The Independent Feature Project’s Annual Market kicked off on Sunday for the 29th straight year, bringing established and aspiring Indie Filmmakers from all parts of the globe to learn from, pitch to, and mingle with hundreds of industry luminaries. Companies both large and small are in attendance, from primary sponsor HBO Films, to Magnolia Pictures, to programmers from Sundance and SXSW, to production, representation, and distribution shingles from LA, London, Montreal, Atlanta, and all points in between.

This year’s opening night film was also the U.S. premiere for John Sayles’ beautiful and throughly entertaining Honeydripper. The film thrilled the audience at the Lincoln Center AMC Theatre, where Mr. Sayles and longtime producing partner Maggie Renzi received a warm, prolonged ovation. A true genius and inspiration to all independent filmmakers, Mr. Sayles’ has a long history with the Market — his film The Return of the Secaucus Seven premiered at the very first IFP Market in 1978.

While on the lookout for the next potential standouts from the dozens of documentary features, shorts and works in progress screening at the Angelika theatre, the IndiePix Staff also took time out to mix with current IndiePix Filmmakers Alex Karpovsky (The Hole Story), David Dixon (Unloosened and Root), and Michael Tully (Cocaine Angel) at events in and around the Market. As they continue to develop and pitch their latest projects please support their efforts by checking out their fantastic, award-winning films already available through IndiePix.

Stay tuned for more reports from IFP’s Market, including reviews of films so new they can’t be found anywhere…well, until they’re found in our collection. And check out Honeydripper when it enters it’s New York release this fall! Danny Glover, Charles Dutton, Keb ‘Mo as a blind blues man, and the gorgeous and talented relative newcomer (and Harlem native) Yaya DaCosta…what else could you want?!