Film Festival

Slimfest 2024 Arrives on July 21 at the Nerd Emporium in Pueblo, Colorado

A CELBRATION OF INDEPENDENT FILMMAKING IN ALL ITS ABSURD, AWESOME GLORY
— Thomas Eliot - Festival Director

SlimeFest is a summer movie festival focusing on slime-filled horror movies. Blood, guts, and gore, alien ooze, radioactive waste, and anything else slimy - show us what you got! Get ready to create and submit your film.. SlimeFest 2024 will feature the second annual Slimy Awards and will be held at The Nerd Emporium in Pueblo, Colorado.

Awards & Prizes

SlimeFest will be the new venue for the Slimy Awards. Awards include:

  • Grossest Movie

  • Most Horrifying

  • Audience Choice

  • And of course, Best Use of Slime

There will be additional prizes created inspired by the individual merits of the entries. Prior awards include Best Kaiju Battle, Best Thriller Set in a Single Room, and Best Scene of Someone Being Killed by Something You Really Wouldn't Expect Them to Be Killed By.

Rules & Terms

You assert that you have all the rights to music, et cetera in your films, and that we can display them. There are no screening fees.

Dates & Deadlines

  • September 1, 2023

    Opening Date

  • January 1, 2024

    Earlybird Deadline

  • March 1, 2024

    Regular Deadline

  • June 30, 2024

    Late Deadline

  • July 5, 2024

    Notification Date

  • July 21, 2024

    Event Date

SlimeFest is sponsored by the Kickass Film Festival, Under Rated Pex Pepper Hot Sauces and Invasion of the Pod People.

 

CONTACT

FESTIVAL DIRECTOR

Thomas Eliot | thomas@thomaseliot.com | 510.415.8330

Storytelling Masterclass Sparks Creativity at Pueblo Film Festival

Workshop participants at the Pueblo Film Festival at the Sangre de Cristo Arts & Conference Center. Photo courtesy of Gregory Howell.

Aspiring filmmakers at the 2024 Pueblo Film Festival gained valuable insights into storytelling and pitching during a dynamic workshop led by Shahrzad Sherry Dadgar (she/her).

Dadgar, a seasoned film industry professional, emphasized the core elements of a compelling story: someone wants something, but obstacles stand in their way. Using real-world examples, she explored the importance of theme, genre, and mood, encouraging participants to develop their own unique cinematic voice.

Hands-on activities allowed attendees to craft loglines, analyze conflicts, and envision how they would bring their stories to life as directors. Dadgar stressed the significance of a strong first draft and the ongoing process of rewriting and refinement.

“This approach helped the participants realize that story structure is everything. It's the skeleton of your film," remarked Gregory Howell of the Pueblo Film Commission.

The workshop concluded with a focus on the art of the pitch. Participants learned how to distill their project's essence, tailoring their message to capture interest and secure support.

For more information contact:

Shahrzdad Dadgar, M.F.A. | Assistant Professor & Student Media Advisor | Department of Media & Entertainment | Colorado State University Pueblo | s.dadgar@csupueblo.edu

35 Films Over Three Days: Mountainfilm on Tour Returning to Pueblo

Gallery Images by Kim Pluskota

After a three-year hiatus in Pueblo, Mountainfilm on Tour returned to Southern Colorado for four showcases April 18-20 in the Buell Communications Center on the CSU Pueblo campus. Showcases were held in the recently revamped TV and film production studio at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, with a special Family Feature matinee Saturday at 2 p.m. Tickets were free or by donation through www.socostudentmedia.com  or www.csupuebloevents.universitytickets.com

The showcases presented 35 short films over the four timeslots. The audience experienced eight to ten films ranging from 3 to 26 mintues, with each showcase lasting around 2 hours. Saturday evening’s films included Spanish subtitles, which was new this year to Mountainfilm on Tour. The last time CSU Pueblo presented Mountainfilm on Tour was as a virtual event in 2021.

