The New Hampshire Film Festival is an annual

film festival A film festival is an organized, extended presentation of films in one or more cinemas or screening venues, usually in a single city or region. Increasingly, film festivals show some films outdoors. Films may be of recent date and, depending upon ...

held every October in

Portsmouth, New Hampshire Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. At the 2020 census it had a population of 21,956. A historic seaport and popular summer tourist destination on the Piscataqua River bordering the state of Maine, Portsmou ...

. Its program consists of new domestic and international independent feature films and short films in competition, including narratives and documentaries. The festival also hosts panel discussions, workshops and social events. Founded in 2001 in

Derry, New Hampshire Derry is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 34,317 at the 2020 census. Although it is a town and not a city, Derry is the most populous community in Rockingham County and the fourth most populous in the ...

, as the New Hampshire Film Expo, the festival moved to Portsmouth in 2004 and changed its name to the New Hampshire Film Festival in 2007. The festival screens over 100 films in four days across multiple venues and draws 10,000 attendees. In 2021, the festival was named an

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

qualifying festival for the Short Film Awards by the

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS, often pronounced ; also known as simply the Academy or the Motion Picture Academy) is a professional honorary organization with the stated goal of advancing the arts and sciences of motio ...

History

2000s

The New Hampshire Film Festival was founded in 2001 by Dan Hannon, Judy Krassowski, Brett Parker and Chris Proulx, initially as the New Hampshire Film Expo. The inaugural festival took place September 14-16, 2001, in

, with screenings at the Adams Memorial Opera House. Instead of canceling in the wake of the

September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercia ...

, the organizers thought that people would need film more than ever. Filmmakers attending from

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

participated in candlelight vigils. The program included film screenings, a trade show, and workshops, including establishment of the annual Young Filmmaker's Workshop. In 2002, the festival shifted to October. The line-up of 68 screenings included features, documentaries, shorts, animation, international films, and films from

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

and the rest of

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...

. It was also the inaugural year of the festival's screenwriting competition. In 2003, actor

Brian Austin Green Brian Austin Green (born Brian Green; July 15, 1973) is an American actor, rapper, television personality and podcaster, best known for his portrayal of David Silver on the television series ''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (1990–2000). Green was al ...

attended the festival for a screening of ''Fish Without a Bicycle'', his feature film directorial debut. The festival relocated to

, for its 2004 edition, to expand into multiple spaces within walking distance, including The Music Hall and other downtown venues, with access to more hotels and restaurants. Nicole Gregg, events manager for the Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce, joined the festival as director of development. The shorts line-up included the world premiere of ''Thunder Road'', narrated by television host and New Hampshire native

Seth Meyers Seth Adam Meyers (born December 28, 1973) is an American comedian, writer, producer, actor, and television host. He hosts ''Late Night with Seth Meyers'', a late-night talk show on NBC. Prior to that, he was a cast member and head writer for NBC ...

. The 2005 program included ''

Heart of the Beholder ''Heart of the Beholder'' is a 2005 drama film that was written and directed by Ken Tipton. It is based on Tipton's own experience as the owner of a chain of videocassette rental stores in the 1980s. Tipton and his family had opened the first v ...

'', which won for Best Feature and represented an early film role for

Chloë Grace Moretz Chloë Grace Moretz (; born February 10, 1997) is an American actress. She is the recipient of various accolades, including four MTV Movie & TV Awards, two People's Choice Awards, two Saturn Awards, and two Young Artist Awards. She began actin ...

. In 2006, Nicole Gregg was named the festival's first executive director, a position she would hold until 2024. Narrative feature films that year included ''

Johnny Was ''Johnny Was'' is an Irish/English gangster movie directed by Mark Hammond, written by Brendan Foley, and made in 2005 by Ben Katz Productions, Borderline Productions and Nordisk Film. It was released in the UK in 2006 by Sony Pictures and in t ...

'', '' Drunkboat'', and ''

Live Free or Die "Live Free or Die" is the official motto of the U.S. state of New Hampshire, adopted by the state in 1945. It is possibly the best-known of all state mottos, partly because it conveys an assertive independence historically found in American po ...

''. Headlining the documentaries was ''

Christa McAuliffe Sharon Christa McAuliffe ( Corrigan; September 2, 1948 – January 28, 1986) was an American teacher and astronaut from Concord, New Hampshire, who was killed on the Space Shuttle ''Challenger'' on mission STS-51-L where she was serving as a ...

: Reach for the Stars'', narrated by actress

Susan Sarandon Susan Abigail Sarandon (; née Tomalin; born October 4, 1946) is an American actorMcCabe, Bruce"Susan Sarandon, the 'actor'" ''Boston Globe''. April 17, 1981. Retrieved January 21, 2021. and activist. She is the recipient of various accolades, ...

