ELEVENTH ANNUAL INDIEFEST
FEBRUARY 5-19, 2009 IN SAN FRANCISCO
CASTRO THEATRE, ROXIE CINEMAS, SHATTUCK THEATRE

NOW MORE FESTIVE THAN EVER WITH PARTIES GALORE
CELEBRATING ELEVEN YEARS OF INDEPENDENT FILMS


The Eleventh Annual San Francisco Independent Film Festival (IndieFest), featuring more than 80 absolutely independent films and videos, unspools February 5-19, 2009 at Bay Area theatres including the Roxie Cinemas, 3117 16th Street; Shattuck Theatre, 2230 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley and Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street in San Francisco. Tickets are $10.50 for each screening and $25 for Opening Night (including the after-party), $200 for Festival Pass good for all films and parties. For tickets or more information, telephone (415) 820-3907 or click on www.sfindie.com.

World Premieres
Always an exciting part of the Festival is films that have never seen screened before on our shores. This year's world premieres of LET THEM KNOW: THE STORY OF YOUTH BRIGADE AND BYO RECORDS, and MORRIS COUNTY fit the bill.

LET THEM KNOW: THE STORY OF YOUTH BRIGADE AND BYO RECORDS takes you through the last 25 years of an independent Punk Rock label. The story is told through interviews and rare footage of the explosive LA Punk Rock scene from the 80's until current. Riots, harassment from the law, amazing bands, crazy stories and best of all, a real and earnest desire to change the world through punk rock are captured in this documentary. MORRIS COUNTY by Matthew Garrett is an equal parts drama, horror, true-crime anthology and life-cycle piece following three sets of characters on their individual journeys into oblivion.

Narrative Highlights, from home and abroad
This year's Festival features numerous dramatic narrative highlights including THE 27 CLUB, I SELL THE DEAD, EUGENE, HOME MOVIE, ROUTE 30 and HARRISON MONTGOMERY.

THE 27 CLUB, by filmmaker Erica Dunton is a wholly unforgettable story about two band members, Tom and Elliot. Tom is dead. Elliot is left behind. Tom was the front man of their successful band, Finn. He died of his 27th birthday. They've spent their whole lives side by side. Elliot is left to decide if he, too, will join the 27 Club. Jimmy Hendrix, Janice Joplin, Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain also belong to this infamous club-they all died at 27. As Tom and Elliot's story is revealed, and the history of their life unfolds, it's clear that it takes more than just a number to determine one's fate.

In I SELL THE DEAD, Writer-Director Glenn McQuaid transforms New York City into the 18th century British Isles to tell this horror/comedy starring Dominic Monaghan (LORD OF THE RINGS) and Larry Fessenden. Arthur Blake (Monaghan) and Willie Grimes (Fessenden) are a pair of grave robbers who are headed to the guillotine but first are given the opportunity to give their life stories to a priest (Ron Perlman). EUGENE, directed by Jake Barsha, is a psychological thriller about a lonely bachelor who befriends a young hustler and his girlfriend, with disastrous results for all involved.
HOME MOVIE, directed by Christopher Denham, documents one family's descent into darkness, using a compilation of found home-made footage. ROUTE 30 directed by John Putch contains three interconnecting stories set along the Lincoln Highway is South Central Pennsylvania. DEER HUNTERS' WIVES tells of the frustrations of Civil War tour guide Mandy, who obsesses on Jenny Wade, the only civilian killed at the battle of Gettysburg. WHAT I BELIEVE focuses on a man who seeks the help of a Christian Scientist to heal his back pain and explain the Bigfoot that chased him down the mountainside. ORIGINAL BILL is the story of a writer who buys a farmhouse in the country in hopes to find unique inspiration to write his novel.

Filmed in the Bay Area, HARRISON MONTGOMERY tells the tale of would-be artist Ricardo Papa as he tries to make ends meet as a petty drug dealer in the poverty-stricken Tenderloin district. On the run from his boss and on the outs with his girlfriend, he takes up residence in the dilapidated Hotel Boyd. There he crosses paths with thirteen-year-old Lattie Flemming who charms Ricardo with her fearless and beguiling attitude. As they grow closer, Ricardo learns that Lattie's mother, Margo, is trapped in an abusive relationship that puts mother and child in jeopardy. When Ricardo desperately presses to make good on a deal gone bad, he encounters another of the Boyd's residents, Harrison Montgomery. Ricardo discovers that this aging recluse has a secret—a secret that could solve all of Ricardo's problems. With his boss closing in, and Margo and Lattie on the ropes, Ricardo is forced to choose between saving himself, and saving his only friends.

