“Whatever you want to do, do it now. There are only so many tomorrows.” ~ Pope Paul VI
2019 JUNE CALL-FOR-ENTRIES!
FEATURE, SHORT, DOCUMENTARY, ANIMATION & DRONE FILMS, FEATURE & SHORT SCREENPLAYS, STAGE PLAYS, FILM SCORES & ORIGINAL MUSIC, SHORT STORIES, TV PILOTS, TREATMENTS, and more!
Moondance celebrates the stories shared from talented LGBTQ+ filmmakers, writers & music composers. The film festival & competition is a platform for anyone to share their stories with the world. The international LGBTQ+ community is vast, and whether you identify as LGBTQ+ or not, you can have a unique opportunity to represent the community at large when you share your story! For those of you sharing your own stories of being LGBTQ+, thank you, and thank you, too, for being supportive, being open, and seeking to expand your perspective.
“You have powers you never dreamed of. You can do things you never thought you could do. There are no limitations in what you can do, except for the limitations of your own mind.” ~ Darwin P. Kingsley
Thanks a million to all the many talented filmmakers, writers, composers, audiences, event staff and volunteers who participated in the 2016 Moondance International Film Festival & made it another memorable season!
CLICK ON THE STAR IMAGE, FOR INFO ON AWARD CATEGORIES!
If you would like to have us send you back your Blu-ray screener, or if you were not able to attend the awards ceremony, & want us to send you your winner’s award star & certificate, please clickHEREfor the form to request it & pay only the minimal postage & handling.
The final deadline for ordering is October 15th!
“Movies are just another form of merchandising – we have our factory, which is called a stage; we make a product, we color it, we title it, and we ship it out in a can, and then try to convince people to buy it.” ~ Cary Grant
Please subscribe to the blog & forward it to your creative artist colleagues!
The Moondance International Film Festival, now celebrating its 17th successful anniversary, and featuring its distinct 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, music composers and the world of top-quality filmed entertainment.
We are very pleased to have secured the best venue for screening Moondance films in historic, beautiful downtown Boulder. The world-class St. Julien Hotel & Spa in downtown Boulder is one of the West’s most prestigious luxury hotels, and stands at the forefront of special event spaces in the Rocky Mountain region.
If you’d like to consider a unique sponsorship at Moondance, to further promote your company or product to our international audiences & event attendees, please take a look at our Sponsorship Categories, and contact our sponsorships coordinator, Alan Rogers, at: alan@moondancefilmfestival.com
Thanks a million for your interest in a mutually-beneficial working relationship with the 2016 Moondance International Film Festival!
A MOONDANCER WRITES US:
“I wanted to let you know that I was contacted by a sales company, Circus Road Films, and by a distribution company named Silverline Entertainment. Both found my film on the Moondance roster and requested a screener, which I sent them. One of the things I liked reading about Moondance is your investment not only in the festival itself, but in helping filmmakers get through industry doors – which has been tough, to say the least. Thanks for curating an important and much-needed festival. As a woman director, the added hurdles I face daily can feel insurmountable, and your work keeps women like me going.” ~ Ela Their,director, “Tomorrow Ever After”, film screening at Moondance 2016
Tickets for all events will also be available at the registrations & ticket sales table in the lobby of the St. Julien Hotel venue, on September 4th & 5th, starting at 10:AM each day.
We are very pleased to have secured the best venue for screening Moondance films in historic, beautiful Boulder. The world-class St. Julien Hotel & Spa in downtown Boulder is one of the West’s most prestigious luxury hotels, and stands at the forefront of special event spaces in the Rocky Mountain region.
The 17th annual Moondance International Film Festival, featuring its distinct cinematic visions and bold film selections, has distinguished itself around the world as much more than a popular 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, music composers and the world of top-quality filmed entertainment.
