Press Release: Comic-Con International: San Diego (Comic-Con), the largest comic book convention of its kind in the world, today announced the schedule for its 2011 Independent Film Festival (CCI-IFF). CCI-IFF 2011 will be held during Comic-Con – July 21 through July 24 at the Marriott Marquis and Marina, next door to the San Diego Convention Center (adjacent to Hall A).

The 2011 CCI-IFF offers a full schedule of some of the finest in genre films. Included in this year’s schedule is the return of the popular “Comic-Con Film School” panels on all four days, along with an assortment of other film-oriented panel discussions on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. A special opening night event, the “CCI-IFF Meet and Greet” gathering, will be held on Thursday, July 21, in the foyer outside the Festival room at the Marriott. This event is open to filmmakers, attendees, and interested fans from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm.

“This year’s festival includes films from across the globe, in addition to the United States” said David Glanzer, director of marketing and public relations for Comic-Con. “We are pleased to offer such a diverse slate to our attendees while also lending exposure to some very deserving filmmakers.”

The CCI-IFF celebrates independent film, with the emphasis on genre-related entries, including action/adventure, animation, comics-oriented, documentary (related to pop culture topics), horror/suspense, humor, and science fiction/fantasy. The Festival includes a special awards program on Sunday in Marriott Hall 1 & 2, beginning at 11:00 am. Sunday afternoon features rescreenings of the award-winning films. This year’s schedule of films has a decidedly international flavor, with submissions from Canada, China, Italy, Pakistan, Poland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.

The CCI-IFF is a juried event as respected individuals in the fields of film and popular arts view the submissions and decide which submissions will be included in the festival and those deserving of prizes and awards. The 2011 judges are:

Michael Gross was art director for such diverse publications as Esquire, Family Health, NY Scenes, and National Lampoon. After moving to Los Angeles in 1980, he art directed and produced films and television shows. His feature film producing credits include Heavy Metal (art director and associate producer), Ghostbusters (assoc. prod.), and Ghostbusters II, Twins, Beethoven, Legal Eagles, Kindergarten Cop, and Dave (all as producer or executive producer). His television credits as a producer include The Real Ghostbusters (ABC), Beethoven (CBS), and the prime time pilot, The First Gentleman for CBS. He also designed much of the advertising for those projects, including the famous “no ghost” logo for Ghostbusters.

Eric Vespe has been writing under the nom de geek "Quint" for 15 years at the movie geek mecca known as Ain't It Cool News. He like animals, hording Blu-Rays and DVDs, and long walks in the rain.

USC graduate Kevin Walsh has written for diverse genres across all media, including the feature The Rally for Warner Bros., the graphic novel Salem for BOOM! Studios, numerous comedy shorts for National Lampoon, and Padmé, chosen by George Lucas as the best Star Wars fan film of 2008. As a senior story analyst for DreamWorks, he has helped develop numerous projects, including Transformers, Cowboys & Aliens, Galaxy Quest, and Road to Perdition. Most recently, Kevin produced Marwencol, the winner of the 2010 CCI-IFF Judges’ Choice and Best Documentary awards; it also received two Independent Spirit Awards and was cited by Rotten Tomatoes as the best-reviewed film of 2010.

Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival 2011 Schedule:

THURSDAY, JULY 21
10:00–11:00 Comic-Con Film School 101

Action/Adventure
11:05–11:45 The Debt Collector (Writer: Nate Lane, Director: Alan David Morgan)
11:45–12:20 The Price (Writer: James St. Vincent, Directors: Zeke Pinheiro and James St. Vincent)
12:20–12:50 6gun (Writer: Basel Owies and Jeff Robinson, Director: Hebron Simckes-Joffe)
12:50–1:15 Red Princess Blues (Writer/Director: Alex Ferrari)
1:15–2:05 Perspectives (Writer/Director: Tim Russ)
2:05–2:35 Mad Dog and the Flyboy (Writer/Director: Christopher Rausch)

Animation
2:35–3:00 Bait (Writer/Director: Michael Moore)
3:00–3:25 Barko (Writer/Director: Allison Craig)
3:30–4:15 PANEL—TBA
4:20–4:40 Dream Giver (Writer/Director: Tyler Carter)
4:40–5:05 Paths of Hate (Writer/Director: Damian Nenow)
5:05–5:25 Marvin (Writer/Director: Mark Nute)
5:25–6:10 Chaisson Rise of the Zerad (Writers: David Hoffman and Karyn Musch, Director: Kevin Ulrich)
6:10–6:25 Fei Tian (Writer/Director: Zhang Bin)
6:25–6:40 Secret of Mechanical City (Writer/Director: Jackie Liu)
6:40–6:55 The Wind of the Cypress Wind (Writer/Director: Christophe Peladan)
8:30–9:35 Port of Return (Writer: Mike Chang and his team, Director: Mike Chang)