“We’re ready to bring Mountainfilm back in-person to Pueblo and Southern Colorado this year and for years to come. The recent addition of Spanish subtitled films [Saturday evening] as an option for our audience along with improvements we’ve made to the department’s facilities and program make this an ideal time to welcome the community back to the campus of CSU Pueblo” said Jon Pluskota, Chair of Media & Entertainment. “Not only are the films great, but students from SOCO Student Media will also gain hands-on experience running the event, which is a centerpiece to our program,” Pluskota said.

Mountainfilm on Tour brings a selection of culturally rich, adventure-packed and incredibly inspiring documentary films curated from the Mountainfilm festival in Telluride, Colorado. The tour will visit CSU Pueblo with films that explore themes connected to Mountainfilm’s mission of using the power of film, art, and ideas to inspire audiences to create a better world.

"We're excited to bring Mountainfilm on Tour back to Pueblo. I'm so grateful to partner with the CSU Pueblo Media and Entertainment department to share award-winning and emerging filmmakers' work from Colorado and around the world” said Hope Logan, Mountainfilm Tour Director.

Mountainfilm on Tour in Pueblo is hosted by CSU Pueblo’s Media & Entertainment Department and SOCO Student Media in partnership with CSU Pueblo Women’s Studies; CSU Pueblo Department of Sociology, Criminology, and Anthropology; CSU Pueblo Department of English and World Languages; the CSU Pueblo Alumni Association; Outdoor Pursuits at CSU Pueblo; CSU Pueblo Student Engagement and Leadership; CSU Pueblo Library; and the Latino Chamber of Commerce of Pueblo.

The Buell Communications Center is at the front entrance of the CSU Pueblo campus, located at 2200 Bonforte Blvd., Pueblo, CO 81001. See the online ticketing site or www.mountainfilm.org/tour/schedule for a complete playlist.

About Mountainfilm Festival

Mountainfilm is a documentary film festival that showcases stories about environmental, cultural, climbing, political and social justice issues. Mountainfilm is held every Memorial Day weekend in Telluride, Colorado. Along with exceptional documentaries, the festival goes beyond the film medium by bringing together world-class athletes, change makers and visionary artists for a multi-dimensional celebration of indomitable spirit. Mountainfilm’s mission is to use the power of film, art and ideas to inspire audiences to create a better world. To learn more about Mountainfilm, visit www.mountainfilm.org

About Media & Entertainment

The Department of Media & Entertainment is where technological innovation and experiential learning meets the humanities, social sciences, arts, and business. It offers a pragmatic and professionally oriented undergraduate program designed to prepare majors for successful careers in the media, entertainment, and communication industries. The department is home to SOCO Student Media, home of The Today, Rev 89, Digital Sandbox, and SOCO Design. Through student media, students engage in professional media practice across the fields of multimedia journalism, strategic communication and design, sound and film production, and media sales and management.

About Colorado State University Pueblo

Colorado State University Pueblo is a comprehensive state university with an enrollment of nearly 4,000 students. With 34 percent of its students Hispanic, it is a designated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), and a military friendly university. The university is dedicated to interdisciplinary learning and entrepreneurship that elevates its people and community, creates educational opportunities, fosters unique collaborations, and supports inclusion, access, and affordability as a gateway to the world. 

Water on the Mesa: Filmmaker, Palmer Land Conservancy set to premiere documentary on agricultural crisis

By Rory Harbert | Managing Editor | Pueblo Star Journal | April 9, 2024

About 75% of the planet is covered in water, coming in the form of liquid or ice. The Earth cycles this water endlessly, a process that has churned for 3.8 billion years. The ocean, though, holds 97% of this water. The land that people rely on to inhabit, to propagate food and to look for to hold fresh water, makes up only 29% of the planet’s surface. With a faucet running water with ease, while looking out of kitchen windows, seeing large swaths of land that we stomp on, build on and claim easily, these numbers are hard to weave into reality.

