The 21st annual Florida Film Festival - a 10 day film festival sponsored by Full Sail University and presented by the Enzian Theater in Maitland - began Friday, April 13 and runs through April 22. Over 160 current independent and foreign cinema films will be shown in addition to non-stop events with over 100 visiting filmmakers and special and celebrity guests.
This year's festival is a record-breaking year with more entries and world premieres than ever before. In addition, there are more films with Florida connections than at any point in the past, including the opening night film, "Renee".
Based on a true story, "Renee" is a story about friends from Orlando who try to help a young woman named Renee break the cycle of drug addiction, depression and self-injury that eventually lead to the creation of a non-profit that supports those battling depression and self-injury called "To Write Love on Her Arms".
The production worked closely with the region's talented up-and-coming workforce in the film industry by utilizing students from Full Sail University, University of Central Florida, Valencia College, and the DAVE School.
The Metro Orlando Film Commission - a division of the EDC - worked closely with the film's producers last spring providing location scouting and permitting when they filmed the movie in and around downtown and in Eatonville.
For more information about the Florida Film Festival, visit floridafilmfestival.com. For more information about the movie "Renee", visit reneethemovie.com.
KEY FLORIDA FILM FESTIVAL EVENTS:
The Metro Orlando Film Commission is sponsoring a forum on Thursday, April 19 at 11:00 a.m. titled "How to Turn Small Movies Into Big Box Office Success" at the Enzian Theater.
Orlando Film Commissioner Sheena Fowler is moderating the Q&A for the "Florida Sidebar Shorts: Best of Brouhaha" on Saturday, April 21 at 1:30 p.m. at Regal Winter Park Village.
Both events will be live streamed and linked on FilmOrlando.com. Keep an eye out for "Live Streaming the Florida Film Festival" link.
