Five-Market Film-Trivia Tour Visits New York City, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Seattle
NEW YORK, NY, April 18, 2005 – IFC announced today that it has embarked on a grassroots, five-market film tour, designed to test film buffs' movie knowledge through a series of trivia questions and challenges. The Film Fanatic Challenge Tour promotes IFC's Friday night programming strand, Film Fanatic Fridays, and allows consumers to experience the network's brand in a real and entertaining way.
"IFC's fans are truly film fanatics, and this tour gives them the opportunity to test their skills," said Jennifer Caserta, IFC's Senior Vice President of Marketing. "At the same time, the tour gives IFC the chance to interact with its viewers in an up close and personal, off-channel environment."
The Film Fanatic Challenge Tour is a promotional branding vehicle for IFC, helping the network to reach a broad section of viewers in local markets throughout the country. The tour is also a community outreach tool. Having witnessed an appetite for local movie events during its initial film-trivia tour, IFC's senior management team decided to adapt the tour in order to promote its current programming strand, Film Fanatic Fridays, which includes new episodes of the original series Dinner For Five, encore presentations of the original series Film School, and Pulp Indies, IFC's successful movie strand. The tour is receiving exceptional turnout and participation.
The Film Fanatic Challenge Tour runs throughout April simultaneously in five major markets. Each event includes a host and assistant who will provide the players with questions and clues. The tour has thus far visited: New York City (Blondies Sports, East side); Los Angeles (Bonaventure Brewing Co.); Philadelphia (Manayunk Brewery); Washington, D.C. (Garrett's Restaurant & Railroad Tavern); and Seattle (The Dubliner). Upcoming tour dates and locations are as follows:
New York City
Blondies Sports (212 West 79th street) – April 21- 23 & April 28-30, 9 pm – 12 am.
Los Angeles
Q's Billiards (11835 Wilshire Blvd.) – April 19 & April 24-26, 8-11 pm.
Philadelphia
New Deck Tavern (3408 Sansom street) – April 21-23 & April 28-30, 9 pm – 12 am.
Washington, D.C.
My Brother's Place (237 Second street NW) – April 21-23 & April 28-30, 8-11 pm.
Seattle
Old Pequliar (1722 NW Market street) – April 20, 21, 25, 27 & 28, 8-10 pm.
At each event, players who win a full round of the challenge will be awarded an IFC T-shirt and will be entered into a random drawing to win an Apple mini iPOD. At the final event in each city, players will be entered into a random drawing to win a Sony home entertainment center, valued at $1,000. Each of these winners will then be entered into a random drawing to win a trip for two to the 2006 Cannes film festival. The winner will be announced in October 2005.
About IFC
The Independent Film Channel (IFC) is the first and most widely distributed network dedicated to independent film 24 hours a day, uncut and commercial free. The Independent Film Channel is a part of IFC Companies, which has established itself as the future of independent film. With the television network, as well as a film distribution and production unit and a VOD service, IFC Companies has created over the course of the past decade a revolutionary end-to-end business model and brand that focuses on developing and nurturing talent and maximizing the value of independent film. IFC Companies uses its unique cross-platform position to broaden the audience of independent film and to provide independent filmmakers with a strong voice. IFC Companies is a division of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC.