ABOUT INDIEFEST Year One
DATES: Jan 7-10, 1999
Venues: Victoria and Roxie Theaters
Features: 17 Shorts: 1 Parties: 3 Bands: 3 Total Films: 18 Total Films To Date: 18.
With: Jeff Ross, Marisa Pearl, Becky Mertens, Jane Pavis, Dan Rodenburg, Ninfa Dawson, Lynn Coakley, Rick Rayman, Joanne Parsont, Jennifer Schwartz, Kathleen Mullen, Paul Rowley, Doug Jones
Sponsors: Tower Records, Lost Weekend Video, Bay Guardian, Rainbow Grocery, Travelodge, sfstation.com
NOTES: IndieFest launches the careers of Jennifer Garner (opening night film 1999 was her first role in a feature) and Luke Wilson (who, along with Alicia Witt, starred in fest selection Bongwater). Only one of the two 35mm cans arrive for the screening of 1999 (the maker only labeled one of them!) and we have to show the very first film of the festival on VHS. Against all expectations, 3000 people attend the festival (funded like many of its films by Jeff Ross’ credit cards) and an institution is born.
ABOUT INDIEFEST Year Two
Dates: January 6-14, 2000
Venues: Victoria, Lumiere, Fine Arts Cinema
Features: 19 Shorts: 18 Parties: 7 Bands: 3 Total Films: 37 Total Films To Date: 55.
With: Jeff Ross, Kathy Skillicorn, Eric Singer, Jon Blaustein, Dan Rodenburg, Alicia Perre-Dowd, Ninfa Dawson, Jason Sanders, Tod Booth, Kara Knafelc, Marlene Friis, Lynn Coakley, Trina Ross
Sponsors: Bay Guardian, Tower Records, Cineric, Landmark Theaters, Hotel Bijou, Dema, Lost Weekend Video, Foreign Cinema, Rainbow Grocery, Insound, Bagdad Cafe, Academy of Art College, IFILM, sfstation.com, Sierra Nevada
NOTES: Opening Night Party at Foreign Cinema. Added animated shorts before each feature. Added East Bay venue. First party at Jezebel’s Joint.
ABOUT INDIEFEST Year Three
Dates: Jan 11-21, 2001
Venues: Galaxy, Lumiere, Bohemia Lounge, Fine Arts Cinema
Features: 21 Shorts: 52 Parties: 6 Bands: 3 Total Films: 73 Total Films To Date: 128.
With: Jeff Ross, Stevy Stephens, Allen White, Tod Booth, Mimi Brody, Abby Kavanaugh, Mick Diener, Sarah Lockhart, Dennis Conroy, Claudia Lehan, Steve Mockus, Sean Shodahl, Philip Walker, Dan Rodenburg, Alicia Perre-Dowd, Allen White, Marjorie Kase, Lynn Coakley, Trina Ross.
Sponsors: Animation, Bay Guardian, Cineric, Hotel Bijou, Eveo, SAG, Bohemia, AIVF, Creative Technology, Sierra Nevada, Rainbow Grocery, Filmmaker Magazine, Lost Weekend Video, sfstation.com, Academy of Art College
NOTES: Added short films. Opening Night bash was at Somarts. First of many Bill Plympton films at the festival. First year with Tod Booth programming. Borrowed Mimi Brody from SF Film Society to program shorts. Indie film themed choose your own adventure game by Richard Schenkman throughout the 32 page program guide! First year as a 501c3 non-profit!
ABOUT INDIEFEST Year Four
Dates: Jan 31-Feb 10, 2002
Venues: Castro, Roxie, Studio Z/Transmission Theater, New College, Expression Center, Parkway Theater
Features: 26 Shorts: 73 Parties: 5 Bands: 3 Total Films: 99 Total Films To Date: 227.
