Cinevegas
Encyclopedia
CineVegas was a film festival
held annually at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas
that ran from 1999 to 2009, typically in early June. Robin Greenspun serves as the Festival president, and Trevor Groth serves as artistic director. Actor Dennis Hopper
is the chairman of the Festival's creative advisory board. Over the past decade, CineVegas has established itself as one of the fastest growing film festivals in the world, with recent profiles in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times
, and Time
magazine. CineVegas was recently mentioned as one of the top 5 festivals to visit by Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper and was also named one of the top 5 gem festivals in the world by Variety
, one of the top 12 film festivals in North America by San Francisco Magazine, and one of the top 7 events occurring in Las Vegas by LA Weekly
. Combining world premiere films and independent cinema with celebrity honorees and panel discussions about filmmakers, writers, and talent, at night CineVegas also hosts parties in locations as diverse as bowling alleys, rooftops, and shark reefs.
CineVegas has hosted the world premieres of such films as Land of the Dead
, Spun
, Bubba Ho-tep
, and Artie Lange's Beer League, as well as advance screenings of high profile and independent films, shorts, and documentaries such as Ocean's Thirteen
, You Kill Me
, Whale Rider, Riding Giants
, and The Aristocrats
. Honorees in past years have included Jon Voight
, Willem Dafoe
, Anjelica Huston
, James Caan, Anthony Hopkins
, Jack Nicholson
, Sean Penn
, Dustin Hoffman
, Sir Ben Kingsley, Viggo Mortensen
, Don Cheadle
, Christina Ricci
, Charlize Theron
, Nicolas Cage
, Julian Schnabel
, Holly Hunter
, Mike Newell
, Taylor Hackford
, Ann-Margret
, Helen Mirren
, and David Lynch
.
. The first Festival featured “The Best of the Fests”, showcasing independent films that had previously earned awards and acclaim at other worldwide festivals. In 2000, the Festival moved to Bally's new sister hotel Paris
, and for two years the Paris showroom and convention spaces were transformed to accommodate not only “The Best of the Fests” but premieres like Star Trek: Insurrection
and films such as The Cider House Rules
, Gods and Monsters
and Little Voice
. In 2001, the Festival presented Tony Curtis
the first Marquee Award for lifetime achievement. CineVegas also coined the Half-Life Award given to stars midway through their careers.
In 2002, CineVegas joined forces with The Entertainment Development Corporation, a non-profit agency with a mission to bring entertainment-based business to the Southern Nevada area. Under the direction of the staff of EDC and the CineVegas Advisory Board, the Festival moved to the Palms Casino Resort and Brenden Theatres. In addition, Trevor Groth, a senior programmer with the Sundance Film Festival
, was brought on as Director of Programming. Under Groth’s guidance, the quality of original programming and new filmmakers that participated in the festival took off. In his first year, Groth presented premieres of Sunshine State
, Spun, Bubba Ho-tep
, Poolhall Junkies
and Happy Here and Now. The list of celebrities and industry people participating in the festival grew tremendously as well and Dustin Hoffman
was presented with the Marquee Award.
The Festival continued its tremendous growth in 2003, showing premieres of Breakfast with Hunter
, "Dallas 362
", Games People Play, and This Girl's Life
along with festival favorites The Magdalene Sisters
, Owning Mahoney and Whale Rider. Hunter S. Thompson
triumphantly returned to Las Vegas for the first time since his legendary Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
was published. Dennis Hopper
received the Marquee Award, and was so enamored of the festival that today he is the Chair of the CineVegas Film Festival Creative Advisory Board.
In the following years, CineVegas kept growing by leaps and bounds. 2004 saw honorees Jack Nicholson
, Sean Penn
, Robin Wright Penn, Holly Hunter
, Bruce Conner
, David Lynch
, Julian Schnabel
and Dean Stockwell
rub shoulders with the slot machines. The World Premieres included Mitchellville and The Talent Given Us
, both of which went on to play at the Sundance Film Festival
. 2005 welcomed Christopher Walken
, Nicolas Cage
, Ann-Margret
, Samantha Morton
, Rhonda Fleming
, George A. Romero
and Wim Wenders
to the huge list of CineVegas honorees, as the Festival closed with the exciting World Premiere of Land of the Dead
. The 2006 fest honored Helen Mirren
, Sylvester Stallone
, Christina Ricci
, Taylor Hackford
and Laurence Fishburne
. World Premieres at the fest included "Danika
" starring Marisa Tomei
, Rebecca Romijn
’s documentary Wet Dreams and the ultimate wet dream Artie Lange's Beer League.