. The festival changed its name from the New Hampshire Film Expo to the New Hampshire Film Festival in 2007. Award-winning films that year included '' On Broadway'' and '' The Sensation of Sight''. The festival also established a special guest judge for its screenplay competition beginning in 2007 with Diane Lake. Screenplay judges since then have included

Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck Anna Boden and Ryan K. Fleck are an American filmmaking duo. They are best known for their collaborations on the films ''Half Nelson (film), Half Nelson'', ''Sugar (2008 film), Sugar'', '' It's Kind of a Funny Story (film), It's Kind of a Funny ...

Joyce Maynard Daphne Joyce Maynard (born November 5, 1953) is an American novelist and journalist. She began her career in journalism in the 1970s, writing for several publications, most notably ''Seventeen'' magazine and ''The New York Times''. Maynard contri ...

David Dastmalchian David Dastmalchian (; born July 21, 1975) is an American film and stage actor. He has had supporting roles in a number of superhero franchises; he portrayed Thomas Schiff in ''The Dark Knight'', Kurt in the first two Marvel Cinematic Univers ...

, and

Nathan Silver Nathan Silver is an American independent filmmaker working out of New York City. He released eight consecutive feature films in as many years. His style includes working heavily with his friends and family as actors in his films. He is best know ...

. In 2008, the festival established the annual Van McLeod Award, which honors someone who makes a significant contribution to the film or television industry. The award is named in honor of the late commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Cultural Resources. Van McLeod died in 2016, receiving memorial praise from New Hampshire Governor

Maggie Hassan Margaret Coldwell Hassan (; née Wood; born February 27, 1958) is an American politician and attorney serving as the junior United States senator from New Hampshire. A Democrat, Hassan was elected to the Senate in 2016 while serving as the 81st go ...

, U.S. Senator

Kelly Ayotte Kelly Ann Ayotte ( ; born June 27, 1968) is an American attorney and politician who served as a United States senator from New Hampshire from 2011 to 2017. A member of the Republican Party, Ayotte served as New Hampshire Attorney General from ...

and U.S. Senator

Jeanne Shaheen Cynthia Jeanne Shaheen ( ; née Bowers, born January 28, 1947) is an American retired educator and politician serving as the senior United States senator from New Hampshire since 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, Shaheen served as the 78th ...

. Recipients of the Van McLeod Award are Chase Bailey (2008),

Ernest Thompson Ernest Thompson (born Richard Ernest Thompson; November 6, 1949) is an American writer, actor, and director. He won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for '' On Golden Pond'', an adaptation of his own play of the same name. Early l ...

(2009),

Ken Burns Kenneth Lauren Burns (born July 29, 1953) is an American filmmaker known for his documentary film, documentary films and television series, many of which chronicle United States, American History of the United States, history and Culture of the ...

(2010), Chris Stinson (2011),

Mike O'Malley Michael Edward O'Malley (born October 31, 1966) is an American actor, writer and producer. Born in Boston and raised in New Hampshire, O'Malley hosted the early 1990s children's game show '' Nickelodeon Guts'' before moving to Los Angeles later ...

(2012), Lisa Muskat (2013),

Paul Lazarus Paul may refer to: *Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name) *Paul (surname), a list of people People Christianity *Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chris ...

(2014),

Gordon Clapp Gordon Clapp (born September 24, 1948) is an American actor best known for playing Det. Greg Medavoy for all 12 seasons of the television series ''NYPD Blue'', winning an Emmy Award in 1998. Early life and education Clapp was born in North Conw ...

(2015), Joan Goshgarian/Chelsea McLeod (2016), Aaron J. Wiederspahn (2017), Barry Steelman (2018), Matt Renner (2019), Julian Higgins (2022), and

Marcy Carsey Marcy Carsey (born Marcia Lee Peterson; November 21, 1944) is an American television producer and a member of the George Foster Peabody Awards board of jurors. She is best known for her work with fellow producer Tom Werner forming the company The ...

(2023). Also in 2008, the festival hosted artists-in-residence filmmakers

Julia Reichert Julia Bell Reichert (June 16, 1946 – December 1, 2022) was an American Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker, activist, and feminist. She was a co-founder of New Day Films. Reichert's filmmaking career spanned over 50 years as a directo ...

and Steve Bognar for a discussion and screening of their documentary film ''

A Lion in the House ''A Lion in the Hous''e is a 2006 American documentary film directed by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert that explores the impact of childhood cancer on five different families throughout the span of six years in Ohio. The 225-minute long docum ...

''. Other films in the program included '' TransSiberian'', ''

August August is the eighth month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars, and the fifth of seven months to have a length of 31 days. Its zodiac sign is Leo and was originally named ''Sextilis'' in Latin because it was the 6th month in ...

'' and ''

The Tiger's Tail ''The Tiger's Tail'' is a 2006 Irish film written and directed by John Boorman and starring Brendan Gleeson and Kim Cattrall. The story focuses on the modern Celtic Tiger Irish economy of the late 20th century. The film premiered at the 2006 S ...

