2012, 04-29; updated 06-24 after computer crash, etc.:
Report on: History PART 2, re the HISTORY of FILM FESTIVALS = Section # 1 on subject, covering Fests in VENICE, CANNES, LOCARNO, KARLOVY VARY, EDINBURGH, MELBOURNE, BERLIN, COLUMBUS, SAN FRANCISCO, VIENNA, NEW YORK, & CHICAGO (incl. info on its UPCOMING Fest # 48)
... As I said in Part 1, the growth of appreciation for films in the early 20th Century helped lead to the development of groups who gathered to value films...
... In the 1920’s, as silent movies became increasingly wide-ranging in their subject matter, variety, & levels of quality, people set up various “cine-clubs” and film societies to celebrate and foster further UNDERSTANDING & ADMIRATION of certain genres, types (documentaries, “avant-garde”, etc.), & of specific directors and films...
... It’s been stated that some of these groups were started in part to try to fight against things the people DIDN’T like, such as the growing power of the “HOLLYWOOD” (American) movie industry...
... Such movements arose in Europe (especially France), Brazil, the U.S. and other places...
... In time, the group gatherings became a place to share ideas and promote the rise of certain FILMMAKERS (who at times were MEMBERS of such groups as a means to learn more about the craft & to “network” as a means of furthering their movie-making CAREERS)...
... Since late 1922, Italy was run by a nationalistic Fascist dictator named BENITO MUSSOLINI. He was an enthusiastic lover of movies, & saw them as a possible instrument for PROPAGANDA & to improve public relations...
... He set to work at trying to build-up the ITALIAN film industry, by pouring government MONEY into it and heavily taxing the dubbing of foreign films (thereby hindering their being exhibited)...
... To further his goals, Mussolini cast his “eyes” at the “Biennale” exhibition in the city of VENICE. Since 1895, the city held that show which highlightied contemporary ART every two years in odd years. The Fascist government took the event away from the city itself in 1930 & moved under its own control...
... In 1932, Mussolini supported having the Biennale add an “International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art”-- which thus became the world’s first real FESTIVAL of film...
... Ignoring the power POLITICS actually behind the Exhibition, it was stated that the intention of the event was to let "the light of art to shine over the world of commerce"...
... That festival featured entries of 25 films from 7 countries (including the premiere of Rouben Mamoulian’s “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”)...
... The Festival became a yearly event in 1935, & there was an annual award for Best ITALIAN film... It was probably more than “coincidence” that, between 1936 & 1942, the best Foreign film award went to Nazi GERMANY four times (including to Leni Riefenstahl)-- given that Mussolini was allied with its dictator HITLER at that time...
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... The politics inherent in the choices eventually caused WALKOUTS by British, American & French members in the festival, & led to France starting its OWN film festival (via a group which utilized film pioneer LOUIS LUMIÈRE [mentioned in PART 1 of my Report] as its President)...
... Thus, with money from the French government, an International Film festival started being held in the Mediterranean Riviera city of CANNES as of September, 1939... MGM in Hollywood happily sent a bunch of its stars to the event...
... Ironically, only ONE film was able to be shown at the Fest-- since things were called-off due to the start of WORLD WAR II caused by Germany’s suddenly invading Poland...
... The Cannes fest wasn’t re-started until 1946, AFTER the War-- & Italy’s Venice film festival ALSO restarted that year (after a 3-year closure)...
... Cannes had some problems with subsequent Festivals, due to a lack of participation by certain countries such as the Soviet Union & England... It was only as of 1951 that you could “rely” on Cannes holding its Festival: it changed its run-dates to Spring time, & became the most prominent & ESTEEMED International film festival on the planet...
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... With the growing popularity of movies, OTHER cities and groups started their OWN Film Festivals, including the following:
1946: Festival del film in LOCARNO, Switzerland (held in August in an open-air screening place; known for discovering new “trends” & directors).
1946: KARLOVY VARY (Carlsbad) Int’l. Film Festival in the Czech Republic (held in July; after running in alternating years with a MOSCOW Film Festival for almost 40 years, as of 1994 [with the full independence of Czechoslovakia], it starting running YEARLY on its “own”)...
... This is an “A” level festival; it screens documentaries, but shows only feature films that have NOT screened at any OTHER international Festival... It also holds seminars on European films...
1947: EDINBURGH Int’l Film Festival, in Scotland; held each June, it is the oldest film Festival continually-run (without some interruption)... It shows shorts, documentaries, animated films, feature films, and even music videos...
1951: MELBOURNE Int’l. Film Festival (MIFF), in Australia. It tends to be held in late July & early August, & in 2011 showcased around 400 films from approximately 50 countries...
