ST. GEORGE — The American Motion Picture Society will accept submissions for its 2016 Film Festival beginning Friday.
The Society is especially looking forward to submissions from local Utah and Nevada filmmakers. Garry Peter Morris, president of the organization, hopes local non-professional filmmakers will participate.
2015’s AMPS Film Festival received entries from three continents and 10 countries including entries from a number of filmmakers from around the United States, but not a single submission from either Utah or Nevada.
“I have personally seen the incredible talent we have in our two states firsthand and I just hope that our local filmmakers will share that talent by submitting their films,” said Morris, who said he has attended screenings of films produced by local Utah and Nevada filmmakers.
Last year’s winners hailed from Belgium, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Myanmar, Switzerland, Ukraine. Winners from the United States included filmmakers from California and New York, he said.
“We hope we can include Nevada and Utah in the winner categories this year as well,” Morris added. “But we need submissions from local filmmakers from those two states first.”
Founded in 1926, the American Motion Picture Society (AMPS) holds the distinction of being the oldest non-commercial film society in the U.S. The headquarters relocated to Ivins, Utah in 2014, and celebrated the first year of its International Film Festival at its new Utah home base in 2015.
Submissions for the 2016 Festival will be accepted from July 15 through the submission deadline of Sept. 15, 2016. Winners will be announced in the Comedy, Drama and Documentary categories Nov. 15, 2016.
Films may be submitted via FilmFreeway online, or directly through the AMPS website. All submission rules, regulations and application procedures may be found on both websites. The Society is a tax-exempt 501 (c)(3) charitable organization.
According to the AMPS website, the Society’s mission is: “To foster and educate non-commercial, amateur filmmakers by helping them to expand and explore their passion for and creativity within the world of filmmaking.”
The Society’s Vision statement is: “To educate and enhance the art and craft of non-commercial, amateur filmmaking using competitive film festivals and educational seminars as tools for enrichment purposes.”
AMPS Board members include: Morris and Kent Harrison Hayes, both filmmakers and theatrical producers; filmmaker Ned Cordery; Eric Young, Dixie State University film professor; June Pace, arts supporter and entrepreneuer; and arts advocate Ellen Reiterman.
2016’s AMPS Film Festival is planned as a virtual Festival, and is expected to exceed 2015’s submission statistics twofold.
Because of the Festival’s growth, the AMPS Board has decided to start preparations to debut a live Festival for 2017, which will be based in southern Utah. 2017 Festival plans include live screenings, award ceremonies, seminars, guest speakers and a red carpet event.
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