Film Festivals

Film Festivals, typically, annual (or biennial) events, held over several days in specific towns, cities, or regions, which act as showcases for new films. Most film festivals include a competitive element, with films being submitted to a jury and prizes awarded in one or more categories. Often, festivals also act as markets where film-makers can meet potential distributors and tie up distribution deals.

The first film festival was held in Venice in 1932 as part of the Biennale arts festival, aimed at raising “the new art of the film to the level of the other arts”. It was repeated in 1934, then became an annual event in its own right, independent of the Biennale. As a reaction against what was seen to be Venice's bias towards fascist propaganda cinema, the first Cannes Festival was scheduled for 1939, but was postponed until 1946. The Venice Festival itself closed down in 1943, but was revived in 1946.

The first Berlin Festival was held in 1951, and the three—Cannes, Venice, and Berlin—have come to be recognized as the leading international film festivals. Despite scandals, rows, and political disruptions, such as those that troubled Cannes in 1968, Berlin in 1970, and Venice in 1973, they have retained that status, and their chief awards—Cannes's Palme d'Or, Venice's Golden Lion, and Berlin's Golden Bear—still confer valuable prestige on winning films.

Film festivals have now become ubiquitous: well over 400 are currently held worldwide and the number increases each year. One reason for this proliferation is that governments, both national and local, have recognized that festivals serve not only as a source of cultural kudos, but also as tourist attractions and showcases for indigenous film-making. Among other notable festivals are those held in Cork, Edinburgh, Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic), Locarno, Montreal, Moscow, Rotterdam, San Francisco, San Sebastian, Sydney, and Telluride (Colorado).

Not all film festivals are competitive, however; some, such as the London and New York events, show a round-up of films from other festivals (a “festival of festivals”). Many specialize in one type of film-making, such as animation (in Annecy and Zagreb), science fiction (in Brussels), short films (in Oberhausen and Clermont-Ferrand), or in independent productions (the Sundance Festival in Utah, established by Robert Redford, for example). New films are not de rigueur: the Pordenone Festival concentrates on silent cinema, and many festivals include retrospectives featuring a particular director or performer. Some festivals are trade fairs for the industry only, with no public element, such as MIFED in Milan. A few others have no fixed abode, such as the International Tournée of Animation, which visits numerous venues in the United States and Canada.

Though film festivals rarely lack audiences, to the average film-goer they are perhaps of limited interest, and they have little effect (Cannes partially excepted) on the fortunes of mainstream Hollywood films. They offer a crucial outlet for art films, independent productions, and non-English-language films, however, many of which depend on the festival circuit to gain a showing and attract publicity. Examples of films that have attained international success via festivals include Kevin Smith's Clerks (1995, Sundance) and Dear Diary by Nanni Moretti (1995, Cannes). Festivals also provide invaluable opportunities for those who work in the industry to meet, do deals, and hatch new projects. On both counts, then, they help to nourish and revitalize the film industry.