Veritas Arts, Inc., is canceling its Veritas Film Festival, which was slated to run April 23-30. Filmmaker submissions will still be reviewed. Official selections and awards will be announced online.
“It breaks my heart to cancel our celebration of art and film this year. We have put significant effort into planning this event, with incredible support from local sponsors,” said festival director Spencer T. Folmar. “Certainly no one could have predicted this pandemic, but at Veritas Arts we all feel this is the only way to move forward.”
Amidst anticipation for the second annual Film Festival — which was to feature a lineup of acclaimed filmmakers along in addition to showcasing film submissions from all over the world — festival staff have been monitoring the current global health emergency.
“The spread of COVID-19 has transformed our days into an exasperating time with our most human, ethical, and moral sense of duty at their highest level of priority. Regardless of how much effort we all have dedicated to making the second Veritas Film Festival a wonderful reality, and regardless of how much effort you, our respected artists and supporters, have put into producing your project and making our festival a success, we all must respond to this pandemic and try to act wisely in the interest of health and safety,” said Folmar.
The executive directorial team at the Veritas Film Festival reluctantly made the decision after thorough conversations and meetings with community leaders and following the precautions of the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with conversations with local city officials.
“Our guests’ and local residents’ safety and wellness are our priority. Due to the fact that the Veritas Film Festival will bring together hundreds of attendees locally and globally, it is our ethical and moral responsibility to limit the spread of COVID-19. The Veritas Film Festival is responsible for the safety of the city, local visitors, VFF staff members, theater and hotel staff members, local vulnerable residents, and traveling filmmakers, screenwriters and their guests,” said Folmar. Veritas Arts is working with filmmakers to ensure they are recognized for their work.
Ticket holders will be fully refunded for their purchases via original payment method. Specific questions and concerns may be directed to
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Veritas Film Festival. The Guthrie Theatre, 232 S. Broad St., Grove City, Pa. 16127. Veritasarts.org… Thomasgibsonstudio.com…. Veritas Arts, Inc. is announcing its 2nd annual film festival. The festival showcases the best of film and script submissions from all over the world. The event is sponsored by Grove City College. Events and screenings will be held on campus as well as throughout the Olde Town Grove City. Visual art for the event is created by Thomas Gibson Studio. 5 p.m. Thursday, April 23 (opening night) and 9 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday, April 24-Thursday, April 30. VIP all-access (includes access to after parties and reserved seating): $250; week pass: $45; day pass: $10.
Film festival schedule:
Opening gala, press preview, and pitch fest: 5 p.m., Thursday April 23;
Feature Film Friday: 9 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday, April 24;
Student Film Saturday: 9 a.m.-10 p.m., Saturday, April 25 (students of all ages – featured at different theaters;
“Hard Faith”: 9 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday, April 26 (spiritual and theologically minded movies);
“Made in PA”: 9 a.m.-10 p.m., Monday, April 27;
Documentaries: 9 a.m.-10 p.m., Tuesday, April 28;
Screenplays Live: 9 a.m.-10 p.m., Wednesday, April 29 (theatrical stage component of selected scripts);
Short Films: 9 a.m.-10 p.m., Thursday, April 30.
Paul Schrader to headline list of Veritas Film Festival speakers
Accomplished professionals from the film industry will speak daily during the seven-day Veritas Film Festival.
Acclaimed screenwriter and director Paul Schrader, who may be best known for his film, “Taxi Driver,” will speak on Sunday, April 26. He has directed 18 films in his four-decade career. His 2017 film, “First Reformed,” earned an Academy Award nomination and examines themes of faith.
In addition to Schrader, speakers for the week include:
Michael Flaherty (Feature Films, April 24) Co-founder Walden Media, Flaherty may be best known for helping bring “The Chronicles of Narnia” to the big screen.
Christine Swanson (Student Films, April 25) Multiple award-winning filmmaker Christine Swanson has developed, written and/or directed movie projects for various companies including HBO Films, Magnolia Pictures, State Street Pictures, TV One and Faith Filmworks, as well as her own independent film company. Award-winning credits include “Two Seasons, All About You”; “All About Us”; and “Woman Thou Art Loosed.”
Danny Roebuck (Made in PA, April 27) This Pennsylvania native is best known as deputy marshal Robert Biggs in “The Fugitive” and Dr. Leslie Arzt in “Lost,” and also starred in numerous Rob Zombie and Don Coscarelli films. He is known for his role as Cliff Lewis, Ben Matlock’s private investigator, on “Matlock” from 1992 until 1995.
Erik LØkkesmoe (Documentaries, April 28) After a career in Washington, D.C. politics, Erik became vice president of Strategic Partnerships & Outreach for AFG/Walden Media. In 2008, he co-founded Different Drummer, a marketing and publicity firm. Across more than 100 entertainment projects, he helped lead the vision and strategy of the agency that included projects for major movie studios, television networks, publishers, labels, and causes.
Brian Godawa (Screenplays, April 29) An award-winning screenwriter, Godawa’s first feature film was “To End All Wars,” starring Kiefer Sutherland. His career expanded to include writing and directing feature films, documentaries and promotional video.
Steve Karel (Short Films, April 30) Founder of StoneCutter Media. Karel most recently has been retained to bring monetization to pay-per-view and video-on-demand for Multicom Entertainment Group, CJ Entertainment America, FilmRise, Xenon Pictures, Medallion Releasing, and Video Services Corp.
Guthrie Theatre
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