Philip G. Flores Wins the 'Netflix FIND Your Voice Film Competition' and Will
Use the $350,000 Production Grant to Produce his Film, 'Touchback'
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- After nine months of rigorous
competition, aspiring filmmaker Philip G. Flores of Hemet, Calif. emerged as
the winner of the "Netflix FIND Your Voice" filmmaking competition
(www.netflixfindyourvoice.com), it was announced today by the project's
presenting partners, Netflix, Inc., the world's largest online movie rental
service, and Film Independent (FIND), the nonprofit arts organization that
produces the Spirit Awards and the Los Angeles Film Festival.
Earlier this year, Netflix and FIND joined forces to discover and assist the
next great independent filmmaker. Judged by a jury of film industry veterans,
including actor/director Josh Brolin, Mr. Flores' winning film project,
"Touchback," will now be produced as a feature-length, narrative film and is
scheduled to premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival in June 2010 and
concurrently be available for streaming instantly from Netflix.
"We are delighted to give Philip an opportunity to bring 'Touchback' to life,"
said Ted Sarandos, chief content officer for Netflix. "It was the goal of the
'Netflix FIND Your Voice' competition to give talented filmmakers a platform
for their work, and we are gratified to have achieved that through this
project."
As the winner of the competition, Mr. Flores, 28, will receive a prize package
valued at more than $350,000 to produce "Touchback." The award includes a
$150,000 cash production grant funded by Netflix, a camera package donated by
Panavision, 25,000 feet of Kodak Color Negative Film or 10,000 feet of Kodak
Color Intermediate Film courtesy of Kodak, dailies and release prints donated
by Deluxe Entertainment Services Group, and a digital intermediate package
provided by EFILM Hollywood, a division of Deluxe. FIND will provide advice
and mentorship to Mr. Flores.
"We're so excited to be working with Philip and eagerly await the opportunity
to introduce 'Touchback' to an international audience at next year's
festival," said Dawn Hudson, executive director for FIND. "Through the
generosity of Netflix and our sponsors, we're able to dramatically expand the
level of support given to filmmakers. We also hope that the added visibility
this contest brought to the other finalists and semi-finalists will help them
move their films closer to production."
After the initial announcement in January 2009, the "Netflix FIND Your Voice"
competition received more than 2,000 applications and scripts from aspiring
filmmakers. FIND identified 10 semifinalists, who were each asked to submit a
two-to-three-minute video short related to the project they were proposing.
The applicants had to be first-time filmmakers who had not yet created and
publicly screened a full-length, narrative feature film of at least 70
minutes. Through a public voting process on the competition's Web site, the
six films with the highest number of votes were selected to go to the final
round. A winner was selected by a judging panel of accomplished filmmakers
and entertainment industry veterans, including Mr. Brolin, John Sayles, Dustin
Lance Black, Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks and Stephanie Allain.
The "Netflix FIND Your Voice" Blue Ribbon Committee had this to say about the
competition and the winner:
"We were very impressed with the quality of this year's finalists, standouts
from over 2,000 submissions. The discussion was not about loves and hates and
unhappy compromises, but of the relative merits of a group of films we hope
get made and filmmakers we hope can keep at it and continue to grow. Given
this, we eagerly await the premiere of director Philip Flores' 'Touchback,'
and encourage film professionals and investors to visit the competition Web
site to consider some other outstanding projects and filmmakers worth
supporting."
"Touchback" tells the story of Bug, a high school freshman who reluctantly
engages in a contest based on the sexual conquest of female classmates.
Things go badly awry when Bug's first love becomes another tally on the
contest's growing scoreboard.
"I'm thrilled and honored to win the 'Netflix FIND Your Voice' filmmaking
competition, and it's only been possible with the support and belief of my
friends and family," said Mr. Flores. "I feel blessed that the judges, all of
them filmmakers that I respect, FIND, and Netflix have given me this
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make this very personal film my first
feature. Winning the competition has also given me and my collaborators the
huge challenge of actually making a good movie, and while it's daunting, I
can't wait to tackle it."
About Netflix, Inc.
Netflix, Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX) is the world's largest online movie rental
service, with more than 10 million subscribers. For only $8.99 a month,
Netflix members can instantly watch unlimited movies and TV episodes streamed
to their TVs and computers and can receive unlimited DVDs delivered quickly to
their homes. There are never any due dates or late fees. Netflix members can
exchange DVDs as often as they want using a postage-paid return envelope.
Members can choose from a vast selection of DVD titles and a growing library
of movies and TV episodes that can be watched instantly. Netflix is
partnering with leaders in consumer electronics to bring to market a range of
devices that can instantly stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix directly
to members' TVs. These devices currently include Blu-ray disc players and new
Internet TVs from LG Electronics; Blu-ray disc players from Samsung; the Roku
digital video player; Microsoft's Xbox 360 game console; TiVo digital video
recorders; and, soon, Internet TVs from Sony and VIZIO. For more information,
visit http://www.netflix.com/.
About Film Independent
Film Independent is a non-profit arts organization that champions independent
film and supports a community of artists who embody diversity, innovation, and
uniqueness of vision. Film Independent helps filmmakers make their movies,
builds an audience for their projects, and works to diversify the film
industry. Film Independent's Board of Directors, filmmakers, staff, and
constituents, is comprised of an inclusive community of individuals across
ability, age, ethnicity, gender, race, and sexual orientation. Anyone
passionate about film can become a member, whether you are a filmmaker,
industry leader, or a film lover.
With over 250 annual screenings and events, Film Independent provides access
to a network of like-minded artists who are driving creativity in the film
industry. Film Independent offers free Filmmaker Labs for selected writers,
directors, and producers; provides cut-rate services for filmmakers; and
presents year-round networking opportunities. Film Independent's mentorship
and job placement program, Project: Involve, pairs emerging culturally diverse
filmmakers with film industry professionals.
Film Independent produces the Los Angeles Film Festival, celebrating the best
of American and international cinema and the Spirit Awards, a celebration
honoring films and filmmakers that embody independence and dare to challenge
the status quo.
For more information or to become a member, visit FilmIndependent.org.
SOURCE Netflix, Inc.
Catherine Fisher of Netflix Inc., +1-408-540-3847, cafisher@netflix.com; or
Alice Zou, azou@mprm.com, or Janeal Bernhart, jbernhart@mprm.com, both of mPRm
Public Relations for Netflix, Inc., +1-323-933-3399; or Elise Freimuth of Film
Independent, +1-310-432-1287, efreimuth@filmindependent.org
