Animation Podcast, Deja stated that if the podcast needed anything on the Nine Old Men, to refer to him because of the vast amount of information he has collected over the years. He later revealed that one of his ambitions is to publish one book for each of the Nine Old Men.
Deja is best known as the supervising animator of some of the most memorable Disney villains: Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, Jafar in Aladdin and Scar from The Lion King. He also animated Roger Rabbit from Who Framed Roger Rabbit, King Triton from The Little Mermaid, the title character from Hercules, Lilo from Lilo & Stitch, and Queen Narissa from Enchanted. In addition, he is the current resident specialist for the animation of Mickey Mouse.

In 2006, at the 35th Annie Awards, Deja was awarded the Winsor McCay Award for outstanding contribution to the art of animation.

2009-12-18T10:36:00.001-08:00

ALERT: SCREENPLAY ENTRIES DUE MONDAY, DECEMBER 21ST!!

2009-12-18T09:00:00.000-08:00

SCREENPLAY ENTRIES for the International Family Film Festival need to be POSTMARKED by this coming Monday, December 21st, 2009. More information is available through links to the right of this post. Entries are welcomed in a variety of categories, and in both short and long-form formats.

The IFFF Screenplay competition is also well-known for the highly entertaining screenplay readings, which feature excerpts from the top screenplays in each category, performed by professional actors before a festival audience. Its a great show!

ALERT!!!! FILM ENTRIES DUE TOMORROW!

2009-12-14T11:25:00.000-08:00

Remember, the deadline for all FILM submissions to the International Family Film Festival is tomorrow. All entries must be POSTMARKED by TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15TH to be eligible for the competition!

SCREENPLAY entries must be postmarked by MONDAY, DECEMBER 21st!

FILM AND SCREENPLAY ENTRIES ARRIVING FROM AROUND THE WORLD!

2009-12-12T08:28:00.000-08:00

As festival deadlines approach, the IFFF is seeing a wealth of film and screenplay entries from around the world, from Australia to Rwanda, India to the Russian Federation, China, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy and much more! This year, the "I" in international is especially bright!

We're also seeing submissions from many prominant educational instituion, including the University of Southern California, Yale University, New York University (NYU), Cal State Monterey Bay, CalArts, and Brooklyn College, to name just a few.

For more information on entering your work in the International Family Film Festival, check the information to the right of this entry.

GOOD LUCK!

IFFF AWARDS CEREMONY MARCH 14TH AT RALEIGH STUDIOS

2009-12-03T13:31:00.000-08:00

The IFFF Film Awards Ceremony has been scheduled for March 14, 2010, at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood. Mistress of Ceremony this year is none other than Nancy Cartwright, the legendary voice of Bart Simpson).

The 2010 IFFF Studio Excellence Award Honoree is the Hallmark Channel.

The “Friz” Award for Animation will be awarded to Andreas Deja, the Disney animator responsible for Mama Odie in “The Princess and the Frog”, Gaston in “Beauty and the Beast”, Jafar in Aladdin, and Scar in “The Lion King” and many more memorable characters. Mr Deja uses his enormous talent by creating original animations that have been handdrawn – the old-fashioned way.