The 2nd Annual IndieAZ Film Festival

Windy West, Ann Cabano, Sandy Penny, Angela Friis

by Toy Taylor - [RECAP] Thursday night boasted a huge success for the 2nd Annual IndieAZ Film Festival once again held at the Pollack Tempe Cinemas in the ever eclectic Tempe Arizona. 

This was a crazy cool event! Many of the night's short films left you shaking your head and pondering the what ifs. I mean really? Who would ever think of seeing the world through the perspective of a mattress? Things that make you say 'hmmm'.   

The event raised awareness for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and bullying within our communities. 

Provided by Elena and Jim

The charity of choice is  Agnes Centers for Domestic Solutions which strive to educate others by providing solutions in breaking the chains of physical and mental abuse amongst those wounded by such atrocities.

Adam Ruiz(l)

Here's some faces you may recognize on the red carpet.





Adam Ruiz who's film Terminus won Best of Fest at 
2015 IndieAZ Fest. 

Tonight he is showing Kill Waiting.

Gotta grab those red carpet shots!

Charlotte Helmkamp

Celebrity guest speaker Charlotte Helmkamp (former Playboy model/actor/author) knows all too well on the perils of being a survivor of abuse.

Her story is REAL and one you should check out. She is ah-ma-zing!

Gita Farid

There were other local celebrities in the house. A few on deck were the ever pleasant writer/director Gita Farid of Gita Farid Films. I had the pleasure of working with this phenomenal woman and let me tell you, her visions on old world history are strong, passionate and at times intense. Ms. Gita is an amazing story-teller. 

The wildly unprecedented producer Rob Rutledge himself was also in attendance. 

Rob Rutledge(l)

Rob's energy is so 
contagious you just can't help wanting to get a wee bit closer to him. I don't think his brain ever shuts down. MAD MAD MAD talent right here. 

Byron Cherry(l)

Byron Cherry best known for playing Coy Duke on the Dukes of Hazzard in the early 80's joined the party and even brought the famous General Lee with
 


him. I was all giddy especially when he let me get inside...yikes!

Robin Cote

Author and radio personality Robin Cote earned the Rose Award for her journey of survivalship, strength and being an inspiration to us all. 

Her story 'My Life, Victim No More! The Ugly Truth Exposed' is an experience that is of great magnitude. Congratulations Robin!




Star Worldwide Network Owner Dave Pratt was in the house. You know him best as big time radio personality for 3 decades now.


Now let's get to the real reason we are here. The event's lineup in show order are listed:

         The Woman Of The Mountain 
                   Director - Ryan Johnston 
                   Producer - Aaron Alysworth
                   Written by - Will Hirsch
        
         Donnie 
                   Director/Writer - Anna Augustowska 
                         
         A Thousand Words  
                   Director - Jacob Glass

         Lay It On Me
                   Director/Writer - Michelle Larkin

         Pop Quiz (Scottsdale Short Film Festival Winner)
                   Director - Josh Salazar
                   Producer - Robyn Sturgis

         Melvin
                   Director - Nate Doane

         Reverie
                   Director - Dana Bruhn

         Veil 
                   Director - Chuck Sterling
   
         Temporary
                   Director - Aaron Seever

         Kill Waiting
                   Director - Adam Ruiz

         Between You & Me
                   Director/Writer - Edgar Ybarra


After the viewing, the powers that be got together and tallied everything up. Time to mingle!   

 

 

        More 


red carpet                 fun!    

And the winner is....

BEST OF CAST - The Woman of the Mountain

BEST OF CREW - Temporary

BEST OF THESP - Between You & Me

BEST OF CRAFT - The Woman of the Mountain

BEST OF FEST - Between You & Me

AUDIENCE CHOICE - Between You & Me


And there you have it. It was a spectacular night.
A big thank you to Ann Cabano and Angela Friis who are the co-founders and owners of IndieAZ Fest and Sandy Penny and the ever lovely Windy West (the executive partners) for giving us this fabulous affair casting a bright sunshine-filled light on the film industry in Arizona. 

There is a tremendous amount of artistic talent in the valley that need a platform to be heard or in this case seen. Can't wait to see what the 2017 IndieAZ Festival has in store. Thank you ladies!

Eva Louis(l) and Jane Fendelman

See you on the runway!        

                                                                                   








 

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Thanks to the Chronic Behavior team and Joe Gutierrez of Joe G Photography for their excellent coverage of the event. They are the team helping to support and promote the brand. We appreciate you for your continued support.

                     

It's Not Just Any Old Film Festival....It's 2015 IndieAZ Fest!!!

