Phil Calderone, Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema chairman, expressed excitement about the addition of two new venues for fourth year of the independent film festival. Joining the festival’s anchor venue, the historic Rustic Theatre, recently upgraded to the highest quality digital projection and sound, are Astrocamp’s 100-seat Galaxy Theater and the Idyllwild Town Hall, which Calderone said should be able to seat between 80 and 100.
“The Astrocamp theater is beautiful with a full-size screen and great sound,” Calderone said. “We’re still working on specs and equipment for Town Hall. We may add a fourth venue for the seminars or perhaps additional mini-seminars.”
Festival Director Stephen Savage said the new venues allow screening of more films for the five-day festival, scheduled to run from Wednesday, Jan. 9, to Sunday, Jan. 13. “I’m hoping for three times the movies [compared to last year],” said Savage. “In the past we’ve only been limited by what we could show. We’re planning to start the submission process on July 1.”
Calderone said the Rustic upgrade provides the ability to screen from Blue Ray for participating filmmakers who provide that format. The Quiet Creek Gallery adjacent to the Rustic remains the primary registration and meet-and-greet site. Calderone said he wants to expand the festival to involve more of the town.
“We’re advocating for more film-specific mini-events this year to add to the festival’s depth, generate more publicity for the filmmakers and involve the attending public more with local businesses,” he said. “Last year’s events at Prairie Dove, Earth ’n Fire and Quiet Creek were great.”
Calderone said a three-site shuttle service is on their to-do list. “The website, www.idyllwildcinemafest.com, is up in its early form,” Calderone noted. “Our featured filmmakers are already locked in. They will be very involved this year — interacting, seminars, extended Q and A’s and much more. Stay tuned.”
