Connect Beyond Festival is excited to reboot in late Spring of 2024, in downtown Asheville, NC. We are also planning a series of panels, performances, and screenings periodically throughout the year.
Connection. A word that by definition means to join together to establish a link, so as to provide access and communication. Connect Beyond Festival has established that link and is using music, film, and storytelling to create connections. More than just an event, Connect Beyond Festival is a movement to develop a network of people inspired by creative mediums and united in the pursuit of equality and social justice. Our goal is to inspire a sense of community and personal engagement.
The Film Programme portion of the Festival showcases Documentary and Narrative Feature and Short Films, with Impact-driven Screenings, filmmaker Q&A's, and Panels. The festival brings film together with musical, theatrical, and literary programming, with discussion panels, interviews, performances, and events which are socially relevant, increase a sense of Connection in our world, celebrate art and beauty, and spark dialogue.
Lauded as “Asheville’s version of SXSW” (Ashvegas), this year's festival will feature the Storytelling For Impact multidisciplinary panel, in partnership with Sundance Collab, Sundance Institute’s official digital, global community for artists.
PREVIOUS GUEST FILMMAKERS/PANELISTS INCLUDE:
GLADYS KNIGHT (Grammy award winning songwriter & subject of Oscar winning film Summer of Soul) • ALBERT BERGER (Oscar-nominated Producer, Peanut Butter Falcon, Nebraska, Little Miss Sunshine) • INDIA OSBORNE (Visual Effects / Production Manager, Blade Runner 2049, Thor) • WILLIAM HORBERG (BAFTA-nominated Producer, The Kite Runner, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Cold Mountain) • MEGAN TWOHEY (Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter for The New York Times and co-author of the bestselling book “SHE SAID: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement” • ERICA S. BREAM (Casting, Altered Carbon, Star Trek Into Darkness) • JASON LUST (Producer, Peter Rabbit, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day) • JOSH TICKELL (Sundance-winning Director, Fuel, The Big Fix, Pump) • RIKKI LAKE (Producer, Weed the People, The Business of Being Born) • DAVID BRUCKNER (Director, The Ritual, V/H/S) • SOL TRYON (Producer, Bomb the System, Weed the People) • JENNY HALPER (Producer, Development Executive, The Kindergarten Teacher, American Honey) • BEN REKHI (Director, The Ashram, Watch List) • REINHOLD HEIL (Golden Globe nominated composer, Run Lola Run, Cloud Atlas) • LORI KNIGHT (News Producer, 60 Minutes, CNN) • ARI GOLD (Director, The Song of Sway Lake, Adventures of Power)