News from the LA United Film Festival

The Jesus Guy premiered in Beverly Hills at the LA United Film Festival on April 20th.  The film was in good company, with a roster of award-winning films and documentaries...some that played with The Jesus Guy at other festivals.  I finally got to see Darius Goes West, which I highly recommend, now available on DVD at dariusgoeswest.com.  Jason Connell's fun film, Strictly Background, strictlybackground.com  also played, and is one of my favorites from the festival circuit that I've seen. 

The LA festival kicked off with a great party at the Gibson Guitar Museum and showroom, with a live performance from one of the festival film's subjects, Larry Pierce, from Dirty Country, dirtycountrymovie.com.  Let's just say it wasn't politically correct, but it was hilarious.  

Perhaps the best part of the festival in LA is that a lot of my friends, who have moved there to pursue careers in commercials and movies showed up to support the movie. actor/writer, 

Brian Connors, producer/writer, 

Kim Reeves, singer/songwriter, Kelly Slattery, art director Rob Engel, actress, Lea Renay-Contarino, 

actor/comedians, 

Jim & Tamra Meskimen, 

found at: appliedsillyness.com...thanks to all for coming!

Additional Screening in Connecticut

Just in, another screening on the tour of the Connecticut Film Festival has been added.

Sunday, April 13 at 1:15pm 

Marquis 16 Theaters

100 Quarry Road

Trumbull, CT 06611

Don't forget the big event for the Connecticut Film Festival in May 20-25. Sean will be attending that screening and participating in a Q&A immediately following.

Private Screening at Seacoast Academy

At 8am Monday morning, in lieu of their normal chapel service, Seacoast Academy (private middle school in the NH Seacoast area) screened The Jesus Guy with a Q&A following. Scott Votey, Head of School, invited Sean to screen the film because Scott believed that the documentary and having Sean there to answer questions about the subject and about filmmaking would be a value to the students. Sean is also a Trustee of the Academy and has been a part of it since the very first "visioning" meeting in 2002. It was a pleasure to have a private screening of The Jesus Guy at the school. The students asked pointed questions about the life and philosophy of the barefoot evangelist and they were very curious and smart about the filmmaking process.

IMDB

The Jesus Guy is now listed on IMDB (Internet Movie Database). Be sure to add your reviews or start a forum discussion.

Director's Recap from Ozark Foothills FilmFest

Click here for the story in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette.

Ozark Foothills is a great little film fest with great big heart!
Bob and Judy Pest have put together a fantastic venue (the Independence Hall Auditorium) and a great group of people to see an artfully-selected group of films. Bob Pest has been involved and on the Board of Directors of some other fine festivals (Indie Memphis, Hot Springs, PBS, etc.), so when he gets behind a film and programs it, you can be sure it's worth the watching. Bob is passionate about film and supporting the filmmakers. He knew my film and understood its meaning and message as well as anyone who's seen it. Thanks for paying attention, Bob!

During this trip, I especially enjoyed the time I got to spend meeting Chris Eska (writer/director) and Jason Wehling (producer), of August Evening, this year's Cassavetes Award Winner at the Indie Spirit Awards. Chris and I were picked up and dropped off at the airport together (going our separate ways to the East and West Coasts), and had much time to talk about indie distribution, festivals, and filmmaking in general. On the way, we saw the areas flooded out by the Mississippi and the White Rivers. Just a few weeks earlier, on a trip via Memphis to the Oxford Film Fest, I saw the ravages of the tornadoes that passed thru just days earlier. If The Jesus Guy is scheduled to air in your town, better watch the weather!

Sean Tracey, Chris Eska, Jason Wehling

Photo by Keith Sturch