From where the audience sits, a film festival seems like an act of kindness—an event thrown together by a local group of diehard cineastes. But as anyone whose ever worked behind the scenes on a film festival knows, there's a reason why so many positions are filled on a "volunteer" business. Bottom line: Mounting a film festival costs money. Lots of it. From renting theaters to printing programs, every penny counts. And even some of today's oldest and most esteemed events find it challenging to exist from year to year. Case in point: The Ann Arbor Film Festival.

The Sundance Film Festival launched its 2008 event in style today as Sundance Institute president and founder Robert Redford, festival director Geoff Gilmore and director Martin McDonagh, who helmed In Bruges, the fest's Opening Night film, gathered for a press conference at Park City, Utah's famed Egyptian Theatre. "As from the beginning, the Sundance Film Festival is about discovery of new talent and of issues that are resonating with filmmakers and artists alike,” notes Redford of this year's program.

When it comes to truly independent moviemaking, few studios have been doing it longer—or better—than New York City-based Troma Entertainment. So it's not surprising that the folks at Troma have been bringing more movies to the people in the form of the TromaDance Film Festival, an eight-day celebration of the wicked, weird and hysterically funny, happening in Salt Lake City and Park City, Utah this January 18 - 25th.

Truthfully, the importance of a film festival begins with the hype surrounding it, and there are few better ways, at least in the film industry, to create a buzz than by netting a big name. The Babelgum Online Film Festival has done just that with their inaugural event by naming Spike Lee as Honorary Judge of the festival jury.

Lech Kaczynski, the president of the Republic of Poland, opened the 15th annual Plus CamerImage International Festival of the Art of Cinematography this week by welcoming hundreds of moviemakers and students. It was a dream come true for Marek Zydowicz, who founded the festival in 1993 with the goal of bringing moviemakers from around the world to his native land.

Screamfest horror film festival director Rachel Belofksy says she didn’t grow up loving scary movies. “As a little girl, I was terrified of everything,” she recalls. “All the vampire films freaked me out. Even as a teen, it wasn’t my thing.” Belofksy’s fear has since been supplanted by fandom. Now if you show her a good “decap” scene, she can explain its artistic merit, point by point.

When it comes to Halloween in New York City, there are certain spine-tingling traditions that don't change, including the New York City Horror Film Festival, which will celebrate its sixth year when it kicks off a five-day event on October 24th.

Since the Mill Valley Film Festival came to exist in 1977, it has managed to remain a cornerstone of the film festival circuit, encouraging the careers of once-beginners like Ang Lee and offering great programming for movie aficionados, selling approximately 40,000 tickets each year for its 11-day event, which kicks off its 30th year on October 4th.

Have you got a hankering to cook up a food and film festival close to home? Here’s some handy information about the dollars and cents you’ll need to make it all happen.

A new wave of film festivals are taking the tried and true "dinner and a movie" combo to a whole new level.

With an influx of gay and lesbian themed films making their way into mainstream America, you would think that running a gay and lesbian film festival in this country would be a money-making breeze, right? Well, sort of. As the second largest LGBTQ film festival in the country, Chicago's Reeling Film Festival is truly a groundbreaking event.

In a city overrun with film festivals and screening events, it takes a lot to get noticed. Or maybe it just takes a punk rock attitude. Inspired by the indie artist roots of its East Village location, the Evil City Film Festival has made quite a name for itself in just two years-and gained the support of top film and media companies and indie moviemakers in the process.

Park City regulars know that if they're in the mood to view some truly original work, Jim Boyd is the man to bring it to them. Part entrepreneur and part revolutionary, Boyd brings his Nodance Film Festival to the mountain for its fifth year this January, and lets us in on the three things every Park City visitor should remember.

The digital revolution is hardly a secret, but why has New
York City been kept in the dark? The Big Apple doesn't have
to wait any longer, as NY DV Show 2002 hits the city this
month (Feb.) Mindshare Ventures president Rick Friedman talks
to us about the upcoming conference.

The founders of Slamdunk are on the cutting edge of a trend that has seen an increasing number of festivals take their shows on the road, with very successful results.

Founded in 1986, the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival
now holds the title for the world's longest film festival
clocking in last October at 28 days. Festival President and
CEO, Gregory von Hausch, came aboard as FLIFF's Executive
Director in 1989, and has been helping to build its reputation
as one of the country's preeminent regional festivals ever
since.

Though born and educated in Texas, Jerome Rudes' entrepreneurial
spirit first took hold when he created the French-American
Film Workshop in Avignon, France 19 years ago. Today, that
event continues to prosper—though it's now known as the
Avignon Film Festival—and its American sister fest, The
New York Avignon Film Festival, continues to stand as one
of New York City's film festival highlights.

In just three short years, L. Mimosa Jones transformed
the Entertainment Development Corporation (EDC) of Las Vegas
from a start-up nonprofit to a thriving film enterprise, bringing
an additional $120 million in film production revenues to
Las Vegas. In 2001, the EDC acquired the CineVegas International
Film Festival, which is getting a facelift for 2002, and hopefully
establishing itself as a preeminent marketplace.

