Ashland Independent Film Festival

Overview

The Ashland Independent Film Festival is southern Oregon's most important film festival. Founded in 2001 and held annually in April in Ashland -- home of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF), one of the largest and most prestigious repertory theatre companies in the United States -- the festival presents independent international and American cinema in one of the Pacific Northwest's most arts-engaged small cities.

Ashland's theatre culture, centered on the OSF which draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually from across North America, creates an audience with unusual theatrical and narrative sophistication. The film festival benefits from this arts-literate community, programming films that reward the kind of close attention that regular theatre-goers bring to performance.

The April timing coincides with the opening of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival season, creating a cultural overlap where film audiences and theatre audiences share the city.

Key Sections

• Feature Film Program -- independent international and American features
• Documentary Program -- nonfiction features
• Short Film Competition -- competitive short programs
• Oregon Film Showcase -- films by Oregon filmmakers
• Special Events -- outdoor and venue screenings

What Filmmakers Should Know

Ashland accepts open submissions. The theatre-literate audience creates exceptional engagement with narrative and character-driven films. For southern Oregon filmmakers, this is the most important regional platform.

Major Awards

• Audience Award -- voted by Ashland festival audiences
• Best Short Film

Festival History

Ashland Independent Film Festival was founded in 2001 and has operated as southern Oregon's primary film cultural event.

See Also

For Oregon festivals, see Film Festival Strategy. For the Portland International Film Festival, see Portland International Film Festival.