For four days in September, the Colonial Theatre will become a gathering place for filmmakers, screenwriters and movie fans as the Phoenixville Film Festival returns for its fourth year.
Running Thursday, September 17 through Sunday, September 20, the festival will bring feature films, documentaries and dozens of shorts to the Colonial, including world premieres, Pennsylvania premieres and work created by local filmmakers.
But the weekend is not limited to watching movies.
Live screenplay readings, workshops, masterclasses, parties and an awards ceremony will give audiences a closer look at how stories make their way from an idea to the screen.
A Film Festival for More Than Filmmakers
A Film Festival for More Than Filmmakers
Film festivals can sometimes feel as though they are designed for people already working in the industry. Phoenixville’s festival offers plenty for filmmakers, but the schedule is also approachable for anyone who simply enjoys discovering a good movie.
Instead of choosing from the same handful of films playing everywhere else, audiences can watch independent work they may not have another opportunity to see in a theater. The lineup ranges from full-length narrative films and documentaries to blocks of shorts that move through different subjects, styles and genres in a single sitting.
Many of the screenings include films making their world, United States or Pennsylvania premieres. The program also highlights local filmmakers and projects created by women and LGBTQ+ filmmakers.
The festival’s setting makes it feel particularly at home in Phoenixville. The Colonial has been part of the town for more than 120 years, and its place in cinematic history was secured when it appeared in the 1958 science-fiction classic The Blob. It is difficult to imagine a better place for local audiences and independent filmmakers to meet.
Opening Night
Opening Night
The festival begins Thursday, September 17 at 7 p.m. with an opening-night collection in the Colonial’s White Rabbit Theatre.
The program includes a mix of short films, documentary work, local filmmakers and premieres, giving audiences an early look at the variety that will continue throughout the weekend.
Following the screenings, all-access badge holders can head across Bridge Street to Bistro on Bridge for a filmmaker and screenwriter meet-and-greet beginning at 9:30 p.m.
Friday: Screenplays, Workshops and a Red Carpet
Friday: Screenplays, Workshops and a Red Carpet
Friday’s programming begins at 11 a.m. with the first Screenplay Speak Easy in the Berry Theatre. During these free live readings, audiences can experience selected scripts as performed stories rather than finished films.
A free workshop, The Filmmaker’s Perspective, follows at 1 p.m. in the Garden Suite.
A Full Saturday at the Colonial
The films begin at 2 p.m. with the United States premiere of The Devil in the Way, a Mexican feature about a former soldier carrying his son’s coffin through a country devastated by war while confronting the ghosts of his own past.
Two separate short-film blocks follow at 4:30 and 6:30 p.m., each combining several independent films into one screening.
Friday concludes with the festival’s Red Carpet Gala at 8:30 p.m. in the Garden Suite.
A Full Saturday at the Colonial
Saturday offers the festival’s busiest schedule, with films and educational programs running alongside one another.
The day begins with Short Films Block 3 at 11 a.m. in the White Rabbit Theatre. At 11:30 a.m., Professor Jeff Bender will lead a Scene Design Masterclass in the Garden Suite.
A free workshop called Connecting Through Creativity begins at 1 p.m., followed by the documentary presentation Crime & Parody at 3 p.m.
Those interested in animation can learn some of the craft for themselves during the Build a Stop Motion Puppet masterclass at 3:30 p.m.
The evening includes Honeyjoon with accompanying short films at 5 p.m. and another collection of shorts at 7 p.m. The night then moves from the theater to REC Room for an all-access badge-holder after-party beginning at 9:30 p.m.
Screenwriting, Sound and Awards on Sunday
Screenwriting, Sound and Awards on Sunday
Sunday starts at 10 a.m. with The Screenwriter’s Table, a free workshop in the Garden Suite. The second Screenplay Speak Easy follows at 11 a.m. in the Berry Theatre, also with free admission.
The final day’s screenings include the documentary feature Land of Canaan at 12:30 p.m., a collection of short documentaries at 2:30 p.m. and the festival’s fifth and final short-film block at 4:30 p.m.
At 1 p.m., filmmaker and composer Keith Giosa will lead Sound of the Story, a masterclass exploring the role sound plays in shaping what audiences experience on screen.
The four-day festival concludes with Awards Night at 7 p.m. in the Garden Suite. Honors will recognize feature films, documentaries, shorts, animation, performances, screenplays and local projects, along with an award chosen by the audience.
Choose One Screening or Make a Weekend of It
Choose One Screening or Make a Weekend of It
You do not need to attend the entire festival to take part.
Individual tickets are available for screenings and paid programs, while several of the screenplay readings and workshops are free with advance registration. Individual film screenings are generally listed at $10 before ticketing fees.
For anyone who wants the full experience, a $65 All Access Pass includes all four days of screenings, panels, workshops, networking events and festival celebrations. It also provides entry to badge-holder events at Bistro on Bridge and REC Room.
The Phoenixville Film Festival will run September 17–20 at the Colonial Theatre, located at 227 Bridge Street in downtown Phoenixville.
The complete lineup, film descriptions, schedule and tickets are available through the Phoenixville Film Festival’s official website.