www.bendfilm.org

Dear Supporters of BendFilm,Happy Holidays! Thank you for your support of BendFilm. Your contribution helped make 2014 a re-cord-breaking year. The 11th Annual Festival enter-tained our largest recorded audience--a full 15% increase over last year. We hope you enjoyed the show. Our visiting guests most certainly did, and it was because of your hospitality and enthusiasm.

We hosted over 125 filmmakers and special guests during the Festival. They raved about the intelligent discus-sions they had with their audience, the fun peo-ple they met and the red carpet treatment they received. BendFilm has always been a Festival “By Bend, For Bend” and you inspire us to work even harder on your behalf.

2014 saw some big changes as we wel-

comed our new Director, Todd Looby, to Bend. It was Todd, along with staff members Kirsten Hostetler and David Penpek, who led the way to this year’s success. Well done! We would also like to thank our exceptional crew of volunteers who tirelessly worked hundreds of hours behind the scenes to create a seamless environment for festival-goers.

Despite our success, there is so much more we must do. Upcoming projects for 2015 include hir-ing a programmer, hosting monthly screenings in the community, and expanding our educational pro-grams. We are also increasing the benefits provided to our Members.

These exciting new programs also increase our op-erating budget. We hope you will continue your sup-

port as we expand and improve. We are committed to making Bend an even greater place to be and we need your help to do it. Please take a moment to read the enclosed articles about our 2014 highlights and more.

Thank you again for your continued support of BendFilm. See you in 2015!

Frank GroundwaterPresident, BendFilm Board of Directors

“We’ve been on the road with SlingShot since March. Lots of festivals tell us they are all for the filmmakers. Bend said it too and, guys, you mean it! Thanks for everything. “ - Barry Opper, SlingShot

Gift a Membership!

Show your love of Indie Film to the ones you love by gifting them a BendFilm Membership! Our members, sponsors and volunteers are the lifeblood of this organization. To show our appreci-ation, BendFilm is partnering with Bend businesses to offer discounts to Members in addition to the other benefits. Also check our Facebook page to see who wins some swag via the BendFilm “Member of the Month” drawing.

You can become a Member or send as a gift today for as little as $50. To sign up use the enclosed envelope or visit our membership button online.

http://www.bendfilm.org/support/membership

Photo by Steven Addington

Photo by Steven Addington

Photo by Steven Addington

Photo by Karen Cammack

BendFilm celebrates the brave voice of independent cinema through films, lectures and education.

Photo by Steven Addington

12th Annual BendFilm Festival, Oct. 8-11, 2015!

save the date

www.bendfilm.org

You helped BendFilm break a few records in 2014, our 11th Edition. 7,600 ticket-holders, pass-holders and volunteers attended screen-ings. Ticket sales beat the previous record by 10%. The program included 94 films – the most BendFilm has ever programmed!

A few other events and firsts we were excited about:

● The Opening Night sellout crowd enjoyed the one-two punch of Jennifer Smieja and Tone Red Trio preceding a crowd-pleasing show of The Winding Stream, followed by a rocking party at The Ox-ford’s 10 Below.

● The Volcanic Theatre Pub debuted as a Bend-Film venue and hosted the more eclectic offerings of the program such as the world premiere of Tony Kaye’s new documen-tary.

● We screened films at the Warm Springs reservation for the first time. Tribal Members and BendFilm hope this collaboration will expand filmmaking interest in the region. “I applaud Bend Film for initiating the partnership. These gatherings ignite the imaginations of future filmmakers!” - Alyssa Macy, Commissioner, Oregon Arts Com-mission.

● In another first, BendFilm offered Childcare through a partner-ship with Bend Montessori to ac-commodate the film-loving young families moving to Bend.

● We had three accom-plished NW filmmakers as ju-rors: Seattlites, Ben Kasulke and Mel Eslyn and Portland’s Mark Gustafson. By hosting the best of the Northwest each year, we will spark more local filmmak-ing. To read more, see bendfilm.org/2014-festival/2014-jury

● Our Jurors unani-mously agreed that Alp-summer showed mas-terful cinematography, heart and restraint and allowed the characters to tell their own stories in a way few other films do. For that reason, the film took home 3 top awards - a first for a documentary.

