Woodstock Film Festival

The Woodstock Film Festival is an American film festival launched in 2000 by filmmakers Meira Blaustein and Laurent Rejto in the Hudson Valley region of New York. The festival takes place each fall in the towns of Woodstock, Rosendale and Saugerties and the city of Kingston.

Promotional poster for the 2007 festival.

The Woodstock Film Festival is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization. The Woodstock Film Festival is an Oscar-qualifying festival in the short film categories - Live Action Short Film, Animated Short Film, and Documentary Short Film.

History

With offices located in Woodstock, NY, the first festival ran September 21–24, 2000. It included workshops, documentaries, concerts and films from the US and abroad.

The 2022 Woodstock Film Festival took place from September 28 - October 2 2022.

Awards presented

Editor Doug Abel, Woodstock Film Festival founder Meira Blaustein, photographer Ron Galella and director Leon Gast at the 2010 edition

The Woodstock Film Festival is a competitive festival that offers cash and in-kind prizes in a variety of categories. The festival's "Maverick Awards," held the Saturday night of the festival are given for:

• Honorary Maverick Award
• Best Feature Narrative
• Best Feature Documentary
• Best Short Documentary
• Best Narrative
• Best Student Short
• Best Cinematography–The Haskell Wexler Award
• Best Editing
• Best Animated Short
• Audience Award for Best Feature Narrative
• Audience Award for Best Feature Documentary

Maverick Award Honorees

The Honorary Maverick Award is given each year to a fixture in the world of film, typically veteran directors, actors or industry professionals who have left their permanent mark on entertainment. Past recipients have included:

Actor Ethan Hawke (2022), Director Roger Ross Williams (2021), Director of Theater and Film Julie Taymor (2018), Actress Susan Sarandon (2017), Director Alejandro Gonzālez Iñárritu (2016), Director Atom Egoyan (2015), Director Darren Aronofsky (2014), Director Peter Bogdanovich (2013), Director Jonathan Demme (2012), Director Tony Kaye (2011), Director Bruce Beresford (2010), Director Richard Linklater (2009), Comedian, Director Kevin Smith (2008), Producer Christine Vachon (2007), Filmmaker Barbara Kopple (2006), Actor Steve Buscemi (2005), Director Mira Nair (2004), Actor Woody Harrelson (2003), Actor Tim Robbins (2002), D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus (2001), Filmmaker Les Blank (2000)

Recipients have included professionals in the entertainment industry who have made an impact in their craft. Past recipients have included CEO & Founder of NEON Tom Quinn (2021), Robin Bronk CEO of the Creative Coalition (2011), marketing and distribution guru Bob Berney (2010), Ted Hope (2009), James Schamus (2008), Ted Sarandos (2007), Jonathan Sehring (2006), John Sloss (2005).

Year-round programming

The Woodstock Film Festival holds year-round screenings of independent films, and an annual "Taste of Woodstock" event.

2018 was the inaugural year of the Woodstock Film Festival's Youth Film Lab.

The festival holds a yearly Career Day, focused on bringing direct insight from the film world to aspiring students.

Award Winners 2022

• Best Narrative Feature: Amerikatsi
• Best Documentary Feature: Last Flight Home
• Ultra Indie Award: Hannah Ha Ha
• Best Shorts: Moshari for Short Narrative; As Far As They Can Run for Best Short Documentary; Buzzkill for Best Animation

Honorary award recipients included Ethan Hawke, Awkwafina, Leave No Trace director Debra Granik and IFC Films president Arianna Bocco

External links

• Official website