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The Moondance Summertime News & Festival Guide!

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Come join us, in beautiful Boulder, Colorado!

 SUNDAY & MONDAY ~ SEPTEMBER 4th & 5th

DON’T MISS THESE PLANNED EVENTS AT THE 2016 FILM FESTIVAL:

  • INDIE FILM SCREENINGS (documentaries, animation, music videos, foreign, feature & short films)
  • PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOPS FOR FILMMAKERS, WRITERS & COMPOSERS
  • PRODUCTIVE NETWORKING PARTIES & EVENTS DAILY
  • CELEBRITY APPEARANCE & PHOTO-OPS
  • CELEBRITY KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Director Vic Sarin
  • PRIVATE CONSULTATIONS WITH THE PROS
  • Q&As WITH THE FILM DIRECTORS
  • AFTER-PARTIES EACH EVENING
  • LINKEDIN & STAGE 32 GET-TOGETHERS
  • GALA AWARDS CEREMONY & BANQUET RECEPTION!

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Awards ceremony & reception in the gardens.

Click here for 

 TRAVEL TIPS LODGING INFO

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>>> FESTIVAL TICKETS GO ON SALE SOON! <<<

Volunteer Signup

www.moondancefilmfestival.com

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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 our sponsorships coordinator, Alan Rogers, at: [email protected]

 SPONSORSHIP CATEGORIES

SPONSORSHIP FAQ

BECOME A MOONDANCE PARTNER

FESTIVAL LOCAL ECONOMIC IMPACT

FILM FESTIVALS ARE GOOD BUSINESS!

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Thanks a million for your interest in a mutually-beneficial working relationship with the 2016 Moondance International Film Festival!

 

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MOONDANCERS WRITE US:

  • “How nice to get your note that you’ve received my screenplay. So often, nothing comes back, and we submitters are like tourists tossing pennies at a fountain… Your greeting was immediate, buoyant and gratefully taken in. Thanks for the “voice back”. I’ll subscribe to the blog and keep up-to-date, and look forward to meeting you at the 17th Moondance. Very glad you consider screenplays.” ~ Stephen Keep Mills
  • Thank you for considering us! We love your festival and your free-spirited theme.” ~ Carlos Antonio León

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Gromit, Aardman animation, UK

Gromit, Aardman animation

MOONDANCE E-ZINE

  • Don’t miss reading great filmmaking, writing & music articles 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!

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MALE DIRECTORS ON RAMPANT SEXISM & GENDER BIAS IN HOLLYWOOD

http://girltalkhq.com

Female director

Directors Pedro Almodovar, Paul Feig and Duncan Jones are just a few of the male directors who have been fighting against the Hollywood establishment and its attitude toward women in film. Feig recently addressed the backlash against his all-female remake of “Ghostbusters,” while Almodovar talked about the importance of casting women of all ages to fight against the industry’s “diabolical sexism” at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this summer. Taking a stand and creating change in an industry that should be the standard-bearer for creative liberalism, but sadly isn’t just yet. But with all this important activism comes the realization that change isn’t going to happen with just half of the industry population working to create it. Men also have to join the fight and recognize what a benefit it is to filmmaking when everyone gets the same kinds of opportunities based on talent and merit, not skin color or gender. READ MORE:

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SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

D-3 MONK @ RIVER

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” ~ Socrates

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Ernest Heminngway writing in Cuba

Ernest Hemingway writing in Cuba

“The world breaks almost everyone, and afterwards, many are stronger at the broken places.” ~ Ernest Hemingway

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“Blessed is the person who sees a need, recognizes the responsibility, and actively becomes the answer.” ~ William Arthur Ward

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SAILING SHIP-HIGH SEAS

“They are indolent discoverers who, upon seeing nothing but sea and sky, absolutely deny that there can be any land at all beyond them.” ~ Sir Francis Bacon

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THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN EMPATHY AND COMPASSION IS EVERYTHING

by Lori Chandler     •      www.bigthink.com

Elena Shumilova, photographer, Russia

Elena Shumilova, photographer, Russia

Compassion and mindfulness are two wings of the same bird, and we need both in order to live in a wise way. But what about compassion? What is compassion? How is it different from empathy? Empathy is a gateway to compassion. It’s understanding how someone feels, and trying to imagine how that might feel for you — it’s a mode of relating. Compassion takes it further. It’s feeling what that person is feeling, holding it, accepting it, and taking some kind of action.

