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Isabelle Huppert in Frankie directed by Ira Sachs
Isabelle Huppert in Frankie directed by Ira Sachs

Indie Memphis Film Festival announced that the 2019 festival — now in its 22nd year — will take place from October 30th through November 4th, with encore screenings November 5th, 6th, and 7th.

“The festival continues to expand with more dates, venues, and screenings than ever before,” says Indie Memphis Executive Director, Ryan Watt. “We welcome the city to join us for a special week of “Film For All” featuring over 250 new films, artist talks, and live music.”

The festival also announces a preview of its 2019 slate — the full slate is set to be revealed on October 1, 2019 at Memphis’ The Rec Room. Under Artistic Director Miriam Bale, Indie Memphis’ programming continues to put great emphasis on highlighting the works of black, female, and other underrepresented groups of film artists.

The 2019 festival will feature Ira Sachs’ FRANKIE with Sachs in person; Sachs (KEEP THE LIGHTS ON) is a Memphis native and this screening will be a homecoming for the celebrated filmmaker. Also to be featured in the 2019 slate will be a retrospective of the film works of Sara Driver, with Driver in attendance.

Frankie Trailer

Bale says, “After recent festival retrospectives on Abel Ferrara and Hong Sang-soo, I am so pleased to be celebrating the work of Sara Driver this year.  Her eerie, lovely movies such as SLEEPWALK and YOU ARE NOT I (based on a Paul Bowles story) are personal favorites and important indie film classics.”

In addition, the Black Creators Forum, supported by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, returns to Indie Memphis for the second year. The Black Creators Forum will run before and parallel with the opening of Indie Memphis and is a two-day symposium of workshops and invited speakers led by notable black filmmakers and critics. The goal is to explore ways black filmmaking can find creativity and sustainability from other mediums, and to ease the barrier of entry for black artists who would like to work in film.

The Black Creators Forum concludes with a free public celebration, the Black Filmmakers Pitch Rally on November 1st at Memphis’ Playhouse on the Square, featuring a jury-selected $10,000 “Bounty Prize” provided by Epicenter for projects to garner support for production in Memphis. Production must begin in Memphis before August 1st, 2020 to claim the bounty cash or forfeit it to next year’s prize. Sponsors and donors are encouraged to match the prize offer leading up to the rally.

This year’s festival will also feature new venues, including Opening Night at the Crosstown Theater, Ballet Memphis added to the weekend locations, and the Malco Powerhouse as second encore venue with Malco Ridgeway. The free Block Party returns on Cooper Street as a centerpoint of the other weekend venues: Playhouse on the Square, Hattiloo Theatre, Circuit Playhouse, Theatreworks, and Malco Studio on the Square. Live music is featured before every screening.

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