Page 22 - Chester County Chamber - 2024 Guide & Membership Directory

ARTS & LIFESTYLE
WEST CHESTER FILM FESTIVAL:
Celebrating Global Creativity in Chester County
Founded in 2003, the West Chester Film Festival is an annual
celebration of international short film taking place over the last
weekend in April. (The 2025 festival is scheduled for April 25-27.)
“It really gets a lot of people to come out and participate in the arts
scene,” said Victoria Rose, the festival’s Director of Sponsorship. All
films shown at the festival are 30 minutes or less, and submissions
come from all around the world.
“We have different genres represented too,” Rose said. “We have
comedy, drama, documentary, animation, art/experimental.” Awards
are given for each of those genres, as well as for the best student,
female and Pennsylvania filmmakers. Festival attendees can also
cast votes for a people’s choice award.
Festival screenings are located at the Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts
Center, but pop-up events also take place all around West Chester. “It’s
a throwback to how the festival started — in empty storefronts and
backrooms that we could just use for the weekend,” Rose said.
Many of the pop-up events are themed. For example, most years, a
horror-themed movie collection is screened on Friday nights. Other
themed movie pop-ups have included Pennsylvania stories and
French films.
Johanna Halsmith-Weisser/Aperture Aerials Photography
The festival’s organizers also host events year-round — such as a
June event to honor both Juneteenth and Pride, and a scary film
fest that was being planned for fall 2024 at the time of writing.
For anyone looking to support the festival, sponsors are always
welcome, Rose said. “We love getting the community involved,”
she said. “We want this to be an event where people come into
town and stay the weekend, and we like sending those people to
downtown businesses.” To learn more about sponsorship perks and
options, email sponsorship@westchesterfilmfestival.com.
Learn more about the festival at westchesterfilmfestival.com.
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