BendFilm announced the 2017 BendFilm Festival will run October 12-15 at iconic locations around Bend including the historic Tower Theatre, Tin Pan Theater and McMenamins – Old St. Francis. BendFilm is a celebration of independent storytelling through film, music, events, panel discussions and more. Now in its 14th year, the BendFilm Festival typically screens 100 films and awards $10,000 in prizes directly to independent filmmakers.
Todd Looby, executive director of BendFilm, said, “When audiences gather to watch a film and explore new ideas that unfold on screen, the energy in the theater is palpable. There will never be a substitute for a communal film watching experience when you can hear directly from the filmmaker after the screening and continue the discussion with your friends long after you leave. For those reasons and many more, we invite everyone to come experience the power of film with BendFilm in October.”
BendFilm has unveiled the 2017 festival creative campaign featuring the message, It’s All About the Story, to complement the organization’s deep commitment to sharing stories to create meaningful engagement and dialogue. This year’s campaign utilizes a bright yellow background, white block letters, an arresting image featuring local models intended to solicit curiosity and the question, “what is going on…” The campaign was created by Bend-based branding firm, Astir Agency.
“Just like a good independent film stirs dialogue at the festival, we want this year’s campaign to evoke curiosity in our filmgoers and a desire to share stories,” says BendFilm Marketing Director René Mitchell. “Community engagement is a crucial piece to what BendFilm does and this campaign is meant to help spark interest before, during and well after the festival. As that is the power of film.”
The 2017 line up will be selected by the BendFilm team and a committee of screeners from around the world and announced in late September. Due to its value to the local filmmaking community and wide appeal, BendFilm Festival will once again host the First Features panel which centers around an established independent filmmaker like last year’s presenters, John Sayles and Maggie Renzi. BendFilm will seek collaborations with local nonprofits and special interest groups to bring the community closer to the stories told in the program.
Regular tickets and passes go on sale later in the summer on the BendFilm website.