LIFF 2012

Laughlin International Film Festival 2012

LIFF - INAUGURAL FESTIVAL 2012

LIFF Ribbon Cutting

At 3:00 PM on Thursday, October 11, 2012, the first (ever) Laughlin International Film Festival (LIFF) was officially kicked off with a ceremonial “Ribbon Cutting” held in the convention area of the Aquarius Casino. The LIFF ribbon was cut by (from left to right) Executive Directors / Co-founders Dagmar “Mara” Karsen and Dave Davidson, and LIFF Festival Director / Co-founder Erik Karsen Puhm. The event was attended by a gathering of filmmakers already checked-in for the four day festival, LIFF organizers, Aquarius casino personnel and very special LIFF guest: Kevyn Major Howard (of “Full Metal Jacket” fame), representing his charity “Fueled by the Fallen”
(www.fueledbythefallen.org). Once the ribbon was cut, champagne was enjoyed by all, as energy and anticipation for the four day film festival ran high.

2012 SCREENINGS & AWARDS

LIFF Screenings

For a first time film festival, LIFF was extremely honored by the encouraging number of film submissions received, and was proud to be able to screen an amazing film line-up of over 90 films. Films were screened at three theaters of the Laughlin Stadium 9 Cinemas (in the Laughlin Outlet Center) over the four-day festival. The film screenings were kicked off on Thursday, October 11^th, with excitement and “buzz” at the Red Carpet arrivals, with photos and interviews by the Emoja Artist team, followed by the well-attended and well-received opening night film “Born and Raised”. The opening night celebration continued at with after-party, hosted by Casa Serrano at the Riverside Casino East. When Filmmakers were attended their film screenings, LIFF introduced them to the audience and provided a Q&A session after the film when possible.

LIFF 2012 FILM HIGHLIGHTS
Some LIFF Official Selections included:

“When You Find Me” - Ron Howard & Project Imagin8ion - directed by: Bryce Dallas Howard
TRAILER: http://youtu.be/D52bdmsMtYI
“Thief” – AFI Short Film Directed by: Julian Higgins
TRAILER: http://vimeo.com/julianhiggins/thieftrailer
“Connected” – Official Sundance Selection Directed by: Tiffany Shlain
TRAILER: http://youtu.be/2Og60e0zyu8
“Born & Raised - LIFF Opening Night Film 2012 – Directed by: Joshua Dragge
TRAILER: http://vimeo.com/32161551
“Skull Rosary of Frao Ranggoh” – Winner LIFF Best Narrative Short Film – Directed by: Jake Lloyd
TRAILER: http://youtu.be/ji67k0PXdeo
“Beyond The Chair” – Feature Documentary - LIFF Pick Directed by: Dusty Duprel & Rachel Pandza
TRAILER – http://youtu.be/sY_27avxu_I
Halloween Party’s opening song “Voodoo” Best LIFF Soundtrack Winner - directed by Linda Palmer, was a 2013 Oscar contender for Best Song

LIFF Award Ceremony

The LIFF Awards Ceremony was held on Saturday evening, October 13^th, in the Pavilion Theater at the Tropicana Casino. After hor-deuvres and champagne, the program was hosted by emcee Walter Ruskin of San Diego’s “The Ugly News Team”, with entertainment provided during the course of the evening by veteran Jazz saxophonist Larry O. Williams (former band leader for Little Richard) and young Elvis tribute artist L’il Joe-E (Joe Banuelos). An impressive list of awards were presented by Festival Director Erik Karsen Puhm, as filmmakers eagerly watched and waited with anticipation. Film winners in Best U.S. Narrative Short film, Feature Film and Documentary Film all received the choice of $250 Cash or a $500 Creative Credit from major festival sponsor Post Haste Digital. Award presentation photos were taken by the Emoja Artist team. The evening Award Ceremony wrapped up with dessert, music and dancing.

