Bucks County FilmFest

---Your film must be Independently produced by current or former residents of the greater Delaware Valley/Your script must be Independently written by current or former residents of the greater Delaware Valley---

FilmFest was born in 1999 at a planning meeting of the Bucks Fever Advisory Council of the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce. At that meeting, Chamber member Jon Wilner (formerly of the Delaware Valley Arts Institute), suggested that we add a contemporary art form of growing interest in Bucks County, a Film Festival, to the 25-year-old Bucks Fever, Celebration of the ArtsProgram. FilmFest would encourage and support the growth of a filmmaking community by providing a venue to view the works of area professional and student filmmakers.

The first FilmFest was held in September of 2000 and featured a screening of the Academy Award winning “The Buddy Holly Story”, introduced and followed by a panel discussion with the producers, director, and musical director, all of whom are Bucks County residents.

In July 2002, the first juried, short film and video FilmFest was opened up to the filmmaking community, receiving 29 submissions from student and independent filmmakers, from which 15 short films/videos were selected and screened at the County Theater to overflow audiences. In each of the ensuing annual FilmFests, the number and the quality of submissions have increased. In addition to having their work screened publicly in a movie theater setting, winning filmmakers are given the opportunity to have their films screened on the Bucks County FilmFest website.

Over the years, FilmFest has added seminars directed primarily at young filmmakers on subjects ranging from film financing, auditions, and script writing. Past seminar presenters include Mike Lemon of Mike Lemon Casting (exclusive casting agent for all M. Night Shyamalan films), James Breckinridge, script and screenplay writer, Fred Bauer, Producer of “The Buddy Holly Story,” and Mac Outfitters.

In 2024, FilmFest celebrates 24 years of supporting filmmakers in the community. To date, nearly 1200 films have been submitted, over 250 screened, and $40,000 in prize money awarded.