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September 26, 2009
CineVegas Craps Out
The climate for film festivals is even harsher than the climate for studios and indies. The first major fest to now announce a complete wipe-out is CineVegas, a festival that quickly became a favorite with journalists, boasting happy Vegas accommodations and some tiny finds along the way.
IndieWIRE breaks the news, but offers no real answers as to why the plug got pulled. "Quality" is a bullshit answer, with due respect to all.
My bet would be that they either lost The Palms as the central sponsor or the Brenden Theaters multiplex (inside The Palms), where the festival was held... or both. Vegas is hurting. And all things considered, CineVegas probably never earned the casino hotel a single room night sold.
The Palms is all about showy promotion, but the tipping point for CineVegas was 2007's premiere of Ocean's 13. Brad, Matt, and Don walked the red carpet.
In 2008... The Rocker.
2009... St John of Las Vegas.
Game over.
Studios are not spending on festivals the way they used to. Vegas casinos can get celebrities on their carpets for less. And CineVegas never emerged as a sales fest or even a festival that could draw media together - which it did - to get behind a film that would go on to have even minor commercial success.
The effort of the entire team is to be respected. Dennis Hopper could not have been a more willing and available advocate. But festivals that survive this economy will have to have a purpose clear enough to draw sponsors. Fewer days, fewer press events, less money spent on traveling talent... it's already started, but it's only going to get worse from here.
Yes, I hope there is a new CineVegas resurrected in the years to come. It was not a cynical effort by those who ran the event. Not at all. But if and when it comes back, expect it to do even more to service its sponsors in a city that is built on hype.
Posted by dpoland at September 26, 2009 01:19 PM
Comments
Dave: I'll donate $10 to a charity of your choice if you put up the complete Terry Gilliam interview today.
(Maybe some other commenters will put up matching funds?)
Posted by: Ju-osh ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.mcnblogs.com/thehotblog/nav-commenters.gif)
at September 26, 2009 02:02 PM
$20?
Posted by: Ju-osh at September 26, 2009 02:42 PM
$25...and a promise to click more banner ads.
Posted by: Ju-osh at September 26, 2009 03:25 PM
makes sense. If New York is the heart of capitalism, Vegas would be the liver. And since capitalism is dying, it makes sense that the liver goes first.
I guess that makes L.A. the rectum.
Posted by: anghus at September 26, 2009 07:10 PM
How it is that some outlet (in this case, IndieWIRE) gets credit as the one which "breaks the news" when all they did is repeat what was already posted on the CineVegas website?
Didn't the Cinevegas website "break the news?"
Posted by: Sultry at September 26, 2009 08:41 PM
SULTRY ALERT YAY!
Sultry, you still down with the Lexman? If you know the email, give it a ring one of these days.
COOL MOVE.
Posted by: LexG at September 26, 2009 08:54 PM
Actually, I have to say I saw the news on Variety first.
Posted by: Joe Leydon at September 26, 2009 11:13 PM
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