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25 Coolest Film Festivals: 2009
Locarno Film Festival
Depending on the era in which one grew up, what is “cool” can be a very different thing. But whether you watched James Dean on the big screen, were introduced to cinema through Quentin Tarantino or believe that great movies begin and end with Michael Bay, “cool” cinema takes us beyond the expected, captures the zeitgeist and changes the way we view the films that come along for us afterward.
The same can be said for the 25 film festivals profiled below. With the help of hundreds of independent moviemakers, festival directors and fest attendees, we scoured the world to identify more than two dozen fests that are creating a truly unique film festival experience (for moviemakers and festival-goers).
ANN ARBOR FILM FESTIVAL
ANN ARBOR, MI • www.aafilmfest.org• Even the best programming can’t save an imperfect screening venue. “The biggest reason for the ‘coolness’ of AAFF,” according to executive director Donald Harrison, “is its home base: The historic Michigan Theater… The quality of projection—both in the 1,700-seat movie palace and its state-of-the-art, 200-seat screening room—is world-class.”
BIG APPLE FILM FESTIVAL
NEW YORK, NY • www.bigapplefilmfestival.com •
With the glut of NYC festivals, it’s easy to get lost in the mix. But BAFF is creating a niche all its own by focusing “primarily on the New York film community,” says founder Jonathan Lipp. An event for independents, BAFF “plays the films that you hope people will get to see, but worry that they won’t be able to—specifically the ones I have been in,” says actor Jesse Eisenberg, who took home this year’s NY Emerging Talent Award.
BIG ISLAND FILM FESTIVAL
WAIKOLOA, HI • www.bigislandfilmfestival.com •
“What could be cooler than watching your film in Hawaii under the stars with palm tress swaying in the gentle breeze and the fragrance of plumeria wafting around you?” asks founder Leo Sears. It’s hard to argue with logic like that, especially when each of the many moviemakers who suggested BIFF for this list made mention of the Waikoloa Bowl at Queens’ Gardens as a truly unforgettable screening venue.
BOULDER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
BOULDER, CO • www.biff1.com • More than 5,000 feet above sea level may not be the first place you look for high-quality cinema, but sisters and fest directors Robin and Kathy Beeck put the moviemaker first. “They really, truly want you there and they want to be absolutely sure that you have fun,” says moviemaker Christine Bonn (In Times of War).
BROOKLYN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
BROOKLYN, NY • www.brooklynfest.org • It shouldn’t be surprising that New York City’s coolest borough offers one of the world’s coolest fests. Though plenty of big names have been a part of the fest, selections are from received submissions only; no films are invited. All films must be independently-produced and every film is in competition, so that “even the smallest film, regardless of its category, can win the Grand Chameleon Award,” says executive director Marco Ursino.
CONEY ISLAND FILM FESTIVAL
CONEY ISLAND, NY • www.coneyislandfilmfestival.com • By sheer virtue of its location, there’s built-in cool in Coney Island. “It’s a friendly, freaky film festival with a small-town familiarity but a gritty, big-town toughness,” says moviemaker Katrina del Mar (Surf Gang). Plus, asks del Mar, “Where else will you get your ticket taken by Insectavora the fire breather? Where else can you walk into a festival that’s housed in the Coney Island Sideshow, with its famous posters of freaks, and eat popcorn while watching sword swallowers perform between great and super-cool films?”
CUCALORUS FILM FESTIVAL
WILMINGTON, NC • www.cucalorus.org • “One might look at Cucalorus and think, ‘What the hell?’” offers director Dan Brawley. “We don’t give out awards, Cucalorus is at the wrong time of year and it all takes place in a quiet, historic port city in North Carolina.” But it’s that non-competitive atmosphere that allows moviemakers to forget the cutthroat nature of their profession and reconnect with their love of movies. “Competition is the opposite of creativity,” says Brawley. “Cucalorus really tries to bring people together to explore creativity.” This ingenuity extends to the social side of the event, which includes a Blue Velvet locations tour.
DISPOSABLE FILM FESTIVAL
VARIOUS LOCATIONS • www.disposablefilmfest.com • Created in 2007, DFF offers “a democratized space where the work of zero-budget filmmakers is celebrated and exhibited,” says co-founder Carlton M. Evans. So what is a “disposable” movie? “Short films made on non-professional devices such as one-time use video cameras, cell phones, point-and-shoot cameras, Webcams, computer screen capture software and other readily available video capture devices,” says Evans. “With people everywhere gaining access to these devices, we felt the time was right to draw attention to the creative potential of this new mode of filmmaking.”
ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL
WASHINGTON, DC • www.dcenvironmentalfilmfest.org • Founded in 1993, EFF was green long before it was fashionable. “Environment is a broad topic and the festival reflects that with its extremely diverse selection of films,” says managing director Christopher Head. With more than 100 partner organizations, EFF is internationally recognized as one of the largest environmental film showcases in the world and screens at more than 50 venues, including the Smithsonian museums.