Moondancers are part of an amazing worldwide community; a unique collaboration of multi-talented writers, film score composers and filmmakers. The Moondance mission is to entertain, inform, inspire, encourage and educate. We honor those artists who, through their creative work, actively increase awareness, provide multiple viewpoints, address complex social issues, and strengthen ties between international audiences At Moondance, you can come together with other writers, directors and producers to create new opportunities, develop tools for success and forge new alliances within the international film and entertainment industry.
SOME HAPPY 2014 MOONDANCE WINNERS!
The uniqueness and integrity of The Moondance International Film Festival brand, its global reputation for the highest quality, as well as its important mission and goals, and now celebrating our 17th season, is a rare and unmatchable asset. Talented filmmakers, writers and composers from around the world submit their work to the annual Moondance competition; enthusiastic audiences attend the film festival’s screenings of the best indie films, its professional workshops and popular networking events.
WANT TO HELP OUT DURING THE 2016 FILM FESTIVAL?
See our list of volunteer & intern opportunities & sign-up form HERE:
Our dedicated volunteers & interns help make this event so successful!
Volunteers & interns can earn free tickets to films & workshops, based on volunteer hours!
2016 MOONDANCE SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES!
Dear Friends, Moondancers, Supporters, Donors & Sponsors, If you’d like to consider a unique sponsorship at Moondance, to further promote your company or product to our international audiences & event attendees, please take a look at our Sponsorship Categories, and contact Elizabeth English at:director@moondancefimfestival.com
Thanks a million for your interest in a mutually-beneficial working relationship with the 2016 Moondance International Film Festival!
MOONDANCERS COME FROM AROUND THE WORLD!
A MOONDANCER WRITES US:
Thank you SO much for the wonderful news! I am looking into travel prices, and will most likely attend the festival. I am extremely impressed by how organized the festival seems, and how informative the website is. Thank you very much for selecting my film, “Square One”. ~ Ryan Slattery
Tickets for all events will also be available at the registrations & ticket sales table in the lobby of the St. Julien Hotel venue, on September 4th & 5th, starting at 10:AM each day.
We are very pleased to have secured the very best venue for the 2016 film festival and for screening Moondance films in historic, beautiful Boulder. The world-class St. Julien Hotel & Spa in downtown Boulder is one of the West’s most prestigious luxury hotels, and it stands at the forefront of special event spaces in the Rocky Mountain region.
The 17th annual Moondance International Film Festival, featuring its distinct cinematic visions and bold film selections, has distinguished itself around the world as much more than a popular 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, music composers and the world of top-quality filmed entertainment.
True to the spirit of the best of important and meaningful films, professional workshops, networking events, and so on, Moondance is supported and attended by those people who value the best in quality indie films, as well as the Moondance mission, and share a passion for the power of great films to entertain, inspire, encourage, educate and challenge peoples’ perceptions.
Moondancers are part of an amazing worldwide community; a unique collaboration of multi-talented writers, film score composers and filmmakers. The Moondance mission is to entertain, inform, inspire, encourage and educate. We honor those artists who, through their creative work, actively increase awareness, provide multiple viewpoints, address complex social issues, and strengthen ties between international audiences At Moondance, you can come together with other writers, directors and producers to create new opportunities, develop tools for success and forge new alliances within the international film and entertainment industry.
The uniqueness and integrity of The Moondance International Film Festival brand, its global reputation for the highest quality, as well as its important mission and goals, and now celebrating our 15th season, is a rare and unmatchable asset. Talented filmmakers, writers and composers from around the world submit their work to the annual Moondance competition; enthusiastic audiences attend the film festival’s screenings of the best indie films, its professional workshops and popular networking events.
Being fearless & bold, Moondance is a film festival where monotonous conformity is considered mediocrity, and extravagant individualism, innovation, uniqueness and experimentation is encouraged, awarded and applauded!
