The Film Festival Without Borders!
Moondance wishes you happy holidays,
and our very best wishes for the new year!
All the 2017 Moondance winning films are available for viewing now!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~$1.00 FILMS: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FEAR, LOVE & A TINY RED CAR (90BPM)
JIMMORTAL
ORIGIN
THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~FREE FILMS: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A SKYTRIBE CHRONICLE
COOKING THE EARTH
GAME
HANOOZ NA (NOT YET)
KARMA
KOSNIN
LEARNING TO DRIVE
MOODY WINTER
NIOFAR
PARSIEN (LIMIT)
THE PAST WE LIVE IN
THE SERVANT
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
THINK FAST
TOGETHER AS THE WIND BLOWS
WEAVERS OF IMAGINATION
ARE YOU READY FOR THE 2018 MOONDANCE CALL-FOR-ENTRIES?
OPENING JANUARY 1, 2018
• SUBMISSION CATEGORIES
• GUIDELINES
• MOONDANCE MISSION
We look forward to previewing all your films, writings and original music!
MOONDANCE 2017 WINNERS, FINALISTS & SEMI-FINALSTS:
- You can find downloadable Moondance 2017 laurels HERE to add, if eligible, to your website, social media, promotions, and media releases.
- If you are a 2017 winner, finalist or semi-finalist, you are eligible to apply for an official Moondance certificate, only until December 31, 2017 HERE:
WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com
NEWS-BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog
EMAIL: moondancefestival@gmail.com
NEWS FLASH:
All of the 2017 Moondance winning films are even more available now!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~$1.00 FILMS: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LOVE, FEAR, AND A LITTLE RED CAR
JIMMORTAL
ORIGIN
THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~FREE FILMS: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A SKYTRIBE CHRONICLE
THINK FAST
COOKING THE EARTH
GAME
HANOOZ NA (NOT YET)
KARMA
LEARNING TO DRIVE
MOODY WINTER
KOSNIN
NIOFAR
PARSIEN (LIMIT)
THE PAST WE LIVE IN
THE SERVANT
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
TOGETHER AS THE WIND BLOWS
WEAVERS OF IMAGINATION
CLICK ON ANY FILM IMAGE, OR HERE,
TO SEE FILM DESCRIPTIONS & WATCH THE FILMS!
These are the top indie films by super-talented filmmakers from around the world!
ATTENTION MOONDANCE 2017 WINNERS, FINALISTS & SEMI-FINALSTS:
- You can find downloadable Moondance 2017 laurels HERE to add, if eligible, to your website, social media, promotions, and media releases.
- If you are a 2017 winner, finalist or semi-finalist, you are eligible to apply for an official Moondance certificate, until December 31, 2017 HERE:
Get ready to submit your work for the upcoming 2018 call-for-entries!
SEE ALL THE SUBMISSION CATEGORIES HERE!
WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com
NEWS-BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog
EMAIL: moondancefestival@gmail.com
Have you watched any really good movies lately?
Now there’s no need to get dressed, drive to town, find parking, pay $12-15 for a movie ticket, buy expensive popcorn & a drink, sit in a theater to watch a movie, then drive home…maybe pay the babysitter…because at Moondance, you can enjoy watching all of our fabulous, award-winning indie films online, any time, anywhere, on any of your mobile devices, for only $1.99, and several of them are free! And these are the top indie films by super-talented filmmakers from around the world. You might never get to see these movies in a theatrical venue. Take a look at our 2017 film schedule HERE!
To quote the late film critic, Roger Ebert, “See you at the movies!” 
WATCH THIS WEEK’S FEATURED FILMS:
GAME: short film, director: Jeannie Donohoe (USA) 16 minutes. The director is also a former Moondance short film winner, for “Lambing Season”. She was selected from over 4,600 applicants to write and direct “Game” for Lexus Short Films. GAME is a story about going all the way, pursuing your dreams, and playing at the top of your game. AJ doesn’t see herself as a girl basketball player. She sees herself as a basketball player. She asks the world to do the same. The relationship between Coach and AJ, over the course of this short film, speaks to the willingness to reward ambition, hard work, and equal talent with equal opportunities.
LEARNING TO DRIVE: short film, director: Roderick Stevens (USA) 19 minutes. Inspired by the true story of a feisty young man with Down syndrome, determined to become independent and to convince his scatterbrained brother to teach him how to drive.
KOSNIN: short film, director: Sara Seligman (USA) 12 minutes. 10-year old Héctor wants to ‘fly,’ like the voladores in his community. His single mother can’t afford the costs, but Héctor is determined to achieve his dream, and through hard work and a little help, sets out to do what others in his community have done for generations – FLY!
TOGETHER AS THE WIND BLOWS: music video, director: Jose Manalang (Japan) 6 minutes. This is a vibrant music video about the plight of talented Filipino workers searching for respect, equality and greener pastures abroad.
HANOOZ NA (NOT YET): short film, director: Arian Vazirdaftari (Iran) 15 minutes. It`s 21 year-old Hasti’s Birthday. She studies abroad and her parents in Iran want to congratulate her via Skype. But…well, you can imagine what happens, when the old world meets the new world.