Cited by critics as a "Best Kept Secret Festival," Rhode Island International Film Festival Executive Director George Marshall speaks with MM about what makes his event different, the needless competition among festivals and how a screening is its own reward.

With a students-only policy, tremendous track record and tens of thousands of dollars up for grabs, the Angelus Awards Student Film Festival is a great first step in the door to Hollywood. Here, MM speaks with Angelus Director Monika Moreno about why students make better moviemakers and the triumph of the human spirit.

For many years New York moviemakers have had to travel to L.A. or Las Vegas to check out the latest in technology, but this October, the East Coast's largest production conference is happening right in their own backyard. ProductionEAST will debut October 30 – 31st at New York City's Jabob Javits Center. Event Director Michael Gallo recently spoke with MM about his first year event and the current state of production in New York.

There's no better time of year for horror fans to see their interests rewarded than October. But if the onslaught of genre-related television programming isn't enough to satiate your taste for the thrilling and the horrifying, why not see if there's a horror film festival in your area? From the tony shores of Newport, RI to the moviemaking capital of Los Angeles, CA, festival directors are scaring up audiences on the lookout for a good scream. We recently spoke with reps from five horror fests about not only their fests, but their favorite scary movies!

For Elizabeth English, the Moondance International Film Festival is about more than just film screenings and an opportunity for up-and-coming moviemakers to network-it's a chance to right the historical wrongs of an industry that has long demeaned the role of women. As she enters her fourth year of producing the event, English talks with MM about her festival's ambitious mission statement, the quick success she's found and why a film festival should celebrate more than just the actors and director.

Since its founding in 1995, the Slamdance Film Festival has established itself as one of the premier alternative film festivals in the world. Peter Baxter, a Slamdance co-founder, continues to support the festival’s rapidly expanding presence in the moviemaking community, while making sure that it stays true to its “by filmmakers for filmmakers” motto. Here, Baxter talks with MovieMaker about the keys to Slamdance’s success, how it has adapted to today’s festival climate, and how the festival will continue to push the boundaries of what it means to support the independent moviemaker

In a world where new film festivals sprout up faster than bad Michael Bay films, the Oxford International Festival of Films is distinguishing itself with one simple but distinct approach: Films with a message. As the city of dreaming spires gears up for this year's event, MM spoke with OIFF's festival director Patricia Terrell about why one need look no further than Oxford, England to find the very best in cinema.

Ever thought you had better taste than a film festival jury? Well, now's your chance to prove it! Celebrating its sixth year, the Manhattan Short Film Festivaldecided to go online-and give the first 100,000 visitors to their Website the chance to "be the judge" of their film festival, broadcast live from NYC's Union Square Park on Sunday, September 28th. But whether you attend the live, free event or log on and watch, one thing's for sure: choosing the best of this talented dozen will be a difficult task. The winning prize? Resources and cash to make a feature film!

Entering into its third year, the 48 Hour Film Project has invaded more than a dozen cities worldwide-beginning in our nation's capital and traveling as far overseas as Auckland, New Zealand and London, England. Now, with the National Film Challenge, you can be a moviemaker anywhere and participate. Ruppert discusses the Project's genesis and why such a short timespan is freeing and frustrating all at once.

The Kansas International Film Festival may be located only halfway to Hollywood, but their dedication to innovative and socially conscious films extends to the moviemaking capital and beyond. Founded in 2001, the fourth annual Kansas International Film Festival will take place this September--but MM sat down with festival founder Ben Meade to discuss how moviemakers can get involved today.

When Scott Gentry decided to launch his own automotive video production company, DV Magazine became his guide to buying tools. He enjoyed the magazine so much, in fact, that he eventually sent the editors a resume, which led to working his way from the sales department to publisher. Now, as Group Director, he oversees not only the magazine and Website, DV.com, but the DV Expo tradeshow.

For more than a decade, Douglas Williams has been working to bring together American and Japanese cultures. As president and co-founder of the American Short Shorts Film Festival, he's found a way to ingrain the American short film format into Japanese culture.

Perhaps even before George Lucas informed the movie industry that there is life after film, Issac Alexander and Marisa Cohen were in the planning stages of HDFESTãthe world's first festival dedicated solely to the exhibition of high definition products.

FirstGlance Film Festival founder Bill Ostroff is quite adept at juggling many responsibilities. When not working as a full-time moviemaker, writer or production coordinator, he finds the time to run the world's first and only bi-coastal film festival, FirstGlance.

Dear to New Yorkers for its long-standing tradition of provoking audiences with spellbinding films from top-notch, international auteurs, over its 38-year history the New York Film Festival has been responsible for introducing the likes of Godard, Bertolucci, Fassbinder, and Scorsese to American audiences.

From struggling little festival that happened to take place in Park City at the same time as Sundance to one of the independent film scene's most highly anticipated events, Slamdance Film Festival director Peter Baxter shares the secret to their success: a clear-cut vision.

Playing to your strengths can pay off in the festival game.