fall is for film festivals

As temperatures drop and more sedentary seasons begin, the only thing better than a night out at the movies may be an entire weekend at the movies. There are several area film festivals returning this fall, showing new and original movies and stimulating conversations between filmmakers and fans.    

Get cozy at The Music Hall’s newly remodeled lobby in downtown Portsmouth before the 10th annual Telluride by the Sea (www.themusichall.org), which runs from Friday, Sept. 19 to Sunday, Sept. 21. Six films have been selected after premiering at the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado.

This version of Telluride offers the Northeast an exclusive peek into the festival experience with a weekend of the latest international cinema, private parties, live music, dining and inspired conversations with a variety of cinema goers. “Portsmouth buzzes when Telluride by the Sea arrives,” says Music Hall executive director Patricia Lynch.

The Telluride films this year are “Happy Go Lucky,” Miramax Films’ U.K. feature by Oscar nominated director Mike Leigh; “Gomorrah,” a fast-paced and unsettling Italian entry about the mob; “Kisses,” a magical coming of age gem from Dublin; “I’ve Loved You So Long,” a Scott Thomas vehicle from France; “Helen,” which follows the story of a girl gone missing in an English town; and “O’Horten,” an enchanting film from the Norwegian director of “Factotum.”

Tickets are $12.50 per screening, $85 for a weekend pass or $200 for a patron pass. Passes entitle holders to priority seating at each film, plus other exclusive benefits and special events. Patron pass holders will also be the first to party in the lobby prior to Friday night’s first film.

The N.H. Technical Institute in Concord will host a showing of the best selections submitted to the Manhattan Short Film Festival (www.msfilmfest.org), with screenings on Friday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m., and Saturday, Sept. 27 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The organizers in New York have selected 12 finalists out of 429 entries from all over the world for audiences to view and vote on during roughly one week. It’s the largest short film festival in the world and one of few in which the public picks the winner.
The finalist are “Ripple,” “Ode Ober,” “Rachel,” “Teat Beat of Sex,” “Sour Milk,” “New Boy,” “Mother Mine,” “Make My Day,” “The Game,” “Change Coming,” “Viva Sunita” and “The Golden Thread.” Admission is $8.

The Newburyport Documentary Film Festival (www.newburyportfilmfestival.org) brings a wide range of film experiences to audiences on the Seacoast. The fifth annual event will be held Friday to Sunday, Sept. 26 to 28, at various locations in downtown Newburyport, Mass., including The Screening Room and The Firehouse Center for the Arts.

This year’s films include “A Kite Tale (we fly and you watch us),” “Aunty Betelnut,” “Bleeding Green,” “Elegy for the Elswick Envoy,” “Here, Kitty, Kitty,” “Katrina’s Children,” “Killer Poet,” “Ladies of the Land,” “SS United States: Lady in Waiting,” “Little Rock Central: 50 Years Later,” “Red Gold,” “Secrecy,” “Salt Harvesters of Ghana,” “The Big Read: A Conversation With Ray Bradbury,” “The Dhamma Brothers,” “Today the Hawk Takes One Chick,” “Very Young Girls,” “Waiting for Hockney” and “Weiner Takes All.” Advance tickets and passes for the festival will be available for purchase through the Web site.

The New Hampshire Film Festival (www.nhfilmfestival.com), slated for Thursday to Sunday, Oct. 16 to 19, in downtown Portsmouth, drew more than 600 submissions, making the 2008 field the largest in its eight-year history.

“The volume of submissions speaks to both the success of the New Hampshire Film Festival and the real need for a quality venue where filmmakers can share their work,” said festival director Nicole Gregg.

The total number of festival submissions has risen from about 100 in 2005 to about 300 in 2006 to about 500 in 2007. This year’s event also received a record number of more than 50 entries from within New Hampshire. The number of scripts submitted to the screenplay competition tripled to 94 entries.

The festival’s popularity means films face greater competition for acceptance. Tickets are available at The Music Hall box office at 603-436-2400 or www.themusichall.org, or by calling the festival at 603-647-6439. Prices range from $5 per screening to $150 for an all-access pass.

After screenings, many filmmakers will talk about their work and field questions from the audience. The festival also offers professional development and educational opportunities for filmmakers, screenwriters and film enthusiasts. In addition to the Young Filmmakers Workshop for 14- to 18-year-olds, the festival is presenting six more workshops and panel discussions.
The festival begins with New Hampshire Night, and then goes on to screen more than 60 domestic and international films. Ten Portsmouth venues will host screenings, professional workshops, networking events, industry expert panels and after-parties.

The Somewhat North of Boston (SNOB) Film Festival, a community initiative in Concord, celebrates and supports independent filmmaking for its seventh year from Friday to Sunday, Nov. 7 to 9. It provides a forum for dialog and learning and showcases a wide variety of media.

“We’ve got some very powerful and heavy-hitting films,” said festival co-chair Felicia Menard.

Films include “Racing Daylight,” “Mr. Big,” “A Silent Monsoon” and “The Staking of the President.” New Hampshire-made films include “Hell Raisers,” the true story of the original Crash Test Dummies; and “Play by Play Men,” about how sportscasters influence the game, according to Menard. 

The SNOB Film Festival (www.snobfilmfestival.org) is held at Red River Theater, a new non-profit movie theater in Concord. The New Hampshire Technical Institute provides a venue for student films on Saturday, Nov. 8. Ticket prices are expected to be $5 per block.