BendFilm to kick off 20th annual festival with special events next week
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The 20th annual Bend Film Festival is taking over theaters across Central Oregon next month, from October 12-15. But first, a special event is being held next week to help ring in the occasion.
BendFilm Program Director Selin Sevinc told us Tuesday, "Our kickoff party for the festival will be on Friday, September 15th at the Volcanic Theater Pub at 7 PM."
More than 130 films in total will be screened during the festival.
To kick off the festivities, Bend Film is holding an opening event next week.
"This is an event where we introduce the program, talk about the films, show trailers for the films, and talk about our special guests who are coming for the festival," Sevinc explained.
Every October, the Bend Film Festival brings a nearly $1 million revenue boost to the city of Bend's economy.
"In addition for our opening night, we will be screening a block of shorts, which not many festivals do, and we haven't done in the past," Sevinc said.
About 5,000 visitors come to the area for the festival. Films will be shown at multiple locations in Bend, including the Regal Old Mill, Tin Pan Alley, Tower Theatre and Cascades Theater.
"Our indigenous films from our indigenous film competition are also being screened in Madras," Sevinc said.
In addition to the in-person film festival, BendFilm will also hold their virtual film festival for online screenings from Oct. 16-22.
This year marks the first time in a decade the Bend Film Festival will be held without Todd Looby, their former executive director, who left the organization in May.
"Currently, we have an interim director," Ann Witsil, Sevinc said, "and we're in the process of hiring a new executive director. And during this process, of course, staff has really come together to make the festival as best as we can without our beloved executive director."
Nearly 2,200 films from 50 countries were submitted for a spot in this year's festival.
Passes to attend range from $12 for individual tickets to $200 for an all-access pass.