FANTASTIC FEST
AUSTIN, TX • www.fantasticfest.com • Called “The geek Telluride” by Variety, the country’s largest genre film festival specializes in horror, fantasy, sci-fi, action and “just plain fantastic movies from all around the world,” according to the fest’s Website. Held at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, which Entertainment Weekly named the best cinema in America, the venue is one where attendees can eat, drink and watch movies without being distracted. With past events featuring the world premieres of such films as There Will Be Blood and Apocalypto—and guests including Mel Gibson, Bill Murray, Paul Rudd and Paul Thomas Anderson—this is one fest that truly lives up to its name.
GEN ART FILM FESTIVAL
NEW YORK, NY & CHICAGO, IL • www.genart.org • As one of the world’s largest arts and entertainment organizations, Gen Art hosts more than 100 film, music, art and fashion events annually, including film festivals in New York and Chicago. “While it’s hard as hell to get into,” says Confounded Films’ Stephen Lyman, “the film plus party format is unique and a lot of fun for both the filmmakers and the audience.”
INDIE MEMPHIS FILM FESTIVAL
MEMPHIS, TN • www.indiememphis.com • Promoting artistic crossover, Indie Memphis “inspires filmmakers from across the country through the unique creative landscape that is the home of the blues and the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll,” says executive director Erik Jambor. “Sun Studios, Stax and Rev. Al Green’s Full Gospel Tabernacle church are all part of the filmmaker experience during the festival’s opening weekend, allowing filmmakers to connect as they explore the cultural history that resonates through Memphis.”
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COMMENTS | POST A COMMENT 
- Comment by Linda Ray on 8/01/09 at 4:35 pm
What about a mention of the Sydney and Melbourne Film Festivals,
this coming Saturday Night the Melbourne Film Festival (one of the oldest in the world!) finishes with a screening of ‘Bran Nue Dae’, NOT TO BE MISSED, another great film from director Rachel Perkins (Radiance).- Comment by chris koruga on 8/04/09 at 10:15 am
Any Asian Film Festivals?
- Comment by Jacob Rodrinas on 8/11/09 at 11:00 pm
Disappointed.
- Comment by max moore on 8/12/09 at 10:26 am
What about the Tiburon International FF that shows independent films from every corner of the world that we don’t see anywhere else?
- Comment by george kachadorian on 8/17/09 at 10:15 pm
great article-- i can personally attest to the phoenix and woods hole film fests-- totally awesome people putting on great films punctuated by excellent mixers. and i’m not just saying that because SHOOTING BEAUTY won top honors at both fests…
- Comment by Jan on 8/20/09 at 8:55 pm
Great Indie short & feature narrative films from all parts of the world at Big Island Film Festival - such fun!
- Comment by Steve Langston on 8/29/09 at 2:47 am
the St. Louis international film festival can’t make it to the top 25?
- Comment by Steve Langston on 8/29/09 at 2:48 am
http://www.imdb.com/Sections/Awards/St._Louis_International_Film_Festival/
- Comment by Joe Wilson on 9/02/09 at 10:08 am
Do any of these festivals charge filmmakers to attend the awards show?
In July, the AOF festival charged filmmakers $150 to attend the awards show and you included the AOF in the “top 25 film fests worth the entry fee” article.
Does Moviemaker magazine ask film fests if they charge filmmakers to attend the awards show?
Is “cool” your way of taking the economy out of your evaluation of film festivals?
http://www.moviemaker.com/festivals/article/25_film_festivals_worth_the_entry_fee_2009_20090414/
- Comment by max Maxwell on 9/12/09 at 3:42 pm
And don’t miss LA’s “La Femme” Film Festival!! Oct 15-19! It is all about women filmmakers...and it is stunning!!!!!!!!
- Comment by Michael Arnold on 10/03/09 at 10:40 am
This is a good list
but all of them are in America
what about the great Asian and European Indie Film Festivals ?- Comment by Yash Mishra on 10/15/09 at 3:30 am
Notice to all aspiring film-makers out there! If you have made a film which you think should be showcased on a wider audience and International platform, then Sixteen:Nine International Film Festival, India is the place to be.
Sixteen:Nine is a student’s film festival organized yearly by the students of Usha Pravin Gandhi College of Management, Mumbai.
So come! Showcase your talent! Send in your entries to http://www.16isto9.com, or contact me at my email id -
Cheers!- Comment by Scrapbook on 1/10/10 at 9:26 pm
I really was expecting a few more to make the list.
- Comment by Alcohol on 1/10/10 at 10:19 pm
I was thinking the same thing, but most were noted.
- Comment by Turkey on 1/10/10 at 10:22 pm
We were having a debate on that too.
- Comment by anuj on 1/21/10 at 8:17 am
i watched all above festivals
This story was published in the Summer 2009 MovieMaker Magazine. The headline was:
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posted 12.14.09
posted 11.13.09
posted 10.22.09
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