Special Offers & Events

Vail Film Festival: April 3-6, 2008

Five years ago, the Vail Film Festival premiered as a regional event promoting independent films. It drew 5,000 filmmakers and guests. Fast-forward to 2008: The Vail Film Festival has become a leading incubator for new filmmakers around the world. And this discriminating group consistently gives the event two thumbs up.

This year 15,000 attendees, including Best Life readers, will come to celebrate the magic of the movies and the mountain at the fifth annual Vail Film Festival.

EVENT CALENDAR
THURSDAY: 04.03.08
— Registration
— Best Life Lodge at Vail Square, Lionshead, 12pm–6pm
— Opening Night Film
— Opening Night Gala

FRIDAY: 04.04.08
— Registration
— Best Life Lodge at Vail Square, Lionshead, 10am–6pm
— Festival Music Café
— Film Screenings
— Filmmaker Reception

SATURDAY: 04.05.08  
— Best Life Lodge at Vail Square, Lionshead, 10am–4pm
— Festival Music Café
— Film Screenings
— Stella Artois Beer & Food Pairings Seminar at Best Life Lodge
— Workshops & Industry Panels
— Closing Night Film
— Awards Ceremony & Party

SUNDAY: 04.06.08
— Festival Closing Brunch
— Best Life Lodge at Vail Square, Lionshead, 10am–2pm
— Workshops & Industry Panels
— Film Screenings

Go to www.VailFilmFestival.org and www.BestLifeOnline.com for more information.

VISITING VAIL
During the Vail Film Festival, mornings are for skiing, afternoons are devoted to screenings, panels, and workshops; evenings are reserved for music, parties, and awards. To help you plan your visit, check out these Best 5 lists.

BEST 5 STEEPEST RUNS
Some skiers prefer Vail’s powder bowls, others head for the wooded glades. And those who can’t resist a challenge choose the steepest inclines to test their skills.
•    Prima and Prima Cornice
•    Rasputin’s Revenge
•    Pronto
•    Lover’s Leap
•    Jade Glade

BEST 4 REASONS TO VISIT VAIL
1 The biggest and most popular winter resort in North America, Vail is consistently rated the country’s #1 ski resort.
2 Charming and pedestrian-friendly Vail Village resembles an Alpine fantasy.
3 In addition to the abundant winter activities available, Vail’s resort hotels and spas make it an ideal vacation destination.
4 The lively aprés-ski scene in Lionshead, Vail Village and square features multiple restaurants and bars, live music venues and places to dance.

5 TOP SHOPS FOR MEN
Man cannot live by movies and mountains alone. Devote some time to the serious pursuit of shopping when in Vail.
• Valbruna (970.476.344; www.valbrunaitaly.com/stores.html) - finely made Italian clothing for ski and après-ski, featuring a line of Victorinox fashions for men.
• Axel’s (970-476-76250; www.axelsvail.com) -  timeless and tasteful clothing, luscious leathers, European footwear, and custom-made cowboy boots
• Manrico Cashmere (970-479-9944; www.manrico.com) – ultra-luxurious and breathable cashmere and cashmere/silk blend sportswear, sweaters, scarves, and sheets
• Patagonia (970-477-5744; www.patagonia.com) - performance clothing and gear located in the new Arrabelle resort in Vail Square
• Pepi Sports (970-476-5202; www.pepisports.com) - equipment for skiers of all levels with demos and rentals available

The Vail Film Festival [www.vailfilmfestival.org], welcoming independent filmmakers and their fans to four days of movies and mountain magic.

BEST 5 EXTREME ADVENTURES
Beyond the thrills of downhill skiing and screening independent films, attendees at the Vail Film Festival can test their stamina with uncommon outdoor sports including:
•    Winter horseback riding
•    Night ski bike tours
•    Backcountry hut trips
•    Ice climbing
•    Driving a dogsled team

BEST 5 HOTELS
Sanctuary awaits at Vail’s top hotels, which feature amenities for the skier as well as the sybarite.

