Join us April 5 for our Opening Night Premiere Event

THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT

Our Opening night Premiere Event on April 5, is a full night of food and celebration, beginning at the Party Pavilion with tastes from some of the best restaurants in town, great entertainment and some special silent auction items.

After you've had your fill, we all head on over to the theatre where we present this year's Visionary Award to Founder and Executive Director of Local First Arizona, Kimber Lanning.

Then it's our Opening Night Film, Lean on Pete.

From acclaimed filmmaker Andrew Haigh (Weekend; 45 Years), and based on the beloved novel by Willy Vlautin, comes Lean on Pete—a deeply moving story about love, loneliness, family, and friendship, told through the unique prism of one boy’s connection to a very special racehorse.

Fifteen-year-old Charley Thompson (Charlie Plummer) arrives in Portland, Oregon with his single father Ray (Travis Fimmel), both of them eager for a fresh start after a series of hard knocks. While Ray descends into personal turmoil, Charley finds acceptance and camaraderie at a local racetrack where he lands a job caring for an aging Quarter Horse named Lean On Pete. The horse’s gruff owner Del Montgomery (Steve Buscemi) and his seasoned jockey Bonnie (Chloë Sevigny) help Charley fill the void of his father’s absence—until he discovers that Pete is bound for slaughter, prompting him to take extreme measures to spare his new friend’s life. Charley and Pete head out into the great unknown, embarking on an odyssey across the new American frontier in search of a loving aunt Charley hasn’t seen in years. They experience adventure and heartbreak in equal measure, but never lose their irrepressible hope and resiliency as they pursue their dream of finding a place they can call home.

Featuring an incredible breakout turn by Charlie Plummer (The Dinner; King Jack; Ridley Scott’s All The Money in the World) and memorable supporting work by indie stalwarts Buscemi, Sevigny and Steve Zahn, Lean on Pete is a compassionate and heartrending look at the desire for love, family, and acceptance that drives all of us.

Tickets for this Opening Night Event are $60 with all proceeds going to the Phoenix Film Foundation's education programs.

Please note that the Opening Night Event is not included in Single Tickets, Flex, Festival and VIP Passes.

Join us for the 2016 Phoenix Film Festival Summer Showcase

This special summer event returns with a fresh batch of films to help you cool off as we inch closer towards the end of summer. This year's event will be held August 22 to 25, 2016 at the Harkins Scottsdale 101 Theatre. All screenings are at 7pm with all of the films featuring a post-film discussion hosted by members of the Phoenix Critics Circle.

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MONDAY, AUGUST 22, 2016

HANDS OF STONE

Starring: Robert De Niro, Édgar Ramírez, Usher, John Turturro and Ellen Barkin.

Hands of Stone follows the life of Roberto Duran, the legendary Panamanian fighter who made his professional debut when he was just 16 years-old, and his equally legendary trainer Ray Arcel who together changed each other's lives. In June 1980, he defeated Sugar Ray Leonard to capture the WBC welterweight title, but shocked the boxing world by returning to his corner in their November rematch, famously saying the words "no mas" (no more.)

A discussion will follow the film hosted by Phoenix Critics Circle member Monte Yazzi of TheCodaFilms.com and the Phoenix Film Festival.

PURCHASE TICKETS FOR HANDS OF STONE

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

SEA OF TREES

Directed by Gus Van Sant

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Naomi Watts and Ken Watanabe

In this powerful story of love and redemption, Matthew McConaughey stars as Arthur Brennan, an American professor who travels to Japan in the midst of a personal crisis.  As he wanders through a mysterious forest with a dark past, he experiences flashbacks of his fraught but loving relationship with his wife, Joan (Naomi Watts), and meets an enigmatic stranger, Takumi (Ken Watanabe), who is lost and injured. Arthur devotes himself to saving Takumi and returning him home to safety, and the two embark on a spiritual, life-changing journey of friendship, discovery, and healing—one which may ultimately re-connect Arthur with his love for his wife.

A discussion will follow the film hosted by Phoenix Critics Circle member Jeff Mitchell of MitchonMovies.com and the Phoenix Film Festival.

PURCHASE TICKETS FOR SEA OF TREES

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2015

AUTHOR: THE JT LEROY STORY

Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize nomination for documentary.

