Red Rock Film Festival’s Winners Showcase and Film Releases
Cedar City, Utah – Red Rock Film Festival Award Winners and Releases
With over 100 new films presented at the 16th Annual Red Rock Film Festival this past October and late January, the Festival continues its two part format for 2023 this Fall. The call for entries has opened for this international event with the Extended Deadline being July 20, 2023.
Several winners from last season will be presented in the Winner’s Showcase on Thursday June 20. Some of the films will not be available as these new films are finding distributors.
New at the festival year will be expanding the live in-person seminars and panel discussions, and group activities. The Festival is also returning the date of completion for Red Rock films to the current year and previous year, and returning the additional Virtual section to film Industry only.
Filmmakers wishing to submit to the 2023 season can apply at https://filmfreeway.com/RedRockFilmFestival with entry fees ranging from $30 to $55 for the Late Deadline with waivers given to some of the Festival’s Alum, Volunteers and even Audience members who voted on at least 7 hours worth of features and shorts at last season’s Festival.
Writer/director Jeffrey Crane Graham’s film “Always, Lola” which played in the Utah Film Market section of the 16th Red Rock Film Festival in January has great news. The new comedy-drama sold to Good Deed Entertainment and DEADLINE broke the news of the acquisition on February 15.
The film is a comedy-drama tracing an annual camp high school friends make. The story shifts when the group’s birthday girl dies right before their trip and after hiding gift boxes in the forest catered to each friend including her sister whom she had a shattered relationship.
The film has won awards at other festivals and is produced by Laura Palmer, who was a segment producer on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and whose TV credits include “Saturday Night Live”, “Conan”, and “Late Show with David Letterman”.
Finding a distributor and the right form of distribution can take years, and streaming rights can take even longer. Another film from the Red Rock Film Festival alum that recently got a release is 2020 Official Selection Takeshi Kushida’s “Woman of the Photographs”. 2 1/2 years later this romantic thriller began streaming on Apple TV/iTunes on February 7, 2023.
With more and more distributors having an interest in the Festival the Red Rock Film Festival had reps selling some of the films at Cannes last week. Back in 2021 a Festival judge contacted some of the shorts in hopes to develop them into features and another judge in last year’s Festival is seeking out some of the documentary features.
The Winners Showcase will show the surprise winning films on Thursday June 15 at 4:30, 6:30, 8:30, 9:30 and 10:30 pm at the Cedar Fun Center (170 E. Fiddlers Canyon Rd., Cedar City.) The 2023 season is already open for submissions at https://filmfreeway.com/RedRockFilmFestival.
