Dear Patrons: We regret to announce that we are currently not screening at the Jean Cocteau. Please see the letter below from our Executive Director, Jon Bowman.
In the meantime, MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

 

CALL TO VOLUNTEERS to

BE A PART OF THE 10th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

of the SANTA FE FILM FESTIVAL: December 2-6, 2009
 

What: VOLUNTEER MEETING

When: Thursday, July 9, 6:00pm

Where: Santa Fe Main Public Library, 145 Washington Ave., Community Room

Who: New & Alumni Volunteers, All Are Welcome!
 

Come meet new the new cast of Directors as we look at the future and the great fun to be had with Stars, Filmmakers and Storytelling in Film.

Are you a great host, speaker, money counter, good communicator? Are you an all round lover of film? Then read on:

Opportunities abound for involvement in the Santa Fe Film Festival: Films Screeners, Box Office Staff, Hospitality Staff, Party Managers, Venue Managers, Film Trafficking, Projectionists, Runners, Concessions, Merchandise, Food & Beverage Coordinators.

Join us in creating the 10th Anniversary 2009 Santa Fe Film Festival! To volunteer you must be over 21 years of age and commit to work a minimum of 24 hours (about 3-6 shifts) during the 5 days of the Festival, or an 80 hour minimum of one shift every day, as assigned, over the days of the Festival.

New Volunteers

* Learn more about the Festival Volunteer Program and departments by coming to the launch meeting July 9 at the Santa FE Community Library at 6pm. Then, determine your interests and whether you'd like to volunteer 40+ hours on a pre-assigned schedule or 24 (or more!) hours where you choose your schedule.

* Meet the Volunteer Department! Applications are reviewed by the Volunteer Department and assignments are made based on the volunteers' interests, skills, availability, and the needs of the Festival. If qualified, the Volunteer Department will contact you by phone and discuss possibilities.

* Matches made. When a volunteer's interests and the Festival's needs fit, volunteers are offered a Festival Assignment. Volunteers then commit to playing an important roll in making the '09 Fest the best year yet.


Returning/Alumni Volunteers

* Review the Festival Volunteer Program the evening of July 9th at the Santa Fe Community Library at 6pm to learn what's new for 2009.

* The Application Deadline for Alumni Volunteers will be available that evening. If you don't submit an application to volunteer at the 2009 Festival, we hope you'll consider coming back in future years! As alumni, you should automatically get an invitation to reapply in 2010, but if you don't hear from us by this September, feel free to drop us an email.

* Receive a call if you are once again selected as a festival volunteer! You should hear from us in September or October when a Department Coordinator will contact you to finalize details of your placement, at which point you can discuss anything you didn't get to share in your application. If we find a fit, we'll work to finalize your contract no later than mid-October!

* Watch your email for updates on your status. Email will be our main source for contacting you after you are given a Festival Assignment and for getting everything in-line for the 2009 Santa Fe Film Festival. Don't worry, while we're cutting back on paper, we're totally virtual. You can reach us by phone, every business day: (505) 988-7414.
 

Thank You, Volunteers! We look forward to seeing you July 9th!



A Letter from Jon Bowman, Executive Director, Santa Fe Film Festival:
 

Dear Santa Fe Film Festival patrons,

I have good news and more challenging news to share.

The good news? The 10th-Annual Santa Fe Film Festival is scheduled for Dec. 2-6, 2009, and it's starting to take shape. We'll be mounting perhaps the most stellar and memorable event in our history. It’s too soon to disclose all that we have planned, but we are encouraged by our preliminary soundings with major studios, distributors and artists. The expansion of the Oscar's Best Picture competition, from five to ten nominees, practically ensures that we’ll have a bevy of hot-ticket galas to present this season. It also appears highly likely that our roster of 2009 tributees will be one for the ages.

Our 2009 poster will strike a mythic chord, as Joel Nakamura, who created the fire-breathing dragon that embellished our very first poster in 2000, has agreed to return with another of his distinctive creations this season. This will definitely be a collector's piece.