2017 MOONDANCE AUDIENCE FAVORITE FILM ANNOUNCED:
LE PASSÉ DEVANT NOUS (PAST IMPERFECT)
LE PASSÉ DEVANT NOUS (PAST IMPERFECT), feature film, director: Nathalie Teirlinck (Belgium) 110 minutes. When Alice’s ex-boyfriend dies in a car accident, she’s unexpectedly confronted with her six-year-old son, whom she had abandoned at birth. His presence not only threatens her routine existence as a high-priced escort but also exposes strongly suppressed emotions. Doubt strikes again. Will she be able to be a mother, this time?
A SPECIAL MOONDANCE SELECTION OF FILMS
ON MYSTERIOUS CHINA!
Directed & Produced by MONAREX HOLLYWOOD
Read more about these Mysterious China film selections HERE!
These unique, award-winning videos can be watched or purchased at http://www.monarex.com
Don’t miss these winning indie films from around the world, and more!
MOONDANCE 2017 WINNERS, FINALISTS & SEMI-FINALSTS:
- You can find downloadable Moondance 2017 laurels HERE to add, if eligible, to your website, social media, promotions, and media releases.
- If you are a 2017 winner, finalist or semi-finalist, you are eligible to apply for an official Moondance certificate HERE:
Missed entering your film, written work or music to the 2017 Moondance competition?
Get ready to submit your work for the upcoming 2018 call-for-entries!
SEE ALL THE SUBMISSION CATEGORIES HERE!
WHY FILM FESTIVALS MATTER:
Excerpts from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA)
Film festivals are a vital piece of the film ecosystem, and their impact is evident across our culture. Film festivals highlight the worldwide passion of cinema and showcase the value of film, both creatively and economically. More than anything, film festivals deliver a new, unique way to experience the movies, always driven by the power of a good story.
A platform for new talent:
Each year, filmmakers submit their creations to a range of film festivals in the hopes of getting their work premiered. If a film attracts the attention of festival curators, an independent creator could have their work showcased in front of an influential audience. Film festivals have helped open doors for many of today’s iconic filmmakers including Quentin Tarantino, Morgan Spurlock and Darren Aronofsky.
Attracting new audiences:
When a new or independent filmmaker brings a film to a festival, the viewers have the opportunity to connect with the story through experiencing the film firsthand. This process can give the filmmaker insights and even unlock new avenues for the film with producers, distributors, and others who can bring it to a wider audience. READ MORE HERE!
INSIDER TIPS FOR SCREENWRITERS:
Discover how to: enhance the narrative momentum in your screenplay, stylize your script in a way that keeps the narrative moving, open your story in a way that generates instant momentum and audience investment, create a sense of inevitability in your screenplay, utilize the importance of cause and effect and conflict in narrative, and the importance of tailoring specific characters & dialog to the story, as well as structuring each scene so as to build or maintain a vital sense of story progression, and to keeping your story perpetually engaging.
READ MORE IN THESE E-ZINE ARTICLES HERE:
Screenwriting: Insider Info
Creating Character & Characterization
The Field of Dreams: Conflict as a Metaphor
Subtleties of Subtext
Writers: Write What You Know!
Things You Should Do to Get Your Screenplay Rejected
How To Get An Agent: What Agents Want, (and Don’t Want), to See
MOONDANCERS WRITE US:
• “Thank you so much for everything…and for your talk with the producers. We all really appreciate your support of the film (and my previous film) and all of the exposure it will receive through Moondance and the award! It’s a great honor. Thank you!!” ~ Jeannie Donohoe, director: (“GAME” won the 2017 Moondance, and her “LAMBING SEASON” is another previous Moondance Winner)
• “I want you to know that I have huge respect for your film festival and I’m so grateful for the selection of my film. I’m so supportive of your mission as a festival and want to contribute, if possible, even if in some small way.” ~ Jenna Cavelle, director, “OPEN SEASON” a Moondance 2017 winning short narrative film.
“We are truly honored, especially given the reputation and prestige of the Moondance international film Festival and its wonderful mission of peaceful resolution and unity. Thank you again so much for your support and encouragement.” ~ Kemmy Moran, director, web series pilot 2017 winner, “Beverly Hills Ghost”
THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY:
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed individuals can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” ~ Margaret Mead
” “A quiet and modest life brings more joy than a pursuit of success bound with constant unrest.” ~ Albert Einstein
WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com
NEWS-BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog
EMAIL: moondancefestival@gmail.com
Now there’s no more need to get dressed, drive to town, find parking, pay $12-15 for a movie ticket, buy expensive popcorn & a drink, sit in a theater to watch a movie, then drive home…maybe pay the babysitter…because at Moondance, you can enjoy watching all of our fabulous, award-winning indie films online, any time, anywhere, on your desktop, laptop, or on any of your mobile devices! And these are the top indie films by super-talented filmmakers from around the world. You might never get to see these movies in a theatrical venue, otherwise!
