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Sundance, Utah- Each winter, the world’s top action sports filmmakers, iconic athletes and enthusiasts come together in Utah to celebrate action sports culture at the X-Dance Action Sports Film Festival.  This year’s event will run January 21-26, 2010 with screening headquarters at the Off Broadway Theater (272 South Main Street) in Salt Lake.

“It truly is the best of action sports. Nowhere else will you find all of the top athletes and filmmakers under one roof,” says surfing legend Laird Hamilton, a long-time X-Dance supporter. With roots in the action sports world as well as the mainstream entertainment industry, no event on earth harnesses the creative energy of adrenaline culture like the X-Dance Action Sports Film Festival.

Launched in 2001 with the support of major sponsors, X-Dance has grown to become the premier action sports film festival in the world. While the films and the athletes change from year to year, the mission of X-Dance remains constant: To nurture the growth of action sports filmmaking and to honor achievement on both sides of the camera.  X-Dance will always recognize innovative work that pushes the limits of style and narrative.

X-Dance celebrates its 10th Anniversary in January 2010, and according to festival director Brian Wimmer, “It’s going to be an incredible year.  We are extremely proud to present Warren Miller, ‘The Godfather’ of action sports films with the Lifetime Achievement Award and are thrilled that he is getting involved with the festival.  In addition, there will be special screenings, X-Dance Institute forums and many off-the-chart parties to mark our 10th anniversary.”
   

The 6-day festival will include:

    •    Screenings open to the Public of top action sports films from industry stalwarts like Matchstick, Red Bull, Burton, Teton Gravity Research, Standard Films, Alliance Wakeboards, Poor Boyz, Radical Films, VAS, Transworld, and Woodshed Films, as well as noteworthy work by emerging talent and world premieres. Screenings run Thursday, January 21 at 3 p.m. thru Monday, January 25 at the Off-Broadway Theater (272 South Main St.) located across from the Gallivan Trax stop.  There is ample street parking or the Wells Fargo and Tower lots.  Tickets are $8 per film, $5 for students; Special X-Dance Institute screenings are $12.  $40 for a 5-day pass. The full X-Dance film schedule is listed on the website: www.x-dance.com

    •    Open forums for question and answer sessions after each screening with filmmakers and featured athletes.

    •    Local films and World premieres including “The Last Paradise” from New Zealand. Local filmmakers Stan Evans and Jeremy Miller present the female snowboarding film “Stance.”  “Contact” will open the festival starring local skier Blake Nyman. Local author and director Bill Kerig also stars in “The Edge of Never.” Jordan Romero, age 14, who intends to be the youngest person to climb Everest, will screen his short on Thursday, January 21 at 5:20 p.m. Shaun White will be on site for the special screening and Institute fundraiser for his film “Project X”  on Monday, January 25 at 8:50 p.m.

    •    The X-Dance Institute presents a Cinematography Workshop sponsored by GoPro Cameras with Academy-nominated cinematographer Don Burgess (“Forrest Gump,” “Spiderman”) and Chris Woods, director of over 400 national commercials on Saturday, January 23rd at 4:30 p.m. A controversial debate over the future of distribution and copyright will be hosted by Bit Torrent on Sunday, January 24 at 4:45 p.m. Finally, Warren Miller will address filmmakers in a public forum on Monday, January 25 at 3:30 p.m. All Institute programs will take place at the X-Dance screening headquarters at the Off Broadway Theater. www.theobt.com

    •    Opening Party on Thursday, January 21 in conjunction with Outdoor Retailer.  At The Rail (www.theraileventcenter.com/) at 7 p.m. For band and more info:  www.x-dance.com

    •    X-Dance Awards Ceremony and Closing Party will be held on Tuesday, January 26 and hosted by Olympic snowboard commentator and Fuel TV’s “Daily Habit” producer/host Pat Parnell.  Industry stars and celebrities join bands and DJs to celebrate the best in action sports filmmaking, while the extraordinary VJ, Brien Rullman, transforms the enormous room into a mesmerizing, wall-to-wall montage of action sports imagery.  Door open at 7 p.m. at Club Elevate.  For more info:  www.x-dance.com

    •    The “Godfather” of Action Sports Filmmaking Warren Miller will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Awards Ceremony and Closing Party on Tuesday, January 26th.  

    •    Athletes like soul surfer Rob Machado, snowboarder whiz Shaun White, extreme skier Scot Schmidt, snowboarder Todd Richards, snowboarder Robbie Maddison, and snowboarder Mike Basich will attend the festival and final ceremony.  

SPONSORS:

Now in its 10th year, the X-Dance festival has become the focal point for the action sports creative community. We are pleased to announce our 2010 sponsors.

Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau
GoPro Cameras
968 Park Hotel
Six Pillars Group
Red Bull
VAS
YUDU
Utah Film Commission
Mirror Films
Wandermelon
MovieTickets.com
Diversion TV
Cristaux International

For more info please contact Ann Wycoff:  310-291-1255; awyc@aol.com

Ann Wycoff
January 7, 2010
310-291-1255; awyc@aol.com