A bounty of films is coming to the big screen at the Independent Picture House this week as the 1CLT Film Festival gets underway.
Thirteen film groups from around Charlotte are joining forces for the five-day event, with screenings that include documentaries, foreign films, animations and shorts — plus movies made right here in Charlotte.
Highlights include the Charlotte Jewish Film Festival’s screening of "The Glory of Life," a drama about Franz Kafka’s last year, CineOdyssey’s showing of a 1975 Ralph Bakshi animated classic "Coon Skin," and the Charlotte Film Festival’s comic romp "Hundreds of Beavers."
The festival launched in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when movie theaters were closed. It lasted just one year, until organizers began talking last fall about bringing it back. The Independent Picture House, which opened in 2022, seemed like a natural home.
“It was kind of a now or never,” said coordinator Angel Truesdale. “We felt like if we didn’t do it with our five year anniversary, we might never do it.”
Truesdale said the goal is to showcase underrepresented films, give filmmakers a chance to connect with audiences, and raise awareness of Charlotte’s film community.
Each participating group selected either a film they’ve previously shown or one that reflects the "essence of their organization," Truesdale said. Many screenings will also include post-film discussions with filmmakers.
And just like when the festival began, all screenings are free, though donations are encouraged to support local nonprofits.
Find showtimes and tickets at independentpicturehouse.org.
