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IFP Announced as New Programmer of Brooklyn’s reRun Theater, Lines Up “Girl Walk // All Day,” “Otelo Burning,” and “Habibi” for Opening Month

by Website Update on October 22, 2012

New York, NY (October 22, 2012) – The Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP), the nation’s oldest and largest organization for independent filmmakers, announced today a new partnership with DUMBO, Brooklyn’s reRun Theater, which has been called “one of eight nationwide theaters redefining the moviegoing experience” (Entertainment Weekly).

IFP, in partnership with the editorial staff of its in-house publication Filmmaker Magazine, will program and mentor feature films to play at the reRun, allowing for filmmakers in the process of self-distribution to garner theatrical runs in New York City. The first three titles to receive week runs as part of this deal will be Jacob Krupnick’s Girl Walk // All Day, Sara Blecher’s Otelo Burning, and Susan Youssef’s Habibi.

“In the reRun Theater, IFP has found a partner equally dedicated to our core belief in nurturing diverse voices on the independent scene,” said IFP Executive Director Joana Vicente. “In today’s climate, there are more ways than ever for filmmakers to get their work out into the world. But it’s the reRun’s emphasis on the communal moviegoing experience, and their drive to open New York City’s highly competitive theatrical market to a new community of artists and storytellers, that sets the theater apart.”

Filmmakers will be able to submit their films for consideration via an online form set to launch on www.ifp.org later this month. Alumni of IFP’s core programs are strongly encouraged to apply, as are films that have been covered by Filmmaker Magazine.

All selected films will be provided with marketing and distribution support, as well as a portion of the theater’s weekly ticket sales. IFP will assist with press outreach, and Filmmaker Magazine will cover each film preceding release.

“Our mission is to celebrate daring, vibrant works,” said Vicente. “Our first three weeks of theatrical premieres represent a dedication to this ideal, and we couldn’t be more excited to work with these emerging young talents.”

Opening November 2nd, Jacob Krupnick’s Girl Walk // All Day is a feature-length dance music video set to the latest album by mash-up artist Girl Talk. The film, which played at SXSW this past March, follows three dancers on a journey across New York City, as they turn the city’s sidewalks, parks, and architecture into an evolving stage.

Opening November 9th for a week of “Buzz Screenings,” Otelo Burning tells the story of a group of South African township kids in 1989 who discover the joy of surfing against the backdrop of brewing political conflict. An alumnus of IFP’s Narrative Filmmaker Labs, the film had its US premiere at this year’s Seattle Film Festival and is being released by The Turner Group and Autonomous Entertainment.

Opening November 16th, Susan Youssef’s Habibi follows two students in the West Bank who are forced to return home to Gaza, where their forbidden love defies tradition. An alumnus of IFP’s Narrative Filmmaker Labs, the film was also an official selection of the Toronto International Film Festival, the Venice International Film Festival, and the Human Rights Watch Film Festival.

Further details, as well as tickets to all screenings, will be available via the reRun Theater website at http://reruntheater.com. To celebrate their new partnership, IFP and reRun will also throw a kickoff party on October 30th at 6PM at the theater (147 Front St) that is open to the public.

About reRun Theater

The reRun Theater, located at 147 Front St. in Dumbo, Brooklyn, provides a fully immersive theatrical and social experience, featuring an all-digital 1080p HD projector, a JBL 7.1 surround pro-audio sound system, a fully-stocked bar, and a gourmet snack menu. Open for operation since 2010, the theater has been named one of “eight nationwide theaters redefining the moviegoing experience” (Entertainment Weekly), a “DIY trailblazer” (Time Out New York), and one of “The World’s Coolest Movie Theaters,” (Travel and Leisure).

For more information, visit http://reruntheater.com.

About IFP

The Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) is one of the nation’s oldest and largest not-for-profit advocacy organizations for independent filmmakers. Since its debut at the 1979 New York Film Festival, IFP has supported the production of over 7,000 films and offered resources to more than 20,000 filmmakers, providing an opportunity for many diverse voices to be heard. IFP believes that independent films enrich the universal language of cinema, seeding the global culture with new ideas, kindling awareness, and fostering activism. The organization has championed early work by pioneering, independent filmmakers, including Charles Burnett, Edward Burns, Jim Jarmusch, Barbara Kopple, Michael Moore, Mira Nair and Kevin Smith.

IFP represents a network of 10,000 filmmakers in New York City and around the world. Through its workshops, seminars, conferences, mentorships and Filmmaker Magazine, IFP schools its members in the art, technology and business of independent filmmaking. The year-round program includes an Independent Film Week, The Gotham Awards, Filmmaking Labs and Seminars, and a range of programs to promote racial, ethnic, religious, ideological, gender and sexual diversity. IFP, often in collaboration with other cultural institutions, builds audiences by hosting premieres and special screenings. The IFP fosters the development of 300 feature and documentary films each year. Recently, the organization licensed the popular Festival Genius software platform through which IFP now reaches over 200,000 film fans worldwide.

For more information: www.ifp.org