With: Jeff Ross, Stevy Stephens, Bruce Fletcher, Allen White, Doug Jones, Alex Lynch, Marjorie Case, Lynn Coakley, Brian Cox
Sponsors: SF Weekly, Creative Technology, Hotel Bijou, New Colege, Cineric, Expression Center for New Media, sfstation.com, Rainbow Grocery, Adolph Gasser, KUSF, AIVF, Landmark, Lost Weekend Video, AIVF, Sauza, Makers Mark, Blavod, Sierra Nevada, Mumm Cuvee Napa
NOTES: First year opening at the Castro! First party at the Werepad. Two new venues in the East Bay. Started highlighting new Japanese cinema. Bruce Fletcher’s first year programming. Back page of the 32 page guide featured an SF Indie film themed crossword puzzle designed by Allen White. Penelope Sheeris attends with Sold Our Souls For Rock N Roll!
ABOUT INDIEFEST Year Five
Dates: Feb 6-16, 2003
Venues: Castro, Roxie, Studio Z, Galaxy, Expression Center
Features: 39 Shorts: 51 Parties: 5 Bands: 3 Total Films: 90 Total Films To Date: 317.
With: Jeff Ross, Bruce Fletcher, Tod Booth, Molli Simon, Alicia Perre-Dowd, Phillip Walker, Patricia Moran.
Sponsors: Bay Guardian, Sierra Nevada, Landmark Theaters, Phoenix Hotel, SF Bicycle Coalition, Kitchen Sink Magazine, La Mediterranee, Argus Design, Redrum, AIVF, KUSF, SF Late Night Coalition, Expression Center for New Media, Hotel Bijou, Lost Weekend Video, Rainbow Grocery, Makers Mark, Academy of Art, 21st Amendment, cfq.com, NAATA, Commodore Hotel
NOTES: Some films with movie stars (for example the opening night film SPUN features Jason Schwartzman, John Leguizano, Mena Suvari, Brittany Murphy, Eric Roberts, Debby Harry, Rob Halford and Billy Corgan). The second weekend is all horror films, leading to the launch of Another Hole in the Head film festival in 2004. Bruce Campbell parties with us at Jezebel’s Joint. Back page of guide featured a mad libs game about indie film. IndieFest launches short-lived microcinema series at Jezebel’s.
ABOUT INDIEFEST Year Six
Dates: Feb 5-15, 2004
Venues: Castro, Roxie, Women’s Building, Oakland Metro
Features: 35 Shorts: 63 Parties: 7 Bands: 3 Total Films: 98 Total Films To Date: 415.
With: Jeff Ross, Bruce Fletcher, Tod Booth, Molli Simon, Alicia Perre-Dowd, John Lee, Catherine Fougere, Michael Tino, Sean Kelly, Kat Borgen Werbel, Karen Larsen
Sponsors: The Women’s Building, Live 105, Adolph Gasser, Phoenix Hotel, Bay Guardian, Sierra Nevada, Kitchen Sink Magazine, Landmark Theaters, sfstation.com, Lost Weekend Video, Rainbow Grocery, KQED, Hotel Bijou, La Mediterranee, Monaco
NOTES: First Big Lebowski Party! First screenings at the Women’s Building Auditorium. Back cover of the 40 page program guide featured a cut out clip&save Mission Hipster by Hugh Andrade. First year with Karen Larsen as our publicist. First and only time an entire sold out Roxie theater crowd walks out of a movie. (Bettie Page-Dark Angel a film we booked as a world premiere after seeing only a 20 minute rough cut, and saw for the first time at the festival. It was so bad Betty Page had them change the spelling of her name in the title when she pulled out of working on it. But the Betty Page look a like contest at Bondage A Go Go that everyone went to instead was awesome!)
ABOUT INDIEFEST Year Seven
DATES: Feb 3-15, 2005
Venues: Castro, Roxie, Women’s Building, Ego Park Gallery
Features: 35 Shorts: 58 Parties: 7 Bands: 3 Total Films: 93 Total Films To Date: 508.
With: Jeff Ross, Bruce Fletcher, Tod Booth, Alicia Perre-Dowd, Nina Ramos, Michelle Lee, Fay Dearborn, Catherine Fougere, Mike Skurko, Karen Larsen
Sponsors: Bay Guardian, Women’s Building, Adolph Gasser, Complex Corp, sfstation.com, Dolby, Rainbow Grocery, Lost Weekend Video, Monacco, Herring and Grey Design, KQED, KUSF, KALX, Pirate Cat Radio, 960AM The Quake, Phoenix Hotel, Hotel Bijou, Makers Mark, Sierra Nevada, Johnny Love Vodka
NOTES: First sell out of the Castro Theater, but 2/3 of the audience is too depressed to go to the after party at the Swedish Hall and Asia Argento stiffed us on a ticket from Rome. Program guide cover art wins a bunch of design awards. Lebowski party moved from a bowling alley to a gallery and becomes more of a party than a bowling night.
