The Latest Industry News for the Exciting World of Production.

LOS ANGELES, CA - Now in its 20th year, DANCES WITH FILMS (DWF) announces its lineup for DANCES WITH PILOTS, a division that features the hottest new television and web pilots, and DANCES WITH KIDZ!, which screens films by and for kids, staking its claim as the unstoppable fest for truly independent content makers. As previously announced, DWF will run June 1-11, 2017 in Los Angeles, CA at the TCL Chinese Theaters, located at: Hollywood & Highland, 608 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028. Tickets and passes are available for sale at http://www.tclchinesetheatres.com/ or thru the festival's own site: https://danceswithfilms.com.

Recognizing that some of the hottest content these days is in the web and television space, DANCES WITH FILMS is offering an exciting lineup of eight web and ten television pilots in its DANCES WITH PILOTS division. With episodes ranging from the hilarious (see: Cubicle Zombies) to the absurd (Doucheaholics), to the sexy (Sexpectations), to the suspenseful (Doomsday), this is some of the most creative and wild programming you'll see on the DWF lineup.

Although the family film market is one of the most profitable in the industry, there are relatively few opportunities for independent projects in this genre to screen. DWF addresses this inadequacy by providing a platform for the next generation of media visionaries. The festival's popular and unique DANCES WITH KIDZ! program is back for its fourth year of family-friendly films, with 28 of the 34 short films in the lineup created by kids under the age of 18. Films this year explore themes as diverse as friendship, growing up in the 90's, and space exploration. DANCES WITH KIDZ! will rock the Chinese Theaters on the second weekend of DWF.

A three-time alumna of the DANCES WITH KIDZ! division, Tara-Nicole Azarian had this to say about the experience, "I began with the inaugural year of DANCES WITH KIDZ! and I played three years, total. Each year, I was treated as a filmmaker. As an equal. As an artist with ideas worthy of sharing. I've played many, many festivals and all have something unique to offer, but DANCES WITH FILMS is an opportunity for growth. DWF gives you the air so you can fly higher than you thought possible. The resources, the support, the professionalism is priceless. I watched. I listened. I took advantage of everything offered to me...and this year, at age 18, I am not playing in DANCES WITH KIDZ...this year, I am playing in DANCES WITH FILMS."

The previously announced film lineup features more than 160 titles, chosen from a record 2,100 submissions from all over the globe. The juried narrative competition section includes 16 features, 13 of which are world premieres, and nearly three-dozen shorts. DWF also has a category for groundbreaking short and feature documentaries, provocative genre fare in the Midnight section, and the most exciting music videos and dance-themed films from the indie scene in the Downbeats section. The Fusion section brings together a multitude of additional features and shorts.

Notable Dances With Films alumni who first gained notice at the festival include: Gina Rodriguez, Bryan Cranston, Will Scheffer, Mark V. Olsen, Jesse Eisenberg, Mike Flanagan, and John Hawkes, among others.

About Dances With Films
In 1998 DWF began as a film festival dedicated to finding tomorrow's talent today and continues to carry on this mission today. With many World and West Coast Premieres, DWF provides a coveted first stop on the festival circuit. With a vast number of submissions, the selection process is based solely on merit and discoverability. DWF continues its dedication to and is a devoted champion of fresh and creative voices, mandating that all competitive films have no known actors, writers, directors, or producers. For the past 20 years, DWF has proudly provided access and opportunity to thousands of films and filmmakers from across the globe that diligently work year after year to see their dreams realized. With more than 12,000+ festival attendees and 2.5 million impressions per month on


DWF is loyal and dedicated to the indie filmmaker and is considered their champion in Hollywood.