The Tallgrass Programming Committee has selected Ishai Setton's THE KITCHEN to screen in the first-ever Stubbornly Independent Gala spot on Saturday, October 20 at 8:00 pm at the Scottish Rite Theatre. In addition to the Gala spot, Setton will receive the Jake Euker Stubbornly Independent Award, a $1,000 cash prize from Tallgrass and a $2,500 filmmaking grant from vimeo. Setton, a Tallgrass alumn (THE BIG BAD SWIM, 2006) and cast member Tate Ellington will attend the screening which will be followed by a Q&A and after party. The evening is sponsored by Steve Anderson and media sponsor vimeo.

The other nominees: DEAD DAD, FAITH IN DESTINY, PETUNIA, SHOUTING SECRETS and THINGS I DON'T UNDERSTAND will screen throught out the weekend and will be attended by filmmakers as well. All are contenders for the txtwrks Audience Award:Narrative Feature Film and a $1,000 cash prize. Congratualtions to all of the SI nominees.

The 10^th annual Tallgrass Film Festival is adding a new Gala to its lineup. On Saturday, October 20, the first-ever Stubbornly Independent Gala will be held at the Scottish Rite Theatre , and will feature a film screening, Q&A with the filmmakers and an after-party with open bar/food/entertainment.

The twist? Six independent films, that met the criteria for the competition, are vying for the Gala spotlight. The Stubbornly Independent Gala contenders are DEAD DAD, FAITH IN DESTINY, PETUNIA, SHOUTING SECRETS, THE KITCHEN and THINGS I DON’T UNDERSTAND. Eligible films had to be a domestic narrative feature, made for less than $750,000 USD, with no traditional theatrical distribution at the time of the Tallgrass screening.

The winning film will be chosen by the Tallgrass Film Festival Programming Committee and will be announced in the official festival program guide published in the Wichita Eagle (and on the Tallgrass website) on October 12.

In addition to the Gala screening, the filmmakers will receive a $1,000 cash prize, and the coveted Jake Euker Stubbornly Independent Tallgrass Tap Handle Award (created by VanChase), named for longtime friend and supporter of the festival, and given to someone who inspires future generations of filmmakers and encourages them to follow their dreams; and a $2,500 filmmaking grant from vimeo.

“We decided that to mark our tenth anniversary year by celebrating our roots: independent film; and the best way to capture that sentiment is to shine a spotlight on those filmmakers out there who are making those true indie films. After all, it is their creativity and dedication to the craft of moviemaking that allows Tallgrass to continue year after year,” said Executive Director Lela Meadow-Conner.

One or more filmmakers from each nominated film will attend the festival and three of the films come from alumni filmmakers all of whom will attend: James Choi (MADE IN CHINA, JOINT BODY), Ash Christian (FAT GIRLS, MANGUS) and Ishai Setton (THE BIG BAD SWIM.) All runners-up will receive general admission screenings on Saturday or Sunday during the festival. 

“These filmmakers and their movies are the stars of the show,”  said Meadow-Conner.

The feature film will be preceded by one of the award-winning films from Tallgrass/Creative Rush’s recent Down to the Wire: A 24 Hour Filmmaking Competition.

“Our recent filmmaking competition, Down to the Wire, showcased the immense talent of all of the independent filmmakers in Wichita. As a festival, we want to foster and encourage our regional filmmaking community to continue making movies and showcase some incredible films that are made with small budgets and short time frames," Meadow-Conner added.

The Stubbornly Independent Gala will take place in lieu of the Ad Astra program; the evening is hosted by festival sponsor Steve Anderson, media sponsor is vimeo. The 10^th annual Tallgrass Film Festival takes place October 18-21 in and around downtown Wichita, Kansas and opens with the U.S. premiere of PABLO. Tickets go on sale October 1.

The Stubbornly Independent Gala Contenders:

(Midwest Premiere, Dir: Ken J. Adachi, Cast: Kyle Arrington, Jenni Melear, Lucas K. Peterson, USA, 2012)

When their dad dies unexpectedly, estranged siblings Russell, Jane and their adopted brother, Alex, come home to tend to his remains. Though difficult, the three must work together to achieve a proper goodbye and discover what it means to be a family without their dad.

(World Premiere, Dir. James Choi, Cast: Keith Neagle, Sasha Grishkov, USA, 2012)

A stylized neo-noir about Killian and his lover, Mary, and the strange circumstances involving a mysterious woman name Faith, who stands in their way of being together. A metaphor for the choices and coincidences in life that make up your destiny.

(Wichita Premiere, Dir. Ash Christian, Cast: Thora Birch, Brittany Snow, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Christine Lahti, Michael Urie, USA, 2012)

An off beat family of New Yorkers must come to terms with their own misgivings about life, relationships and the sheer unpredictability of love itself. Petunia is a film about a dysfunctional family unit on the verge of a nervous breakdown. This is the story of how they pick up the pieces.

(Regional Premiere, Director Korinna Sehringer, Cast: Chaske Spencer, Q’orianka Kilcher, Tyler Christopher, Gil Birmingham, USA 2011)

It’s the tale of a fractured family brought together by tragedy. A richly realized portrait of kin repairing bonds once thought irretrievably broken. The entire clan is in flux in a story that is at once about the constancy and the fragility of love, as well as the importance of family.

(Midwest Premiere, Dir. Ishai Setton, Cast: Laura Prepon, Bryan Greenberg, Dreama Walker, Matt Bush, Tate Ellington, USA 2012)

In this ensemble comedy set entirely inside a kitchen, a birthday party is about to start. Jennifer, is about to turn 30, but she is in no mood to party. She has just left her job and her cheating boyfriend, and midst all this chaos, is trying to figure out how to start the next chapter of her life.

(Regional Premiere, Dir. David Spaltro, Cast: Molly Ryman, Aaron Mathis, Grace Folsom, USA 2012)

Violet Kubelick, is brilliant, young grad student studying near-death experiences. Forced by financial matters to finally step out of her protective Brooklyn bubble, Violet forms a cathartic relationship with a young, terminally ill girl in a hospice and the damaged bartender who lives downstairs. A story of changing, relationships, love, life and what comes after we die.