Slamdance unveils lineup

'I Sell the Dead' to open alternative festival

By MICHAEL JONES

Glenn McQuaid's 'I Sell the Dead,' a black comedy horror pic, will open the Slamdance Film Festival, which runs Jan. 15-23.

The 15th Slamdance Film Festival has unveiled a genre- and drama-heavy lineup for its narrative and docu competitions. The fest will open with Glenn McQuaid’s black comedy horror film “I Sell the Dead.”

In the docu program for the Park City, Utah, fest are Barbara Bell and Anna Lorentzon’s exploration of violent porn websites in “Graphic Sexual Horror”; Lee Storey’s “Up With People” chronicle “Smile ‘Til It Hurts”; and the world preem of “Strongman,” Zachary Levy’s bittersweet look at the life of strongman Stanless Steel.

In the narrative section are the world preems of Steve Kelly’s drama “City Rats,” Tina Mabry’s Southern yarn “Mississippi Damned” and Simon Ennis’ comedy “You Might as Well Live,” starring Michael Madsen.

“The Slammin’ Salmon,” a comedy from the Broken Lizard group, will unspool as a special screening.

The Slamdance competition is open only to under-$1 million budgeted films from first-time filmmakers. Other programs this year include script and short film competitions, a new musicvid showcase and Fireside Chats.

Slamdance will unspool Jan. 15-23.

15th Slamdance Film Festival lineup:

NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION

• "The Ante”
  Max Perrier, Canada
  
• “A Quiet Little Marriage”
  Mo Perkins, USA
  
• “City Rats”
  Steve M. Kelly, U.K.
  
• “I Sell the Dead” (Opening Night Film)
  Glenn McQuaid, USA
  
• “Mississippi Damned”
  Tina Mabry, USA
  
• “Only”
  Ingrid Veninger & Simon Reynolds, Canada
  
• “Punching the Clown”
  Gregori Viens, USA
  
• “Son of the Sunshine”
  Ryan Ward, Canada
  
• “Spooner”
  Drake Doremus, USA
  
• “You Might as Well Live”
  Simon Ennis, USA

  SPECIAL SCREENINGS
  
  

• “At Any Second”
  Jan Fehse, Germany
  
• “Drool”
  Nancy Kissam, USA
  
• “Finding Bliss”
  Julie Davis, USA
  
• “Not Forgotten”
  Dror, USA
  
• “Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Undead”
  Jordan Galland, USA
  
• “The Slammin’ Salmon”
  Kevin Heffernan, USA
  
• “Weather Girl”
  Blayne Weaver, USA

  TWILIGHT SCREENINGS
  

• “The Conjurer”
  Clint Hutchison, USA
  
• “Mum and Dad”
  Steven Shiel, U.K.

  DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION
  

• “Graphic Sexual Horror”
  Barbara Bell & Anna Lorentzon, USA
  
• “Hard to Be An Indian”
  Beth Toni Kruvant, USA
  
• “Lost Sparrow”
  Chris Billing, USA
  
• “Oh My God, It’s Harrod Blank”
  David Silverberg, USA
  
• “The Road to Fallujah”
  Mark Manning, USA
  
• “Second Sight”
  Alison McAlpine, Scotland/Canada
  
• “Smile Til It Hurts”
  Lee Storey, USA
  
• “Strongman”
  Zachary Levy, USA
  
• ”Unwanted Witness”
  Juan Jose Lozano, Switzerland/France

  
  

• ”Zombie Girl”
  Justin Johnson, Aaron Marshall, Erik Mauck, USA