ABOUT INDIEFEST Year Eight
Dates: Feb 2-14, 2006
Venues: Castro, Roxie, Women’s Building
Features: 37 Shorts: 71 Parties: 5 Bands: 3 Total Films: 108 Total Films To Date: 616.
With: Jeff Ross, Bruce Fletcher, Alicia Perre-Dowd, Mike Skurko, Fay Dearborn, Catherine Fougere, Karen Larsen
Sponsors: Bay Guardian, KRON, Women’s Building, Adolph Gasser, Complex Corp, sfstation.com, Rainbow Grocery, Lost Weekend Video, Herring and Grey Design, sfist, Live 105, Alice Radio, Film Arts Foundation, indiewire, KUSF, Pirate Cat Radio, Sierra Nevada, Makers Mark, Johnny Love Vodka, Hotel Fusion
Notes: Tommy Chong stiffed us on plane tickets to the festival. We had tons of paparazzi for Furlong and Bella. The last time we would play a 16mm feature (Blood Tea and Red String by local animator Christianne Cegavske).
ABOUT INDIEFEST Year Nine
Dates: Feb 8-20, 2007
Venues: Castro, Roxie, Victoria, California Theaters
Features: 33 Shorts: 53 Parties: 4 Bands: 3 Total Films: 86 Total Films To Date: 702.
With: Jeff Ross, Bruce Fletcher, Stacey Wisnia, Anita Monga, Caitlin Curtin, Alicia Perre-Dowd, Joanne Parsont, Babalou, Robert Archambault, Fay Dearborn, Dan Verel, Catherine Fougere, Darren McKeenan, Karen Larsen
Sponsors: KRON, imeem.com, Bay Guardian, Guba, Grapeflix, cTwo Hotels, sfstation.com, 960AM The Quake, Live 105, Alice Radio, KUSF, Rainbow Grocery, Yelp, Borderlands Books, Brunos, Complex Corp, Cosmic Hex, Copyworld, Film Arts Foundation, Adolph Gassers, Johnny Love Vodka, Makers Mark, Kink.com, Level Vodka, Lost Weekend Video, Red Hook, Sauza, SF360, sfist.
NOTES: David Lynch’s Inland Empire sells out the Castro opening night and the party at the Porn Palace was one of the best we’d ever thrown: Adrian & Mysterious D (from Bootie) DJing in the back. Pancake Playhouse setting up shop in the front. Whiskey and vodka flowing. Peter from Kink kept putting animated octopus porn on screen. The space was mind blowing. Great night. Sadly, this ended up being Bruce’s last year with IndieFest. But it was our first year doing Roller Disco at the Women’s Building which lasted for a nice long run. This was our first year presenting all shows in proper movie theaters! Oh, and the after party the guys from Rolling threw was pretty great too, and in theme!
ABOUT INDIEFEST Year Ten
Dates: Feb 7-20, 2008
Venues: Castro, Roxie, Victoria
Features: 34 Shorts: 58 Parties: 5 Bands: 3 Total Films: 92 Total Films To Date: 794.
With: Jeff Ross, Joanne Parsont, Anita Monga, Kier-la Janisse, George Kaskanlian, Eric Ringer, Caitlin Curtin, Catherine Fougere, Karen Larsen, Romany, Fay Dearborn, Dan Verel, Sara Sherman, Joseph Hren
Sponsors: Bay Guardian, KRON, cTwo Hotels, OurStage, Grants for the Arts, Redhook, IndiePix, Saaga Vodka, Alice Radio, PsPrint, Live 105, Crossroads Trading Co, sfstation.com, Complex Corp, Lost Weekend Video, Monaco, KQED, Adolph Gasser, Level Vodka, Hacienda Tequila, Makers Mark
NOTES: Film Fest vets Joanne Parsont, Anita Monga program the fest and we recruit underground cinema luminary Kier-la Janisse to “find the weird.” The annual Roller Disco and Lebowski parties start getting huge. Oh and we had a mechanical bull at the Opening Night party. This is also the last year we rent the Castro for opening night. And the year we get into a fight with a distributor over our midnight screening of Paranormal Activity, one week after it sold for big bucks at Slamdance. They insisted we cancel the show. We showed it anyway, of course. And our audience got to see the filmmaker’s original ending before the studio changed it for it’s wide release. This was not our first (or last) fight with a Hollywood distributor.
