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2006 News Updates

November 6th, 2006

FILM INDEPENDENT'S 2007 DIRECTORS LAB DEADLINE: December 11, 2006

Film Independent is now accepting submissions for its annual Directors Lab that will take place in Los Angeles from February 22 to April 5, 2007 (approximate dates). The deadline for submissions is December 11, 2006 (postmarked). A maximum of ten directors will be chosen for this intensive seven-week program, designed to help directors working in independent film to improve their craft. Under the guidance of the Lab instructor, participants select short scenes from their feature scripts and go through a mini-production. Film Independent provides camera and sound packages to the participants, and helps partner them with cast and crew. Lab participants also have one-on-one meetings with professional advisors – established producers, directors, and other industry professionals. The filmmakers also receive a complimentary pass to Film Independent's annual Director Series, which runs concurrently.

Past Lab Instructors include Allison Anders (Things Behind the Sun), Rodrigo Garcia (Nine Lives), Tony Drazan (Hurlyburly), Charlie Herman-Wurmfeld (Kissing Jessica Stein), Nicole Holofcener (Lovely and Amazing), Michael Steinberg (Wicked), and Greg Harrison (November). Past guest speakers include Eric D'arbeloff (Lovely and Amazing), Matthew Greenfield (Fox Searchlight), Craig Emanuel, Midge Sanford, Peggy Rajski, Laurie Parker, Ron Yerxa, among others.

The Film Independent Filmmaker Labs are the incubators for the next generation of independent filmmakers. Committed to cultivating writers, directors, and producers with strong, original voices, the Labs provide filmmakers with the opportunity to develop their new work in a nurturing yet challenging creative environment. The following projects are just some of the exciting projects that have gone through the labs: So Yong Kim's Sundance-winning film, In Between Days; Jessica Sanders' After Innocence, short listed for the Academy Awards' documentary category; Andrea Millers' Dark Matter, currently in post with Val Kilmer and Meryl Streep; Scott Prendergast's Kabluey, currently in post with Lisa Kudrow; Dana Jackson's Park starring Billy Baldwin; Mora Stephens and Joel Stephens' Conventioneers, winner of an Independent Spirit Award; Ted Kroeber's American Gun recently released by IFC Films.

For an application or more information, go to
www.filmindependent.org



October 27th, 2006

Big Sky Film Series #3 - Music on Film
When: Nov. 3, 2006 - Screenings at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Where: Historic Wilma Theater/Missoula, Montana (Downstairs, Wilma 3)
Cost: Free and open to the public

This month's Big Sky Film Series presents film, fire and Portland indie rock under a single roof in "Burn to Shine," including performances by The Decemberists, Sleater-Kinney and The Shins.

"Burn to Shine" is a film series produced by Fugazi's Brendan Canty and directed by filmmaker Christoph Green. Brendan and Christoph travel from city to city with a posse of shooters and a van full of recording gear to film bands performing in houses that are about to be demolished or burned to the ground. They document the doomed house,_the bands, and the demolition, and put it together in a 55 minute film. Each film has a different curator who is entrenched in the respective music scene. This allows the bands chosen to be put in a particular time and place. The bands set up in the living room, playing just one song each for the cameras alone, allowing the viewer to experience them in an intimate setting.

The city of Portland, Oregon sets the stage for the third installment of Burn to Shine. Chris Funk of The Decmberists brings together 12 of his favorite Portland bands to perform in a house that is about to be burned to the ground. A cross section of Portland's vital music scene is captured in a single day, celebrating a moment in time and place. Featuring performances by The Thermals, Quasi, The Planet The, The Wet Confetti, Lifesavas, Tom Heinl, Mirah, The Decemberists, The Shins, The Gossip, The Ready, Sleater-Kinney.

The Big Sky Film Series is a periodic monthly screening series highlighting traditional and innovative nonfiction film and video. It is held the first Friday of the month as part of downtown Missoula, Montana's "First Friday." All screenings are held in the Historic Wilma Theater (Wilma 3 downstairs) and are free and open to the public. The series is curated by the programming staff of the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival. This month's series is sponsored in part by Ear Candy Music.

For more information go to www.bigskyfilm.org/filmseries.html. Call (406) 541-FILM or email director@bigskyfilmfest.org for sponsorship information.

The Big Sky Film Series is a program of the Big Sky Film Institute, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. The mission of the Big Sky Film Institute is to celebrate and promote the art of nonfiction filmmaking, to establish Missoula as a center of documentary filmmaking, exhibition and criticism, and to encourage media literacy by fostering public understanding and appreciation of documentary film.