LIFF Teams up with Kevyn Major Howard & “FUELED BY THE FALLEN”

Fueled By the Fallen

LIFF 2012 was honored to have as its special guest actor Kevyn Major Howard. Though best known for his role as “Rafterman” in the 1987 film “Full Metal Jacket”, Kevyn’s participation in LIFF went beyond his history as an actor. He attended LIFF to represent his charity “Fueled by the Fallen”, which he founded in 2007 to serve as a “moving memorial” to honor the fallen victims of Sept. 11. Kevyn and his team brought his 5 “Angel” cars (racing Camaros) to be displayed in the Aquarius Casino parking lot throughout the LIFF event. Each of the “Angel” cars is inscribed with the individual names of the 9/11 victims. (Angel 1: police, fire, paramedic, first responders; Angel 2 & 3: World Trade Towers; Angel 4: the Pentagon; Angel 5: Flight victims). Kevyn was on hand during LIFF to talk about the cars and his FBTF organization. He also attended many of the film screenings, networking events, the Awards ceremony and was a guest speaker on the Panel for the Sunday morning LIFF breakfast.

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U.S. DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM
State of Reflection: New Jersey Ten Years after 9/11
Archie the Cockfighter
I Need a Hero
Cardboard Titanics
Into Thick Air
Quest For Energy
A Declaration of Interdependence

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
Runaway (Bangladesh)
Beyond the Grave (Portugal)
The Duck Hunter (Italy)
Hombre Y Tierra (Belize)

INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM
Crocodile Nile (Spain)
Ley Ley (Germany)
QED (India)
Hunger (Germany)
En La Luz Del Sol Brillante (Mexico)
A Piper’s Maggot (UK)
Suddenly, Zinat… (Iran)

UNIVERSITY FILM COMPETITION
The Language of War
Voyage to the Moon
Deep Dish
Sarra & Erich
Untouchable
Big Kid Stuff
The Linguist
Six Feet Deep
Lovely Lies
Maginot
Choices
Hanging by a Thread
Written in Ink
Pizzafection
Shut in

YOUTH FILM CATEGORY
Maestro
Letting Go
Alone Together
Rendezvous
Trophies

LOCAL DESERT FILM
Mohave Desert PSA
The Bet
Outlaw Willie’s Tour of Oatman
Secrets of the Desert

MUSIC VIDEO
La Monedita
Billy Gambler Live
Eclectic 1.0/2.0/3.0

EXPERIMENTAL
The Human Factor (France)
Don’t Spill the Eggs
Wir Malen
Global Tides
Comedy Pilots
Holt & Randy (30mins.)
86’d (30mins.)

FILM SELECTIONS

U.S. NARRATIVE FEATURE FILM
Born & Raised
Green Guys
Between Us
Silver Case
You Can’t Kill Stephen King
Halloween Party
Route 30 Too
Steve Phoenix: The Untold Story
Things I Don’t Understand

U.S. NARRATIVE SHORT FILM
Thief
When you Find Me
3 Minutes
Scribble
Pillow
Wolf Call
Murderabilia
Dixon
The Skull Rosary of Frao’ Ranggoh
The Strange Ones
The Orderly
Elegy for a Revolutionary
Through Bloodshot Eyes
How War Ends
Primavera
Tumbleweed
Poke
Bathing and the Single Girl
Christmas Card
Washes
Gourmet Baby
Forever’s Gonna Start Tonight
Shoes: AKA Kids these days
The Gift

U.S. DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
Beyond The Chair
Connected: An autoblogography about Life,
Death and Technology
Hooligans at War
The Last First Comic
Virtual JFK: Vietnam if Kennedy Had Lived
Burn: The Evolution of an American City
What if Cannabis Cured Cancer
The Roots of Happiness
My Glass Odyssey
Losing Our Sons

OFFICIAL 2012 LIFF WINNER LIST

Best U.S. Narrative Feature Film
“Things I Don’t Understand” – Directed by David Spaltro

Best U.S. Narrative Short Film
“The Skully Rosary of Frao’ Ranggoh” – Directed by Jake Lloyd

Best U.S. Documentary Feature Film
“My Glass Odyssey” – Directed by John E. Waterman

Best U.S. Short Documentary Film
“State of Refletion: New Jersey 10 Years After 9/11” – Directed by Adya Beasely