The film “MIRASOL,” sponsored by the  Palmer Land Conservancy, aims to bridge this connection between a wider picture and individual perspective. The film revolves around The Mesa, Pueblo’s agricultural mainstay, where the experts and farmers of the area—neighbors—have a much different perspective as they look at an agricultural crisis face on.

According to a press release, the U.S. loses 2,000 acres of land every day to development, which prompted the creation of this film.

Familiar names in the community, Williams Farm & Seed Store, Musso Farms, Professor Mike Bartolo and Martellaro Family Farms, appear in the film to speak on how this rapid land development is contributing to water scarcity.

“This land should be like our only child,” Bartolo stated in the film. “ We should be protecting it with everything we have.”

The 36-minute documentary received a nomination for the 2024 Big Sky Mountain Film Festival. It was also selected for the 5Point Film Festival of the same year.

Award-winning director Ben Knight is impassioned by adventure and environmental filmmaking. His films include “DamNation,” which premiered at 2014’s South by Southwest conference and festival, produced with Patagonia; “The Last Honey Hunter,” in 2018’s Telluride Mountainfilm with National Geographic; and “Learning to Drown,” in 2021’s Tribeca with The North Face.

“‘MIRASOL’ has been a dream project for me,” he stated.

The producing organization behind MIRASOL is the  Palmer Land Conservancy, which manages over 138,000 acres of land in Colorado since 1977. According to the statement, Palmer has been working for the past eight years “alongside the local  Pueblo farmers” and other entities “to protect the Mesa in the face of an impending dry up.” Pueblo’s premier of "MIRASOL” starts at 5:30 p.m. April 25 at the Sangre De Cristo Arts & Conference Center, 210 N. Santa Fe. Ave. See more details on the film’s website: mirasolfilm.com.

Showings of 'Mirasol':

April 25 - Thursday
Pueblo Premiere
5:30 p.m., Sangre De Cristo Arts & Conference Center, 210 N. Santa Fe Ave.
Light refreshments, Cash bar, followed by after party.
More info at: palmerland.org/Mirasol-Pueblo.

April 28 - Sunday
Pueblo Film Fest - Festival Winner Screening & “MIRASOL”
10 a.m. - all day, Sangre De Cristo Arts & Conference Center, 210 N. Santa Fe Ave. tickets at: filmfreeway.com/pueblofilmfest/tickets.

May 9 - Thursday
Free Community Screening of MIRASOL
5:30 p.m. Rawlings library branch, 100 E. Abriendo Ave

Viewing with county commissioner Daneya Esgar.Registration requested, walk-ins welcome. More info at:palmerland.org/event/mirasol-free-pueblo-library-screening.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

https://pueblostarjournal.org/culture/2024/04/09/mirasol-looking-at-the-sun-documentary-agricultural-crisis/

Pueblo's 72 Hour Kickass Film Festival: A Celebration of Creativity

Image by Morbid Meagan

Pueblo's 72 Hour Kickass Film Festival: A Celebration of Creativity

The Sangre de Cristo Arts Center buzzed with excitement on April 6th, 2024, as Pueblo celebrated the 2024 edition of the 72 Hour Kickass Film Festival. This unique competition challenges filmmakers to write, shoot, and edit a short film in just 72 hours, pushing the boundaries of creativity and collaboration.

The energy was palpable as over 300 film enthusiasts gathered for the three-hour-long celebration. The evening culminated in the highly anticipated award ceremony, where filmmakers were recognized for their achievements in various categories. From "Best Picture" to "Audience Choice," each award highlighted the diverse talents on display.

Adding to the celebratory atmosphere was a captivating performance by Pueblo's own Stilts, featuring lead singer Jeremy Kitchen. Their music provided the perfect backdrop for an evening that showcased the city's thriving film scene.

