THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE MARCH 2017
51
REEL COMMUNITY
WITH THE PHOENIX FILM FESTIVAL
Organizers urge fans to ‘really soak in the festival’
Erica Thompson » The Entertainer!
C
Phoenix Film Festival
Harkins Scottsdale 101, 7000 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix, phoenixfilmfestival.com, various times Thursday, April 6, to Thursday, April 13, different ticket packages available.
inephiles annually flock to the Valley for the Phoenix Film Festival, the largest event of its type in Arizona. In its 17th year, the festival anticipates more than 25,000 attendees this spring. Phoenix Film Festival director Jason Carney encourages the thousands of movie fans to take full advantage of the event, set for Thursday, April 6, to Thursday, April 13, at the Scottsdale Harkins 101. “Take a day, a weekend or multiple days to get the vibe that is put out there by rabid fans and filmmakers,” Carney says. “Give yourself time to really soak in the festival.” To help patrons do this, the festival is offering a flex pass that allows them to see four films over the weekend. Carney says this helps fans realize, “These are people who love films as much as I do.” Carney has been involved with the Phoenix Film Festival since its inception in 2001. It was founded when two local filmmakers, Golan Ramas and Chris Lamont, were disappointed in the lack of opportunities to show their work in the Valley. They started a film festival to fill that void. In its 17 years, the Phoenix Film Festival has grown from a few days to a weeklong event. It stands out because it is housed in one location, with a pavilion outside of the theater for parties. Carney says he believes this is one of the main draws. “Everything takes place in one location. Other places you have to shuttle to get from film to film,” Carney says. “There is no reason to leave once you are there. It creates a great sense of community filmmakers and filmgoers all in one location.” The festival boasts an impressive line up of a short films, independent movies and documentaries. Past movies include “Me, Earl and the Dying Girl” and “Boyhood.” Among the films chosen this year are “Dean” by comedian Demetri Martin and “Norman and the Stars” starring Richard Gere. The directors and many of the actors attend the screenings and stay afterward for question-and-answer sessions. This year, the Phoenix Film Festival started a new category, “Unified by Film,” to add new content and hear from other filmmakers. This year they wanted to focus on movies made by Native American, Latino/a Americans and African-American filmmakers. WWW.ENTERTAINERMAG.COM