Dear Friends, Moondancers, Supporters, Donors & Sponsors, If you’d like to consider a unique sponsorship at Moondance, to further promote your company or product to our international audiences & event attendees, please take a look at our Sponsorship Categories, and contact our sponsorships coordinator, Alan Rogers, at: alan@moondancefilmfestival.com
Thanks a million for your interest in a mutually-beneficial working relationship with the 2016 Moondance International Film Festival!
A MOONDANCER WRITES US:
“I found your critique of my screenplay valuable, personal and sincere. My imagination has already devised ways to incorporate some of your suggestions into thrilling and humorous ways, creating greater conflict for more nail-biting angst. Let the rewrite begin! I appreciate the time and consideration your have given this work. I received so much more value than I anticipated.“ Gratefully, Meredith Schatz, Germany
ROME LITTLE THEATRE ANNOUNCES AUDITIONS FOR FRED PERRY’S THE ASCENSION OF TWYLA POTTS! RLT announces auditions for Fred Perry’s two act comedy The Ascension of Twyla Potts. This show has won widespread acclaim, including 1st place in the stageplay category at the 2015 Moondance International Film Festival, the 2013 London Film Awards and The Special Marquee Award at the 2013 American Movie Awards. The play is being produced and presented by special arrangement with Heartland Plays, Inc. (CoosaValleyNews.com, Rome, Georgia)
SOMETHING TO CONSIDER:
By Lou Hamilton
Life is ebb and flow, there’s time for speed and a time to slow down. Think of a garden; you don’t plant a seed and expect to see a tree the next day. The art of patience allows for a natural pace, the need for speed forces artificial pressure on a creative process. Think of Genetically Modified Foods. They grow quick and taste of nothing. In the film industry we use the three pronged model: quick, cheap, good. You can only have two of the three. Quick and cheap, but not good. Quick and good, but not cheap. Cheap and good but not quick. “Even instant gratification takes too long” Carrie Fisher is quoted as saying. When you slow down you simply do things better. Eating, sleeping, making love, creating, inventing, designing all become better when slowness is your modus operandi.READ MORE:
“As a Screenwriter I feel it’s very important to support film fests! Moondance is one to watch and participate in. It’s events like this that allow true talent to shine through.” ~ Stacey Arcangel
”Elizabeth is an amazingly creative and energetic individual! The Moondance Festival exists because of her initiative and continued enthusiasm. I was an award-winner at Moondance twice for my screenplays and another time for a short story. I attended two festivals, once in Boulder and once in Hollywood! Unforgetable!” ~ Bonnie Maffei
“I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending Elizabeth – she is a consummate professional, whose passion and unique vision inspires others to excel.” ~ Marina Albert
“Moondance…! It is a remarkable blog. It is chance to reach your dreams.” ~ Kvachenyuk-Boretsky Alexander
“Elizabeth English is Executive Director for one of the best film festivals around, the Moondance Film Festival. Since she’s been at the helm, the festival has grown tremendously. She makes herself readily accessible and disseminates information thoroughly and in a timely fashion. She’s great at coordinating and a team leader.” ~ Sonya Alexander
“Thank you very much for your consideration and for all that you are doing to make the world a better place by showcasing meaningful films.” ~ Paige Morrow Kimball
Don’t miss reading articles on great filmmaking, writing & music, written by the pros exclusively for Moondancers. Read about: how to win a screenplay competition; how to win a film festival competition; winning titles & loglines for films & scripts; screenplay submissions; movie script writing; writing character, dialog & action; how to get an agent; what Hollywood wants to see; directing indie films, documentaries, short films, animation; film scores; stage plays; short stories; TV MOW; TV pilots; kids films; music videos; radio plays, and more!
