This amateur program offers a venue for new talent to showcase their skills. The Annual Focus Niagara Independent and Student Film Festival is held at St. Paul High School in Niagara Falls, on the Canadian side. The film festival celebrates the creative and original films and short video from various Canadian producers and videographers.
The festival explores many genres; a new inclusion is the increasingly popular Cell-Phone films. Each year the festival includes honored guests. In 2008 the guest is Academy Award Nominee, Erin Young for his movie "Hardwood." Other years the guests were Steve Lucas, creator and producer of "Blue Murder" and Jerry Ciccoriti, director of "Lives of Saints."
The festival recently enjoyed its 4th annual event this year, displaying drama, experimental, music video, animation, documentary, and sci-fi.
The high school offers the perfect, laid back, venue for the festival. The Catholic school ads an air of distinction to the festival, while maintaining a family friendly environment.
This is a fine collection of production and innovation among young producers. This small-scale film festival may introduce the world to some great producers of the future. This festival makes all the list of 'must attend' festivals among the amateur and novice film producer and creative arts magazines and websites.
The fall is usually organized in the fall, usually October or November, making it a great stop for anyone enjoying the regional festivals and events that wind down the summer season. Tickets cost less than $10. Gala screenings are often a little more. Some years the festival Matinees are held at Saint Paul High School, with gala screenings and special guest events being held at the Niagara Falls IMAX theater, or other larger theaters.