● Ben Perle debuted Busi-ness for BendFilm – an effort where 52 Bend businesses each donated $100 to Bend-Film. Please support these businesses who support Bend-Film: bendfilm.org/support/busi-nesses-for-bendfilm/

● Business for BendFilm (BFB) covered the cost to help many of our 125 filmmakers attend. We want filmmakers to spend their money on their careers not plane tickets. Thank you, BFB!

● We screened more works by local filmmakers than in any other year. First-time Di-rector, Karen Mellberg, took home the Best of the Northwest award for her moving documen-tary, Final Pose.

● Future Filmmakers is back as part of the Festival and what a showcase of excellent and promising talent it was! (See separate article).

● Our hospitality part-ners, The Oxford Hotel, Wall Street Suites, the Fairfield Inn & Suites and Lavabelles, do-nated lodging and over 20 Bend residents gen-erously opened their homes to our filmmakers.

● The Loft hosted the Taste American Wine (Story) event where Drew Bledsoe and the Elixir Wine Group fea-tured their best samplings before American Wine Story screened.

A Record-breaking Year!

“This was the best film festival experience of my life.” - James Everett, I’ll Be Home Soon

“Loved everything about the weekend! I didn’t want it to end.” - Michael Gough, Add the Words

“Love this fest and I can hardly wait to come back with another film .”- Michelle Witten, Big in Japan, When You Were Mine.

“Just wanted to thank you for putting on such an amazing festival! We all enjoyed ourselves so much, and we hope there’s occasion to come back again” - Alexandra Gioulakis, Lake Los Angeles

Photo by Steven Addington

Photo by Steven Addington

Photo by Karen Cammack

Photo by Karen Cammack

Photo by Steven Addington

“It has been a while since I have had such intelligent discussions with audiences after a screening.” - Leah Meyerhoff, I Believe in Unicorns

Photo by Steven Addington

www.bendfilm.org

● We brought back a Midnight Program at Tin Pan and the Vol-canic Theaters to satisfy those with a more experimental taste. These films frightened, en-tertained and chal-lenged the crowd.

● I Believe inUnicorns director, Leah Meyerhoff, started the now world-wide move-ment, Film Fa-tales - a great 2014 Panel. The move-ment aims to overturn the alarming Hollywood gender gap where only 5% of big films and 15% of television shows are directed by women. BendFilm did our part - over 50% of our films had women in key roles.

● We’re stillreeling from our closing night party - “Black-smith After Dark” - where Seattle’s own Tennis Pro – the band from Big in Japan – kept the crowd bobbing to the wee hours of the night.

We’re just getting started. Please follow us on Facebook for news about our year-round screenings. And we just added a Central Oregon Film Calendar on our website where you can find great film-related events happening around town. Bookmark it today! www.bendfilm.org/film-calendar/

2015 will bring several new and exciting opportunities to expand our film education and mentorship programs to area youth and even adults.

Our signature educa-tion program, Future Filmmakers, had a very successful year. Mark Lindow did an incredi-ble job coordinating this, our 9th edition. Chris Choyce won the Jury Award for Camping Misadventures and Mackenzie Hice, won the Audience Award for Technicolor. This year’s event took place during the BendFilm Festival which allowed our aspiring filmmakers to receive valuable feed-back from professionals like Jessica Woodbury, producer of Daylight Come: Life After Rape in the Congo. Mark will be back in 2015 and has plans to expand Future Filmmakers’ reach to get more submissions and mentor students through the process of bringing their ideas to life.

BendFilm and Caldera Arts have sustained a strong partnership since 2006. Caldera Arts’ students submit films to Future Filmmakers each

year and Caldera has been a major sponsor for the pro-gram. Coming in 2015, BendFilm will host mentoring sessions with Caldera’s students at seasonal meet-ups. We are thrilled to help Caldera’s wildly successful mission of transforming underserved youth through art.

Finally, in a new education initiative, Director Todd Looby is now serving on the Scalehouse Education Committee. Scalehouse is a local organization commit-

ted to expanding new ideas, thinking and engagement to all aspects of our commu-nity through lectures and the arts. Todd

will be leading Scalehouse’s media arts education initia-tives, such as the 72-hour shootout this coming June.