Our core operation for this year's Festival is progressing quite nicely. We should not only survive during a treacherous time when several other festivals are folding, but we are poised to build upon the platform we established in our first decade, enhancing the festival’s reputation on the regional, national and international stages.

The challenging news? To ensure that the Festival can weather the economic firestorm that we see engulfing many worthy arts organizations here and nationally, we will be minimizing our local, year-round operations. Two months ago, we lost our lease at the Cinemacafe, and have arrived at a strategic decision to end programming aimed at presenting weekly screenings at the Jean Cocteau. The reason is simple as pie: The arrangement didn’t work financially.

Wtih financial losses being incurred maintaining the Cocteau screenings, we found ourselves in an unsustainable position which would have begun to diminish the new direction and quality of the Festival itself. We happily have chosen to return to our roots, focusing our energy, resources and attention on our two main annual events: the NM Film Expo, and the Festival in December.

We certainly aren’t hibernating in this off-season. We’ll still be staging select special events: our annual New Mexico Film Expo showcase in September for NM film artists; periodic benefits involving Hollywood and international talents; and of course, the Film Festival itself. Sadly, without underwriters our active role in satisfying your hunger for week-in and week-out movie screenings has come to a dramatic pause.

We trust you’ll understand our predicament and remain as supportive as you have been in the past, if not more so. Donations from individuals, businesses, government agencies and foundations are down this season across the board due to the current economic status. This has raised real challenges that we are coping with, and strident choices have been made.

Funding is key! If you haven’t already sent us your 2009 donation for this season, or become a festival member - which will bring you great new benefits at the Festival this season - please do consider making a tax-deductible donation, which can be sent to: Santa Fe Film Festival, PO Box 2167, Santa Fe, NM 87504.

The Festival strongly continues it's bright future investing in showcasing innovative film in New Mexico. With new changes in the Festival's design, stronger programming, more Premieres, and savvy entertainment events, your strong financial support is needed.

Shoud you have questions about new member benefits, new sponsoring, or branding your business through specific Festival programs, don’t hesitate to call Karen Dallett, the Festival's new Operations Director, at (505) 988-7414, or visit www.santafefilmfestival.com for details.

We’re proud of what has been accomplished during our first decade. With your financial support, the next 10 years will be even more fruitful, stimulating and innovative.

Thank You,

Jon Bowman
Executive Director
Santa Fe Film Festival 

OTHER EVENTS:

Dennis Hopper’s Artwork at the 2009 Taos Summer of Love !

To mark Dennis Hopper’s years in Taos, his long-time friendships, and the 40th anniversary of the release of Easy Rider, The Harwood Museum of Art, in conjunction with Taos' "Summer of Love" celebrations, presents Hopper at the Harwood, featuring two exhibitions: one focusing on his work, Selected Photographs and Paintings and the other, Forty Years of Friendship: LA to Taos, a curatorial expression with the work Larry Bell, Ken Price, Ron Cooper, Ronald Davis, and Robert Dean Stockwell. 

All summer long there will be music, films, art, festivals. See what’s going on at www.TaosSummerofLove.com.

 

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The Film Center is a branch of the Santa Fe Film Festival, a 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit organization. Offering year-round film screenings and educational programs tailored for youths and film professionals, the Film Center is presently screening films out of the Jean Cocteau Theater, located at 418 Montezuma Ave., next to the Sanbusco Center.

Visit the Santa Fe Film Festival Web site at www.santafefilmfestival.com, powered by Desert Elements, or call (505) 988-7414 to find out about other upcoming movies, workshops and special programs in the weeks and months ahead. Except where otherwise noted, admission prices are $9 for the general public, $8 for seniors and full-time students, and $6 for Film Festival members. Annual membership dues start as low as $35. Drop by the Film Center to join and lend your support. We are also available for private rentals and partnership.