Comedies include the zany SUPER HAPPY FUN MONKEY BASH, a 90 minute compilation of mind-boggling insanity from Japanese television produced by Tim League of Austin's Alamo Drafthouse. You'll see A-list American celebrities pimping themselves out for cheap Japanese products, bawdy situation comedies, unexpected nudity, extreme pro-wrestling, bizarre anti-flatulence products, nonsensical English phrases, supreme goofiness, lots and lots of foam rubber costumes, and featuring plenty of excerpts from the Japanese CNN (Chimpanzee News Network). Most importantly, however, the 2009 edition is a tribute to veteran TV funnyman Hitoshi Matsumoto, one of the best-known comedians in Japan today. The program will feature extended scenes from his long-running series DOWNTOWN as well as more recent spin-off shows such as Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ and no Subera nai Hanas.

On the docket of documentaries, 'The Big Lebowski' is King
The highlight of this year's documentary line-up is THE ACHIEVERS-THE STORY OF LEBOWSKI FANS. Amazed by the cult phenomenon of 'The Big Lebowski", Director Eddie Chung set out to Las Vegas and began filming a documentary about a festival dedicated to the movie. So enamored by what he saw, he not only captured the events but became ingrained in the social fabric of the Lebowski Fest and its participants. San Francisco has it own annual Lebowski Fest, SF IndieFest's Big Lebowski Party! Read on for party info!

Parties and celebrations abound!
IndieFest loves films, and they also love a good party! In addition to the Opening and Closing night shindigs, IndieFest has events going almost every night of the Festival, so you can party outta bounds.

Opening Night Party, happening on February5, will take place at CellSpace with live performances by the Extra Action Marching Band and Live Evil. The party starts at 9:00pm and runs until 1:00am. Admission is $10, $5 in costume, free with any IndieFest ticket stub or advance ticket receipt.

The Hand Jive, IndieFest's GREASE themed Wrap Party will take place on February 20 at CellSpace from 9:00pm to 1:00am. Live bands, a Dance Off!, hyper-50s attire recommended!. Admission is $10, $5 in greaser/bobby socks get up or free with any IndieFest ticket stub or advance ticket receipt.

Pack up your skates, fire up the time machine and get loaded at the Roller Disco Party on Feb. 13 at Cell Space. There will be rentable skates provided by Black Rock Roller Disco and the hippest of retro tunes spinning on the sound system as you travel back in time. The party will be rockin from 8:00pm to 2:00am. Admission is $10, $5 in costume and free with any IndieFest ticket stub or advance ticket receipt.

Now in it's sixth year, the Big Lebowski Party takes a load off on Feb, 7 at CellSpace from 8:00pm to 2:00am. Come dressed as your favorite Lebowski character. Enjoy some white Russians, bowl in the Fest's mini bowling alley, follow in Maud's footsteps down the zip line, and watch this 1998 Coen Brothers' film projected on the wall. But remember the Dude abides. Admission is $10, $5 in costume and free with any IndieFest ticket stub or advance ticket receipt.

Of course, if you cannot wait until the films begin on February 5, IndieFest offers a Benefit/Launch Party on January 23 at the Elbo Room – with the band The Shotgun Wedding Quintet, The Ex-Boyfriends and Pollo del Mar, plus a slew of festival previews and beer specials. Happening from 9:00pm to 2:00am, the event is 21 and up and admission is $10. All proceeds benefit SF IndieFest.

A very brief and glorious history of IndieFest, in case you are wondering
In 1998 Jeff Ross realized there was no avenue available for his friend Rand Alexander to show his film, CAGED, even though it had played the prestigious Slamdance Film Festival that same year. Jeff took to the streets and put on a four-day event financed, like many of the films presented, with his personal credit cards. The event was welcomed with an audience of over 3,000 people. The following year IndieFest grew to a nine-day event with over 4,200 in attendance. Over a decade later, IndieFest draws crowds of 11,000 and continues to support and celebrate maverick filmmakers and their work.

Information about 2009 SF IndieFest
The Eleventh Annual San Francisco Independent Film Festival (IndieFest), a worldwide blend of more than 100 independent films and videos, unspools February 5-19, 2009 at Bay Area theatres including the Roxie Cinemas, 3117 16th Street; Shattuck Theatre, 2230 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley and Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street in San Francisco. Tickets are $10.50 for each screening and $25 for Opening Night (including the after-party), $200 for Festival Pass and all parties. For tickets or more information, telephone (415) 820-3907 or click on www.sfindie.com.