SANTA FE, N.M. (October 7, 2011) – Diane Schneier Perrin, Executive Director for the newly revamped Santa Fe Film Festival (SFFF), today announced the program for the 12th edition of SFFF (Thursday, October 20 through Sunday, October 23, 2011) including the U.S. premiere of British director Terence Davies’ postwar romantic drama “The Deep Blue Sea” starring Rachel Weisz and French-Canadian film “Monsieur Lazhar,” directed by Philippe Falardeau, Canada’s official submission to the 84th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film.
For the new edition, the festival will expand to four days and increase the number of features, shorts and panels while maintaining the mission of establishing the Santa Fe Film Festival as a premier boutique international film festival.
On Opening Night, the festival will screen “The Artist” directed by Michel Hazanavicius. Starring Jean Dujardin, who won Best Actor at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Berenice Bejo and featuring John Goodman, the film is about a silent movie star facing the twilight of his career and the dawn of a new romance as Hollywood welcomes the emergence of the talkies. The festival’s Closing Night film is “Monsieur Lazhar”. “Ninja Kids” (2011), a family friendly high energy comedy from cult phenomenon director Takashi Miike (13 Assassins), will also receive a special screening at Santa Fe’s historic Lensic Performing Arts Center.
Santa Fe Film Festival Board Chairman, Nick Durrie commented regarding the relaunch of the festival, “As part of a strategic plan for a gradual, multi-year expansion of the festival, a new group of business-oriented board members, advisors, and volunteers have come together with a strong commitment to a fiscally sustainable model. Diane Schneier Perrin is the pivotal person in our development plans and we are delighted to have her on board.”
Veteran film producer Diane Schneier Perrin (Kathryn Bigelow’s “Blue Steel,” Oliver Stone’s “Talk Radio,” Barbet Schroeder’s Academy Award-winning “Reversal of Fortune”) and Executive Director of SFFF, states, “Santa Fe stands as one of the great centers for film enthusiasts in the world. For this very special 12th edition of the festival, we wanted to find an exceptional opening film, and we got our wish with “The Artist”. We are also thrilled to be presenting some notable premieres such as “The Deep Blue Sea” and the Canadian foreign language Oscar entry “Monsieur Lazhar”. ”
Brent Kliewer, programmer for The Screen on the campus of the Santa Fe University of Art and Design is SFF’s new Director of Film Programming. Kliewer comments, “We have a strong program with films such as Finland’s Oscar entry “Le Havre,” from legendary director Aki Kaurismäki, Iran’s Oscar entry “A Separation” from Asghar Farhadi and Turkey’s Oscar entry “Once Upon A Time in Anatolia” directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan, winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes. We will also spotlight New Mexico filmmakers with a screening of “Wild Horses and Renegades” directed by James Anaquad Kleinert, a beautifully photographed and passionately expressed chronicle of the plight of the American wild horse.”
The 2011 SFFF’s sponsors include Century Link, Casas de Santa Fe, New Mexico Lighting & Grip, SAG Indie, Kowboyz, Tamalewood, and Santafe.com. Partial funding was granted by the City of Santa Fe Lodger’s Tax, the City of Santa Fe Arts Commission and the New Mexico Tourism Department.
For more information regarding the full program, general admission tickets to individual films, including Opening and Closing Night, non-screening events such as panels, workshops and parties go to https://santafefilmfestival.com/index
SFFF 12th EDITION HIGHLIGHTS
US Premieres
“The Deep Blue Sea”
SFFF will present the US premiere of the feature film “The Deep Blue Sea” (2011) directed by master chronicler of post-War England, Terence Davies. Davies adapts Terence Rattigan’s 1952 play about a woman whose overpowering, obsessive love alienates the men around her and destroys her well-being.
“Monsieur Lazhar”
SFFF will present the US Premiere of “Monsieur Lazhar,” Canada’s official submission to the 84th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. The film won the Audience Award at this summer’s Locarno Film Festival and was named Best Canadian Feature at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. Written and directed by Philippe Falardeau, “Monsieur Lazhar” tells the story of an immigrant substitute teacher (played by Monhamed Fellag) who brings emotional stability to a middle school class shaken by the suicide of their well-liked teacher. The film is the latest production of Microscope, the same Montreal-based production company that produced the Academy Award-nominee “Incendies.” Music Box plans a spring 1st quarter 2012 release.
