New Dates for Cinema á la Carte

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Hey! Great News! The beloved Packers are in the playoffs!

Green Bay PackersAs you likely know much of WI closes down when the Pack is playing. So, to remove the delemma this presents for our BIFF fans who are also Pack fans we too have called a little play action. We’ve changed the dates or our two remaining Cinema ala Carte dinners.

Buena Vista Social ClubWe’ve cleared this with those who’ve already made reservations and there are still some slots available. So call up a friend or two, come out and share an evening with some friends, BIFF film fans and great food. Ratatouille

Your support helps the BIFF Fund for Emerging Artists. Support the Arts. Call some friends and let’s make a party of it.

See all the detail on Cinema ala Carte here.

Bigger, Better, Best Yet: More Films & More Venues

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As programs develop for the Sixth Beloit International Film Festival, Feb. 17-20, all the elements are expanding to accommodate a record number of films for this year. The number of venues for the 2011 Festival will increase by 50 percent.

“This will allow us to not only show more films but also to repeat a number of films that we know will be drawing attention,”.

“The quality of the films is very high but each year, certain films wind up in great demand either because of subject matter, contact with the filmmakers or just the general buzz. With more venues we can try to predict some of those and make the films more accessible.”

This year, a dozen screening venues in Beloit and Janesville will present almost 140 films in all genres. The Beloit venues will include a number of old favorites like Bagels and More, Bushel and Peck’s Local Market, Casa Grande Mexican Restaurant, Domenico’s Italian Restaurant and the Beloit Public Library. New this year will be The Angel Museum, and the Rotary River Center and two venues in the Hendricks Center for the Arts – the spacious studio One, and the more intimate Film Studies Classroom. The Eclipse Center will once again provide the largest presentation space for major films including the Saturday evening M&I Bank & Wealth Management Silent Film Showcase.

For the first time, BIFF will also present films in Janesville at The Metropolitan Restaurant on Main Street. Shuttle bus transportation will also be provided between the Metropolitan and Downtown Beloit throughout the Festival.

“This makes scheduling a real challenge but we expect an increase in audience numbers this year and we hate to turn people away”.

BIFF 2011, sponsored by The Hendricks Group of Beloit in association with Beloit College and with a grant from Visit Beloit, marks the sixth year for the independent film festival. Approximately 140 films will be shown during the four day event, Feb 17-20. Information is available at www.beloitfilmfest.org .

Cinema Café – Feb. 19th, 2011

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What do you do in Beloit on the Saturday morning of the Beloit International Film Festival? That has been a perennial question for visitors and local residents who are engaged in all the exciting events of the four day festival. Well, ask no more.

I know. It's a evening pic but you get the idea. :-) Photo Credit: Mark Preuschl

This year, BIFF in cooperation with a score of BIFF Hospitality Partners in downtown Beloit, will launch Cinema Café from 10 am to noon on Saturday, February 19. Wake up with a filmmaker downtown on Saturday morning and it may change your life…or at least the films you watch the rest of the weekend. And there will be some great bargains to boot.

Date: Saturday Feb. 19th
Time: 10:00 am – Noon
Location: Downtown Beloit – multiple locations



More than 25 Beloit downtown retailers, businesses and organizations will welcome customers to breakfast and a special opportunity to talk with BIFF independent filmmakers. More than 100 filmmakers will be in attendance at this year’s BIFF and they will be on hand BIFF Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon to show clips of their films and discuss their work. Many will have copies of their films available for purchase. And this will be accompanied by breakfast treats and store specials provided by the businesses.

Kutter Harley Davidson - Janesville WI“Many businesses in the area have approached us after BIFF each year to discuss how they can be more involved and attract more of the thousands of visitors to their places of business,”, “Last fall, working with the Downtown Beloit Association, we invited business owners to come together with BIFF leadership to discuss a number of ideas we had for promotions throughout the year that would involve local merchants and organizations.