This year's Kickass Film Festival proved to be a resounding success. The large attendance is a testament to the growing popularity of the event and the Pueblo community's passion for film. The festival not only provides a platform for aspiring filmmakers but also fosters a sense of camaraderie and collaboration within the local film industry.

A big congratulations to all the participants, winners, and organizers of the 72 Hour Kickass Film Festival! Here's to many more successful years to come!

Pueblo Regional Film Commission

#72HourKickass #PuebloFilm #Filmmaking

Special thanks to KickAss co-founders Jacob Rivera (left) and David Chavez (right). 2024 event host - Nova - in the center. Image by Morbid Meagan

April is Pueblo's Film Month!

April is Pueblo's Film Month!

Calling all movie lovers, aspiring directors, and anyone who enjoys a good story! Pueblo is gearing up for a month-long celebration of cinema, and you're invited to be a part of the action!

April is Pueblo's Film Month!

This April, our city transforms into a vibrant hub for storytelling through film. We're talking fast-paced challenges, prestigious screenings, and a brand new festival – all dedicated to the power of the moving image.

Why Film Matters

Film is more than just entertainment. It's a window into different worlds, a platform for diverse voices, and a medium that sparks emotions, ignites imaginations, and leaves a lasting impact.

Pueblo's Festival Frenzy

This April, Pueblo explodes with four incredible film festivals, each offering a unique experience:

  • 72 Hour Kickass Film Festival (April 6th): Can you make a movie in just 72 hours? This high-energy competition pushes filmmakers to their creative limits, resulting in hilarious, innovative, and truly "kickass" short films. Head to the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center on April 6th and witness the magic (and maybe a little mayhem) unfold!

  • MountainFilm Festival at CSU Pueblo (April 18th-20th): Adventure awaits! MountainFilm brings its acclaimed festival to CSU Pueblo from April 18th to 20th. Prepare to be inspired by thought-provoking documentaries that explore the intersection of nature, culture, and adventure.

  • Pueblo Film Fest (New! April 26th-28th): Mark your calendars for the inaugural Pueblo Film Fest! This brand new event takes place at the Blo Back Gallery and Sangre de Cristo Arts Center from April 26th to 28th. Celebrate local and regional filmmakers, enjoy a variety of screenings, and be part of Pueblo's exciting film future.

Join the Pueblo Film Movement

Whether you're a film fanatic, a budding director, or simply someone who appreciates a good story, there's something for everyone in Pueblo's Film Month. Attend screenings, participate in workshops, or volunteer your time. Let's celebrate the power of film and turn Pueblo into a thriving center for cinematic storytelling!

For more information and ticketing details for each festival, visit their websites. Get ready for an April filled with lights, camera, and Pueblo action!

Lights, Camera, Pueblo: The Importance of Film Festivals

Lights, Camera, Pueblo: A Celebration of Film Festivals in our Vibrant Community

Pueblo has a story to tell, and it's being showcased brighter than ever before! Our city is experiencing a surge in film production, and a big part of that excitement comes from the incredible lineup of film festivals we're lucky to call our own.

From the fast-paced frenzy of the 48 Hour Film Festival to the prestigious StoryMode Independent Short Film Awards (SISFA), Pueblo offers a platform for filmmakers of all experience levels to share their voices.

Why Film Festivals Matter

Film festivals are more than just red carpets and award ceremonies. They're vibrant cultural hubs that:

  • Showcase Diverse Stories: Film festivals bring a kaleidoscope of perspectives to our community. From local narratives to international features, these events allow us to experience the world through different lenses.

  • Nurture Local Talent: Pueblo is teeming with creative storytellers. Film festivals provide a platform for them to showcase their work, gain recognition, and connect with other filmmakers.

  • Boost the Local Economy: Film festivals attract visitors, filmmakers, and industry professionals. This influx of people injects energy and revenue into restaurants, hotels, and local businesses.

  • Celebrate the Power of Film: Film has the unique ability to entertain, educate, and inspire. Film festivals reignite our passion for storytelling and remind us of the magic of cinema.