The 2007 Festival made a big splash with the opening night Las Vegas premiere of Ocean's Thirteen
with the cast in attendance. The screening raised over one million dollars for the charity Not On Our Watch, an organization whose initial campaign is to support existing Darfur
humanitarian relief efforts and to ensure the protection of civilians in that region. The Festival also honored Charlize Theron
, Anthony Hopkins
, Sir Ben Kingsley
and director Mike Newell
in 2007.
A special screening of the comedy The Rocker
kicked off the 2008 Festival. The opening night was highlighted by the film's star, Rainn Wilson
arriving to the red carpet in the world's largest stretch hummer along with an entourage of Vegas party-goers. The 2008 Festival was highlighted by a special advance screening of Get Smart
with Dwayne Johnson, as well as a rare showing of Planting the Seeds, the short animated film from renowned international artist Takashi Murakami
. Celebrities honored at the 2008 Festival include James Caan, Don Cheadle
, Rosario Dawson
, Anjelica Huston
, Viggo Mortensen
and Sam Rockwell
.
The 11th Annual Festival kicked off with the world premiere of Saint John of Las Vegas
, starring Steve Buscemi
as an ex-gambler-turned fraud investigator who must return to Las Vegas to investigate an insurance claim. The film also stars Sarah Silverman
, Romany Malco
, and Tim Blake Nelson
. The 2009 Festival also honored actors Jon Voight
and Willem Dafoe
as well as directors George Kuchar
and Mike Kuchar
. In addition, Jenova Chen
and Kellee Santiago
were honored with the inaugural Planet Illogica Award for Excellence in New Media. This award is for artists working in the realm of video gaming who have pushed the boundaries of storytelling in their field.
Due to economic concerns, Festival President Robin Greenspun and Artistic Director Trevor Groth announced the 2010 Festival would be cancelled. . On May 29, 2010, Chairman Dennis Hopper
died of prostate cancer. The 2011 Festival did not take place, and it is unknown if a festival will take place in 2012 or in the future.
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
held annually at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas
Las Vegas metropolitan area
The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...
that ran from 1999 to 2009, typically in early June. Robin Greenspun serves as the Festival president, and Trevor Groth serves as artistic director. Actor Dennis Hopper
Dennis Hopper
Dennis Lee Hopper was an American actor, filmmaker and artist. As a young man, Hopper became interested in acting and eventually became a student of the Actors' Studio. He made his first television appearance in 1954 and appeared in two films featuring James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant...
is the chairman of the Festival's creative advisory board. Over the past decade, CineVegas has established itself as one of the fastest growing film festivals in the world, with recent profiles in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, and Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine. CineVegas was recently mentioned as one of the top 5 festivals to visit by Canada's Globe and Mail newspaper and was also named one of the top 5 gem festivals in the world by Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
, one of the top 12 film festivals in North America by San Francisco Magazine, and one of the top 7 events occurring in Las Vegas by LA Weekly
LA Weekly
LA Weekly is a free weekly tabloid-sized "alternative weekly" in Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1978 by Editor/Publisher Jay Levin and a board of directors that included actor-producer Michael Douglas...
. Combining world premiere films and independent cinema with celebrity honorees and panel discussions about filmmakers, writers, and talent, at night CineVegas also hosts parties in locations as diverse as bowling alleys, rooftops, and shark reefs.
CineVegas has hosted the world premieres of such films as Land of the Dead
Land of the Dead
For the disambiguation page on anything else on this topic, come here to Land of the Dead .Land of the Dead is a 2005 horror film written and directed by George A...
, Spun
Spun
Spun is a 2002 American crime dramedy directed by Jonas Åkerlund, and starring Jason Schwartzman, Brittany Murphy, Mickey Rourke, Mena Suvari, John Leguizamo, Patrick Fugit, Eric Roberts, Chloe Hunter, and Debbie Harry. It is Åkerlund's début as a feature-film director, having already become known...
