(From Film Threat Weekly)
SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST UNDEAD FILM FESTIVAL INVADES AUSTIN
An alternative to the upcoming South By Southwest Film Festival has reared its
ugly head. To be held in Austin, Texas, members of SlowKid Productions have
formed their own film fest. This year, the first annual South By Southwest
Undead Film Festival will be held concurrently with the South By Southwest
Film Festival during the days of March 19-20th at yet to be disclosed venues
in and around Austin.
Nathan McGinty, organizer of the SXSW Undead Film Festival for Slowkid
Productions, has already confirmed a number of unpretentious choices for
films, making their premiere including: "Zombie Like Me", which explores the
discrimination that Zombies experience in a world dominated by Mummys, "The
Naked and the Undead" a WWII era film chronicling the struggles of a group of
undead GI's working to defeat the Japanese in the pacific theater and, "The
Collegians Are Go!!", filmed locally in Austin and a recent finalist in the
United States Super 8mm Film Festival.
"We just couldn't believe the blatant 'pro-life' bias that the South By
Southwest Film Festival held against films featuring certain members of the
undead. We feel it's time that mummys and zombies - undead people everywhere -
banded together to be heard," Chuck Collegian, one of the festival's
participants, says, "That's exactly what the festival here is seeking to do by
helping this much maligned and misunderstood demographic establish it's own
unique voice in the grand tradition of the American cinema."
Mr. McGinty made a special point of including the Collegian's production
in the festival, "For months now, I've been listening to Dr. (Dean) Collegian
and Chuck Collegian talk about how their film has been censored by the major
film festivals, including South By Southwest. Now, at least they've got some
proof." Recently, The Collegians have made public on their web site a Freedom
of Information Act Request letter from the CIA in which they address the
censorship issue (http://www.flojo.com).
Because the Undead Festival was organized on such short notice, final
screening times and locations have yet to be determined. "We've still got a
lot of work to do, but, hopefully we'll be able to pull it together. There are
a lot of filmmakers really ticked off at South By Southwest." Mr. McGinty
notes. "We've got plenty of volunteers."
Entries should be sent to: SXSW Undead Film Fest, 912A W. Elizabeth,
Austin, TX 78704. E-mail the gang at: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.flojo.com/undeadfest
Read more about SXSW Undead on the site...