FRIDAY, JULY 22
10:00–11:00 Comic-Con Film School 102

Comics-Oriented
11:05–11:40 The Kneaded Hero (Writer/Director: Alexis Villa)
11:40–12:05 Blue Blazes (Writer: Rick Rapher, Director: Mike Shields)
12:05–12:30 Secret Identity (Writer/Director: Tyler McIntyre)

Humor
12:30–1:00 The Dungeon Master (Writers/Directors: Rider and Shiloh Strong)
1:00–1:20 Out-Sorcery (Writers/Directors: Edward Chamourian and Richard Duryea)
1:20–1:50 I Knew an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly (Writer/Director: Paul Andrejco)
1:50–2:20 Eugene (Writer/Director: Mark Chaput)
2:20–2:50 Voodoo (Writer/Director: Mark Ratzlaff)
2:50–3:25 Repeat After Me (Writers: Daniel Page and Andrew Gumm, Director: Bryan Bangerter
3:30–4:15 PANEL—TBA
4:15–5:00 PANEL—TBA
5:05–5:35 April (Writer/Director: Mike Piccirillo)
5:35–7:05 Tracy (Writer/Director: Dan Scanlon)

Horror/Suspense
7:05–7:35 Clemency Writers: (Chris Frazier and Joseph Albanese, Director: Joseph Albanese)
7:35–8:05 The Interrogation (Writer/Director: Harry Bainbridge)
8:05–8:35 Recollection (Writers: Federico D’Alessandro and Christopher Yeazel, Director: Federico D’Alessandro)
8:35–8:55 Last Seen on Dolores Street (Writer/Director: Devi Snively)
8:55–9:20 Write of Passage (Writer/Director: B.C. Jones)
9:20–9:55 Help Wanted (Writer/Director: Waylon Bacon)
9:55–10:45 Antidote for a Murder (Writer: Cristian Rojas, Director: Josh Blake)

SATURDAY, JULY 23
10:00–11:00 Comic-Con Film School 103

Science Fiction/Fantasy
11:05–11:45 The Man Who Knew How to Fly (Writer/Director: Robi Michael)
11:45–12:25 The Historian Paradox (Writer/Director: Deon H. Hayman)
12:25–1:05 New World Water (Writer/Director: J.R. Robinson)
1:05–1:30 Cockpit The Rule of Engagement (Writer/Director: Jesse Griffith)
1:30–2:00 Digital Antiquities (Writer/Director: JP Chan)
2:00–2:30 Android 413 (Writer/Director: William Wall)
2:30–3:10 Heal (Writer/Director: Mian Adnan Ahmad)
3:15–4:00 PANEL—TBA
4:00–4:45 PANEL—TBA

Science Fiction/Fantasy
4:50–5:20 Misdirection (Writer/Director: Doron Kipper)
5:20–5:50 The Unnatural (Writer/Director: Eric Day)
5:50–6:10 The Vortex (Writer/Director: Zach Johnson)

Documentary
6:10–7:40 Superheroes (Writer: Theodore James and Michael Barnett, Director: Michael Barnett)
7:40–9:00 Comic Books Go to War (Writer/Director: Mark Daniels)
9:00–10:35 My Comic Shop DocumentARy (Writer/Director: Anthony Desiato)
10:35–11:00 To Romero With Love (Writer: Kiel Chenier, Director: Aaron Peacock)

SUNDAY, JULY 24
10:00–11:00 Comic-Con Film School 104
11:05–11:55 CCI-IFF Awards Presentation

Documentary
12:00–1:40 Gahan Wilson Born Dead, Still Weird (Writer/Director: Steven-Charles Jaffe)
1:45–3:15 Award Winners Showcase

About Comic-Con International:
Comic-Con International: San Diego (Comic-Con), the largest comic book convention of its kind in the world, is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to creating awareness of, and appreciation for, comics and related popular art forms, primarily through the presentation of conventions and events that celebrate the historic and ongoing contribution of comics to art and culture. In addition to its San Diego convention each summer, Comic-Con organizes the San Francisco-based WonderCon each spring and the Alternative Press Expo each fall. On the web: Comic-Con.org, Facebook.com/comiccon, Twitter.com/comic_con.