ABOUT INDIEFEST Year Twelve
Dates: Jan 29-Feb 18, 2010
Venues: Film: Roxie; Music: DNA Lounge, Thee Parkside, Bottom of the Hill
Features: 28 Shorts: 37 Parties: 3 Bands: 43 Total Films: 65 Total Films To Date: 970.
With: Jeff Ross, Fay Dearborn, Anita Monga, Holly Roach, Kier-la Janisse, Ilya Tovis, John Paulson, Rick Abruzzo, Tia Mignonne, Caitlin Curtin, Romany, Karen Larsen, studio1500
Sponsors: Grants for the Arts, Bay Guardian, Live 105, Blue Angel Vodka, Hotel Carlton, Clubcard Printing, studio1500, Trummer Pils, goodhotel, Phoenix Hotel, Hostelling International, KUSF, b-side, FLAG Marketing, Sugarbowl, Talking House Records
NOTES: We add a week-long multi-venue music festival with over 40 excellent bands. We learn three week long festivals are exhausting.
ABOUT INDIEFEST Lucky Year Thirteen
DATES: Feb 3-17, 2011
Venues: Film: Roxie, Music: Cellspace
Features: 33 Shorts: 43 Parties: 5 Bands: 46 Total Films: 76 Total Films To Date: 1046.
With: Jeff Ross, Kier-la Janisse, Holly Roach, Fay Dearborn, Anna Feder, Kevin Monahan, Laura Costantino, Romany, Peps X, Tia Mignonne, Caitlin Curtin, Karen Larsen, David Johnson, R Black, studio1500
Sponsors: Radio Alice, Black Star, Blue Angel, Grants for the Arts, FLAG Marketing, Hostelling International, Live 105, Makers Mark, Other Avenues, Phoenix Hotel, sfstation.com, Shiner Bock, Trumer Pils, studio1500
NOTES: Second Year of adding a music fest, this time DURING the film fest. First year of the so-much-fun Anti-Valentine’s Day 80s Power Ballad Sing Along. Also, first year of the so-hilarious SuperBowl: Men in Tights show.
ABOUT INDIEFEST – Year Fourteen
Dates: Feb 9-23, 2012
Venue: Roxie Theater
Features: 39. Shorts: 45. Parties: 8. Total Films: 84. Total Films To Date: 1130.
With: Jeff Ross, Kier-la Janisse, Holly Roach, Fay Dearborn, Anna Feder, Carl Elsaesser, Catie Roads, Caitlin Curtin, Karen Larsen, studio1500
Sponsors: Grants for the Arts, Bay Guardian, Current, East Bay Express, sfstation.com, Alice Radio, Live 105, Yelp, FLAG Marketing, Phoenix Hotel, Haiyi Hotels, Hotel Carlton, Black Star Beer, Blue Angel, Gosling’s, Ritual Coffee, Barefoot Wine, studio1500
NOTES: Last year doing parties at Cellspace. Catie Roads joins the staff! Girl Talk has ’em dancing in packed houses at both Public Works and the Roxie.
ABOUT INDIEFEST Year Fifteen
Dates: Feb 7-13, 2013
Venues: Brava, Roxie
Features: 34 Shorts: 44 Parties: 9 Total Films: 78 Total Films To Date: 1208.
