The NFIFF is a World Renowned International Film Festival that is breaking ground and new barriers for filmmakers and Industry professionals around the Globe.
Currently preparing for it's 2
nd
edition (September 18-21, 2019), the Niagara Falls International Film Festival is an outgrowth of the successful Buffalo-Niagara Film Festival, which celebrated independent film and featured the work of local filmmakers for the prior 15 years. NFIFF was created with a vision to build on that success and grow it to deliver a bigger, better, and stronger film experience for Western New York film fans - as well as be a significant force in the community of Niagara Falls to revitalize it and celebrate the area's rich history.
In it's first year, NFIFF made good on those goals by bringing two Academy Award-winning film artists to Niagara Falls to celebrate their careers and give local aspiring filmmakers insight into their filmmaking process and journey. During a Red Carpet Gala event, 2-Time Academy Award winner for Costume Design and Niagara Falls favorite son Mark Bridges (PHANTOM THREAD, THE ARTIST) was given the key to the city by Mayor Paul Dyster, and Academy Award winner for Visual Effects Craig Barron (THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON) was honored with the festival's inaugural Legacy Award. Both men were also presented with stars set to be placed on the Niagara Falls Walk of Fame - a project introduced by NFIFF's Founder and Executive Director Bill Cowell.
NFIFF also highlighted the "international" aspect of the film festival with filmmakers like Annalaura di Luggo (Italy) and Arturo Sotto Diaz (Cuba) making trips to the U.S. to attend the film festival with their films. Filmmakers were treated to helicopter rides over the Falls and tours to the area's historic attractions. In addition to the screenings and filmmaker panels, film fans were also treated to a special master class on visual effects by Legacy Award honoree Craig Barron. While attending NFIFF, Jonathan Piumelli, producer of Best Film winner, WATERLILLY JAGUAR, was inspired to ask the film's Production Designer Shannon Lee to marry him - giving them two wonderful reasons to celebrate at the film festival during the awards ceremony at the historic Riviera Theatre.
NFIFF closed with an emotional evening featuring a screening of Matthew J. Weiss's heartfelt documentary MAN IN RED BANDANA about Welles Remy Crowther, a man who saved many lives during the 9/11 attack on New York City. Crowther's parents, Jeff and Alison, were in attendance, and were presented with a Special Humanitarian Award by NFIFF - after which the first edition of the new film festival by presenting a check for $1000 to the Niagara County Public Safety Training Facility in honor of the Crowther Family.
This year, NFIFF will add to it's efforts to both celebrate cinema and the people that made a significant mark on the films that have entertained us and inspired the filmmakers that followed them with the introduction of the Icons of the Industry Award. This year, directing legend Samuel Fuller will be honored posthumously with a presentation to Fuller's widow, Christa Fuller, including a donation in his name to the Motion Picture and Television Home and Hospital.