... It’s affiliated with 3 OTHER Festivals held there, including the Int’l. Animation Festival (MIAF), the Queer Film Festival (MQFF) and the Underground Film Festival (MUFF)... One bit of trivia: in 1906, Melbourne was the setting for the first-ever full-length FEATURE film, “The Story of the Kelly Gang”...
1951: BERLIN Int’l. Film Festival, in Germany (founded in what was then West Berlin at the urging of a Film officer from the USA). It’s held every February, & is considered the film Festival having the world’s largest public ATTENDANCE (with nearly 500,000 admissions)...
... It’s held in conjunction with its European Film MARKET (EFM), a trade fair designed to in-effect “match”-up financiers, co-production agents, producers, distributors & film BUYERS...
... There’s also a TALENT Campus affiliated with the Festival. In-effect a kind of round-table for “up-&-coming” film-makers, it features workshops & lectures held over a week...
1953: COLUMBUS Int’l. Film & Video Festival, in Ohio. It’s also known by the name “The CHRIS AWARDS”, &, rather than specialize in feature films, it highlights contests in business, documentary, educational & informational films...
1957: SAN FRANCISCO Int’l. Film Festival (SFIFF) in California, which is held in March... This was set-up emphasizing foreign films (especially feature-length dramas), & introduced a number of famous overases directors to American audiences, including Satyajit Ray from India & Akira Kurosawa from Japan...
... It also features VIDEO productions, & shows around 150 films from 50 or so countries over a 2-week period. This Fest particularly seeks foreign films that have not yet gotten distribution deals in the U.S... They claim they’re the oldest continuously-run Festival in the Americas dedicated to FILMS...
1960: VIENNA Int’l. Film Festival (“Viennale”), held each October in Austria. Info can be found at: http://www.viennale.at ...
1963: NEW YORK Film Festival (NYFF), a NON-competitive Fest which features films recommended by the Film Society of Lincoln Center in New York City... It has various “SIDEBAR” programs which run at the same time as the main Fest... Since 1997, it’s shown non-narrative “experimental” films under the name “Views from the Avant-Garde”...
... Over time, it’s shown numerous “ART” films and documentaries. It prefers showing a purposely-LIMITED number of films, namely, around 12 or so shorts and around the same number of “quality” features...
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1964: CHICAGO Int’l. Film Festival (CIFF), in Illinois. Founded by Michael Kutza (a filmmaker & graphic artist, who still is its Artistic Director), it claims to be North America’s LONGEST-running competitive Film Festival... It holds its Fest for around 2 weeks, usually in early October...
... Using their online archives ( at chicagofilmfestival.com ), I’m going to quote some things (with the emphasis being mine): “The Festival opened in 1965 at the Carnegie Theater, where King Vidor, Bette Davis, and Stanley Kramer were honored for their contributions to American cinema. Since then, the Festival has grown to become a world-renowned annual event. The Festival is dedicated to fostering better understanding between cultures and to making a positive contribution to the art form of the moving image.
“ ... The Festival has a rich history of discovering hundreds of ground-breaking directors such as: Martin Scorsese, John Carpenter, Taylor Hackford, Susan Seidelman, Victor Nunez ([all from the] United States); Wim Wenders, Rainer Werner Fassbinder (Germany); Bertrand Tavernier (France); Peter Weir (Australia); Dariush Mehrjui (Iran); Mike Leigh, Alan Parker, Michael Apted, Peter Greenaway (Great Britain); Vincent Ward (New Zealand); Krzysztof Kieslowski, Krzysztof Zanussi (Poland); Dusan Makavejev (Yugoslavia); Victor Erice (Spain); Jan Troell (Sweden); and Maria Louisa Bemberg (Argentina), to name just a few!...”
... Their 2011 Festival featured 142 feature films, including 20 feature-length documentaries, and 54 short subjects from more than 55 countries. Mr. Kutza stated this about that Festival (with the emphasis being mine):
“... We founded the Festival 48 years ago not only to introduce audiences to the daring work of new filmmakers from around the world but to share with other moviegoers that electrifying sense of discovery. This Festival is really for and about you: the filmmaker. This is the one place where artists and the public come together and engage in a conversation about their number one passion. And as the oldest competitive Festival in North America, your film will compete alongside first-time and established filmmakers.”...
... Since it’s in my “home” city, I’ve long been a Member of the Festival & attended & reported on MANY of their films, including fascinating TALKS with many of the directors and stars...
... You can find Reports & Reviews I’ve done by using the Google search box at the top of the right-hand column of this web-site: just type in the abbreviation “ CIFF ”, & it will bring up a list of write-ups you can “click” on to view individually...
