Sunday, May 13, 2012

Michael Coulombe Co-Founds Youth Film Festival

Script supervisor Michael Coulombe, director of programming for the Big Bear Horror Film Festival in 2009 and 2010, has founded (along with Jason Lee Klinger) a new film festival: 30 Under 30.

Rather than yet another horror film festival, the 30 Under 30 Film Festival is another youth film festival. (Yes, there are others.)

According to the festival, 30 Under 30 "is committed to showcasing and promoting the works of emerging filmmakers from around the world.... Its mission is to provide a platform from which young filmmakers are encouraged to create, critique, and compete with each other in a nurturing atmosphere that stimulates growth and teaches the essential principles of filmmaking through workshops, screenings, mentor panels, and networking events."

Considering that so many film festival winners are already under 30, and that ageism is rampant in the entertainment industry, I have mixed feelings about a festival that is open only to the young.

I can understand film festivals open only to children, high schoolers, or even film students -- they're still learning. But twentysomethings are adults, already winning, and winning often. They compete on a level playing field. Actually, the professional playing field is slanted in their favor, considering Hollywood's youth-obsession.

30 Under 30 co-founder Klinger "was festival director of the Infringement Festival in Buffalo, New York for several years."

Submission deadline for 30 Under 30 is July 31, 2012.

Details at: 30Under30FilmFest.com.

==============================

For a behind-the-scenes look at horror film festivals and the festival directors who manage them, see Horror Film Festivals and Awards. This book also includes a directory of over 200 horror film festivals, and a list of festival award winners from dozens of festivals over several decades.

No comments:

Post a Comment