Snowtown Film Fest partners with WPBS during 'transition' year
Jan. 26—WATERTOWN — The ninth annual Snowtown Film Festival kicks off with a "flannel casual" red carpet reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Empire Square, 65 Public Square, but films in the festival will be televised through a partnership with WPBS-TV.
The 18 films selected for the festival will be shown over four Saturdays beginning at 8 p.m. this Saturday and concluding Feb. 18. All are short films, with the longest clocking in at 25 minutes. Each Saturday block is approximately one hour in length.
"This is a transition year for us," said Snowtown Film Festival board member and co-founder Stephen Hunt. "We want to reorganize a little bit and still want to do in-person, and we plan to next year. This is a great partnership with WPBS and we're excited about this opportunity to be partnering with them."
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival was virtual in 2021 and 2022. Festival organizers have worked with WPBS in the past, such as a preview screening at WPBS last year and the station airing a "sneak preview" in 2021.
"Coming out of the pandemic, we're exploring the best way to showcase filmmakers and build the film festival for the future," said Marc Knapp, president of the festival. "Snow Town Film Festival is fortunate to be able to work with an organization like WPBS, that is so focused on the community and the arts."
"It fits very nicely with our mandate," said Mark Prasuhn, president and general manager of WPBS-TV. The mandate includes promoting education, the arts and local culture.
"It fits on a few levels really well for us," Mr. Prasuhn said. "That's why we were excited to get involved with Snowtown a little more deeply during the pandemic and this is sort of stepping it up a little bit further, working with them to deliver the entire festival this way."
A panel of judges selected films from nearly 400 submitted for consideration. This year's selections include 18 films from 13 countries, including Canada. Northern New York is also represented.
WPBS is a PBS station serving approximately 650,000 households throughout Northern New York and Eastern Ontario via cable, satellite, internet and over-the-air distribution. In addition to broadcasting all official film selections, WPBS will air filmmaker interviews.
"I'm excited about it," said Mr. Prasuhn. "It's going to make the festival available to people across the north country and beyond the area as well. "That's all good, and hopefully we'll kind of set the stage for their future plans."
Friday's red carpet reception at Empire Square will feature drinks and hors d'oeuvres. The night will also include red carpet photo opportunities, networking, movie trivia, and door prizes. Tickets are $10 at the door.
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The 18 films in the festival are from the USA, Canada, Finland, France, Norway, Spain and Switzerland The schedule of the films on WPBS:
8 p.m. Saturday:
"Have a Nice Day Forever"
"Musical Mayhem"
"Kiss 'N' Ride"
"Next Stop Sneg"
8 p.m. Feb. 4
"Yellowstone 88 — Song of Fire"
"The Roads We Travel"
"Frame Fumble"
"Bob Jones, Decoy Carver"
"Moving Forward"
"Misophonia"
8 p.m. Feb. 11
"Changing With the Seasons"
"La Modernité Devient Liquide /The Modern Sea is Dying"
"I Got Time"
"Evelyn"
8 p.m. Feb. 18
"Go to the Woods"
"Loop"
"Snow Happens"
"Su Rider"
The details
n WHAT: Ninth annual Snowtown Film Festival.
n OPENING: A kick-off "flannel casual" red carpet reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Empire Square, 65 Public Square, Watertown. The night will include red carpet photo opportunities, networking, movie trivia and door prizes. Tickets, $10 at the door.
n FILMS: Official film selections will be broadcast on WPBS at 8 p.m. on Saturdays: Jan. 28 and Feb. 4, 11, and 18.
n MORE INFO: snowtownfilmfestival.com
