Ashland Independent Film Festival facts for kids
.jpg)
The Varsity Theatre
|
|
| Location | Ashland, Oregon |
|---|---|
| Hosted by | Southern Oregon Film Society |
| Language | International |
| Website | http://www.ashlandfilm.org |
The Ashland Independent Film Festival is a special film festival held each spring in Ashland, Oregon, USA. It has been put on by the Southern Oregon Film Society, a non-profit group, since 2001. The festival was started by D.W. and Steve Wood.
It takes place over five days at the Varsity Theatre in downtown Ashland and the Historic Ashland Armory. The festival shows movies from all over the world. You can see short films and longer movies in many styles. These include drama, comedy, documentaries, and even animation!
Contents
About the Film Festival
Most of the amazing independent films are shown on five screens. These are at the art-deco Varsity Theatre. This theater is right in the middle of historic downtown Ashland. People have called Ashland "a dream" city.
Bigger events and special movie showings happen at the Historic Ashland Armory. This place is nearby and can seat 500 people. The festival has movies playing from morning until night.
Besides the films, the festival also hosts fun parties. There's an Opening Night Gala with local food and drinks. Filmmakers often answer questions after their movies. There are also talks with filmmakers and art shows. Each night, there's an "afterLOUNGE" where filmmakers and movie fans can meet. In 2010, about 6,500 people attended the festival. They bought 16,800 tickets!
Local Movie Programs
The festival gets movies from all over the world. But it also really wants local filmmakers to share their work. They don't have to pay a fee to enter their films. The festival also has two free "Locals Only" programs. These are for people who live in Ashland.
The festival also has a successful "Launch" program. This program is free for all students in Southern Oregon. It encourages them to make and submit their own films. The best student films are chosen for a special showcase each year. In 2010, a "Made in Oregon" award was added. This award recognized films that were made in Oregon. A record 25% of the festival's films that year were shot in Oregon.
Awards Given at the Festival
The Ashland Independent Film Festival gives out many awards. Here are some of them:
- Best Feature (a longer movie)
- Best Documentary: Feature Length
- Best Documentary: Short Subject
- Best Animated Short
- Best Short
- Best Acting Ensemble (for a group of actors)
- Family Choice
- Best Short Film: Dramatic or Documentary
- Rogue Creamery Audience Award: Best Documentary
- John C. Schweiger Audience Award: Dramatic Feature
- Best Cinematography, The Gerald Hirschfeld, ASC Award: Feature (for amazing camera work)
- Rogue Award
Famous Guests from the Past
Many famous people have visited the festival. Here are some of them:
- Bruce Campbell
- Les Blank
- Ed Hardy
- Helen Hunt
- Albert Maysles
- Elvis Mitchell
- Will Vinton
How the Festival Helps the Area
The festival also helps the local economy. In 2010, about 40% of the people who came were from outside Ashland. These visitors helped bring about $2.8 million to the community. Surveys showed that:
- 86% of attendees ate at local restaurants.
- 62% shopped at local stores.
- 25% visited local art galleries.
What People Say About the Festival
The festival is getting more and more attention across the country. People see it as a top-quality film festival.
- Ernest Hardy from the LA Weekly said it's "well on its way to being one of my favorite American film festivals." He loved the mix of movies, audience, and location.
- Shawn Levy of The Oregonian newspaper said the festival gives movie lovers a "sense of being in a magical place."
- Academy Award-winning actress Helen Hunt visited and said, "Ashland is a paradise and the film festival is a rich, beautiful thing to be a part of."
- MovieMaker Magazine put the festival on its 2009 list. It was one of the "25 Festivals Worth The Entry Fee."
Festival Achievements
The Ashland Independent Film Festival has received important grants.
- On October 25, 2007, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences gave the festival a $20,000 grant. This money helped bring more filmmakers, actors, and documentary subjects to the festival.
- The festival received this grant again in 2010. This time it was for $17,500, for the 2011 festival.
