Provincetown, Massachusetts is America’s oldest continuous arts colony, and the Provincetown International Film Festival, now underway in the magnetic town at the end of Cape Cod, wants to make sure films are a huge part of its arts culture.
The festival, a regular presence on MovieMaker’s annual list of 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee, runs through Sunday and features a stellar lineup of films. The events include a discussion between Ari Aster, who is receiving this year’s Filmmaker on the Edge award, and John Waters — the festival’s patron saint. Murray Bartlett, who lives near Provincetown, will receive this year’s Excellence in Acting award, and speak with indie film icon Christine Vachon.
The festival draws lively, discerning crowds, and leans into the area’s history as both an arts mecca and a longtime getaway and sanctuary for the LGBTQ+ community. This year’s opening film is Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror, the 1975 cult classic that has become a queer touchstone. Other highlights include the Sundance hits Twinless, from attendee James Sweeney, and Ponyboi, from River Gallo, recipient of the Next Wave Award. Bartlett is in the Ponyboi cast, as is festival attendee Dylan O’Brien, who also stars alongside Sweeney in the excellent Twinless.
The festival is also known for lively fundraisers: In the past, Waters has hosted events at the town dump and town jail, but this year it will focus on high school with a Footloose-inspired Prom party on Saturday night.
Provincetown International Film Festival executive director Anne Hubbell understands the astonishing attraction of PIFF — because she started out as an attendee. Hubbell, a New Yorker, began attending years ago in her capacity as an executive for Kodak, and found herself returning year after year.
“I made a lot of friends, because everybody’s always so warm and lovely here, and we stayed in touch,” Hubbell told MovieMaker. “And then during the pandemic, I came to stay here for a little while, and a friend who was on the board of the Provincetown Film Society said, ‘Hey, you should come do this.’ And I was like, ‘Well, OK, let’s talk about it.’ And then, you know — it’s hard to say no to Provincetown.”
That friend was Gabby Hanna, president of the board of directors of the Provincetown Film Society, which runs the festival.
The town’s allure matches that of the festival. It’s known for pristine beaches and vibrant, sometimes otherworldly light — visitors rhapsodize about the lavender skies.
“I mean, the light is magical,” notes Hubbell. “You can’t really even describe it, which is why painters and photographers and filmmakers want to be here. And the town is really welcoming. Filmmakers come in and fall in love with it.”
The Provincetown International Film Festival and the Attraction of Provincetown
Walk down the eminently walkable main drag and you’ll see the Stars and Stripes flapping in the wind alongside Pride flags. Street musicians sing out. T-shirts in the shop windows spin double entendres about Dunkin Donuts and pilgrims. And you’ll be hard pressed keep track of whether there are more signs for lobster rolls or ice cream. (Try the brown butter brownie at the Nut House.)
Speaking of drag, it abounds — on Wednesday afternoon a queen dressed as Cher from Clueless invited tourists to a ’90s theme night. And Provincetown is one of the only places in the world where you can find yourself steeped in both delicious camp and high culture, while choosing between fine dining and lobster rolls or pizza. PIFF’s closing night film, Spiritus: No Business Like Dough Business, tells the story of one of (at least two) local restaurants where a young Anthony Bourdain learned his art.
At a time when many festivals struggle to fill seats, the PIFF builds up the local film community by supporting it year round. Local theater the Waters Edge Cinema (upstairs from that ice cream we mentioned) plays new releases, arthouse films and revival screenings year round, even during the long winters when the streets clear. The theater also hosts meetings of the Outer Cape Filmmakers, local moviemakers who discuss the status of their projects.
“We want people to understand that the festival is only five days out of the year. The other 360 we’re here working with local filmmakers,” says Hubbell.
That work includes collaborating with local groups like the Center for Coastal Studies, which is devoted to protecting marine ecosystems.
The festival also stands out for its short film programming. PIFF Shorts programmer Valérie Déus leads the selection of eight shorts programs — including slates focused on documentary, animation, and local filmmakers. PIFF is Oscar-qualifying in three categories — Best Documentary Short Film, Best Narrative Short Film, and Best Queer Short Film — which makes it especially appealing to short filmmakers.
“One of the things that’s great about having that many shorts is our the patrons that have been coming for a long time really like those programs — they sell out here,” says Hubbelll. “And we’re catching people who are generally at the beginning of their careers. So we’re like, ‘Great, come and see Provincetown — come and be part of what we’re doing.”
Main image: Ponyboi, one of this year’s films at the Provincetown International Film Festival.