SouthSide Film Festival facts for kids
The SouthSide Film Festival is a super cool yearly event that celebrates movies! It happens every June in a city called Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the USA. It's not a competition, so filmmakers don't win awards like "best film." Instead, it's all about sharing amazing independent movies with everyone. The first festival happened in 2004.
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About the Festival
The festival gets its name "SouthSide" from a special part of Bethlehem. This area is on the south side of the Lehigh River. It used to be home to a huge steel factory called Bethlehem Steel. Now, this area is changing and growing with new buildings and businesses. The festival's logo even shows a picture of a blast furnace, which is a big part of the steel factory history. You can still see these furnaces in Bethlehem today!
Where to Watch Movies
Movies are shown in different places during the festival. Some screenings happen at Lehigh University. Other unique spots include the Godfrey Daniels Listening Club and the Deja Brew Coffeehouse. It's a great way to see films in fun, local places.
What Films Can You See?
Since it started, the festival has shown films from over 54 different countries and 31 states in the U.S. It really focuses on movies made by independent filmmakers. These are movies not usually made by big Hollywood studios. The festival features special "Invitational Films" and "Juried Selections." This means some films are invited, and others are chosen by a group of experts. They also highlight a specific type of movie or a cultural region each year.
Learning About Filmmaking
The SouthSide Film Festival isn't just about watching movies; it's also about learning how to make them! Each year, they have workshops where people can learn new skills and ideas about filmmaking. These workshops are for everyone, whether you're already a filmmaker or just starting out. Some of the teachers who have come back to teach include Mel Halbach and Clayton Farr from FilmTreks, Shanti Thakur from Hofstra University, and Pawel Partyka from the Se-ma-for animation studio.
Awards and Recognition
The SouthSide Film Festival and the group that runs it, The SouthSide Film Institute, have received many awards. One special award was from the Bethlehem Fine Arts Commission. They said the festival helps people enjoy movies as an art form. They also mentioned how it brings film fans and filmmakers together. Plus, the festival has a special film series just for kids! This helps make Bethlehem a lively place for arts and benefits the whole Lehigh Valley area.
Festival History
The festival started in 2004 and has been a yearly event ever since. However, in 2020, the festival had to be cancelled. This was because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which made it unsafe for large groups to gather. Because of this, the 17th festival was moved to 2021 instead.
