FILM

FESTIVALSSOPHIE PURCHON

WHAT ARE FILM FESTIVALS?

Film festivals are events staged by universities, private

organizations, local governments, arts associations and/or film

societies. They provide an opportunity for unknown filmmakers

to get their movies in front of a real live audience and to have

their films reviewed by professional critics. Filmmakers whose

movies get accepted into a festival also get valuable press

attention and exposure to prospective agents and buyers, not to

mention a sometimes sizeable cash award if they win.

Some festivals are broad in scope -- they welcome a wide range

of subject matter and film lengths. But other festivals are far

more specialized: They may accept only comedies, only Jewish

films or only films made by female directors, for example. Some

festivals are specific to one film genre, such as documentaries,

or to one length, such as shorts.

WHO ATTENDS FILM FESTIVALS?

Most festivals are open to the public. People can buy tickets or passes that give them admission to film screenings. Festivals generally sell tickets for individual screenings and, for a discount, for groups of screenings.

Because a lot of festivals rely on outside funding for support, they offer memberships for a yearly fee. Members not only get tickets to festival screenings, but they also get invitations to special events, discounts at local restaurants and shops and the opportunity to purchase festival tickets before they become available to the public.

At the festival, the movie is screened for the jury as well as for the audience. The jury is usually made up of film critics, professors and/or filmmakers who will judge each film for its artistic merit, production value, creativity and overall impression. Judging differs from festival to festival; but usually, each member of the jury votes by secret ballot, and the film that receives the majority of votes wins.

Most film festivals also give the audience an opportunity to judge. Its choice is reflected in a special audience award.

HOW DO FILMMAKERS SUBMIT

FILMS?

Each film festival has its own set of rules. Generally, filmmakers are given a deadline by which they need to submit one or more of their films. Some festivals accept films that have already been screened elsewhere; others require that films have not been broadcast anywhere prior to the festival, so it is unique.

In the festivals the movies entered may range from shorts that are just a few minutes in length to full-length features that run 1.5 hours or more. Festivals accept one or more formats, including 35mm, 16mm, Super 8, VHS, Beta and/or DVD.

Filmmakers pay an entry fee and fill out a form describing their project. They may also be asked to submit a director bio, a film still, a synopsis and a list of production credits.

Not every film is right for every festival; submitting a film to the wrong festival is likely to end in rejection. Before submitting a film for consideration, filmmakers need to research which festivals are most appropriate for their subject. The biggest and most prestigious festivals (Cannes and Sundance) are usually the hardest to break into because there is so much competition for a limited number of slots. In 2004, the Sundance festival received nearly 6,000 submissions; it accepted 255 of those films. New filmmakers have a better chance of getting into a smaller festival such as Raindance and then working their way up to the big-name festivals once they have achieved a few successes.

Film festivals are typically divided into categories. Categories may include: drama, documentary, animation, short film, experimental and music video.

SUNDANCE FILM

FESTIVAL

The Sundance Film Festival, a program of the Sundance Institute, is an American film festival that takes place annually in Utah. With 46,731 attendees in 2012, it is one of the largest independent film festivals in the United States.[1] Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new work from American and international independent filmmakers. The festival comprises competitive sections for American and international dramatic and documentary films, both feature-length films and short films, and a group of out-of-competition sections, including NEXT, New Frontier, Spotlight, and Park City At Midnight.

Individual tickets are $15 - passes range from $300 (film students) to $3000 (includes opening night party and awards party.

RAINDANCE FILM

FESTIVAL

Raindance is an independent film festival and film school that operates throughout major cities including: London, Los Angeles, New York, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Budapest, Berlin and Brussels.

The festival was established in 1992 by Elliot Grove to be the opinion of British Filmmaking. Listed by Diversity as one of the world’s top 50 ‘unmissable film festivals’, Raindance aims to nurture, support and promote independent films and filmmakers from the UK and around the world.

Raindance showcases features and shorts by filmmakers from around the world to an audience of film executives and buyers, journalists, film fans and filmmakers. Along with screenings, there are seminars, workshops and parties to allow everyone the chance to share the passion for independent cinema.

In 2012 The Raindance Film Festival had approximately 13,500 attendees, and 80,000 online followers.