GOT POPCORN?
COME TAKE A LOOK AT OUR 2017 FILM SCHEDULE HERE!
WATCH THIS WEEK’S FEATURED FILMS:
Award-winning stories from Luxembourg, Iran & Italy!
THE PAST WE LIVE IN, short film, director: Jérôme Weber (Luxembourg) 15 minutes. Félix celebrates his 92nd birthday in the company of his family, as his past catches up with him. “The Past We Live In” is the story of a former forcibly recruited WWII soldier, who now suffers from dementia and relives an emotional wartime friendship by confusing his 7-year old nephew with an old friend from the second World War.
WEAVERS OF IMAGINATION, short multi-award-winning documentary film, directors: Sadegh Jafari & Marziyeh Vaziri (Iran) 21 minutes. This is the story of a group of talented blind men and women who weave intricate Persian carpets by using Braille. Weaving carpets requires precision and sight and it is difficult even for the sighted people. These unsighted people wish that there was a place where the sighted people did not bother & ridicule them, they would have more respect for their work, and a better life.
PARSIEN (LIMIT) (RATED R), short film, director: Javad Daraei (Iran) 8 minutes. A lonely man in a quiet village neighborhood asks for help from people he sees passing by, until someone suddenly enters his home…
FEAR, LOVE & A LITTLE RED CAR, feature film, directors: Salvo Campisano, Filippo Arlotta (Italy) 93 minutes. This film (sub-titled 90BPM) also won the 2017 Moondance for Best Actor (Salvo Campisano), Best Film Score (Alexander Cimini) & Best Supporting Actor (Lucia Fossi). This is an intense, beautifully filmed dark comedy story that will surprise and thrill you until the last frame. Start the countdown! A tiny red car drives off with a screech of tires, and a man begins his run to catch it. During the chase, the man finds himself involved in a series of very strange encounters with a diverse cast of odd characters who will help him in his struggle to achieve self. Time passes, the red car is always farther away. What will happen at the end of the countdown ?
SPECIAL BONUS FILM!
(Out of competition)
THE UNRULY MYSTIC: SAINT HILDEGARD
Feature documentary film, directed by Michael M. Conti (USA)
Discover why Saint Hildegard is considered to be the patron saint of creativity, and about her continued impact today. This 12th-century abbess became famous as a Christian Mystic and visionary, as well as a musical composer and writer, and whose natural medicine is still practiced in Europe today. Saint Hildegard is venerated around the world for her widely recognized impact on today’s theologians, artists, musicians, the medical profession, and educators. The film is an homage to her, but is also a call to all of us, to listen, to still ourselves and to heed the call of our souls and whatever unruly messages exist within. The filmmaker traveled internationally to capture many of the stories you will see in this beautifully visual, memorable and inspiring film. The film evokes a calling: that sweet spot of creativity that we all yearn to discover and utilize, an inherent desire, which is also deeply spiritual in nature. (65 Minutes) Available in English, German, Spanish and Japanese
WATCH MORE 2017 WINNING FILMS HERE!
MOONDANCER NEWS:
TEHRAN, Nov. 05 (MNA) – Iranian documentary ‘Weavers of Imagination’, directed by veteran Iranian documentarian Seyyed Mohammad Sadegh Jafari grabbed the best foreign language doc. film award in Cardiff International Film Festival. Moreover being nominated at the second edition of Italian Social and Industrial Film Awards, Weavers of Imagination had earlier been announced as the winner of best documentary film at US Moondance Festival and India’s International Festival (Lifft India). Mehr News
MANY THANKS TO THE 2017 MOONDANCE
SCREENPLAY READERS, JUDGES & FEEDBACK WRITERS!
Phil Pritchard, Alexandria Billings & Olga Rojer
And much appreciation to the rest of the 2017 Moondance Team:
Michael Conti, Chris Anastasiadis & Vittoria Colonna
WHAT IT’S REALLY LIKE TO BE A WOMAN IN HOLLYWOOD
What we see in movies matters: it affects our hobbies, our career choices, our emotions and even our identities. Right now, we don’t see enough women on screen or behind the camera — but waiting for Hollywood to grow a conscience isn’t going to fix the problem, says Naomi McDougall Jones. Join forces with her as she outlines her four-point plan for a total representation revolution in Hollywood. WATCH HERE: TED TALKS
GEENA DAVIS: THIS IS A WATERSHED MOMENT IN HOLLYWOOD
Sexism has been “entrenched” in Hollywood since its inception, but the industry has hit a turning point as men join women in their outrage over recent allegations of rampant sexual harassment and assault, says Academy Award-winning actor Geena Davis. “I do think this is a watershed moment and what’s going to be different about it now is not just women supporting women. It’s that men needed to become involved…So that is what will make the difference. We can’t just talk amongst ourselves and fix it. We have to have partners,” Davis said.
