Rex Sikes' Movie Beat

Xan Aranda, director/producer, an award-winning indie filmmaker is affiliated with documentary powerhouse Kartemquin Films (Hoop Dreams.) She's a consultant, with a hand in dozens of international productions. Xan’s clients h range from national universities,  the U.S. Dept of Ed., to branding companies, advertising agencies, film festivals and emerging filmmakers. Her director debut, Andrew Bird: Fever Year World Premiered at Lincoln Center as part of the prestigious NY Film Fest. Fever Year received Jury Prize for Best Doc. at the Omaha Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Noise Pop Film Festival in SF. Xan is a Producer of the award winning 2008 Kartemquin Films release Milking the Rhino which received a four-star review from the Chicago Tribune. Xan serves as Outreach Dir.  for Prisoner of Her Past, directed by Gordon Quinn. She handled the broadcast of both films on PBS. Xan Aranda is currently directing her next project, Mormon Movie.  She is a featured speaker for students, guesting at Seattle U