13th Monadnock International Film Festival: A Cinematic Smorgasbord

The 13th Monadnock International Film Festival (MONIFF) "celebrates our world's diversity through independent films that educate, enrich and engage audiences." MONIFF features an exciting line up of over 80 films in a hybrid format. From October 3 to 5 audiences can attend in-person screenings in Keene at The Showroom, Keene Public Library, Brewbakers and Birdies. Then, from October 7 to 16, filmgoers can enjoy virtual in-home screenings via the festival's streaming platform. This year's film categories include: narrative shorts, animated shorts, documentary shorts, documentaries, narratives, "mockumentaries," comedies, dramas and films from New Hampshire and from first-time filmmakers. According to publicity materials, the East Coast Premiere of Big Mountain Soul: Ski Africa, takes place this year which follows a group on a journey through the breathtaking landscapes of Morocco, carving new trails in the world of ski mountaineering. On a mission to spread the message that the mountains are for everyone, the Big Mountain Soul group takes the emotional journey to motherland Africa; challenging perceptions, redefining the spirit of adventure and cultural connection. Coincidentally, the producer Jonathan (Jon) Correia was a projectionist at The Colonial Theatre in 2013-14. "I am especially fond of 'Saving Our Ancestors – Reflections' by Dr. Birutė Galdikas, a scientist, conservationist and educator for over five decades who has studied and worked closely with the orangutans of Indonesian Borneo in their natural habitat, and is today the world's foremost authority on the orangutan," said Dee Fitzgerald, MONIFF board chair and festival programmer. She added, "Dr. Galdikas is one of the trimates (Dian Fossey and Jane Goodall), also sometimes called Leakey's Angels." The New Hampshire premiere of "The Pantone Guy" takes place on Friday, Oct. 3 at The Showroom. It's a "deeply funny and compelling story about Larry Herbert, a visionary and the mind behind the ground-breaking Pantone Matching System, which revolutionized the worldwide use of color." Fitzgerald has been at the helm of MONIFF for the past six years, and said, "When I took over, we had every intention of holding our Film Festival in April, when it was annually held… and then the pandemic happened, which forced us to shift gears." "And today, it has become somewhat of the norm that quite a few film festivals host in person with an option for virtual viewing. That model is especially welcomed by members of our audience who can't necessarily travel to New Hampshire or they want to watch a film for a second time at their convenience," Fitzgerald added. When asked how the films are selected, Fitzgerald explained, "We accept submissions through a platform called FilmFreeway, which is used by festivals all over the world. It's a way for filmmakers and those who are affiliated with the film to submit their completed work for potential inclusion in a festival. We also have returning filmmakers who reach out directly with their latest work for consideration." A NEW PARTNERSHIP "We have a new partnership with Brewbakers this year which I'm pretty excited about. Eric Gagne from Nova Arts reached out about an experimental live audio-visual that he was bringing to Brewbakers," Fitzgerald said. "Of course, the answer was yes, so on Friday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m. we're having a special screening of "Trying" a live audio-visual performance that explores grief and memory through the story of a young couple navigating the loss of a family member. Filmmaker and composer Kyle Turgeon performs the score live — looping and layering cello, synth and piano, while projecting a live-assembled chance-based version of the film behind him," Fitzgerald added. JONATHAN DANIELS AWARD "Our Jonathan Daniels award winner this year has already been identified, and that is a film called "Gone Guys," on Saturday, Oct. 4, at 7:30 p.m. at The Showroom, which tells the story of how, over the past 50 years boys and young men have steadily disengaged from school, work and broader society. Set in rural Vermont, it's by director and producer Chad Ervin, who has worked in a variety of roles on around 35 documentaries, including films for PBS's Frontline and American Experience," Fitzgerald added. "We look forward to having a lively Q&A afterwards." MONIFF'S MISSION "What resonates really well with our festivalgoers and our audiences are films that touch on local themes and personal stories and highlights folks in the community who may be doing something unique, and so whether it's a narrative short that a young, burgeoning filmmaker has put their heart and soul into creating, or it's a bigger story theme that's a documentary feature, our audiences appreciate the research, dedication and the work that can sometimes take years before the final film is ready," Fitzgerald added. "Through the continued support of our generous sponsors and the community, we are in a unique position of ensuring that a number of films are provided free to the community, and that includes at the Keene Public Library on Friday and Saturday and at Birdies on Main Street on Saturday and Sunday. So, it really is a festival that is inclusive and accessible to all," Fitzgerald said. IF YOU GO WHAT: 13th Monadnock International Film Festival WHEN: Attend in-person film screenings, special events and Q&As, Oct. 3 to 5 or view films virtually Oct. 7 to 16. WHERE: Various locations in Keene INFO: visit www.moniff.org TICKETS: There are four ways to see the festival: All access pass, Film pass, in-person events or individual tickets. Visit www.moniff2025.eventive.org/schedule or www.moniff.org for the full film lineup and schedule and to purchase tickets and passes.