Compassion is empathy in action. Compassion is all about realizing that we ultimately all want the same things out of life (love, safety, health, happiness), and responding in an appropriate way. With a little practice, we can all become more compassionate toward ourselves and others. It’s a bold, brilliant, and radical choice to go against the stream of self-interest and self-centeredness. READ MORE:

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MOONDANCE SUPPORTS & RECOMMENDS:

EU DECLINES TO BAN IVORY TRADE

BABY ELEPHANT RUNNING

In April, over $105 million worth of poached elephant tusks were set on fire in Kenya, calling for an end to international ivory sales. In May, France, announced a complete ban on ivory trade in the country. But the European commission REFUSED to support a global ban on the ivory trade. And without their support, we could lose the elephant forever. The facts say it all: In 2014, 20,000 African elephants were killed by poachers. Between 2009 and 2015, Tanzania and Mozambique lost over HALF of their elephant populations.

Now, the African Elephant Coalition is warning of a mass extinction of elephants on the continent within 25 years. By not taking action, the EU is endangering tens of thousands of elephants each year. Time is running out. We need the EU to act now.

Tell the EU to support a global ban on the ivory trade:

http://go.saveanimalsfacingextinction.org/EU-Ivory-Ban

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A mother and child rhino pause briefly before crossing the track.

Rhinos are one of the world’s most distinctive and beloved animals, but they are rapidly disappearing from the wild. Why? Demand for rhino horns as a status symbol and fake cure for cancer has skyrocketed. Coupled with a dramatic loss of habitat, all five species of rhinos are threatened with extinction. The public outcry over rhino poaching is growing. With your support, we can keep these species alive and thriving. If we don’t take action now, these precious animals could be lost forever. It’s up to us to step up and do something to protect these majestic animals.

Help us protect the rhinos today:

http://go.saveanimalsfacingextinction.org/Save-Rhinos

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 QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

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EMAIL: [email protected]

WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog

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Moondance has always been, and continues to be, a “Green” event!

No trees or natural habitats were harmed in the creation of this news-blog!

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May 31st Moondance Film Festival Deadline for Regular Entries!

WYETH DOG BED LARGE

“Master Bedroom” Andrew Wyeth

Don’t miss out!

~ MAY 31st DEADLINE FOR REGULAR ENTRIES! ~

MOONDANCE 2016 CALL-FOR-ENTRIES!

For your best chance to win, send in your entry RIGHT NOW!

See our Submission Categories HERE!

See our Awards Categories HERE!

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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, music composers and the world of top-quality filmed entertainment.

OUR HOST HOTEL & FILM FESTIVAL EVENT VENUE:

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St Julien Hotel and Spa

900 Walnut Street, Boulder, CO 80302

720-406-9696

http://www.stjulien.com

RESERVATIONS

The 4-star St Julien Hotel & Spa is within walking distance of more than 200 shops and 80 restaurants, just steps from the historic Pearl Street Mall, the beautiful University of Colorado campus, miles of hiking and biking trails nearby, and the winding, tree-lined Boulder Creek path, plus a the fabulous views of the magnificent foothills of the Rocky Mountains.

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DON’T MISS THESE PLANNED EVENTS AT THE 2016 FILM FESTIVAL:

  • 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!

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!

Check out the website for more details & info:

WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

EMAIL: [email protected]

Top-quality Indie film screenings (documentaries, animation, music videos, drone films, feature & short films); professional workshops for filmmakers, writers & composers; productive networking cocktail parties & events daily; celebrity appearances & photo-ops; private consultations with the pros; industry keynote speakers; Q&As with the film directors; after-parties each evening; gala awards ceremony & reception, and more!

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MOONDANCERS WRITE US:

“I consider Moondance one of the best festivals in the USA, and it will be a pleasure for me to submit my film, hoping to be considered and making it to the final selection. I think it is important to give voice to the people who don’t have one. I want to share this story with as many people I can, and I hope we could have a window at your prestigious festival.” ~ Giulio Poidomani (Italy)

“It is an honor to submit for your consideration The Lipiński. Director Nate Townsend has for many years had a fruitful relationship with Moondance, having won in 2013 with the short film “The Painter”. Having attended in the past, we are aware of the incredible experience offered to filmmakers. We appreciate the opportunities that Moondance has provided us in the past. An acceptance to Moondance would be a wonderful honor and an exciting new chapter in an already wonderful relationship.” ~ John Hayden, producer (USA)