Central Oregon has every asset needed to become a filmmaking mecca, and BendFilm is proud to use our resources to support the development of tomorrow’s film-makers.

For more about Future Filmmakers, please visit: www.bendfilm.org/bendfilm-kids/

The Future of Filmmaking is Here!

A big thank you to the Starview Founda-tion for your continued support. You make arts in Central Oregon thrive!

“You guys treat filmmakers like kings for sure. Thank you for an amazing experience. It was awesome meeting Tony Kaye and many other brilliant artists.” - Daniel Skaggs, Freeload

Photo by Steven Addington

Photo by Shelly Lindow

Spotlight Sponsor

Join us on First Fridays!Have you seen our new office at 1000 NW Wall St, Suite #260 yet? Well…come on by and say “hi” on the next First Friday Art Walk. We’ll be serving delicious drinks courtesy of Elixir Wine Group. We’ll sell merchandise and memberships and screen some films. Enter a drawing to win cool BendFilm merch!

“This Festival makes me so proud to live in Bend” - Kirsten Heinz, owner of Hot Box Betty

Photo by Tina Ellis

www.bendfilm.org

Our sponsors contribute almost one-third of the Bend-Film budget. We simply could not do this without their help. In return, we hope BendFilm fans frequent their businesses as a show of your apprecia-tion.

FOUNDING PARTNER

Brooks Resources

PREMIERE PARTNERS

The Starview FoundationThe Oxford HotelThe Source WeeklytbdHand in Hand ProductionsCascade A&EThe Old Mill District

BendBroadBand, Zolo Media and KOHD

Visit BendOPBThe Regal Entertainment

GroupPanavision

FESTIVAL PARTNERS

CalderaCarharttHorizon Broadcasting GroupMcMenamins – Old St. Francis

SchoolSmart SolutionsVolcanic Theatre PubBusinesses for BendFilm Independent WOMEN for

Independent Film

SCREENING PARTNERS

Old Back 9Wall Street SuitesMarriott Fairfield Inn & SuitesSGA AccountantsCentral Oregon Magazine

Combined CommunicationsDr. Andy HigginsTin Pan TheaterThe Liberty TheaterThe Echo FundElixir Wine GroupThe Tower Theatre1859 Magazine

PRESENTING PARTNERS

Joolz RestaurantG5Bend Furniture & DesignBigfoot BeveragesDrake RestaurantOMPAOregon Spirit DistillersPatty & Knute BuehlerThe Loft

VIEWING PARTNERS

AmerititleBLJ LawyersCommute OptionsIn-Focus Eye CareLavabelles

Oregon Film OfficeSonyOSU CascadesAshland Independent Film FestivalSkjersaa GroupCrow’s Feet CommonsDeschutes BreweryWhole Foods Market

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Boneyard BeerTetherow BellatazzaBend ModernEujin Esther Gray DesignPaul Scott GalleryBend Tour Co. Sunny Yoga KitchenLa MagieStereo PlanetLittle Bite CafeSweet SaigonWorthy BrewingMartha Murray DesignVia DeliaHola!Barrio

A huge congratulations to Founding Sponsor Brooks Resources for winning a prestigious (and well-deserved) BCA 10 Award! Americans for the Arts grants this award annually to 10 businesses for their exceptional involvement with the arts that en-rich the workplace, education, and the community. Other notable winners were Hallmark Cards and Edward Jones. Thank you, Brooks Resources, for all you do for BendFilm and Arts in Central Oregon. Wow! Read more: http://www.ameri-cansforthearts.org/events/bca-10

Congratulations, Brooks Resources!

“I’d heard great things about BendFilm Festival from filmmaker friends of mine...I can honestly say my expectations were thoroughly exceeded. Many thanks and congrats to the community of Bend for having a world class film festival.” - Blake Robbins, The Sublime and Beautiful

Photo by Steven Addington

Thank you, Sponsors!

BendFilm1000 NW Wall St., Ste. 260Bend, OR 97701

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