Method Fest Stays True To Heritage
With Great Acting Performances in 2006

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Executive Producer Inder Dadlani, star Sonny Mandal and Sapna Mandal await the L.A. premiere of The Gold Bracelet. See story below.

Producer Joe Sekiya and writer/director Jamin Winans in front of poster for their film, 11:59.

Calabasas, Calif., April 5, 2006 - Long before they arrived in Calabasas for the 8th Annual Method Fest Film Festival, Jamin Winans and Raymond Andrew Bailey of 11:59 knew there was distinct difference that separated this festival from others in America.

“Having a film in the Method Fest means your film has been selected because of the acting in it,” said Winans, who wrote and directed 11:59, which had its West Coast premiere last night at the Viewpoint School. “This is the No. 1 acting film festival in the U.S., above any others. At some huge festivals, you might hear more about the film than here, but at Method Fest, you always hear about the actors. It's just so important to have an opportunity to be seen in Los Angeles.”

For Bailey, 11:59's lead, the appearance here was a milestone in his career.

“For an actor, Method Fest is huge,” he said. “Knowing my film was selected for this festival and that I'm the lead actor in it, is the biggest compliment I've ever received for my acting.”

Bailey's performance in the drama about a photojournalist was clearly worthy of the compliment as 11:59 joined Centerpiece Film The Gold Bracelet (see below) in continuing a strong week of screenings for a record-setting Festival.

“We've been following the Festival on the web site and we're charged about the energy here,” said Winans.

That energy continues today with the Closing Night Film Dirt Nap and Love Is Work bringing the curtain down on the film portion of the Festival. But Friday's Awards Ceremony, scheduled at 7 p.m. at Viewpoint School and followed by Wrap Party there afterward, is always a memorable and high-energy occasion.

Don Franken, executive director of the festival, said the comments by Winans and Bailey about acting and the Method Fest go to the heart of the reason for creating the Festival and nurturing it through eight years.

"Everything,” said Franken, “is actor-driven at Method Fest."

At the heart of great Method Fest films: the director and actor. In this case, the director is Stacey Kattman and the star is Sunny Doench of the short film Love Thy Neighbor.

Named after the famous acting technique, the festival is organized and run primarily by actors, producers, and directors who have tired of watching big-name actors waltz through blockbuster movies with shoddy performances.

Method Fest, therefore, uses a screening process based on actors' performances: Each film entry must include strong performances from all actors in the cast. If even one or two actors fail to deliver, the film often doesn't make the cut.

"We're the only film festival in the United States that puts its focus on performance -- story-driven films with breakout acting," said Franken. "The reason the festival was started was to re-emphasize the core ingredients of great films, and those are the films we all remember -- films with incredible performances and powerful stories."

Dirt Nap, today's Closing Night film, is a perfect example. Up-and-coming actor-director D.B. Sweeney said his road-trip comedy Dirt Nap -- which features actor's actors such as Ed Harris, John C. McGinley, and Rex Linn -- was a perfect fit for Method Fest.

"A lot of the festivals, they all program the same 20 movies, you know, from Sundance to South by Southwest, and it's not very courageous, really," Sweeney said. "Method Fest is a festival that really focuses on performances and actors. I think my movie is really an actor's movie."

If Sweeney is lucky, his film will follow the 72 others that inked distribution deals after screening at Method Fest, among them The Visit, Raising Victor Vargas, and Three Days of Rain. But for actors who are not attending to promote their films, the festival offers a number of opportunities to mingle with filmmakers and connect with other thespians. According to Franken, many actors have made connections with producers and directors at the festival and later been cast in their projects.

"I encourage people to come out and be part of the festival, to meet people, learn, watch these incredible performances, and build relationships that will help propel their careers forward," said Franken.

Tickets for the Festival, which runs through April 7, are available online at brownpapertickets.com, or at the door of the Louis B. Mayer Theatre and the Carlson Family Theatre at Viewpoint School. Please see the Event Schedule and Film Schedule pages for more details. Some 23 feature films and 40 shorts from around the world are featured in this year's Festival.

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» See full story about the Festival lineup of films. » See a synopsis of each film, short.

Calabasas, Calif., April 5, 2006 - "This film did more for race relations in two hours than just about anything," said one viewer after seeing the Los Angeles premiere of the acclaimed The Gold Bracelet. "It should be required viewing."

Writer/director Kavi Raz with actor Joseph Whipp.

Kavi Raz, who wrote, directed, produced and acted in the film, may not envision his epic being "required viewing," but he certainly hopes The Gold Bracelet at least gets the opportunity to be seen in wide distribution.

The Gold Bracelet follows the story of Arjun Singh, who brings his family to America dreaming of a better life. The film's themes are timely in a world much changed since 9/11 and in a country facing difficult decisions about immigration and prejudice.

But it is not just trying to get the movie's message to a wider audience that convinced Raz to bring the film to The Method Fest. It was also the acting in the movie.

"This is very much a character-driven, ensemble piece with strong acting throughout, so it was very appropriate for this Festival," Raz said. "We don't have distribution at this point, but we hope to get some."

The Gold Bracelet came to Method Fest after winning the Audience Choice Award as Best Film in the 2006 Cinequest Film Festival. The film may keep its streak alive when the Method Fest holds its Award Ceremony Friday at 7 p.m. at Viewpoint School.

"Audience reaction tonight was very good, so we're hopeful," said Arsh Singh, one of the film's actors.

Michael Cavalieri of the short "Livewire."

Veteran actor Martin Landau, honored at the 2005 Method Fest Awards Ceremony in Calabasas, joins a noted list of distinguished honorees on the festival's awards lists. In fact, taking a scroll through the lists reveals how the Method Fest has contributed to the careers of emerging and established stars, producers and others in the industry. See the Archives Page for a look at the all-time list of Method Fest award winners.

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