Celebrating its fifth year, the Knoxville 24 Hour Film Festival has expanded into a two-week celebration of not only film, but music and production.
Now the Knoxville Film and Music Festival, the exhibition draws large crowds to Scruffy City Hall from all corners of the country and beyond to celebrate artistic ingenuity from an array of genres.
The festivities coalesced into a jubilant froth this past weekend, filling Scruffy City Hall to capacity Saturday evening for the Band Eat Band competition and offering an abundant variety of local film and musical options.
The fun has only just begun, said festival director Michael Samstag.
“The 24 Hour Film Festival has become a landmark in the Knoxville community,” Samstag said. “It is a beloved event and this year has drawn artists from all over the country.”
Samstag and his staff whittled the list of over 400 film entries down to 26 to be shown and judged in competition in the 2014 festival. The submissions span a wide range of categories from narrative and documentary films to animation and music videos. Finalists include films from Korea, Europe, the US, and more.
An avid and enthusiastic lover of the arts, Samstag has worked to bring this festival to fruition, viewing the final product as a true labor of love.
“It’s like Christmas and my birthday all rolled into one,” Samstag said. “It is my favorite time of the year.”
In its second year as a combined music and film collaborative, the Knoxville Film and Music festival boasts a very impressive roster. For the remainder of the week, highlights include a screening of the independent comedy film, Jammed, a party concert from renowned Croatian DJ, Damir Ludvig, and the highly anticipated showing of South Park’s “Black Friday Trilogy” followed by a Q&A with Executive Producer Frank Agnone, Head of Animation Eric Stough, and Senior Story Editor Gian Ganziano.
In addition to the entertainment, the festival also offers a variety of workshops and classes to current and aspiring musicians and filmmakers.
“This festival has so much to offer to all ages and backgrounds,” Samstag said.
“I’ve always considered myself a big fan of film, so having the opportunity to watch anything that’s locally grown makes me love my city that much more,” said festival patron Cody Brown.
“I also love bluegrass. So being able to combine the things I love into one weekend is just amazing,” said Brown.
Located on the corner of Market Square across from Bill Lyons Pavilion, most events are $10 with many being free. Student tickets are also available for most shows at up to 50 percent off regular admission prices.
The festival concludes June 14 with an awards ceremony and late night wrap party. A detailed schedule of events can be found at www.knoxvillefilms.com while updates and special offers are added daily to The Knoxville 24 Hour Film Festival Facebook page[LINK: https://www.facebook.com/TheKnoxville24HourFilmFestival].
