BendFilm Announces Ron Shelton and Christine Vachon to Receive Honors at BendFilm Festival 2019

BEND, Ore., August 19, 2019 (Newswire.com) - ​​BendFilm announced today that two powerhouse artists — Ron Shelton and Christine Vachon — will be honored for their indelible mark on the film community at the 2019 BendFilm Festival. As part of the celebration to honor Ron Shelton, BendFilm will screen his 1988 directorial debut film Bull Durham. To honor Christine Vachon, BendFilm will screen several films she helped launch, including First Reformed (Paul Schrader), Hedwig and the Angry Inch (John Cameron Mitchell), and Carol (Todd Haynes). 

The 16th annual BendFilm Festival runs October 10-13 in Bend, Oregon and will present up to 35 feature films, 70 short films, 30 pre-screening concerts, four panels, and street art throughout the festival’s four days. More films, panelists and jurors for the 2019 Festival will be announced in the coming weeks. 

Film critics have long praised producer Christine Vachon for her fearlessness in “telling the stories Hollywood won’t” and for having the grit to champion up-and-coming directors that turn into mainstays like Todd Haynes (Carol), Todd Solondz (Happiness), Mary Harron (I Shot Andy Warhol), Kimberly Pierce (Boys Don’t Cry), and John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch). Vachon co-founded, with Pamela Koffler, the impactful independent film and television production company Killer Films in 1995. Throughout her career, she has guided more than 70 films to the screen. Vachon has been recognized as an Independent Spirit Award-winning producer and has received the Producer Award from the Gotham Independent Film Awards. Vachon is also the Artistic Director of the MFA program at Stony Brook University. 

Producer Christine Vachon said, ”If you want to have a sustainable career in filmmaking, the trick is to be as entrepreneurial as possible. What that means is being open to as many different kinds of storytelling and platforms for storytelling as you possibly can be. There is no crystal ball and the industry has changed in a million different ways, and what matters is the ability to adapt.”

Ron Shelton’s illustrious screenwriting and directing career also includes films such as Blaze, White Men Can’t Jump, Cobb, Tin Cup, and Hollywood Homicide. Shelton’s work spans four decades with more than 10 screenwriting and writer/director credits to his name. Bull Durham was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 1988 and was based in part off Shelton’s own baseball experience as a minor leaguer in Baltimore’s farm system. The script was awarded Best Original Screenplay from the National Society of Film Critics, New York Film Critics Circle and LA Film Critics Association. 

Ron Shelton, Director, Screenwriter and Producer said, “I think I'm just getting started making movies. I certainly have a lot more stories to tell. While I don't believe in looking backwards, I confess it's enjoyable to revisit a movie like Bull Durham which seems to keep hanging around. As Bull Durham was my first feature as a director, it seems the perfect movie to share with others just making their own first films."

About BendFilm: 

BendFilm was just named one of the “Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals In The World” by leading film trade MovieMaker Magazine. BendFilm fully embraces its town and gorgeous surroundings which features craft breweries, breath-taking hiking trails, a whitewater park in the middle of town, miles of paths along the Deschutes river, and a historic district full of delectable dining. In turn, the town of Bend, Oregon fully embraces the festival, which is home to a thoughtful community of cinephiles who religiously attend films and proudly support the last Blockbuster in the world (see Todd Looby at the five-minute mark). The festival venues are among the most unique of any event: from the art deco antique Tower Theater on Main Street, to BendFilm’s own 30-seat boutique microcinema located in “Tin Pan Alley,” to the Old St. Francis Theater which seats 120 people on plush couches and serves the most mouth-watering cajun tots and craft beer during the show.

Todd Looby, Executive Director of BendFilm, said, “Film has a unique power to unite us and provoke understanding, and BendFilm will continue to celebrate this art form as a force for good as we expand, experiment and invite more people to join us. The 2019 festival will bring new voices, dynamic stories, visionary artists and memorable movie moments. Come see Central Oregon in the Fall and discover a story or artist that will reach you in unimaginable ways.” 

For more information on BendFilm, to reserve your tickets, research discounted lodging through our Festival partners, visit www.BendFilm.org.  

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The Bend Film Festival is supported in part by a grant from the Bend Cultural Tourism Fund, the BNSF Foundation, the Deschutes Cultural Coalition as well as many generous sponsors, foundations and donors. 

BendFilm:
BendFilm hosts an annual independent film festival, year-round film exhibitions and programs, and is the new owner of the Tin Pan Theater — a boutique arthouse cinema located in downtown Bend’s Tin Pan Alley. The organization is designed to support and nourish filmmakers and enrich the cultural life of Central Oregon while also providing an economic benefit to the region. Celebrating its 16th year, BendFilm is proud to bring diverse voices and visions to the Bend community. The BendFilm Festival runs every October in downtown Bend, Oregon, at The Oxford Hotel, McMenamins — Old St. Francis, Regal Cinemas, the Tin Pan Theater and the historic Tower Theatre. Make plans now to attend (October 10-13, 2019) for four days of inspiring independent cinema, panels and parties in beautiful Bend, a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts, foodies, beer lovers and stunning natural scenery. BendFilm is made possible by a dedicated crew of volunteers and generous sponsors. For more information, call (541) 388-3378 or visit www.bendfilm.org. Connect with BendFilm on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Source: BendFilm

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