, Bubba Ho-tep
Bubba Ho-tep
Bubba Ho-tep is a 2002 American comedy horror drama film starring Bruce Campbell as Elvis Presley — now a resident in a nursing home. The film also stars Ossie Davis as Jack, a black man who claims to be John F. Kennedy, explaining that he was patched up after the assassination, dyed black,...
, and Artie Lange's Beer League, as well as advance screenings of high profile and independent films, shorts, and documentaries such as Ocean's Thirteen
Ocean's Thirteen
Ocean's Thirteen is a 2007 crime comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring an ensemble cast. It is the third and final film in the Soderbergh series following the 2004 sequel Ocean's Twelve and the 2001 film Ocean's Eleven, which itself was a remake of the 1960 Rat Pack film Ocean's 11...
, You Kill Me
You Kill Me
You Kill Me is 2007 crime comedy film directed by John Dahl, and starring Ben Kingsley, Luke Wilson, Téa Leoni, Philip Baker Hall, Dennis Farina, and Bill Pullman.-Plot:...
, Whale Rider, Riding Giants
Riding Giants
Riding Giants is a 2004 documentary film directed and narrated by Stacy Peralta, a famous skater/surfer who helped define modern skateboarding. The movie traces the origins of surfing and specifically focuses on the art of big wave riding...
, and The Aristocrats
The Aristocrats (film)
The Aristocrats is a 2005 documentary film about the famous dirty joke of the same name. It was conceived and produced by comedians Penn Jillette and Paul Provenza, edited by Emery Emery, and released to theaters by TH!NKFilm...
. Honorees in past years have included Jon Voight
Jon Voight
Jonathan Vincent "Jon" Voight is an American actor. He has received an Academy Award, out of four nominations, and three Golden Globe Awards, out of nine nominations. Voight is the father of actress Angelina Jolie....
, Willem Dafoe
Willem Dafoe
Willem Dafoe is an American film, stage, and voice actor, and a founding member of the experimental theatre company The Wooster Group...
, Anjelica Huston
Anjelica Huston
Anjelica Huston is an American actress. Huston became the third generation of her family to win an Academy Award, for her performance in 1985's Prizzi's Honor, joining her father, director John Huston, and grandfather, actor Walter Huston. She later was nominated in 1989 and 1990 for her acting in...
, James Caan, Anthony Hopkins
Anthony Hopkins
Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, KBE , best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage and television...
, Jack Nicholson
Jack Nicholson
John Joseph "Jack" Nicholson is an American actor, film director, producer and writer. He is renowned for his often dark portrayals of neurotic characters. Nicholson has been nominated for an Academy Award twelve times, and has won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice: for One Flew Over the...
, Sean Penn
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...
, Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Lee Hoffman is an American actor with a career in film, television, and theatre since 1960. He has been known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and vulnerable characters....
, Sir Ben Kingsley, Viggo Mortensen
Viggo Mortensen
Viggo Peter Mortensen, Jr. is a Danish-American actor, poet, musician, photographer and painter. He made his film debut in Peter Weir's 1985 thriller Witness, and subsequently appeared in many notable films of the 1990s, including The Indian Runner , Carlito's Way , Crimson Tide , Daylight , The...
, Don Cheadle
Don Cheadle
Donald Frank "Don" Cheadle, Jr. is an American film actor and producer. Cheadle rose to prominence in the late 1990s and the early 2000s for his supporting roles in the Steven Soderbergh-directed films Out of Sight, Traffic, and Ocean's Eleven...
, Christina Ricci
Christina Ricci
Christina Ricci is an American actress. Ricci received initial recognition and praise as a child star for her performance as Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values , and her role as Kat Harvey in Casper...
, Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron is a South African actress, film producer and former fashion model.She rose to fame in the late 1990s following her roles in 2 Days in the Valley, Mighty Joe Young, The Devil's Advocate and The Cider House Rules...
, Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage is an American actor, producer and director, having appeared in over 60 films including Raising Arizona , The Rock , Face/Off , Gone in 60 Seconds , Adaptation , National Treasure , Ghost Rider , Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans , and...
, Julian Schnabel
Julian Schnabel
Julian Schnabel is an American artist and filmmaker. In the 1980s, Schnabel received international media attention for his "plate paintings"—large-scale paintings set on broken ceramic plates....
