A Quick Update (Jan 7):

We've never "crowd-funded" before, and we cautiously set our online goal at $1500, thinking we'd be lucky to get a third of that. We've surpassed that now (THANK YOU) and can't adjust the number. We'd still appreciate any further donations, as they'll go to good use.  As an example, our accommodations at Sundance are $6,000, and that's with some of us sleeping on couches. Your ten bucks will go directly to groceries from Albertson's, and other such necessities. We surely appreciate all the support, folks!

Our Story

My name is Trevor Anderson and I'm a self-taught, independent filmmaker in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. My crew and I made a short documentary called The High Level Bridge. In it, we drop our camera from the bridge in memory of those who've jumped.

The crew and I all worked for free, and we had a total cash budget of $500 which was spent entirely on materials. Our film had the great opportunity of having its world premiere at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival. Next, the jury at the American Film Institute's AFI Fest 2010 awarded the film Honourable Mention, Best Short Film. We attended both these festivals on our own dime. Now, the film is an official selection at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, taking place in Park City, Utah, January 20 - 30, 2011. We're out of money and we hope you can help!

The Impact

Getting into Sundance is like nabbing the brass ring of indie film fests, and in a way it feels weird to ask for help when we've had such incredible luck. Out of 6,467 shorts submitted to Sundance this year, only 81 were selected. The thing is, while it's a stroke of very good fortune, it costs a lot of money to make it happen. To attend the festival and present the film, we need to pay our own airfare, accommodation in Park City (not cheap!), and there are lots of hard costs like exhibition tapes, promotional materials, publicity, etc. We are independent artists, and we are racing to raise the funds necessary to seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in the few short weeks before the festival.

What We Need & What You Get

Any contribution you can make will go directly toward housing us at the Festival, creating our exhibition and promotional materials, buying additional tickets to our own screenings, and the real, hard costs of presenting a film at the most prestigious independent film festival in the world. 

We're throwing a dance party fundraiser in our hometown of Edmonton on January 15 at the ARTery. If you can, please come to that! Entry is by donation, with a suggested minimum of $10. If you can't make it there, please consider donating $10 here and then dancing around in your living room to your favourite song. We'll thank you on our website: dirtcityfilms.com. If you donate $25 or more, we'll send you a limited-edition enamel pin of The High Level Bridge, with original artwork by Edmonton's own Smokey. If you donate $50 or more, we'll send you the pin and a poster. If you donate $100 or more, we'll send the pin, the poster, and your choice of a limited-edition hand-knit toque or cowl (black only), with an original screen-printed High Level Bridge crest on it (while supplies last - we're literally knitting these ourselves!)

This IndieGoGo campaign is open until the last day of Sundance because we've decided that we're going one way or another. We're currently charging expenses to credit cards and borrowing money. Any support you can offer will go directly toward paying off the costs of this amazing adventure.

Other Ways You Can Help

If you'd care to let others know about our efforts, please feel free to use the "share tools" to help spread the word on Facebook, Twitter, whatever!

More About The Film

"Edmontons High Level Bridge is a frequent spot for suicides. Trevor Anderson documents the bridges history and its place in collective psychology with insight and wit. Finding humour in dark territory, The High Level Bridge showcases chilling shots of the North Saskatchewan River, and pays homage to the people and events surrounding an odd landmark. The film culminates in a final enigmatic jump a brilliant cinematic gesture." - Magali Simard, Toronto International Film Festival

"...a well-timed, much-needed and refreshing comment on an issue thats far too taboo." - Elizabeth Withey, The Edmonton Journal

"...a beautiful and gracious film, an artistic tribute to those who have jumped from the bridge, and also a poetic contemplation of the High Level Bridge itself and its role within the citys collective psyche." - Graham Hicks, The Edmonton Sun