Dates change for Judson's Imago Film Festival
(Elgin, IL – February 8, 2012) Due to unforeseen scheduling conflicts, the dates have been changed for Judson University's annual Imago Film Festival. The festival was originally scheduled for March 26-30, but is now slated for March 28-31. All events for the festival will be held in the Marjorie Thulin Performance of the Alice and Edward Thompson Center, 1151 N. State St., Elgin.
Screenwriter, director and producer for the upcoming film “Blue Like Jazz,” Steve Taylor, will be this year's creative keynote speaker. A screening of the Taylor's film, based on Donald Miller's national bestselling memoir by the same title, will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 31, followed by a question and answer session with Taylor.
A red carpet event will begin that evening at 6 p.m. with food, live music, and a best-dressed contest. Taylor will give his keynote address at 7 p.m. and the festival will conclude with an awards ceremony to honor film finalists.
The Imago Film Festival showcases faith-based indie films that emphasize image and story. A panel of local university film professors and other professionals in the field will judge original films shown at the festival.
The prizes for the winning films are as follows: Best of Show - $1,000, First Prize (1-15 minutes) - $250, First Prize (15-30 minutes) - $250, and Audience Choice Award - $100. The deadline for late submissions is February 20 at a fee of $40.
Taylor studied music, filmmaking and acting at Colorado University in Boulder, Co., and began a career as a recording artist that spanned 12 years and garnered two Grammy nominations for "Meltdown" (1984) and "Squint" (1993). Among his many credits as a music video director, Taylor is best known for the Francois Truffaut homage he shot in Paris for Sixpence None the Richer's "Kiss Me" in 1998. In preparation for his first movie, Taylor spent two years studying the Meisner technique under acting teacher Bill Feheely. The film that followed, "The Second Chance," marked Taylor's debut as director/co-screenwriter. Sony Pictures subsequently picked up the movie for a 2006 theatrical release.
Tickets for the Imago Film Festival are $5 for Wednesday through Friday and $8 for each event on Saturday (event 1: Blue Like Jazz and event 2: the keynote and awards ceremony); a full-event pass is $15. For Judson students and faculty, tickets are $2 for Wednesday through Friday and $4 for each event on Saturday; a full-event pass is $9. Events begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, with "Blue Like Jazz" at 2 p.m. on Saturday and the awards ceremony at 6 p.m on Saturday.
For detailed information about scheduled events, visit www.imagofilmfestival.com. For specific questions, contact Festival Director Terrence Wandtke at twandtke@judsonu.edu.