, Holly Hunter
Holly Hunter
Holly Hunter is an American actress. Hunter starred in The Piano for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. She has also been nominated for Oscars for her roles in Broadcast News, The Firm, and Thirteen...
, Mike Newell
Mike Newell (director)
Michael Cormac "Mike" Newell is an English director and producer of motion pictures for the screen and for television. After the release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005, Newell became the third most commercially successful British director in recent years, behind Christopher Nolan...
, Taylor Hackford
Taylor Hackford
Taylor Edwin Hackford is an American film director, and the current president of the Directors Guild of America.-Early life:Hackford was born in Santa Barbara, California, the son of Mary , a waitress, and Joseph Hackford...
, Ann-Margret
Ann-Margret
Ann-Margret Olsson is a Swedish-American actress, singer and dancer whose professional name is Ann-Margret. She became famous for her starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, Viva Las Vegas, The Cincinnati Kid, Carnal Knowledge, and Tommy...
, Helen Mirren
Helen Mirren
Dame Helen Mirren, DBE is an English actor. She has won an Academy Award for Best Actress, four SAG Awards, four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards, and two Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Awards.-Early life and family:...
, and David Lynch
David Lynch
David Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound...
.
History
Launched in 1998 by an enthusiastic group of movie and art lovers, independent filmmakers and film industry veterans, CineVegas was originally held at Bally'sBally's Las Vegas
Bally's Las Vegas, formerly the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip. The Las Vegas resort is located within the unincorporated locale of Paradise, Nevada and is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment Corp.. The hotel features 2,814 extra-sized...
. The first Festival featured “The Best of the Fests”, showcasing independent films that had previously earned awards and acclaim at other worldwide festivals. In 2000, the Festival moved to Bally's new sister hotel Paris
Paris Las Vegas
Paris Las Vegas is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, USA, that is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment Corp....
, and for two years the Paris showroom and convention spaces were transformed to accommodate not only “The Best of the Fests” but premieres like Star Trek: Insurrection
Star Trek: Insurrection
Star Trek: Insurrection is a 1998 American science fiction film directed by Jonathan Frakes, written by Michael Piller , and with music composed by Jerry Goldsmith. It is the ninth film in the Star Trek franchise, and the third to feature the cast from the television series Star Trek: The Next...
and films such as The Cider House Rules
The Cider House Rules (film)
The Cider House Rules is a 1999 American drama film directed by Lasse Hallström, based on John Irving's novel of the same name. The film won two Academy Awards, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, along with four other nominations at the 72nd Academy Awards...
, Gods and Monsters
Gods and Monsters
Gods and Monsters is a 1998 drama film that recounts the last days of the life of troubled film director James Whale, whose homosexuality is a central theme. It stars Ian McKellen as Whale, along with Brendan Fraser, Lynn Redgrave, Lolita Davidovich, and David Dukes...
and Little Voice
Little Voice (film)
Little Voice is a 1998 British drama film with music written and directed by Mark Herman. The screenplay is based on the play The Rise and Fall of Little Voice by Jim Cartwright.- Plot :...
. In 2001, the Festival presented Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis
Tony Curtis was an American film actor whose career spanned six decades, but had his greatest popularity during the 1950s and early 1960s. He acted in over 100 films in roles covering a wide range of genres, from light comedy to serious drama...
the first Marquee Award for lifetime achievement. CineVegas also coined the Half-Life Award given to stars midway through their careers.
In 2002, CineVegas joined forces with The Entertainment Development Corporation, a non-profit agency with a mission to bring entertainment-based business to the Southern Nevada area. Under the direction of the staff of EDC and the CineVegas Advisory Board, the Festival moved to the Palms Casino Resort and Brenden Theatres. In addition, Trevor Groth, a senior programmer with the Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
, was brought on as Director of Programming. Under Groth’s guidance, the quality of original programming and new filmmakers that participated in the festival took off. In his first year, Groth presented premieres of Sunshine State
Sunshine State (film)
Sunshine State is a 2002 American comedy–drama film written and directed by John Sayles. The picture stars an ensemble cast that features Angela Bassett, Edie Falco, Jane Alexander, Alan King, Timothy Hutton, Mary Steenburgen, Bill Cobbs, and others. The movie was filmed on Amelia Island,...
