Vermont Public and the Vermont International Film Festival (VTIFF) have announced the 4th annual Made Here Film Festival, April 10-14, 2024. Co-produced by Vermont Public and VTIFF, it is the only regional film festival dedicated exclusively to films and filmmakers from New England and Québec. The five-day festival features 43 films — both feature-length and shorts — and includes panel discussions, workshops, special events and receptions. Over 30 filmmakers will be in attendance from around the region.
The 2024 festival will take place once again at Burlington Beer Co. (BBCo) on Flynn Avenue in Burlington, in the historic factory building that was built by cinema pioneers the Lumière Brothers. The screenings and events will take place in the new Lumiere Event Hall at BBCo, featuring a dedicated space for films, bar and refreshments. Once the in-person festival ends on April 14, films will be offered via the festival website from April 15-21.
The full schedule is available at madeherefilmfestival.org, and tickets will be available for purchase starting April 2. The festival is free/by donation, with a percentage of donations shared with the filmmakers.
“We are very excited to be back at Burlington Beer Co. in their new event space,” said Eric Ford, executive producer and host of the Made Here series on Vermont Public. “And, this year in addition to amazing films, there are multiple days of workshops and speakers designed to support filmmaking here in the region.”
“From modest beginnings as a showcase for Vermont films, this annual event has grown into a unique standalone festival introducing films and filmmakers from the entire region,” said Orly Yadin, director of the Made Here Film Festival. “VTIFF is excited to be co-producing the festival for the first time with Vermont Public.”
The winners of three of the festival awards have been announced:
- Best Documentary, a $1,000 cash award sponsored by Vermont Public: ROUGH BLAZING STAR, by Christopher Wiersema (Vermont)
- Best Fiction, a $1,000 cash award sponsored by the VTIFF Board of Directors: THE CAPTAIN’S DREAM (LA REVE DU CAPITAINE) (co-winner), by Charles Gourde, Yuan Zha (Quebec) and GAMMA RAYS (LES RAYONS DE GAMMA) (co-winner), by Henry Bernadet (Quebec)
- Best Experimental, a $500 cash award sponsored by VTIFF: A SHADOW TALE, by Susan Chasen (Massachusetts)
An Audience Favorite award, with a $500 cash prize sponsored by the Media Factory, will be decided by popular vote at the end of the festival.
In addition, the festival jury has selected six films for Jury Honorable Mention:
- GRAFTON by Bryan Santiago (Vermont)
- THE LAST RHINO (LE DERNIER RHINOCÉROS) by Guillaume Harvey (Quebec)
- M. T. NESTOR by John Schag (Vermont)
- SHIT DAY (JOUR DE MERDE) by Kevin T Landry (Quebec)
- STILLPOINT by John Killacky (Vermont)
- ZEPPO! by Noah Mauchly (New Hampshire)
Film Program Highlights
Full festival program details are available at madeherefilmfestival.org, but highlights include:
Opening Night: On Wednesday, April 10 at 6:15 p.m., join us for the opening night program, featuring seven Vermont short films including two premieres from Vermont Public’s Made Here Fund awardees. Then stay for the opening night party, sponsored by Driven Studios.
The Quietest Year - Vermont Premiere: On Thursday, April 11 at 3:45 p.m. Vermont director Karen Akins’ latest feature documentary THE QUIETEST YEAR will have its Vermont premiere. Made during the pandemic, Akins’ darkly quirky personal quest to curb noise pollution in her quaint Vermont village uncovers dire consequences for noise regulation, an urgent yet overlooked crisis for both public health and civil society.
Friday Night Horror Films: Friday, April 12 at 7:45 p.m., prepare to be thrilled and frightened with two horror films, the feature length THE YORKIE WEREWOLF from Vermont director Michael DiBiasio-Ornelas, and short horror THE DAM (BARRAGE) from Québec filmmaker Rémi Fréchette.
Sunday Documentaries: Several documentary films from the region are featured in the festival, but Sunday closes out with two feature documentaries worth noting. Vermont filmmaker Bess O’Brien brings her latest film JUST GETTING BY about food and housing insecurity to the festival, Sunday April 14 at 3:45 p.m. This is followed at 6 p.m. by the festival closing film, New Hampshire filmmakers Meagan Frappiea and Bryant Naro’s SARA’S CIRCUS, about a single mother who wants to start a circus.
Workshops, Speakers & Special Events
New for 2024, MHFF features seven film industry-focused events and several receptions. In addition, all attending filmmakers will be present for their screenings, and take part in discussion following their screening. Here are a few event highlights:
On Thursday, April 11 at 2 p.m., there will be a discussion called REIMAGINING THE OUTDOORS with Michael Rosenfeld, executive producer of the PBS series America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston, examining how that series dug deeper—revealing the surprising ways we interact with the outdoors today.
On Friday, April 12, there will be three different workshops, with two hosted by Seed&Spark Founder and CEO Emily Best - at 11 a.m. with CROWDFUNDING TO BUILD INDEPENDENCE, about how to have a successful crowdfunding campaign for you film, and at 1 p.m., THE ART OF THE PITCH, discussing the ins and outs of successful project pitching.
And, at 2:45 p.m. on Friday, a workshop called MUSIC IN FILM will be led by Rick Clark, a long-time music producer and industry professional from Nashville,Tennessee. He’ll be joined by Vermont musicians Tom Pearo and Neil Cleary with Big Heavy World to discuss their Vermont music licensing platform.
All information and registration for these workshops and more can be found at the festival website.
The 4th Annual Made Here Film Festival is sponsored by: Burlington Beer Co., National Life Group, John M Bissell Foundation, PCC, Northfield Savings Bank, Quebec Delegation in Boston, Hotel Vermont, South Side Inn, Delta Hotels by Marriott Burlington, Vermont Creative Network, Vermont Production Collective, Driven Studio, Maine Public, and The Media Factory.