SEXISM IN HOLLYWOOD
Where are all the women and girls in film? Social scientist Stacy Smith analyzes how the media under-represents and portrays women — and the potentially destructive effects those portrayals have on viewers. She shares hard data behind gender bias in Hollywood, where on-screen males outnumber females three to one (and behind-the-camera workers fare even worse.) WATCH HERE: TED TALKS
Brave Enough to Be Angry
NYT Opinion by Lindy West, Nov. 8, 2017
Not only are women expected to weather sexual violence, intimate partner violence, workplace discrimination, institutional subordination, the expectation of free domestic labor, the blame for our own victimization, and all the subtler, invisible cuts that undermine us daily, we are not even allowed to be angry about it. We are expected to keep quiet about the men who prey upon us, as though their predation was our choice, not theirs We are expected to not complain as we are diminished, degraded and discredited. Feminism is the collective manifestation of female anger. They suppress our anger for a reason. Let’s prove them right. (Excepts) READ MORE HERE
A MOONDANCER SPEAKS UP
THE DOLPHIN’S CALL
by Leotien Parlevliet, Netherlands
Behind their seeming smile, the dolphins call desperately: ¨Mother Earth is at stake¨. Once the forests are burning, the seas and oceans poisoned, most species wiped out, the bees gone, fertile soils changed into sandy plains and the birds stop singing. Once all these sounds die out and a dead silence falls, there’s no turning back, as a copy simply can’t be made. The dolphin’s call is loud and clear, and can no longer be denied. This cannot go on. Take action now and join our fight!
MOONDANCE 2017 WINNERS, FINALISTS & SEMI-FINALSTS:
- You can find downloadable Moondance 2017 laurels HERE to add, if eligible, to your website, social media, promotions, and media releases.
- If you are a 2017 winner, finalist or semi-finalist, you are eligible to apply for an official Moondance certificate, until December 31, 2017 HERE:
Missed entering your film, written work or music to the 2017 Moondance competition?
Get ready to submit your work for the upcoming 2018 call-for-entries!
SEE ALL THE SUBMISSION CATEGORIES HERE!
WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com
NEWS-BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog
EMAIL: moondancefestival@gmail.com
Don’t miss these winning indie films from around the world, and more!
WATCH THIS WEEK’S FEATURED FILMS:
A SKYTRIBE CHRONICLE, Short multi-media Film, Director, Greg Lauer, (USA) 15 minutes. Director’s statement: Director’s statement: “I was flying high on a very successful art career, my paintings selling well, living the artist’s dream in Boulder, Colorado. Filled with daring and replete with connections, I moved to California to hit it big. I did not. Eight months later, after a complete failure-to-launch, and the utter inability to paint, I admitted defeat and let go of my artistic dreams and aspirations. Clawing my way back to Colorado, trying to escape the nightmare of California, my vehicle broke down twice on the Nevada border and I gave up. Out of the ashes of self-defeat, stranded in café in the desert, a mysterious event occurred, by which the following 20 years of art-making were completely inspired.”
LE PASSÉ DEVANT NOUS (PAST IMPERFECT), feature film, director: Nathalie Teirlinck (Belgium) 110 minutes. When Alice’s ex-boyfriend dies in a car accident, she’s unexpectedly confronted with her six-year-old son, whom she had abandoned at birth. His presence not only threatens her routine existence as a high-priced escort but also exposes strongly suppressed emotions. Doubt strikes again. Will she be able to be a mother, this time? *This film seems to be the 2017 Audience Favorite, based on number of plays on Vimeo!
THINK FAST, short film, director: Bridget Stokes (US) 12 minutes. The film tells the story of a powerful woman, constantly surrounded by oppositional forces, who manages to dig deep and find the grit it takes to persevere. But what happens when everything you’ve worked for is suddenly ripped apart by a ringing phone? In Sara Wagner’s case, all hell breaks loose. Then RING! Sara answers, but It’s a desperate Wrong Number Caller who misdialed a suicide hotline! A ready-to-jump teen on speaker, and a ticking clock. It’s now or never, if Sara must save a life to save her career, and she’s got to THINK FAST!
ORIGIN, feature documentary film, director: Mary Jo Ramsey-Smith (USA) 57 minutes. Exploring the perils of the ever-expanding human presence on the planet. Seeking transformative ways to change the way we think/speak/act toward one another … and this world. ORIGIN is an exploration based on the work of philosopher Jean Gebser in The Ever-Present Origin.
The Moondance film screenings are all online, viewable via the Moondance website links. Moondance 2017 is the first major film festival to accomplish this. This is truly today’s preferred, state-of-the-art & most important global film viewing & promotional advantage!
MOONDANCE 2017 WINNERS, FINALISTS & SEMI-FINALSTS:
- You can find downloadable Moondance 2017 laurels HERE to add, if eligible, to your website, social media, promotions, and media releases.
- If you are a 2017 winner, finalist or semi-finalist, you are eligible to apply for an official Moondance certificate HERE:
Missed entering your film, written work or music
to the 2017 Moondance competition?
Get ready to submit your work for the upcoming 2018 call-for-entries!
SEE ALL THE SUBMISSION CATEGORIES HERE!