With: Jeff Ross, Kier-la Janisse, Holly Roach, Anna Feder, Jeff Giordano, Fay Dearborn, Laura Costantino, Carl Elsaeeser, Catie Roads, Nina Ramos, George Kaskanlian, Nadja Mark, Tosh Hall, Adam Harvie, Karen Larsen, studio1500
Sponsors: Grants for the Arts, Bay Guardian, East Bay Express, sfstation.com, Yelp, Creative America, Alice Radio, Hotel Carlton, Hotel Abri, Phoenix Hotel, Other Avenues, Live 105, KALX, Black Star, Blue Angel, Treasure Island Wines, Los Osuna, Air, Lagunitas, Tax Ninja
NOTES: First year at the Brava Theater for opening night. First year with Jeff Giordano, and Nadja Mark. First Bad Art Gallery show at IndieFest. And first of many Roller Disco Parties at the Women’s Building. First year with Lagunitas as a sponsor.
ABOUT INDIEFEST Year Sixteen
Dates: Feb 6-20, 2014
Venues: Brava, Roxie, New Parkway
Features: 37 Shorts: 51 Parties: 7 Bands: 2 Total Films: 88 Total Films To Date: 1296.
With: Jeff Ross, Kier-la Janiss, Holly Roach, Jeff Giordano, Chris Metzler, Jay Wertzler, Anna Feder, Catie Roads, Nadja Mark, Nina Ramos, George Kaskanlian, Anne Maley, Adam Harvie, Karen Larsen, studio1500
Sponsors: Grants for the Arts, Bay Guardian, SF Weekly, East Bay Express, KALX, Tax Ninja, Blue Angel, Do415, Purity Organic, sfstation.com, Hotel Abri, Hotel Mark Twain, Other Avenues, Phoenix Hotel, Yelp, Lagunitas, studio1500
NOTES: We try out the New Parkway in Oakland. Party bus outside the Roxie for Lets Ruin It With Babies. Chris Metzler joins the team!
ABOUT INDIEFEST Year Seventeen
Dates: Feb 5-19, 2015
Venues: Brava, Roxie, Humanist Hall Oakland
Features: 36 Shorts: 45 Parties: 6 Total Films: 81 Total Films To Date: 1377.
With: Jeff Ross, Mike Keegan, Kier-la Janisse, Jeff Giordano, Chris Metzler, Jay Wertzler, Catie Roads, Emily Hoover, Nadja Mark, Nina Ramos, George Kaskanlian, Sara Sherman, Patricia Moran, Karen Larsen, studio1500
Sponsors: Grants for the Arts, SF Art Commission, SF Weekly, Tax Ninja, Lagunitas, Phoenix Hotel, Hotel Kabuki, Hotel Mark Twain, Other Avenues, sfstation.com, Yelp, Funcheap, KQED, Pusser’s Rum, Tito’s Vodka, Dark Horse Wine, studio1500
NOTES: We try another pop up venue in Oakland. Kier-la’s last year. Mike Keegan joins the team for one year. Last hurrah attempt to bring back the Lebowski Party vibe from the old Cellspace events. Conspiracy of Beards performing at opening night at Brava was most successful attempt to have opening night party there after the film. KQED’s Film School Shorts comes on board as a sponsor.
ABOUT INDIEFEST Year Eighteen
Dates: Feb 11-15, 2016
Venues: Brava, Roxie, Alamo Drafthouse
Features: 42 Shorts: 46 Parties: 7 Total Films: 88 Total Films To Date: 1465.
With: Jeff Ross, Jennifer Junkyard Morris, Bears Fonte, Jeff Giordano, Chris Metzler, Jay Wertzler, Catie Roads, Holly Roach, Colin Johnson, Nadja Mark, Nina Ramos, George Kaskanlian, Sara Sherman, Patricia Moran, Robert Meyer, Karen Larsen, Fabian Falconett, Melissa Martin
Sponsors: Grants for the Arts, SF Art Commission, Toyota, Bawdy Caste, KQED, KALX, SF Weekly, sfstation.com, Yelp, Funcheap, Phoenix Hotel, Hotel Kabuki, Hotel Carlton, Laurel Inn, Tito’s Vodka, Lagunitas, 48 Hills, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Pusser’s Rum, Distillery 209
NOTES: Bears Fonte is recruited to “bring the weird.” Junkyard joins the team. We’re the first festival to screen in the new Alamo Drafthouse. First presentation of Big Lebowski Shadow Caste with Bawdy Caste performing the film live on stage. Toyota is our first real live big sponsor.