“I am very passionate about creating films that will make a difference in this world. I understand that the purpose of movies is entertainment, but I also believe that we have the responsibility to create content that will not influence future generations in a negative way.” ~ Jonathan Matamoros, President and CEO at The Truth Television
GREAT FILM DIRECTORS ON CINEMA & PEACE
“Nonviolence, pacifism, that’s the greatest thing that I think the human species must aspire to, because otherwise, we’re not going to be around.” ~ Martin Scorsese
“Going to the cinema is like returning to the womb; you sit there, still and meditative, in the darkness, waiting for life to appear on the screen.” ~ Federico Fellini
THE MOVIE AUDIENCE EXPERIENCE
“The movie-going experience is like going on a first date, and ending possibly “with benefits”. You see an advertisement for a film, read or hear promotions about it from others, become interested in seeing it, find out where it’s playing, go to the theater, pay for your ticket, get some popcorn, candy & a soda, find your best seat, wait in the dark, in anticipation, but unsure if it’ll be to your liking, or not. The film starts, you begin watching it, and soon have a sense of recognizing the scenes, of being in the story, of being involved, one of the characters and in a situation you can relate to. The film score music puts you in the mood, and you gradually experience an almost total suspension of disbelief.
Depending on the plot & storyline, you begin to care about the characters, the outcome, you worry or are scared or are happy with the action, you think you know what will happen, you look forward to a good ending. Finally, the hoped-for climax arrives, you feel satisfied, the lights come on, you are back to the real world, you go outside & maybe have a cigarette, and discuss the film’s merits or deficiencies with others. “ ~ Elizabeth English
“Airplane!”, Paramount Pictures
BOULDER NEWS:
BOULDER NAMED U.S. EARTH HOUR CAPITAL
By John Bear, Daily Camera Staff Writer
Boulder Flatirons Trail
June 29, 2016. Boulder has been designated the 2016 U.S.Earth HourCapital by the World Wildlife Fund, a year-long challenge to encourage and recognize cities working to reduce their carbon footprint and respond to climate change threats. Boulder was chosen from 16 other US cities this year, according to a news release. The Earth Hour City Challenge included 21 countries this year.
You can’t replace old-growth rainforest lost to development. Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. What took decades and generations to grow can be destroyed in a single afternoon — and this devastation is happening around the world, every day. Rainforests are home to more plants and animals than just about anywhere else on the planet. But more than half of these forests have already been destroyed. Forests that once seemed limitless have been devastated — cleared and charred to make way for farms, mines and roads, illegal logging and unsustainable development.
Rainforests aren’t the only natural treasure at real risk of disappearing. Today’s threats to nature are like none we’ve ever seen before in history. Every minute of every day we see habitat eroded, wild animals threatened, and the resources we need to survive disappearing. We all have a responsibility to preserve this planet not just for ourselves, but for our children and grandchildren, before it’s too late.
We must save what’s left, while there’s still time.
There are no second chances for our planet, and there is no second nature.
It’s up to people like you and me who cherish our natural world to take action.
Until very recently not many people had heard of the Munduruku People. Now, over 1 million people from around the world are standing with them to protect the heart of the Amazon. That’s a phenomenal surge of support! When the Munduruku reached out to us asking us to help save their homes and the Amazon from a destructive mega-dam, we never imagined the amazing response we’d get.
Volunteers came to help them push for formal recognition of their land. Major newspapers published stories about this new threat to the Amazon. If the project goes through, thousands of amazing species of birds, mammals, fish and reptiles will be in grave danger. Few places in the world are as bio-diverse as the Amazon rainforest. It’s our responsibility to speak out for its protection. Building this dam would flood an enormous area the size of New York City, releasing huge amounts of carbon and methane into the atmosphere. That’s unacceptable.Speak out now.
GREENPEACE AUSTRALIA PACIFIC is part of a global movement of people taking action for a green and peaceful future. We are 100% independent and don’t accept any money from business or government. So, we rely entirely on voluntary donations to carry out our campaigns. If thousands of us around the world take a stand with the Munduruku, we can send a clear message – the Brazilian government must protect the heart of the Amazon. The best way to help us keep fighting climate change, defending our oceans and protecting ancient forests is tomake a donation.Thank you!
SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:
“The thing always happens that you truly believe in; and the belief in that thing makes it happen.” Frank Lloyd Wright
“While you are dreaming of the future, and regretting the past, the present, which is all you have, slips away from you and is gone.” ~ Hillaire Belloc
“Whatever you want to do, do it now. There are only so many tomorrows.” ~ Pope Paul
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”It may be that when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work, and that when we no longer know which way to go, we have found our real journey.” ~ Wendell Berry
Please forward this news-blog to your creative artist colleagues!
Entries may be submitted by writers, directors, producers, editors,
cinematographers, composers, actors or distributors.
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We have provided a way for you to submit via mail, our own online submission form above or through WAB or Film Freeway. If you prefer submission by mail please download form above and print out the form below and print out the 2016 MOONDANCE RELEASE FORM, clearly fill in the info required, and enclose a check or money order in US $ for the entry fee (regular: $50 to May 31st, extended: $75 to June 1st- 15th, late: $100 to June 16th – June 30th), plus your submission, and mail or courier it to: MOONDANCE FILM FESTIVAL – 970 9th STREET –BOULDER, CO 80302 USA
Moondance now offers feedback & professional critiques on screenplays, stage plays, and TV pilots that are submitted for the 2016 competition, for only $50! Select the FEEDBACK option on the FilmFreeway entry form, or the Moondance entry form. Meet our professional reader, Jasmine Sahu, at: https://moondancefilmfestival.com/meetouradvisoryboard/
“Your festival looks great! I love your festival’s mission of celebrating bold and fearless work.” ~ James Raue, filmmaker, UK
DON’T MISS THESE PLANNED EVENTS AT THE 2016 FILM FESTIVAL:
~September 4th & 5th, Boulder, Colorado, USA~
INDIE FILM SCREENINGS (documentaries, animation, music videos, foreign, feature & short films)
PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOPS FOR FILMMAKERS, WRITERS & COMPOSERS
PRODUCTIVE NETORKING PARTIES & EVENTS DAILY
CELEBRITY APPEARANCE & PHOTO-OPS
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
PRIVATE CONSULTATIONS WITH THE PROS
Q&As WITH THE FILM DIRECTORS
AFTER-PARTIES EACH EVENING
GALA AWARDS CEREMONY & BANQUET RECEPTION!
Boulder has been named the official “TREE CITY USA” by the Arbor Day Foundation, for the 32nd year, and is often called The Emerald City, due to all the green trees and vistas of our town’s surrounding green open-spaces natural habitat!
Boulder’s famous Flatirons Peaks & Greenbelt, less than a mile from downtown!
WANT TO HELP OUT DURING THE 2016 FILM FESTIVAL?
See our list of volunteer opportunities & download the sign-up form HERE
Our dedicated volunteers help make this event so successful!
Volunteers can earn free tickets to films & workshops, based on volunteer hours
SUBSCRIBE NOW to the popular Moondance news-blog for info, updates, articles, creative inspiration, & announcements:www. moondancefilmfestival.com/blog
If you’ve already submitted your project to the 2016 competition, & have subscribed to the news-blog, thanks a million!
Our hearts go out to the families, friends, loved ones, the world LGBTQ community, the survivors, and the victims of the terrible, senseless tragedy in Orlando, Florida.
If you’re a screenwriter, producer, actor, film director, etc. then you need to have a “network.” What is a “network,” exactly? It’s the web of relationships that allows you to do the work you love and get paid for it. Michelangelo, Shakespeare, Tolkien and Lewis all understood the value of building a strong professional network. Their careers wouldn’t have flourished in the same way if they’d locked themselves away in their offices, never attending parties, never introducing themselves to influential figures of the day, never forming friendships. They understood that nobody works “alone.” Everyone needs a tribe. It’s up to you to build your tribe, work your connections, and use your storytelling skills to create an online presence that says, “I’m somebody you definitely want to know.” READ MORE:
MOONDANCE BLOG EDITOR’S NOTE:
Attend important film festivals, like Moondance, for productive networking opportunities!
