Well, first it’s headed to the Chicago Boat, Sports & RV Show.

Working in cooperation with Paddle and Trail, the largest adventure sports outlet in the region. BIFF will be joining “Paddlefest” at the Chicago Boat Show – the biggest boating event in the Midwest at McCormick Place Jan. 9 – 13th.

BIFF will be part of the Paddle and Trail exhibit area where they will create a special film viewing room and provide an opportunity to see some of the films coming up at BIFF 2013. There will also be special drawings for ticket giveaways and accommodations.

Beloit area hotels and restaurants are working with BIFF to create special offers to encourage visits to Beloit. Visit Beloit promotional materials will be available to visitors.

During the Chicago Boat Show, BIFF, now in its eighth year, will announce a new element of the 2014 film festival featuring action films created with the GoPro sports camera. The versatile sports camera is used by skiers, surfers, sky divers and canoeists and others to catch breathtaking views of their adventures from a very personal viewpoint.

“This is an astounding cooperative program and just the kind we love to develop with BIFF,”. “Walter Loos, owner of Paddle and Trail, and his colleague Therese Oldenburg presented the idea to us and we jumped on it.

“The boat show has an audience of about 30,000 people in the Chicagoland area who love to travel and are looking for adventure. They also escape in droves to the natural beauty of Wisconsin every weekend. They sound like the right people for BIFF…and when we presented the ideas to the hotel managers, they agreed.”

The booth and film promotion will be handled by BIFF interns, BIFF staff and volunteers.

For more information, please go to the new BIFF website at www.beloitfilmfest.org.

The 2013 Beloit International Film Festival, Feb. 14-17, is sponsored by the Hendricks Group in association with Beloit College and with funding from Visit Beloit. It is supported and underwritten by many local businesses, organizations and individuals.

Sneak Peek – Beloit WI, Rockford IL, Janesville WI

Hundreds of films have been submitted, reviewed and scheduled. Filmmakers from around the world are making travel plans to be in Beloit. Viewing venues are upgrading, and the dates are set for hundreds of volunteer Ambassadors to get their assignments.

BIFF Program Debut

And in just a few weeks, film fans throughout the region will have the chance to find out what’s showing at BIFF 2013.

Three “Sneak Peeks,” highlighted by the release of the complete printed program for the Feb. 14-17 BIFF, will take place this year in Beloit, Rockford and Janesville during the last week of January. These “Sneak Peek” parties will offer a chance to see the trailers for some of the top films in this year’s Festival and start to make film selections in anticipation of the opening of the BIFF Online Box Office on Jan. 31.

Schedule & Location:

• Tuesday, Jan. 29, Beloit — 5:30 p.m. at the Beloit Inn (presented in cooperation with the Greater Beloit Chamber of Commerce and Merrill and Houston’s Steak Joint.)

• Wednesday, Jan. 30, Rockford — 5:30 p.m. at Franchesco’s Ristorante in Rockford in the popular Frank Sinatra Room (presented in cooperation with Blackhawk Bank)

• Thursday, Jan. 31, Janesville — 5:30 p.m. at The Speakeasy Restaurant in Janesville.

Growing Reputation — Greater Access to Films

“This year, we will have more features than ever and several additional venues. We are offering our Sneak Peeks a week later than in past years and we think that should help to provide an accurate final list for BIFF patrons,”, executive director of BIFF. “Once again, our growing reputation and affiliation with a number of nationally recognized festivals, has given us access to features, documentaries and shorts that are generally seen only at the leading festivals in North America and provided us with great connections to leading filmmakers, a number of whom are planning to be here.”

Great Venues for Sneak Peeks

Tue. Jan 29th, 2013

The Sneak Peeks provide the flavor of what is to come, both in the films and in the fun. All three restaurant hosts will be putting out an impressive spread of hors d’oeuvres with a cash bar. The Beloit Inn will host the hospitality center for the visiting artists and sponsors during BIFF.

Wed. Jan 30th, 2013

Rockford’s Franchesco’s – the first venue to sell out last year— will offer “Dinner and a Movie” specials on Friday and Saturday evenings of BIFF.

Thu Jan 31st, 2013

The Speakeasy on Rt. 51 in Janesville will offer films in two function rooms each night of BIFF while food and drink are available at the bar and in the dining room.

