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not a great start, but a start
[[Image:FilmFestivalLogo.jpg|right|200px|Pensacola International Film Festival]]
The '''Pensacola International Film Festival''' is a film festival that was founded (as the '''Pensacola Bay International Film & Television Festival''') by [[Escambia Film Commission]]er [[Tom Roush]], [[Dee Dee Ritchie]] and others who wanted "to showcase our beautiful Gulf Coast as a progressive area."<ref>"Pensacola film festival seeks to build big-screen respect." ''Pensacola News Journal'', September 7, 2002.</ref> The name was later shortened to the '''Pensacola Bay International Film Festival''' and again to the current name.
==Inaugural festival==
The first festival took place from [[March 20]]-23, [[2003]]. Some of the approximately 50 films screened included ''Purpose'', a Showtime movie written by Roush; ''Made-Up'', the directorial debut of [[Wikipedia:Tony Shalhoub|Tony Shalhoub]], who attended the screening; and ''Coral Reef Adventure'', an IMAX movie shown at [[National Museum of Naval Aviation]]'s theater. With the recent start of the [[Iraq War]], much of [[NAS Pensacola]] had been closed to the public, and the estimated 850 attendees were forced to use the base's west gate at [[Blue Angel Parkway]] to access the museum.<ref>"Film festival kicks off." ''Pensacola News Journal'', March 21, 2003.</ref> About 10,000 people attended the festival's 50 movies.<ref>"That's a wrap! Film festival ends successful second year." ''Pensacola News Journal'', March 22, 2004.</ref>
==Local connections==
Many of the movies shown at the festival have local connections. For example, 2003 festival selection ''Purpose'' was written by director [[Tom Roush]]. In 2004, comedy troupe [[Wikipedia:Broken Lizard|Broken Lizard]], of which Pensacola native [[Eric Stolhanske]] is a member, screened their movies ''Club Dread'', ''Super Troopers'' and ''Puddle Cruiser'', and local filmmaker [[Daniel Stepp]] showed his short film "[[End of August]]." [[Wikipedia:Weather Channel|Weather Channel]] meteorologist [[Wikipedia:Mike Bettes|Mike Bettes]] attended the [[2005]] festival to premiere an episode of "Storm Stories" about [[Hurricane Ivan]], and Pensacola native [[Anthony LaMolinara]] screened his short film ''Lonesome Matador'' and showed off his Visual Effects Oscar for [[Wikipedia:Spider-Man 2|Spider-Man 2]].
[[Kevin Wheatley]] showed a 14-minute preview of ''[[Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell]]'' at the 2005 festival. The entire ''Threshold of Hell'' film, shot on [[Pensacola Beach]], was the main attraction of the [[2006]] festival, as well as the documentary ''[[Wikipedia:Jesus Camp|Jesus Camp]]'' featuring local attorney and liberal radio host [[Mike Papantonio]]. The 2007 festival opened with a screening of ''[[Lillie & Leander: A Legacy of Violence]]'', about the [[1908]] lynching of [[Leander Shaw]] and its aftermath, on the park green of [[Plaza Ferdinand VII]] where Shaw was hanged. Another 2007 selection, ''Permanent Vacation'', was filmed in the Pensacola area.
==Past festivals==
{{sectstub}}
<!-- Maybe a table with dates, major selections (linked to their IMDb entries), and estimated attendance could go here?-->
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.pensacolafilmfestival.com/ PensacolaFilmFestival.com] - Official site
[[Category:Film festivals]]
The '''Pensacola International Film Festival''' is a film festival that was founded (as the '''Pensacola Bay International Film & Television Festival''') by [[Escambia Film Commission]]er [[Tom Roush]], [[Dee Dee Ritchie]] and others who wanted "to showcase our beautiful Gulf Coast as a progressive area."<ref>"Pensacola film festival seeks to build big-screen respect." ''Pensacola News Journal'', September 7, 2002.</ref> The name was later shortened to the '''Pensacola Bay International Film Festival''' and again to the current name.
==Inaugural festival==
The first festival took place from [[March 20]]-23, [[2003]]. Some of the approximately 50 films screened included ''Purpose'', a Showtime movie written by Roush; ''Made-Up'', the directorial debut of [[Wikipedia:Tony Shalhoub|Tony Shalhoub]], who attended the screening; and ''Coral Reef Adventure'', an IMAX movie shown at [[National Museum of Naval Aviation]]'s theater. With the recent start of the [[Iraq War]], much of [[NAS Pensacola]] had been closed to the public, and the estimated 850 attendees were forced to use the base's west gate at [[Blue Angel Parkway]] to access the museum.<ref>"Film festival kicks off." ''Pensacola News Journal'', March 21, 2003.</ref> About 10,000 people attended the festival's 50 movies.<ref>"That's a wrap! Film festival ends successful second year." ''Pensacola News Journal'', March 22, 2004.</ref>
==Local connections==
Many of the movies shown at the festival have local connections. For example, 2003 festival selection ''Purpose'' was written by director [[Tom Roush]]. In 2004, comedy troupe [[Wikipedia:Broken Lizard|Broken Lizard]], of which Pensacola native [[Eric Stolhanske]] is a member, screened their movies ''Club Dread'', ''Super Troopers'' and ''Puddle Cruiser'', and local filmmaker [[Daniel Stepp]] showed his short film "[[End of August]]." [[Wikipedia:Weather Channel|Weather Channel]] meteorologist [[Wikipedia:Mike Bettes|Mike Bettes]] attended the [[2005]] festival to premiere an episode of "Storm Stories" about [[Hurricane Ivan]], and Pensacola native [[Anthony LaMolinara]] screened his short film ''Lonesome Matador'' and showed off his Visual Effects Oscar for [[Wikipedia:Spider-Man 2|Spider-Man 2]].
[[Kevin Wheatley]] showed a 14-minute preview of ''[[Beach Party at the Threshold of Hell]]'' at the 2005 festival. The entire ''Threshold of Hell'' film, shot on [[Pensacola Beach]], was the main attraction of the [[2006]] festival, as well as the documentary ''[[Wikipedia:Jesus Camp|Jesus Camp]]'' featuring local attorney and liberal radio host [[Mike Papantonio]]. The 2007 festival opened with a screening of ''[[Lillie & Leander: A Legacy of Violence]]'', about the [[1908]] lynching of [[Leander Shaw]] and its aftermath, on the park green of [[Plaza Ferdinand VII]] where Shaw was hanged. Another 2007 selection, ''Permanent Vacation'', was filmed in the Pensacola area.
==Past festivals==
{{sectstub}}
<!-- Maybe a table with dates, major selections (linked to their IMDb entries), and estimated attendance could go here?-->
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.pensacolafilmfestival.com/ PensacolaFilmFestival.com] - Official site
[[Category:Film festivals]]