The following welcome Vail Film Festival attendees:
Arrabelle – the town’s luxurious newcomer, Arrabelle anchors the newly developed Vail Square’s ice rink, cafés, and boutiques (970.477.3796)
The Lodge at Vail – its location at the base of the mountain is ideal, and the spa that opened in March makes it even more of a draw (970.476.5011)
Vail Marriott Mountain Resort & Spa – heated indoor pools and hot tubs lure guests from their private fireplaces and spa tubs (970.476.4444)
Sonnenalp Resort of Vail – Alpine style and gemütlich hospitality in perennially award-winning (and recently updated) lodging (800.654.8312)
Vail Cascade Resort & Spa – Vail’s only AAA Four-Diamond rated ski-in/ski-out resort celebrates its 25th season (800.282.4183)

BEST 5 RESTAURANTS
The popular Taste of Vail food-and-wine event [www.tasteofvail.com] coincides with the Festival this year, giving visitors another reason to make reservations at the valley’s best restaurants, which include the following.
• Larkspur – known for Vail’s best burger (970.479.8050)
• La Tour – contemporary French cuisine (970.476.4403)
• Terra Bistro – voted “Best Breakfast Spot” by Vail Daily readers (970.476.6836)
• Kelly Liken – innovative seasonal fare (970.479.0175)
• Sweet Basil – longtime favorite (970.476.0125)

BEST 5 PLACES TO WARM UP
Unwind, have a drink, relive the day, and storyboard the next one at these welcoming perches.
Mickey’s Piano Bar at the Lodge at Vail – mellow music in a cozy environment (970.476.5011)
Starbucks in Vail Village – a great view of Gore Creek in a wi-fi (fee) hotspot (970.476.1202)
The George – this favorite spot of locals in the Mountain Haus hotel features pool tables and wi-fi (free) (970.476.2434)
Bailey’s Place at Eagle’s Nest – rewards skiers and those returning from Adventure Ridge with warm drinks and snacks (970.476.9090)
Best Life Lodge – an oasis for Vail Film Festival VIPs and pass holders, the Lodge serves drinks and signature dishes from Larkspur and La Tour and puts the spotlight on these Festival sponsors:
• OFFICIAL APPAREL : Victorinox Swiss Army presents sophisticated sportswear in the Lodge and at Valbruna, whose month-long promotion rewards Victorinox Swiss Army apparel buyers with a special gift-with-purchase.
• OFFICIAL HOME THEATER : Visit the Epson Screening Room in the Best Life Lodge. Watch short films, learn about hi-def projection, and enter to win a PowerLite ProCinema 1080 UB projector.
• OFFICIAL BEER : Stella Artois is served at all events and at the brand’s signature bar in the Best Life Lodge. Be there when the Stella Sommelier hosts an après-ski beer and food pairing.

EXCLUSIVE AUTOMOTIVE SPONSOR
Subaru invites guests to visit the Best Life Lodge to enter the Subaru All Terrain Sweepstakes. View versatile new models, designed to handle the adventure ahead at various locations throughout Vail Village.

THE FESTIVAL
CELEBRATING 5 YEARS OF MOVIES ON THE MOUNTAIN
Looking back on the Festival’s brief history, co-founders Scott and Sean Cross
can point with pride to the ways in which it has grown. “We used to have to try to recruit bigger films; now the studios and large production companies approach us,” says Scott.

“The Festival has become an incubator for new filmmakers,” he adds. “The screenwriting contest at the Festival has given writers the opportunity to meet producers and actually get their films made. This is especially true of short films, where budget and time commitments are not as prohibitive.”

One of the biggest changes that has made the Festival accessible to international and shoestring-budget filmmakers is that films and screenplays are now all submitted online. In addition, the Festival now screens the majority of its films digitally. The founders plan to stream some of this year’s short films on www.vailfilmfestival.org so that those who don’t make it to the mountain can experience the innovative spirit of the Vail Film Festival.

BEST 5 COMING ATTRACTIONS
Although much has changed since the first festival, the same independent spirit and invigorating mix of filmmakers, panelists, judges, and Vail itself have contributed to the emergence of the Vail Film Festival as a preferred stop on the independent film circuit. Continuing to grow in quality, prestige, and the number of films submitted, the Vail Film Festival this year introduces:
• New Venue: Arrabelle, the luxurious new hotel in Vail Square
• New Entertainment: Friday Night Concert in Vail Village, featuring folk/rock singer-songwriters from Los Angeles’ Hotel Café
• New Hang out: Late-Night Lounge in Vail Village, exclusively for Festival VIPs on Friday and Saturday nights, from 11:30pm to 2am
• New Award: Renegade Award for risk-taking in filmmaking
• New Contest: A winning film will be chosen from among those submitted to the (RED) Vision Short Film Competition.

