CINEVEGAS FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES NEW DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING
LAS VEGAS – CineVegas Festival President Robin Greenspun and Artistic Director Trevor Groth are pleased to announce the appointment of Mike Plante as Director of Programming for the CineVegas Film Festival.
“It has been a privilege working with Mike for the past eight years at CineVegas and his contributions to the growth and success of the Festival are immeasurable,” said CineVegas Artistic Director Trevor Groth. “I don't know anyone more passionate and knowledgeable about film than he is and especially about the type of renegade films that have stamped an indelible mark on anyone who has taken the wild cinematic ride that is CineVegas. With his expanded role, I am confident that we will reach new heights in discovering distinctive, alternative films.”
Plante began working for film festivals as a projectionist and film programmer for the Arizona Film Festival in 1993 and later at The Loft Cinema. In 1998, Plante created the zeroxed magazine Cinemad. Produced out of pocket, Cinemad’s six issues were distributed worldwide, morphing into the current website iblamesociety.com. He is a regular contributor to Filmmaker and Razorcake Magazine.
In 2001, Plante started working for the Sundance Film Festival as Presentation Manager. He served as a Short Film Programmer there from 2002-2006, as New Frontier Consultant for the 2007 and 2008 festivals, and continues to be an Associate Programmer and Consultant for the festival.
Plante started working for CineVegas in 2002 as a Programmer and became Associate Director of Programming two years ago. Plante also produces the Lunchfilm series, where he buys a filmmaker lunch in exchange for a short film to be made for the cost of the lunch.
He bowls a 185 on a good day.
Trevor Groth will continue to serve as the Artistic Director of CineVegas in conjunction with his role as Director of Programming of the Sundance Film Festival.
Anita Nelving continues as Managing Director of CineVegas. Nelving joined the festival in fall of 2008, following her long-standing role as Director of Public Relations for Cirque du Soleil.
About CineVegas The 11th Annual CineVegas Film Festival will be held June 10 – 15, 2009 at the Palms Casino Resort and Brenden Theatres in Las Vegas . The CineVegas Film Festival is a platform for artists and art lovers who are drawn to the edge. Held amidst the unique, unpredictable and intoxicating environment that is Las Vegas , the CineVegas Film Festival pushes the boundaries of cinema.
The Festival annually presents work by innovative, uninhibited, and renegade artists to an audience of local and national film lovers, journalists, and film industry representatives. Robin Greenspun serves as the festival’s President, Trevor Groth serves as Artistic Director and Dennis Hopper serves as the Chairman of the Creative Advisory Board. For more information on the CineVegas Film Festival, please call 888-8VEGAS8 or visit www.CineVegas.com .
