POUGHKEEPSIE – The Reel Exposure International Teen Film & Photo Festival will be held as a virtual 3-day festival and exhibition, premiering Friday through Sunday, May 29-31, 2020, as The Art Effect embraces this new “reality” by going digital.
Out of over 100 films and 300 photos submitted by young people, only 15 short films and 50 photos made the final cut for the festival. To showcase the jury-selected works, there will be a virtual exhibition of selected photographs and three live screenings roughly 30 minutes each, held at 7 pm each evening over the course of the weekend. After the final films on Sunday, May 31, there will be a very special awards presentation announcing the winners of this year’s competition and a live Q & A with the young filmmakers and photographers. Check out the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
The Art Effect’s annual event is an important showcase that encourages youth creativity, invigorates the local community through the arts, and showcases the work done by the next generation of art and media-makers. Viewers can expect to see a mix of film genres in this year’s lineup, including comedies, dramas, animations, environmental documentaries, and music videos. Finalists from all over the world produced films for the festival, with pieces from Ireland, Austria, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and throughout the United States — including films created by youth in Poughkeepsie. Photographs were submitted from around the country and range from surreal narrative to documentary photography.
“This is the first time we’re able to host a true, multi-day arts festival, live from Poughkeepsie,” says Nicole Fenichel-Hewitt, Executive Director of The Art Effect, “With the opportunity to view films online for three nights in a row, experience pre-recorded and live video portions of the event, and participate virtually in a stunning photography exhibition, this year’s Reel Exposure event is truly a step towards digital innovation in the arts in Dutchess County.”
The new online format will allow viewers to share their opinions by voting in the Audience Choice Poll for Best Photo and Best Film. The results will be posted on Monday, June 1. The festival is created for audiences at least 13 years of age. Visit thearteffect.org/reel-exposure for more information and to access the poll, virtual photo exhibition, and live screenings during the festival on May 29-31. Reel Exposure films can be also viewed live on YouTube and Facebook at 7 pm on May 29, 30, and 31. Pre-registration is recommended at http://weblink.donorperfect.
Reel Exposure is made possible, in part, through funding from Dutchess Tourism, administered by Arts Mid-Hudson and support from Dyson Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts, Vassar Brothers Institute Donor Advised Fund of the Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley, and FairGame Arts Grant.
The Art Effect empowers youth to develop their creative voice to shape their futures and bring about positive social change. The organization facilitates educational programming for youth in the Hudson Valley to explore, experience, and excel in the arts. The programs provide introductions to visual arts and media, giving participants the opportunity to develop real skills in these fields and guiding them towards achieving their academic and career goals. The Art Effect is anchored by the belief that the arts have the power to create a more vibrant, caring, and sustainable world led by a generation of youth who value creative thinking, diverse voices, and stronger connections between all people.
