SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO – The Santa Fe Film Festival gets underway this month with a new wave of talent and showmanship to entertain the filmmakers visiting from around the world. The 8th season marks the year in which the festival goes beyond the borders of New Mexico to entertain festival patrons, filmmakers, and sponsors from around the world and the community at large. As the SFFF casts a wider net for film making talent, so do they bring in diverse and dynamic musical entertainment to be featured every night. The effort is to build relationships between filmmakers and original artists who are largely present in the Santa Fe area year around.

Every day, from November 28th – December 2nd, the Santa Fe Film Festival joins Showbuzz in providing the Showbuzz Hospitality suite, which is open to all badge holders as well as festival patrons, including those with a ticket stub.  Every night an Official Party is hosted for Badge Holders and Festival Patrons, all of which are sponsored by Heineken. This year’s festival creates greater opportunities for filmmakers to connect with original artists from New Mexico and beyond by experiencing their performances at the parties. Heineken’s involvement as the exclusive beer sponsor is indelibly important to the festival atmosphere which features leading DJs and musicians from around the world.

On the weekdays, the Showbuzz Hospitality Suite becomes the Heineken/Showbuzz Happy Hours at the Hotel Santa Fe. Local DJs Feathericci, Ultraviolet & 13 Pieces will perform at the Showbuzz Happy Hours on WED, THUR & FRI. The various nightly parties at restaurants are also sponsored by Heineken at six restaurants and clubs from around the City Different. Heineken’s desire is to create an atmosphere for filmmakers to discuss their films with patrons, press, and sponsors, and for festival patrons to cut loose and enjoy themselves while also viewing over 230 films in this year’s festival.

Just like clockwork, the Opening Party at the Cowgirl Bar & Grill is back with music by the Santa Fe All Stars featuring Joe West, Ben Wright, Sharon Gilchrist & Susan Hyde-Holmes.

As the festival grows, so do the opportunities to expand the number of parties and locations for nightly events. On Thursday, for the first time in the history of the festival, two restaurants in the downtown area will join forces to create an elegant and sophisticated night for Badge Holders, VIPs and New Mexico Filmmakers. Last year’s standout party sponsor Il Piatto is back again to offer complimentary Italian cuisine in an intimate setting from 8PM till 11PM, with a cash bar. El Meson, located just around the corner from Il Piatto, will feature a dynamic night of entertainment designed and hosted by Raoul Trujillo, actor, choreographer and native son of New Mexico who is also a co-host of this year’s Milagro Awards Ceremony with Ali MacGraw. El Meson’s entertainment offers a taste of what will come on Saturday at the Milagro Awards at 4pm at the Lensic Performing Arts Center, free to the public, and at the Post Milagro Reception at Fusion, open to badge holders, with tickets on sale to the general public. On Thursday night, El Meson graciously donates their beautiful dance floor for live performers, projections and music by Santa Fe de la Frontera, a trio with Joaquin Gallegos, Megan Chandler and Jester Bransford.

On Friday, National Geographic All Roads Film Project hosts an evening with Toureg group Tiniwaren at the Lensic Performing Arts Center at 7pm. For tickets, call 505 988-1234.  This band formed in a Libyan refugee camp in 1979 and plays a distinctive fusion of Toureg folk songs with electric guitars, using their songs to communicate the experience of the oppressed. They have opened for the Rolling Stones. Another longtime partner to the SFFF, Ore House on the Plaza, hosts the Friday night party with local hero Jono Manson & DJ Spinifex plus the annual Webcast by Grant Taylor, Pasha Hogan, and Anna Darrah. 

On Saturday, The Milagro Awards Ceremony will present 12 awards to filmmakers and the show itself will be infused with small and lively acts performed by local acrobats and performance artists from the El Puente Theatre in Penasco, including a performance by Raoul Trujillo himself. The SFFF will honor a selection of Luminaria Tributees, a Maverick Award winner and New Mexico Women in Film will honor Shirley MacLaine.

The Milagro Awards Reception & After Party at Fusion is the Centerpiece of all the Events. 

Early in the week, internationally acclaimed DJs & Producers Astro&Glyde will join us to enjoy the festival and soak up the beauty of Santa Fe before performing as the headlining act at Fusion on Saturday Night. Astro&Glyde formed in New York City in the late 90s after becoming friends on the dance floor at NYC’s legendary nightclub Twilo. Since then this duo has traveled to the far reaches of the planet to play their hauntingly beautiful music to tens of thousand including their headlining appearance at the Global Gathering Festival in Malaysia last month. The SFFF Centerpiece party at Fusion, starting at 9pm to pass holders and with tickets for sale to the general public, marks Astro&Glyde’s debut in the state of New Mexico.

Joining Astro&Glyde at Fusion is another veteran of NYC’s Twilo dance floor, and long local DJ, Melanie Moore. Melanie Moore has played with Astro&Glyde on several occasions in New York City at their resident club Le Souk. Also joining the cast of musical characters at Fusion on Saturday night, three of Santa Fe’s most multi-disciplined musicians, the DNumbers guys, Feathericci, Ben Wright and Brian Mayhall.  Their appearance ties it all together and should also make for a nice send off as their winter tour commences on the following day. 

The Wrap Party at the Railyard Restaurant & Saloon closes out the weekend with a performance by Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers. This is the event to unwind, hear some great local music, and bid a bittersweet farewell.