T
his month, the Fargo Film Festival is celebrating its 12th year at the historic Fargo Theatre. This five day movie-packed event that got its start in March of 2000 has been on the rise in popularity. Jam packed with celebrity appearances, informational and provocative presentations and a variety of film categories represented, this is one film festival movie lovers won’t want to miss.
The popularity of the Fargo Film Festival has been on the rise with 30 submissions in 2001 to its current average of more than 150 submissions from 28 states and 12 countries.
Once again, the Fargo Film Festival is bringing first-class movies to the area. From March 6 – 10, the Fargo Theatre will show more than 100 movies from seven different categories ranging from animations to documentaries.
The entertainment doesn’t end with the movies though. There will be a slew of speakers at the festival including “Mad Men” actor, Rich Sommer, and Jay and Silent Bob are the headlining speakers at 8 p.m. on March 6.
Nominations are received from around the country. People enter their movies into one of seven categories: animation, documentary short or feature, experimental, narrative short or feature and student. This year, the festival received a record 150+ submissions.
Many of the 100 films being shown at the festival are shorts. There will be three Oscar-nominated short films as well, and Beck is excited for them to show. These shorts include, “A Morning Stroll.”
These films range from a few minutes to half an hour. A popular contest is the “2 Minute Movie Contest.” As the name suggests there will be a winner chosen by a panel of five judges.
The first Fargo Lebowski Fest will be featured as well. This fest, which will feature all things related to the film “The Big Lebowski,” will take place at 9:30 p.m. at All-Star Bowl in Moorhead. It will feature a Big Lebowski-themed costume contest, Lebowski trivia contest and more.
Films will begin showing at 9 a.m. everyday of the Fargo Film Festival and will run in both theaters until the evening when the smaller theater will show its regularly scheduled programming. During lunch, there will be lunch panels discussing movies in the festival. These panels vary from organ donations to acting.
The festival will also host several films from MSUM film students. These films include “Ant Farm Gynoid, Francois Marconi: Man or God?”
Tickets to the Fargo Film Festival can be purchased by contacting the Fargo Theatre box office by calling 701.239.8385.
For more information visit the Fargo Film Festival’s website, www.fargofilmfestival.com.