MINNEAPOLIS ST. PAUL INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL RETURNS IN APRIL 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Jennifer Weismann
jennifer@owl-marketing.com
AND… ACTION! MINNEAPOLIS ST. PAUL INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL RETURNS IN APRIL 2016
MSPIFF hits screens April 7 through 23
MINNEAPOLIS — January 8, 2016 — The Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival (MSPIFF) has reached a milestone year — this spring, the festival will celebrate its 35th Anniversary. After 35 years of presenting Minnesota audiences with the best in international, independent cinema, the event is stronger than ever, and the noteworthy occasion will be marked with special guests and events when MSPIFF returns April 7-April 23.
This year, the festival — one of the longest-running in the nation — will expand beyond its home base at St. Anthony Main Theatre in Minneapolis to new venues, most notably taking over the Uptown Theater the week of April 8-14. Other additions include a series of experimental shorts, curated in partnership with Cellular Cinema, as well as an extended youth cinema program presented in partnership with Twin Cities Youth Media Network and Intermedia Arts.
For 35 years, the staff of The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul has scoured international film festivals — from Sundance and Toronto to Berlin, Palm Springs, Busan, Guadalajara and San Sebastian — to bring a unique slate of international films to the Twin Cities that might otherwise never be screened in this market. Last year’s record-breaking 41,274 attendees explored films from 72 countries.
“The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival is a spring break vacation around the globe – right here at home. Since the festival’s founding, MSPIFF has shaped the region’s appreciation of international cinema, delivering audiences to remote locations, past the barriers of geography, time, culture, and even war,” said Susan Smoluchowski, executive director of the Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul, MSPIFF’s non-profit parent organization. “This year, we’re bringing in an amazing slate of new, groundbreaking works in every genre, directed by experienced foreign filmmakers to emerging local talent.”
The festival continues to evolve as it expands to reach new audiences. “Last year, the festival launched Cine Global, a program that connects more of Minnesota’s diverse communities to international cinema,” added Smoluchowski. “This year, our Spotlight on the World, inFLUX, will look at the journeys of immigrants, refugees, those who have been driven from their homes, and those who choose to move in search of new opportunity, giving depth to lives too often encountered as newsbites.”
The complete line up of films and events, including the always-stylish andwelcoming opening celebration, closing party, DJ nights, and visiting filmmaker mixers will be announced in early March. Festival Passes and 6-packs are on sale now through mspfilm.org, with individual ticket sales opening on March 17 to members and to the public on March 24. Discounts up to 15 percent off apply for early bird pass purchases.
MSPIFF is supported by Legacy Amendment Funding through the Minnesota State Arts Board, Cedarwoods Foundation, the McKnight Foundation, The Star Tribune, numerous international Consulates and generous members of the Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul, among many others. For details, visit mspfilm.org/festivals/mspiff.
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