I had such a fabulous time the other night! The Chronic Behavior team headed out to the 2015 IndieAZ Fest to work, aka film, the red carpet and score some great interviews. You will have to catch up with Talking the Five to see the fun interviews. As usual, we had a ball! This was my second film festival to attend and let me tell you, I'm hooked! To witness the end result of so many grueling hours' working day and night perfecting a film short was quite inspiring in of itself. The level of creativity these budding writers/actors/producers (yes, sometimes all-in-one) bring to film is nothing short of awe-inspiring. 

This was the 1st annual IndieAZ Fest to be held at the Pollack Tempe Cinemas in none other than Tempe, AZ. Now this is not some shoddy cinema, nor is it your typical high-tech fancy shmancy theater. Hence, the word cinema;keeping it old school. I love this place! Pollack Tempe Cinemas carry an old-fashioned, dedicated to film style of theater with a vast array of cinematic memorabilia all around the place. This theater pays homage to the latest and greatest of movies past and present. 


The IndieAZ film shorts were shown in an intimate theater were guests were able to rocker-recline to their hearts content. And of course, there was plenty of movie popcorn and soda to go around. Now if you're not familiar with a film festival, here's the skinny. Show up...get your picture taken on the red carpet...grab some popcorn and an icy drink...then settle in for an evening of phenomenal viewing. It's just that simple.

Michelle Palermo- Best Thesp Terminus

Angel Ruiz-Terminus

The IndieAZ Fest debuted 11 film shorts that "wowed" the heck out of me. I found myself laughing out loud at one moment then mouth gaped open and shaking my head the next. 




Here's the lineup for the 1st annual IndieAZ Fest playbill and the awards given:

Terminus---Best Fest and Best Thespian to Michelle Palermo

We Probably Still Do

The Dome---in my opinion the best cast ever!

Best Day Ever

Fortune

Focus---Winner Audience Choice and Best of Craft

Sinking

Orientation

Flight Fright---Best of Craft

Surrender at Crow Lake

Hell of a Deal

There were celebrity guests in the audience as well. Lejon O. Stewart from Pirates of the Caribbean 1 & 2 spoke of his career and what it meant to be a part of the film industry. He was very cool. You could tell his passion for the art of acting and film keeps him reaching for higher heights. 

Larry Thomas

Me and Karen on the red carpet

Larry Thomas also spoke about his journey through the Hollywood craze. He, too, has had a long passion-driven career in acting. Mr. Thomas is most famous for this role on Seinfeld as the Soup Nazi. And YES, he said it...."No soup for you!"

L--Angela Friis, Ann Cabano, Krysten Aldridge

Through her own trials and tribulations, Krysten Aldridge shared with us her remarkable story of how she came to be one of founders of the non-profit organization One True Love. 

A documentary written and directed by Ann Cabano titled Breath Interrupted portrays the anguish Krysten deals with through her own personal

journey with addiction. Such an accomplishment for both these ladies.

One True Love sets out to do one thing for the 'unhomed' people on the streets of Arizona: feed their spirit, their mind, as well as their body. Krysten along with co-founder Ann Cabano set out in their newly renovated food truck to go out and provided meals, personal hygiene items, or sometimes just have a simple have a conversation with people. I believe Krysten stated they have even help unhomed pets if need be. To learn more about One True Love

please visit their website. These girls rock!!

Jane Fendelman

Another award was presented tonight to a woman that I have had the pleasure to know real quickly, in a short amount of time...Ms. Jane Fendelman. IndieAZ Fest awarded Jane the Rose Award for her incredible journey of surviving breast cancer. Jane Fendelman is a strong, energetic, spitfire that brightens up any room she is in. She shares such a passion for life. Jane documented her entire journey before, during, and after her ordeal

Rose Niemand-on screen

Jane Fendelman

with chemotherapy. A brief snippet of the documentary was shown at the festival, and oh my, oh my I ha massive tears to hold back. i failed miserably. Jane's story has become so impactful, it has become a full length film. The Rose Award was created in memory of Rose Niemand who lost the battle with cancer earlier this year. Rose's children presented Jane with the award.

I was quite exhausted after the evenings festivities. I'll admit, I  could have sat through another set of film shorts.  

I want to give a big shout our to Watercolors High Fashion Desert in Scottsdale for dressing several of the ladies on the red carpet, including Boss Lady Eva Louis and Karen Sundt. 
And a huge thank you to the co-founders Ann Cabano and Angela Friis for a very successful first year of                                                                the IndieAZ Fest. Look out 2016!

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