September 19th, 2006

Human Therapy on Horseback, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, is pleased to announce the premiere of the film “Go Horse Please”, an inspiring and informational documentary by award-winning filmmaker Geoffrey Pepos. The film chronicles the emotionally moving experiences of the riders, parents, horses and therapists involved in horseback therapy provided by SAMS Riders in Kalispell, Montana. The film clearly demonstrates the ability of the program to “make miracles happen”.

Alpine Theatre Project Director and acclaimed actor David Ackroyd notes that “This moving film tells the inspiring story of special people who provide a unique and touching experience for other special people. In a world in which miracles seem increasingly scarce, watching the interaction between horses and riders with unique needs touches the deepest part of what is best in the human heart.”

The film will premiere on October 1, 2006, at the O’Shaughnessy Center in Whitefish, Montana, with showings at 1:00 pm, 4:00pm and 7:00pm. A dessert reception will follow the 7:00pm showing with riders, their families and the S.A.M.S. therapists available to share their experiences and provide more information about the therapy. Ticket prices are $7.00 for adults and children. Tickets for the movie/reception package are $17.00. Tickets may be purchased at the box office the day of the premiere and may be purchased in advance beginning September 15th at Books West in Kalispell, Electric Avenue Gifts in Bigfork and all Montana Coffee Traders locations.

For more information, please contact Human Therapy on Horseback at 881-4192.

August 17, 2006

By JENNIFER McKEE - IR State Bureau

HELENA — Gov. Brian Schweitzer will have a bit part in the reality-inspired Hollywood movie now being filmed in Livingston and Bozeman: He’ll play an exasperated sheriff who swears at a pregnant woman.

Schweitzer will say just 27 words in his small role as Sheriff Strunk in the movie “A Plumm Summer.” The film, inspired by real events in Billings in the 1960s, is about a popular local children’s television puppet that is kidnapped.

Schweitzer plays a sheriff who addresses a crowd of distressed mothers. He is heading to Livingston early Friday morning to film his scene. “I may have let it slip that I would do anything to get them to do that film here,” Schweitzer said playfully in an interview Wednesday. “Anything up to and including playing a role in the movie myself.” Schweitzer has his three sentences memorized and was reciting them convincingly Wednesday afternoon.

“Now, let’s all just calm down,” Schweitzer’s character says. “We’re in the process of coordinating with other law enforcement agencies.”

One distraught mother yells to the sheriff that she wants results. “Dammit, Clovie, we’re not equipped to handle something this big,” Schweitzer says in his other line.

Schweitzer said he’s not sure what kind of sheriff outfit he’ll wear for the filming. “I only have two lines,” he said. “I’m going to dress like they tell me to and say what they tell me to say.” Asked about the implications of a real-life politician swearing at a pregnant woman in the movies, Schweitzer joked, “While this could start my movie career, it could also be the end of my political career, so there’s trade-offs in life.”

Schweitzer played a role in getting the film to come to Montana, said Sten Iversen, manager of the Montana Film Office in the state’s Department of Commerce. The movie’s producers were considering several other states and Canada, but Schweitzer’s support, along with other state incentives and a population of freelance movie production workers helped Montana win the project, he said. Schweitzer backed a successful 2005 bill intended to make Montana a more appealing place to film movies by offering incentives to film makers. “It’s working,” Iversen said of the effort. Although the subject of the movie took place in Billings, the movie’s makers chose to film mostly in Bozeman, with some shooting also in Livingston. Iversen said there are many reasons the producers passed on Billings, in part because today’s Billings is too modern to pass for a smaller, 1960s town and the movie is set in the late 1960s. Plus, he said, Bozeman is home to most of the state’s film free-lancers and Montana’s largest film-related rental equipment center. “Billings is still a very viable location,” he said. “But modern Billings would have a hard time doubling as a 1960s town.”

The film, which started filming in early July, stars William Baldwin, Henry Winkler and Lisa Guerrero.

July 25, 2006

The Short Film Network Brings Award-Winning Short Films To Mainstream Audiences Around The World

New distribution channel provides much deserved exposure for short films and their filmmakers

The Short Film Network (SFN), a cooperative organization dedicated to the international promotion and distribution of short films, announces its public launch to bring acclaimed short films to audiences around the world.

