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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 11, 2008

Contact:
April Salter Herrle, 850.681.3200
Ivette Marques, 850.222.1996

Tallahassee Film Festival Announces Dates, Events

"For Filmmakers Who Have Something To Say"

Tallahassee- The Tallahassee Film Festival (TFF) will be held May 15-17, 2008 celebrating professional and emerging talent in the film, music and related arts industries. The Florida Commerce Credit Union is the Presenting Sponsor for the film festival.

An outgrowth of Tallahassee’s Knight Creative Communities Initiative and a project of The International Creativity Center, Inc., TFF will showcase Tallahassee to filmmakers and related professionals while encouraging Tallahassee and regional residents to learn more about the film industry.

"The Tallahassee Film Festival will be a signature cultural event that will give spotlight filmmakers who have something to say an opportunity to share their work with our community, "said Jeanne Curtin, President of the Tallahassee Film Festival. "All of the hard work of the community volunteers is paying off and we are confident the film festival will become a Tallahassee tradition."

Through lectures, competitions and the screenings of new and exciting films from across the country and even internationally, organizers hope to position Tallahassee as a breakthrough creative community with a vibrant arts and film community. Florida State University (FSU), Florida A&M University (FAMU) and Tallahassee Community College (TCC) will participate and host portions of the festival.

"Our goal is to provide the Tallahassee community with a film festival that will enlighten them, provide an opportunity to see breakthrough films, learn about the film industry, and inspire our creative professionals," said Jeanne Curtin. "We want the community to be proud of this festival and continue to support it as it continues to grow for years to come."Festival Highlights

Festival Highlights

The festival kicks off on Thursday, May 15th with the premier screening at the FSU Askew Student Life Center, followed by a VIP and Sponsor Reception at 621 Gallery in Railroad Square. On Friday night, take a walk down the Red Carpet at the community-wide event, StarFest/Downtown Get Down. Activities include open-air movie screenings, entertainment, food vendors and exhibits.

The three day event will culminate on Saturday, May 17, 2008 at Kleman Plaza with the "It’s A Wrap!" party and closing ceremony. The Emerging Talent Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented along with the following awards: Audience Choice; Narrative Feature; Narrative Short; Documentary Feature; Documentary Short; Animated; and Best College Student entry.

The Films 

Thursday through Saturday night, residents and visitors will feast on a cinematic smorgasbord as they choose from simultaneous screening of dozens of films at four different venues: The FSU Askew Student Life Center, Heritage Hall – R.A. Gray Building, All Saints Cinema near Railroad Square and the FAMU School of Journalism and Graphic Communication Lecture Hall. Education

Education

The Tallahassee Film Festival will highlight the many connections Tallahassee has to the film industry. On Friday, TCC will host an educational panel featuring writer/director/producer Eric Nicholas and Lee Ann Campbell, head of Blue Ridge Motion Pictures. On Saturday, the FSU Askew Student Life Center will host several panel discussions on topics such as sound design, picture editing, and cinematography.

Aspiring Filmmakers

Two weeks prior to the weekend of the film festival, aspiring filmmakers can make their own movie through the Festival’s 24 Hour Filmmaking Contest. Contestants will be provided with a common theme for their short film and then must create and submit their film within a one-day period. The contest is open to anyone in the community who assembles a team of one to five people to compete.

This marathon filmmaking session will include optional Filmmaking 101 classes to help participants prepare. The next Filmmaking 101 class will be held April 12th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Tallahassee Community College in Building #41Technology and Computer Room. Both seminars will offer tips on script writing, filming, casting and editing. The cost for the class is $15 per person. Students, professionals and all members of the community are invited to attend.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

To learn more about the Tallahassee Film Festival please visit www.tallahasseefilmfestival.com. The Tallahassee Film Festival is an outgrowth of Tallahassee’s Knight Creative Communities Initiative, and a project of the THE INTERNATIONAL CREATIVITY CENTER, INC. a non-profit tax exempt organization.

The deadline for film submissions is March 31, 2008. Entry forms and information may be obtained through www.withoutabox.com. For information on volunteer or sponsorship opportunities, please visit www.tallahasseefilmfestival.com.

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