Film Festival Recap

Lynn from the Friday Harbor Film Festival shares a summary with us of this year’s event…

The 3rd Annual Friday Harbor Film Festival was a grand success! There were 32 films and 12 shorts screened in 5 separate venues during the 3 full days of the Film Festival.

The rain did not seem to damper attendance: 18% more attended than last year, plus, 20 filmmakers from around the world; Chile to France also attended! We had over 100 students attend films using their free student passes! Many restaurants and hotels reported a surprising increase in business for a rainy November weekend!

There were 4 special events during the Film Festival. Friday night was the Opening Night Gala at the SJC Theatre. Megan Vivenzio started the evening with a lovely Polynesian dance. Sam and Barbara Buck were honored as our 2015 Local Heroes! A wonderful slide show was presented that highlighted all their contributions to our community.

Next Jimmy Moe sang 2 romantic songs in the style of Frank Sinatra, in honor of both the Bucks who had been married 64 years and our Andrew V. McLaglen Lifetime Achievement Award winners Sam Elliott and Katharine Ross, who have enjoyed 31 years of marriage! A montage of Sam and Katharine’s iconic roles both individually and together were screened along with a warm, genuine, 6-minute video thank you to the Friday Harbor Film Festival from Sam Elliott. (Sam has generously agreed to allow us to post his thank you on our web site, fhff.org, watch for it!)

Mary McLaglen gave a very heartfelt tribute to her father Andrew V McLaglen, then the forever beautiful Katharine Ross accepted on behalf of herself and her husband Sam. It was a lovely emotional evening hosted by the professional and amazing Alicia Malone who flew to Friday Harbor from Los Angeles especially to host the Film Festival!

The Filmmakers were available all weekend throughout town and at their screenings to answer questions and speak to the films; which added a richness and intimacy to the entire event.

The Film Festival also hosted a Filmmakers Forum Saturday morning. Plus hosted a celebration in their honor with the Filmmakers Soiree Saturday evening. Both Saturday Filmmaker events were at the SJI Yacht Club. Many local experts were on hand to field the questions after a film that a filmmaker was not present for.

There were 2 World Premieres: Passage to Mars (which also won in the Explorers and Adventures category) plus Raivavae, the story of a seafaring people.

The awards ceremony Sunday night featured the emcee talent of Alicia Malone again as well as the amazing Orcas Island duo Brother for Sale.

Each winner of each category, that was present, received their award and gave a sincere thanks to the Film Festival. The audience submits all votes counted so each film winner is by audience choice.

The winners of the 3rd Annual Friday Harbor Film Festival were:

• Best Overall Film
  No Place on Earth
• Best Overall Short
  Threads
• Best Tales of the Heart
  Buck
• Best Local Hero
  Chihuly Outside
• Best Explorers and Adventures
  Passage to Mars
• Best Things to Consider ..there was a tie (less than a 1% difference)
  The Hunting Ground
  Alive Inside

 All these films will be available to the members of our Film Society and in our office for borrowing, questions or to join, email: society [@] fhff.org.

Beginning January 2016, we will be starting our winter Audience Favorites Film Series at the Grange on Tuesday nights. We will also be accepting submissions for films for 2016 till July 1, 2016.

The Friday Harbor Film Festival has a commitment from the SJC Theatre for the next 5 years to host the Film Festival during the first weekend in November so plan ahead and tell your friends!!

It is important to note that the Friday Harbor Film Festival screened Blackfish in 2013 before CNN screened it on national TV and that film has made a major impact in the way captive Orca whales are treated.

This year one of our winners; The Hunting Ground will be screened by CNN, this next month, it promises to have a major impact on college campuses across the nation! The Friday Harbor Film Festival is very proud to host films that expand our knowledge, create awareness and effect positive change. That is the primary purpose of the film festival; to entertain, inspire and enlighten!

For further info contact

Lynn Danaher, Director
fhff2013 [@] gmail.com
360-472-1050

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