Danbury Connecticut is the NEW home for The Connecticut Film Festival’s annual 6-day and night festival of Independent Film & Music this May 20-25, 2008

Last night the City of Danbury’s Common Council voted by an over-whelming majority in favor of a high five figure sponsorship to bring the festival to the City of Danbury, an great addition to the city’s growing inventory of major Arts, Music and Entertainment events. Danbury is already home to a long standing concert series held at Ive’s Concert Park on the WCSU campus as well as the famous CityCenter Danbury free outdoor concert series, both held from late Spring through early Fall.

The proposal, which began last Fall will be complete after a few minor negotiations are sorted out. “The Executive Director of CityCenter Danbury, Andrea Gardner and I met first thing this morning to start sorting out several pre-festival events to invite everyone to become part of the event. We want to conjure a sense of ownership with the city residents and it’s very diverse community” said Tom Carruthers, Executive Director of the festival.

“This festival needs to integrate into the fabric of the entire community so everyone feels welcome to attend while it also must dovetailing with every element of the State of Connecticut Film, Video, Music and Multi/Digital Media Tax Credit and the plans and recommendations of the state’s Hollywood East Taskforce to expand the the scope of the Connecticut Film Festival to expand the annual May festival to a two week event. The Taskforce was established by Speaker of The House James Amann to craft legislation to support a sustainable production and post-production industry by growing the states film industry labor force and marketing the state’s tax credit. “We want to make Danbury “The Gateway to Connecticut’s Film Industry” by attracting new production and post-production facilities to the set up shop in the city. It makes perfect sense, Danbury is easily accessible from two major highways, I-84 & I684 and also any downtown facilities are within 5-10 minutes walk from the Metro North Danbury train station or 15 minutes drive from the Harlem Line out of NYC.” Danbury is the perfect location for these types of businesses and the festival can be instrumental in attracting them over time.

The Connecticut Film festival is nine month event that begins in September and runs through the end of May, screening hundreds of films during this period at 9 weekend festivals and 12 midweek screening events throughout the state and then culminating in a 6 day and night exhibition and competition of Independent Film and Music May 20-25, 2008 in downtown Danbury, Connecticut. This 45 days and nights of programming and content make CTFF Connecticut’s biggest and brightest “Signature Arts and Entertainment Festival”.

“There will be between 90-110 films screened during the May festival in a half dozen different venues still to be finalized” said Jean Tait, the festival’s programming director.   “ We are currently in discussions with several facilities including Western Connecticut State University, Danbury’s Palace Theater, The Danbury Library, and The Heirloom Arts Theater to name just a few. We have plans for several dozen workshops and panels and other educational components with several relevant to the current industry in Connecticut and several for those consider entering the industry just our high school, vocational school or college and for others with professional skill sets, whether white or blue collar that are transferable to the new Hollywood East industry”. There are also plans for an Tuesday Night Opening Party, Friday Night Industry Bash, Sunday Awards Brunch as well as numerous screening receptions and industry networking opportunities.

Submissions to the festival are open year round and it is still accepting films for consideration in the May 20-25, 2008 festival in Danbury. To submit a film, volunteer or get on the festival’s Email list, visit: www.ctfilmfest.com .  The festival will be coordinating travel packages for filmmakers and those others coming into the area from out of town.

The festivals current weekend line up is as follows:

Feb. 29 – Mar 2     The Stamford Majestic 6

March 7-9         Cinema City, Hartford

March 14 – 16    Regent, South Norwalk

April 11 – 13        Trumbull Marguis

For comments on the festival in Danbury please contact:

Tom Carruthers
Executive Director
203-247-4273
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Wayne Shepperd
City of Danbury
Director of Economic Development
203-796-1649
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Mayor  of Danbury
Mark Boughton
(203) 797-4511
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Jim Whitney
Executive Director
Northwest Connecticut Convention and Visitors Bureau
888-588-7880
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Andrea Gartner
CityCenter Danbury
Executive Director
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203-792-1711

Jason Bartlett
State Representative
203-733-4266
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http://www.ctfilmfest.com

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