The first-ever Foxtail Film Festival is coming to Normal, running April 27-29. The short-film festival will showcase works from high school and college students from around the country.
The three-day, peer-juried festival will include showings, speakers, and workshops. Q&As with student filmmakers will follow screenings. The events will culminate in the Films in Competition on April 29, where awards will be given for Best High School Narrative Film, Best High School Animation, Best College/University Narrative Film, Best College/University Animation, and Best College/University Documentary.
All events are free, open to the public, and scheduled to take place at the Normal Theater, 209 W. North St., Normal. Find the full schedule of showings and events on the Foxtail website.
“Creating a film is an incredible experience, but it’s very different from sitting in a theater with people watching and reacting to what you’ve created,” said Foxtail Director Andrew Ventimiglia, who is an assistant professor in the School of Communication at Illinois State University. “This will be an incredible opportunity for the students to have their films shown, and for the community to enjoy some amazing films.”
Along with screenings, highlighted events include:
Professional filmmakers Griffin Hammond and Doug Spilatro
Thursday, April 27
7 p.m.
Spilatro leads the VFX department for Company 3. He has supervised visual effects work on an impressive number of features, including Oscar-winning dramas such as The Revenant, Birdman, The Post, and Fences.
Hammond ’07 is a freelance documentary filmmaker, known for sharing DIY filmmaking tutorials, and his award-winning hot sauce documentary Sriracha.
ISU Filmmaker Showcase
Friday, April 28
7 p.m.
Showing of films from Illinois State University students, including documentary, animation, experimental film, and narrative film. The audience will have an opportunity to vote on a “People’s Choice Award.”
DIY independent filmmaking workshop
Saturday, April 29
3-5 p.m.
Led by Hammond, the workshop will offer guidance to independent filmmakers on their journey.
Films in Competition
Saturday, April 29
7 p.m.
The Foxtail Film Festival will screen films submitted by high school and university students from around the world.
Films will be shown for the categories of Best High School Narrative Film, Best High School Animation, Best College/University Narrative Film, Best College/University Animation, and Best College/University Documentary.
Foxtail is a peer-juried festival, meaning chosen submissions are selected by a team of students, under the guidance of festival board members. Student jurors are part of Ventimiglia’s Illinois State course, Film Festival Management and Curation. Located in the heart of Illinois, also known as the Prairie State, the new Foxtail Film Festival gets its name from the foxtail plant, which flourishes in the state.
Foxtail is supported by the Illinois State University School of Communication, Beyond Brand, the Normal Theater, and FilmFreeway.
