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10th annual film festival will be ‘biggest one yet’

Capitol Theater
/
courtesy photo

The Snake Alley Festival of Film started in 2012 in the newly reopened Capitol Theater.

A decade later, this year’s festival will feature more than 130 award-winning short films and 10 short screenplay finalists.

Organizers said the 10th annual SNAFF is the biggest one yet.

“We get hundreds of submissions from around the world," said festival director Tadd Good. “Every year we get more and more as our reputation sort of grows.”

The films range from one to 35 minutes in a number of genres, including animation, drama, comedy, fantasy, horror, documentary and music videos.

SNAFF started as a weekend event, and then grew to three days.

Now it’s a four-day festival, with this year’s running from Thursday, July 21, to Sunday, July 24.

Good said that’s because as submissions have increased, organizers wanted to give more filmmakers the opportunity for their work to be shown in front of an audience.

He explained that a lot of shorts films are posted on YouTube or Vimeo and shared with friends and family, but they don’t always get wider reception.

“With a film festival, you get to play it in front of a live audience, you get to see your film on a big screen, you get to do the Q and A, so people can ask questions and hear about the process,” Good said.

New to SNAFF this year is a block of family-friendly films appropriate for all ages.

Some of those films are even made by children, Good said.

One highlight this year is that filmmaker Scott Beck will be there for a career-spanning discussion and Q and A.

Beck, who was raised in Bettendorf, co-wrote and executive produced the movie “A Quiet Place” for Paramount Pictures.

Good said Beck is a good inspiration not only for young filmmakers, but for filmmakers from this area.

“He didn’t come from a film background,” Good said. “He went to school at the University of Iowa, and now he’s at the top, so I think he’s a great example of what our film festival is all about.”

Tickets for the festival are available by film block, by day, or all-access. A full schedule of showings is online at www.snakealleyfestivaloffilm.com

Tri States Public Radio produced this story.  TSPR relies on financial support from our readers and listeners in order to provide coverage of the issues that matter to west central Illinois, southeast Iowa, and northeast Missouri. As someone who values the content created by TSPR's news department please consider making a financial contribution.

Jane Carlson is TSPR's regional reporter.