Begin Your 2015 Traverse City Film Festival Adventure Now!

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Friends,

Here it is. The official schedule for this summer’s 11th annual Traverse City Film Festival. 

Here are a few of the highlights you won’t want to miss:

  • Most important: The kick-off to the State Theatre Centennial Year! One Hundred Years on Front Street! And joining us to celebrate this special event will be none other than the great actress and daughter of Charlie Chaplin, GERALDINE CHAPLIN! She will dedicate our new cornerstone and flip the switch on a year’s worth of amazing cinema at the State. She will also introduce and take questions at two of her father’s films that are celebrating their centennial: “The Tramp” and “Kid Auto Races at Venice.” And she will present Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator” on its 75th anniversary in the Open Space on Wednesday night. 

In addition to recreating the experience of going to the movies back in 1916, we’re also toasting some of Hollywood’s greatest including: 

  • The 100th Birthday of Orson Welles.
  • The 50th Anniversary of “Doctor Zhivago.” 
  • The 40th Anniversary of Robert Altman’s “Nashville” with Robert Altman‘s wife Kathryn and members of the original cast in attendance. 
  • The 30th Anniversary of “The Breakfast Club” — this year’s winner of the Open Space People’s Choice vote!
  • And finally, in honor of this morning’s historic Supreme Court’s ruling on LGBTQ rights, we will mark this momentous occasion at the festival
    with a celebration of films that tell the stories and perspectives of a heretofore shunned community. Some of the greatest movies of all time were made by LGBTQ filmmakers who lived in fear of being “discovered.” Showing their films here in Traverse City is us continuing to do our part
    in putting an end to that kind of hate and intolerance. This art form would not be what it is without the contributions made gays and lesbians
    who work in this industry, and this festival is all the richer thanks to our volunteers who are part of Michigan’s LGBTQ community.

We’re also featuring these special events:

  • The legendary filmmaker and Detroit native Roger Corman will join us for a week-long TCFF Michigan Filmmaker of the Year tribute. We’ll be showing some of the crazy awesome films in his 400+ strong body of work that epitomize exactly what made him the “King of the B Movies.”
  • We all know Traverse City is a movie lover’s paradise — it’s an epicurean’s paradise as well. We’ll explore the intersection of food and film with a special selection of culinary-themed films, followed by candid conversations about the films with the superstars of the Northern Michigan food scene, and specially prepared tasting bites by the chefs and inspired by the films. 
  • From our kids fest for the little ones to a plethora of films for adults, we do everything we can to make the festival fit all tastes and all ages. This year we took it one step further, and sought out the best new movies for the generation currently coming of age. Films in our #tween section may be suitable for PG audiences. 
  • Be sure to check out my “Don’t Miss” films of the festival on the blog or on the schedule guide. 
  • And I’ll be bringing a special treat for you at Mike’s Surprise on the last day of the fest. Extra security will be present. Be sure to bring the secret password. 

So many great things are happening at the festival this year, and so many great films and filmmakers are coming from around the world, I’m gonna let you get to reading the Guide. 

Tickets go on sale for Friends of the Film Festival on Sunday, July 12, and to the general public on Saturday, July 18. 

So head on over to our website now, or pick up today’s Traverse City Record-Eagle, to explore the hilarious, heartfelt, thrilling, profound, romantic, and eye-opening selection of films that awaits. 

And mark your calendars for Tuesday, July 28 through Sunday, August 2. Stay tuned for more announcements, but for now, you can begin your sublime cinematic adventure by clicking here. 

See you at the movies!

Yours,

Michael Moore
President and Founder
Traverse City Film Festival