ABOUT INDIEFEST Year Nineteen
Dates: Feb 2-16, 2017
Venues: Brava, Roxie, Alamo Drafthouse
Features: 40 Shorts: 46 Parties: 8 Bands: 1 Total Films: 86 Total Films To Date: 1551.
With: Jeff Ross, Bears Fonte, Chris Metzler, Jon Gann, Jennifer Junkyard Morris, Joshua Moore, Catie Roads, Laureen Lulu Briggs, Colin Johnson, Nadja Mark, Nina Ramos, George Kaskanlian, Robert Meyer, Karen Larsen, Fabian Falconett, Mellissa Martin
Sponsors: Grants for the Arts, Samuel Adams, KQED, sfstation.com, Pusser’s Rum, Distillery 209, Tito’s Vodka, Radio Valencia, 107.7 the Bone, KALX, 48 Hills, Tax Ninja, Hotel Kabuki, Bai, Hotel Carlton, goodhotel, DoTheBay, Hotel Rex, Phoenix Hotel, Hotel Metropolis, Bawdy Caste, SF Weekly, Funcheap, Brava Theater
NOTES: We borrow Josh Moore from SFJFF and recruit short film pro Jon Gann to join the team. Lise Swenson tribute. The New Orleans style Second Line parade from Brava to the party is a blast. First Bingo show is a hit! The Firmament turn Fury Road into an art film with an amazing live electro soundtrack.
ABOUT INDIEFEST Year Twenty
Dates: Feb 1-15, 2018
Venues: Victoria, Roxie, 518 Valencia Gallery
Features: 52 Shorts: 51 Parties: 7 Total Films: 103 Total Films To Date: 1654
With: Jeff Ross, Bears Fonte, Chris Metzler, Jennifer Junkyard Morris, Catie Roads, Laureen Lulu Briggs, Robert Meyer, Karen Larsen, Meghan Ryan
Sponsors: Grants for the Arts, KQED, sfstation.com, Pusser’s Rum, Distillery 209, Tito’s Vodka, Radio Valencia, 107.7 the Bone, KFOG, KALX, 48 Hills, Tax Ninja, DoTheBay, Phoenix Hotel, Bawdy Caste, SF Weekly, Funcheap, Roxie,
NOTES: We present a 20 year retrospective by choosing one film from each of our past 19 years to represent that year and present them as a side bar program at the 518 Valencia Gallery, the usual venue for our Bad Art Show and Screenplay events. The Firmament are back with a re-score for AKIRA.
ABOUT INDIEFEST Year Twenty One
Dates: Jan 30-Feb 14, 2019
Venues: Victoria, Roxie, 518 Valencia Gallery
Features: 45 Shorts: 58 Parties: 6 Total Films: 103 Total Films To Date: 1757
With: Jeff Ross, Bears Fonte, Chris Metzler, Jennifer Junkyard Morris, Catie Roads, Laureen Lulu Briggs, Robert Meyer, Shannon Titus, Karen Larsen, Meghan Ryan
Sponsors: Grants for the Arts, KQED, sfstation.com, Pusser’s Rum, Distillery 209, Tito’s Vodka, Radio Valencia, 107.7 the Bone, KALX, 48 Hills, Tax Ninja, DoTheBay, Phoenix Hotel, Bawdy Caste, SF Weekly, Funcheap, Manzanita and Madrone, Roxie, Graystone Hotels, Broke Ass Stuart, 21st Amendment
NOTES: Screenplay events are going great! We get our first weed-soda sponsor. The Firmament kill it yet again with their live re-score of FANTASIA. We have more sell outs than we’ve had since the fest’s biggest years in the mid oughts!
