Contacts:  

For The New York Times:
Linda Zebian, 413-896-1175, linda.zebian@nytimes.com
Jordan Cohen, 212-556-7429, jordan.cohen@nytimes.com

For Film Independent:
Alia Quart Khan, 310-432-1287, aqkhan@filmindependent.org

THE NEW YORK TIMES TO HOST INAUGURAL INDIE ONLINE FILM FESTIVAL

 Four Independent Films Will Stream Exclusively on NYTimes.com Sept. 3 Oct. 2

NEW YORK, August 20, 2013 – The New York Times today announced its first online indie film festival, which will stream four exclusive independent films, curated by non-profit arts organization Film Independent, for free on NYTimes.com (NYTimes.com/indiefilm) Sept. 3-Oct. 2.

The online festival will include two feature length and two short form films from upcoming, promising independent filmmakers who are representative of a broad range of film styles.

To mark the launch, The Times and Film Independent will host live premieres in New York City on September 7 at TheTimesCenter and in Los Angeles on September 9 at the Sonos Studio. The four filmmakers will participate in live Q&A discussions moderated by Times culture reporter Jacob Bernstein in New York and Josh Welsh, president of Film Independent, in Los Angeles. These conversations will be available on NYTimes.com/indiefilm following the live events.

“From our unrivaled news coverage in print and online, to our industry sponsorships and the success of our Film Club, The New York Times has long been committed to filmmakers and the film industry,” said Yasmin Namini, senior vice president, chief consumer officer, The New York Times. “Working closely with Film Independent’s highly regarded programming team, we are pleased to showcase these emerging filmmakers before a large worldwide audience and offer a unique cultural experience to NYTimes.com readers and beyond.”

“Film Independent has always strived to develop and engage an audience for independent cinema,” said Doug Jones, Associate Director of Programming at Film Independent. “Signature programs like the Film Independent Spirit Awards, the Los Angeles Film Festival and Film Independent at LACMA Film Series have done this for years in traditional theatrical settings, and now, thanks to our collaboration with the New York Times and these four filmmakers, we are excited to launch this online initiative, providing an amazing opportunity for our featured films to be discovered by a worldwide audience.”

The four films include:

TOWHEADS: Directed by Shannon Plumb, U.S.A.   The Brooklyn mother of two boys and the wife of a harried theater director, Penelope barely has time to stay sane, much less create art. She finds comic  relief from domestic drudgery by inhabiting the world in guises—drag king,  pole dancer, Santa Claus—managing to find moments of grace even on  thankless days.

PINCUS: Directed by David Fenster, U.S.A.   Pincus Finster has stalled out. Moving home to help his father, a man living with Parkinson’s disease, Pincus spends his time assisting with everyday activities and casually taking over the family contracting business, working when he feels up to it. The remaining hours are spent wooing a yoga instructor and conversing with his only friend, an illegal alien who stays in the empty homes they work on.

BIG MAN: Directed by Julius Onah, U.S.A/Nigeria.   Uzoma loves playing games with his little brother, in spite of his father’s warnings. And sometimes, simple games have serious consequences.

RECORD/PLAY: Directed by Jesse Atlas, U.S.A.   War, fate and a broken tape recorder transcend space and time in this sci-fi love story.

Viewers who are interested in seeing trailer previews of the films can visit NYTimes.com/indiefilm now through Sept. 3. They can also sign up to be notified via e-mail when the full films are available for viewing.

Acura, Stella Artois Cidre and The new Broadway musical Big Fish are the presenting sponsors of The New York Times Indie Online Film Festival.

The New York Times Indie Online Film Festival is produced by The New York Times marketing department. The news and editorial staffs of The New York Times had no role in its preparation.

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About The New York Times Company

The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT), a leading global, multimedia news and information company with 2012 revenues of $2.0 billion, includes The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, The Boston Globe, NYTimes.com , BostonGlobe.com , Boston.com, and related properties. The Company’s core purpose is to enhance society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news and information.

About Film Independent

Film Independent, curator of The New York Times Indie Online Film Festival, is a nonprofit arts organization that champions independent film and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision. Film Independent helps filmmakers make their movies, builds an audience for their projects and works to diversify the film industry. With over 250 annual screenings and events, including the Film Independent Spirit Awards, the Los Angeles Film Festival and Film Independent at LACMA Film Series, Film Independent provides access to a network of like-minded artists who are driving creativity in the film industry.