Become a friendly film critic and support local filmmakers at this downtown bar’s first-ever film festival, showcasing shorts that span genres.
Local bar Cherry Street Tavern will soon host its first-ever 5-Minute Film Festival on Saturday, Nov. 25.
Folks will be able to see works from local and regional artists that span genres (think: horror, comedy, music videos, and surreal). At the end of the night, one filmmaker will win a $500 prize for best short.
Co-owner Marty Bohannon said the inspiration for this film-centered night was his brother Matt, who has been making independent music videos and hopes to inspire more creativity. Bonus: You’ll be able to see Matt Bohannon’s works throughout the night.
“We figured this would be a pretty accessible way for people to express themselves in the medium,” he said.
The submission pool (that currently is around 50 films) will be trimmed down by external judges — then the judging will be left to the audience. Here are some need-to-knows for audience members:
- You need to be 18+, and there’s a $5 cover fee
- Receive a card upon entry to vote for your favorite
- Pro tip: Aim to get a seat around 6-7 p.m., the films start after sundown
- Screening time will be around three hours with chances to hear from the filmmakers
- End the night with tunes spun from DJ Neena Wang + the winner announcement
You can also expect to see the bar transformed into a mini theater with a projector screen, rows of seats replacing the bar stools, and theater-style concessions from Final Girl Vegan Food.
“We’re centered in music, but there’s a lot of moving parts when it comes to what we do here,” Bohannon said. “I think I speak for my brother and the other owner, George MacEwan, we all have a background in hospitality and just want to see people have a good time.”
