The idea for the Beacon Independent Film Festival (BIFF) was born in the winter of 2012. It kicked off with success the following year. Terry Nelson, founder of BIFF, sought to create a local experience involving his love for film and community. “We started in 2013 as a small festival that placed an emphasis on the films and the filmmakers,” he told A Little Beacon Blog. “It was never about getting celebrities to show up. My intent was to create an atmosphere that was inviting to the average moviegoer and did not cost an arm and a leg.”

Terry’s connection to the film industry includes working in television post-production for 25 years as a videotape operator, scheduler, editor and assistant operations manager for various facilities. His vision for BIFF placed an emphasis on the films and filmmakers.

He accomplished the creation of a humble atmosphere, inviting and affordable to the average moviegoer; assisting was his team, consisting of Maureen Neary, Deana Morenoff and several dedicated volunteers. The Beacon Independent Film Festival did not originally lean toward a particular genre or theme, but diversity was highlighted when choosing a film. For instance, one year, nearly 90 percent of the selected screenings were created or produced by women in film.

Beacon Independent Film Festival Returns This Saturday - New Location

The Beacon Independent Film Festival started at the Settlement Camp with an outdoor experience, then it went on hiatus. Terry has made a “safe passing of the torch” to new organizers, including Diana Currie, so that it can return for a mini experience this Saturday at Story Screen Beacon, the theater on Main Street.

Aptly titled “BIFF 5.5”, this experience will be an introduction to the new interaction of BIFF. Diana is a local artist, with experience as a program director and event organizer (including Beacon fave Windows on Main Street).

The mini festival is a fundraiser for the highly anticipated launch of BIFF’s Year 6, which will happen in June 2020. Donations can be made through BeaconArts. The launch will be acknowledged through upcoming events leading to the expected date, we are told. The selected films in this year’s mini-festival are mainly documentary, with an unintentional motif of collaboration and community.

Selected films include:

• The Movie House on Main Street: A single-screen theater, family-owned for 60 years, struggles to survive in a digital world.

• This Is Home: Follows four Muslim families of Syrian refugees sent to resettle in Baltimore in 2016, with an eight-month deadline to become self-sufficient with jobs and learning English. Winner of the 2018 Sundance Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary.

• Hudson River Stories: A trio of short films by filmmaker and environmentalist Jon Bowermaster, titles include “Undamming the Hudson,” “A Pipeline Runs Through It,” and “A Living River.”

• The Yuge Nasty, January ’17: A view of the juxtaposition of the inauguration of Donald Trump and the Women’s March the following day.

BIFF continuously strives to showcase films from a multitude of backgrounds. Information on how to submit films will be released on Tuesday, October 1, 2019.

More information about the festival can be found through the brand-new website.