After the incredible success of the celebration of the newly revitalized Massachusetts Film Office's first year at a party at the Castle on January 5th, in which over 650 of the most prominant film and media people attended, the MFO is sponsoring a lunch for the Massachusetts film community during the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.
For years, Massachusetts films were prominant at Sundance - l5 years for feature documentaries in competition - 8 years for narrative features. But with the closing of the MFO, and the dissolution of BFVF and the Mass Media Alliance, Massachusetts had not presence or leadership in the last 6 years.
2008 is different.

There are 8 Massachusetts films playing in Park City between the Sundance and Slamdance film festivals. And, the Massachusetts Film Office is sponsoring a celebratory lunch at Noon on Wednmesday, January 23 at Cafe Terrigo on Main Stret to honor the filmmmakers. It will be hosted by Judy Laster, founder and director of the Woods Hole Film Festival and David Kleiler, founder and director of Local Sightings.

Two films are showing in Documentary Competition in Sundance, SECRECY by Peter Galison and Harvard professor Robb Moss, and TRACES OF THE TRADE by Katrina Browne and Balagan film series co-founder Alla Kovgan. The music score is by Roger Miller of The Alloy Orchestra and Mission of Burma, The remaining films are short films to be shown at Slamdance: Chip Moore's animation SWING, BU's production professor Sam Kauffman's MASSACRE AT MAURAMBI, animator Andy Cahill's SPONTANEOUS GENERATION and EVERYTHING SAID, Benny Safdie's STORY OF CHARLES RIVERBANK, and Nathan Silver's ANECDOTE
Also at Sundance will be the world premiere of NEXT STOP WONDERLAND'S director's TRANSIBERIAN with Woody Harrelson, Emily Mortimer and Ben Kingsley. Both in the past and now today, Massachusetts has a lot to be proud of. It has been a banner year for Massachusetts. Under the direction of MFO's Nick Paleologos, over 250 million dollars have been pumped into the economy. The Park City/Sundance/Slamdance lunch signifies the turnaround for filmmakers in Massachusetts.
For information about the lunch,

Contact David Kleiler at 617-470-8274