Opening Night Film
“The Artist”
SFFF’s Opening Night film is the French film “The Artist” (2011) directed by Michel Hazanavicius. As Hollywood welcomes the emergence of talkies, a silent movie star faces the twilight of his career and the dawn of a new romance. The film stars Jean Dujardin (Best Actor at Cannes), Berenice Bejo and features John Goodman.
Special Screening at Santa Fe’s historic Lensic Performing Arts Center
“Ninja Kids!!”
SFFF presents “Ninja Kids!!” (2011). Swapping noble samurai for kid ninjas, Japan’s cult phenomenon director, Takashi Miike (13 Assassin) brings this popular Japanese kid’s show to the big screen as a family friendly high energy comedic action film.
Foreign Language Oscar Entries
Finland
“Le Havre”
Finland/France/Germany 2011
Director: Aki Kaurismäki
The FIPRESCI Critics’ prize-winner at Cannes tells the tale of a young African refugee thrown by fate into the path of Marcel Marx, a well-read bohemian who works as a shoe-shiner. With innate optimism and unwavering community support, Marcel stands up to officials doggedly pursuing the boy for deportation.
Iran
“A Separation”
Iran 2011
Director: Asghar Farhadi
A couple is torn between leaving Iran for a better life and staying to care for a dying parent. Golden Bear Award-winner for Best Film and Silver Bear Award-winner both for Best Actor and Best Actress at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival.
Turkey
“Once Upon A Time in Anatolia”
Turkey 2011
Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes, Ceylan’s latest is a strange and hypnotic, slow-paced treatment of a frustrating murder investigation conducted in the dark emptiness of the Anatolian night. This bleakly comic, superbly crafted film marks Turkey’s best filmmaker’s masterpiece to date.
Spotlight on New Mexico Filmmakers
“Wild Horses and Renegades”
United States 2011
Director: James Anaquad Kleinert
A beautifully photographed and passionately expressed chronicle of the plight of the American wild horse, risking extinction by the practices of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and increased control of public lands by the extractive industries of coal, gas, oil and uranium. Celebrity activists including Sheryl Crowe, Governor Bill Richardson, Willie Nelson and Viggo Mortensen
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ABOUT THE SANTA FE FILM FESTIVAL
Established in 1999, the annual Santa Fe Film Festival (SFFF) is a non-competitive Festival dedicated to supporting film and the artists who create them by providing a creative forum for exchange and discovery with the public. The festival is open to US and Foreign films in three categories: Narrative Features, Documentary Features, and Shorts (all types).
Surrounded by the reflected light of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and 19 indigenous pueblos, the Santa Fe Film Festival sets the stage for a unique cinema experience in this historic 400-year-old capital of New Mexico that has been the attraction for great artists, photographers and writers drawn to its luminescence for ages.
Bio Diane Schneier Perrin — Executive Director
Independent Film Producer Schneier Perrin’s feature producing credits include Kathryn Bigelow’s “Blue Steel,” Oliver Stone’s “Talk Radio” and Barbet Schroeder’s Academy Award-winning “Reversal of Fortune”. In 2006, Schneier Perrin relocated from Los Angeles to launch and run the successful state-supported “New Mexico Filmmakers Intensive” at the College of Santa Fe. A full-time Santa Fe resident, Schneier Perrin was appointed by Governor Richardson to the Governor’s Council on Film and Media Industries in 2009, served as a juror for the state-sponsored 2010 New Visions/New Mexico Contract Awards and as a panelist for the 2009 NM Women in Film Athena Award for Excellence in Short Screenplay. Schneier Perrin succeeds former Co-Executive Directors, Michael Hare and Rose Kuo, now respectively the COO and Executive Director of The Film Society of Lincoln Center in New York City. Perrin’s goal is to establish the SFFF as a premier boutique international festival. The festival will promote Santa Fe as a destination with its unique beauty and cultural and artistic heritage, and will premiere international and independent art cinema for local audiences.
Bio Brent Kliewer — Director of Programming
Brent Kliewer has been programming films for Santa Fe audiences for over 30 years. Besides programming for the Santa Fe Film Festival, Kliewer also oversees programming at The Screen on the campus of the Santa Fe University of Art and Design.
Previously Kliewer worked for the now-defunct art house Collective Fantasy in Santa Fe before he began programming films for the Cinematheque and The Screen.
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Kean & Kolar Communications
Deborah Kolar 310.396.4126 [email protected]
Jan Kean 310.264.2472 [email protected]