On January 9, 2006 The New York Times sent shockwaves through the literary world when it unmasked “it boy” wunderkind JT LeRoy, whose tough prose about a sordid childhood had captivated icons and luminaries internationally. It turned out LeRoy didn’t actually exist. He was the creative expression of 40-year-old San Francisco former phone-sex operator turned housewife, Laura Albert.  Author: The JT LeRoy Story takes us down the infinitely fascinating rabbit hole of how Laura Albert—like a Cyrano de Bergerac on steroids—breathed not only words, but life, into her avatar for a decade. Albert’s epic and entertaining account plunges us into a glittery world of rock shows, fashion events, and the Cannes red carpet where LeRoy becomes a mysterious sensation. As she recounts this astonishing odyssey, Albert also reveals the intricate web spun by irrepressible creative forces within her. Her extended and layered JT LeRoy performance still infuriates many; but according to Albert, channeling her brilliant fiction through another identity was the only possible path to self-expression.

A discussion will follow the film hosted by Phoenix Critics Circle member Jeff Mitchell of MitchonMovies.com and the Phoenix Film Festival.

PURCHASE TICKETS FOR AUTHOR: THE JT LEROY STORY

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016

COMPLETE UNKNOWN

Starring: Rachel Weisz, Michael Shannon, Kathy Bates and Danny Glover

Alice (Rachel Weisz) is a woman with a past—multiple pasts. She’s been a Portland hippie, an ER nurse, and a magician’s assistant in China, changing names and identities at the drop of hat. But when she walks into a Brooklyn dinner party one night, she’s recognized by Tom (Michael Shannon), who knows her not as Alice, but as Jenny, an ex-lover he hasn’t seen in fifteen years. Drawn once again to the enigmatic, chameleon-like woman, Tom steals away with her into the New York City night where she introduces him to the thrills and dangers of reinventing oneself. Acclaimed filmmaker Joshua Marston (Maria Full of Grace) directs this smart, seductive investigation into the mystery of identity that explores what it means to leave everything behind and start your life over.

A discussion will follow the film hosted by Phoenix Critics Circle member Monte Yazzi of TheCodaFilms.com and the Phoenix Film Festival.

PURCHASE TICKETS FOR COMPLETE UNKNOWN

4 Amazing Films.

4 Amazing Nights.

Tickets are $10 each and a pass for all 4 films is just $32. Don't wait to buy tickets. Seating is limited!

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Get to Know Your PFF 2016 Filmmakers - Scott K. Foley

We're just seven days shy of PFF 2016 and we want to introduce you to some of our newest filmmakers.  This week we chatted with Scott K. Foley, director of this year's feature festival selection Jessica.  

What should festival goers know about your film? 

Sometimes to get where you’re going, you have to outrun who you don’t want to be.

Jessica is a low-budget indie that's been favorably compared to films like Drinking Buddies and Frances Ha, though, as one reviewer put it, with a "story unique enough that it never falls victim to cliché." It’s a movie with a complicated female character at the center of her own story, a film that passes the "Bechdel Test" in its opening minutes and one that goes on to set a new grading curve as it unfolds. We like to say Jessica is a story about a young woman who’s coming-of-age, just five years too late.

How did you first learn about the Phoenix Film Festival, and what made it the right fit for your film?

When we started looking into festivals, we had the opportunity to sit down with talented filmmaker Frank Hall Green to talk about our strategy. Frank’s film Wildlike had played at Phoenix last year and he spoke very highly of the fest. After learning that the festival was started by filmmakers and was recently named one of the Top 25 coolest Fests by Moviemaker Magazine, it was clear that the Phoenix Film Festival would be on our list! Plus, for a short time, when he was Jessica’s age, director Scott Foley lived in Arizona (Wickenburg), and he’s very excited to share the film with the with one of the few places he has called home.

What are you most looking forward to at the festival?

We’re incredibly excited about the screenings of the film. There’s simply nothing better than getting to share the film with audiences, which is always such a rewarding experience. Films were meant to be shared, and we’re really excited about how the Phoenix Film Festival is not only helping us share Jessica, but also allowing us the opportunity to connect with audiences in person. We’re also excited to meet other filmmakers and attend the awesome seminars and talks!

What do you most enjoy about the independent film world?

The piles of money, right? :) But seriously, what we love the most is the sense of community.  First in the creativity and passion of all the amazing collaborators you get to work with throughout the entire process, and then again when screening the film. At every festival we’ve been to, we’ve met lots of other talented filmmakers and independent film fans, and the conversations have been truly amazing. To be able to interact with such a large group of like-minded people is a rare privilege.

