For Immediate Release:
Contact: Tom Carruthers, Connecticut Film Festival
203-247-4273, This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it



Connecticut Film Festival Opens September 28th In New Canaan CT Nine Month Schedule Of Weekend and Midweek Festivals Announced

Bethel, CT (September 19, 2007) This year, The Connecticut Film Festival producers are taking a seasonal approach to producing Connecticut’s State-Wide Independent Film and Music Festival.   

The 2007-08 CT Film Festival will showcase independent films in more than a dozen cities and towns throughout the year. Nine weekend festivals and more than a dozen midweek screening events and receptions are planned to take place. The festival now extends over 40 days and nights of events with a culminating 6 day and night festival taking place on May 20-25, 2008. The 2007-08 CTFF opens September 28-30 at The New Canaan Playhouse, featuring a wide array of films, including features, shorts, documentaries, international, animations, green and student films.

 

Executive Director Tom Carruthers and Director of Programming Jean Tait strongly feel that the table is set for a sumptuous banquet of film.  The 2005 Festival opened as the Bethel Film Festival in Bethel CT, attracting more than 3000 attendees.  In order to increase availability of the festival experience to a broader array of Connecticut residents and tourists, Carruthers expanded the festival to include 8 cities and towns in October of 2006 for the now entitled “Connecticut Film Festival”.  With more than 20 venues operating simultaneously around the state, the festival served not only the needs of the Commission on Culture and Tourism, but also created multiple opportunities for filmmakers to reach a broader and more diverse audience throughout the state.

Now, in 2007-08 the festival has been further expanded to not only a State-Wide, multi city, multi date and multi venue event, but also to a Year-Round model which will generate even more buzz in the booming Connecticut Film Industry, recently brought on by the new Film Industry tax incentive.

This Year-Round approach creates more opportunities than ever for independent filmmakers as well as festival sponsors and partners. But, most importantly, it will bring real independent film to underserved communities throughout the entire state.  As anyone who has been to a Cineplex in the last 15 years is aware, the continuing corporatization of the filmmaking industry is creating a dearth of interesting cinema.  Studio films are made to be profit-making and marketable products, not art. Opening box office tallies are reported as news.  Small, well-made films with truly interesting stories and diverse voices rarely stand a chance in this atmosphere.  The CTFF will make a difference by bringing the truly independent films to Connecticut audiences who are hungry for the opportunity.

After the nine month ramp up, the festival will culminate with 6 days and nights of Independent Film and Music with screenings, competitions, workshops, panels, round tables and a 2 day Student Filmmaker Summit featuring faculty and instructors from some of the best filmmaking learning institutions in the country. The May 2008 location is soon to be announced. For more information visit: www.ctfilmfest.com

CT Film Festival Schedule 2007- 2008     

New Canaan Playhouse                                    Sept  28-30
89 Elm Street, New Cannan , CT 06840            (203) 966-0600

New Haven Criterion                                        Oct 12-14
86 Temple Street, New Haven, CT 06510        (203) 498-7001

Greenwich Criterion                                        Nov 2-4        
2 Railroad Ave., Greenwich, CT 06830             (203) 869-4030

Bethel Cinema                                                Nov 30 – Dec 1 & 2
269 Greenwood Ave, Bethel CT 06801             (203) 778-2100

Wilton    4                                                        Jan 11-13
21 River Road, Wilton, CT 06897                     (203) 761-0767

Stamford Majestic 6                                        Feb 29, Mar 1 & 2
118 Summer Street, Stamford, CT 06901         (203) 323-1690

Hartford Criterion Blue Back Square                Mar 7-9        
42 S. Main Street, W. Hartford, CT  06107

Norwalk Royale 6                                             Mar 14-16
542 Westport Ave., Norwalk, CT 06851             (203) 846-8797

Trumbull Marquis 16                                        Apr 11-13
100 Quarry Road, Trumbull, CT 06611             (203) 365-6500

CT Film Festival                                             May 20-25
6 Days & Nights of Indie Film & Indie Music        TBA

Midweek Screening Events & Receptions            Sept 07– Mar 08

For more information, dates and film synopsis, visit www.ctfilmfest.com

For Further Comment Contact:

Tom Carruthers
Exec. Director, 203-247-4273     This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Jean Tait
Director of Programming, 917-509-5856     This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it  

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