The 2014 Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema (“Idyllwild 2014”) is barely over with visions of favorite actors and rolling scenes still fresh in movie-goers minds. But Festival Director Stephen Savage is not bathing in his most recent success. Plans for an even bigger Idyllwild 2015 are already percolating.
Potential changes for 2015 start with the arrival of the festival’s official nonprofit status. With more funding avenues now open, Savage envisions a full week of movies and additional venues to accommodate the larger capacity and earlier deadlines. “Two hundred films is my goal,” Savage said. “I don’t know how close we’ll get but I think 175 is the minimum.”
Idyllwild Pines Camp may become the fourth venue next year, Savage said, in advance of meeting with camp management this week. With more sponsorships available to nonprofit festivals, he hopes to provide IPC with a big screen and sound system it could use year-round.
Trinity Houston, a producer on Savage’s film, “Vertical,” is already working to secure corporate sponsorships for next year, Savage said.
If IPC is a part of the next festival, Savage is considering moving the Saturday awards ceremony there. While the Rustic Theatre will remain the festival’s center, the seating is already limiting attendance at the ceremony.
Idyllwild 2015 will also utilize Idyllwild Library’s conference room. This site could be available for smaller films and seminars.
With a bigger film base, Savage indicated the next festival may focus on indigenous filmmakers. He is talking with both the Soboba and Pechanga tribes to secure funding for a festival segment featuring Native American film artists and makers.
Music videos may also expand next year. But Savage said the featurette category has been very successful. Films between 15 and 60 minutes get little attention at other festivals but have been very popular with the public and filmmakers here.
With a full week, starting Monday and concluding the following Sunday and the Awards Ceremony Saturday night, only the award winners’ films would be shown Sunday. He imagines the Rustic Theatre devoting the day to just these films.
Along with a bigger film festival, Savage wants more local businesses involved in the week-long event. More participated this year and he sees opportunities for even more partnerships in the future.
To support the local business aspect, he anticipates a bigger festival presence in town weeks before the festival starts, including a 35-foot banner announcing its coming strung across North Circle Drive.
Savage’s dreams and plans for IIFC do not end with an expanded Idyllwild 2015. “Some day we’ll be as big as the jazz fest,” he said. “In a year of so, we’ll expand to a summer music festival with acoustic and bluegrass.
“[Idyllwild 2014] is the first festival that I’m excited about immediately after it,” Savage said last week. “Usually, it takes four days or so.”
The number of volunteers expanded and they were crucial to the festival’s success this year, Savage said repeatedly. He was also happy with the public’s response to the newest venue, Silver Pines Lodge. But these laurels are already memories for Savage as he begins preparing for the next film festival.
