These are the Film Independent Fellows Whose Work Would Have Been at SXSW
No one likes it when a party gets cancelled; no matter if it’s because the booze ran out, bad weather rolled in, or because a rapidly unfolding global pandemic has made the thought of being around thousands and thousands of people a little bit… not as much fun as it should be. And while the festival’s cancellation was both a prudent and courageous move on the part of its organizers, we’re still extremely bummed that this year’s SXSW Film Festival—which would have kicked off today, March 13—has been shuttered due to COVID-19 related heath concerns.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t still celebrate the incredible filmmakers who, had remarkable circumstances not intervened, would be on the ground in Austin, TX as we speak, proudly showing off their wares and stuffing their faces full of queso. In particular, we want to spotlight all of our amazing Fi Fellows whose work was accepted for inclusion into the 2020 SXSW film program—including four projects directly supported by Film Independent’s Artist Development labs and programs: Bull, I’ll Meet You There, Really Love and The Dilemma of Desire.
“Fellows” here is defined as participants of any of our Film Independent Artist Development Labs, Fast Track, grant winners or alumni of the LA Film Festival. But just who are these great filmmakers whose dreams of SXSW glory have been deferred but never dashed? Read on…
NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION
- Iram Parveen Bilal, director/writer/producer, I’ll Meet You There
- Directing Lab, 2010
- Project Involve, 2010
- Screenwriting Lab, 2013
- Joy Ganes, co-producer, I’ll Meet You There
- Project Involve, 2011
- Heather Rae, executive producer, I’ll Meet You There
- Grant/award winner, 2009
- Angel Kristi Williams, director/co-writer/producer, Really Love
- Project Involve, 2014
- Grant/award winner, 2014
- Felicia Pride, co-writer/executive producer, Really Love
- Screenwriting Lab, 2016
- Mel Jones, producer, Really Love
- Project Involve, 2012
- Aaliyah Williams, producer, Really Love
- Project Involve, 2010
- Steven Pristin, editor, Really Love
- Project Involve, 2017
- Elizabeth Shapiro, producer, Shiva Baby
- Producing Lab, 2017
- Autumn Dea, Editor, Shithouse
- Project Involve, 2018
- Melina Lizette, producer, Topside
- Project Involve, 2018
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION
- José Núñez, producer, The Donut King
- Project Involve, 1999
- Diane Quon, producer, Finding Yingying
- Documentary Lab, 2017
- Fast Track, 2018
- Fast Track, 2017
NARRATIVE SPOTLIGHT, HEADLINERS
- Jonathan Duffy, producer, I Used To Go Here (Narrative Spotlight)
- Fast Track, 2016
- Kelly Williams, producer, I Used To Go Here (Narrative Spotlight)
- Fast Track, 2016
- Laura Smith, producer, The Quarry (Narrative Spotlight)
- Fast Track, 2014
- Producing Lab, 2012
- Jordana Mollick, producer, Lovebirds (Headliners)
- Grant/award winner, 2017
DOCUMENTARY & NARRATIVE SPOTLIGHT
- Maria Finitzo, director, The Dilemma of Desire (Documentary)
- Fast Track, 2018
- Diane Quon, producer, The Dilemma of Desire (Documentary)
- Documentary Lab, 2017
- Fast Track, 2018
- Fast Track, 2017
- Bing Liu, cinematographer, The Dilemma of Desire (Documentary)
- Documentary Lab, 2017
- Fast Track, 2017
- Veronica Nickel, executive producer, Uncorked (Narrative)
- Fast Track, 2015
- Jason Berman, producer, Uncorked (Narrative)
- Fast Track, 2009
VISIONS
- Sara Newens, editor, Freeland
- Documentary Lab, 2013
- Dave Boyle, producer, I Will Make You Mine
- Grant/award winner, 2014
- Emily Ting, producer, I Will Make You Mine
- Grant/award winner, 2014
- Producing Lab, 2013
MIDNIGHTERS & EPISODIC
- Kimberly Hwang, producer, Lucky (Midnighters)
- Project Involve, 2014
- Grant/award winner, 2014
- Louis Bravo, producer, Hightown (Episodic Premieres)
- Project Involve, 2003
- Jessica Sanders, director, Embrace (Episodic Pilot Competition)
- Project Involve, 2000
- Fast Track, 2004
- Producing Lab, 2003
- Screenwriting Lab, 2007
- Ron Najor, showrunner/director, The Dream (Episodic Pilot Competition)
- Screenwriting Lab, 2016
FESTIVAL FAVORITES
- Annie Silverstein, writer/director, Bull
- Grant/award winner, 2018
- Ryan Zacarias, producer, Bull
- Grant/award winner, 2016
- Grant/award winner, 2018
- Producing Lab, 2016
- Christian Bruno, cinematographer, Feels Good Man
- Documentary Lab, 2011
- Fast Track, 2008
- James M. Johnston, producer, Miss Juneteenth
- Grant/award winner, 2014
- Toby Halbrooks, producer, Miss Juneteenth
- Grant/award winner, 2014
- Kareem Tabsch, director, Mucho Mucho Amor
- Grant/award winner, 2015
- Jason Berman, producer, Nine Days
- Fast Track, 2009
- Tatiana Bears, co-producer, Save Yourselves!
- Fast Track, 2019
SHORTS
- Jonathan Duffy, executive producer, Rules for Werewolves (Texas Shorts)
- Fast Track, 2016
- Kelly Williams, executive producer, Rules for Werewolves (Texas Shorts)
- Fast Track, 2016
- Valerie Steinberg, producer, Blocks (Narrative Shorts)
- Fast Track, 2019
- Producing Lab, 2019
- Jason Berman, executive producer, Dirty (Narrative Shorts)
- Fast Track, 2009
And so: a very emotionally complicated, parallel “congratulations!” and “condolences!” to all of our SXSW minted Fellows. We know that your stories will continue to spread and resonate in ways no disease will ever compete with.
More Film Independent…
(Header: Really Love)