What projects are you currently working on?

Well Josh and I actually just moved from our beloved Chicago. Unfortunately we moved in separate directions.  Josh moved to Los Angeles where he continues to work for the Oprah Winfrey Network and I moved to Brooklyn where I’m doing film and video editing. Although we are both still getting settled in our new cities, we have been working on two new genre scripts--one about the dangers of human cloning. Quite a departure from Jessica!

Get to Know Your PFF 2016 Filmmakers - Valerie Weiss

It's that time of the year again! PFF 2016 is just around the corner and we want to introduce you to some of our newest filmmakers.  This week we chatted with the team from A Light Beneath Their Feet, and the film's director Valerie Weiss. 

What should festival goers know about your film? 

A Light Beneath Their Feet is a commanding performance, Taryn Manning (Orange Is The New Black) plays Gloria, an Evanston mother wrestling with bipolar disorder and an imminent empty nest. Her dedicated daughter Beth (Madison Davenport) has a bright future ahead, but must decide if she will stay near home to care for her unpredictable mom or follow her own path.

How did you first learn about the Phoenix Film Festival, and what made it the right fit for your film?

We produced a movie called Bread and Butter directed by Liz Manashil that screened at the Phoenix Film Festival. Liz raved about the festival so we decided we couldn’t miss it this year!

What are you most looking forward to at the festival?

Our writer, Moira McMahon Leeper, will be attending and representing the film. I know she is very excited about the whole idea of the festival and sharing our film with the amazing audiences of Phoenix.

What do you most enjoy about the independent film world?

Being able to tackle topics that can have a profound affect on our society and help change the world we live in.

What projects are you currently working on?

Valerie Weiss, our director, is directing a feminist coming-of-age action film called The Archer that shoots in April 2016.  PhD Productions has several other films and television shows in development. Feel free to get in touch for more info!

Join us for our Opening Night Premiere Event

The Phoenix Film Festival is proud to announce that our Opening Night Film is Morris From America. A heartwarming and crowd-pleasing coming-of-age comedy with a unique spin, Morris from America centers on Morris Gentry (Markees Christmas, in an incredible breakout performance) a 13-year-old who has just relocated with his single father, Curtis (Craig Robinson) to Heidelberg, Germany. Morris, who fancies himself the next Notorious B.I.G., is a complete fish-out-of-water—a budding hip-hop star in an EDM world. To complicate matters further, Morris quickly falls hard for his cool, rebellious, 15-year-old classmate Katrin. Morris sets out against all odds to take the hip-hop world by storm and win the girl of his dreams.

Written and directed by acclaimed up-and-coming filmmaker Chad Hartigan (This is Martin Bonner), Morris from America won two prizes at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, the Waldo Salt Screening Award and a Special Jury Award for Robinson, who has been receiving tremendous praise for his touching and nuanced performance in his first serious role. Poignant and funny in equal measure, Morris from America is a delightfully original take on growing up, following your dreams, and finding your voice.

Once again, our opening night film will be shown in conjunction with our Opening night Premiere Event on April 7, a full night of food and celebration, beginning at the Party Pavilion with tastes from some of the best restaurants in town, great entertainment and some special silent auction items.

Then it's over to the theatre for our Opening Night Film, Morris from America.

Tickets for this Opening Night Event are $60 with all proceeds going to the Phoenix Film Foundation's education programs.

Please note that the Opening Night Event is not included in Single Tickets, Flex, Festival and VIP Passes.

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Find your new favorite movie poster!

The Phoenix Film Festival's design team have been working overtime to bring you the official 2016 Phoenix Film Festival posters. Based on our tagline, "Find your new favorite movie", the team took four iconic images from some of the most classic films and gave them a Camerahead twist!

Congratulations to our designers, Marty Freetage, Lisa Marie Lara, Amy Bornstein and Alex Merrill on a job well done!

You will be seeing a lot more of these posters in the next couple of months!

The Early Bird Gets the Discounted Pass!

We may be a couple of months out from the 2016 Phoenix Film Festival, but you can purchase your passes to the Festival right now at a discounted price. We call it our Early Bird Sale, and you can take advantage of these great prices today:

PASS LEVEL	REGULAR PRICE	EARLY BIRD PRICE!
VIP	$250	$169.18
Festival	$125	$85.08
Flex Pass	$40	$27.90

Prices include service charges.