The response to (Virtually) Everything Story has been INCREDIBLE! Thanks to everyone who has written, sharing how much value they have gotten out of watching the free interviews in the Future of Storytelling Library! These the absolute TOP names in the industry sharing CUTTING EDGE information, which is going to put you years ahead of your competition. This is what storytelling is going to look like in the future! ~ Ken Lee,Michael Wiese Books
Here’s just some of what’s going to be happening & when…
Wednesday, June 15th
John Truby ~ Novels: The Number One Screenwriting Strategy Today: Why Being a Novelist is Your Ticket to Hollywood Success
Michael Hauge ~ Crafting Transformative Characters: Taking Your Characters From Identity to Essence
Friday, June 17th
Jen Grisanti ~ Writing A TV Pilot That Sells: Setting Up The Structure
Carole Kirschner ~ The Unwritten Rules of Hollywood: What They Don’t Teach You in Film School
Sunday, June 19th
Pamela Jaye Smith ~ Creating Our Next Mythologies
Thursday, June 23rd
Michael Jorgensen ~ Power Narrative: the Secrets of Documentary Storytelling
Friday, June 24th
Chris Vogler ~ E-Motion Pictures: How to Channel the Power of Emotions in the Body
“YES, I WANT TO REGISTER FOR (VIRTUALLY) EVERYTHING STORY!” CLICK HERE
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT TODAY
LIFE’S LITTLE LEAPS: THE NEW “NO”!
Learn how to banish toxic ‘people-pleasing’ from your life
By Lou Hamilton
A kid who brings an apple to the teacher has a mission. Get the teacher to like him or her and mark his or her grades higher. The manipulation is obvious and we scorn such tactics. And yet as we grow older many of us adopt such people pleasing poses. Not me, you say. But have you ever wanted to avoid conflict or tried to second-guess other people’s behaviours or reactions? Do you have a tendency to give up on your own desires and thoughts in deference to others? Does imagining that someone will get angry change the course of your actions? Is disapproval unbearable?
The trouble is people start to expect it when you hand out ‘yes’ like free candy. Like a drug addict you have to give more and more away to receive less and less appreciation. And the anger, resentment and bitterness grows like a fire-ball in your throat. Nice You on the outside is a thin veneer to the seething pit of snakes spitting venom on the quiet. People-pleasing depletes your energy and your reserves. You begin to feel that you have nothing left to give, but still people keep taking, because you let them.
So you decide enough’s enough. You take a stand. You start to say No. You start to value your time, your space and your self-worth. And what do you gain with your New No? You gain self-respect. You gain time. You gain rest and energy. You gain the ability to say yes to the things that you want to say yes to. You gain self-confidence. You gain the right to be direct and authentic. You gain space to breathe. You gain power over your own destiny. You gain inner strength. You will open the flood gates for your creativity, and when you do that your life will start to flow.
Lou Hamilton is a Creative Coach & she will help you get over your people-pleasing tendencies, so that you can get on with living the life you want. Email for a free consultation Lou@createlab.co.uk
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The benefits of nature-walking, picnicking, hiking, climbing trees, observing wildlife, wildflowers and natural environments, seeing spectacular vistas, running and being out on your own in Nature or with friends or family works in subtle, ways. Such activities help maintain body, mind and spirit, and give a sense of belonging, of being grounded and one with the Earth. It is of huge benefit, enjoyed in no other way, and so, we need to do all we can ensure that these open spaces and unspoiled, native areas will be there for future generations to enjoy, too!
CAN YOU SEE ME?
