CAMDEN (May 6): The fifth annual Camden International Film Festival will run Oct. 1 through 4, but plans and outreach are already well underway and the festival is receiving acclaim from both the State of Maine and the international documentary film community.

This spring, the Maine Arts Commission recognized CIFF for its dedication to providing unique artistic and cultural experiences to audiences throughout Maine.
CIFF was one of 14 Maine community organizations to receive the prestigious Capacity Building in Maine’s Cultural Communities Grant aimed at strengthening local arts organizations in Maine. Grant funds will be used to strengthen the organization’s infrastructure.

“It’s our mission to generate interest in independent documentary film, examining our cultural landscape through non-fiction storytellers from Maine and beyond. This grant will ensure the creation of a sustainable organizational structure that will allow CIFF to continue its growth and impact in the Maine arts community,” said Ben Fowlie, the festival’s founder and director.
On April 28, CIFF screened its 2008 Audience Award winner “The Way We Get By” to a sold-out crowd at the IFC Center in New York City. The screening was a co-collaboration between the Stranger Than Fiction Screening Series and “POV,” the acclaimed PBS documentary series and television’s longest-running showcase for independent non-fiction films. CIFF has been heavily involved in the film’s award-winning festival and theatrical run since premiering the first work-in-progress screening of “The Way We Get By” last September.

Submissions are still open for this year’s Camden International Film Festival. CIFF is accepting documentary features and shorts of all lengths from all corners of the globe. Special attention will be given to Maine-based filmmakers and Maine premieres. Submission fees are based on date deadlines, and all entries must be submitted before Aug. 10.

The Camden International Film Festival is New England’s premier showcase for the finest international documentary films and emerging documentary talent. The annual festival presents a snapshot of the cultural landscape through the year’s best non-fiction storytelling, connecting filmmakers with eager audiences and industry representatives to discuss documentary film as an art form, a catalyst for change and as an outlet for the independent voice.
The community-based organization relies on support from benefactors to produce the event. The festival is still in the fundraising process and looking for sponsorship for the 2009 program. Anyone interested in finding out more is encouraged to visit camdenfilmfest.org.

During the fifth annual Camden International Film Festival, nearly 40 documentary films will be screened and accompanied by panels, workshops, musical concerts, photographic exhibits and parties. Passes will go on sale in early August and the schedule will be announced in early September.

Contact: Benjamin Fowlie

Camden International Film Festival

617.817.5376