June 23-25
The 23rd annual Nevada City Film Festival (NCFF) kicks off earlier this season – June 23-25 with an exciting slate of independent, international short and feature length films; visiting filmmakers participating in Q&A’s, workshops and talks; happy hours and after parties; outdoor screenings, and more, all happening in downtown Nevada City.
Over the last year, the small homegrown festival with international flair has continued to add to its list of accolades. Proudly dubbed the “Sundance of the Sierra” for its fierce commitment to support independent films and filmmakers, NCFF was recently voted the #9 film festival by readers in USA Today’s 10Best.
NCFF is best known for their short films; setting it apart from other film festivals. With shorts there is more room for experimentation in both content and execution; filmmakers are able to pursue something more abstract and focus in on it. This year’s program leads with seven diverse and beautiful short programs.
Opening Night Family Film
Movies Under the Pines, NCFF’s outdoor film series at Pioneer Park, will commence Friday, June 23, 8:30pm, with a special screening of the wonderful animated family film The Iron Giant. Directed by Brad Bird (Ratatouille, The Incredibles) is an animated adaptation of Ted Hughes’; Cold War fable, about a giant alien robot (Vin Diesel) that crash-lands near the small town of Rockwell, Maine, in 1957. Exploring the area, a local 9-year-old boy, Hogarth, discovers the robot, and soon forms an unlikely friendship with him. When a paranoid government agent, Kent Mansley, becomes determined to destroy the robot, Hogarth and beatnik Dean McCoppin (Harry Connick Jr.) must do what they can to save the misunderstood machine. Lovers of animation will notice the robot, created with computer graphics, is seamlessly included with the hand-drawn actors, making the illusion even more complete.
Workshops and Filmmaker Discussions
In addition to hosting film screenings that are followed by question and answers with filmmakers, NCFF will present a series of workshops and talks that are led by notable industry professionals and include “Screamwriting” with Kim Parker (Last Black Man in San Francisco) about horror and sci-fi filmmaking; SAG (Screen Actors Guild) will host a workshop for aspiring actors; Producer Jameka Autry (P.O.V; Through the Night; Love, Gilda) will lead a panel discussion with the filmmakers from the documentary film Subject on the ethics around documentary filmmaking and non-fiction narrative; and the Center for Asian American Media will present Memories to Light, a project to collect and digitize home movies and to share them – and the stories they tell — to a broad public.
Films will screen at the newly renovated historic Nevada Theatre, The Onyx Theatre, and outdoors at Pioneer Park Bandshell in Nevada City.
Tickets are $9-$11 for individual film screenings, or pick up a Festival Ticket Packet and receive 10% off on your choice of 5 festival programs or more. Check out the complete list of films, parties, special guests and more at www.nevadacityfilmfestival.com