Pueblo's Festival Spotlight

Pueblo boasts a diverse festival scene catering to a variety of tastes:

  • 48 Hour Film Festival: Buckle up for a whirlwind weekend of creativity! Teams have 48 hours to write, shoot, and edit a short film. This high-octane event is a testament to the power of collaboration and quick thinking.

  • 72 Hour Kickass Film Festival: This festival pushes the boundaries with its "anything goes" approach. Prepare for a wild ride filled with innovative storytelling and offbeat humor.

  • StoryMode Independent Short Film Awards (SISFA): This prestigious event recognizes excellence in independent filmmaking across various genres. SISFA is a star-studded celebration of artistic achievement.

  • MountainFilm Festival: This festival, held in nearby Telluride, extends its reach to Pueblo with screenings and events. MountainFilm showcases stories that explore the intersection of nature, culture, and adventure.

  • Pueblo Film Fest (New): Stay tuned for the inaugural Pueblo Film Fest, a brand new event promising exciting opportunities for local and regional filmmakers.

Be Part of the Pueblo Film Story

Whether you're an aspiring filmmaker, a film buff, or simply someone who appreciates the power of storytelling, Pueblo's film festivals have something for you. Attend a screening, participate in a workshop, or volunteer your time. Let's celebrate the art of film and continue to make Pueblo a vibrant hub for cinematic voices!

We encourage you to visit the websites of each festival for more information and upcoming events. Let's turn Pueblo into a center stage for storytelling!

Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Hosts 35th Annual Film Festival

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. — Driven, spirited and diverse voices make up the 2022 Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival, an event that has elevated the stories of women and others often unheard or unseen through film for 35 years.

 

On November 11th-13th, 2022, the longest-running women’s film festival in North America will host the 35th annual Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival, once again making us laugh, cry and question what we thought we knew. Forty-one films will be screened over the three-day festival. A sampling of selections include:

●       Battleground, directed by Colorado College graduate Cynthia Lowen, presents a timely window into the intersection of abortion and politics in America, following three women who lead formidable anti-abortion organizations to witness the influence they wield.

●       Being Michelle, a film that raises awareness around the disproportionate impact of incarceration and systemic discrimination on deaf/disabled people.

●        The Flagmakers, co-directed by Sharon Liese and Oscar-winner Cynthia Wade, is a behind-the-scenes look at the largest American flag factory in the United States where a tight-knit team of diverse refugees and immigrants from twelve nations cut, sew and ship 5 million American flags a year. This is Cynthia’s 7th screening at the Festival, the most of any one filmmaker.

 

Since inception, RMWFF has screened nearly 1000 films, hosted more than 250 filmmakers, and served an audience of tens of thousands. The Festival is the longest running women’s film festival in the Western Hemisphere.

“We’re so proud of this year’s lineup, the incredible filmmakers that will be represented, and stories that will be shared.” said Linda Broker, Executive Director of the Rocky Mountain Women’s Film.

 

“Listening to another perspective matters now more than ever. It’s an honor to do this work and we believe people will leave this festival a little different than they came in.”

 

The festival will be returning to Colorado College after a two-year hiatus. Screenings will take place in the Cornerstone Arts Center, Kathryn Morhman Theatre, and Packard Hall.  A variety of pass options are available to fit various schedules and budgets. 

 

●       Full Festival Pass (Friday-Sunday): $140

●       Double Day Pass (Saturday and Sunday before 6:00pm): $100

●       Flex Five: $70

●       Single Day Tickets $55

●       Single Block Tickets (only available 10 minutes in advance of screening, subject to availability): $15

Rocky Mountain Women’s Film Festival will offer a Virtual Encore November 17-20th.

 

About RMWF

Rocky Mountain Women’s Film builds community around film, elevating the stories of women and others who are often unheard or unseen. The organization seeks to discover, support, connect and inspire filmmakers, while cultivating connection and conversation around their work.