Indie

Popcorn Frights Film Festival Celebrates Indie Horror with Surprising Wins in Sunny Florida

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Sunny Isles Beach, Florida – The Popcorn Frights Film Festival culminated its eleven-day celebration of horror cinema by honoring eight standout films from an extensive lineup that featured over 130 entries from more than 20 countries. With its partnership with FANGORIA, the festival has announced its award winners spanning seven categories. Annapurna Sriram’s horror comedy, “Fucktoys,” earned the festival’s top honor — the jury award for Best Feature Film. Sriram expressed her appreciation, saying the project represented a significant journey for her and co-creator Tim, highlighting its roots in indie filmmaking and outsider art. She … Read more

Surf’s Up in Court: Jury Deliberates Origins of ‘Moana’ Amid Claims of Stolen Story from Indie Animator

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Los Angeles — A legal battle that pits a small-time writer against one of the entertainment industry’s giants unfolded in a Los Angeles court, where Buck Woodall alleges that his conceptual work “Bucky the Surfer Boy” served as the unrecognized foundation for Disney’s blockbuster film “Moana”. Lawyers delivered closing arguments this Monday, spotlighting fundamental questions of creativity and copyright inside the entertainment industry. Woodall, a writer and animator from New Mexico, brought forth a case arguing that major similarities between “Moana” and his work are too many to simply be coincidental. According to Woodall’s attorney, … Read more

Slamdance 2025 Wraps Up in New L.A. Locale, Unveiling Fresh Indie Film Talent and Celebrating Unique Voices

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Los Angeles, California — The 2025 Slamdance Film Festival wrapped up this week, bringing an adventurous close to its first celebration in Los Angeles after relocating and transitioning to a new February schedule. This strategic change aimed to carve out its own niche, distinct from the Sundance Film Festival’s schedule, allowing for a more focused spotlight on its offerings. Maintaining its tradition of promoting innovation and low-budget independent cinema, Slamdance once again showcased a plethora of debuting filmmakers and fresh narratives. One of the highlight’s from this year’s festival was the awarding of the Narrative … Read more

2025 Sundance Festival Celebrates Global Indie Cinema with Notable Award Winners

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PARK CITY, Utah — The curtain has closed on the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, a pinnacle celebration of independent cinema from across the globe. This year marked the festival’s 41st edition, where over 150 films were showcased, attracting attendees from the world of film to the snowy climes of Utah. Among the highlights was the U.S. Dramatic Competition’s Grand Jury Prize winner, “Atropia,” directed by Hailey Gates. The Iraq War satire explores the complex emotions of an aspiring actress entangled within military role-playing drills. The film’s star, Alia Shawkat, highlighted the organic nature of the … Read more