Susan Sarandon to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at Sedona Film Fest

The Sedona International Film Festival will reach another milestone with its 20th annual celebration of independent filmmaking from Feb. 22 to March 2, 2014.

The Sedona International Film Festival has established itself among the nation's most sought-after independent film festivals, consistently attracting the finest producers, directors, filmmakers, documentarians, screenwriters and actors to the weeklong event that brings more than 10,000 film lovers to Sedona's world-famous red rocks.

Selections are underway for up to 160 films in a range of categories from World Cinema to Documentaries Making a Difference and from Sedona Green to Family Films and Classics.
Among films already accepted into the Festival: The Girl on the Bicycle from Jeremy Leven who wrote The Notebook; Forrest Whitaker's new film, Repentances; Bridegroom from writer-producer-director Linda Bloodworth Thomason and her husband, Harry; and the premiere of These Storied Streets from producer Thomas Morgan.

Morgan also produced Waiting for Mamu, a remarkable documentary about what it means for a child to grow up in prison and the impact of Pushpa Basnet's organization on those children. Pushpa, known as Mamu, was CNN's Person of the Year.

Waiting for Mamu also will screen in Sedona and Morgan is expected to be on hand. In addition, veteran actress Shirley Knight will be honored at the Festival and Academy Award winning producer Kathleen Glynn will be hosting the Filmmaker Conversations Series.

Special events include presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to Academy Award-winner Susan Sarandon, whose recent attention has been focused on cause-related filmmaking, during "An Evening With Susan Sarandon."

Also scheduled this year is a Tribute to MGM Musicals with awards presented in honor of former films stars and Sedona residents Donald O'Connor and Anne Miller, the Festival's first Lifetime Achievement Award recipients.

Country music star Brad Paisley, whose films have been screened in Sedona, will make a special appearance and present a new project, followed by a Q-and-A session.
Films are currently being screened by three committees: Documentary, Features and Short Films under the direction, respectively, of Connie Levinson, Keri Oskar and Denise Strubbe.
Films will run all day beginning Saturday, Feb. 22 on four screens at Sedona Harkins 6, 2081 W. Highway 89A; the Mary D. Fisher Theater, 2030 W. Highway 89A, and the Sedona Performing Arts Center at Sedona Red Rock High School, 995 Upper Red Rock Loop Road.

The full list of films, presenters and panelists will be announced in late January. Workshops and panel discussions are free and open to the public.

Platinum All-Access Passes are $990; Gold Priority Passes are $490; 20-ticket packages are $210, and10-ticket packages are $105. Full-time students can get the 10-ticket package for $85.
Priority Pass holders will be able to select the films they want to see beginning at 9 a.m. on Feb. 3. 10- and 20-ticket pass holders can select films beginning at 9 a.m. on Feb. 10. Individual film tickets go on sale to the general public on Feb. 17 through a new, faster, more efficient ticketing system.

Sedona International Film Festival memberships also are available beginning at $65 for a basic membership. Family memberships for up to four family members living in the same household are $130. Additional membership packages include Cinematographer ($275), Screenwriter ($550), Producer ($1,200), Auteur Society ($5,000) and Legacy ($10,000). Benefits are commensurate with membership-fee levels. Full information is available on the website.

Packages, other than for full-time students, are available online at www.sedonafilmfestival.org or through the Festival Box office at (928) 282-1177. Student packages must be purchased through the Box Office and student ID's are required.

For more information, visit www.sedonafilmfestival.org.