Drake Doremus‘ Sundance Grand Prize winner Like Crazy will be the opening night film for the 7th annual Film Independent Forum, according to the non-profit.

Taking place Oct. 21-23 at the Director Guild of America in L.A., Like Crazy (which Paramount Vantage opens on Oct. 28) will kick off the the three-day forum for emerging and established independent filmmakers that covers production, distribution, documentary and new media.

Speakers for the 2011 Film Independent Forum include:

Sara Bernstein, HBO Documentary Films
Laura Bickford, producer, Duplicity, Che
Josh Braun, Submarine
Lisa Callif, Donaldson & Callif, LLP
Juan Devis, KCET Public Media
Arthur Dong, director, Hollywood Chinese
Jennifer Dubin, producer, The Perfect Family, Good Dick
Craig Emanuel, Loeb & Loeb
Christian Gaines, withoutabox.com and imdb.com
Matthew Greenfield, Fox Searchlight
Azazel Jacobs, director, Terri
Patty Jenkins, director, Monster, The Killing
Gina Kwon, producer, The Future
Greg Laemmle, Laemmle Theatres
Lisa Leeman, director, One Lucky Elephant
David Magdael, The Company: David Magdael and Associates
Bob Moczydlowsky, Topspin Media
Liz Ogilvie, CrowdStarter
Cora Olson, producer, The Perfect Family, Good Dick
Luis Ortiz, Latino Public Broadcasting
Mike Ott, director, Littlerock
Tristan Patterson, director, Dragonslayer
Jeremy Podeswa, director, Boardwalk Empire, The Pacific
Mark and Michael Polish, directors, Twin Falls Idaho, For Lovers Only
Alan Poul, producer, Six Feet Under
Paula Schmit, Film Finances
Ondi Timoner, director, Cool It, We Live in Public
Jocelyn Towne, director of the forthcoming I Am I
Thuy Tran, United States Artists
Peter Trinh, International Creative Management
Emily Verellen, The Fledgling Fund

Topics for this year’s panels are:
Movie Math: Film Financing Today
Money for Docs: Where and How To Get It
Shopping Your Project: A Financing Clinic
This Movie Has Legs: Expanding the Life of Your Doc
Way & Means: Production Case Studies
Find New Docs: Works in Progress from Film Independent Fellows
Let the Crowd In: Crowdfunding Case Studies
The Law of the Doc: Recent Legal Battles; Fest Up: The Film Festival and You
Anatomy of a Release: Distribution Case Studies
DIY Route: The Theatrical Roadshow
In-D-TV: Storytelling Inside of the Box
New Media: Collective Storytelling Through the Web
Reach Your Audience: A Marketing Clinic
Breaking In: What’s Next.

The keynote speaker and additional panelists will be announced shortly, as well as the recipient of the 2011 Sloan Producers Grant, to be awarded on closing night.

Learn more about the event and how to get tickets here.