MOONDANCERS IN THE NEWS:
‘LIGHT SIGHT’ SCOOPS UP 8 INTL. AWARDS!
TEHRAN, Oct. 11 (MNA) – Iranian 3D animated piece ‘Light Sight’ directed by Moslem Tabatabaee has won eight international awards from its recent screenings in festivals in UK, US, India, and Bosnia. The 3D animation also scooped best animation awards at the 18th Moondance International Film Festival on Sep. 15 in the US. (Mehr News, Iran)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
JAN STANTON’S THINK FAST TO BE FEATURED ENTRY IN 13TH ANNUAL LA FEMME FILM FESTIVAL
THINK FAST, a “will she-won’t she” black comedy about a driven businesswoman who must choose to either hang-up on a wrong-number suicidal hotline caller — or commit career suicide by missing a deal deadline, will be a featured short at the 13th Annual LA Femme International Film Festival in downtown Los Angeles, Oct. 19-22. Written and executive produced by Jan Stanton and directed by Bridget Stokes, THINK FAST had its L.A. premiere at LA Shorts International Film Festival earlier this year, and also competed at the Vail Film Festival; it has also been selected for the SILICON VALLEY International Film Festival in December. The film won an award at the Moondance Film Festival and is about to premiere in Australia at the Sydney Indie Film Festival. (BroadwayWorld)
MOONDANCE RECOMMENDS:
* Click on the book cover to read more & purchase
The updated and revised third edition provides new insights and observations from Christopher Vogler’s ongoing work on mythology’s influence on stories, movies, and humanity itself. The previous two editions of this book have sold over 180,000 units, making this book a ‘classic’ for screenwriters, writers, filmmakers, and novelists.
* Click on the book cover to read more & purchase
~ Make Films that Transform the World! ~
Industry veteran Jon Fitzgerald has developed a new manual for making socially activist films on a low budget, from concept development through production, from marketing through distribution. In straightforward sections, with descriptive breakdowns for each category, the book presents a new paradigm for social impact filmmaking in the modern age ― including case studies on numerous films and advice from industry professionals on each topic.
THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY:
“Freedom” by Zenos Frudakis
“I am not what happened to me; I am what I choose to become.” ~ Carl Jung
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“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”~ Anaïs Nin
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE DIRTY DOZEN
There are, and have been for generations, many, too many, Harvey Weinsteins in the world, and not just in Hollywood, of course. People who are guilty of rampant sexual harassment, abuse and threats against women & girls; but men and boys need to speak up more, too. Take a hard look at the plethora of news reports from just these 12 industries for a disgusting sample of the kinds of unacceptable treatment victims have been subjected to, (and fearful of speaking up about), in the US and internationally:
- Entertainment
- Silicon Valley
- Wall Street
- Sports
- Politics
- Church
- Media
- Law
- Medicine
- Social Organizations
- Education
- Military
“What was previously accepted is now untenable to anyone of a certain consciousness.” ~ Quentin Tarantino
WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com
NEWS-BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog
EMAIL: moondancefestival@gmail.com
WATCH THESE WINNING FEATURED 2017 MOONDANCE FILMS NOW!
FEAR, LOVE & A TINY RED CAR
♥ An intense, beautifully filmed dark comedy story that will surprise and thrill you until the last frame. Start the countdown! A tiny red car drives off with a screech of tires in a rustic Italian village, and a desperate man begins his wild run to catch it. During the chase, the man finds himself involved in a series of very strange encounters with a diverse cast of odd characters who will help him in his struggle to achieve self. Time passes, the tiny red car is always farther away. What will happen at the end of the countdown? This film also won the 2017 Moondance for Best Actor, Best Film Score & Best Supporting Actor.
THE OLD MAN & THE SEA
♥ This beautiful & unique film is a paint-on-glass-animated short film directed by the famed Russian animator, Aleksandr Petrov, based on the classic novella of the same name by Ernest Hemingway, and tells the tale of Santiago, an ageing Cuban fisherman who struggles with a giant marlin out in the Gulf Stream, off the coast of Florida. This is a new, modern soundtrack to this Oscar®-winning animation film, and it has won the 2017 Moondance for Best Film Score.
JIMMORTAL
♥ Clever, tongue-in-cheek, wry comedy-adventure of a TV pilot, “Silicon Valley” meets “Louie”. Jim and Lyle are a pair of typical millennials…just not from this millennium! They’re the youngest old guys, you’ve ever met. But a freak fire and a meeting, with potentially world-changing consequences, unwittingly puts the brothers on a crash course with the fate of all humanity, eternity and, if Jim can help it, the end of it all.
THE SERVANT
♥ A frustrated writer, on the verge of suicide, catches an insect in a glass, and instead of following his first impulse and killing it, he lets the bug grow. Over time, however, it earns a different and more gloomy function, and soon they fight a match for the roles to be reversed between them, in this fascinating and thought-provoking animation: Which one will be the champion?