“I’m really keen on participating in your fabulous festival, as an independent female filmmaker from Iran. I am truly proud of my culture and history but as the matter of fact, almost all filmmakers from my hometown are faced with adverse conditions, especially, in terms of submitting their artworks to international festivals. All things considered, I believe that Iranian filmmakers do incredible work, despite all these limitations, and your prestigious film festival is a promising window for filmmakers.” ~ Tahereh (Iran)

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MOONDANCE SUPPORTS & RECOMMENDS:

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FAUNA & FLORA INTERNATIONAL‘s work spans across the globe, with over 140 projects in over 40 countries, mostly in the developing world. We proudly stand up for biodiversity and aim to show just how relevant it is to all of those who share the planet.

OUR VISION: A sustainable future for the planet, where biodiversity is effectively conserved by the people who live closest to it, supported by the global community.

OUR MISSION: To act to conserve threatened species and ecosystems worldwide, choosing solutions that are sustainable, based on sound science and take into account human needs.

TREE FROG

Photo credit: www.neenicreations.com

Fauna & Flora International (FFI) is making a real difference to the planet’s biodiversity. By finding where we are needed most and forming successful partnerships, we have managed to save some of the world’s most beautiful, fascinating and threatened wildlife and ecosystems. In total FFI is directly influencing the conservation of over 13.5 million hectares of important conservation lands and sea. Our support for habitat protection around the world is helping to create safe havens where biodiversity can flourish. Here are some key success stories:

http://www.fauna-flora.org/explore/

http://www.fauna-flora.org/support/donate/

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LION PORTRAIT BLOG SIZE

SaveAnimalsFacingExtinction.org

Lions have long been considered the kings of the jungle — but their reign may be coming to an end. The population of African lions is less than HALF of what it was just 30 years ago, and their populations have been wiped out across much of Africa. Experts say that unless something changes, African lions could be extinct in the wild by 2050. We can’t stand idly by while poachers drive lions into extinction. But if we don’t take action, soon there will be none left. Sign Your Name: Demand an end to lion poaching and help protect this species from extinction >> The public outcry over lion deaths is growing. With your help, we can & will send a message to poachers around the world that their actions come with severe consequences.

Add your name here: http://go.saveanimalsfacingextinction.org/Save-Lions

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SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

open-door

“If you’re not happy every morning when you get up, leave for work, or start to work at home, if you’re not enthusiastic about doing that, you’re not going to be successful.” ~ Ronald M. Kendall

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ROCKING CHAIR PORCH B&W

Photo credit: www.aftonvillage.com

“All manner of lessons were learned on the front porch. When the front porches disappeared, so did the stories and the wisdom with them.” ~ Philip Gulley

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doorknob

“A sense of curiosity is nature’s original school of education.” ~ Dr. Smiley Blanton

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Please forward this news-blog to your creative artist colleagues!

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EMAIL: [email protected]

WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog

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Moondance has always been, and continues to be, a “Green” event!

No trees or natural habitats were harmed in the creation of this news-blog!

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Your Next-to-Last Chance for the Moondance in 2015

CALL-FOR-ENTRIES EXTENDED FINAL DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: JUNE 30TH

CATS & PIGEON

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!

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Our submission categories:

Feature, short, documentary, & animation films, music videos, screenplays, stageplays, radio plays, short stories, treatments, kids scripts & films, TV pilots, and more!

Entry form & info: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

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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!

starfishThe 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

Moondance International Film Festival dates:

September 7th & 8th,, 2015

Boulder, Colorado USA

Check out the website for more info:

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WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

NEWS-BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog

EMAIL: [email protected]

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.

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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!

FLAGS FOREIGN

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WHY THE “TOMORROWLAND” LEAD CHANGED FROM MALE TO FEMALE:

Britt Robertson, “Tomorrowland”, Disney

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

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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-winning filmmaker, screenwriter, Venice Beach, CA, www.mikidel.com

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SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER:

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel have read only one page.” ~St. Augustine

“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

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

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

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

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SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY TODAY! DON’T BE A SNAIL!

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Please forward this news-blog to your creative artist colleagues!

 QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

[email protected]

[email protected]

WEBSITE: www.moondancefilmfestival.com

BLOG: www.moondancefilmfestival.com/blog

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No trees or natural habitats were harmed

in the creation of this news-blog!

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