The Slate

Enough of the east coast, let’s go to where the streets are paved with gold and earthquakes and see the San Diego Film Festival. It’s one of the larger festivals compared to those we’ve previously explored, lasts five whole days and hands out more than a dozen awards each year. Stephanie Inscoe, the Festival Producer, spoke with Haydenfilms about the history of this extravagant event.

Starting back in 2001, the festival “was initially created with the idea to grow the San Diego economy and film community,” Inscoe says. The festival has grown exponentially, “by five folds” Inscoe says, now showing more than 100 films each year in the affluent seaside community of La Jolla. Being able to support such numbers has also allowed the festival to accept all types of films as well as create some uncommon categories. “We have a Native American, action sports and an animation shorts track (track being their term for categories),” Inscoe says. “These tracks are highlighted with awards for each of them at the festival.” 

The San Diego Film Festival has integrated itself with the Hollywood life and welcomes many celebrities and filmmakers each year. Each year they hold a special tribute night for one of the many people who make Hollywood tick. Last year they held a “tribute night to Judd Apatow,” Insocoe says, “In 2012, we honored Gus Van Sant and his amazing career.” With this expansion, the festival has also been able to start their own distribution platform securing distribution for many of the films. “That is an amazing feeling to help filmmakers feel that their film has ‘made it’,” Inscoe says.

For more information visit their website: http://sdfilmfest.com/.