Adopt a Filmmaker

Adopt A Filmmaker

During the first six years of the Beloit International Film Festival, programs like Cinema a la Carte, Hospitality Partners, Reveal Parties (now “Sneak Peeks”), Launch and Laurels, and the Silent Film Showcase have been critical in building the reputation of BIFF both with a regional audience and with an international cadre of filmmakers who have served as our ambassadors to the industry.

Past

People have asked us about the possibility of resuming the Cinema a la Carte dinners and it’s something we are considering for the future. As you know, this type of event takes time, attention to detail, and a willing group of participants. In the last few years, as the economy has lagged, we felt that it would be a challenge to find hosts and participants, not to mention a chairperson, with that great eye for detail that made Cinema a la Carte popular in the first place.

Present

But BIFF has continued to grow and in response to a challenge put to us by Diane Hendricks, we have been working to take BIFF to “the next level”. This year we have worked to raise the quality of every aspect of the program. In February, you will experience new projection and sound equipment. We have raised the level of the films, securing films that normally would be seen only at the major festivals internationally. We have become truly regional with 16 venues in Beloit, Rockford, and Janesville. We have transformed our volunteers into BIFF “Ambassadors”. And that’s just for starters.
BIFF will have new programs this year including:

    • BIFF Latino—A day of Spanish language films and entertainment for the whole family.
    • BIFF for the Deaf—American Sign Language films for the deaf community.
    • New Kids at BIFF—A greatly expanded series of programs that will touch the lives of thousands of school children in the region at all levels.

To accomplish this, we have sought new sponsors and underwriters. Many of our traditional supporters have increased their support, and businesses, institutions and individuals have stepped forward to provide new underwriting.

Future

BIFF is a community program and we are coming to you to seek your participation once again. We still need to raise $20,000 to keep the Festival moving forward. We have developed a program called Adopt-A-Filmmaker which will require no cooking or cleaning of the house, but will offer our oldest friends and veteran supporters exclusive opportunities for connecting with the 100 + filmmakers coming from around the world. It will also allow us to introduce these talented creative artists to a special circle of local “hosts.”

Support Levels

Participants at the $500 and $1,000 level will be invited to a private Cinema a la Carte brunch on BIFF Saturday at the Beloit Inn where they will meet their “adopted” filmmaker. They will also be invited to the closing “Wrap” party, will have special seats for the Silent Film Showcase, and other chances to connect with our special guests. Finally, we will notify you in advance of special films that are coming—and there are about a dozen that ordinarily would only be seen at places like Vancouver, Tribeca and Cannes—so that you can secure advance tickets.
This is the 7th year of BIFF, and it will be the year that people talk about for a long time.

Thank you for your past and continued support.