If you want to know where everybody ran off to during the last weekend of August next year it is a safe bet that they will be in North Bend, Washington for a brand new destination film festival appropriately called the North Bend Film Festival.
Like other predecessors before it, Stanley/Overlook comes to mind, it is not just about the films but also about the area where the festival is held. North Bend, Washington has the distinction of being the original location for David Lynch's Twin Peaks.
North Bend was founded by Brooklyn Horror Film Festival's Justin Timms and Jess Byers and Ithaca Fantastik's Hugues Barbier. They have also cobbled together an impressive list of friends and peers to sit on the festival's advisory board. You will find that list below.
Festival submissions are now open through FilmFreeway and Withoutabox. All Screen Anarchy writers vying to cover this new festival have been automatically entered in a round robin death match competition. Regional champions will then compete during a live broadcast at the beginning next Summer, giving the champion time to heal from their wounds lest they look unpresentable at the venue.
Something strange is coming to North Bend.August 2018 will see the arrival of a brand new destination genre festival in the scenic town of North Bend, Washington, with a focus on standout vanguard programming. Best known as the original shooting location for cult-hit and recently rebirthed TWIN PEAKS, North Bend will be home to the North Bend Film Festival from August 23rd to the 26th. Using the town’s fantastical and mysterious energy that once inspired David Lynch, the festival will set out to fill the void of programming for the progressive audiences in the Pacific Northwest, and to provide a platform for emerging filmmakers. Working directly with the town of North Bend, NBFF will be an event for the local community, Northwest creatives, and national genre film industry to enjoy together."We are very excited to be able to offer a platform for films that are navigating the genre and traditional film festival circuit, but do not adequately reflect either set of values” says Hugues Barbier, one of the festival’s founders, speaking from years of involvement in the genre scene internationally and in North America. “We're seeing a growing number of filmmakers gravitating towards a space that North American's call vanguard, but which stems from European surrealism or South American magic realism. These are the type of films we're seeking for NBFF, and the town of North Bend, WA is the perfect location to harness that magic and share the cinematic experience with an audience."The fest’s homebase will be the North Bend Theatre, the town’s beautiful art-deco cinema built in 1941, with additional events spread out to historic locations and the gorgeous natural outdoor spaces available in the area. Residents of North Bend and the surrounding towns will be offered discounts, and local businesses will be embraced as a vital part of our festival.The first edition of the North Bend Film Festival will feature special screenings, filmmaker talks, a VR component, and interactive events in addition to our highly curated film program.North Bend Film Festival will also offer a filmmaker development program in addition to working with our advisory board to bring forward an additional program that highlights female talent.The festival is founded by Justin Timms and Jess Byers, who in 2016 launched the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, and Hugues Barbier, Founder and Creative Director of the Ithaca Fantastik and Acquisitions & Festival Manager for Raven Banner.An impressive advisory board has been put together ahead of the inaugural year. Todd Brown (XYZ Films), Barbara Crampton (Actress, RE-ANIMATOR, YOU’RE NEXT), Katie Kelly (Head of Marketing, Altspace VR), Bre Keveren (Special Events, City of North Bend), Tori Palmatier (Creative Producer, Ridley Scott & Associates), Ina Pira (Curator, Vimeo), Annick Mahnert (Screen Division), Charlie Sextro (Senior Programmer, Sundance Film Festival), Travis Stevens (Snowfort Pictures), Mara Webster (Panels Programming Director, Tribeca Film Festival), and Jenn Wexler (Director & Producer, Glass Eye Pix), all sit on the board and are committed to creating a unique and valued festival experience.As we draw closer to our dates, further details will be announced surrounding our events and growing organization, as well as information on accreditation and how you can attend the festival.Submissions are now open via FilmFreeway and Withoutabox for the first edition of the North Bend Film Festival.