10 film festivals in the United States to check out this winter

by Jessica Festa on

When it’s cold outside, nothing beats staying inside with a good movie. Why not make the experience even better by checking out one of these United States film festivals this winter?

Sundance Film Festival
Park City, Utah

The Sundance Film Festival began in 1978 and is now the biggest film festival in the country. This year, the event will take place from January 19-29, 2012, presenting new work from independent filmmakers from around the globe. Program categories in the competition include U.S. Documentary, U.S. Dramatic, World Cinema Documentary, World Cinema Dramatic, Shorts, and Animations. There are also non-competitive categories, which include:

  • Premiers- Some of the most highly anticipated films of the year shown before they hit theaters
  • Documentary Premiers- Powerful new films covering big topics or by master filmmakers
  • Spotlight- A showcase of films that have already been successful at other film festivals around the globe
  • NEXT- These films are hard to categorize and their creativity stretches the limited resources of the filmmaker
  • New Frontier- With a focus on experimentation, these films bring together film, art, and new media technology
  • Park City at Midnight- For hardcore film enthusiasts who don’t even notice they’ve stayed up all night watching movies
  • From the Collection- Indie films from the vault of the Sundance Collection at UCLA

For ticket information, click here.Palm Springs International Film Festival
Palm Springs, California

The 23rd annual Palm Springs International Film Festival, which will take place January 5-16, 2012, is well-known for showing the most foreign Oscar nominees as well as for having A-list celebrities in attendance. Featuring more than 200 films from over 60 countries, special events, gala receptions, and a black tie awards party are all part of the fun. And, big name stars like George Clooney, Glenn Close, and Michelle Williams will all be receiving awards.

For ticket information, click here.

Cinema on the Bayou
Lafayette, Louisiana

The 7th annual Cinema on the Bayou will take place January 25-29, 2012. In their mission statement, it states that the festival is “committed to advancing the understanding of Cajun and Creole cultures through film screenings, film panels and cultural exchanges among French Louisiana, the United States and the Francophone countries of the world”. Attendees will get the chance to sample delicious Cajun cuisine and listen to local music while watching new and innovative fiction and non-fiction films from around the globe.

While the festival is free to attend, donations are appreciated.

Santa Barbara International Film Festival
Santa Barbara, California

The 27th annual Santa Barbara Film Festival will take place January 26-February 5, 2012. This event is known for being able to pick out Academy Award Winners, and will feature award ceremonies, black tie galas, celebrity tributes, and more.

For ticket information, click here. For information on passes, click here.

Trail Dance Film Festival
Duncan, Oklahoma

The 6th annual Trail Dance Film Festival will take place January 27-28, 2012. An open-genre contest for independent filmmakers, the aim of the event is nurture creativity and ingenuity. Panels of film professionals, live entertainment, and vendors will also be part of the event, which will take place at Simmons Center and Chisholm Trail Heritage Center. On Thursday, the festival gets things going with a “Where the Beer and Buffalo Foam” Kickoff Party which will be followed by film screenings on Friday and Saturday. Award ceremonies and an After Party will take place on Saturday evening.

For ticket information, click here.

Portland International Film Festival
Portland, Oregon

The 35th annual Portland International Film Festival will take place February 9-25, 2012. This festival draws more than 35,000 attendees and showcases over 100 international shorts and feature films. Attend parties and chat with the artists while viewing some of the best indepdent films ever created.

For ticket information, click here.

Thin Line Film Festival
Denton, Texas

The 5th annual Thin Line Film Festival will take place February 15-20, 2012. This festival aims to showcase a variety of compelling and creative documentaries that are high quality and relavent. Expect dozens of films from around the world educating about important issues and causes in a vibrant and historical setting.

For ticket information, click here.

Boulder International Film Festival
Boulder, Colorado

The 8th annual Boulder International Film Festival will take place February 16-19, 2012. This festival is renowned for showcasing undiscovered shorts, feature films, and documentaries that tend to go on and do well in theaters (many have even received Oscar nominations). Guests can expect a big turnout, as well. In fact, in 2010, the festival had over 16,000 attendees.

For ticket information, click here.

Sedona International Film Festival
Sedona, Arizona

The 18th annual Sedona International Film Festival will take place this winter from February 18-26, 2012. Attendees will get the chance to see over 145 independent films including features, shorts, foreign films, documentaries, student films, animation, and more. For those who don’t want to just watch film but learn more about the craft, free workshops are offered to everyone regardless of skill level.

For ticket information, click here.

Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival
Chilmark, Massachusetts

The 12th annual Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival will take place March 16-18, 2012. On their website it states that the mission of the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival is “to produce community events that celebrate all genres of film and spark discussion, debate and action”. After spending his childhood watching television that gave no real contribution to society, film festival Founder and Artistic Director Thomas Bena decided to create a movement of new ideas and inspiration. For those who don’t want to wait until March for the festival, there is also a Winter Film Series on the first Saturday of each month that includes:

  • 5PM: Dinner and snacks followed by short films for children
  • 6:30PM: Live music and community dinner cooked using fresh, local ingredients
  • 7:30PM: Feature film

For ticket information, click here.

Go ice skating at your hotel in Miami

by Melanie Renzulli on


What’s better than ice skating during the holidays? How about ice skating with the knowledge that the sunny beaches of Miami are waiting for you when you’re finished?

Travelers escaping the cold for the balmy climes of South Florida can enjoy a little taste of winter with the Intercontinental Miami’s Holiday Ice Rink. Through January 15, 2012, the full-size rink will be open at Intercontinental’s Bayview Patio, which has views of Biscayne Bay.