What is a short film? Short films are considered by many to be an avant-garde art form, typically ranging between 5 and 40 minutes in length. These films have typically served as a platform to showcase cutting edge talent, ideas and filmmaking techniques. From an experimental heyday in the 1960s and 1970s to a moribund period in the 1990s, short films are showing signs of a major revival in the art world.

Enter the Short Film Network, a new distribution channel and community with one purpose: to expose general audiences to cutting edge short films while providing exposure for deserving filmmakers.

The initial programs offered bythe SFN include:

Filmmakers are encouraged to submit their short films to SFN, both new and old, for consideration. Information regarding terms and guidelines for submissions is available on the SFN web site: www.shortfilmnetwork.com



The New York based Steele-Reese Foundation has awarded Montana's MAPS: Media Arts in the Public Schools a $40,000 grant.

June 28, 2006

MAPS receives $40,000 grant from the Steele-Reese Foundation

The New York based Steele-Reese Foundation has awarded Montana's MAPS: Media Arts in the Public Schools a $40,000 grant.

The Steele-Reese Foundation, a trust for charitable purposes, was created by Eleanor Steele Reese in 1955 and supports projects in education, health, social welfare, the humanities and the environment.

The grant will be used to purchase additional filmmaking equipment and underwrite student film production costs and salary support for its current Corvallis School District program. Says MAPS President, Peter Rosten: "We're enormously appreciative of the Steele-Reese Foundation's support. We have worked very hard to earn the trust of the larger foundations around the country and Steele-Reese's financial assistance indicates that we're succeeding."

For the last two years MAPS has been funded by many means ranging from "Mom and Pop" donations to their successful "LITTLE FEAT" benefit at the Wilma in Missoula. Additionally, the program has attracted real world clients who hire MAPS to create and produce television commercials, corporate sales films etc. Among the clients are: The Ravalli County DUI Task Force, S.A.F.E. (Supporters of an Abuse Free Environment) and the Daly Foundation/Marcus Daly Hospital.

MAPS has received a lot of good news lately. MEDA - the Montana Economic Developers Association - has endorsed the program. Says MEDA President Rick Edwards: "The members of MEDA's Board of Directors believe that the MAPS program is a wonderful example of a working partnership between business professionals and educators creating very real future opportunites for Montana's young people. MAPS is a win-win for the state of Montana as it combines education, economic development and workforce training - all in one proven program." Looking ahead - MAPS will begin expansion to other school districts in Montana in 2007. Says Montana's Superintendent of Public Instruction Linda McCulloch: "What this program gives students is an opportunity to look at something that's very different than what they have as part of their regular classroom programs. It gives them a view into a world that's very different and, frankly, very innovative and exciting."

The proposed funding for expansion will be a public/private partnership combining state/federal money with private sector donors. To achieve this goal Senators Baucus, Burns and Representative Rehberg are supporting an earmark for federal dollars; and on a state level, Senator Rick Laible submitted the legislative request for MAPS last week.

Says Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer, "In 2007, MAPS will expand to other school districts throughout the state. The program is a great supplement to arts education in our schools and will likely lead students into quality jobs in the future, whether in the film industry or not."

For more information, contact Peter Rosten @ (406) 370-3745 or visit the MAPS website, www.mediarts.org

June 27, 2006

STAR SPANGLED BLUES, the new High Plains film by Gita Saedi, Ken Furrow and Doug Hawes-Davis, now available for screening.

STAR SPANGLED BLUES, written and narrated by Gita Saedi, is an 8-minute essay film about family, peace, war, freedom, and American values. The film was made during five days in March 2006 as part of the International Documentary Challenge (IDC), a timed filmmaking competition. Through memoir, archival footage and a distinct American beat, STAR SPANGLED BLUES asks the hard question of why we fight war. Gita Saedi, an Iranian-American, weaves a narrative telling her story of a once pacifist cousin serving in Iraq; of the rise and fall of two empires that span centuries; and of optimistic hope through her son and the next generation. The film contemplates family, peace, war, freedom and American values.

The song STAR SPANGLED BLUES was written and recorded by Ned Mudd and released on the 1998 album FINE TIME IN AMERICA. During the first couple of days of the filmmaking competition, Mudd recorded several acoustic versions based on the theme of the original recording. The acoustic score, combined with the original recording became the soundtrack for the film. The provocative political lyrics, combined with the "all-American" musical style of the original recording, made it a perfect fit for Saedi's essay about what it means to be an Iranian-American while our country is at war in the Middle East.

