FHFF News

The fourth annual Friday Harbor Film Festival, which will be held on November 4-5-6, features a very exciting line-up of documentary films, as well as many special events that celebrate the art of filmmaking.

Richard Chew, this year’s winner of The Andrew V. McLaglen Lifetime Achievement Award, is a distinguished academy award-winning film editor and producer. The Festival will honor his 50 years in the film industry at our Opening Night Gala at the San Juan Community Theatre on Friday, November 4, at 7 pm. During the evening’s festivities, the documentary filmmakers in attendance will also be introduced along with an extended amalgam of trailers.

And on Saturday evening, this year’s Local Hero award winner, Bruce Barr, will be celebrated as someone who exemplifies a life fully lived by making each and every day count.

Pete Freeland, a successful actor, test pilot and astronaut, will be a special guest of the Festival, with plans to participate in the Q & A after the screenings of The Last Man on the Moon, share his perspectives during the Filmmakers Forum on Sunday morning, and mingle with filmgoers throughout the Festival’s three days.

This year we have two great corporate sponsors Kenmore Air who this year becomes the official airline of the Friday Harbor Film Festival and KAVU active gear.

Kenmore is offering special rates during the fall season. Our filmgoers can take full advantage to attend the Friday Harbor Film Festival. Which qualifies them for a 10% discount on the cost of their Film Festival tickets as well as a reusable stainless steel water bottle. The Friday Harbor film Festival makes every effort to be environmentally responsible and so we offer free 5 gallon jugs of water at each venue throughout the entire film Festival for refilling water bottles, supplied by Inter Island Water Company.

KAVU is our sponsor for our local hero award this year on Saturday night, representatives will be on hand throughout the weekend.

Over 50 films have been scheduled during the Festival, featuring quality documentaries and docu-dramas that highlight compelling stories about humanitarian efforts, environmental issues, social concerns, and daring explorations. Each film will be followed by lively discussion with the filmmaker or a local expert.

Other special events include:

• A Filmmakers Forum on Sunday morning, the 6th, during which audience members can learn about the challenges of documentary filmmaking and engage the filmmakers with their questions;

• The showing of a selection of films by local students and young filmmakers (from as far away as France!), on both Saturday the 5^th and Sunday the 6^th, sponsored by the Young Filmmakers Project; and

• The grand finale of the Festival, Awards Night, on Sunday evening the 6th, during which the films that were considered exceptional by audience choice will be honored.

The Friday Harbor Film Festival is proud to be distinguished by the large number of filmmakers who personally come to the island each year from across the globe. The Festival’s celebration of these filmmakers, as well as its focus on the conversations that the films evoke, connect the audience with both the filmmakers themselves and the compelling stories being told.

This year’s exciting line-up of films can be previewed on the Festival’s website, www.fhff.org. And for information on how to get to San Juan Island or where to stay, go to www.visitsanjuans.com.

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