YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Youngstown Film Festival might still be in its opening scene, but its plot is beginning to thicken.
The Oct. 19 event is moving to a new location this year and will take advantage of the effort to restore downtown as an arts and nightlife mecca.
It’s also adding to that effort.
Now in its third year, the film festival has moved to The Vault – the lobby of the former downtown Chase Bank branch at 6 W. Federal St., on Central Square. It’s an ornate and stately room with a high ceiling.
The building’s new owner, who could not be reached for comment, has given the room new carpeting and is making it available to rent for private events. The film fest is the first such event, and the next one will be Dec. 6, when it will be part of the Light Up Night festivities, according to Melanie Clarke-Penella, downtown events coordinator for the city.
The film festival took place in the ballroom of the Tyler History Center, downtown, its first two years. This year’s event will just be one day instead of the two of past years. That will make it more compact, says Adam Michael, founder and director of the YFF.
This year’s fest will also coincide with The Open – the daylong event put together by the city to bring people back downtown.
The center city was a lively area for nightlife and entertainment before the pandemic. But it has struggled since then, and the years-long street reconstruction project and the explosion at Realty Tower in May have further hindered its comeback.
The goal of The Open is to reacquaint people with downtown. It will include a full day of free outdoor concerts, including Red Wanting Blue at 9:45 p.m. A stage will be set up in the intersection of West Federal and Phelps.
The Open will also take advantage of the synergy created by other nearby events, including the Youngstown State University football game at 6 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium; a screening of “Rocky Horror Picture Show” at 7 p.m. at Penguin City Brewing; a Youngstown Phantoms hockey game at 6 p.m. at Covelli Centre; and the film festival, which starts at 1 p.m.
Clarke-Penella says she isn’t sure if the film festival’s move to The Vault will be permanent. The organizers will determine how well it works, But so far, they like what they see, she says.
The fest, with support from the city, has hired 42 Events to provide sound and screens.
“We’re making it into a theater for a day,” Clarke-Penella says. “The films will get the respect they deserve.”
Fest director Michael says all films will be shown on one large screen, with the audience sitting in chairs that will be arranged in rows before it.
Of the 25 films selected for screening, all but one is a short film. Running times will range from 90 seconds to 22 minutes, with the average length around 10 minutes.
The festival’s sole full-length feature film is “Gemini,” which was directed by Nicole Price of Columbiana and adapted from a novel by Jimmy Taafe of Struthers.
“Gemini” is a lighthearted science-fiction romance that premiered in February at Main Street Theater in Columbiana and has been accepted in several other film festivals.
“Gemini” stars Angela Cole and Cara DeChurch, with Scott Schwartz, Tammy Tsai, Paul Worley and Erich Offenburg.
HIGH QUALITY
More than 300 films were submitted to the Youngstown Film Festival. Not all of the films that were selected will be screened at the event, but all will be made available to view at FilmFreeway.com, Michael says.
The quality of the films that were selected is high, says Michael, who is also a filmmaker.
“A couple are absolutely phenomenal and have won big awards at other festivals,” he says. “One of them (‘As Easy as Closing Your Eyes’) was executive produced by Abigail Breslin (‘Little Miss Sunshine,’ ‘Signs’), who is an Oscar nominee.”
Michael says the event is building a reputation and is getting noticed by other festivals and filmmakers.
“It’s only our third one, but we’re confident we can build it into something big and beautiful,” he says.”
Michael says the festival will bring more foot traffic to downtown for The Open.
He also praised the city for its logistical and financial support and for helping spread the word. “They’ve been incredible,” he says.
Tickets to the YFF are $30 and can be purchased at the door or online.
Festivalgoers can enter and leave as they please to watch the live music on West Federal Street during The Open, or to go to a restaurant or bar.
“You can watch a few short films, and then go back outside to have lunch or watch a band,” says Clarke-Penella, who is also a filmmaker and screenwriter.
“The festival is giving residents in the Mahoning Valley access to films they might not have ever seen,” she says. “The submissions came from all over the world. It’s bringing culture to the area from places you might not have ever seen.”
SCHEDULE
Films begin at 1 p.m., and will be screened in this order (running time in parentheses):
- “Meal Ticket” (10 minutes, 22 seconds).
- “Death to Platitudes” (6:06).
- “Tret” (17:27).
- “American Bison: Winter” (3:58).
- “The End” (7:00).
- “Be Yourself” (5:10).
- “The Trouble with Cake… and Eating It Too” (7:11).
- “Bullsh*t” (7:38).
- “A Man Alone” (12:00).
- “Buffy and the Balloon” (1:35).
- “The Wedding Veil of the Proud Princess” (6:33).
- “The Dream Factory” (4:24).
- “As Easy as Closing Your Eyes” (21:43).
- BREAK (10 minutes)
- “Gemini” (1 hour, 45 minutes).
- BREAK (10 minutes)
- “Trial 54” (17:35).
- “Rabbit Season” (5:00).
- “Pass” (10:00).
- “Po: Act 1, Part 1” (19:32).
- “Only the Dead” (10:00).
- “Irregular Feminine Forms” (10:00).
- “3 Poems by Dickinson” (5:08).
- “Bar. Boy.” (20:00).
- “WRKSMRT” (11:12).
- “Lorica” (14:23).
- “Emerald City” (21:13).
The festival will end with an awards ceremony.
Pictured at top: The festival’s sole full-length feature film is “Gemini,” which was directed by Nicole Price of Columbiana and adapted from a novel by Jimmy Taafe of Struthers.