, Spun, Bubba Ho-tep
Bubba Ho-tep
Bubba Ho-tep is a 2002 American comedy horror drama film starring Bruce Campbell as Elvis Presley — now a resident in a nursing home. The film also stars Ossie Davis as Jack, a black man who claims to be John F. Kennedy, explaining that he was patched up after the assassination, dyed black,...
, Poolhall Junkies
Poolhall Junkies
Poolhall Junkies is a 2002 drama/thriller film written, starring and directed by Mars Callahan. The film also stars Alison Eastwood, Michael Rosenbaum, Rick Schroder with Chazz Palminteri and Christopher Walken...
and Happy Here and Now. The list of celebrities and industry people participating in the festival grew tremendously as well and Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Hoffman
Dustin Lee Hoffman is an American actor with a career in film, television, and theatre since 1960. He has been known for his versatile portrayals of antiheroes and vulnerable characters....
was presented with the Marquee Award.
The Festival continued its tremendous growth in 2003, showing premieres of Breakfast with Hunter
Breakfast With Hunter
Breakfast with Hunter is a documentary about the everyday life of gonzo-journalist Hunter S. Thompson by Wayne Ewing.The film includes a variety of well-known figures involved with Thompson throughout his life, including P.J. O'Rourke, Ralph Steadman, Roxanne Pulitzer, Johnny Depp, Terry Gilliam...
, "Dallas 362
Dallas 362
Dallas 362 is a 2003 film, starring and directed by Scott Caan. This film was Caan's debut as a director.The movie won the Critics Award at the 2003 CineVegas International Film Festival in Las Vegas, Nevada.-Plot:...
", Games People Play, and This Girl's Life
This Girl's Life
This Girl's Life is a 2003 film written and directed by Ash. The story revolves around the life of Moon, a porn star . The movie also stars James Woods, Michael Rapaport, Rosario Dawson and Kip Pardue.-Plot:...
along with festival favorites The Magdalene Sisters
The Magdalene Sisters
The Magdalene Sisters is a 2002 film written and directed by Peter Mullan about teenage girls who were sent to Magdalene Asylums, otherwise known as the 'Magdalene Laundries': homes for women who were labeled as "fallen" by their families or society...
, Owning Mahoney and Whale Rider. Hunter S. Thompson
Hunter S. Thompson
Hunter Stockton Thompson was an American journalist and author who wrote The Rum Diary , Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 .He is credited as the creator of Gonzo journalism, a style of reporting where reporters involve themselves in the action to...
triumphantly returned to Las Vegas for the first time since his legendary Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (novel)
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream is an autobiographical novel by Hunter S. Thompson, illustrated by Ralph Steadman. The book is a roman à clef, rooted in autobiographical incidents. The story follows its protagonist, Raoul Duke, and his attorney, Dr...
was published. Dennis Hopper
Dennis Hopper
Dennis Lee Hopper was an American actor, filmmaker and artist. As a young man, Hopper became interested in acting and eventually became a student of the Actors' Studio. He made his first television appearance in 1954 and appeared in two films featuring James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant...
received the Marquee Award, and was so enamored of the festival that today he is the Chair of the CineVegas Film Festival Creative Advisory Board.
In the following years, CineVegas kept growing by leaps and bounds. 2004 saw honorees Jack Nicholson
Jack Nicholson
John Joseph "Jack" Nicholson is an American actor, film director, producer and writer. He is renowned for his often dark portrayals of neurotic characters. Nicholson has been nominated for an Academy Award twelve times, and has won the Academy Award for Best Actor twice: for One Flew Over the...
, Sean Penn
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...
, Robin Wright Penn, Holly Hunter
Holly Hunter
Holly Hunter is an American actress. Hunter starred in The Piano for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. She has also been nominated for Oscars for her roles in Broadcast News, The Firm, and Thirteen...
, Bruce Conner
Bruce Conner
Bruce Conner was an American artist renowned for his work in assemblage, film, drawing, sculpture, painting, collage, and photography, among other disciplines.-Early life:...
, David Lynch
David Lynch
David Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound...