- ALL MOONDANCE 2017 WINNING FILMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE TO
WATCH ONLINE: HERE
The Moondance film screenings are all online, viewable via the Moondance website links. Moondance 2017 is the first major film festival to accomplish this. This is truly today’s preferred, state-of-the-art & most important global film viewing & promotional advantage! So get a bowl of organic popcorn, settle down & watch these great winning films on your TV or mobile device now!
MOONDANCE 2017 WINNERS, FINALISTS & SEMI-FINALSTS:
- You can find downloadable Moondance 2017 laurels HERE to add, if eligible, to your website, social media, promotions, and media releases.
- If you are a 2017 winner, finalist or semi-finalist, you are eligible to apply for an official Moondance certificate HERE:
Did you miss entering your film, written work or music to the 2017 Moondance competition?
Get ready to submit your work for the upcoming 2018 call-for-entries!
SEE ALL THE SUBMISSION CATEGORIES HERE!
MOONDANCE MEDIA NEWS:
ROCK DOCUMENTARY FILM NAMED FINALIST
AT MOONDANCE INT’L FILM FESTIVAL
Rock Access Music Group
Congratulations to documentary filmmaker and longtime member of MICHIGAN’s radio community JIM BAADE, whose film adaptation of “Local DJ: The Story Of FLINT Rock N Roll” was recently awarded finalist status in the highly regarded MOONDANCE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL for 2017. The feature documentary was included in the honor among films from IRELAND, TURKEY, IRAN, SINGAPORE and AUSTRALIA.
“What happened in Vegas is not going to stay in Vegas, this time!”
THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY:
“Whatever you have wanted to accomplish, do it now; there are only so many tomorrows.” ~ Pope Paul VI
“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.” ~ W.A. Ward
WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com
NEWS-BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog
EMAIL: moondancefestival@gmail.com
MOONDANCE 2017 WINNING FILMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE TO
WATCH ONLINE: HERE
WATCH THESE WINNING FILMS, AND MORE!
- See the listing of Moondance 2017 winners, finalists and semi-finalists, in all competition categories HERE.
- See the list of official selected films for 2017 HERE
- You can find downloadable Moondance 2017 laurels HERE to add, if eligible, to your website, social media, promotions, and media releases.
- If you are a 2017 winner, finalist or semi-finalist, you are eligible to apply for an official Moondance certificate HERE:
- And here’s the link to meet our 2017 international Moondance Team.
The Moondance International Film Festival, featuring its distinctive cinematic visions and bold film selections, has distinguished itself around the world as much more than an annual film festival! The Moondance is a unique community, a supportive, productive, and creative year-round collaboration between independent filmmakers and movie audiences, between writers, composers and the world of top-quality filmed entertainment. The Moondance film screenings are all online, viewable via the Moondance website links. Moondance 2017 is the first major film festival to accomplish this. This is truly today’s preferred, state-of-the-art & most important global film viewing & promotional advantage!
INSIDER TIPS:
A FILMMAKERS TOOLBOX:
“MAKING A GREAT PROMOTIONAL TRAILER”
By Elizabeth English
Do you want to have a really good 2-3-minute trailer to send to producers, studios, film festival competitions, for your website & in social media ? Haven’t quite finished post on your film yet, but want to promote it now?
Great trailers are in a special class of their own; little polished gems that showcase your film, and make people want to see more! But film trailers can be more difficult to make really well than the entire film, itself. It can be more time-consuming, judicious editing must be a main concern, you have to tell the main story, theme & concept quickly, harder scene decisions need to be made, and you need to sell your film in less than three minutes.
Can you tell the main story, introduce the lead characters, show the main conflict, and give the viewer a visual, memorable impression in under three minutes? And, remember, you need to hook the viewer in the first few seconds! You probably don’t even have a full 3 minutes to do the job, unless the first 30-60 seconds are fantastic. READ MORE HERE!
MOONDANCE NEWS:
INTRODUCING OUR 2017 ONLINE FILM SCREENINGS COORDINATOR:
Michael Conti
Michael M. Conti is a Boulder, Colorado-based filmmaker. He once challenged himself to make a short film once a month for a year, and then found other filmmakers equally crazy to join him. He ran The Shoot Out 24 Hour Filmmaking Festival Boulder for nine years as executive director. Besides teaching as an adjunct professor in digital video editing and videography, Michael also provides video services for corporate, government and spiritual clients around the country. His current filming passion has made him into an internationally-known filmmaker with the release of his inspirational documentary, The Unruly Mystic: Saint Hildegard. The film premiered in Germany, and screened at Harvard Divinity School, Emory University, & other important venues. This film is part of a series with “The Unruly Mystic: John Muir”, now in post-production for release in April 2018. On a side note, in 2003, Michael worked as Co-director & Cinematographer with Director & producer Elizabeth English, making LOSING JULIA, based upon her short screenplay, and which premiered at the 2004 Moondance.
A MOONDANCER WRITES US:
“Thank you again for the honor of being in your festival. We’re excited to watch all of the film submissions!” ~ Owen Weber, co-director: “JimMortal”, 2017 winning filmed TV pilot & available to watch online.