STAR SPANGLED BLUES is one of 12 finalists in the IDC competition. The 12 finalists will have their world premiere at the Silver Theater in the Washington, DC area, on August 31, 2006. The full program of the 12 short films is available for booking directly from the IDC. Contact Doug Whyte, IDC Director, www.documentarychallenge.org.

June 5, 2006

The Early Show is coming to Billings!

CBS NEWS’ “THE EARLY SHOW” IS HITTING THE ROAD FOR
“THE GREAT AMERICAN VACATION,”
GIVING AWAY FAMILY VACATIONS TO UNSUSPECTING VIEWERS

Two Winnebagoes Will Travel Across the Country Beginning Tuesday, June 6
Dave Price Will be in a New City Each Wednesday and Friday For Eight Weeks Giving Away the Vacations

THE EARLY SHOW’S “Great American Vacation” may be coming to a city near you. Beginning Tuesday two Winnebagoes, one outside CBS Studios in New York City and one in Las Vegas, will begin a journey across the country. Each Wednesday and Friday, beginning June 7, Dave Price will cross the country as well, reporting from 16 different cities and giving away summer vacations to unsuspecting viewers live on THE EARLY SHOW (7:00-9:00 AM/ET). The first giveaway will be in Springfield, Mo.

Viewers have been asked to write to THE EARLY SHOW explaining why they think they or the person they are writing about deserves a “Great American Vacation.” The vacations will be awarded to a family of up to four people. Submissions will continue to be accepted throughout the tour at CBSNews.com and viewers should check THE EARLY SHOW website for the route map. The Winnebagoes will also be placed at state fairs and other summer venues on the weekends during the tour.

Following is the schedule of stops on “The Great American Vacation:”
June 7: Springfield, Mo
June 9: Johnson City, Tenn.
June 14: Cape Girardeau, Mo.
June 16: Quincy, Ill.
June 21: Minneapolis, Minn.
June 23: Fargo/Valley City, N.D.
June 28: Billings, Mont.
June 30: Spokane, Wash.
July 5: Yakima, Wash.
July 7: Portland, Ore.
July 12: Salt Lake City, Utah
July 14: Denver, Colo.
July 19: Austin. Texas
July 21: Waco, Texas
July 26: Baton Rouge, La.
July 28: Little Rock, Ark.

THE EARLY SHOW is broadcast weekdays (7:00-9:00 AM/ET) on the CBS Television Network. Michael Bass is the senior executive producer. Nanci Ross is the director of special projects and the senior producer in charge of this series.

Please visit the CBS News website for more information and to nominate a family.

May 25, 2006

Big Sky Doc Film Series to begin June 2nd

The Big Sky Film Institute is pleased to announce the 2006 Big Sky Doc Film Series. The film series will take place at the Wilma Theater on the first Friday of select months throughout the summer and fall, screening compelling documentary films from around the world. The event will be free and open to the public.

Launching on June 2nd, the first event of the series will showcase special "sneak previews" of five local films from the 2006 International Documentary Challenge (IDC). 74 teams from around the world entered the challenge, including five teams from Missoula. The IDC is a timed filmmaking competition where teams had five days to complete a 4-8 minute documentary film. All five teams from Missoula finished on time and three of the five films were chosen as IDC finalists, and will screen this July in Washington DC where a grand prize winner will be announced.

The Big Sky Doc Film Series screenings will be held in Theater 3 downstairs at the Wilma and will begin at 7:00 pm and will show again at 8:00 pm. Beer and wine will be available. The Big Sky Doc Film Series is a program of the Big Sky Film Institute in association with the annual Big Sky Documentary Film Festival held each February downtown Missoula, Montana.

For more information, or to find out how you can sponsor this event please call (406) 541-FILM or email director@bigskyfilmfest.org

April 21, 2006

Call for Nominations for Light of The Community Award.

On October 21, 2006, Women in Film/Seattle the Nell Shipman Awards for Excellence in Filmmaking for Pacific Northwest Women, a highly-visible, much anticipated, mini-OscarsTM. It will be an eventful evening dedicated to the recognition of excellence in filmmaking among local luminaries as well as those stars who began their careers in the area and have since gone on to greater glory in Hollywood or New York. Awards to honor filmmaking achievements by Pacific Northwest women are granted for work in film, television, video and new media. A Career Achievement award will be given to an international star who has her roots in the Pacific Northwest.

