Mission
The Tacoma Film Festival celebrates current independent film from around the globe. Our primary focus is to bring quality film to the big screen and to showcase exceptional independent films – some that our audiences will probably never get the chance to see again. Join us for the 7th annual Tacoma Film Festival on October 4-11, 2011 for 8 days of films, events, conversation, and fun! This is our time to celebrate you – the filmmaker, and the invaluable artistic talents that you provide to the film community. Each year our mission is to enrich our community by bridging the gap between ourselves and the outstanding works of independent film.
Description/About
Established in 2006, the Tacoma Film Festival was created and developed by the passionate individuals behind Tacoma’s only non-profit art-house movie theater, The Grand Cinema (www.GrandCinema.com). The Grand (TFF’s primary venue) is one of the Puget Sound region’s strongest outlets for both international and local independent filmmakers, and works hand-in-hand with the festival to connect our neighborhood with even more dynamic and entertaining films. We bring films from all over the world to our festival, but we particularly encourage filmmakers from the Pacific Northwest to submit their work. We strive to invigorate and support our film community by putting on the Tacoma Film Festival every year. This also provides a platform for our neighborhood filmmakers to share their work. The Grand’s impact reaches beyond our city limits as well: The Grand’s staff started a new annual event in 2010, and coordinated with Filmmaker Magazine to host the first-of-its-kind film series for the publication’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film issue. We look forward to continuing this special event, as we aim to further support up-and-coming indie filmmakers and their work.
Known as the “City of Destiny,” Tacoma is far more than just the little sister of Seattle. Since the mid-90s, a thriving arts community has grown up within and out of Tacoma’s gritty, blue-collar roots as a port town. Tacoma has undergone a renaissance in the past twenty years, bringing in delicious restaurants and cafes, fashionable and quirky boutiques, as well as a number of galleries that supplement the beautiful museums and theaters that already graced the downtown area (don’t miss the brand new LeMay Car Museum, set to open in Summer 2012!). The Grand Cinema and the Tacoma Film Festival are two vital facets in this dynamic community of artists and art enthusiasts. In addition to its cultural attractions, Tacoma’s location – nestled in the shadow of Mount Rainier – provides breathtaking views and a wide range of outdoor activities. Although Seattle is only a drive away, we guarantee that you’ll want to stick around to explore all that Tacoma has to offer!
While our staff and volunteers are committed to providing our patrons with the opportunity to enjoy new and vibrant works of film, our festival remains focused on you – the filmmaker. We’re not your average film festival, where your story and your work can get buried within the many days of screenings and events; rather, we are dedicated to highlighting what you bring to our festival, and to our community. It is because of our TFF alumni that we have gained solid footing on the festival circuit, and are continuing to grow and establish ourselves as a strong regional fest. We are committed to maintaining complete and timely communication, showcasing your work to an interested audience, promoting an engaging conversation with your fellow filmmakers and movie-lovers alike, and providing an overall enjoyable and unforgettable experience with our humble, yet passionate festival. The eight days of the Tacoma Film Festival allow you to connect, view, celebrate and grow. We hope you’ll be a part of everything this October.
“The Tacoma Film Festival was an incredible festival experience for our film, LOSING CONTROL, that I won’t soon forget. It is an intimate festival that fosters bonding with fellow filmmakers and creates lasting relationships. The festival did a great job of promoting our film and we had a standing-room-only screening. The local press gave us two must-see reviews and the Grand Cinema and its warm, film-loving staff created a casual and easy environment to network with other filmmakers and get to know our audience. The hospitality was top-notch and we had enough downtime to explore the great gems like the Museum of Glass that Tacoma had to offer. It’s definitely a fest I want to go back to soon!” — Valerie Weiss – Director (LOSING CONTROL, 2011 TFF Official Selection), Winner – Top Female Filmmaker of 2011 at the Chicago Comedy Film Festival
“Our documentary (These Amazing Shadows) has screened at over 30 film festivals this year. It was great to be invited to and screen at the Tacoma Film Festival. The staff at Tacoma was very friendly and very organized….and very “director-friendly”. We would definitely return.” –Paul Mariano, Gravitas Docufilms, THESE AMAZING SHADOWS (2011 TFF Official Selection)
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Feature Narrative – fiction (animated or live-action) films 45 minutes or longer.
Feature Documentary – non-fiction films 45 minutes or longer.
Short Narrative – fiction films (animated or live-action) 44 minutes or shorter.
Short Documentary – non-fiction films 44 minutes or shorter.
Washington State – a film of any length or genre from filmmakers residing in Washington State. Filmmakers submitting in the discounted Washington State category must provide TFF with proof of permanent residence within Washington State. This submission category is only active through the first two deadlines (ends April 15th, 2012).
Pierce County – a film of any length or genre from filmmakers residing in Pierce County, WA. Filmmakers submitting in the discounted Pierce County category must provide TFF with proof of permanent residence within the Pierce County limits.
Student – a film of any length or genre. Filmmakers submitting in the discounted Student category must provide TFF with a copy of a current student ID before the film can be placed into consideration. To receive the student submission rate, the filmmaker must be enrolled in an accredited school (K-12, undergrad or graduate) at the time of production.
To be considered for 2012, the Tacoma Film Festival requires:
1. A completed entry via withoutabox.com
2. A DVD (region 1 or 0), NTSC format ONLY, or secure online screener of your film.
3. The required and appropriate entry fee.
4. English language or English subtitles.
4. The film to have been completed no earlier than January 2011.
ADDITIONAL SUBMISSION RULES
– Entries should be submitted on NTSC DVD or via secure online screener only. The Tacoma Film Festival requires three (3) submission copies of each film. All filmmakers will be notified when our offices receive your submission(s).
– Please make a note in your submission if you have any connections to the Pacific Northwest region.
– Returning TFF alumni filmmakers’ entry fees are waived. To request a waiver, please include the film title and year it played in Tacoma and email us at tacomafilmfestival@gmail.com.
– Preview screeners or exhibition DVDs will not be returned unless a request is made to return it and a pre-paid/SASE is provided.
– Please do not submit works in progress. Please do not include multiple submissions on one DVD.
– Music videos, instructional films, industrials or promotional videos are not appropriate for submission.
– Entry fees will not be refunded.
– Your film must be postmarked no later than the deadline under which you’ve registered. If the submission is not postmarked appropriately, or if a payment is received after a postmark deadline, we will not view your film until the difference is paid to the Tacoma Film Festival. It is the responsibility of the filmmaker or submission contact to ensure that all requirements are met. The festival retains the right to disqualify an entry, with no refunded fee, if submission guidelines are not met.
AWARDS:
The top films based on screener’s comments will be placed in competition for festival awards at the sole discretion of the Tacoma Film Festival. Awards will be given for: Best Narrative Feature, Best Feature Documentary, Best Short Film, Best Short Documentary, Best Animated Film and Best Regional. TFF audiences will determine the winners of our two Audience Choice Awards (Puget Sound area filmmakers are eligible for the Local Audience Choice Award; while those from other regions are eligible for the Audience Choice Award). Cash prizes will be awarded to the winners in each category.