ABOUT INDIEFEST Year Twenty Two
Dates: Jan 31-Feb 13, 2020
Venues: Victoria, Roxie, 518 Valencia Gallery
Features: 47 Shorts: 57 Parties: 7 Total Films: 104 Total Films To Date: 1861
With: Jeff Ross, Bears Rebecca Fonte, Chris Metzler, Jennifer Junkyard Morris, Alejandro Adams, Sara Vizcarrando, Fay Dearborn, Catie Roads, Laureen Lulu Briggs, Shannon Titus, Karen Larsen, Meghan Ryan, Jess Waters
Sponsors: Grants for the Arts, KQED, sfstation.com, Pusser’s Rum, Rise Brewing, Chameleon Cold Brew, Ft. Point, Tito’s Vodka, Rebel Yell, Topo Chico, Exotica Tequila, Lagunitas, 107.7 the Bone, KALX, 48 Hills, Tax Ninja, DoTheBay, Phoenix Hotel, Bawdy Caste, Funcheap, Roxie, Broke Ass Stuart, Oddball Films
NOTES: American Psycho 20th Anniversary Party is fun. We program a film called Bad Art to play the night of the annual Bad Art Gallery party. The last year of the Big Lebowski Shadow Cast at the Victoria. 35mm presentation of Julian Temple’s The Great Rock N Roll Swindle. Julian attends the fest with his film about Ibiza and will show a sneak peek invite only presentation of his Shane MacGowan doc to a few lucky people. The last festival at the Roxie before everything shuts down in March.
ABOUT INDIEFEST Year Twenty Three
Dates: Feb 4-17, 2021
Venues: Virtual Online Festival hosted by Eventive
Features: 38 Shorts: 40 Special Events: 6 Total Films: 78 Total Films To Date: 1939
With: Jeff Ross, Chris Metzler, Joshua Moore, Karen Larsen, Meghan Ryan, Jess Waters, Michael Madfes, Lansia Wann
Sponsors: Grants for the Arts, SF Station, KALX, 48 Hills, Tax Ninja, Festival Formula
NOTES: The pandemic shut all theaters so this is the first and hopefully only time SF IndieFest is an all-virtual presentation. We still manage to have some fun with a Virtual Art Gallery for the Bad Art Show and a Filmmaker Feud gameshow, based on the Family Feud.
ABOUT INDIEFEST Year Twenty Four
Dates: Feb 3-13, 2022
Venues: Roxie Theater and Virtual Online via Eventive
Features: 23 Shorts: 41 Special Events: 2 Total Films: 64 Total Films To Date: 2003
With: Jeff Ross, Chris Metzler, Sarah Flores, Jess Waters, Michael Madfes, Karen Larsen, Lansia Wann
Sponsors: Grants for the Arts, SF Station, 48 Hills, Tax Ninja, HomeLight
NOTES: We’re back playing live in theaters. The 10th anniversary and final Bad Art Gallery show. All paintings must go!
ABOUT INDIEFEST Year Twenty Five
Dates: Feb 2-12, 2023
Venues: Roxie Theater and also Virtual Online via Eventive
Features: 39 Shorts: 63 Special Events: 2 Total Films: 102 Total Films To Date: 2105
With: Jeff Ross, Chris Metzler, Sarah Flores, Jess Waters, Michael Mades, Karen Larsen, Lansia Wann
Sponsors: Grants for the Arts, California Arts Council, SF Station, 48 Hills, Titos, Lagunitas, Athletic, Alto Rideshare
NOTES: 25th Anniversary! Great press coverage. The live screenplay panel returns.
ABOUT INDIEFEST Year Twenty Six
Dates: Feb 8-18, 2023
Venues: Roxie Theater, 4Star Theater and also Virtual Online via Eventive
Features: 34 Shorts: 52 Special Events: 3 Bands: 3 Total Films: 86 Total Films To Date: 2201
With: Jeff Ross, Chris Metzler, Sarah Flores, Jess Waters, Michael Mades, Karen Larsen, Tim Buckwalter, Catie Roads
Sponsors: Grants for the Arts, California Arts Council, SF Station, 48 Hills, Titos, Phoenix Hotel, Broke Ass Stuart
NOTES: Much fewer virtual-only features compared to last year, we tried to give almost all selections a live screening. Lebowski Shadow Cast Show returns. The last hurrah (at least for a while) for the Anti-Valentine’s Day Power Ballad Sing Along. 25th anniversary Fight Club screening with pre-show talk by Cacophony Society/Burning Man co-founder John Law with Stuart Schuffman is a fast sell out. In fact 10 sell outs out of 32 live screenings. Four features from Japan hark back to early days of IndieFest championing Japanese indie films. Catie comes back for a couple days to help house manage, with plans to come back again for DocFest in June. While other festivals in town are reducing in size, we add screenings to this year’s IndieFest and will add a few more to DocFest in June!
