Visual Arts Center in Punta Gorda to hold Charlotte County's First Film Festival

The Visual Arts Center of Punta Gorda has announced that in  September 2011, the Center will hold Charlotte County’s first Film Festival, presenting both locally and nationally produced short videos. The local component will be produced by students from the VAC and other film schools in the area. The national component will be from the Black Maria Film and Video Festival, a non-profit New Jersey organization that juries films from around the world for inclusion in a nationwide tour that takes place throughout the year.

Starting in January, the VAC will be offering beginning classes in Video Movie Making. Students in this class will be encouraged to produce short movies for entry the  festival.In addition, children enrolled in the  Kids Summer Art Camp will also have the opportunity to enter films. Films will also be accepted from students in regional film schools like Edison College in Lee County and Ringling in Sarasota. "The intent is to give students from the local area the opportunity to show their films to a Charlotte County audience," the VAC noted in their recent announcement.

The local movie screenings will take place on Friday, September 9th, and the Black Maria Film and Video Festival screening will take place on Saturday, September 10th. Weather permitting, both screenings will be in the courtyard at the Visual Arts Center.To get involved with the first annual VAC Film Festival, contact Tom Hamilton at (941)639-8810.