We still have a few weeks before the Portland Maine Film Festival gets started—heck, we don’t even know what movies they’ll be playing this year—but there are still plenty of reasons to start getting excited about Portland’s very own film festival.
I recently called up Tyler Johnston, Founder and Executive Director of the fest to ask him what makes this particular festival so special. “Portland is such a great town. It’s an emerging center for arts and innovation, not just in Maine but nationwide,” he said, earnestly. “And we all know it’s a wonderful city to live and work in.”
But how does the festival hope to contribute to Portland’s widely acknowledged reputation as a center for the arts? “The festival is working to represent the creative economy in Portland through motion pictures. It provides talented filmmakers with the opportunity to to share ideas and show work. It also brings in professionals from outside the state to screen their work with local filmmakers and a larger professional network.
“I think there’s a lot of really incredible moments that happen during the festival. Not only while people are watching the films, but at festival parties or at events where people are getting to know each other, sharing ideas and love of film. You get to see the ideas being generated. Its a ripple effect of people building relationships, getting ideas, and wanting to work together.” Did you hear that, aspiring filmmakers? This film festival is THE place to meet the talent, share ideas, find the like-minded souls you need to get a new film project off the ground.
So if you’re dying to meet some of Portland’s coolest and most productive movie makers, look no further than the Portland Maine Film Festival. And if you want to get a head start on the network-building and professional mingling, get thee to Think Tank this Thursday, September 20 for the Portland Maine Film Festival Pre Fest Mixer (try saying that mouthful more than once). Get more details—and check out the lineup, to be announced Thursday—at the PMFF website.
Drop some knowledge.