Film festival

A film festival is the presentation or showcasing of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues. The films are usually of a recent date and, depending upon the focus of the individual festival, can include major international releases as well as those made outside a country's established film industry. Sometimes there is a focus on a specific genre (e.g. animation) or subject (e.g. gay and lesbian film festivals). Film Festivals are typically annual events.

History

The world's first major film festival was held in Venice in 1932; the other major film festivals of the world (Berlin, Cannes, Moscow and Karlovy Vary) date back to the 1940s and 1950s.

The Edinburgh International Film Festival in Scotland was established in 1947 and is the longest continually running film festival in the world.

The first North American film festival was the Columbus International Film & Video Festival, also known as The Chris Awards, held in 1953. According the Film Arts Foundation in San Francisco, "The Chris Awards (is) one of the most prestigious documentary, educational, business and informational competitions in the U.S; (it is) the oldest of its kind in North America and celebrating its 54th year".

It was followed shortly thereafter by the San Francisco International Film Festival held in March 1957 whose emphasis was on feature-length dramatic films. The festival played a major role in introducing foreign films to American audiences. Among the films shown in its founding year were Akira Kurosawa's Throne of Blood and Satyajit Ray's Pather Panchali.

Entry fee

Most film festivals require filmmakers to pay an entry fee to have their works considered for screening. This is especially commonplace among larger film festivals, such as the Cannes Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival, and even smaller film festivals such as the Ann Arbor Film Festival.

However, not all film festivals require an entry fee. Rotterdam Film Festival, for example, does not charge an entry fee to submit work. There are also many smaller film festivals in the United States, such as the Sansevieria Film Festival in Ohio or the Stony Brook Film Festival in upstate New York, which do not charge entry fees, however, acceptance of films is usually more limited, and such film festivals do not necessarily attract big names in their audiences like Sundance and Telluride do. In some cases, such as the Portland Film Festival, there is an entry fee, but it is waived for filmmakers within a certain region, such as the Northwestern United States.

Significant or notable festivals

• "A" Festivals: The festivals in Toronto, Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance, Rotterdam, Moscow, St. Sebastian, (since 2002) Locarno, Karlovy Vary and Mar del Plata are listed as so-called "A festivals", or the most prestigious in the world.

• North American significance: Toronto is internationally renowned for its film festivals. The Toronto International Film Festival, begun in 1976, is now the major North American film festival and the most widely attended worldwide, while Toronto's Hot Docs is the leading North American documentary film festival. Also of significance, the Seattle International Film Festival is the largest film festival in the United States. On the other hand, New York Film Festival only show few films in each year, but it still has big impact in the United States.

• Children's films: The Chicago International Children's Film Festival, started in 1983, is the largest festival of films for children in North America, and the first juried, competitive festival of children's film in the U.S. It is the only children's film event to be recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as an "Academy qualifying" festival.

• Latin American significance: The Festival de Gramado (or Gramado Film Festival), held annually in the Brazilian city of Gramado is considered to be the most important film festival of Latin America. It was first held in 1973, awarding Brazilian and Latin American films.

• Digital films: The Digital Video Festival in Los Angeles was started by Shannon W. Rawls in 2003. Focusing on creative works shot in Digital Video and High Definition formats, this festival is a 7-day event showcasing Narrative, Documentary, Music Video, Experimental & Animation projects that are originally captured in DV or HD. Projects that are acquired using film do not qualify for entry. Currently this festival is the only annual multi-day festival that has this prerequisite.

• Experimental films: Ann Arbor Film Festival was started in 1963. It is the oldest continually operated experimental film festival in North America and has become one of the premiere film festivals for independent and, primarily, experimental filmmakers to showcase their work.[AAFF]

• Sicilian Film Festival was started on 2006 in Miami by Emanuele Viscuso to showcase the works of Sicilian directors and movies about Sicily and its history. Independent films, famous feature movies, Sicilian culture and more. [[1]]

• Independent films: Sundance Film Festival was founded by Robert Redford in 1981. The festival is held in Park City, Utah every January. The Sundance Institute also supports many independent filmmakers

• Independent films in Hollywood: Silver Lake Film Festival in Los Angeles was established to provide a showcase for truly independent film in the film capital of the world. In the shadow of the Hollywood film industry, independently produced films are often neglected and, worse, rarely presented. Held at various venues in Hollywood and LA's Eastside, SLFF's 2006 festival presented, over the course of nine days, 75 narrative and documentary features and 135 shorts films, including 101 Los Angeles, U.S. and world premieres. The Hollywood DV/HD Festival also supports many independent films in Hollywood.

• Sports films: Vail Film Festival is a unique film festival dedicated to independent films and action sports. The festival takes place in Vail, Colorado the most popular and largest ski resort, [Vail] in North America.

• Student films: Fresh Film Festival in Karlovy Vary is one of the largest student film festivals in Europe, Ivy Film Festival at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island is the largest student film festival in North America.

• UK independent films: Raindance Film Festival in London, is the largest independent film festival in the UK. It also the founder of the British Independent Film Awards.

• Wood Green, North London: Wood Green International Film festival in London, has been Running for 5 years in North London, and presents new films by British, Irish and International filmakers.

• Women of color: Women of Color Film Festival at the University of California, Santa Cruz was founded in 1992 and is the first film festival in the U.S. committed to the representation of women of color, by women of color.

• Wildlife films: Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival was founded in 1991 and is held every odd-numbered year.

• Movie Minds International Online Short Film Festival

See also

For a complete list of film festivals throughout the world, refer to:

• List of film festivals

References

• Turan, Kenneth, Sundance to Sarajevo: Film Festivals and the World They Made, Los Angeles, University of California Press, 2002, hardback, ISBN 0-520-21867-1.
• Watson, Nigel, "The Sense and Sensationalism of Film Festivals", Talking Pictures website

External links

• Film Festival Events Directory-Largest web database of film festival events.
• Fresh Film Fest - international student film festival Karlovy Vary
• [2] Ithaca College's CellFlix Film Festival is for work shot entirely on cell phone
• Elvis & Anabelle Example of a festival independent film release (SXSW 2007)
• Britfilms.com has a comprehensive list of Film Festivals around the world
• [3] this site has detailed articles on film festivals and many other subjects related to independent filmmaking
• The Filmlot online magazine for new and independent filmmakers has film festival dates, deadlines and a festival blog covering the films of each event.
• A-Z Film Festivals alphabetical list of Film Festivals around the world
• Turkey Festivals Guide
• festivalfocus.org listing film festivals from around the world.

festivalfocus.org listing film festivals from around the world.

• Wood Green Film Festival
• Movie Minds International Online Short Film Festival Movie Minds Film Festival