Traverse City Film Festival

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The Traverse City Film Festival is an annual film festival held at the end of July in Traverse City, Michigan. The festival was created as an annual event in 2005 to help “save one of America's few indigenous art forms—the cinema".[1] The event was co-founded by Michael Moore, the Oscar-winning film director, well known for his anti-establishment films and documentaries such as Fahrenheit 9/11, Bowling for Columbine, and Roger & Me, along with author Doug Stanton and photographer John Robert Williams.

2015 TCFF Opening Night downtown Traverse City

The mission of the Festival is to show "Just Great Movies" that represent excellence in filmmaking, particularly those rare independent films and documentaries by both noted and new filmmakers, that do not receive mainstream distribution.

The Traverse City Film Festival is a non-profit organization, and is funded by businesses, community groups and individuals, in addition to ticket sales accumulated by various events. The Festival is headed by a board of directors of filmmakers, writers, and creative professionals. Traverse City Film Festival also showcases all volunteer music,[2] with over 60 regional artists featured in the 2016 event.[3]

Scene from outside the State Theatre

Official selections[]

2005[]

Open Space film screening

The 1st annual Traverse City Film Festival was held July 27–31, 2005. The 5-day event featured many independent films, plus four classic films. The independent films were shown in three indoor venues in downtown Traverse City: the State Theatre, the Old Town Playhouse, and the City Opera House. In addition, each night, a classic film was shown on a giant inflatable screen along West Grand Traverse Bay in the city's Open Space Park. Broken Flowers, a winner at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival, was shown at the Traverse City Film Festival before being released to the general public. Other 2005 Traverse City Film Festival selections covered a gamut of film subjects ranging from period romances, unemployment, terrorism, among many other subjects.

2006[]

The second annual Traverse City Film Festival was held July 31 – August 6, 2006. Michigan Filmmaker Award went to Jeff Daniels.

2007[]

The third annual festival was held July 31 – August 5, 2007. Michigan Filmmaker Award went to Christine Lahti.

2008[]

The fourth annual festival took place July 29 – August 3, 2008. There was a special appearance by Madonna, on August 2, 2008, in order to introduce her film I Am Because We Are. Michigan Filmmaker Award went to Kurt Luedtke. Also this year was the world premiere for Religulous.

2009[]

The fifth annual festival was held from July 28 – August 2, 2009. There were 123 screenings of films from over 30 countries. Michigan Filmmaker Award went to Rich Brauer.

2010[]

The sixth annual festival was held from July 27 – August 1, 2010. Michigan Filmmaker Award went to John Hughes.

2011[]

The seventh annual festival was held from July 26��31, 2011. There were films at the festival this year from every continent except Antarctica. This was also the first year of Kids Fest on the lawn outside of the newly renovated Lars Hockstad auditorium. Michigan Filmmaker Award went to Sue Marx.

2012[]

The eighth annual festival was held from July 31 - August 5, 2012. Michigan Filmmaker Award went to Winsor McCay.

2013[]

The ninth annual festival was held from July 30 - August 4, 2013. Paul Feig was honored with the Michigan Filmmaker Award and Michael Apted with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Liana Liberato received the Discovery Award and Mark Cousins, Rob Epstein, and Jeffrey Friedman received the Visionary Award. The Festival added a new venue this year by renovating the former Con Foster Museum into a theater that was named Bijou by the Bay which opened in time for the 2013 Traverse City Film Festival.

2014[]

The tenth annual festival was held from July 29 - August 3, 2014. Barbara Kopple was honored this year with the Mid-Life Achievement Award. The Buzz and Movies on a Boat were added as venues.

2015[]

The eleventh annual festival was held from July 28 - August 2, 2015. Robert Altman received the Visionary Award, Michigan Filmmaker Award went to Roger Corman, and Geraldine Chaplin received the Lifetime Achievement Award. The Woz interactive gallery was a new addition this year.

2016[]

The twelfth annual Traverse City Film Festival was held from July 26–31, 2016. This year’s festival celebrated the historic State Theatre’s centennial year and honored female filmmakers by featuring films directed by women for every selection in the Official US Documentary and Fiction sections.

2017[]

The thirteenth annual Traverse City Film Festival was held from July 25–30, 2017. This year’s festival celebrated works from filmmakers all around the world, especially those from countries targeted by the US travel ban. 19 directors could not attend the festival due to the ban, but Skyped into festival screenings to discuss their work. Mariska Hargitay, Noel Wells, Leonard Maltin, and Gilbert Gottfried were added to TCFF Walk of Fame this year.

2018[]

The 14th annual Traverse City Film Festival was held from July 31 - August 5, 2018. Jane Fonda, Dick Cavett, and Leon Vitali were added to TCFF Walk of Fame this year, and Nick Offerman was able to Skype in for the screening of Hearts Beat Loud. Jane Fonda received the Lifetime Achievement Award. The TCFF Student U program was launched this year.

2019[]

The 15th annual Traverse City Film Festival was held from July 30 - August 3, 2019. Lily Tomlin received the Lifetime Achievement Award.

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