A MOONDANCE REMINDER:
The annual Moondance International Film Festival, now in its 18th successful season, and known worldwide as “The Film Festival Without Borders”, is screening all of our 2017 winning films online right now on your computer or mobile devices! Get out that bowl of popcorn and you can view them all on Vimeo, via the Moondance website: https://moondancefilmfestival.com/2017-watch-winning-films/ Please subscribe now to our popular news-blog for updates, info, news, insider tips & inspiration: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog, and get ready for the upcoming 2018 call-for-entries! Questions? Contact: director@moondancefilmfestival.com
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
“Happiness is a butterfly, which, when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may come and alight upon you.” – Nathaniel Hawthorne
WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com
NEWS-BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog
EMAIL: moondancefestival@gmail.com
Watch these films & the all other winning Moondance 2017 films HERE!
- See Moondance 2017 winners, finalists and semi-finalists, in all competition categories HERE.
- See the list of official selected films for 2017 HERE
- You can find downloadable Moondance 2017 laurels HERE to add, if eligible, to your website, social media, promotions, and media releases.
- If you are a 2017 winner, finalist or semi-finalist, you are eligible to apply for an official Moondance certificate HERE:
- And here’s the link to meet our international Moondance Team.
HOW DOES MOONDANCE GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THE
2017 SELECTIONS & FILM SCREENINGS?
Via regular news-blogs, social media, media releases, advertising, regular promotions on LinkedIn, Stage32, FilmFreeway, InkTip, Vimeo, Google, Facebook & Twitter, as well as PR trades with several entertainment-related websites. Plus, we strongly recommend to selected filmmakers, writers and composers to promote their Moondance status on their websites & social media, as well as sending out media releases (which get Internet attention from Google & other search engines). Not to mention all the many US & international visitors to the Moondance website, daily.
The Moondance film screenings are online-only! All winning & selected films will be screened online. How this state-of-the-art online film festival works: all selected films will have a photo still & mini-synopsis/logline on the Moondance website, with a private link and pass-code to view the film on the private, dedicated Moondance Vimeo portfolio.
Now your film will have the opportunity for not only to be screened once in a local theater, but also to be viewed an international audience of many thousands of viewers, on a computer or any mobile device, for a long time to come, instead of maybe an audience of 50-100 or so, screened only once at a local film festival’s theatrical venue.
This is truly today’s preferred, state-of-the-art & most important
global networking, promotional & networking advantage!
MOONDANCE NEWS:
IRANIAN MOVIES WIN AWARDS AT MOONDANCE FESTIVAL
Tehran Times
“Light Sight” by Seyyed Moslem Tabatabai
TEHRAN – Five Iranian films have won awards in various categories at the Moondance International Film Festival in the city of Boulder, in the northern part of the U.S. State of Colorado. “Weavers of Imagination” co-directed by Sadeq Jafari and Marzieh Vaziri received one of the two awards in the short documentary film category, the organizers announced last week. “Niofar” by Hugo Lemant from France won another award in the section. “Not Yet” by Arian Vazirdaftari was among the eight winners in the short film category. Three of the eight awards in the animation film section went to “Light Sight” by Seyyed Moslem Tabatabai, “The Orangish Tree” by Amir-Hushang Moein and “The Servant” by Farnush Abedi.
A MOONDANCER WRITES US:
Thank you so much, very honored to be a winner in this category. Every step is a small one and with tireless determination and perseverance, one never knows where the path will lead. I’m pleased beyond belief and I love, love, love your festival. I know it’s a lot of hard work and it shows! ~ Gary A. Piazza, Winner: Feature Screenplay for “Breakaway Heart.”
THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY:
We cannot control the length of our life, but we can certainly determine the width and the depth of it. ~Author Unknown
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“I choose…to live by choice, not by chance; to make changes, not excuses; to be motivated, not manipulated; to be useful, not used; to excel, not compete. I choose self-esteem, not self-pity. I choose to listen to my inner voice, not the random opinions of others. ~ Author Unknown
WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com
NEWS-BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog
EMAIL: moondancefestival@gmail.com
ANNOUNCING THE 2017 SELECTIONS!
- We thoroughly enjoyed previewing all the films, reading all the written works, and listening to all the music submitted! Please go now to see the listing of the Moondance 2017 winners, finalists and semi-finalists, in all competition categories HERE. Thank you and sincerest congratulations to all our fine filmmakers, writers and composers!
- You can find downloadable Moondance 2017 laurels HERE to add, if eligible, to your website, social media, promotions, and media releases.
- The selected films to be screened online for 2017 are listed HERE.
- And special thanks to our 2017 script readers: Phil Pritchard & Alexandra Billings, and our film jury. Here’s the link to meet our international Moondance Team.
- Fine films, written works and music were submitted in 2017 to our truly international film festival without borders by talented artists from around the world, including: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Greece, Iceland, India, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Turkey, UK, United Arab Republic, and, of course, from the US!