, Julian Schnabel
Julian Schnabel
Julian Schnabel is an American artist and filmmaker. In the 1980s, Schnabel received international media attention for his "plate paintings"—large-scale paintings set on broken ceramic plates....
and Dean Stockwell
Dean Stockwell
Dean Stockwell is an American actor of film and television, with a career spanning over 65 years. As a child actor under contract to MGM he first came to the public's attention in films such as Anchors Aweigh and The Green Years; as a young adult he played a lead role in the 1957 Broadway and...
rub shoulders with the slot machines. The World Premieres included Mitchellville and The Talent Given Us
The Talent Given Us
The Talent Given Us is a film by Andrew Wagner. Most of the cast in the movie is Wagner's own family.Roger Ebert praised "The Talent Given Us" as "one of the most original, daring, intriguing, and honest films of the year," while 2004 CineVegas juror Wendy Mitchell, writing about the film for...
, both of which went on to play at the Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
. 2005 welcomed Christopher Walken
Christopher Walken
Christopher Walken is an American stage and screen actor. He has appeared in more than 100 movies and television shows, including Joe Dirt, Annie Hall, The Deer Hunter, The Prophecy trilogy, The Dogs of War, Sleepy Hollow, Brainstorm, The Dead Zone, A View to a Kill, At Close Range, King of New...
, Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage is an American actor, producer and director, having appeared in over 60 films including Raising Arizona , The Rock , Face/Off , Gone in 60 Seconds , Adaptation , National Treasure , Ghost Rider , Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans , and...
, Ann-Margret
Ann-Margret
Ann-Margret Olsson is a Swedish-American actress, singer and dancer whose professional name is Ann-Margret. She became famous for her starring roles in Bye Bye Birdie, Viva Las Vegas, The Cincinnati Kid, Carnal Knowledge, and Tommy...
, Samantha Morton
Samantha Morton
Samantha Jane Morton is an English actress and film director. She began her performing career with guest roles in television shows such as Soldier Soldier and Boon before making her film debut in the 1997 drama film This Is the Sea, playing the character of Hazel Stokes...
, Rhonda Fleming
Rhonda Fleming
Rhonda Fleming , is an American film and television actress.She acted in more than 40 films, mostly in the 1940s and 1950s, and became renowned as one of the most beautiful and glamorous actresses of her day...
, George A. Romero
George A. Romero
George Andrew Romero is a Canadian-American film director, screenwriter and editor, best known for his gruesome and satirical horror films about a hypothetical zombie apocalypse. He is nicknamed "Godfather of all Zombies." -Life and career:...
and Wim Wenders
Wim Wenders
Ernst Wilhelm "Wim" Wenders is a German film director, playwright, author, photographer and producer.-Early life:Wenders was born in Düsseldorf. He graduated from high school in Oberhausen in the Ruhr area. He then studied medicine and philosophy in Freiburg and Düsseldorf...
to the huge list of CineVegas honorees, as the Festival closed with the exciting World Premiere of Land of the Dead
Land of the Dead
For the disambiguation page on anything else on this topic, come here to Land of the Dead .Land of the Dead is a 2005 horror film written and directed by George A...
. The 2006 fest honored Helen Mirren
Helen Mirren
Dame Helen Mirren, DBE is an English actor. She has won an Academy Award for Best Actress, four SAG Awards, four BAFTAs, three Golden Globes, four Emmy Awards, and two Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Awards.-Early life and family:...
, Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone
Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...
, Christina Ricci
Christina Ricci
Christina Ricci is an American actress. Ricci received initial recognition and praise as a child star for her performance as Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values , and her role as Kat Harvey in Casper...
, Taylor Hackford
Taylor Hackford
Taylor Edwin Hackford is an American film director, and the current president of the Directors Guild of America.-Early life:Hackford was born in Santa Barbara, California, the son of Mary , a waitress, and Joseph Hackford...
and Laurence Fishburne
Laurence Fishburne
Laurence John Fishburne III is an American film and stage actor, playwright, director, and producer. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Morpheus in the Matrix science fiction film trilogy, as Cowboy Curtis on the 1980's television show Pee-wee's Playhouse, and as singer-musician Ike Turner...
. World Premieres at the fest included "Danika
Danika
Danika is a 2006 horror film directed by Israeli Ariel Vromen. It stars Marisa Tomei, Craig Bierko and Regina Hall. The film was released on DVD in the US on December 26, 2006.-Plot:...