But don't wait! These prices will only be valid through JANUARY 4, 2016.

Click on the button below to purchase your early bird passes, and we will see you at the Phoenix Film Festival, April 7 - 14, 2016!

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Join us for the 2015 Phoenix Film Festival Summer Showcase August 10 - 13, 2015

 

Are you suffering from Phoenix Film Festival withdrawals? Not to fret! The Phoenix Film Festival is proud to announce its Summer Showcase. Audiences will have an opportunity to preview some of the best and most anticipated studio films before they're released!

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MONDAY, AUGUST 10

MISTRESS AMERICA

Starring: Greta Gerwig, Lola Kirke, Heather Lind, Michael Chernus

In MISTRESS AMERICA, Tracy (Lola Kirke) is a lonely college freshman in New York, having neither the exciting university experience nor the glamorous metropolitan lifestyle she envisioned. But when she is taken in by her soon-to-be stepsister, Brooke (Greta Gerwig) - a resident of Times Square and adventurous gal about town - she is rescued from her disappointment and seduced by Brooke's alluringly mad schemes.

A discussion will follow the film hosted by Phoenix Critics Circle member Eric Forthun.

PURCHASE TICKETS FOR MISTRESS AMERICA

TUESDAY, AUGUST 11

TIME OUT OF MIND

Starring: Richard Gere, Jena Malone, Kyra Sedgwick, Ben Vereen, Steve Buscemi, 

Oren Moverman's drama TIME OUT OF MIND stars Richard Gere as George, a homeless, mentally-ill man who has been unable to hold a job for years. He drifts through the city looking for food, alcohol, and shelter. He also tries to make contact with his estranged daughter (Jena Malone). Eventually George takes advantage of some of the social services provided by the city of New York, but he lacks the proper paperwork to get the financial assistance he needs. He befriends a fellow homeless man (Ben Vereen) who claims to have been a successful jazz musician.

A discussion will follow the film hosted by Phoenix Critics Circle member David Appleford.

PURCHASE TICKETS FOR TIME OUT OF MIND

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12

COP CAR

Starring: Kevin Bacon, James Freedson-Jackson, Hays Wellford, Camryn Manheim

Kevin Bacon (The Following, HBO's Taking Chance, Mystic River) stars in director Jon Watts' delightful throwback thriller COP CAR. When two good-natured but rebellious young boys (James Freedson-Jackson and Hays Wellford) stumble across an abandoned cop car hidden in a secluded glade they decide to take it for a quick joyride. Their bad decision unleashes the ire of the county sheriff (Kevin Bacon) and leads to brutal consequences.

A discussion will follow the film hosted by Brent Hankins, Kyle Wilson and Matt Surly

PURCHASE TICKETS FOR COP CAR

THURSDAY, AUGUST 13

A WALK IN THE WOODS

Starring: Robert Redford, Emma Thompson, Nick Nolte, Mary Steenburgen, Nick Offerman

In this new comedy adventure, celebrated travel writer, Bill Bryson (Academy Award winner Robert Redford), instead of retiring to enjoy his loving and beautiful wife (Academy Award winner Emma Thompson), and large and happy family, challenges himself to hike the Appalachian Trail - 2,200 miles of America's most unspoiled, spectacular and rugged countryside from Georgia to Maine. The peace and tranquility he hopes to find, though, is anything but, once he agrees to being accompanied by the only person he can find willing to join him on the trek - his long lost and former friend Katz (Academy Award nominee Nick Nolte), a down-on-his-luck serial philanderer who, after a lifetime of relying on his charm and wits to keep one step ahead of the law - sees the trip as a way to sneak out of paying some debts and sneak into one last adventure before its too late. The trouble is, the two have a completely different definition of the word, "adventure". Now they're about to find out that when you push yourself to the edge, the real fun begins.

A discussion will follow the film hosted by Phoenix Critics Circle member Colin Boyd.

PURCHASE TICKETS FOR A WALK IN THE WOODS

4 Amazing Films.

4 Amazing Nights.

Following the screenings there will be a hosted discussion about the film.

Tickets are $10 each and a pass for all 4 films is just $30. Don't wait to buy tickets. Seating is limited to only 250 seats per screening.

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