Magic Valley set to open 

Sun Valley, ID - The Sun Valley Film Festival (SVFF) and Sun Valley Property News (SVPN) are proud to present Magic Valley, a film shot in and around Buhl, Idaho. The film will screen Friday, March 16.

"Magic Valley is about living in a small town in Idaho. Most films about living in small towns are about people wanting to get out of town," said director and Buhl native Jaffe Zinn. "I wanted to naturally show how not all people living in small towns are depressed and miserable. What interests me are people doing things with no motive. I wanted to explore this idea in Magic Valley." Zinn plans to be in attendance at the Sun Valley screening.

Scott Glenn as Sheriff Ed Halfner in "Magic Valley."

Magic Valley features actor Scott Glenn, a 32-year Blaine County, Idaho resident as Ed Halfner, the fictional sheriff of Gooding County. The film examines a day in the life of small town America and blends together fictional stories of the town's residents, all of whom are connected to a girl's disappearance. 

"I have a lot of enthusiasm about Jaffe's filmmaking," said Producer Heather Rae of Appaloosa Films. "When I read the script, I knew he was going to make an interesting movie. The film plays on small town life, yet important issues." Rae is also the executive producer of Mosquita y Mari, a film that recently screened at Sundance. Mosquita y Mari, written and directed by Aurora Guerrero is a delicate and sublime love story about identity, and exploring the relationship between two close female friends. "The Sundance crowd was very responsive. It's a truly beautiful film," said Rae.

Set against Sun Valley's majestic backdrop, this inaugural festival (March 15-18) will screen films at the Sun Valley Opera House and the Magic Lantern Cinemas in Ketchum, and will bring filmmakers and film connoisseurs together to experience the best of the entertainment industry. Expect a wide-range of film experiences, from shorts films, television and web series to documentaries and feature dramas and comedies. In addition, the festival presents "Coffee Talk," a morning discussion series where filmmakers and industry experts engage the audience in a range of entertainment industry-related topics. Borrowing from the family-friendly spirit of Sun Valley, the festival will also include children's programming. 

SVFF is proud to present two awards found at no other film festival - the One In A Million, which honors filmmakers who have made a standout film for under a million dollars, and the Vision Award, which recognizes producers and their filmmaking journeys. The public is invited to the March 18 "Alaska Airlines Wrap Party" for the closing ceremony and presentation of the SVFF Audience Award.

The Sun Valley Film Festival is grateful to our sponsors and partners for their ongoing support and generosity: Sun Valley Property News, Alaska Airlines, Tito's Handmade Vodka, Idaho Board of Tourism, indieflix, Wild Gift, KMVT-TV, ConciergeQ and Sun Valley Resort.

Welcome Aboard!