Fort Smith International Film Festival 2024

AUGUST 22-24

River Valley Film Society’s Evolution from Festival to Exhibition + Marketplace

Creation The Fort Smith International Film Festival rose out of the River Valley Film Society’s goal to grow the local creative economy by expanding access to original new films, from within and beyond. The society started with a showcase of local filmmakers, creating opportunity for artistic networks to form between directors, writers, actors, crew and audiences.

First Festival The society further cultivated the region’s creative class with an international film festival, mounted in downtown Fort Smith. The inaugural festival was challenged by the growing global pandemic, but audiences were enthusiastic.

Takeoff The festival grew exponentially in both audience and global entries, growing to help filmmakers gain audiences and recognition.

Commercial Connection For the first time and as a very young festival, entrants had the opportunity for film distribution through a festival partnership with professional company which selected 5 award-winning films to represent for distribution contracts.

Festival Adds Film Marketplace Ambitiously driving towards commercial opportunities, the non-profit film society is creating a new MidAmerica Film Marketplace to put filmmakers with film buyers, similar to SXSW, Sundance and an elite handful of other film marketplaces. It can happen here. Now a growing cultural attraction, the Fort Smith Film Festival can simultaneously help to make real a cultural economy. Entrants will increase, with filmmakers seeking to make contracts that propel their feature narrative and documentary films and TV series into national and global distribution.

The Fort Smith International Film Festival is leveling up through the creation of an adjacent professional venture with respected firm Porter + Craig Film and Media Distribution.

Porter + Craig is a film and television sales organization specializing in the financing, production, and distribution of feature films. It also represents worldwide sales for both its own slate of films and third party content with an annual portfolio of 50 to 100 films.

In 2023, Porter + Craig and the FSIFF began an alliance to achieve commercial distribution, creating for 2024 a film sales marketplace in which Porter + Craig may represent selected films to the global market.

Commercial potential will elevate the quality of entrants and attract other distribution agencies who see a diverse source for documentary and narrative features and for TV series, now a target of streaming services.

The MidAmerica Film Marketplace enables the non-profit film society to earn a percentage of each distribution deal, sustaining the festival while helping filmmakers monetize their projects.

film and media distribution

Fort Smith International Film Festival. Five winning film entrants gained their representation.

Jeff Porter, left, and Ret. Sgt. Major Keith L. Craig address the 2023

Global Reach

Over 3 years, festival attains a media reach of ONE BILLION

*Meltwater

2023

862 million media reach

430 News Stories or Media Mentions

50 Countries, Nations, & Tribes

2022

265 million media reach*

135 hours of film submissions

56 Countries, Nations, & Tribes

2021

254 million media reach*

124 hours of film submissions

43 Countries, Nations, & Tribes

Global Response

70+ nations have submitted film entries

Our award laurels appear worldwide.

Israeli filmmaker Arti Savchenko with his Best College Short award, the “Gwen” trophy.

Ukrainian filmmaker Olga Artuszewska holding her second FSIFF trophy in war-torn Kiev, 2023.

Regional saturation: presenting sponsor River Valley Democrat Gazette heavily covers the festival.

Regional Significance

The Fort Smith marketplace and festival, with a six-hour driving radius that includes Dallas, Oklahoma City, Kansas City, St. Louis, Memphis, Jackson, and Shreveport, will provide access to a unique selection of MidAmerican movies and storytellers.

From its beginning, the Fort Smith International Film Festival successfully collaborated with neighboring tribal nations, particularly the Cherokee Film Commission. Cherokee Nation’s ambitious effort has expanded rapidly to create brand new facilities for film production, a state-of-the-art film studio and an educational film institute.

We are also teaming with the Arkansas Cinema Society, a statewide coalition focused on nurturing filmmakers, creating a full network of theaters, festivals and related entities to support and increase film production in-state.

Sponsorship Package Benefits Include:

Tickets

Admission provided for all sponsorship levels.

Parties

The film festival has sponsor parties and VIP perks.

Volunteer opportunities

Your company associates can staff the festival and events of the River Valley Film Society.

Programming

Catalogue of films available for events and film nights. Promotion Appear on our festival materials and at the venue.

2024 ANNUAL SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Sustaining Sponsor

$25,000

Presenting Sponsor $10,000

Premium Sponsor $15,000

For the first three years of the Fort Smith International Film Festival, community sponsors supported the film festival to inaugurate it as a major regional event.

Executive Producer $5,000

Rewarding their faith, the festival not only succeeded in attracting global reach and participation, its audience and entries have increased exponentially.

Director Sponsor $3,500

Filmmaker Sponsor $1,500

Friend of the Festival

Any other contribution is appreciated!

Every contribution is appreciated and has been used to benefit the audience and filmmakers. The festival is of particular benefit to local students who are able to participate in many roles. That success also benefits the community at large with increased tourism and global awareness of Fort Smith and our region.

Jennifer

Lorie