Sundance Institute Announces Film and Music Lineup for Sundance NEXT FEST, Aug. 7-10 4-Day Summer Festival at the Theatre at Ace Hotel Downtown Los AngelesLife After Beth solo acoustic performer Father John Misty >> Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter >> Listen Up Philip >> Imperial Dreams R&B singer, songwriter and performer Tinashe >> The Guest >> A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night indie rock band Warpaint
Films About Zombie Love, Iranian Vampires, Buried Treasure, a Mysterious Soldier and Artistic Ambition
Napoleon Dynamite 10th Anniversary Screening Aug. 7 with Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery as Festival Kickoff
Tickets on Sale Tomorrow at sundance.org/next; Now on Presale for Sundance Institute Members
Posted Jun 25, 2014
-- LOS ANGELES, CA Sundance Institute today announced the films and music acts that will headline the Sundance NEXT FEST summer festival August 7-10 in Los Angeles. NEXT FEST, headquartered at the Theatre at Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles, celebrates the intersection of film and music and the renegade spirit of independent artists. Tickets ($15-25) go on sale to Sundance Institute members today and all others tomorrow at sundance.org/next.
In addition to a 10th Anniversary screening of Napoleon Dynamite with Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery as the festival's kickoff event on August 7, NEXT FEST will present the Los Angeles premieres of six films that first screened at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, and offer unfettered creativity and fresh perspectives. The program features a zombie love story, an Iranian-set vampire movie, a modern tale of buried treasure, a thriller about a mysterious soldier, and films that explore the perils of artistic ambition amongst gang life in Watts and the literary world of New York respectively.
Each film screens once at the Theatre at Ace Hotel August 8-10 and will be paired with either a special music act that shares a complementary artistic sensibility or conversations that bring together filmmakers with those who inspired them. The Sundance Film Festival programming staff selected the films and music acts for NEXT FEST.
The festival is an extension of the popular NEXT <=> section at the Sundance Film Festival, which showcases stylistically adventurous and bold films, and builds on the Institute's NEXT WEEKEND event, hosted in 2013.
John Cooper, Director of the Sundance Film Festival, said, NEXT FEST is a continuation of our efforts to connect film-loving audiences with the next generation of independent filmmakers. The unique convergence of film and music enhances the experience of each and offers fresh insight into the talent and vision of these outstanding independent artists.
Trevor Groth, Director of Programming for the Sundance Film Festival, said, In the heart of one of the most creative cities in the world, NEXT FEST will launch a new wave of film and music talent into the artistic atmosphere. The Theatre at Ace Hotel, with its roots in cinematic trailblazing, will serve as the ideal hub for this cultural adventure.
Sundance Institute members have access to a host of benefits related to NEXT FEST, including the ability to purchase tickets today, before they go on sale to the general public tomorrow. At the August 7 screening with Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, members will enjoy a reserved seating section and receive an exclusive tote bag, screenprinted live at the event by Hit Run. Members are also invited to a special party during NEXT FEST and are eligible to win a prize package including a three-night stay at the Ace Hotel plus airfare. To join, visit sundance.org/membership.
Sundance NEXT FEST is supported by Principal Sponsors Acura and YouTube, which are both long-time sponsors of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Additional NEXT FEST sponsors include: Major Kickstarter; Media KCRW 89.9; and Supporting Beachside Films, FilmL.A., Inc., Southwest Airlines and Stella Artois.
Thursday, August 7 Cinespia at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Napoleon Dynamite (Director: Jared Hess, Screenwriters: Jared Hess, Jerusha Hess) From the rural town of Preston, Idaho, comes Napoleon Dynamite a new kind of hero. He spends his days drawing magical beasts, working on his computer hacking skills to impress the chicks, and begrudgingly feeding his Grandmas pet llama. When his friend Pedro runs for class president, Napoleon helps him triumph over adversity. The film premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival. Cast: Jon Heder, Aaron Ruell, Jon Gries, Sandy Martin, Efren Ramirez. Special guests to be announced.
10th ANNIVERSARY SCREENING
Friday, August 8, 8:00 p.m. Theatre at Ace Hotel
Life After Beth / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jeff Baena) Zach is devastated by the unexpected death of his girlfriend, Beth. When she mysteriously returns, he gets a second chance at love. Soon his whole world turns upside down... Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Dane DeHaan, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Cheryl Hines, Paul Reiser.
LOS ANGELES PREMIERE
Father John Misty Father John Misty is the charismatic singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and performer who released his debut album, Fear Fun in 2012 to universal praise. The acclaim, emboldened by his incredible live show, led to multiple sold-out tours and high profile TV performances on Late Show with David Letterman, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Conan and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He is currently at work on his follow up, due in early 2015. NEXT FEST will feature a solo acoustic performance.
Saturday, August 9, 1:00 p.m. Theatre at Ace Hotel
Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter / U.S.A. (Director: David Zellner, Screenwriters: David Zellner, Nathan Zellner) A lonely Japanese woman becomes convinced that a satchel of money buried in a fictional film is, in fact, real. Abandoning her structured li
