The Independent Filmmakers Coalition of Kansas City (IFCKC) in association with CinemaKC – a not-for-profit organization connecting groups devoted to film in Missouri and Kansas – will have their 2012 3/5/7 Tight Shorts Film Festival at January 25, 2012 at the Screenland Crown Center. A social mixer begins at 6:30 PM while the festival begins at 7:30 PM.

In its fourth year, the competition and short film festival was originally named the “357”, but has been rebranded to include “Tight Shorts”.

Matt Connolly, President of the IFCKC explains, “Adding the “Tight Shorts” helps clarify the filmmaking portion of the competition, and assists filmmakers in understanding what the parameters are.”

The term “3/5/7” refers to the length of the shorts that can be submitted and screened during the competition and festival. Films that are up to three minutes in length will screen during the “3” portion of the festival, with short films between three and five minutes screening during the “5” session, and independent film shorts between five and seven minutes to show during the “7” segment. Short films greater than seven minutes in length will not be granted admission into the competition, but may still screen during the festival at the discretion of the IFCKC’s selection committee. Awards for the winning films will be given in each category, including an Audience Choice Award.

Vickie Rocco, Vice President of the IFCKC states, “We are really excited about the 3/5/7 Tight Shorts Film Festival. We have seen some amazing work presented by filmmakers that really captures the spirit of what indie filmmaking is all about. We can‟t wait to see what this year‟s festival brings.”

The festival is open to an all-ages audience. Admission price for general audiences is $8 per person. IFCKC members receive a discounted entry price of $5 per person.

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CinemaKC’s Strategic Partners include ArtsKC, Film Commission of Greater Kansas City, Blackberry Castle Productions, Film Society of Greater Kansas City, Independent Filmmaker’s Coalition, Kansas City Film Critics Circle, Kansas City FilmFest, Kansas City Filmmakers Jubilee, Kansas City Fringe Festival, Kansas City Screenwriters, Kansas City Urban Film Festival, Kansas City Women in Film and TV, Kansas Film Commission, Kansas International Film Festival, Missouri Film Commission, Missouri Motion Media Association, Reel Spirit, Tallgrass Film Festival, Thank You Walt Disney, UMKC Film Department, University of Kansas Film and Media Studies, Variety the Children’s Charity of Greater Kansas City and Women of the Motion Picture Industry.

CinemaKC’s Business Alliance includes Allied Integrated Marketing, Allied Theatre Craft, American Heartland Theatre, Bazillion Animation, BicMedia, Haywood Marketing Communications, Kansas City Area Development Council, KC Stage Magazine, KC Studio, Prizm Productions, Screenland Armour, Screenland Crossroads, Screenland Crown Center, StagePort KC, Substream Music & Sound Design, T2, Arnold Imaging, Mile Deep Films and Print Tekk,

CinemaKC will host Best of Reel Spirit: Young Filmmaker Showcase 2010/11 at the Screenland Crown Center Theatres on Thursday, January 19, 2012. The program includes a brief reception beginning at 6:00 pm followed by the screenings and a Q&A with young filmmakers starting at 6:30 pm.

Celebrating local young filmmakers from second grade through middle school in the Kansas City metropolitan area and beyond, Reel Sprit is the youth alliance for AMC Theatres Kansas City FilmFest, the region’s largest film festival. The Reel Spirit Showcase provides an authentic competitive opportunity for children to create, write, act, direct, film, edit and produce their own video productions and have winning entries shown on the big screen.

Best of Reel Spirit: Young Filmmaker Showcase 2010/11 highlights young filmmaker winning productions across several genres including animation, documentary, public service announcement, commercial and comedy.

Included in the screening will be the mini-documentaries created by eleven year old Gigi Harris. Her award winning productions San Mateo and San Mateo Part 2: Building the Road have been the catalyst for the building of a road in the poverty stricken village of San Mateo in Belize.

The imaginative and visual artistic endeavors of these young filmmakers offers the film community of Kansas City the opportunity to catch a glimpse of what might be in store with these future “Steven Spielbergs”.

CinemaKC is an initiative of the Film Society of Greater Kansas City, connecting with movie lovers since 1991.

Admission will be $5, for more information contact Reel Spirit President, Barbara Noble at 816-554-6881 or info (at) reelspirit (dot) org or Cathy Runyan- Svacina at 816-520-9919 or themarblelady (at) aol (dot) com.

On January 8th, 2012, the Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KCFCC) chose the winners of the 2012 Dr. James Loutzenhiser Awards. This is the 45th year of annual film voting and the KCFCC is the second oldest voting film critics group in the United States, comprised of 35 members in print, radio, television and Internet.

Best Film: The Descendants
Robert Altman Award for Best Director: Terrence Malick for Tree of Life
Best Actor: George Clooney for The Descendants
Best Actress: Kirsten Dunst for Melancholia
Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer for Beginners
Best Supporting Actress: Jessica Chastain for Tree of Life
Best Original Screenplay: Beginners
Best Adapted Screenplay: Moneyball
Best Foreign Language Film: A Separation
Best Documentary: Cave of Forgotten Dreams
Best Animated Film: Rango
Vince Koehler Award for Best Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror Film: Hugo

What are your favorite films of the year?