BendFilm one of ‘Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World’

BendFilm announced Thursday it has been designated one of the “Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals In The World” by leading film trade MovieMaker Magazine:

“The festivals in our latest edition of the ’25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World’ have all gained a reputation for putting on a graceful, seemingly-effortless showcase–one that elides the hard work, ingenuity, and planning invested by their founders and artistic directors,” the magazine wrote.

This honor comes just months after BendFilm was listed as one of the “Top 50 Film Festivals Worth The Entry Fee.”

The 16th annual BendFilm Festival runs October 10 – 13 and will present 25 feature films, 70 short films, 30 pre-screening concerts, 10 panels, and a variety of virtual reality stories. Legendary director Ron Shelton (Bull Durham, Tin Cup) is a confirmed guest, with more exciting programming updates coming in the near future.

Finalists were selected by a panel of judges including Matt Grady, film distributor; Eric Allen Hatch, programmer; Bing Liu, director; Jillian Mayer, visual performance artist; David Ninh, publicist; Ina Pira, curator; Adam Piron, curator; and Sandi Tan, director. One panelist said this about BendFilm, “The audiences are some of the most engaged you’ll find and have led to some of the best Q&As I’ve ever seen. Films are shown in their historic movie theater downtown and even inside a craft brewery.”

BendFilm shares the honor with festivals in towns including New Orleans, Miami, Warsaw, San Francisco International Film Festival, Indie Memphis, and more. The full list of the ‘Top 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World’ can be found on the MovieMaker Magazine site.

Todd Looby, BendFilm Executive Director, said, “We are humbled that MovieMaker Magazine recognized the passion our entire team and this town gives to create a special and unique festival for filmmakers and audiences now all year-round. Our goal has always been to give filmmakers, Bend residents, and visitors, experiences they will never forget. We hope this recognition will invite more filmmakers and film fans to join us this year and in future years to see the magic for themselves.”

Erik Jambor, BendFilm Head of Festival Programming, said, “Bend is truly a special place and the town and its people were a huge part of why Festival was recognized by MovieMaker. We share this honor with the BendFilm audience, our volunteers, board members, loyal supporters and of course our filmmakers. You are what makes BendFilm cool, eclectic and unique.”

For those new to BendFilm, the Festival takes place in the scenic town of Bend, Oregon, which is regularly included in the Best Towns roundup for Outside Magazine. BendFilm fully embraces its town and gorgeous surroundings which features craft breweries, breath-taking hiking trails, a whitewater park in the middle of town, miles of paths along the Deschutes river, and a historic district full of delectable dining. In turn, the town of Bend, Oregon fully embraces the festival which is home to a thoughtful community of cinephiles who religiously attend films and proudly support the last Blockbuster in the world (see Todd Looby at the 5 minute mark).

The festival venues are among the most unique of any event: from the art deco antique Tower Theater on Main Street, to BendFilm’s own 30-seat boutique microcinema located in “Tin Pan Alley,” to the Old St. Francis Theater which seats 120 people on plush couches and serves the most mouth-watering cajun tots and craft beer during the show.