Green Mountain Film Festival

Overview

The Green Mountain Film Festival is Vermont's most important film festival. Founded in 2001 and held annually in March in Montpelier -- the smallest state capital in the United States, with a population of under 8,000 -- the festival presents independent international and American cinema to one of New England's most politically engaged and environmentally conscious communities.

Vermont's identity as the most rural state in the eastern US, with a strong tradition of town meeting democracy, environmental activism, and political independence, gives the festival a distinctive character. The small scale of Montpelier creates an unusually intimate festival atmosphere where filmmakers and audiences interact naturally.

The festival's March timing, in Vermont's late winter, creates a cultural event that provides the state's small cities and towns with access to independent and world cinema during the quietest season.

Key Sections

• International Feature Program -- curated world cinema
• American Independent Film -- new US independent features
• Documentary Program -- nonfiction features
• Short Film Program -- independent and student short films
• Vermont Film -- films by Vermont-based filmmakers

What Filmmakers Should Know

Green Mountain accepts open submissions. The intimate scale of Montpelier creates exceptional filmmaker-audience contact. For filmmakers with environmentally or politically engaged work, Vermont's activist culture provides particularly receptive audiences.

Major Awards

• Audience Award -- voted by Vermont festival audiences

Festival History

Green Mountain Film Festival was founded in 2001 and has operated as Vermont's primary film cultural event.

See Also

For New England festivals, see Film Festival Strategy. For US regional festivals, see Independent Filmmaking Strategies.