Moondance supports the gallant humanitarian efforts of the local first responders, all the volunteers, the Red Cross, the Humane Society, and all the heroes, in the US and elsewhere in the world, who are giving their time & efforts to rescuing and providing for the many victims of the recent storms, earthquakes, mudslides and wildfires.
A MOONDANCER WRITES US:
- “Thank you so much for all the periodic updates and all the wonderful blog articles. I loved reading about how an 80 year-old screenwriter in Benghazi, Libya, gets up at 6:00 every morning to research and hone his craft. What an inspiration. Thank you so much for sharing!!” ~ Melissa L. White
INSIDER TIP:
SCREENWRITERS: HOW TO GET AN AGENT
What Literary Agents Want (and don’t want) to See:
By Elizabeth English
Story: This is the first thing agents look at, when considering whether to read your script or not. Unique story, well-told.
Write killer titles, loglines and one-sheet synopses for the all the scripts you want to submit to agents.
Write up a one-sheet document with titles and loglines of all your completed screenplays. You may be asked to send these before sending in a screenplay.
In your initial contact, try to find out what genre of story that agent is looking for, at the moment. Agents generally know exactly what the buyers want to see, and will usually only request those genres. But needs change all the time, and at a moment’s notice, so let them know what you have, even if they’re not looking for that at the time of your call.
You probably will be asked to submit your logline, synopsis and script digitally, via an email attachment. Be sure to have your name & contact info on the cover page!
Format and structure: in submitting your work to an agent, you should be sure the script is in proper format and structure. There are many books and online articles on these vital subjects. Edit every word of the script with a fine-toothed comb, and correct all spelling, punctuation and syntax errors. READ MORE HERE
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:
WATCH THIS SHORT MUSIC VIDEO, TO BE INSPIRED!
“Stand by Me” Playing for Change
Click on image to watch the video:
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Isaac Littlejohn Eddy for The New Yorker magazine
“Passion is energy. Keep the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.” ~ Oprah Winfrey
WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com
NEWS-BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog
EMAIL: moondancefestival@gmail.com
Thanks a million for all the very fine submissions by talented filmmakers, writers and composers we received, for the 2017 Moondance competition! We are finished with previewing all 2017 submissions, and announcements will be made very soon! ~ The Moondance Team
CHECK OUT THE MOONDANCE E-ZINE
Don’t miss reading all the great filmmaking & writing articles written by pros exclusively for Moondancers.
MOONDANCE RECOMMENDS:
The Humming Effect
Sound Healing for Health and Happiness
Humming is one of the simplest and yet most profound sounds we can make. Research has shown humming to be much more than a self-soothing sound: it affects us on a physical level, reducing stress, inducing calmness, and enhancing sleep as well as lowering heart rate and blood pressure and producing powerful neurochemicals such as oxytocin, the “love” hormone.
In this guide to conscious humming, Jonathan and Andi Goldman show that you do not need to be a musician or singer to benefit from sound healing practices—all you need to do is hum. Experience the powerful vibratory resonance that humming can create and harness its healing benefits for body, mind, and spirit.
Self-created sounds can literally rearrange molecular structure and how humming not only helps with stress levels, sleep, and blood pressure but also increases lymphatic circulation and melatonin production, releases endorphins, creates new neural pathways in the brain, and releases nitric oxide, a neurotransmitter fundamental to health and well-being, and sound can act as a triggering mechanism for the manifestation of your conscious intentions. READ MORE HERE
JUST WONDERING: Why do all the images of Adam & Eve show them both with belly-buttons? Wouldn’t that mean that they were born from, presumably, 2 mothers, and sired by 2 fathers, who were there before them? It’s a conundrum, or maybe just artists’ misinterpretation of the Bible story!
SOME MORE THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:
“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” ~ Thomas A. Edison
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“Flowers always make people better and happier; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul.” ~ Luther Burbank
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An oldie-but-goodie: “Young at Heart”, lyrics by Carolyn Leigh, 1953
It’s much better by far to be young at heart.
And if you should survive to a hundred and five
Look at all you’ll derive out of bein’ alive
And here is the best part, you have a head start
If you are among the very young at heart
Equality, integrity, peace and nonviolence are ideals toward which we strive, in this film festival, in our lives and in the world. To stand by silently is not an option. Wherever you are on your life’s journey, we invite you to join us.
MOONDANCERS WRITE US:
“Thanks, from the heart. I am an 80-year-old amateur screenwriter in Arabic. I enjoyed tremendously your article on: Creating Character and Characterization in Screenplays. I learned a lot. And will need it as I get up at 6 am everyday to research my new adventure in screenplay writing. I enjoyed your fine ideas on character creation. God bless you.” Saad Ismail, Benghazi, Libya.
“Thank you for the suggestion of expanding “Secondhand Saints” into a TV series. I’m indebted to you and to Moondance. I believe we are living in a new period of “moral anxiety” in the Trump Era. I’ve attempted to tell moral fables…from a humanist perspective that calls for treating other belief systems with respect.” Michael Montgomery
WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com
NEWS-BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog
EMAIL: director@moondancefilmfestival.com
