Welcome to the second annual River Town Film Festival, where we explore community through independent films. The films we accept often have an abstract association to community yet harness the potential to deepen awareness and insight by inviting dialogue and relationship. This means we aren’t talking about The Brady Bunch or Leave it to Beaver. Last year we featured community found in films about human trafficking, the foster system, a rural community in NM where the only thing to do is eat pie, and even about the elves at the North Pole.
The River Town Film Festival will span three days; opening Friday, September 7 with screenings of short and feature-length films (narrative and documentary) continuing throughout Sunday, September 9. The Closing Ceremony will be capped off by a rock and roll performance by THE ORCHESTRA Starring ELO Former Members.
Our judges read like a who's who of Hollywood: Ernest Thompson (Oscar-winning screenwriter of ON GOLDEN POND); Executive Producer Marc Rosen (SENSE8); Producer Hunt Lowry (THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS; DIVINE SECRETS OF THE YA YA SISTERHOOD; FIRST KNIGHT); Lynne Litt (TV writer of LOST, LAW & ORDER, NCIS New Orleans, THE PRACTICE and many more); Virginia Longmuir (EVP of RatPac Entertainment); Marc Reid (CFO of Lakeshore Entertainment); Lauren Williams (partner in Global Media Fusion, a global distribution and syndication company); and Producer, Director, Actor and Composer Allan Nichols (DEAD MAN WALKING, THE PLAYER, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE).
This past year we saw Academy-Award winner Ernest Thompson’s community-made film HEAVENLY ANGLE followed by a Q&A by Mr. Thompson, as well as the Oscar-nominated documentary A TIME FOR BURNING, with a Q&A with the director, Bill Jersey, about how 50 years after the release of this movie we are still having the same conversation about race relations today. We also hosted the world premiere of NO REWIND, a performance documentary starring the iconic classic rock band THE ORCHESTRA, comprised of former members of ELO and ELO PART II, with the band participating in a Q&A afterwards.
The festival will take place at the Red Mill, a historical landmark that dates back to 1810 and is now home to a museum village. An antique iron bridge, built in 1870 with a gorgeous view of a 200-foot wide waterfall, connects the Red Mill with downtown.
Filmmakers who are accepted into the festival will receive two VIP passes, which include entry to all parties and to the closing ceremony and rock concert.
Clinton is a small town that embraces a strong community spirit, and is a meeting point between cosmopolitan East Coast culture, artists, multi-generational farms and salt of the earth people. Only one hour from New York City and located on the south branch of the Raritan River, the town features a historic and quintessential downtown with locally owned restaurants and boutiques, and a contemporary art museum. Surrounded by rolling hills and beautiful countryside, Clinton draws visitors from all over the country.
Our entry fees are low in order to give all filmmakers the opportunity to submit.
Custom crystal trophies and other valuable prizes will be awarded at a closing ceremony (followed by a rock concert) for the following categories:
1. Best in Show: $500 cash prize, a RED Hydrogen One smartphone (Value $1300), and a Full Sail University student filmmaker scholarship named after the Best in Show winner.
2. Audience Choice: $500 cash prize
3. Best Feature Length Film (Narrative or Documentary): One complimentary registration to Winston Baker Annual Content Capital Summit April 2019* (value $995)
* A conference dedicated to alternative investments in film, television, digital, live and immersive content
4. Best Short (Narrative or Documentary): One complimentary registration to Winston Baker Annual Content Capital Summit April 2019* (value $995)
* A conference dedicated to alternative investments in film, television, digital, live and immersive content