Traverse City Film Festival
The Traverse City Film Festival is an annual film festival held at the end of July in Traverse City, Michigan. The festival was created as an annual event in 2005 to help “save one of America's few indigenous art forms—the cinema."[1] The event was co-founded by Michael Moore, the Oscar-winning film director, well known for his anti-establishment films and documentaries such as Fahrenheit 9/11, Bowling for Columbine, and Roger & Me, along with author Doug Stanton and photographer John Robert Williams.
The mission of the Festival is to show "Just Great Movies" that represent excellence in filmmaking, particularly those rare independent films and documentaries by both noted and new filmmakers, that do not receive mainstream distribution. The Traverse City Film Festival is a non-profit organization, and is funded by businesses, community groups and individuals, in addition to ticket sales accumulated by various events. The Festival is headed by a committee of Michigan area filmmakers, writers, and creative professionals. Deb Lake has been the executive director of the Traverse City Film Festival since 2006, and is one of only three paid employees who work year round.[2] About 3,000 volunteers come together each summer to devote their time and efforts to making the festival happen. Traverse City Film Festival also showcases all volunteer music,[3] with over 60 regional artists featured in the 2016 event.[4]
Official selections
2005
The 2005 Traverse City Film Festival was held July 27–31. The 5-day event featured many independent films, plus four classic films. The independent films were shown in three indoor venues in downtown Traverse City: the State Theatre, the Old Town Playhouse, and the City Opera House. In addition, each night, a classic film was shown on a giant inflatable screen along West Grand Traverse Bay in the city’s Open Space Park. Broken Flowers, a winner at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival, was shown at the Traverse City Film Festival before being released to the general public. Other 2005 Traverse City Film Festival selections covered a gamut of film subjects ranging from period romances, unemployment, terrorism, among many other subjects.
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Free Movies at the Open Space: |
2006
The second annual Traverse City Film Festival was held July 31 – August 6, 2006.
2007
The third annual festival was held July 31 – August 5, 2007.
2008
The fourth annual festival: July 29 – August 3, 2008. Special appearance by Madonna, on August 2, 2008, introducing her film I Am Because We Are. Michigan Filmmaker Award went to Kurt Luedtke. Also world premiere for Religulous.
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Free Movies at the Open Space: |
2009
The fifth annual festival was held from July 28 – August 2, 2009.
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Free Movies at the Open Space: |
2010
The sixth annual festival was held from July 27 – August 1, 2010.
Opening and Closing Night: TCFF 3D: Comedy & Drama from Home and Abroad:
The Beatles at the Movies (A 40th Anniversary): A Salute to Cuban Film:
Shorts Programs:
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Dangerous Docs:
Midnight: Special Screenings:
Kids Fest: Free Movies at the Open Space: |
2011
The seventh annual festival was held from July 26–31, 2011.
Opening and Closing Night: US Indies:
New Foreign Cinema:
State Theatre Centennial Celebration:
50th Anniversary of To Kill a Mockingbird:
Union! Our Salute to Public Employees:
100th Birthday Celebration of Roy Rogers:
Tribute to Jafar Panahi: Lost Gems: Special Screenings:
Kids Fest:
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Dangerous Docs:
Experimental Film:
Midnight:
Kids Fest:
Shorts Programs:
Free Movies at the Open Space:
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2012
The eighth annual festival was held from July 31 - August 5, 2012.
Opening & Closing Night and Centerpiece Screenings:
Hollywood Sneak Previews: Friends Only Screenings:
Susan Sarandon Tribute: Wim Wenders Tribute: State Theatre Centennial Celebration:
Occupy the Cinema!:
Women:
US Indies:
New Foreign Cinema: |
Dangerous Docs:
Midnight:
Experimental Film at Dutmers:
Special Screenings:
Kids Fest:
Shorts Programs:
Free Movies at the Open Space:
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2013
The ninth annual festival was held from July 30 - August 4, 2013. Paul Feig was honored with the Michigan Filmmaker Award and Michael Apted with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Liana Liberato received the Discovery Award and Mark Cousins, Rob Epstein, and Jeffrey Friedman received the Visionary Award. The Festival added a new venue this year by renovating the former Con Foster Museum into a theater that was named Bijou by the Bay which opened in time for the 2013 Traverse City Film Festival.
Opening & Closing Night and Centerpiece Screenings:
Documentary:
American:
State Theatre Centennial Celebration: Before the Code: Michael Apted Tribute: Tribute to Paul Feig: |
Foreign:
Midnight:
Experimental Film at Dutmers:
Special Screenings:
Kids Fest:
Friends Only Screenings:
TCFF Shorts:
Free Movies at the Open Space: |
2014
The tenth anniversary festival was held from July 29 - August 3, 2014.
Opening & Closing Night and Centerpiece Screenings:
Documentary:
American:
State Theatre Centennial Celebration:
Special Screenings:
Kids Fest:
Free Movies at the Open Space:
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Foreign:
Free Movies at the Buzz:
Midnight:
Experimental Film at Dutmers:
Friends Only Screenings:
TCFF Shorts:
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2015
The eleventh annual festival was held from July 28 - August 2, 2015.
Opening & Closing Night and Centerpiece Screenings:
Documentary:
American:
State Theatre Centennial Celebration: Native American Matinee: Special Screenings:
Kid's Fest:
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Foreign:
Midnight:
Friends Only Screenings:
Robert Altman Tribute: Roger Corman:
Orson Welles Centennial: Avant Garde:
The Sidebar:
Free Movies at the Open Space:
TCFF Shorts:
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Notable filmmakers and guests
Board members
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Staff
- Executive Director: Deb Lake
- Business Director: Susan Fisher
- Creative Director: Meg Weichman
Main sites
References
- ↑ http://www.traversecityfilmfestival.org/sections/press/prs/pr111105.html
- ↑ http://www.northernexpress.com/editorial/features.asp?id=3272
- ↑ "2016 Music". Traverse City Film Festival. 2013-06-24. Retrieved 2016-10-29.
- ↑ "Traverse City Film Festival gets musical with Michigan bands". Local Spins. 2016-07-29. Retrieved 2016-10-29.