Lone Chicago feature out of 16 to screen at July 30-Aug. 9 Indiefest and market

Hundreds of scripts and works in progress will be represented in the second Indiefest Film Festival and Market July 30-Aug. 9, the only film market in the Midwest. This year’s event has a lineup of 16 features and 37 shorts, and a Sundance Channel sponsorship.

“Indiefest gives filmmakers the opportunity to show their work to a captive audience of distributors,” said festival director Lee Alan, who also runs Cyclone Productions. “And distributors can make it a one-stop shop to pick up new films. We’re situated before a lot of the larger markets, so distributors can get first crack at a lot of the films out there through our fest.”

Indiefest leans toward undistributed films – only four of the 16 features in the fest had distribution two weeks before the festival. Two of last year’s features got picked up following Indiefest – The Film Source acquired Barry Levy’s “The Spook” and Newmark/Echelon Entertainment nabbed John Putch’s “Bachelorman.”

There’s one local production among this year’s features – the Aug. 1 world premiere of Filip J. Rymsza’s metaphysical drama “Sandcastles” from m31 Films. Another feature, the “black ‘Easy Rider'” Road Dogs, was produced by L.A./Chicago-based Epiphany Pictures.

Nine local shorts will screen on opening night Friday, July 30 at 7 p.m., followed by the 9 p.m. opening night feature, Robert Hall’s “Lightning Bug” featuring Hal Sparks (“Queer as Folk”), Laura Prepon (“That 70’s Show”) and Don Gibb (“Revenge of the Nerds”).

Saturday, July 31 is Sundance night, with screenings of three Sundance features: “Rick” with Bill Pullman, “Prey for Rock and Roll” with Gina Gershon, and the documentary “Ford Transit.”

Alan is self-distributing his 2000 Cyclone Productions feature “Lizzie.” “Lizzie” opens Aug. 6 in San Francisco and Portland, Aug. 9 at the Biograph after Indiefest, and in ten more cities Sept. 10.

Indiefest runs July 30 through Aug. 8 at the Biograph Theatre, 2433 N. Lincoln. The Indiefest Market runs Aug. 7 and 8 at Le Meridien hotel, 521 N. Rush. Cost of a booth for the two days is $150. Parties are held throughout the fest – opening night it’s at Trader Todd’s, 3216 N. Sheffield. Call 773/665-7600 or see www.indiefestchicago.com.

– by Ed M. Koziarski, edk@homesickblues.com