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Aspen, CO (December 6, 2016) – Aspen Film announced the additional programming team for the 26^th annual Aspen Shortsfest taking place April 4-9, 2017.  One of the world’s premier international short film showcases, Aspen Shortsfest is Oscar^®-qualifying in five categories of its international competition, which offers a diverse and exciting selection of drama, comedy, animation and documentary, all at 40 minutes or less.  Joining Director of Programming Kathleen McInnis are Andrea Brusa, Angie Driscoll, Laura Good and Sudeep Sharma.

Andrea Brusa (Programming Associate, Programming Host) is an Italian award-winning screenwriter and filmmaker with graduate degrees in film from UCLA (MFA), Catholic University of the Sacred Heart/Milan, Italy (MA/Screenwriting, Production for Cinema and Television) and IULM University of Milan/Italy (MFA in Cinema, Television and New Media). Brusa has festival experience both as Festival Programmer (HollyShorts Film Festival) and as Filmmaker Forums Coordinator (Palm Springs ShortFest), giving him a unique understanding of the emerging filmmaker experience that he brings to Aspen Shortsfest. Brusa’s 2016 film, Breath, won Best Short Film at Mallorca International Film Festival, Special Jury Prize at Milan International Film Festival and the Special Jury Prize at Ischia Film Festival.

Angie Driscoll (Programmer, Programming Host) brings over 15 years of film programming experience to her work at a variety of festivals all over the world. She has programmed for the Toronto International Film Festival, the CFC’s Worldwide Short Film Festival, Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, and Nordisk Panorama. She has been a consultant for the Sundance Film Festival, Reel Canada and the Atlantic Filmmakers’ Co-Op, as well as a curator for pioneering internet and mobile TV platform Babelgum. She is currently living the dream programming short and feature-length documentaries for Hot Docs in Toronto, Nordic shorts for Nordisk Panorama in Malmö, and one-minute silent films for exhibition in the subway during the Toronto Urban Film Festival. Every year for the past three years she has participated on the Prism Prize jury which determines the best Canadian music video of the year.

Laura Good (Programmer, Programming Host) programs for TIFF Film Circuit, the outreach division of the Toronto International Film Festival, curates the year-round Short Cuts Monthly series at TIFF Bell Lightbox and programs both feature and short film for the Seattle International Film Festival.  Good has had the opportunity to sit on various panels and juries in relation to her programming expertise at festivals and conferences such as the Palm Springs ShortFest, the National Screen Institute Short Film Festival, TIFF’s Canada’s Top Ten Film Festival and the Art House Convergence Conference.

Sudeep Sharma (Programmer) is a film programmer and media scholar. He is a Senior Programmer for the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles and a Programmer for the Palm Springs International ShortFest. He is also a programming consultant for AFI Fest and has consulted in the past with KQED. He has worked for the Sundance Institute in various capacities, most recently as an Associate Programmer for feature documentaries for the festival and also as a reader for the Feature Film Program and Documentary Fund. Previously he was Director of Programming for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He has a PhD in Cinema and Media Studies from UCLA and has taught film, media and communication courses at universities throughout Southern California. He is currently writing a book on the history of American cable television news.

Aspen Film is currently accepting submissions for the 26th Aspen Shortsfest.  Regular Entry Deadline is November 30, 2016.  Late Entry Deadline is December 26, 2016. For information on entering a film for Aspen Shortsfest, please visit aspenfilm.org.

The 25th Aspen Film Academy Screenings will run December 21-January 1. Pre-sale tickets are available for Aspen Film Members on Monday, December 5, with tickets to the general public available Thursday, December 8 through the Wheeler Opera House box office: aspenshowtix.com or 970.920.5770 / 866.449.0464. General Admission tickets are available for $20 and $15 for Aspen Film Members.

The New Year’s Eve Casino Royale Bash will be held December 31, 2016.  The evening will be filled with wining, dining, dancing and gaming with a performance by NYC’s Swing Band Double Down. Tickets are available now and for more information visit aspenfilm.org/casino-royal-bash.

For more information and to join Aspen Film, please visit aspenfilm.org. For updates, like Aspen Film on Facebook, follow @AspenFilm on Twitter and Instagram.

 

ABOUT ASPEN FILM

Established in 1979, Aspen Film is one of Colorado’s most active film arts organizations, presenting dynamic programs and featured guest artists throughout the year. Internationally recognized, Aspen Film organizes a major film event in every season, along with an extensive education program: Aspen Filmfest, Academy Screenings, Aspen Shortsfest and Film Educates. With a mission to enlighten, enrich, educate and entertain through film, Aspen Film stimulates thought, encourages dialogue and broadens understanding of our world and selves through the diverse spectrum of ideas presented by filmmakers worldwide. To learn more, visit www.aspenfilm.org and follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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