BendFilm Honors Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini With Inaugural (indie) Women of the Year Award and Four Film Retrospective

BendFilm announced today plans to celebrate the directing, writing, and producing team Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini for their 15-year, 4-feature filmmaking partnership, independent vision and invaluable contributions to the film community during the 15th annual BendFilm Festival. Celebrations will include an award presentation plus a retrospective screening of all four of their feature films, each followed by a moderated Q&A with the filmmakers. Leave No Trace (filmed in Oregon in 2017) and Winter's Bone will play back-to-back on opening night followed by Down To the Bone and Stray Dog later in the Festival.

Debra and Anne have won more than 43 awards over their illustrious careers and been nominated for more than 53 awards including Oscar consideration for Best Writing for an Adapted Screenplay for Winter's Bone in 2011. They have been lauded for discovering mainstay actors like Jennifer Lawrence, exhibiting extreme sincerity in their stories, fearlessly depicting the lives of everyday Americans and a "willingness to follow inspiration anywhere."

Todd Looby, Director of BendFilm, said, "Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini are the perfect recipients for this inaugural (indie) Women of the Year award. They have launched careers and told stories about the marginalized and forgotten among us, inspiring audiences to feel deeper and take care of each other. Their work shows an undeniable belief in community. The award is named for Pamela Hulse Andrews a longtime Bend business leader, arts supporter and force of nature who inspired women to achieve, jump-started the careers of many writers and creatives, and had a strong belief in the power of community. Debra and Anne's work is indicative of the exact things that Pamela and BendFilm have tried to emulate: strengthening the community and the importance of recognizing and celebrating our shared humanity."

Director Debra Granik and Producer Anne Rosellini, said, "We work outside the industry as an independent filmmaking team along with our longtime colleagues, DP Michael McDonough and Editor, Victoria Stewart. We work to find material that inspires us and speaks to the human condition and everyday survival. We strive to make fiscally responsible films that allow us to maintain creative control and that do not require mass market budgets to reach an audience."

About the (indie) Women of the Year Award:

BendFilm created the (indie)Women of the Year award in honor of the late Pamela Hulse Andrews who was a pioneer in the Bend art scene. Pamela was a passionate arts advocate who worked tirelessly to support women in film. For many years, Pamela organized the Independent Women for Independent Film group that raised money for several BendFilm awards and helped BendFilm survive the economic downturn in the late 2000's. BendFilm will carry on Pamela's memory through this award, presenting it to female artists who demonstrates an exceptional passion for independent film, bravely shares her authentic voice and makes extraordinary contributions to the independent body of work.

The four films screening in the Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini retrospective are:

Leave No Trace (2018)
Director/Writer: Debra Granik; Writer/Producer: Anne Rosellini
A father and his thirteen-year-old daughter are living an ideal existence in a vast urban park in Portland, Oregon when a small mistake derails their lives forever. Starring Thomasin McKenzie, Ben Foster.

Stray Dog (2014)

Director/Writer: Debra Granik; Writer/Producer: Anne Rosellini
A contemplative portrait of Ron 'Stray Dog' Hall: biker, Vietnam Vet, and lover of small dogs.

Winter's Bone (2010)

Director/Writer: Debra Granik; Writer/Producer: Anne Rosellini
An unflinching Ozark Mountain girl hacks through dangerous social terrain as she hunts down her drug-dealing father while trying to keep her family intact. Starring Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes. Oscar nominee for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay (Debra Granik & Anne Rosellini)

Down to the Bone (2004)

Director/Writer: Debra Granik; Writer/Producer: Anne Rosellini

A woman stuck in a stale marriage struggles to raise her children and manage her secret drug habit. But when winter comes to her small town, her balancing act begins to come CRASHING down. Starring Vera Farmiga, Hugh Dillon, Clint Jordan.

About BendFilm:
BendFilm hosts an annual independent film festival as well as year-round film exhibitions and programs. The organization is designed to support and nourish filmmakers and enrich the cultural life of Central Oregon while also providing an economic benefit to the region. Celebrating its 15th year, BendFilm is proud to bring diverse voices and visions to the Bend community. The BendFilm Festival runs every October in downtown Bend, Oregon, at The Oxford, McMenamins - Old St. Francis, Regal Cinemas, Tin Pan Theater, The Volcanic Theater, Cascades Theatrical Company, and the historic Tower Theatre. Make plans now to attend (October 11-14, 2018) for four days of inspiring independent cinema, panels and parties, in beautiful Bend, a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts, foodies, beer lovers and stunning natural scenery. BendFilm is made possible by a dedicated crew of volunteers and generous sponsors. For more information, call (541) 388-3378 or visit www.bendfilm.org. Connect with BendFilm on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.