The flickering lights of film reels were visible all throughout the county during the Vero Beach Film Festival, which celebrated its 10th anniversary.
The four-day festival featured 75 carefully curated films by 125 filmmakers, from comedy shorts to narrative features, each generating an energy that was palpable.
“We had a very, very successful festival. We grew about 30 percent,” said David Yakir, VBFF executive director at the Wrap Party, as he thanked the filmmakers, audience and volunteers.
Between screenings, the event offered filmmaker lectures, workshops and panels featuring a variety of industry guest speakers.
Yakir explained that they have also cast a wider net through a Lights, Camera, Education outreach program that focuses on the next generation of storytellers who are already honing their craft.
Although the festival brought talent from far and wide, this year’s selection included several local works.
“The Moonshot Story,” a documentary highlighting the mission of the Learning Alliance, showcased the goal of the nonprofit to have 90 percent of children reading on grade level by the end of third grade. More than just literacy, the objective focuses on the future of every child in our community. A panel discussion after the director’s cut screening of the 10-episode series delved into the progress made through the county’s public-private partnership.
“Bonding,” a psychological thriller produced by Vero Beach residents Barry and Carmen Nordstrand, brought star power to the local screen with its powerful story about the reunion of three estranged siblings.
And “A Life Illuminated” documented the career of Dr. Edith “Edie” Widder, founder of the Ocean Research & Conservation Association. The marine biologist is widely known for her pioneering research on bioluminescence, as well as for capturing the first-ever video footage of a giant squid in the depths of the ocean. Afterward, Widder answered questions about her past, present and future work, including local efforts to restore the health of the Indian River Lagoon.
Outside of the theater, the weekend featured a full slate of events at various locations around Vero Beach, such as the Friends of the Festival Dinner, Opening Night Festivities and Wrap Party.
The level of storytelling has earned the festival its reputation among the top 100 best-reviewed festivals worldwide by FilmFreeway.
Jury Awards were determined by a panel of industry experts in categories ranging from narrative features to student shorts, and the Audience Choice Awards give viewers a chance to voice their own personal favorites.
For more information, visit VBFilmFest.org.
Photos by Joshua Kodis