" starring Marisa Tomei
Marisa Tomei
Marisa Tomei is an American stage, film and television actress. Following her work on As The World Turns, Tomei came to prominence as a supporting cast member on The Cosby Show spinoff A Different World in 1987...
, Rebecca Romijn
Rebecca Romijn
Rebecca Alie Romijn is an American actress and former fashion model. She is best known for her role as Mystique in the X-Men films, and for her recurring role as Alexis Meade on the television series Ugly Betty.-Early life:...
’s documentary Wet Dreams and the ultimate wet dream Artie Lange's Beer League.
The 2007 Festival made a big splash with the opening night Las Vegas premiere of Ocean's Thirteen
Ocean's Thirteen
Ocean's Thirteen is a 2007 crime comedy film directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring an ensemble cast. It is the third and final film in the Soderbergh series following the 2004 sequel Ocean's Twelve and the 2001 film Ocean's Eleven, which itself was a remake of the 1960 Rat Pack film Ocean's 11...
with the cast in attendance. The screening raised over one million dollars for the charity Not On Our Watch, an organization whose initial campaign is to support existing Darfur
Darfur
Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
humanitarian relief efforts and to ensure the protection of civilians in that region. The Festival also honored Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron
Charlize Theron is a South African actress, film producer and former fashion model.She rose to fame in the late 1990s following her roles in 2 Days in the Valley, Mighty Joe Young, The Devil's Advocate and The Cider House Rules...
, Anthony Hopkins
Anthony Hopkins
Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, KBE , best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage and television...
, Sir Ben Kingsley
Ben Kingsley
Sir Ben Kingsley, CBE is a British actor. He has won an Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards in his career. He is known for starring as Mohandas Gandhi in the film Gandhi in 1982, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor...
and director Mike Newell
Mike Newell (director)
Michael Cormac "Mike" Newell is an English director and producer of motion pictures for the screen and for television. After the release of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in 2005, Newell became the third most commercially successful British director in recent years, behind Christopher Nolan...
in 2007.
A special screening of the comedy The Rocker
The Rocker (film)
The Rocker is a 2008 American comedy directed by Peter Cattaneo, starring Rainn Wilson, Josh Gad, Teddy Geiger, Emma Stone, Christina Applegate and Jason Sudeikis...
kicked off the 2008 Festival. The opening night was highlighted by the film's star, Rainn Wilson
Rainn Wilson
Rainn Dietrich Wilson is an American actor and comedian. He is primarily known for his role as the egomaniacal Dwight Schrute on the American version of the television comedy The Office...
arriving to the red carpet in the world's largest stretch hummer along with an entourage of Vegas party-goers. The 2008 Festival was highlighted by a special advance screening of Get Smart
Get Smart (film)
Get Smart is a 2008 American spy-fi comedy film based on Mel Brooks and Buck Henry's 1960s spy parody television series of the same name. The film stars Steve Carell as Maxwell Smart and Anne Hathaway as Agent 99...
with Dwayne Johnson, as well as a rare showing of Planting the Seeds, the short animated film from renowned international artist Takashi Murakami
Takashi Murakami
is an internationally prolific contemporary Japanese artist. He works in fine arts media—such as painting and sculpture—as well as what is conventionally considered commercial media —fashion, merchandise, and animation— and is known for blurring the line between high and low art...
. Celebrities honored at the 2008 Festival include James Caan, Don Cheadle
Don Cheadle
Donald Frank "Don" Cheadle, Jr. is an American film actor and producer. Cheadle rose to prominence in the late 1990s and the early 2000s for his supporting roles in the Steven Soderbergh-directed films Out of Sight, Traffic, and Ocean's Eleven...
, Rosario Dawson
Rosario Dawson
Rosario Isabel Dawson is an American actress, singer, and writer. She has appeared in films such as Kids, Men in Black II, 25th Hour, Sin City, Clerks II, Rent, Death Proof, The Rundown, Eagle Eye, Alexander, Seven Pounds, Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief and Unstoppable.-Early...
, Anjelica Huston
Anjelica Huston
Anjelica Huston is an American actress. Huston became the third generation of her family to win an Academy Award, for her performance in 1985's Prizzi's Honor, joining her father, director John Huston, and grandfather, actor Walter Huston. She later was nominated in 1989 and 1990 for her acting in...
