THE JIM THORPE INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL (JTIFF) returns April 18 through the 21st for it’s lucky 7th season. Nestled in the charming Victorian town of Jim Thorpe, this 4-day cinema & music event boasts 9 new first-run features and 75 short films from around the world, along with sensational live music shows courtesy of our partner, GREAT CIRCLES from Philadelphia.
Kicking off the festival Thursday April 18th, and brought to you by GREAT CIRCLES and ERASERHOOD SOUND, comes Philadelphia’s genre-defying STEREO LEAGUE, led by front man Alex Savoth with guitarist Dan King, Turquoise Cobb on backing vocals, Gusten Rudolph on drums, John Hildebrand on keyboard, and bassist Mitch Beer. STEREO LEAGUE, who was named Artist to Watch by Philadelphia’s WXPN, will deliver its signature Synth & Soul sound, guaranteed to have you grooving in the aisles.
Dovetailing nicely with Stereo League is our opening night feature, DANDELION, written and directed by Nicole Reigel. This music-focused film premiered just weeks ago at SXSW to glowing 4-star reviews. Dandelion, a desperate Cincinnati singer-songwriter, played by the brilliant KiKi Layne (If Beale Street Could Talk), takes a last-ditch gig at a motorcycle rally in South Dakota where she meets a charismatic guitarist named Casey and his nomadic group of struggling musicians. The kindred spirits start making music together and quickly strike up a whirlwind romance. The experience moves Dandelion from a narrow view of success to a deeper appreciation of her artistic journey, and the discovery of a voice that’s authentically her own. DANDELION features original music written by Aaron Dessner & Bryce Dessner of THE NATIONAL. And JTIFF’s Opening Night screening marks the film’s Pennsylvania premiere.
Friday, our program continues with a mix of new international treasures such as TIGER STRIPES – a very original female coming-of-age / horror film from Malaysia, written and directed by Amada Nell Eu. The film Premiered at Cannes Critics’ Week and took home the Grand Jury Prize.
Next is PROPERTY, directed by Daniel Bandeira, a tense, disturbing tale of Class Struggle in Brazil. To protect herself from the violent revolt by the workers on her family’s farm who have taken her husband hostage, an upper-class woman locks herself in her own armored car. The film premiered last year at the Berlin Film Festival and won Best Picture at Fantastic Fest.
Friday Night at 7:00pm, we are thrilled to present the Pennsylvania Premiere of GHOSTLIGHT, the tender yet funny hit of this year’s SXSW and Sundance Film Festivals. When a grieving construction worker joins a local theater’s production of Romeo and Juliet, the on-stage drama starts to mirror his own life. Husband and wife directing team, Kelly O’Sullivan and Alex Thompson, will be on hand to present their film in person.
Saturday from 6:30 to 8:00pm we’ll take a break from the films to present a very unique music performance by the incredible ANGELO OUTLAW, brought to you by GREAT CIRCLES and ERASERHOOD SOUND. Outlaw is a deeply cosmic artist who is a master mallet percussionist as well as a thoughtful poet. His mastery of the vibraphone and marimba has made him a force in the modern cosmic soul jazz universe. Adding to the ambiance will be the visual artistry of LUMINOUS ABSTRACT.
Saturday after the music, we’ll present our primetime feature – the French-Canadian thriller, HUNTING DAZE, that just premiered at SXSW to unanimous rave reviews. A tempestuous young woman, named Nina, joins a group of hunters at a remote mountain cabin. In this male micro-society, she finally feels a newfound sense of belonging. But the delicate balance of their pack is threatened with the arrival of a mysterious stranger. Writer / Director Annick Blanc will travel from Montreal to Jim Thorpe to present her film and do Q&A with our JTIFF audience.
Then comes the brand-new Irish horror film, ODDITY, written and directed by the acclaimed Damian McCarthy. In this impeccably crafted horror yarn that DREAD CENTRAL is already predicting to be “the scariest film of the year,” a blind medium uncovers the truth behind her sister’s death with the help of a frightening wooden mannequin. This PA-premiering feature boasts a “100% Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Sunday afternoon at 1:00pm, we will present SCOOTER LA FORGE: A LIFE OF ART, directed by New York City filmmaker, artist and JTIFF alumni, Ethan Minsker. The documentary focuses on the iconic queer artist who reflects on his career, his struggles and triumphs, and the impact that current events have had on his life and the lives of so many artists in NYC. We are honored to have both the director and the film’s subject, Scooter La Forge, on hand to present their film in person.
Next is RILEY, Writer / Director Benjamin Howard’s semi-autographical story of a high school football star whose life begins to unravel when his queer identity competes against the idea of who everyone expects him to be. Benjamin will be doing a remote Q&A with our audience following the screening.
Our Closing Night Feature, HEY, VIKTOR!, is a raucous, raunchy, yet heartfelt comic meta mockumentary directed by Indigenous Canadian actor / Director, Cody Lightning. Twenty-five years after his time in the limelight, Cody, the former child actor, tries to revive his fame with a self-produced sequel to “Smoke Signals.” HEY, VIKTOR! premiered last year at TriBeCa and TIFF, and JTIFF is pleased to be first fest to bring it to Eastern Pennsylvania.
Beyond our features, don’t forget the 74 amazing short films from around the world that make up the bulk of our program. And despite our international flavor, JTIFF continues to encourage talent from our own back yard to create and take part in the festival. This year, our efforts have really paid off as the films we’re presenting in both the PA STUDENT FILM block on Saturday and the LOCAL HEROES block on Sunday are the best we’ve seen since the festival began.
And be warned that at Midnight Saturday, April 20, we’ll be bringing back our notorious GRINDHOUSE block – two bloody hours of the most shocking and gloriously offensive short films collected from around the globe. As usual, no one under 18 will be admitted to the Grindhouse block.
Finally, we are humbled by the dozens of filmmakers who will be travelling great distances to screen their films here in Jim Thorpe. Some will be coming from as far away as Los Angeles and Montreal. And anyone who buys a ticket will have the opportunity to meet these talented artists face-to-face and talk movies between screenings or over a drink at our festival parties.
Speaking of parties, you won’t want to miss our fabulous FILMMAKERS GALA Friday, April 19, which will, once again, be held at the cavernous Mauch Chunk Ballroom, (41 W Broadway, Jim Thorpe), located just steps away from our main screening venue, the Mauch Chunk Opera House. Starting at 9:00pm, right after GHOSTLIGHT, we’ll begin with a laid-back lounge vibe, with cocktails, conversation and passed hors d’oeuvres as LUMINOUS ABSTRACT transforms the Victorian ballroom into surrealist dreamscape, painting the space with 3D imagery and light, while special guests DANI LONG LEGS AND THE ECLECTIC CIRCUS entertain us with carnival stunts and wizardry. Then we shift gears into a full-on dance party with the help of DJ CREASE from Philadelphia who will be spinning soul-shaking beats from his retro vinyl collection into the wee hours.
In addition to the FILMMAKERS GALA, we’d like to give a big ‘thank you’ to MARION HOSE BAR (16 W Broadway, Jim Thorpe) for hosting our OPENING NIGHT AFTERPARTY. And for our 3rd straight year, our CLOSING NIGHT WRAP PARTY will be held at OUROS, 70 Broadway, Jim Thorpe. Sunday , April 21, right after the Awards Ceremony.
Get your Tickets now for the 7TH ANNUAL JIM THORPE INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL and get ready for an unforgettable 4-day experience of movies, music, parties and art. We’ll see you on the Red Carpet!
For Tickets, Schedule, Film descriptions and more, go to: JimThorpeIndieFilmFest.com
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