Back to Philly from Traverse City and Woods Hole. Traverse City was an amazing experience and I need to do another entry with stories and photos from our trip to both festivals. But first, I have to share that Lebanon, Pa. won the “Founder’s Prize for Best Fiction Film” at Traverse City Film Festival! It’s a huge honor and we are so grateful for the warm reception we received in Traverse City. The audiences just *got* the film, and it was humbling to see how deeply the film moved people. Thank you, Traverse City!!

http://www.traversecityfilmfest.org/traverse-city-film-festival-movies/awards/

Time to pack before my afternoon flight to Traverse City… We’ll be posting pics, videos and posts from TCFF and Woods Hole this week so keep checking in!

First up: Two stories hitting today.

1) Variety story on TCFF which includes a quote from Ben

2) Film Gecko (film blog) interview w/ Michael Moore in which he says some awesome things about the movie and why he chose it for Traverse City

The official blog for the Traverse City Film Festival just interviewed me. The personnel at the fest have been wonderfully supportive of the film, and I’m grateful. Should be a great time!!

http://www.traversecityfilmfest.org/496/tcff-filmmaker-spotlight-ben-hickernell/

I’m very proud to announce our inclusion in the invitation-only Traverse City Film Festival! This will be our first screening since SXSW. We play in Traverse City, Michigan on Wednesday July 28th and Sunday August 1st. You can purchase tickets here: http://traverse.bside.com/2010/films/lebanonpa_traverse2010.

Lebanon, Pa. will be playing August 3rd in Cape Cod, MA as part of the Woods Hole Film Festival! This is one of two US festivals we will be a part of this summer. The other announcement will come next week.

Woods Hole is an intimate festival in Cape Cod with a focus on filmmakers that was included in Moviemaker Magazine’s list of the top 20 coolest film festivals. We’re happy to be a part of this year’s festival!

Tickets may be purchased here:

http://www.woodsholefilmfestival.org/2010/films10/film_detail.php?id=112

And don’t forget – please demand us on Eventful!

See that “demand” button off to the right? Clicking  that button is *the* most important thing you can do to bring us to a theater near you.

That button takes you to a site called “Eventful,” which lets people demand that films they want to see come to *their* town. You enter your zipcode and email and then you have registered one “vote” for that movie. It tells the filmmakers (and our future distributor) how many people want to see the movie, and where.

If you want to see Lebanon, Pa… If you like the trailer, or have heard good things… If you like Josh, or Samantha, or like the town of Lebanon, or for any other reason to want to see this movie… If you *did* see it and liked it, NOW is the time to make a difference and click that demand button. Then, please tell your friends you did so, and that they should check out the trailer, and if they want to see the movie, they should demand it too. It only takes a few seconds, and it will make a *vital* difference.

Click “more” to read how in more detail! (more…)

Hello Interfriends:

I entitled a post a year ago “Where the Hell I Have Been,” when I had been away from the blog for a while during a flurry of activity, and it seems this has happened again.

I know it’s been awhile – since SXSW! – but I’ve been behind the curtains toiling away on bringing the movie to audiences.

Click “more” to read the details, but first notice that new “Demand” button off to the right. Interesting, eh? Hmmmm… (more…)

I am *beat*. It has been an amazing, exhausting week at SXSW and I think I’m just about out of steam. Reviews are starting to come out… we had one that overall was positive today over at Cinematical.

The screenings went well. Great audience reaction and both shows sold out. Now we see what comes from those two screenings… First up should be more reviews in the coming days…

In the meantime, enjoy an interview with me, Rachel, Josh and Samantha!

http://www.metelevision.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=66&Itemid=83

http://www.ldnews.com/lebanonnews/ci_14648694

Cover story in the Lebanon Daily News… thanks Lebanon!

Have had an *amazing* today. Am kind of in awe about how earnest this business actually can be – filled with so many people who create films out of nothing, and make it about the work. Gotta say SXSW gets it right. This is incredible. – Ben

Starting to get some press!

http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/news/sxsw-preview-lebanon-pa.php