WATSONVILLE — With events across four locations, the Watsonville Film Festival is shooting for a flexible and diverse program for its sixth year.
More than 35 films will be screened over the duration of the festival, from Oct. 5-8, at the Henry J. Mello Center, Appleton Grill and Event Lounge, Romo Lawn and Digital NEST.
These will include a world premiere, many Monterey Bay area premiere screenings, and a free educational program for youth at the Digital NEST.
Festival Executive Director Consuelo Alba said the goal of this year’s festival, as with every year, is to spotlight the “incredible local talent” of filmmakers throughout the area.
“We celebrate that, and we bring films that you will not see anywhere else,” she said.
New this year, the Watsonville Film Festival is sponsoring seven free master classes for youth at Digital NEST. Speakers will include visiting and local filmmakers who will cover topics such as animation, acting, screenwriting and more.
The festival will also include the world premiere of “War of the Limelight,” a film produced by the HARA Motion Picture Conservatory, an after-school filmmaking program hosted at the Carmel Youth Center.
The Watsonville Film Festival Inspirational Filmmaker Award will also be presented to director Tadashi Nakamura, a 2008 graduate of UCSC Social Documentation MFA Program in film, during a screening of his film “Mele Murals.”
After presenting the film festival at the long-dormant Fox Theater in 2016, Alba said organizers decided to host the event at different locations this year, citing the major amount of work that needs to be done on the 1923 building in order to open it permanently.
Moving away from the Fox Theater allows the film festival to focus on the program as well as the organization itself, Alba said. This year, the Watsonville Film Festival became a 501c3 nonprofit arts organization.
More locations also mean a variety of events, she added. For instance, the festival can screen a film for a larger audience at the Mello Center, but it will also have a more “intimate experience” at the Appleton Grill, Alba said.
A free outdoor screening of the family film “Tesoros (Treasures)” is also planned at Romo Park.
“Having this program gives us flexibility,” Alba said. “From live music to master classes for youth, and collaborations with local artists, organizations and businesses, this year’s festival will continue celebrating film and community in the heart of Watsonville.”
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General admission is $10 per screening, $5 for college students with ID, and free for children under 18. For information and a full schedule, visit www.watsonvillefilmfestival.org.
