St. Augustine — The 12th Annual St. Augustine Film Festival will run from January 20-23 in three venues; the Lewis Auditorium and the Gamache-Koger Theater at Flagler College; the Alcazar Room at St. Augustine City Hall, the Lightner Museum, and the Lincolnville Museum in Lincolnville.
More than 50 independent and international films from 23 different countries will be shown beginning on Friday morning. The event will also host a Harbor Cruise on Tuesday, January 18; dinner at the Lightner on Thursday, January 20; and a party at the Colonial Quarter on Saturday, January 22.
Organized by Gregory von Hausch, the CEO of the Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival, screenings will include dramas, comedies, and documentaries, “created by talented independent filmmakers from around the globe.”
“The Saint Augustine Film Festival has a reputation of showing films you would not find anywhere else in North Florida,” he said. “These are films that play at Cannes, Berlin, Toronto, Sundance, The New York Film Festival that come from Europe, Asia, the Far East, South America and Africa.”
von Hausch describes the the vast collection of films as eclectic so that every film aficionado will walk away happy.
“We know that our audience is wide and diverse,” he said. “They really appreciate the foreign films because they are really isn’t a venue for those in St. Johns county and very few in northeast Florida.”
Attending is as “easy as going to the movies.”
“If you have never been to a film festival, but you have been to the movies, you know all you need to know,” continued von Hausch. “You can buy your tickets at the door. Or if you are a real cinephile you can buy a pass online.”
von Hausch added that with “everything that’s gone in the past two years,” he’s sprinkled this year’s festival with a higher percentage of comedies. And after last year’s virtual festival, he’s thrilled to celebrate and attend the festivals parties in person, although there are virtual options for “those not quite ready to join us in person.”
In-person events begin on Tuesday, January 18.
“We are so excited to be back in person screening films in beautiful downtown St. Augustine,” said von Hausch. “We have so many great things happening with the backdrop of the Nights of Lights.”
He says that the festival attracts people from all ages into St. Augustine from all over the country.
“A good 15-20 percent come from out of state,” said van Hausch. “Another 15 percent will drive in from outside St. Johns County and whether they come in for one show that evening or get a B & B and stay for the whole weekend.”
von Hausch concluded by stating that the festival’s mission is to “provide a rich cultural experience to the public that highlights the skills of independent and foreign filmmakers and offers fresh insights into different cultures, the common bonds that link us, and the emotional art of storytelling.”
The film guide includes a trailer, schedule and run-time and can be found at staugfilmfest.com
All-Access Passes cost $150 and include admission to all films at all venues; access to all virtual screenings; and admission to all events.
To volunteer, contact Leslie Lacika at leslacika1@gmail.com An orientation session will be held prior to the festival, where volunteers who commit to at least two-four hour shifts will get an official festival crew T-shirt and free tickets to attend films playing at Lewis Auditorium.
For additional details, visit staugfilmfest.com
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