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WEST
VIRGINIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
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MISSION,
HISTORY & MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION MISSION The WVIFF's mission is to encourage, support, and promote the Film Arts; to plan, organize, and present an annual Fall Film Festival of critically acclaimed and culturally diverse domestic and foreign language feature films unlikely to be exhibited theatrically in West Virginia; to plan, organize, and present an annual Spring Film Festival of critically acclaimed and culturally diverse domestic and foreign language feature films and documentaries, West Virginia-produced/related films, and educational programming; to conduct these activities for entertainment, educational, and audience-development purposes; to encourage local and statewide film and video production; and to carry on any business connected therewith. HISTORY The WVIFF was organized in October 1985 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and hosted its first annual Fall Film Festival at the historic WVSC Capitol Center Theater, 123 Summers Street. The Fall Film Festival is generally considered the "flagship" event and showcases world-class feature-length films during a period of 9-10 days. The first Spring Film Festival was held in 1986, which, in addition to regular programming of world-class feature-length films, offers a focus on West Virginia (and Appalachian) filmmakers during a period of 4-6 days. Also included in the Spring Film Festival is a statewide Student Filmmaking Competition for grades kindergarten through college, with cash awards being divided among three divisions. The competition is open to all students enrolled in any West Virginia educational institution (public and private) (home-schooled students are also encouraged to participate). The competition is judged by a professional in the film industry. Filmmakers, film distributors, film producers, animators, screenwriters, film scholars, and journalists appear as guests during both the Spring and Fall Film Festivals. Since at least 1987, the WVIFF has approached West Virginia artists to create promotional designs for placement on official WVIFF merchandise (T-shirts and coffee mugs). The chosen design also becomes the WVIFF promotional and advertising logo for the respective year (offering wonderful exposure to West Virginia artists). During the 1999 Fall Film Festival, the WVIFF created the "Best of Fest" award, which is an award given to the producer and/or director of the best film of the festival as chosen by the audience by ballot. Before the 2000 Fall Film Festival began, Blenko Glass Company became the official designer of the Audience Award and in its honor, the award was renamed the "Blenko Glass Award for Film Excellence." (The first award in 1999 was designed by Charleston stained-glass artist Chris Dutch.) MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION Funding and General Support - The WVIFF receives grants from the WV Commission on the Arts, Division of Culture and History; National Endowment for the Arts; The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation; and the WV Division of Tourism. Other funding is provided through fundraising events, individual donations, corporate sponsors, and corporate advertisements in the festival program guides. Charter Communications has been a major sponsor of the WVIFF since 1998 and Continental Express became a major sponsor during Fall 2000. WVIFF also receives financial support as well as substantial strategic and professional guidance from the West Virginia Film Office. Media - The WVIFF receives a variety of media attention, including coverage on Charleston's three network-affiliated television stations; promotional giveaways on more than six local radio stations, including WV Public Radio (broadcast in over 130 markets nationwide); articles in Charleston's two major newspaper publications (distributed statewide) as well as local newspapers, college newspapers, and alternative publications; links on the Internet via Variety.com, FilmThreat.com, iFilm.com, Yahoo!.com, reelmind.com, filmfestivals.com, productionhub.com, screendigest.com, among others. We are listed in Chris Gore's book The Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide published Lone Eagle (1st and 2nd editions); Hollywood trade mag Variety's annual Film Festival Issue. |