The seventh Hobnobben Film Festival kicks off on Thursday with an evening celebrating the Hoosier cinema.
The opening night of the festival includes a reception with catering from Banh Mi Pho Shop, a block of short films by Indiana filmmakers and a screening of “It Happened One Weekend”, a romantic comedy feature film shot mainly in Indianapolis. . Zac Cooper’s film won Best of Hoosier Lens and the People’s Choice Award for Narrative Feature at the 2022 Indy Film Festival.
The opening night shorts are “The Water’s Edge”, “Encore”, “The Brewing”, “First Day Creeps”, “Two Soles”, and “The Colorful Mind of Jayce Dean Parker”.
“The world premiere of my short, ‘The Water’s Edge’, at the Hobnobben Film Festival is a major milestone in my career,” local filmmaker Victoria Britton said in a press release from festival organizers. “The film is a reflection on anticipated mourning. I can’t imagine a more conducive environment than my hometown film festival to showcase this deeply personal narrative for the first time. I’m excited to continue to grow Fort Wayne’s network of unique creatives and help grow the local industry.
In addition to the films, the festival includes networking and learning opportunities for filmmakers, such as discussions on Indiana tax incentives and tips on pitching projects.
Hobnobben, a major fundraiser for Cinema Center, returns to the downtown arthouse theater after two years of running at the Embassy Theater, where the festival could take advantage of more space for social distancing in the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The return to the Cinéma Center with its two screens doubles the festival’s programming to 46 hours of film this year. Of the 128 films selected, more than 25% have an Indiana connection, organizers said. Film blocks include topics such as Life Aquatic and Fishing, Queer Life, Black Motherhood, Grieving, and Finding Connections.
Hobnobben strives to present diverse stories and voices not often found in mainstream films. Selections include non-Western perspectives, stories of body positivity, and works by non-white and female filmmakers.
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“As a festival, we’ve really tried to take into consideration some groups that have historically been excluded from the film industry and some stories that you don’t really see on screen,” co-chair Christi Hille told the Journal Gazette. this summer. “Our film festival invites you to really be part of the film and see yourself on screen.”
Festival winners in 10 categories will be announced during the awards ceremony at 7 p.m. on October 15. The ceremony includes an opening reception with hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar in the audience lounge followed by a screening of the German romantic comedy “Sweet Disaster.” in the main theater. Hobnobben ends on October 16.
Single-day passes are $30, except for opening night, which is $15. A four-day pass is $60 and an all-access VIP pass is $150. General admission tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students, as are tickets to the awards ceremony. Virtual tickets are also available to watch the movies online.
For tickets and a full schedule of screenings and panels, visit Hobnobben.org.
