GoPro X-Dance Action Sports Film Festival Storms Salt Lake & Park City For 11th year

Sundance, Utah (January 7, 2011) This January, 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 22-25, 2011 with screening headquarters at The Depot 13 North 4th West; 801-456-2800 www.depotslc.com. 

“The GoPro X-Dance Action Sports Film Fest, Presented by SkullCandy, will take place in both Salt Lake City and Park City. We are totally stoked to screen the best action sports films in the world at The Depot this year. It’s such an amazing venue and a perfect fit for X-Dance,” says festival director Brian Wimmer. “For the closing party and award ceremony we are returning to PARK CITY and Harry O’s where we can award these devoted filmmakers and celebrate action sports culture in the epicenter of the Sundance Film Festival!”

The Go Pro X-Dance Action sports Film Festival will run from Saturday January 22 through Tuesday January 25^th.  All screenings and X-Dance Institute panels will occur at The Depot (www.depotslc.com), starting at 2pm on Saturday and run through Monday evening the 24^th. 

This year’s line-up features incredible films starring the likes of madman skier Tanner Hall, soul surfer Rob Machado, world record breaking free skier Grete Eliassen, snowboard maverick Jeremy Jones, kayaking superstar Rush Sturges, and MotoX madman Robbie Maddison.   

“I’ve have known about the X-Dance Festival for a long time but had never been until last year. After seeing all of the passion and how diverse the films are, it bummed me out that I had missed the other years!  I do not plan on missing anymore!!  declares World champion wakeboarder Parks Bonifay, whose film Parks Bonifay Documentary won Best Biography in 2010.

“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.

The 4-day festival will include:

• Screenings open to the Public of top action sports films from industry stalwarts like Taylor Steele, Red Bull, Poor Boyz, and VAS, as well as noteworthy work by emerging talent and world premieres. Screenings run Saturday, January 22 thru Monday, January 24 and will occur at The Depot (www.depotslc.com).  Films will be shown starting at 2pm on Saturday and run through Monday evening the 24^th. For the detailed schedule go to x-dance.com

• Parking for THE DEPOT screenings in the Gateway Mall, parking lot or on street for a fee.  Tickets are $8 per film, $5 for students.  $40 for a 3-day pass. $25 for students.  Tickets available at SMITH TIX and The Depot Box Office.

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

• Local films and World Premieres

• The X-Dance Institute will host an open-to-the-public presentation by FirstCom (www.firstcom.com), a cutting-edge music library specializing  in sports music on Monday, January 24^th at 6:30 p.m.  On Sunday, January 23 at 630pm another panel will explore the topic of how to market your film in the present day climate. 

• Opening Party on Saturday, January 22, at The Depot with DJS and VJs.

• X-Dance Awards Ceremony and Closing Party will be held on Tuesday, January 25 at Harry O’s in Park City.  Industry stars and celebrities join bands and DJs to celebrate the best in action sports filmmaking, while the extraordinary VJ, Brien Pullman, transforms the enormous room into a mesmerizing, wall-to-wall montage of action sports imagery.  Band and DJ TBD shortly. Music provided by SkullCandy.  OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. More info:  www.x-dance.com 

Overviews of Some Accepted Films:

Castles in the Sky is a completely new approach to surf filmmaking by Taylor Steele. Filmed in five countries over three years, the movie delves into the true heart of the locations while the surfers travel through them with a sense of open-minded awe. With never-before seen waves, an original score, and some of the best surfers in the world contributing their art, passion and athleticism, this is as close to the experience of pioneering new coastlines as you can get without getting on a plane!

Like A Lion:  This documentary feature film about the most awarded and most controversial skier of the last decade, LIKE A LION tells a tremendous story of adversity and self-confidence, tragedy and triumph. Following the high-risk, high-adrenaline life of seven-time ESPN X-Games Gold medalist Tanner Hall, LIKE A LION is a film that goes beyond skiing, beyond action sports stardom, beyond the rock-star cliches to examine that special courage that allows the best of us to continually comeback from life's toughest blows.

Melali: Set across the vast Indonesian island chain, Melali: The Drifter Sessions features Rob Machado — one of the most stylish and skilled wave riders of our time. Melali returns to the fundamentals of surf cinematography by focusing on the surfing experience, the artful relationship between man and surf, and the sharing of this experience with good friends. 

AZADI: Freedom takes a look at Kashmir in the wake of the violent militant insurgence of the 90s through the lens of skiing. The unique role that skiing is playing in rebuilding tourism in Kashmir is explored using cinematography, animation, and the story of local characters. The film crew explores the future presented to young Kashmiri as they venture into the mountains — on backcountry skis. The world’s highest skiable gondola sits amid the most militarized region in the world, yet the freedom of adventure is drawing foreigners back to this former Shangri-La.

Say My Name:  This film reveals the courage and charisma of freeskier Grete Eliassen. This 23-year old dynamo was raised in Minnesota and Norway. She took up skiing at the age of two, started competing at 10, and turned pro at 17 years old.  Grete has won the U.S. Open four times, as well as capturing two gold and silver medals at the Winter X Games. She is the only female skier to have medaled in both the first Halfpipe and Slopestyle X Games events.  In April 2010, Grete Eliassen reached speeds of approximately 60 miles an hour it the custom 30-foot tall hip, and soared more than 31 feet in the air to set an unofficial new world record for women. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzXquX5mE2M SAY NY NAME is a unique and compelling inside look at this phenomenal woman skier.

WHO IS JOB? The story of how a towheaded, semi-deaf haole born on the North Shore of Oahu to a wild Australian father became one of the most controversial surfers renowned for his presence in the barrel. A peek into how Jamie O¹Brien was weaned to throw himself over Pipeline ledges translating into a life-long adventure. Draining bombs, tweaked airs, broken legs, Tavarua, Nias, Teahupoo, P Pass, Chungu, and Hawaii.

Life Cycles:  A cinematic and stunningly beautiful portrait of the sport of mountainbiking film shot on a Red One by Stance Films.  A cinematic masterpiece with a compelling narrative expressing the deep love and passions behind one of man's greatest inventions...the bike! The sound track is incredibly soulful and gritty. Ryan Gibb paints with the camera using time lapse, textures and movement. Do not miss this film.

If interested in speaking with filmmakers directly please contact Ann Wycoff.  310-291-1255

SPONSORS:

Now in its 11th year, the X-Dance festival has become the focal point for the action sports creative community. We are pleased to announce our 2010 sponsors.

GoPro Cameras

SkullCandy

Visit Salt Lake

ASG

Red Bull

VAS

Suuthe

Mirror Films

Wandermelon

Cristaux International

About X-Dance: 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.

Ann Wycoff:
310-291-1255
awyc@aol.com