This coming Columbus Day weekend, October 10-12, The Northampton International Film Festival (NoHoIFF) hosts it’s 18th annual event. In Massachusetts’ historic college town, there will be screenings of the best independent cinema from around the globe at the Academy of Music Theatre, filmmaker Q & A sessions, after parties and an awards ceremony. 3 Mile Limit, is Friday’s opening and award winning film, about a journalist crusade to bring rock n’ roll to a restrictive and monopolized radio station. For those with a Full-Access pass, following the film, there will be a wine tasting hosted by Black Birch Vineyard and jazz from the quartet FlavaEvolution at the R. Michelson Galleries.
NoHoIFF started in 1996 and took a brief hiatus in 2009. The festival features films from all around the world as well as local talent. Festival board member Gabrielle Chanel adds, “Northampton has always had a thriving arts culture and there are so many talented filmmakers in the area, we wanted to bring back the festival. The Northampton International Film Festival is dedicated to showcasing independent film from around the world and celebrating the art of filmmaking, inspiring artistic development and encouraging reflection through film.”
Located amongst the changing elm trees in inland Massachusetts, Gabrielle says “Northampton is a city known as an artistic, musical, and countercultural hub, making it the perfect backdrop for our mission.” The NoHoIFF board members are all involved in the film industry, Gabrielle comments, “It is our love of filmmaking and artistic expression through film that unites us. The festival is a labor of love. Meeting our peers in the industry and giving filmmakers a platform to share their voice is inspiring. It allows us the opportunity to give back to the very community that has enriched our lives.”
On Saturday, the festival will host the Art House Shorts Programs. Gabrielle suggests Butterfly Fluttering, a Russian short from filmmaker Michael Shwartz. He also recommends the feature film for Saturday, The God Question, praising, “Everything about the film from its writing, producing and directing as well as the cast are community members from Pioneer Valley and Western Massachusetts.” There is also an engaging discussion panel at 10:15 Saturday with filmmakers Scott Kittredge and Rufus Chaffee called “It’s Not Called Show-Art: Producing and Writing in the Indie World.”
Closing the festival out is The Frontier, a feature produced by Jeffrey DeCola, a local from Waltham, Massachusetts. There is also a program of thriller shorts Sunday, two documentaries and following the closing feature there will be an Awards Ceremony with an after hours party at Packard’s Bar.
For a complete list of films and tickets go to: http://nohoiff.org/schedule/films/.