Sedona is full of talented people in all types of fields, especially the arts. Sometimes they stand out like the local filmmakers who will have their films featured at the 2011 Sedona International Film Festival.

“Sedona: The Motion Picture” is a feature film that will debut Saturday, Feb. 19, at 7 p.m. in the Sedona Performing Arts Center on the Sedona Red Rock High School campus. The film was not only written and produced by local filmmaker Tommy Stovall and produced by Stovall and Marc Sterling, it was entirely filmed in and around Sedona. The film stars Frances Fisher and Seth Peterson.

“Let it Begin! A Filmmaker’s Journey”

Another local film being shown at the center will be a documentary short, “Let it Begin! A Filmmaker’s Journey” directed by Tami Pivnik, written by Susan Broude, and produced by Pivnik and Broude. “Let it Begin” debuts Monday, Feb. 21, at 2 p.m.

Pivnik’s film shows a behind-the-scenes look at the Sedona International Film Festival with excerpts with Michael Moore, Doris Roberts, Jerry Stiller, Connie Stevens, Robert Osborne, Tony Curtis and many others from the 2010 festival.

“This was a thesis film I created when I attended Zaki [Gordon Institute for Independent Filmmaking]. The school has submitted it for a Student Academy Award, only the third one they’ve ever submitted, “ Pivnik said. “It may have been Tony Curtis’ last interview.”

Pivnik has been involved with broadcast, film and print media for more than 30 years and loves telling stories through images and music. She started her career at Cable News Network, or CNN, when it first started. She was an on-air graphic artist. From there she went to several television stations, edited trailers for films and wound up coming to Sedona to join Broude.

“Making films is a continuation of what I’ve been doing. I wanted to do the complete package from concept to presentation,” Pivnik said, noting she has a hearing challenge. “I’m extremely proud I did the editing myself and sound mixing with the help of Suzie Shomaker and John Conway.”

Pivnik also credits Broude with a big part of the film’s production and success. It won Audience Choice and Best Director and a nomination for Best Picture at the ZGI Shorts Festival in 2010. Since then it has screened nationally at several film festivals.

“We are so excited and honored to have been chosen to be part of SIFF. It is sincerely a thrill to be able to show the film in our hometown and thank the community for all of their support,” Pivnik said.

“Cheese!”

Damien Patrik, filmmaker and longtime Sedona resident, brings a second film, “Cheese!” to the festival. His first-ever film, “First and Last,” was chosen in 2008. It played on the quirkiness of life in Sedona and featured local talent.

“Cheese!” is about three fun-loving girls and a camera. Patrik promises the four-minute short film is full of laughs.

“Audiences seem to like it. I think people enjoy a good comedy and have a laugh. Lord knows we need it,” Patrik said. “I was so excited when I got the call from Patrick [Schweiss, executive director of the Sedona International Film Festival]. It’s a premier festival and you want to be in it. They do everything right,” Patrik said.

Patrik always loved the entertainment industry. He lived in Los Angeles and did some acting on occasion. He started casting for commercials and did voice-over workshops as well as other film workshops. After a few years, Patrik decided to follow his dream of writing and directing his own films and moved to Sedona to attend Zaki Gordon Institute for Independent Filmmaking.

“I think all of my background really helped me. My best ability is to get good actors. I’ve been around good actors for many years,” Patrik said.

Right now Patrik is studying film at the Colorado Film School in Aurora, Colo. He plans to be in Sedona the full week of the film festival.

Three Zaki Films

Three recent graduates of Zaki Gordon Institute of Independent Filmmaking will be showing films at the festival. The films are the thesis the students created their final semester.

“Overture,” a narrative short film written and directed by Jake Kramer and produced by Kramer and Tiffany Shaw, is about a young woman headed to college to start her new life, when her world turns upside-down when her jealous roommate discovers the secret she is hiding.

“Overture” debuts Friday, Feb. 25, at 9 p.m. in Harkins Theatres Sedona Six.

“One of the best things in Jake’s film is his choice of actors. He went to Phoenix and Tucson as well as Sedona to interview and cast his film,” Zaki Acting Program Director Rue said.

“Strings Attached” is a 16-minute film about a coffee shop girl who gets pulled into the hands of a street puppeteer, written and directed by Kira Shelton.

“Kira is actually the high school student who won a scholarship to Zaki. She’s from Phoenix,” Rue said.

The third film from Zaki graduates is Christphe Oishi’s “The Fine Line.” It is a Spanish film with English subtitles about a young, impoverished Mexican girl who lives a life of oppression and how she overcomes the odds.

“All of our students are pretty typical. Once they graduate they usually start the film festival circuit. Kira is on the younger end and very energetic. Jake is more experienced and approached his film on the more technical end. He fell in love with lighting and its effects in film,” Rue said.

All of the films for the 2011 Sedona International Film Festival, which starts Saturday, Feb. 19, and ends Sunday, Feb. 27, will be shown at three venues: Sedona Center for the Performing Arts, Harkins Theaters and at the Sedona Rouge.

Visit the festival’s website for location and time of films and events and for ticket information.