Traverse City Film Festival
The Traverse City Film Festival is an annual film festival held every late July through early August in Traverse City, Michigan. The festival was created as an annual event in 2005 to help “save one of America's few indigenous art forms—the cinema."[1] The event was co-founded by Michael Moore, the Oscar-winning film director, well known for his anti-establishment films and documentaries such as Fahrenheit 9/11, Bowling for Columbine, and Roger & Me, along with author Doug Stanton and photographer John Robert Williams.
Public screening with inflatable movie screen
The mission of the Festival is to show movies representing excellence in filmmaking, particularly those rare independent films and documentaries by both noted and new filmmakers, that do not receive mainstream distribution. The Traverse City Film Festival is a non-profit organization, and is funded by businesses, community groups and individuals, plus ticket sales for various events. The Festival is headed by a committee of Michigan area filmmakers, writers, and creative professionals. Deb Lake has been the executive director of the Traverse City Film Festival since 2006, and is one of only two paid employees who work year round[2] All other work is done by the nearly 1,000 volunteers.
- The eighth annual festival was held from July 31 – August 5, 2012.
- The ninth annual festival was held July 30 – August 4, 2013. For 2013, the Festival renovated the former Con Foster Museum into a theater that was named Bijou by the Bay which opened in time for the 2013 Traverse City Film Festival.
Official Selections
2005
The 2005 Traverse City Film Festival was held July 27–31. The 5-day event featured many independent films, plus four classic films. The independent films were shown in three indoor venues in downtown Traverse City: the State Theatre, the Old Town Playhouse, and the City Opera House. In addition, each night, a classic film was shown on a giant inflatable screen along West Grand Traverse Bay in the city’s Open Space Park. Broken Flowers, a winner at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival, was shown at the Traverse City Film Festival before being released to the general public. Other 2005 Traverse City Film Festival selections covered a gamut of film subjects ranging from period romances, unemployment, terrorism, among many other subjects.
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Free Movies at the Open Space: |
2006
The second annual Traverse City Film Festival was held July 31 – August 6, 2006.
2007
The third annual festival was held July 31 – August 5, 2007.
2008
The fourth annual festival: July 29 – August 3, 2008. Special appearance by Madonna, on August 2, 2008, introducing her film I Am Because We Are. Michigan Filmmaker Award went to Kurt Luedtke. Also world premiere for Religulous.
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Free Movies at the Open Space: |
2009
The fifth annual festival was held from July 28 – August 2, 2009.
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Free Movies at the Open Space:
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2010
The sixth annual festival was held from July 27 – August 1, 2010.
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Opening and Closing Night:
TCFF 3D: Comedy & Drama from Home and Abroad:
The Beatles at the Movies (A 40th Anniversary): A Salute to Cuban Film:
Shorts Programs:
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Dangerous Docs:
Midnight: Special Screenings:
Kids Fest:
Free Movies at the Open Space: |
2011
The seventh annual festival was held from July 26–31, 2011.
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Opening and Closing Night: US Indies:
New Foreign Cinema:
State Theatre Centennial Celebration:
50th Anniversary of To Kill a Mockingbird:
Union! Our Salute to Public Employees:
100th Birthday Celebration of Roy Rogers:
Tribute to Jafar Panahi: Lost Gems: Special Screenings:
Kids Fest:
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Dangerous Docs:
Experimental Film:
Midnight:
Kids Fest:
Shorts Programs:
Free Movies at the Open Space:
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2012
The eighth annual festival was held from July 31 - August 5, 2012.
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Opening & Closing Night and Centerpiece Screenings:
Hollywood Sneak Previews:
Friends Only Screenings:
Susan Sarandon Tribute:
Wim Wenders Tribute: State Theatre Centennial Celebration:
Occupy the Cinema!:
Women:
US Indies:
New Foreign Cinema: |
Dangerous Docs:
Midnight:
Experimental Film at Dutmers:
Special Screenings:
Kids Fest:
Shorts Programs:
Free Movies at the Open Space:
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2013
The ninth annual festival was held from July 30 - August 4, 2013. Paul Feig was honored with the Michigan Filmmaker Award and Michael Apted with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Liana Liberato received the Discovery Award and Mark Cousins, Rob Epstein, and Jeffrey Friedman received the Visionary Award.
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Opening & Closing Night and Centerpiece Screenings:
Documentary:
American:
State Theatre Centennial Celebration: Before the Code: Michael Apted Tribute:
Tribute to Paul Feig: |
Foreign:
Midnight:
Experimental Film at Dutmers:
Special Screenings:
Kids Fest:
Friends Only Screenings:
TCFF Shorts:
Free Movies at the Open Space: |
2014
The tenth anniversary festival was held from July 29 - August 3, 2014.
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Opening & Closing Night and Centerpiece Screenings:
Documentary:
American:
State Theatre Centennial Celebration:
Special Screenings:
Kids Fest:
Free Movies at the Open Space:
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Foreign:
Free Movies at the Buzz:
Midnight:
Experimental Film at Dutmers:
Friends Only Screenings:
TCFF Shorts:
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Notable Filmmakers & Guests
Board Members
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Staff
- Executive Director: Deb Lake
- Business Manager: Susan Fisher