Best International Narrative Feature Film
“The Duck Hunter” – Directed by Egidio Veronesi (Italy)

Best International Narrative Short Film
“Primavera” – Directed by Julia Camara

LIFF Top Jury Prize
“Tumbleweed” – Directed by Jared Varava

Audience Choice Award
“Beyond The Chair” – Directed by Dustin Duprel & Rachel Pandza

Best University Film
“Untouchable” – Directed by Kristin Hansen

LIFF Cinematic Achievement Award
“Shut In” – Directed by Nick D’Benedetto

LIFF Storytelling Achievement Award
“Big Kid Stuff” – Directed by Michael Weybret

Best Comedy Pilot
“86’d” - Directed by Jeremiah Johnson

Best Comedy
“Deep Dish” - Directed by Nora Soto

Best SoundTrack
“Halloween Party” - Directed by Linda Palmer

Best Youth Film
“Maestro” - Directed by Neeraj Jain

Best Experimental Film
“Wir Malen” - Directed by Patty Hassall

Best Music Video
“La Monedita” – Directed by Magdalena Ramirez Cerda

Best Animation
“Rendezvous” – Directed by Shane Bluder

Best Local Film
“Choices” – Directed by Brian Lee Brown

LIFF 2012 -FILMMAKER & INDUSTRY WORKSHOPS

Inspiring Change: Films with a Message
with NICK GAGLIA

If art is the universal language that connects all mankind, then entertainment can be one of the most powerful forms of education. A story told through film has the potential to transcend inherent entertainment value and become a powerful vehicle to raise social awareness, giving a voice to issues that would otherwise have none.

Unlike written media, a film is an entertaining visual forum with broad appeal that presents an opportunity to weave meaningful and important messages into the story. Cinema, with its ability to communicate stories and ideas unlike any other art form, has the capacity to reach worldwide cultures , making moving and powerful statements, opening the “viewers’’ eyes to something very new, unexpected and meaningful.

Low, Micro & No Budget Filmmaking, Hollywood Style
with KENNETH HUGHES

Hollywood based actor and filmmaker Kenneth Hughes shares his insights into the tools and practices necessary to make short films and features and get them out into the world, and seen by an audience. Kenneth has had years of experience working in Los Angeles on some of the biggest budget commercial projects. He has also worked on films with little or no budget, and this has tempered his insights and approaches to project creation and completion.

International Feature Film Distribution: Q & A session
with JONATHAN COLLINS and KATHRYN ROTH
Co-founders of RoCoCo Entertainment

Want to take your film project to the next level? Join Jonathan Collins and Kathryn Roth as they share their knowledge and experience in independent and international film marketing.

Jonathan Collins began his career in independent film with Hannibal Pictures as their Project Manager focused on pre-production budgeting and scheduling, after attending the Academy of Art University, where he focused on Film Production. Jonathan quickly rose to Director of Sales for Hannibal Pictures and represented the international distribution rights to films starring Bruce Willis, Kevin Spacey, Adrien Brody, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson (among other notable stars) at markets such as the Cannes Film Festival, Berlin Film Festival, Toronto Film Festival, and American Film Market.

Kathryn Roth studied Cinematography and Producing at the Academy of Art University. Her passion for film and photography, along with her creative strengths, led her to opportunities at many notable Hollywood agencies, networks, and production companies including CAA, William Morris, Playboy, True TV, & Sitrick and Company.

Why Can’t You Tickle Yourself? A unique acting technique
with VIP Casting Director PHIL VALENTINE

Phil Valentine has been in the entertainment business for over thirty five years, beginning as an actor in 1976. He became a producer and director in 1989 when he co-wrote, produced and directed “The Riddle,” a successful theater show, which is still running after 23 years! From there Valentine began writing and directing shows around the world for companies like Disney, Universal Studios, FOX, New Line Cinema and Six Flags.

Valentine became a performance coach teaching not only actors but salesmen, lawyers and business executives how to become better presenters in a seminar based on his original book, “Why Can’t You Tickle Yourself?” His book and seminar are believed by some to be one of the most original techniques on performing today.