While you don’t have to stay at the Intercontinental to enjoy the rink – the ice is open from 10am-10pm daily; admission is $20/hour adults and $10/hour kids, inclusive of ice skate rental and discounted parking – you can pretend that you’re in St. Moritz by taking advantage of some of the hotel’s cool après-skate activities, like spa massages or a dip in the heated outdoor pool. Building on the ritzy Swiss resort theme, the grand lobby of the Intercontinental will feature through January 1, 2012, the photography exhibition “Andy Warhol: ‘The Model Boy’,” the inaugural installation of the Intercontinental Miami Arts Program displayed in conjunction with Art Basel Miami Beach.

For families considering a stay in Miami over the holidays, the Intercontinental is offering the Holiday Ice Rink Package, which includes ice rink passes for a family of four and tickets to the Miami Children’s Museum, starting from $269 per night.

By the way, if you’re planning on New Year’s Eve in Miami, none other than Ludacris performs right in front of the Intercontinental as part of Downtown Miami’s New Year’s Eve Celebrations. Hotel rink by day, rap concert by night? Sounds to me like a well-balanced way to ring in 2012.

Photo Flickr/daveynin

Radisson Blu debuts in Chicago

by Melanie Renzulli on




Radisson has been a familiar name in hospitality in the United States for more than 100 years. But last month marked the first time that a Radisson Blu-branded property opened on U.S. soil. The Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel opened in Chicago on November 1, 2011, promising to be a major player on the Windy City’s design hotel scene.

“The reception has been amazing,” says Fred Khoury, Director of Sales and Marketing for the Radisson Blu Aqua. “The hotel has over $3 million in business booked already. The feedback has been great regarding the hotel and people are very impressed with the design and amenities.”

Radisson Blu Aqua has quite a roster of amenities, owing to the fact that the hotel is located on the lower 18 floors of the the Aqua Tower, an 81-story “Skyscraper of the Year” that doubles as a luxury residential building. There is an 8,000-square-foot fitness center with a basketball half-court and a lap pool, a private art gallery, a roof deck landscaped with gardens and gazebos, an in-hotel movie screening room, and a game room. For dining and socializing, Radisson Blu Aqua has Filini, a contemporary Italian restaurant with a sleek, minimalist look, and a martini bar. Gadling readers will be happy to know that the Blu Aqua also includes complimentary wifi access among the many in-room amenities.

%Gallery-140960%The introduction of Radisson Blu in the United States represents a new direction for Radisson in this country. Blu is Radisson’s “upper upscale” brand, an industry term for the tier that falls right below “luxury” and is one of the best-performing segments in the hotel industry. By comparison, hotels branded simply under the Radisson name, the most common type of Radisson brand in the U.S., are in the “upscale” tier; Radisson Blu’s competition includes brands such as Marriott Hotels, Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, Hyatt, and Westin. Until this year, Blu was Radisson’s main imprint in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, with 222 properties worldwide. Now Radisson is taking its overseas brand and launching it in the U.S. It’s as if Radisson’s offspring is returning from boarding school abroad, cultured and more glamorous.

Radisson plans to slowly introduce more Blu hotels to the U.S. market. Only one other brand-new Radisson Blu is under construction, to be connected to the Mall of America. That may seem like an odd choice for a new build, especially for a design hotel. However, Carlson, the parent company of Radisson and Radisson Blu, is headquartered in Minnesota, site of the very first Radisson hotel. In addition to the new Blu hotels, Radisson plans to convert two other U.S. hotels into Blu properties. The Radisson Plaza Hotel Minneapolis and the Radisson Plaza-Warwick Hotel Philadelphia will be converted into Blu hotels, but dates have yet to be determined.

In the meantime, Radisson is celebrating the opening of Chicago’s Radisson Blu Aqua with a massive promotion. The Radisson Big Night Giveaway offers 50,000 gold points in Club Carlson, Radisson’s Global Hotel Rewards Program, for anyone who registers for the promotion AND stays one night in any Radisson or Radisson Blu hotel in the U.S., Canada, or the Caribbean by December 30, 2011.

Video: skiing and snowboarding from the summit of Denali

by Melanie Renzulli on



What does it take to ski Denali, North America‘s’ tallest mountain? In addition to a large, metaphorical pair of cojones, which all of the men and women of this film possess, it takes sheer endurance and will to want to climb 20,320 feet just to ski right back down.

The Denali Experiment is a 15-minute film that follows a band of some of the world’s best skiers and snowboarders on their quest to ride the powder from the top of Alaska. But this is hardly a film full of hot dog moves. Director Renan Ozturk gives viewers a good sense of how difficult the trek to Denali’s summit can be, as well as shows us how fulfilling it can be to complete an adventure one once thought was impossible.

Kids travel gift: Junior “crumpled” city maps

by Alex Robertson Textor on

Last year we reported on Italian designer Emanuele Pizzolorusso’s crumpled city maps, a delightful series of maps made out of tough waterproof material. Pizzolorusso’s maps can withstand crumpling and crushing. They fit in a little pouch and are easily transportable. They are a wonderfully fanciful yet solidly utilitarian tool for tourists.

Pizzolorusso, working with Berlin-based illustrator Alvvino, has just released a series of maps for children, colorful and vibrant objects containing main attractions as well as “not-to-be-missed” junior locations of particular interest to younger tourists. In addition to illustrating the maps, Alvvino is also responsible for their packaging. See the Berlin version of the Junior map above. (Note that the superimposed figures and monuments are not included.)

Thus far, junior maps to Amsterdam, Berlin, London, New York, and Paris have been released. Additional cities will follow.

Currently, Junior crumpled maps can be purchased online through the Palomar shop for €10 ($13.25) apiece.