Montana-made film "Winter in the Blood" accepted into prestigious international Los Angeles Film Festival

"Winter in the Blood," http://www.winterintheblood.com co-directors Alex and Andrew Smith’s Montana-made film, will make its world premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival http://www.lafilmfest.com next month. LAFF announced its festival lineup today, with "Winter in the Blood" selected as one of the 12 features for the international festival’s Narrative Competition.

The Smith brothers, Montana natives and writers/directors of the acclaimed "The Slaughter Rule" (2002), shot "Winter in the Blood" during the summer of 2011 along the Montana Hi-Line in Chinook and Havre–honoring the authentic settings of James Welch’s acclaimed novel on which the film is based. The film will premiere on June 14 and screen again on June 19, at LAFF, a world-class film festival showcasing the best in new American and international cinema.

"We are thrilled and honored to debut our film at LAFF," said Andrew Smith, film co-director and associate professor at The University of Montana’s School of Media Arts. "This has been a labor of love that stretches back a generation. At every stage, from early grants to open casting calls, from raising money to location scouting, from shooting on location to our extended post-production phase, we are grateful for the support of countless Montanans to keep us going strong. Now we can start showing this uniquely Montana film on the world stage."

"Winter in the Blood" tells the story of Virgil First Raise, played in the film by Chaske Spencer of the "Twilight Saga." (Spencer spent much of his youth in Idaho and Montana, including years living in Poplar, Mont., on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, so this production was a bit of "coming home.") The plot follows a young and troubled Native American man embarking on a wild and darkly comic odyssey on the plains of north-central Montana in a quest to retrieve his renegade wife–and the beloved rifle she stole. His journey leads him to discover his own identity and the right road home.

"Alex and Andrew’s award-winning projects epitomize the film talent we have in Montana. Their vision for bringing Montana stories to the big screen has been extraordinary," said Deny Staggs, Montana film commissioner. "It’s been a pleasure for the Montana Film Office to work with them on this project and others."

Staggs will attend LAFF and host a Montana Film Office reception that will honor "Winter in the Blood." He also will work during the festival to help increase Montana’s exposure and attract additional film projects to the state.

In addition to Spencer, the cast of "Winter in the Blood" includes David Morse ("The Green Mile," "The Hurt Locker"), Gary Farmer ("Smoke Signals"), Julia Jones ("Twilight Saga"), Dana Wheeler-Nicholson ("Tombstone," "Friday Night Lights"), and Montana native Lily Gladstone.

The film also cast 21 Montanans, including several first-time actors from the Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy reservations, in addition to casting more than 100 extras from Montana. The production also utilized 60 Montana crew members and 40 service providers. The independent feature took advantage of tax credits offered through the Big Sky on the Big Screen Act, which aims to enhance the state’s economy and film and tourism industries by attracting film and television productions.

The Smith brothers plan to hit the road with several Montana premieres of "Winter in the Blood" later this year. For more info on the film and to view its trailer, visit http://www.winterintheblood.com.

MORE INFORMATION:

To learn more about filmmaking in Montana and the work of the Montana Film Office, visit http://www.montanafilm.com. Find more info on LAFF at http://www.lafilmfest.com.