Going to a cinema costs double digits for just one ticket, but an area event allows families to enjoy a free night out seeing movies that have yet to hit the silver screen.
The sixth annual Ballston Spa Film Festival will start rolling the movie reels on Friday, Aug. 2, with more than 40 short films featured during the two-day event. Both evenings will have screenings start at 7 p.m. at the Ballston Spa High School auditorium and at 9 p.m. at Old Iron Spring Park on Front Street. There will also be pre-screening events at the outdoor venue starting an hour before show time. The festival features trivia games, refreshments and after parties.
Pam Grandin, director of the Ballston Spa Film Festival, said the festival offers “some culture, something free, family-friendly” and most importantly something fun. She said people are also able to get a peek into the film culture outside of the big screen cinemas.
“This is how it all starts,” Grandin said. “These are the people that start it all.”
More than 50 short films were submitted for consideration from across the globe and 41 films were selected. Several films will be featured from statewide submissions, along with five films from California and one film each from New Hampshire, Florida and Texas. Seven international films are being shown, with three coming from both Spain and the United Kingdom and one from France.
Nine films will have their world premier at the festival, along with another showing for the first time in the country.
Through the festival’s partnership with the Lake Placid Film Forum there will be an additional three films shown from the forum’s event last year, which include “Cameron & Stephanie,” “Escape,” and “Chet’s Pet.” Lake Placid holds a 24-hour filmmaking session during its annual event.
The event also focuses on featuring younger filmmakers and eight films featured at it were made by a total of 16 students from Niskayuna High School. Emma Penaz Eisner, a 10-year-old from California, will be attending for the screening of her short film “Chee-Wi Learns to Growl. Elizabeth Herrick, an 11-year-old from Florida, is also returning this year with her film “Killer App.”
“We really like the student aspect of it and being able to support the students and give them a local venue to begin screening their films,” Grandin said. “For me, it is important anytime we give youngsters support and ways to be able to share what their interest might be, whether it is local, across the country or around the world.”
There will be three screenings of films by fourth-grade students Malta Avenue Elementary School.
Mike Feurstein taught the elementary students about media, movie sets, writing, producing, directing, filming and acting. The students then made Public Service Announcements based on their bullying experiences to help stop such behavior. These shorts have been shared within school and online, but it will be the first time on the big screen.
Grandin said even if the students don’t continue filmmaking it is important to “give them what they need when they need it” to showcase their talents.
“It is such a confidence booster for anybody, but especially for kids to have an opportunity at that age,” she said.
When the inaugural festival was held, Grandin said she was just an attendee with her husband and four children. Her involvement in the festival grew from how much she enjoyed it.
“My favorite thing about the festival is being able to offer the community something that is different,” she said, “but also being able to connect with people from around in the world in a matter of minutes and seconds.”
Over the two nights the group is hoping to attract around 1,000 people to the festival. Last year around 600 to 700 people attended, but the weather is also a variable. If it’s too hot or raining the attendance usually suffers.
If there is inclement weather, the outdoor screenings will be moved to Ballston Spa High School. You can check the festivals website, bspafilm.org, for any change of location, along with information about the event.
Awards will be presented during the Saturday after-party at The Brickyard Tavern, which include Best Film (youth and non-youth filmmakers catagories), Best New Film, Best Original Score, Best Sound, Best Editing (youth an non-youth), Best Screenplay (youth and non-youth) and Most Creative Youth Film.
There will be four judges at the festival from a variety of backgrounds.
Larry Jackson is returning for his sixth year as judge and he was the executive in charge of production for the feature films “Mystic Pizza” and “Silence of the Lambs.” He also directed “Bugs Bunny Superstar,” helped plan Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute and was executive Vice President at Miramax Films. He is working on feature films in China, Florida and Upstate New York.
Jan Carter is returning for a second time judging and she is a classically-trained composer. Carter has composed scores for film and television and music for orchestras and choirs around the world.
Daniel DeFabio is also returning for a second time judging and is a writer, filmmaker, graphic designer and producer of commercials. DeFabio recently worked on SuperKnockedUp.com and won an award for best visual effects in a web series. Some of his other video work includes “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Sin City” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” He is a Ballston Spa native and founded the local festival.
Chris Millis is judging for the first time and he is novelist, screenwriter, producer and cartoonist. His debut novel “Small Apartments” was the grand winner of the 23rd Annual 3-Day Novel Writing Contest. His novel was just released as a feature film by Sony Pictures and stars Billy Crystal, Matt Lucas, Johnny Knoxvile, James Caan, Rebel Wilson and is directed by Jonas Akerlund.
For a complete list of films visit bspafilm.org.