Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival
| Location | Birmingham, Alabama, US |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1999 |
| Language | International |
| Website | http://www.sidewalkfest.com |
The Sidewalk Film Festival is an annual film festival scheduled over one weekend in late August in Birmingham, Alabama, since 1999. The festival takes place at seven venues located within Birmingham's historic Theatre District, featuring the newly restored Alabama Theatre, a 2,200 seat movie palace built by Paramount in 1927, and the recently added Lyric Theatre.[1]
In 2006, the Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival recognized writer/director John Sayles and producer Maggie Renzi for their more than two decades of collaboration in independent film, which includes such acclaimed indie classics as The Brother From Another Planet, Passion Fish, Lone Star, and the Sidewalk 2004 Opening Night Film, Silver City.
In 2005, Sidewalk honored acclaimed film actor John C. Reilly with the inaugural Spirit of Sidewalk award.
History of the Alabama Moving Image Association
The Alabama Moving Image Association is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging filmmaking in Alabama and building audiences for independent film. AMIA produces the nationally recognized Sidewalk Film Festival, the SHOUT LGBTQ Film Festival; hosts the Sidewrite Screenplay Writing Competition, and Teen Filmmaking Challenge; funds and moderates a youth board of local teens; organizes quarterly filmmaking competitions and monthly events for filmmakers, and holds other events that create interest in and enthusiasm for independent film.
The annual Sidewalk Film Festival is a celebration of new independent cinema in downtown Birmingham, created to inspire, encourage and support films and filmmaking in Alabama. Since its debut in 1999, filmmakers from across the country and around the world have come to Birmingham to screen their work at Sidewalk and have been thrilled to discover fresh, enthusiastic crowds eager to devour new independent cinema.
With multiple venues located within Birmingham’s historic Theatre District, spontaneity rules the schedule of Sidewalk attendees. Low-priced weekend passes provide easy access to Sidewalk venues, encouraging attendees to seek out new films and sample programming they may not otherwise see. The result is a crowd rich in diversity and united in a hunger for new film.
From the Filmmakers’ Reception and the Filmmakers’ Retreat to a myriad of breakfasts, field trips, parties, and galas, Sidewalk connects filmmakers. The atmosphere at Sidewalk is electric with creativity and collaboration as filmmakers and film-lovers mix and mingle between screenings or participate in panel discussions.
SHOUT Film Festival
Birmingham SHOUT is Alabama’s first and only LGBTQ film festival and is proud to support the growing lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and otherwise queer community in the Magic City, along with providing compelling content for anyone interested in independent films. The Annual Birmingham SHOUT LGBTQ Film Festival shares festival dates and the festival footprint with Sidewalk in late August. SHOUT began in 2006 and showcases features, documentaries and short films by new and established artists and offers attendees the opportunity to view topics of interest to the LGBTQ communities, as well as to interact with filmmakers and documentary subjects in attendance.
Awards
Award Winners
Structure
Films are given awards both by jury and audience choice. Over the years, some categories have been added or eliminated and sponsors have varied. There are also several special awards given annually, such as the Alan Hunter Best Alabama Film Award, the Clint Howard Character Actor Award, and the Kathryn Tucker Windham Storyteller Award.