The 2012 Beloit International Film Festival is sponsored by the Hendricks Group in association with Beloit College and with funding from Visit Beloit. It is supported and underwritten by many local businesses, organizations and individuals.

Eighth season marks expansion

The Beloit International Film Festival will mark its eighth season Feb. 14-17, expanding this year to more than 15 venues in Beloit, Janesville and Rockford.

“The quality and the quantity of the films submitted this year has been outstanding,” according to the founding executive director of BIFF. “We have been more selective than ever before and the choice has been challenging. This year for instance we will have almost 30 feature films and an amazing selection of unique documentaries along with our shorts and animation films.”

Meet the filmmakers

David Zucker | Honorary Chair

More than 100 filmmakers are expected to be on hand as well as leaders in the film festival industry who will attend and do presentations for filmmakers and students.

Venues

There will be nine familiar Beloit settings for films, many with new and improved projection equipment. They include…

• Bushel and Peck’s Local Market,
• Bagels and More,
• Domenico’s,
• Nikki’s Café,
• La Casa Grande
• Rotary River Center
• Eclipse Center – Center Court
• Two Beloit College settings
  • Wilson Theatre
  • Hendricks Art Center 

The Beloit Inn will house the Filmmaker Hospitality Lounge and will host the opening Sneak Peek party on Jan. 29.

Rockford

Rockford’s Franchesco’s Ristorante will once again provide the setting for dinner and a movie Friday and Saturday nights and will host the Rockford Sneak Peek party on January 30. For the first time, Katie’s Cup coffee house in downtown Rockford will offer films throughout the weekend.

Janesville

In Janesville, The Speakeasy Restaurant will again offer two screening venues and will be the setting for the Janesville Sneak Peek party on Jan. 31. They will be joined by the Janesville sponsor and BIFF Year Round setting at the Rock County Historical Society which will offer films throughout the weekend.

An exciting addition this year will be The Janesville Armory where film fans will be able to enjoy dinner and a movie on Friday and Saturday evenings as well as a special Sunday afternoon show.

Sneak Peek

The community will get the first look at the films and schedule at the Sneak Peek parties at the end of January. The program will be distributed at that time and the online box office will open for ticket sales

Opening Night

Launch & Laurels Sponsor

BIFF will celebrate opening night on Valentine’s Day with the Blackhawk Bank Launch and Laurels party at the Eclipse Center. This will be a chance to meet many of the filmmakers and catch the buzz about the “Biffy” award winning films. Awards to the filmmakers will be presented that evening.

Festival Events

Social Awareness Film Sponsor

Films will start Thursday evening, Feb. 14 and continue through Sunday, starting each day at noon. Friday evening will be highlighted by a special film presented in cooperation with the Beloit Regional Hospice.

Silent Film Showcase Sponsor

Saturday night will once again celebrate the purest form of film when the BMO-Harris Silent Film Showcase brings together the forces of BIFF and the Beloit Janesville Symphony Orchestra for a showing of one of the silent classics of comic genius Harold Lloyd.

Classic Film Sponsor

Sunday afternoon will see a popular classic film at the First National Bank/Charter Communications Closing Party, introduced by BIFF Honorary Chair David Zucker.

BIFF Latino & ASL films Sponsor

The balance of BIFF will be filled with truly memorable films and such diverse programs as the “BIFF Latino” films and several American sign Language films in the BIFF for the Deaf program.

Kids @ BIFF Sponsor

The award-winning Kids@BIFF program will include presentations for thousands of school children of all ages.

More To Come

There are many more exciting, special elements of BIFF 2013 that will be announced in the coming weeks. There will be new elements added almost daily here on the BIFF website.

Don’t forget to “Like” us on Facebook so you’re in the loop on updates as they happen.

The Beloit International Film Festival is made possible by The Hendricks Group and presented in association with Beloit College with a generous grant from Visit Beloit.

We’re talking with Sammy Kriegstein, Founder and Artistic Director for the LA Music Video Festival. We’re looking forward to LAMFS’s participation in this seasons’ BIFF.

In the weeks ahead we’ll wrap up the festival schedule so you can see where-n-when LAMFS programming will be presented. Stay tuned.

The LA Music Video Festival

Sorry Darlin’. Hate to break it to you like this. Yes, there’s another BIFF… in Boulder CO. (in fact there are still others) Be that as it may, a reminder about Snowmen, the movie this weekend at the Lincoln Tallman house in Janesville and early discussions about collaborating with the BIFF in Boulder CO. Nifty eh? Stay tuned.

