Get Buzzed

What is a film festival? The most simplistic of definitions states that a film festival is an organized extended presentation of films in one or more movie theatres during a set period of time. The reality of a film festival, however, is quite different.

The world’s first major festival was held in Venice in 1938, and today, along with the Venice Film Festival, there are many other widely renowned festivals. I’m sure you’ve heard of them, they include: Cannes, Toronto and, closer to home in the U.S., festivals such as Telluride, Sundance, South by Southwest and New York’s TriBeca Film Festival. The San Francisco International Film Festival, started in 1957, is the oldest continuously running film festival in the United States.

This April 8th -15th, the Phoenix Film Festival will celebrate its 10th Anniversary. Yes, even our own Valley of the Sun has a festival. In fact, there are several held in Arizona throughout the year.

In comparison to older, more established festivals, Phoenix’s version is an emerging event. Yet, that doesn’t mean you won’t get your chance to see films that may become blockbusters or even be nominated for a prestigious award in your very own neighborhood multiplex. A film festival is like unwrapping a surprise package—you never know what you’re going to get and the anticipation is half the fun!

The Phoenix Film Festival has featured large and small films, including 2009’s 500 Days of Summer, which received praise from critics and was nominated for a Golden Globe. Past well known celebrities who have made appearances include: Kevin Bacon, Peter Fonda, Laurence Fishburne, Kyra Sedgwick, Edward Burns, Virginia Madsen and John Waters. Check out the Web site for information on this year’s lineup. It will continue to be updated as more films are added. Come out for one film or several—the idea is to see something you may not normally see, but most of all, the idea is to have fun.

In celebration of the festival’s 10th Anniversary , organizers will host an opening night gala honoring the Valley’s own Dan Harkins, owner of Harkins Theatres and champion of all films large and small. The event will benefit both the Phoenix Children’s Hospital and Phoenix Film Foundation.

See you at the movies…

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