In honor of Sundance Institute's 25 th anniversary, and available at retail just in time for the holidays, this 11-disc mega box set includes 10 of the most groundbreaking films that were supported by Sundance Institute or premiered at the Sundance Film Festival over the years. As a special bonus, the box set also contains a special features disc that boasts new exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes footage from the Sundance Institute's Filmmakers Labs and Film Festival. All net proceeds benefit the not-for-profit Sundance Institute to further its mission of discovering and developing independent artists and audiences. Some of the films featured independent artists and audiences. Some of the films featured in this limited-edition collection, which will only be available through 2006, include: American Splendor , Boys Don't Cry , Clerks , The Usual Suspects and Capturing the Friedmans .
"What better way to celebrate Sundance Institute's 25 th anniversary than to share a collection of independent films that truly captures the spirit and creative diversity of the Sundance Film Festival and our Filmmakers Labs," said Sundance Institute President and founder Robert Redford. The Collection will include a broad range of dramatic and documentary films, including two films developed through Sundance Institute's Filmmakers Labs in Sundance , Utah - Boys Don't Cry and Smoke Signals . This box set is one of several initiatives to be announced over the coming months to mark the 25 th anniversary of the Institute in 2006.
The 10 films in the Sundance Film Festival Collection: Celebrating 25 Years of Sundance Institute DVD box set are:
• sex, lies, and videotape (1988) Directed by Stephen Soderbergh. The film won the Audience Award at the 1989 Sundance Film Festival and Soderbergh was nominated for an Oscar® for Best Screenplay in 1990.
• Clerks (1993) Directed by Kevin Smith. The film won the Filmmakers Trophy at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival.
• The Usual Suspects (1994) Directed by Bryan Singer. The film screened at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Kevin Spacey won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and Christopher McQuarrie won for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, in 1996.
• Smoke Signals (1997) Directed by Chris Eyre. Eyre developed the film at the 1995 Sundance Institute Filmmakers Lab and won the Audience Award and the Filmmakers Trophy at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival.
• American Movie (1999) Directed by Chris Smith. The film won the Grand Jury prize at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival.
• Boys Don't Cry (1999) Directed by Kimberly Peirce. Peirce developed the film at the 1997 Sundance Institute Filmmakers Lab. Hilary Swank won the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role, and Chloë Sevigny was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, in 2000.
• In the Bedroom (2000) Directed by Todd Field. Tom Wilkinson and Sissy Spacek were given Special Jury Prizes at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival for the film, which was nominated for five Oscars® including: Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role (Tom Wilkinson), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Sissy Spacek), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Marisa Tomei), and Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published in 2002.
• Real Women Have Curves (2002) Directed by Patricia Cardoso. The film won the Grand Jury Prize, and Lupe Ontiveros and America Ferrera won Special Jury Prizes at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival.
• Capturing the Friedmans (2002) Directed by Andrew Jarecki. The film won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Feature Documentary in 2004.
• American Splendor (2002) Directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini. The film, starring Paul Giamatti won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for an Oscar in 2004 for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published.
BONUS FEATURES
The complimentary 11 th disc features:
• Interview with Sundance founder Robert Redford
• A feature documentary on Sundance Institute
• An interview with the Sundance Film Festival programmers
• Filmmaker interviews
The commemorative box set will also include a comprehensive booklet with an introduction by Robert Redford, and an overview of the Institute's mission and work in independent film, film music and theatre. The booklet will feature key art and technical information for each film.
The DVDs and booklet will be housed in a high-quality collectable package with an outer box and collectible "photo album style" inner packaging containing the booklet and all eleven discs. In addition to being available at retail outlets, the DVD Collection will be for sale at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City , Utah from January 19 - 29, 2006 and its online store at www.sundance.org/store , the Sundance Channel web site at www.sundancechannel.com , through the Sundance Catalog and a variety of national retail outlets. This limited edition collector's set will be available only through 2006.
ABOUT THE SUNDANCE INSTITUTE
Founded by Robert Redford in 1981 in the mountains of Sundance Utah, Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated year-round to the developments of artists of independent vision and to the exhibition of their new work. Since its inception, the Institute has grown into an internationally recognized resource for thousands of independent artists through its Film Festival and artistic development programs for filmmakers, screenwriters, composers, playwrights, and theatre artists. The original values of independence, creative risk-taking, and discovery continue to define and guide the work of Sundance Institute, both with US artists and, increasingly, with artists from other regions of the world. For more information please visit www.sundance.org
ABOUT HART SHARP VIDEO
Hart Sharp Video was founded in 2003 by Joe Amodei to develop, acquire, market and distribute home video and DVD product in the feature film, special interest and sports categories. Some of Hart Sharp Video's recent releases have included: Super Size Me featuring Morgan Spurlock as he unravels the American obesity epidemic; Z Channel a documentary that chronicles Jerry Harvey's emergence as a brilliant programmer, but also explores Harvey's emotional and psychological descent, which eventually resulted in a shocking murder/suicide and the eventual demise of Z Channel itself; Faith Rewarded: The Historic Season of the 2004 Boston Red Sox ® highlighting the record-breaking season through exciting game highlights and player interviews and Yankeeography - Volume Three chronicling the signature, award-winning biography series on DVD that brings the greatest names in New York Yankees history to life. For more information on upcoming releases please visit www.hartsharpvideo.com .
ABOUT SUNDANCE CHANNEL AND SUNDANCE CHANNEL HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Sundance Channel Home Entertainment is a line of home entertainment products which provides a platform for leading independent films and emerging filmmakers in the video and DVD marketplace. Under the creative direction of Robert Redford, Sundance Channel brings television viewers daring and engaging feature films, shorts, documentaries, world cinema and animation, shown uncut and with no commercials. Through its original films and home video programming, Sundance Channel connects viewers with filmmakers, the creative process, and the world of independent film. Launched in 1996, Sundance Channel is a venture between NBC Universal, Robert Redford, and Showtime Networks Inc. Sundance Channel operates independently of the non-profit Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival, but shares the overall Sundance mission of supporting independent artists and providing them with wider opportunities to present their work to audiences. Sundance Channel's website address is www.sundancechannel.com. The webs ite address for Sundance Channel Home Entertainment is www.sundancechannelhomeentertainment.com .