... As time has gone on, they’ve expanded their “repertoire” of films-- such as by holding a yearly “Black Perspectives” series (including honoring such important people as directors SPIKE LEE & ROBERT --, actresses IRMA P. HALL (shown below + in other photos over the years) & RUBY DEE), SEMINARS, an encouragement of first-time feature directors, shorts & documentaries, etc...
... The Festival just recently held a special event to present their “Hugo” awards at a TELEVISION awards ceremony (at which it presented a “Career Achievement” award to KELSEY GRAMMAR (famous for the TV comedies “CHEERS” & “FRASIER”, & currently appearing as a Chicago mayor in the dramatic cable-TV series “BOSS”)...
... Starting in 2003, it started cooperating with various foreign Consulates & cultural attaches in Chicago to present a FREE series of “SUMMER” International films, shown to the public at Chicago’s Cultural Center...
... Originally, those films were shown from July thru early September. But, the series proved so popular, it’s been regularly expanded, to the point that this year, they’re showing films from April 11 thru September 29, normally at 6:30 pm each Wednesday, & most are repeated the following Saturday at 2 pm...
... For example, on May 5, 2012, I attended a screening of the Italian comedy “Chill!” about a lazy 15-year-old male student who is tutored by an older ex-teacher. The film was introduced by the the screening’s sponsor, Silvio Marchetti of the Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago (who was presented by the CIFF’s Artistic Director, VIVIAN TENG (as shown in the photo below)...
... The Festival’s affiliated “CineYouth 2012” program will be held May 31 – June 2, & the main Festival # 48 will run from October 11-25 in 2012...
… There’s a call for entries to the upcoming main Fest (with an online entry form available at: http://chicagofilmfestival.com/entries_and_requirements/entry_form/ ), & here’s what they say about their plans for 2012:
COMPETITIONS AND PROGRAM SECTIONS =
Films are programmed for public screening in a diverse selection of competitions and categories. Each film is presented in one or more of the following sections and is placed at the discretion of the programming committee.
After Dark Competition:
Gathering genre films from horror and thrillers to edgy animation and dark comedy, this competitive section showcases films not often presented in the Festival context for the chill seekers and lovers of camp.
Black Perspectives:
Now in its 16th year, this program, created through a collaboration with director Spike Lee, showcases films that celebrate the richness and diversity of black cultures around the world and the filmmakers responsible for them.
Cinema of the Americas:
From the Bahamas and Panama to Brazil, Chile, and Argentina, this program spotlights the fresh and vibrant work of emerging and established filmmakers from South and Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
City & State:
Illinois has a rich filmmaking tradition second to none. This program showcases the best features, documentaries, and short films with their roots right here in Illinois.
Docufest:
Real stories, real people, real emotions. This selection of international documentaries competing for the Gold Hugo go beyond the headlines in telling those true stories that surprise, entertain, and challenge us. To be eligible for the competition, films may not have U.S. distribution.
International Feature Film Competition:
Representing a wide variety of styles and genres, these works compete for the Festival’s top honor, the Gold Hugo— as well as awards for best actors, director, and writer— in North America’s longest-running competitive film festival.
New Directors Competition:
This selection of first and second feature films receiving their U.S. premiere in Chicago celebrates the spirit of discovery and innovation upon which the Festival was founded. To be eligible for the competition, films may not have U.S. distribution and must be a U.S. premiere if selected for the Festival.
OUTrageous:
From the edgy to the tender, these bold LGBT-themed films fearlessly exhibit new artistic perspectives on sexuality.
ReelWomen:
Spotlighting the contribution that female writers and directors continue to make to film around the world, this program features films as diverse as the women who made them.
Short Film Competition:
Annually showcasing the best short films from around the globe, this competition highlights the work of both upcoming artists and established masters in the short subject form. The winner of the Short Film Competition is eligible to be considered by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences for the Academy Awards®.
Sport on Screen:
Sport on Screen celebrates athleticism on film in one of the world's greatest sports cities. The Chicago International Film Festival has a long history of showcasing films from around the world featuring strong sports themes, and this section will bring together audiences, united in their passion for sport and cinema. The program will include compelling narratives driven by the excitement, challenge, and intrigue of sport as well as provocative documentaries presenting genuinely great (and not-so-great) moments in sport in both the short film and feature-length forms.
World Cinema:
A mix of classic narratives and cutting edge forms, this program offers a snapshot of the contemporary cinematic landscape. Serving up the sights, sounds and stories from cultures around the globe, the films represent the latest from established masters, festival award winners, box-office hits, and hidden gems.
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The already-partially-completed continuation of my Report on the HISTORY of Film FESTIVALS is planned for a FUTURE time…
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