Winterize at X-Dance Action Sports Film Festival

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Parent Category: Film Festivals

Category: Previews

Published on Thursday, 14 January 2010 06:24

Written by Lynne Shannon

Each winter, the world’s top action sports filmmakers, iconic athletes and enthusiasts come together in Utah to celebrate action sports culture at the X-Dance Action Sports Film Festival.  This year’s event runs January 21-26, 2010 with screenings at the Off Broadway Theater (272 South Main Street) in Salt Lake City, Utah.

“It truly is the best of action sports. Nowhere else will you find all of the top athletes and filmmakers under one roof,” says surfing legend Laird Hamilton, a long-time X-Dance supporter. With roots in the action sports world as well as the mainstream entertainment industry, no event on earth harnesses the creative energy of adrenaline culture like the X-Dance Action Sports Film Festival.

Launched in 2001 with the support of major sponsors, X-Dance has grown to become the premier action sports film festival in the world. The mission of X-Dance is to nurture the growth of action sports filmmaking and to honor achievement on both sides of the camera.  X-Dance will always recognize innovative work that pushes the limits of style and narrative.

X-Dance celebrates its 10th Anniversary in 2010, and according to festival director Brian Wimmer, “It’s going to be an incredible year.  We are extremely proud to present Warren Miller, ‘The Godfather’ of action sports films with the Lifetime Achievement Award and are thrilled that he is getting involved with the festival.  In addition, there will be special screenings, X-Dance Institute forums and many off-the-chart parties to mark our 10th anniversary.”

X-Dance is held during the Sundance Film Festival to provide the filmmakers a chance to immerse themselves in Sundance and its activities.

The six-day festival includes:

Screenings open to the Public of top action sports films from industry stalwarts like Matchstick, Red Bull, Burton, Teton Gravity Research, Standard Films, Alliance Wakeboards, Poor Boyz, Radical Films, VAS, Transworld, and Woodshed Films, as well as noteworthy work by emerging talent and world premieres.

Contact, starring local skier Blake Nyman, opens the festival of local films and world premieres. Local filmmakers Stan Evans and Jeremy Miller present the female snowboarding film Stance, the Official Selection of X-Dance. Local author and director Bill Kerig stars in The Edge of Never. Jordan Romero, age 14, who intends to be the youngest person to climb Mount Everest, will screen his short. Shaun White will be on site for the special screening and Institute fundraiser for his film Project X.  Also showing is The Last Paradise from New Zealand, directed by Eric Pollard.

Q&As are held with filmmakers and featured athletes after each screening.

The panels and seminars deal with real issues facing the Action Sports filmmaker, including emerging Internet demands in regard to content providing, music licensing, digital and hard copy distribution, and legal issues that arise. The top people in the industry from each category will raise the level of awareness and help the fimlmakers.

A controversial debate over the future of distribution and copyright will be hosted by Bit Torrent.

The X-Dance Institute also presents a Cinematography Workshop sponsored by GoPro Cameras with Academy-nominated cinematographer Don Burgess (Forrest Gump, Spiderman) and Chris Woods, director of over 400 national commercials.

Finally, Miller will address filmmakers in a public forum.

The X-Dance Awards Ceremony and Closing Party will be hosted by Olympic snowboard commentator and Fuel TV’s Daily Habit producer/host Pat Parnell.  The “Godfather” of Action Sports Filmmaking, Warren Miller, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Industry stars and celebrities join bands and DJs to celebrate the best in action sports filmmaking, while VJ, Brien Rullman transforms Club Elevate into a mesmerizing, wall-to-wall montage of action sports imagery.

For more information, visit:  www.x-dance.com.

X-Dance Action Sports Film Festival
January 21-26, 2010
Off Broadway Theater
272 South Main St.
Salt Lake City, Utah
801-355-4628

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