Summer’s Hottest Film Festivals: Los Angeles, Nantucket, Telluride and More
Tired of the summer heat? Spend your time in a cozy, air-conditioned movie theater taking in some of the most highly anticipated films of the year at one of many exciting film fests this summer.
The Seattle International Film Festival (May 15—June 8) Seattle, WA
The big kahuna kicking off the summer film festival season is SIFF, which boasts the highest film festival attendance in the U.S., attracting over 150,000 filmgoers every year. This year’s edition has 250 features from over 70 countries, and opens with Oscar winner John Ridley’s (12 Years A Slave) directorial debut, All Is By My Side—a Jimi Hendrix biopic starring Outkast’s Andre Benjamin. Other films include the YA love story The Fault in Our Stars, Richard Linklater’s 12-year saga Boyhood, and conversations with film luminaries Chiwetel Ejiofor and Laura Dern.
More information here.
Rooftop Films 2014 Summer Series (May 16—Aug. 14)Brooklyn, NY
Featuring a wide array of venues, from the beach at Coney Island to the roof of the Jewish Community Center, this indie Brooklyn film festival offers a change of pace from the typical film fest atmosphere (think PBR instead of champagne). This year’s lineup includes the subversive abortion comedy (and Sundance hit) Obvious Child; Joe Swanberg’s comedy Happy Christmas, starring Anna Kendrick and Lena Dunham; and The One I Love, another Sundance hit starring Elisabeth Moss and Mark Duplass as a couple whose marriage is crumbling.
More information here.
Los Angeles Film Festival (June 11—19) Los Angeles, CA
Set in Downtown Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Film Festival will be ringing in its 20th anniversary this year and to celebrate the occasion, they’ve stacked their lineup with plenty of intriguing films. Some of the 200-plus features that will play the fest include opener Snowpiercer, an apocalyptic sci-fi flick from Bong Joon-ho (The Host) starring Chris Evans and Tilda Swinton; Hossein Amini’s directorial debut The Two Faces of January, starring Viggo Mortensen and Kristen Dunst; and Clint Eastwood’s adaptation of the hit Broadway musical Jersey Boys, which will serve as the fest’s closing night film.
More information here.
Human Rights Watch Film Festival (June 12—22)New York, NY
Presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center and the IFC Center, this socially conscious fest is the brainchild of Human Rights Watch, one of the world’s premier independent organizations dedicated to protecting human rights. Past standout documentaries have included the Oscar-nominated The Act of Killing, about Indonesian genocide, and The Gatekeepers, chronicling Israel’s counterterrorism efforts. This year’s lineup was culled from over 500 entries and boasts documentaries on Human Rights Watch’s E-Team, a transgendered ex-Navy SEAL, and cultural icon George Takei.
More information here.
BAMcinemaFest 2014 (June 18 —29)Brooklyn, NY
This year’s edition of the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s annual film festival features one of its most impressive lineups yet, including opening night film Boyhood, Richard Linklater’s 12-year opus, followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker and cast; centerpiece film Snowpiercer; spotlight film They Came Together, David Wain’s rom-com parody starring Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd—followed by a Q&A with the duo; and a special treat for closing night: a 25th anniversary screening of Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing, followed by a Q&A with the acclaimed filmmaker.
More information here.
Coca-Cola Summer Film Festival (June 19—Aug. 21)Atlanta, GA
The annual celebration of cinema classics will take place on select Sundays and Thursdays at the historical Fox Theatre in Atlanta, where tours of the legendary venue will be offered prior to showtime. Audiences will be able to see films like Gone with the Wind, Dr. Strangelove, Double Indemnity, and participate in a special Mary Poppins sing-along screening on the big screen.
More information here.
Nantucket Film Festival (June 25—30) Nantucket, MA
The 19th edition of the Nantucket Film Festival, set on the picturesque island off the coast of Massachusetts, will open with The Skeleton Twins, an anticipated dramedy starring SNL alums Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader, while I, Origins, a sci-fi flick with Michael Pitt and Brit Marling, will serve as the centerpiece film, and closing things out will be Richard Linklater’s Boyhood. Other features will include the Roger Ebert documentary Life Itself, the musical-drama Begin Again, starring Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo, and the heartrending drama Love Is Strange, featuring John Lithgow and Alfred Molina as loving gay couple struggling to scrape by in Manhattan.
More information here.
Traverse City Film Festival (July 30—Aug. 4)Traverse City, MI
Founded by Oscar winning filmmaker—and Michigan native—Michael Moore, this growing film fest will be celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and feature over 200 films from a variety of countries. While ‘14 lineup has yet to be announced, last year’s edition included lots of gems, e.g. the Oscar-nominated doc The Act of Killing, Cate Blanchett’s Oscar-winning turn in Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine, the searing drama Fruitvale Station, and the blockbuster comedy The Heat, starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy.
More information here.
Telluride Film Festival (Aug. 29—Sept. 1)Telluride, CO
Yes, the Telluride Film Festival isn’t the easiest to travel to, and yes, passes will run you a whopping $750 a pop, but trust us: it’s worth it. For one, the fest is very casual and uncluttered—the programmers don’t announce the lineup until the night before, ensuring that prying paparazzi are nowhere to be found, and the ex-mining town is absolutely breathtaking that time of year, featuring a gondola ride up and down a mountain that takes you to the fest’s Chuck Jones Cinema. Telluride ’13 included the first U.S. screenings of some of the year’s best films, including Best Picture Oscar winner 12 Years A Slave, Best Director Oscar winner Gravity, the Coen Bros. Inside Llewyn Davis, the erotic French drama Blue Is the Warmest Color, and much more.
More information here.