“Can You See Me?” short documentary film, Lou Hamilton, director, UK
Take a look at this poignant & thought-provoking 10-minute short film by multiple-award-winning Moondance filmmaker, Lou Hamilton, UK (scroll down to 3rd one shown): Can You See Me? 100 West End stars transform London’s Trafalgar Square into a Flashmob aimed at raising awareness about child sex trafficking at:https://createlabproductions.com/films-2/
MOONDANCE SUPPORTS & RECOMMENDS:
GIVE WHALES AND OTHER OCEAN LIFE SOME PEACE AND QUIET!
By Tatiana Schlossberg, New York Times, June 3, 2016
The ocean is loud: Ship propellers, sonar, oil and gas drilling and other industrial work make sounds, even if, like the proverbial tree falling in the forest, no one can hear it. But marine animals can, and all that noise has been shown to interfere with their behavior, since many of them, from whales to invertebrates, use sound for all kinds of activities, including to communicate, to find food or each other, to avoid predators and to migrate.
And while the ocean was never a quiet place — full of natural rumblings, clickings and chatterings — the problem has grown worse over the last 100 years or so, and significantly increased over the last 50 years in some places, much of it from commercial shipping, according to theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
This whale and dolphin stranding was proven to be the direct result of sonar abuse.
So the agency, which manages and protects marine life in United States waters, released on Wednesday a draft for a strategy to reduce the effects of ocean noise, and invited public comment. TheOcean Noise Strategy Roadmapdraft is an early step in a 10-year plan to quiet the oceans and reduce some of the harmful effects on aquatic species. The public comment period will end July 1, and a more concrete plan will be put in place in the coming months.READ MORE:
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NO OCEAN, NO US!
By Kristen Krumhardt, Guest Opinion, Daily Camera, June 8, 2016
Ph.D. candidate in environmental studies at CU Boulder
Have you thanked the ocean lately? In celebration of World Ocean Day (June 8), I want to remind everyone that, as distant as the ocean may seem, it sustains us and we impact it. Not only does the ocean provide one billion people with protein everyday (90 % of those who live in developing countries and have no alternatives), but also microscopic plants living in the ocean provide more than half of the oxygen we breathe. The ocean contains tremendous biodiversity, both valuable and beautiful. Coral reef ecosystems are especially diverse, providing millions with food, medicine, storm protection, as well as revenue from tourism. The neurological, psychological, and emotional changes that occur when we are near water are scientifically documented.
“We have an enormous impact on the ocean, not only through the physical connection of our watersheds, but also through the interconnectedness of Earth’s ecological systems as a whole,” says Vicki Nichols Goldstein, founder of theColorado Ocean Coalition. Her motto is, “You don’t have to see the ocean to protect it,” Indeed, runoff from our cities & farms goes directly into streams, rivers, and, ultimately, to the ocean.
Not only are we connected to the ocean via rivers and streams, but also through the atmosphere. We can add “climate change modulator” to the list of services the ocean provides, as it absorbs both heat and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Thanks to the ocean, the world is cooler than it would otherwise be, given the amount of excess carbon we humans have pumped into the sky through the burning of fossil fuels. As the Global Ocean Commission frames it: “no ocean, no us.”READ MORE:(Excerpt & edit by EE)
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DEFEND THE (SMALL, BUT) MIGHTY KRILL!
Krill are the bees of the seas. Small creatures that play a giant role in our web of life. Without krill, the future would be bleak for Antarctica’s penguins, seals, and whales. But the fish oil industry has it out for krill. They are sucking up krill by the millions from Antarctica’s Southern Ocean, with some nations planning to expand their operations by seven-fold.
You’d think super-food krill would be safe from human interference in the frigid, distant waters around Antarctica. But the most biologically-productive section of the Southern Ocean has seen an 80% drop in krill, likely owing to climate change & the krill industry’s increased catch making a rebound even less likely. Fish oil supplements are surging in popularity. They’ve also contributed to the collapse of forage fish like herring and anchovies in some regions.
