FILM FESTIVALS
Preview By Susan Haley Associate Editor
T
he 14th annual Ashland Independent Film Festival (AIFF) will take place April 9 – 13 at the Varsity Theatre, the Historic Ashland Armory, Ashland Street Cinema, and the Ashland Springs Hotel. Full festival programming can be found at www.ashlandfilm.org. Cathy Dombi, interim executive director, has been guiding this year’s festival into what we expect will be another awesome experience. Described as “like Sundance only warmer,â€? AIFF is the largest independent ďŹ lm festival in Southern Oregon and the Siskiyou region of California. Set in the picturesque town of Ashland (also home to the renowned Oregon Shakespeare Festival), AIFF provides an intimate setting that allows audience members, ďŹ lmmakers and industry representatives a rare opportunity to interact over ďŹ ve days at various events, including screenings, forums, conversations, educational programs and informal gatherings. AIFF is known not just as an excellent experience for attendees, but is known as a â€œďŹ lmmakers’ ďŹ lm festival.â€? “Ashland does everything right—the location is beautiful, they treat you like family, the programming is outstanding, the audiences are supportive and smart, everything is well-run, and they make it easy to meet
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other ďŹ lmmakers in a relaxed environment,â€? said Jeff Malmberg and Chris Shellen, the ďŹ lmmakers behind Marwencol. “By the end of Ashland, you want to make another movie just so you can come back and experience the festival again.â€? Screening at a well-attended festival often helps a ďŹ lm on its journey to a distribution deal and greater success. There have been many examples of ďŹ lms screened at AIFF that have gone on to earn continued awards. According to Judy Irving, her ďŹ lm, The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, was rejected by all the big festivals. “After our ďŹ lm was selected by Ashland, the momentum started building,â€? she said. “Recognition with the Audience Award helped us get two distribution offers, and now Wild Parrots is among the top 25 highest-grossing documentaries of all time.â€? Because of the popularity of the festival with ďŹ lmmakers, most ďŹ lms have
WHAT TO EXPECT AT AIFF 2015
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someone in attendance who is connected with the ďŹ lm. Festival attendees are able to enjoy Q&As at most of
the screenings and those sessions, along with the panels, make Ashland one of the best festivals on the circuit. MI