Vail Film Festival goes virtual for 2020, screening May 15-17

Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Vail Film Festival has announced that it will conduct a virtual festival from May 15-17.

The festival typically screens work from independent artists with an emphasis on female filmmakers. As usual, the festival will screen more than 50 films across genres including narrative, documentary, short and student films. Streaming access will be accessible nationwide, and passes and access instructions are available on the festival website.

“An online film festival enables us to continue our mission to support independent filmmakers by showcasing their incredible work and honoring the winning films through our juried and audience awards. It also allows us to protect the health and well-being of our filmmakers, guests, sponsors, and the local community, which has always been our first priority,” said festival co-executive director Sean Cross in a press release.

---

---

“It’s exciting that the number of people with access to the festival program will be much broader this year, with people everywhere able to enjoy watching the films from home. But we do look forward to staging the physical festival again in 2021. For filmmakers and attendees, the in-person connections you make in the real world are irreplaceable,” said festival co-executive director Scott Cross in a press release.

The film festival also traditionally includes a panel discussion, which is also being held in a virtual capacity this year. The “Women in Film: Personal Stories” panel discussion, hosted by Vail Film Festival and partner Stage32, will focus on the panelists’ journeys in the industry.

---

---

Panelists this year are director and producer Leslie Alejandro; actor, director and producer Alexandra Baretto; actor and producer Lesley-Ann Brandt; producer and CEO of the Creative Coalition Robin Bronk; producer and director Mali Elfman; and producer Ashleigh Snead.

The festival is also hosting the GMC Audience Award Sweepstakes, and with online entry, the winner will receive round-trip flights for two, hotel accommodation in Vail, and VIP passes to the 2021 Vail Film Festival from March 25-28.

Here’s the full lineup of selected films for 2020.

Narrative feature films

• “Asking For It,” Director: Amanda Lundquist and Becky Scott
• “Beautiful Dreamer,” Director: Amy Glazer
• “Barbara Adesso,” Director: Alessandra Gavin-Müller
• “Beautiful in the Morning,” Director: Flavia Casa
• “Drought,” Director, Hannah Black, Megan Petersen
• “Love Type D,” Director: Sasha Collington
• “Senior Love Triangle,” Director, Kelly Blatz
• “The MisEducation of Bindu,” Director: Prarthana Mohan
• “Toprak,” Director: Sevgi Hirschhäuser
• “What Lies West,” Director: Jessica Ellis

Documentary Feature Films

• “A Towering Task,” Director: Alana DeJoseph
• “Film About a Father Who,” Director: Lynne Sachs
• “Fresh Tracks,” Director: Hans Rosenwinkel
• “Life in Synchro,” Director: Angela Pinaglia
• “Miss America By Day,” Director: Rick Higgins, Bill Ranshaw
• “Ruth Weiss: Beat Goddess,” Director: Melody C. Miller
• “Seasons of Change on Henry’s Farm,” Director: Ines Sommer
• “The Condor and The Eagle,” Director: Sophie Guerra, Clement Guerra
• “Vas-Y-Coupe!,” Director: Laura Naylor

Short Films

• “Lady Hater,” Director: Alexandra Barreto
• “Rehearsal,” Director: Courtney Hope Thérond
• “Baby Kate,” Director: Jennifer Lefleur
• “Call From Onaga,” Director: AJ Oscarson
• “Hung Up,” Director: Damon O’Steen
• “The Journeyman,” Director: Pamela Perrine
• “A Woman,” Director: Tahmina Rafaella
• “Curtains,” Director: Kirsten Vangsness
• “Brought To You By Satan,” Director: Holly Laurent
• “To Her,” Director: Jacopo Ardolino
• “Adult Night,” Director: Leslie Alejandro, Kevin Alejandro
• “A Handful of Rust,” Director: Conor Chandler Simpson
• “En Route,” Director: Christine Chen
• “Tracks,” Director: Rosie Day
• “La Gloria,” Director: Mary Evangelista
• “Adeline,” The Great, Director: Jessica Siqueiros
• “A Broken Hearted Solstice,” Director: Fanny Lefort
• “Rhinestone Blue,” Director: Aisha Schliessler
• “Misfit M.,” Director: Austin Ball
• “Martha,” Director: Christopher Haydon
• “Odd Bird,” Director: Katy Dore
• “Oh Sorry,” Director: Justin Giddings & Ryan Welsh
• “Alina,” Director: Rami Kodeih
• “Nice Ride,” Director: Rose McIver
• “Unicorns,” Director: Candice Carella
• “Under Cover,” Director: Shereen Lani Younes
• “Whiteout,” Director: Lance Edmands
• “We Are Forbidden,” Director: Cheryl Strayed, Brian Lindstrom

Student Films

• “Two Paper Nightingales,” Director: Kaylin George
• “Carrying Tomorrow,” Directors: Sarah Davis and Caleb Lucky
• “The Granny Flat,” Director: Rachel Mackey
• “Sweet Tooth,” Director: Shannon Ashlyn
• “A Letter to Myself at 16,” Director: Claire Tankersley
• “Esperanza Y Futuro,” Director: Claire Imler
• “Dirty Business,” Director: Yutao Chen
• “Trial By Fire,” Director: Alex Astrella