The most sustainable option for our oceans & the survival of marine life is to usevegetarian and vegan options— of which there are many.
CALL-FOR-ENTRIES EXTENDED FINAL DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: JUNE 30TH
For your best chance, send in your entry RIGHT NOW!
FILMS, SCRIPTS & FILM SCORES may be submitted to Moondance by the director, producers,cinematographer, DP, film score composer, writer, editor or lead actor(s), with permission from the producer/director, as needed!
Our submission categories:
Feature, short, documentary, & animation films, music videos, screenplays, stageplays, radio plays, short stories, treatments, kids scripts & films, TV pilots, and more!
Moondance was recently listed by MovieMaker magazine as one of the top 50 film festival competitions worth the entry fee!
Moondance now also accepts scripts for judging in these languages: FRENCH, SPANISH, GERMAN, DUTCH & AFRICAANS.
Our foreign-language readers are published writers & an award-winning screenwriter!
The Moondance International Film Festival, featuring its distinct 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.
Withoutabox for Moondance International Film Festival is now fully active for this season’s call for entries: www.withoutabox.com/login/1240
The Moondance International Film Festival is always independent, uncensored, totally unfettered, often irreverent, sometimes controversial, always entertaining, and definitely not beholden to any special interests! We select films, written works and music with these criteria: a unique story, well-told.
Moondancers are part of an amazing worldwide entertainment community; a unique collaboration of multi-talented writers, filmmakers, and film score composers. The Moondance mission is to entertain, inform, inspire, encourage and educate. We honor those artists who, through their creative work, actively increase awareness, provide multiple viewpoints, address complex social issues, and strengthen ties between international audiences. At Moondance, you can come together with other writers, directors and producers to create new opportunities, develop tools for success and forge new alliances within the international film and entertainment industry.
In our continuing efforts to promote top-quality original filmmaking, writing and music composition by talented artists from around the world, the Moondance International Film Festival is very pleased to announce that our festival competitions have brought in great submissions, in all categories, from: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Grand Cayman, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Curaçao, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Korea, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tasmania, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Republic, the UK & US, Venezuela, and more!
WHY THE “TOMORROWLAND” LEAD CHANGED FROM MALE TO FEMALE:
Britt Robertson, “Tomorrowland”, Disney
“Tomorrowland” character Casey was originally written for a male actor, but a switch to a female lead was better for the script, according to co-writer Damon Lindelof. “There is a completely false perception of, ‘Well, our main character is interested in space travel, so it’s gotta be a boy,’ but the first time I said, ‘Well, what if it was a young girl’… It just felt like it was exactly right for us,” Lindelof said. “It’ll be nice in 10 or 15 years for this not to be a thing anymore,” he added. Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, working to create positive images of girls and women in media & entertainment:www.seejane.org
A MOONDANCER WRITES US:
“I love that you have a music portion as part of your festival. The composers and others who create original music for film get too little attention at festivals. I’m really proud of both the score and the original music in my film.” ~ Mikki Del Monico, award-winningfilmmaker, screenwriter, Venice Beach, CA, www.mikidel.com
SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER:
“The world is a book, and those who do not travel have read only one page.” ~St. Augustine
Photo: Dominique Browning “When we say, ‘This is the best I can do for now…’, there is nobility in the effort, courage in the the doggedness. It is a process of trying and perhaps failing. Of beginning again. And so it is with the search for meaning – like writing, its rewards spring not from the finished product but from the integrity of the process, from the act of holding up one’s own end…” ~ Dani Shapiro
The Moondance winners’ star award The Moondance Star Award “I am not what happened to me; I am what I choose to become!” ~ Carl Jung
Hopi Second Mesa, www.imgsoup.com “Silence can be fertilizing, it can bathe the imagination, it can, as in great open spaces – be the nimbus of a way of life, a condition of vision.” ~ Adrienne Rich
SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY TODAY! DON’T BE A SNAIL!
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