A special award will be granted for Light of the Community. This award is for someone behind the scenes who makes the lives of all the filmmakers so much easier. The award is not meant for a filmmaker, but for a woman in the support services which surround filmmaking. The Light of The Community for Washington this year is Stephanie Cholmondeley, who founded Cinema Diaspora, a film festival showcasing voices from communities of color and who founded Reel Youth, a year-long film exploration for Native-American and Black-American youth.

Women in Film is soliciting nominations from each of the other States in the Pacific Northwest--Alaska, Oregon, Idaho & Montana—for Light of The Community. Please send an email telling us why your nominee is a Light to Michelle@Quadfocal.com.

More information can be found at http://www.womeninfilm-seattle.org/northwestIndustryNews.htm.

April 13, 2006

CAUGHT IN THE HEADLIGHTS, the new High Plains film about wildlife-automobile conflicts to premier at International Wildlife Film Festival

CAUGHT IN THE HEADLIGHTS, 53 minutes, 2006 http://www.highplainsfilms.org/fp_caught.html

Where: Wilma Theater, Missoula, Montana (131 S. Higgins Avenue)
When: May 15, 2006 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: Available at the door before the show.
Advance DVDs are available for review by the press.

Contact High Plains Films for details: (406) 728-0753, yak@highplainsfilms.org CAUGHT IN THE HEADLIGHTS, a new one-hour documentary from High Plains Films that examines the conflict between wildlife and automobile culture will have its world premier at the International Wildlife Film Festival. The screening, held at the historic Wilma Theater in downtown Missoula, Montana, will start at 7:30 pm, on Monday May 15, 2006. Filmmakers, Margot Higgins, Doug Hawes-Davis and C. Wolf Drimal will be in attendance and will answer questions about the making of the film following the screening.

Additional screenings are now being scheduled. Check the High Plains Films "Current Screenings" web page for up-coming events - http://www.highplainsfilms.org/currentscreen.html. To host a screening, contact High Pllains Films.

March 22, 2006

True/West Visionary Award Winner Announced: Filmmaking team, Doug Hawes-Davis & Drury Gunn Carr to receive first annual award

True/False West is pleased to announce that Doug Hawes-Davis and Drury Gunn Carr will receive its first annual True/West Visionary award, given to a filmmaker(s) that has placed an indelible mark on the world of documentary filmmaking. Doug Hawes-Davis and Drury Gunn Carr founded High Plains Films in 1992, and have produced and distributed their own non-fiction films for more than a decade. They have co-directed or co-produced, and edited more than twenty films, including features such as VARMINTS (1998), THIS IS NOWHERE (2002), and LIBBY, MONTANA (2004).

Their documentaries, which have been screened around the world and have won more than 40 awards, are intended to increase viewers' understanding of the relationship between human society and the natural world. In addition, Hawes-Davis founded the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival highplainsfilms.org/festival/index.htm in 2003. He is also a faculty affiliate with the University of Montana.

"It's not easy to be award-winning filmmakers, run a distribution company, and program a respected documentary film festival," True/False West Festival Director Falter stated. "As a western based festival, we wanted to give this award to filmmakers who have added a significant voice to issues that are of particular relevance west of the Mississippi. We could not be more pleased to honor the work of Doug and Dru."

Doug Hawes-Davis will appear throughout the True/False West Film Festival, presenting a selection of their films, including their most recent feature, LIBBY, MONTANA.

For more information on Doug Hawes-Davis and Drury Gunn Carr: www.highplainsfilms.org

For more information and announcements on True/False West: www.truefalsewest.org/tfw

The True/False West Film Festival premieres in Bellingham, WA, April 21-23, 2006. This three-day documentary film festival is the first international film festival to be held in Bellingham, featuring 25 films and their filmmakers from around the world, including the United States, Cameroon, China, and more.

The True/False West Film Festival features films that challenge the traditional documentary format, exploring fact and fiction, blurring the line between reality and fantasy, documentary and narrative, propaganda and journalism.

True/False West Film Fest is produced by Whatcom Film Association in conjunction with True/False Film Festival in Columbia, Missouri. Passes are available for purchase beginning March 31 at The Pickford Cinema box office or online at: www.truefalsewest.org/tfw/

February 27, 2006

HATCHfest '06 is open for business

A newly extended HATCHfest, which happens in Bozeman, October 3 through 8, has sent out a call to 250 colleges and universities worldwide for entries to their 2006 event. They are seeking competitors in feature films, shorts and student films as well as for fashion and for the Gibson Guitar New Musician Award.

The executive director of HATCHfest, Brian Skuletich, is anticipating a thousand student submissions plus another hundred each for the short films and feature films. Deadline to respond is June 30.

This will be the third HATCHfest, which has grown every year and has been extended to six days for the first time. There are also competitions in writing, scoring, and design. The most important and unusual aspect of the festival is its mentoring program, in which seasoned professionals in the various arts attend the fest as jurors or panelists and guide selected students, often for an extended period.

Ten films will be accepted in each category. The student films will be culled from 76 U.S. schools and 174 international schools. There is, however, a wild card. The tenth film can be the work of a non-film student or high school student, if it is at least as good as the other selected entries.

Various awards will be handed out to the winning students—the Moonlight Basin Outstanding Filmmaker Award offers a cash prize, a Panavision camera package, post production work at The Syndicate and a scholarship to Screenwriters’ Boot Camp. Awards will also be handed out for cinematography, editing and screenwriting.

The feature film competition is open to professional filmmakers and amateurs as well as students.

Previous finalists at HATCHfest have started successful career. Jeff Stephenson’s film “Chasing Daylight” has garnered 18 awards and nominations. Scott Rice has shot two nationally broadcast commercials and is attached to direct a family comedy feature, “My Monster.” Chris Webster, winner of the 2005 Gibson Guitar New Musician Award recently finished a recording session in Nashville.

Past panelists and/or mentors have included Peter Fonda, Michael Keaton, Jeff Bridges, Bill Pullman, Margot Kidder, Rick Schroeder; directors David Anspach, Jon Amiel, Michael Anderson; film industry executives Jim Brubaker, Erica Huggins and Greig McRitchie; cinematographers Jack Green and David Butler, and musicians such as Jackson Browne.

Sponsors for HATCHfest 2006 include Moonlight Basin, Gibson Guitar, Getty Images, Panavision, Murray Weissman and Associates, Hilton Garden Inn of Bozeman, Messinger Events, Moose Factory, Classic Ink, Thirsty Ear Hi-Fi, Runco Home Theatre Products, Kidz Online, J2 Entertainment, Bozeman Daily Chronicle, MontAqua, Screenwriters Bootcamp and The Eagle 104.7.

For more information visit www.hatchfest.com

February 23, 2006

Big Sky Documentary Film Festival Announces 2006 Festival Winners

Missoula, Montana - The award winning films of the 2006 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival were announced yesterday at the awards ceremony, closing the weeklong event. The award-winning films were selected by visiting and local jurors for the Best Documentary Feature Competition, Best Documentary Short Competition and the Big Sky Competition. The festival is the largest documentary film festival in the American West, and is an important contemporary platform for screening compelling and artistic films that embody aesthetic innovation.

The seven-day event screened 97 films from 28 countries, including 14 world premieres. Visiting filmmakers from around world were in attendance representing over 40 films at the festival. Despite record low temperatures during the first three days of the festival, screenings were packed, ticket lines were out the door and attendance was up fifty percent from 2005.

The 2006 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival Retrospective series highlighted the forty-year filmmaking career from distinguished filmmaker, Les Blank. Blank was in attendance representing ten of his celebrated and was also a Shorts Competition Juror. The 2006 Retrospective Series was sponsored by Montana Committee for the Humanities.

Capturing the award for Best Documentary Feature were directors Jeff Zimbalist and Matt Mochary of FAVELA RISING.

Director Eva Weber from the UK was honored with the Best Documentary Short, with her international premiere of THE INTIMACY OF STRANGERS.

In the Big Sky Competition category, the award went to emerging filmmaker, Kevin Henry, with his world premiere of LAST THOUGHTS.

In addition to the awards presented to films in official competition categories, two additional awards were announced. The shorts jury honored Leah Wolchok's LIVING TO WORK with an Artistic Vision Award for having "its own unique pulse, with compelling imagery and an interesting use of sound. The film pushes the audience to reflect on the complexities of our high tech and fast paced world. The filmmaker manages to quickly make her point, yet leave a lasting impression."

Lea Nakonechny's TWO MUSEUMS was honored with a Special Jury Mention. According to the jurors, TWO MUSEUMS "warranted a special jury mention for its sense of place, visual composition and emotive power."

A distinguished 9-member Festival Jury selected the 2006 award winners in all three categories.

For more information call (406) 541-FILM or visit www.bigskyfilmfest.org

 

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