The Beloit International Film Festival (BIFF) will offer another program during the Spring 2013 SLU term.

The program will include an overview of BIFF history, operations, and effect during its eight years of existence. BIFF staff members will describe how BIFF was created and how BIFF works on a variety of operational levels.

In addition, students will be treated to a series of films from the BIFF vault, and a discussion of the process of film criticism and rating. The class will also be exposed to early submissions for BIFF 2014, and given the opportunity to choose at least one film that will then be included in the film screening program for the 2014 festival.

These sessions offer engaging information, entertainment and lively discussion!

For more information visit the SLU website.

Posted – Feb. 11, 2012

In one of the first programs of its kind, the Beloit International Film Festival will present American Sign Language Films as part of the new BIFF for the Deaf program on BIFF Sunday, Feb. 19. Two family friendly films rated PG will feature actors using American Sign Language.

The films to be shown are The Legend of the Mountain Man and Gerald. Legend will be presented at noon and Gerald at 2:30 at the Beloit College Hendricks Art Center in downtown Beloit.

• Date: Sunday Feb. 19
• Location: Hendricks Art Center

• Film: Legend of the Mountain Man
• Time: Noon
• Tickets: 

• Film:  Gerald
• Time: 2:30 pm
• Tickets: 

The Legend of the Mountain Man is a film for all ages, set in picturesque Montana. It is the story of a family coming to grips with a dysfunctional history through the children who go to spend the summer at their grandparent’s ranch.

They try to navigate the family’s past and reconcile some of the estranged family members. Their journey includes an unexpected encounter with a mountain creature nobody has seen before.

Gerald tells the story of the powerful and emotional journey of a young man yearning for kinship. One day he discovers that he has a deaf autistic grandfather that nobody has ever told him about.

He us committed to finding him and reconnecting as family ties and secrets unfold in a continuous twist of events.

The BIFF for the Deaf program is sponsored by the Southern Wisconsin Interpreting and Translation Service (SWITS) which provides sign language interpreters throughout the region.

“There is a sizeable population of deaf individuals in the Stateline area and a school for the deaf and hard of hearing in Delavan,”, “We are particularly appreciative of SWITS and its director and BIFF board member Saul Arteaga, who’s company provides ASL interpreters, for bringing the need for such a program to our attention and in helping to select the films. We hope to expand this program in future years.”

The 2012 Beloit International Film Festival is sponsored by the Hendricks Group in association with Beloit College and with funding from Visit Beloit. It is supported and underwritten by many local businesses, organizations and individuals.

Posted – Feb. 5, 2012

Beloit International Film Festival offers 5th graders the chance to learn the art of movie critiquing.

BIFF, in partnership with Kid’s First, is presenting film-critiquing workshops with area 5th grade students. They will be held Tuesday, February 14th and Wednesday, February 15th at the Eclipse Center in Beloit. This program teaches students about reviewing films in an effort to develop more educated and discerning film viewers in area youth. Students also have the opportunity to win prizes and give their critiques for the films they are shown. BIFF’s goal is to enhance the students’ enjoyment and understanding of film media and give them a skill they can continue to develop and enjoy the rest of their film viewing lives.

“This year we’re adding a new segment to Kids @ BIFF which we’re very excited about,”, “An activity will be conducted in the fifth grade classrooms prior to the program to give students a chance to become comfortable with the elements of critiquing and watching short films.”

The day of the event, students will arrive at the Eclipse Center, the various facilitators, trained by Kids First; begin by reviewing the major components of a film. Topics such as character development, sets, music, costumes and much more are discussed to help prepare the students for their reviews. Also, the importance of why films are reviewed and how film makers use the information is covered.

Students then watch a selection of short films that provide a variety of styles and content so students can see how the different components are used to make a film. The films are most likely productions the students will not have seen before. After the viewing is completed, the students pick the film they want to review most and complete a worksheet review. After the reviews are finished, there will be discussion about the films and group participation activities to allow the students to interact and share their reviews with others.

The Beloit International Film Festival is made possible by The Hendricks Group and presented in association with Beloit College and with a generous grant from Visit Beloit.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Melissa Hawks, Director of Educational Programming at BIFF, 630-631-3159, melissa@beloitfilmfest.org