BEST 5 HIGHLIGHTS
Over the years, the Vail Film Festival has hosted a number of memorable events. Among them:
2004: Considered an independent film pioneer, Robert M. Young , director of Alhambrista, Dominick and Eugene, Extremities, Triumph of the Spirit , and other features and documentaries, accepts the Vail Film Festival’s first Gold Summit Award.
2005: Luke Wilson and his brother Andrew screen The Wendell Baker Story , their directorial debut. An audience favorite, it wins the Best Film award. In his acceptance speech, Luke Wilson says he especially appreciates that Vail is a filmmakers’ festival, truly dedicated to directors and screenwriters.
2006: Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly participates in the Vail Film Festival Critics Panel and praises the very strong film program as a significant achievement for a young festival.
2007: Writer-director-actor-producer and Gold Summit Award winner Harold Ramis joins Best Life Editor-in-Chief Stephen Perrine in a frank, relaxed, and oftentimes hilarious interview at the Festival.
2007–08: Product (RED), the global initiative to help eliminate AIDS in Africa, chose the Vail Film Festival as its exclusive film festival partner in 2007. In turn, 25% of Avanti pass sales at the 2007 Festival go to the organization. And the (RED) Vision Short Film Competition, a contest to inspire more people to join in the fight against AIDS, was launched. Winning (RED) Vision films will be screened at the 2008 Festival.

VAIL FILM FESTIVAL PASSES
Patron ($1000; includes a tax-deductible donation of $500) — Priority access to films, panels, music café, Best Life Lodge, Opening Night Party, Filmmaker Reception, First Tracks Skiing, Festival Awards Ceremony, Closing Night Party, Closing Brunch, and VIP reserved seating screenings of the Opening and Closing Night Films.
Prima ($450) - Priority access to films, access to panels, music café, Best Life Lodge, Opening Night Party, Filmmaker Reception, First Tracks Skiing, Festival Awards Ceremony, Closing Night Party, Closing Brunch, and VIP screenings of the Opening and Closing Night Films.
Avanti ($150, with 25% donated to PROJECT (RED) - Access to films, panels, music café, Best Life Lodge, First Tracks Skiing, and Closing Night Party.
Vista Pass ($50) - Access to films, panels, and music café.

For detailed schedule, lodging and ticket info, go to vailfilmfestival.org .

5 BEST-KNOWN AWARD RECIPIENTS
Everyone from student filmmakers to huge stars is drawn to the Vail Film Festival. These are five of the most famous faces seen recently:
Sophia Bush
William Forsythe
Hayden Panettiere
Harold Ramis
Luke Wilson

5 BEST PANELS
One of the most popular features of the Vail Film Festival, panels put aspiring filmmakers in touch with accomplished ones. These are among the most popular of these gatherings:
Breaking into Hollywood
Critics vs. Filmmakers
Producing Indie Films
Actors on Directing
Pitching Your Screenplay

BEST FILMS
Festival Directors’ Choice
Before Sunset
Snow Cake
Knocked Up  
The Conscientious
My Date with Drew

TOP JURIED FILMS
Each year at the Vail Film Festival a jury of film-industry insiders screens films in their category and selects a winner. The following films underscore the quality and variety of work shown since 2004.

5 Top Features
Laura Smiles
Seeing Other People
The Wendell Baker Story  
Murder Party
Sweet Land

5 Top Shorts
The Knife Grinder’s Tale   
The Doorstep  
Stuff the Bear  
Spin
Bittersweet  

5 Top Documentaries
When Adnan Comes Home  
Keeper of the Kohn  
Between the Lines  
My Date with Drew
Off Road to Athens  

5 Top Student Films
Somewhere in the City directed by Ramsey Denison
Automation directed by Todd Albright
Celamy directed by Julie Anne Meerschwan
The 17th Man directed by Yimeng Jin
Zombie Prom directed by Vince Marcello

“The Vail Film Festival is great. It’s relaxed, accessible, and about the movies - a true filmmaker’s festival”
— Luke Wilson, Actor: Blades of Glory, My Super Ex-Girlfriend, The Family Stone, The Wendell Baker Story


VISIT WWW.VAILFILMFESTIVAL.ORG AND WWW.BESTLIFEONLINE.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION.