About the Fest

Since its inception in 2001, the Rochester High Falls International Film Festival has become one of the leading cultural events in Rochester and the surrounding region, boosting tourism with attendees who spend an estimated $1 million in and around our downtown festival sites. The Festival's mission is to feature exceptional work of women in all areas of film, video and new media, highlighting Rochester's standing as the home of motion picture film (George Eastman) and the women's rights movement (Susan B. Anthony).

Over the course of the festival, R/HFIFF presents some 90 features, documentaries, shorts, children's and young adult programs, student filmmaking competitions, panel discussions, master classes, and informal "Coffee With" events featuring visiting filmmakers and stars. The festival is a lively mix of emerging and well-established talent, with past guests that include actresses Christine Lahti, Angela Bassett, Jane Alexander, Candice Bergen, Joan Allen, Famke Janssen and Sally Kellerman, voice-over actress Nancy "Bart Simpson" Cartwright, producer Lauren Shuler Donner, and director Vicky Jenson.

THE MOVIES

RHFIFF continues to attract nearly 100 films each year, including:

• 35 feature-length films, with audience selections that have gone on to win Academy Awards
• Four programs of short films, animation and documentaries
• A program of international children's shorts plus young adult feature films

THE STARS

R/HFIFF features special celebrity guests every night of the Festival. Past stars have included:

• Christine Lahti, Candice Bergen, Angela Bassett, Joan Allen, Sally Kellerman, Diane Ladd and more
• Hollywood mega-producer Lauren Shuler Donner
• Acclaimed directors Vicky Jenson (SHREK), Agnieszka Holland (THE SECRET GARDEN), and more

THE PARTNERS

• The High Falls Film Festival recently merged with the Rochester International Film Festival, the world's oldest continually held short film festival (since 1959), to become the Rochester/High Falls International Film Festival. Our new program of short films will feature the best narratives, documentaries and animation made by emerging filmmakers from the USA and abroad, selected by a pedigree short film jury.
• To read more about Movies on a Shoestring's 50-year history, click here: http://www.highfallsfilmfestival.com/2005/HFFF-RIFFmerge.htm
• RHFIFF works with The George Eastman House, The Rochester International Jazz Festival, Rochester Institute of Technology School of Film and Animation, and a number of other premiere organizations to guarantee the best possible programming at the Festival and throughout the year.

STAFF

• Read more about the staff and the board of directors

THE AUDIENCE

• RHFIFF has media partnerships in place for 2008 with Time Warner Cable and Entercomm Communications. New marketing initiatives, including broadcast, cable, radio and Internet promotions, will deliver several million additional marketing and publicity impressions for Festival sponsors, to reach the widest possible audience.