One of our very favorite events that we look forward to each year is the Greenwich International Film Festival (GIFF). This amazing festival brings to our area a slate of original and unique narrative films, documentaries and short film. These are thought provoking films you will not see anywhere else. As well the festival each year hosts panel discussions with filmmakers and actors, the Changemaker Gala and so much more. The festival also awards money each year to filmmakers and as well has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to its charity partners.
We all know that the Covid-19 health crises has changed our world, and Governor Lamont of Connecticut recently issued a State of Emergency Declaration in response to the crises. GIFF has made the decision to continue with the festival, but in a very different way. Instead of viewing films at the different venues in Greenwich, GIFF 2020 will now be a virtual festival. From May 1st to 3rd 2020 attendees will be able to view the festival online.
According to Ginger Stickel, Executive Director of the Festival, “Out of concern for public safety and the well-being of our community of supporters, filmmakers, staff and health care professionals, we have moved the Greenwich International Film Festival to an online experience. We remain committed to providing an effective platform for filmmakers to showcase their films, as well as to supporting them with cash awards. Our team has worked incredibly hard to launch the inaugural virtual festival and we can’t wait to share it with audience members, both near and far.
The virtual festival is sponsored by Betteridge, Maison d’Alexandre, JP Morgan, The Nature Conservancy, Nichols MD, Brightline, ICON, CAIS, Richards, Ashforth, Volvo, and Compass. The rest of the events around the annual festival, including the Changemaker Gala, and in-person screenings and panels, will be postponed until Fall 2020.
This virtual three-day event will include an exciting selection of Narrative & Documentary Features, the Connecticut Shorts Program, exclusive interviews with film talent, acknowledgments, and a chance to Vote for the JP Morgan Chase Audience Award. It will also feature the Best Social Impact Film Award, presented by the Bill & Ann Bresnan Foundation, and the Best Connecticut Shorts Award, presented by the Connecticut Office of Film, Television & Digital Media. In the past 5 years we always enjoyed the vast array of fine and original programming available at the festival. The mission of GIFF to make a “social impact” remains unchanged even though the festival has moved online.
For those who always supported the festival by attending the special programming events such as the Changemaker Gala, GIFF has announced that this fall it intends to host a special slate of events including the Gala, a selection of films and panel discussions.
For information on the list of films and the festival program:
http://www.greenwichfilm.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/official-program-2020-4-16-20.pdf
For information and to purchase tickets for the festival : go to “Purchase a Pass” and hit the “Virtual Pass” button at:
Greenwich International Film Festival (GIFF) is a non-profit organization that hosts a world class film festival each year, and supporting events throughout the year. It was founded to bridge the worlds of film, finance, and philanthropy. The Festival’s mission is to provide filmmakers with the opportunity to showcase their work with the goal of finding financing for future projects. Additionally, GIFF harnesses the power of film to serve the greater good by supporting charity partners with festival proceeds.
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