While simply making a film is a passion project and can take years of work, getting your finished movie into a film festival can be nothing short of a miracle. In this episode, host Sandra Abrams takes a deep dive into film festivals and how to navigate the festival circuit for maximum exposure and a possible ticket to Hollywood. She speaks with Heather Waters, who is the founder and producer of the Richmond International Film Festival (RIFF) and runs the RIFF Arts Institute. In 2022, RIFF runs from June 7 to June 12. She then chats with Jon Gann, considered the guru of film festivals, who runs DC-based festival business, Reel Plan, and is the author of two books on the topic.
For tickets or to volunteer at the Richmond International Film Festival go to www.rvafilmfestival.com and for more information about Heather, visit: https://www.riffartsinstitute.org
You can learn more about Jon Gann’s company at www.reelplan.com and his 2021 film, Miss Alma Thomas: A Life in Color here: www.missalmathomas.com.
His books, “Behind the Screens: Programmers Reveal How Film Festivals Really Work” and “So You Want to Start a Film Festival: Conversations with Top Festival Creators” are available on Amazon.
