The annual Red Rock Film Festival makes its return on Monday, Oct. 10, with competition films set to premiere at the Cedar City Fun Center, located at 170 E. Fiddlers Canyon Road.
Seminars and meetings about the minds behind both the films and the Red Rock Film Festival will be held at the Hampton Inn for those who purchase member passes granting VIP access. Those who are interested in acting or filmmaking have an opportunity to make connections with up-and-coming talent in the film industry.
Adventure, environmental and nature genre premiers
“Some of the trends include sports films about running such as the feature documentary ‘Epic Bill,’ the featurette ‘Sole Trail,’ and shorts ‘Erin McGrady,’ ‘Prolyfyk,’ ‘Rosalie Fish,’ ‘Chinatown Runners’ and if you are into skateboarding there is ‘Push,'” said Festival Director Matt Marxteyn. 
The films featured are creative and innovative focussing on bringing a positive light to viewers. The Red Rock Film Festival has films for everyone, including people who love the outdoors. Outdoor films include:
— “Bancaco” by Brad M. King, premiering on Friday, Oct. 14 at 3 p.m.
— “Saphi” by Javier Cano Larumbe, premiering on Friday, Oct. 14 at 4:10 p.m.
— “Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West” by Ashley Avis, premiering on Friday, Oct. 14 at 5:35 p.m.
— “Overland” by Elisabeth Haviland James and Revere La Noue, premiering on Friday, Oct. 14 at 7:55 p.m.
— “Island of Lost Girls” by Ann-Marie Schmidt, premiering on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 3:15 p.m.
— “Epic Bill” by Quinnolyn Benson-Yates, premiering on Saturday, Oct. 15 at 7:40 p.m.
“Island of Lost Girls” features three young sisters that stick together while trapped in a sea cave filled with crashing waves, sea lions and monstrous elephant seals. The film 
was shot on a remote island near the coast of Baja, Mexico, by two parents and their four kids with two cameras, food and supplies while staying in an old lighthouse while surviving the island in the process.
“Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West” is an immersive journey into the wild world of horses and portrays the beauty and desperation that wild horses face in the Western United States. Filmmaker Ashley Avis was part of Disney’s “Black Beauty” and thrives to uncover the truth about disappearing wild horses in hopes to protect them before they are gone forever.
“Having spent years traveling to Utah to film wild horses not only for our independent documentary ‘Wild Beauty’ but for the feature film I directed in Disney’s ‘Black Beauty,’ one of my favorite places is just outside Salt Lake City, with the famous Onaqui horses,” Ashley Avis said. “Utah contains a natural magic with these incredible creatures I have found unparalleled, and I am excited to share a little bit of that to the world with our film.”
Those that are interested in the other films at the festival can visit their schedule page for more information.
Purchasing tickets
There are multiple ticketing options for those interested in attending. Day passes are offered from one to six days, and prices range from $30-$150. The choice of day is available when purchasing.
There are also packages available for purchase up to 15 tickets that cost $1-$70. For those that want to join seminars and meetings along with films, there are membership prices that cost $50-$600. 
“The best way to attend is to buy a ticket package that gives a selection of tickets or a day pass,” Matt Marxteyn stated. “These passes and ticket packages include extra benefits such as priority entry.”
For more information on passes, tickets and membership bundles, visit the festival passes page.
Article by: Chevy Blackburn
chevyblackburn@suumail.net
Photos courtesy of Red Rock Film Festival
