By Daily Press staff
Attention, budding filmmakers and veteran directors: Get your cameras ready. The Other Venice Film Festival is accepting entries for a community event dedicated to screening full-length, short and animated films that embody the spirit, energy and diversity of Venice. The festival will return for its second season from March 18-20, 2005, with screenings taking place at The Electric Lodge and a second site, to be announced. Additionally, the festival will feature two new competitive sections: Avant Garde experimental cinema and documentary.
Applications for film festival submissions are being accepted now through Dec. 31. The festival kicked off the season last weekend at the Abbot Kinney Street Festival on Sept. 26, where festival-goers were able to watch screenings of films from the March 2004 debut season, as well as pick up applications, meet the festival founders and sign up to volunteer or receive updates on the festival.
In addition to screening films that embody the creative spirit of Venice, the festival will once again feature panel discussions, workshops and tributes to local filmmakers who have paved the way toward expanding the language of independent cinema.
Some local artists who were present at last year’s festival include renowned director, producer and actor Tony Bill; actress Camryn Manheim; actress/artist Karen Landry; Stanley Mitchell, who won the Abbot Award for his short film, “Venice, America;” actor/producer Chris Mulkey, recipient of the “Local Maverick Spotlight Abbot Award;” director/producer Michael Pressman, who took home the Abbot Award for his feature film “Frankie & Johnny Are Married;” and Sean Welch, producer of the critically-acclaimed documentary “Spellbound.”
The Other Venice Film Festival bridges the community of Venice and that of greater Los Angeles together in a weekend of movies and mayhem. For more information, go to www.veniceOfilmfest.com.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 2, 2004. Read the original PDF.