, Viggo Mortensen
Viggo Mortensen
Viggo Peter Mortensen, Jr. is a Danish-American actor, poet, musician, photographer and painter. He made his film debut in Peter Weir's 1985 thriller Witness, and subsequently appeared in many notable films of the 1990s, including The Indian Runner , Carlito's Way , Crimson Tide , Daylight , The...
and Sam Rockwell
Sam Rockwell
Sam Rockwell is an American actor known for his leading roles in Lawn Dogs, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Choke and Moon, as well as for his supporting roles in The Green Mile, Iron Man 2, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Frost/Nixon, Galaxy Quest, Matchstick Men, The Assassination of...
.
The 11th Annual Festival kicked off with the world premiere of Saint John of Las Vegas
Saint John of Las Vegas
Saint John of Las Vegas is a 2009 American comedy-drama film starring Steve Buscemi, Romany Malco, and Sarah Silverman.The film, directed and written for the screen by Hue Rhodes and produced by Steve Buscemi, Stanley Tucci, and Spike Lee, follows an ex-gambler as he takes a road trip with his new...
, starring Steve Buscemi
Steve Buscemi
Steven Vincent "Steve" Buscemi is an American actor, writer and film director. An associate member of the renowned experimental theater company The Wooster Group, Buscemi has starred and supported in successful Hollywood and indie films including New York Stories, Mystery Train, Reservoir Dogs,...
as an ex-gambler-turned fraud investigator who must return to Las Vegas to investigate an insurance claim. The film also stars Sarah Silverman
Sarah Silverman
Sarah Kate Silverman is a Jewish American comedian, writer, actress, singer and musician. Her satirical comedy addresses social taboos and controversial topics such as racism, sexism, and religion....
, Romany Malco
Romany Malco
Romany Romanic Malco, Jr. is an American actor and music producer. He has been nominated for several awards, including an NAACP Image Award, MTV Movie Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award. Malco portrayed Conrad Shepard on the Showtime series Weeds. He most recently played George St...
, and Tim Blake Nelson
Tim Blake Nelson
Tim Blake Nelson is an American director, writer, singer, and actor.-Early life:Nelson was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the son of Ruth Kaiser Nelson, who is a noted social activist and philanthropist in Tulsa, and a geologist father...
. The 2009 Festival also honored actors Jon Voight
Jon Voight
Jonathan Vincent "Jon" Voight is an American actor. He has received an Academy Award, out of four nominations, and three Golden Globe Awards, out of nine nominations. Voight is the father of actress Angelina Jolie....
and Willem Dafoe
Willem Dafoe
Willem Dafoe is an American film, stage, and voice actor, and a founding member of the experimental theatre company The Wooster Group...
as well as directors George Kuchar
George Kuchar
George Kuchar was an American underground film director, known for his "low-fi" aesthetic.-Early life and career:...
and Mike Kuchar
Mike Kuchar
Mike Kuchar is an American underground filmmaker and actor. Kuchar is notable for his low-budget and camp films such as Sins of the Fleshapoids and The Craven Sluck.-Biography:...
. In addition, Jenova Chen
Jenova Chen
Xinghan Chen , known as Jenova Chen, is the designer of the award-winning games Cloud, Flow, and Flower, and is co-founder of Thatgamecompany. Chen is from Shanghai, where he earned a bachelors degree in computer science and a minor in digital art and design...
and Kellee Santiago
Kellee Santiago
Kellee Santiago is a video game designer and producer, and the co-founder and president of Thatgamecompany. Santiago was born in Caracas, Venezuela and was raised in Richmond, Virginia, where she played video games from a young age and was encouraged by her software engineer father to experiment...
were honored with the inaugural Planet Illogica Award for Excellence in New Media. This award is for artists working in the realm of video gaming who have pushed the boundaries of storytelling in their field.
Due to economic concerns, Festival President Robin Greenspun and Artistic Director Trevor Groth announced the 2010 Festival would be cancelled. . On May 29, 2010, Chairman Dennis Hopper
Dennis Hopper
Dennis Lee Hopper was an American actor, filmmaker and artist. As a young man, Hopper became interested in acting and eventually became a student of the Actors' Studio. He made his first television appearance in 1954 and appeared in two films featuring James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant...
died of prostate cancer. The 2011 Festival did not take place, and it is unknown if a festival will take place in 2012 or in the future.