“Our primary focus was capturing the audience that is in place during the festival. Each year we heard that question about what to do on Saturday morning. We think this is a great opportunity and will build on established successful events like Art Walk in May and Holidazzle in December. This will offer another great reason to come downtown, and we know the businesses will take advantage of the opportunity.”

First National Bank and Trust Company - Beloit WICinema Café is sponsored by Kutter Harley-Davidson and the Hospitality Partners program is sponsored by the First National Bank. A large media campaign including major television advertising will encourage visitors and residents to visit Downtown Beloit that morning.

“This is a win-win situation for Beloit and a very exciting way to fill our great downtown shops in the middle of winter,” says David Siekierski of Bagels and More, a BIFF venue that is also a Hospitality Partner.

A complete list of participating businesses will be available before the event and will be published in the BIFF 2011 Program Book.

BIFF 2011, sponsored by The Hendricks Group of Beloit in association with Beloit College and with a grant from Visit Beloit, marks the sixth year for the independent film festival. Approximately 140 films will be shown during the four day event, Feb 17-20. Information is available at www.beloitfilmfest.org.

[2013 Season] Rockford Hosts BIFF Reveal Party For First Time

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Franciescos Ristorante - Rockford ILFor the first time, the Beloit International Film Festival (BIFF) is hosting a Reveal Party in Rockford on January 25 from 5 – 7 p.m. at Franchesco’s Ristorante, 7128 Spring Creek Rd. The party provides the first look at the schedule of 140 films that will be presented, announcements of BIFF critics’ choices and a sneak peak of clips from films featured at the sixth annual BIFF on February 17 – 20, 2011.

Date: Tuesday Jan. 25th
Time: 5:00 – 7:00 pm
Location: Franchesco’s – 7128 Spring Creek Rd. Rockford IL

Admission to the reveal party is free and includes appetizers. Attendees will also be among the first to receive the BIFF program announcing the festival’s featured films. Franchesco’s is offering post-party dinner specials after the Reveal; reservations for dining that evening are recommended, and valet parking is available.

The Reveal Party is hosted by BIFF and Franchesco’s Ristorante and sponsored by Blackhawk Bank and the Rockford Register Star.


Blackhawk BankTo officially kick off the festival, the annual Launch & Laurels event is on February 17 from 5 – 7 p.m. at the Eclipse Center, 1701 Riverside Dr., Beloit. Presented by Blackhawk Bank, this event is an opportunity for attendees to meet the filmmakers and aficionados from around the world who participate in BIFF. The BIFF 2011 Filmmaker Award recipients are also announced at the event.

“The buzz is all about Beloit,”. “Filmmakers around the world rave about the interest of local audiences and the warm welcome they receive in Beloit. This year, we are going to have some top films that could have gone anywhere in the country, but chose Beloit because the filmmakers appreciated the support they had during their first visit.”

Rockford Register Star - Rockford ILSince BIFF started six years ago, the quantity and quality of films has grown annually. Filmmakers from as far away as China and throughout Europe have participated annually in person, and BIFF has been called “the next big thing” in film festivals. The New York Times suggested it was one of the best alternatives to the famed Sundance Festival.

Headquartered in Beloit, Blackhawk Bank is a regular supporter of BIFF. Blackhawk employees are also major contributors to BIFF through their involvement as volunteers. Nancy Heidt of Blackhawk Investment Group and her husband Jim Heidt are again serving as chief coordinators of a volunteer force of 400 people for the 4-day festival.

Every year, BIFF welcomes thousands of visitors and almost 100 filmmakers. The festival utilizes a dozen venues throughout downtown Beloit, and for the first time in Janesville, to provide space for screenings, parties and receptions. For more information and to buy tickets, visit www.beloitfilmfest.com.

Blackhawk operates eight banking centers in Beloit, WI; Roscoe, Machesney Park, Rockford, Belvidere and Capron, IL. For more information about the bank, log onto www.blackhawkbank.com.