X-Dance Film Festival January 16-20
January 6, 2009 – 12:21 am PT by MikeTags: Salt Lake City, Scott, Shaun White, Travis Rice, X-dance Film Festival —
As you probably already know, those who partake in extreme sport activity are known for their versatility and being resourceful. Extreme athletes are modern day renaissance men/women. You look at the likes of Paul Rodriguez. He skates amazingly first and foremost, he’s a good businessman, and he acts. Luke Howell is also a talented young man. He is great with his BMX bike, plus he dates KELLY OSBOURNE. So as you can see, they can do it all. There is nothing that they can’t do.
Every year there is a film festival in Salt Lake City, Utah, that does not get very much coverage, very little press, and casts and crews unknown in Hollywood. Much less than Sundance. That film festival is the X-DANCE Film Festival and you should support it. Why? Maybe the next great EXTREME SPORTS movie will be discovered. You don’t want to be the last person “in the know” do you? Read the press release below.
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Gold medalist Shaun White catching big air in Japan and skateboard black top in Rwanda. Waterman Laird Hamilton charging waves and surfing colossal barrels in the heart of Indonesia. Travis Rice snowboarding in epic backcountry. It’s all part of the 9th annual X-Dance Film Festival this January in Salt Lake. As the festival continues to grow in popularity and world acclaim, action sports filmmakers and athletes from the around the globe will trek to Salt Lake City to show their latest cinematic gems that fuel the massive actions sports culture.
Running side-by-side with the Sundance Film Festival, the 9th annual X-Dance Festival will be held in Salt Lake City on January 16-20, 2009. The festival headquarters and screening room are located at the Off-Broadway Theater (272 South Main Street). For four days X-Dance will screen 35 of the finest films in adventure and action sports spotlighting Snowboarding, Skiing, Surfing, Mountain Biking, MotoCross, Skateboarding, Rockclimbing, and Kayaking. Engaging Q&A sessions follow each screening giving the audience the chance to meet the filmmakers and icons from their favorite sports.
The world-class festival brings together cutting-edge bands, top DJS, entertainment executives, action sport industry bigwigs to honor the heroes from each sport and the filmmakers who tell their stories. Salt Lake has embraced the festival as its own as X-Dance enters its second year based in downtown SLC. Scott Beck, president & CEO of the Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau, declares, “On the heels of Salt Lake’s successful hosting of the action sports AST Dew Tour’s largest event ever, the marriage of action sports and Salt Lake will once again be energized by the 2009 X-Dance film festival. It is always great to be part of a successful team. Hosting X-Dance in Salt Lake strengthens the incredible position of Salt Lake as the epicenter of Action Sports. Having the endorsement of the industry’s leading Film Festival ensures Salt Lake’s place as the epicenter of year-round outdoor recreational opportunities. We are thrilled to have X-Dance back in Salt Lake City for a second year.”
Film Festival director Brian Wimmer adds, “Action Sports, a multi-billion dollar a year industry that grows exponentially each year, has found its MECCA. X-Dance is thrilled to have landed in Salt Lake City, a perfect playground, location and audience with its population of extremely active outdoor youth culture. Mix Sundance with the Action Sports Mecca of Utah and you get the perfect storm of the X-Dance Film Festival. No other event on earth harnesses the creative energy of adrenaline culture and brings it together.”
The 5-day festival will include:
Screenings open to the Public of top action sports films from industry stalwarts like Matchstick, VAS, Teton Gravity Research, Quiksilver, Red Bull, Altnerna Films, Poor Boyz, Oakley, Transworld, and Billygoat Productions, as well as noteworthy work by emerging talent and world premieres. Screenings run Friday, January 16th through Monday, January 19th from noon to 10p.m. at the Off-Broadway Theater (272 South Main St.) located across from the Gallivan Trax stop. Street parking or use the Wells Fargo and Tower lots. Tickets are $7 per movie ($5 for students) or $40 for a 4-day pass ($25 for students). Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Off-Broadway Box Office. www.theobt.com or call 801-355-4628. The X-Dance film schedule is listed on the website: www.x-dance.com
Open forums for question and answer sessions after each screening with filmmakers and featured athletes.
Several world premieres like the film “Swift Silent Deep” about the Jackson Hole Airforce by Akita Productions, and “Reasons” by award-winning filmmaker Johnny Decesare of Poor Boyz Productions
X-Dance Awards Ceremony and Closing Party will be held on Tuesday, January 20st at 7p.m. Industry stars and celebrities join bands and DJs to celebrate the best in action sports filmmaking, while the extraordinary VJ, Brien Pullman, transforms the enormous room into a mesmerizing, wall-to-wall montage of action sports imagery. Located at Elevate: 155 West 200 South; www.hotelelevate.com For more details please go to www.x-dance.com.
Athletes expected to attend the festival: Shaun White, Travis Rice, Scott
