FILM FESTIVAL NEWS: The Big Bear Film Summit Announces Call for Entries for Film & Music Fest's Debut in June

Call for Entries opens today for the 1^st Annual Big Bear Film Summit, which will take place June 12-14, 2020. The inaugural edition will present 50 independent U.S. and international features and short films, as well as 20 bands performing live music. The deadline for filmmakers to submit their films for consideration is April 20.

Created to encourage artistic production in and around Big Bear Lake, California, the Big Bear Film Summit will celebrate cinema and music through film screenings, concerts, workshops and educational programs, during the three-day festival.

“The goal of BBFS is to insure that domestic and international artists, producers, and film directors attend the festival and participate in discussions about their work and about the art of filmmaking, and that they are given the opportunity to see what our region has to offer, in the hope that they will return to make subsequent films here benefiting from a new proposed regional film incentive program” said Executive Director Michael P. Hanson.

“The Big Bear Film Summit celebrates the art of independent cinema and will provide a sustainable annual off- season tourism event in a rural area that enjoys significant local community involvement. All visitors who attend the festival will be encouraged to engage in the creative process by participating in seminars, events and workshops running in parallel to the festival screenings” said CEO Gabriel Horn.

Big Bear Film Summit recently received a generous grant from Visit Big Bear, the destination marketing organization for Big Bear Lake, California. Visit Big Bear CEO, Darien Schaefer said, “We are very excited for this opportunity to support an event which not only promotes the arts but also showcases Big Bear Lake’s rich film history.”

Big Bear has served as a prime location for Hollywood for over 100 years, having supplied the stunning forested mountain backdrop for more than 400 motion pictures. From THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS (1920), and GONE WITH THE WIND (1939), to dozens of Disney classic films, including OLD YELLER (1957) and THE PARENT TRAP (1961), to films like WAR GAMES (1983), and MAGNOLIA (1999), as well as numerous television series like “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “The King of Queens,” the 800,000 acres of National Forest, 22 miles of shoreline, historic and modern architecture and more have been utilized time and time again by filmmakers. Included in the programming of this year’s debut of the Big Bear Film Summit will be a commemorative tribute to the films shot in Big Bear, as well as a screenplay competition, panel discussions on issues in contemporary filmmaking, and a number of social events where film and music artists can meet and interact with appreciative audience members.

Film competition categories include: Documentary, animated and narrative features and shorts, screenplay, and music videos. A uniquely carved wooden Big Bear Film Summit award will be presented to the winners at an awards luncheon on the final day of the festival.

More details about the event can be found at www.bigbearfilmsummit.com, and on the event’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram channels, including festival sponsorship opportunities and event ticket packages.