Reporting on film festivals
In 2020, filmmakers will be vying for more than $30,000 in cash prizes, including $7,500 each for the two juried competitions for Best Narrative Feature and Best Documentary Feature, and $5,000 for the Focus on the Arts Award, given to a Narrative or Documentary film with an emphasis on one or more of the visual and performing arts.
“This decision comes after careful consideration and consultation with our partners. Our number one concern is the safety of our content creators and our community of attendees. We are grateful for the support and recommendations we’ve received and look forward to welcoming everyone to the 6th edition of BFF this August.” Bentonville Film Festival, Co-Founder and Chair, Geena Davis said.
EarthxFilm’s Co-Founder and President, Michael Cain, said,” For EarthxFilm and the Dallas International Film Festival, two organizations I helped found to collaborate for the joint 2020 festival is incredibly satisfying. People in North Texas who appreciate film and compelling storytelling will be the beneficiaries.”
CineCina Film Festival Founder and Director Vina Sun, added, “However, while it made sense to postpone what is becoming our signature film festival event in order to ensure its success, our mission continues. The special presentation of LOVE AND DUTY both celebrates a formative classic early Chinese film, and provides a lead in to the theme of this summer’s upcoming film festival, including the reveal of the film festival’s poster image.
“The King Vidor Award offers us an opportunity each year to celebrate and honor someone that has impacted our love of cinema, and Lawrence Kasdan epitomizes that as much as anyone” said SLO Film Fest Director Wendy Eidson. “From RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, to THE BIG CHILL, to so much that we love about the STAR WARS films and more, he has either been one of the key people behind their creation or outright been responsible for some of our favorite movie moments.”
Addington, said, “Each year, after we initially set our schedule, exciting films will pop up and potentially be available for us to show to our Oxford Film Festival audiences. This year, we were fortunate enough to grab a few great ones. The Female Filmmaker Retreat is a very exciting addition to offer some real assistance and push to a group of women working on their next films. Project(ions) is another step forward for film as art that we think will add to the fest-going experience. And we’ll see everyone at our Secret Screening for the big reveal!”
“We have set ourselves up for a very musical start, which will lead into a number of special film events that set us apart from a lot of other film festivals: joining our love of food, wine and great cinema into one combined evening” said San Luis Obispo Film Festival Director Wendy Eidson. “When you then add on two very popular films to come out of Sundance this year, 64 George Sidney Independent Film selections, and our growing Central Coast Filmmaker Showcase, we will be rolling out one our most impressive lineups of films and events yet.”
In two years, NFIFF has established a precedent of bringing Academy Award winners and guests representing the Hollywood classics to Niagara Falls to both celebrate their work and connect them with independent filmmakers making entertaining and provocative work today.
The program will fund projects by emerging and established artists producing singular and original new works. Additionally, projects should exhibit meaningful community impact and generate substantial economic activity in North Carolina. Projects at various stages of production (existing and new projects) are eligible to apply. The program supports narrative, doc and experimental films. Funding is prioritized for female filmmakers and African American and Latinx artists.
“What audiences will most like about INTERNATIONAL FALLS is undoubtedly its human elements: the characters, the emotions, and the humor are all realistic and relatable, making for an easy to fall in love with feature,” said Brett Rogalsky, Acquisitions Coordinator at Gravitas Ventures.