''. Awarded films included ''

Cutlass A cutlass is a short, broad sabre or slashing sword, with a straight or slightly curved blade sharpened on the cutting edge, and a hilt often featuring a solid cupped or basket-shaped guard. It was a common naval weapon during the early Age of ...

'', ''

I.O.U.S.A. ''I.O.U.S.A.'' is a 2008 American documentary film directed by Patrick Creadon. The film focuses on the shape and impact of the United States national debt. The film features Robert Bixby, director of the Concord Coalition, and David Walker, ...

'', ''

The Life Before Her Eyes ''The Life Before Her Eyes'' is a 2007 American thriller film directed by Vadim Perelman. The screenplay was adapted by Emil Stern from the Laura Kasischke novel of the same name. The film stars Uma Thurman and Evan Rachel Wood. It was released on ...

'', and ''

The Unknown Woman ''The Unknown Woman'' ( it, La sconosciuta, ; also known as ''The Other Woman'') is a 2006 Italian psychological thriller mystery film, directed by Giuseppe Tornatore that depicts a woman alone in a foreign country, haunted by a horrible past. P ...

''. In 2009, the headlining films included '' Serious Moonlight'', '' Paper Heart'' and ''

Mystery Team ''Mystery Team'' is a 2009 American comedy film by the comedy group Derrick Comedy. The story was written by Donald Glover, DC Pierson, Dominic Dierkes, Dan Eckman and Meggie McFadden. It stars Glover, Pierson and Dierkes, was directed by Eckm ...

'', a comedy shot in New Hampshire from

Manchester, New Hampshire Manchester is a city in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. It is the most populous city in New Hampshire. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 115,644. Manchester is, along with Nashua, one of two seats of New Hamp ...

filmmaker

Dan Eckman Dan Eckman (born January 27, 1984) is an American director, writer, and producer. Eckman first came to attention for his work in the sketch group Derrick Comedy. Early life Eckman was born on January 27, 1984 in Manchester, New Hampshire. He has ...

. Other films included ''

Food, Inc. ''Food, Inc.'' is a 2008 American documentary film directed by Robert Kenner

'', as well as festival award-winners ''

That Evening Sun "That Evening Sun" is a short story by the American author William Faulkner, published in 1931 in the collection '' These 13'', which included Faulkner's most anthologized story, "A Rose for Emily". The story was originally published, in a slight ...

'' and ''

Splinterheads ''Splinterheads'' is a 2009 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Brant Sersen and starring Thomas Middleditch, Rachael Taylor, Christopher McDonald and Lea Thompson. The film opened in limited release in the United States on Novemb ...

''. Writer-director

Robert Eggers Robert Houston Eggers (born July 7, 1983) is an American filmmaker, director, and production designer. He is best known for writing and directing the historical horror films ''The Witch (2015 film), The Witch'' (2015) and ''The Lighthouse (2019 f ...

, who also hails from New Hampshire, had his short film ''The Tell-Tale Heart''’ in the program.

2010s

In 2010, the festival’s 10th anniversary edition, New Hampshire Governor John Lynch proclaimed the weekend of the festival as "New Hampshire Film Festival Weekend." Actor-producer

Adrian Grenier Adrian Sean Grenier (born July 10, 1976) is an American actor, producer, director and musician. He is best known for his portrayal of Vincent Chase in the television series ''Entourage (American TV series), Entourage'' (2004–2011). He has appe ...

attended a screening of his new documentary ''

Teenage Paparazzo ''Teenage Paparazzo'' is a 2010 documentary film about the life and times of a 14-year-old Paparazzi photographer named Austin Visschedyk. It was directed by actor Adrian Grenier and produced by Bert Marcus, Adrian Grenier and Matthew Cooke. Film ...

'', followed by an audience discussion and press interviews. Other films in the line-up included '' The Extra Man'', ''

Leaves of Grass ''Leaves of Grass'' is a poetry collection by American poet Walt Whitman. Though it was first published in 1855, Whitman spent most of his professional life writing and rewriting ''Leaves of Grass'', revising it multiple times until his death. Th ...

'', and short films by

Sean Durkin Timothy Sean Durkin (born December 9, 1981) is a Canadian film director, screenwriter and producer. He won the Dramatic Directing Award at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival for ''Martha Marcy May Marlene''. His short film, ''Mary Last Seen'', on ...

and

James Franco James Edward Franco (born April 19, 1978) is an American actor and filmmaker. For his role in '' 127 Hours'' (2010), he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Franco is known for his roles in films, such as Sam Raimi's ''Spider-Ma ...

. Also in 2010, the festival hosted its inaugural comedy panel. Entitled "A Conversation on Comedy in Film," it was moderated by

Rae Dawn Chong Rae Dawn Chong (born February 28, 1961) is a Canadian-American actress. She made her big screen debut appearing in the 1978 musical drama film ''Stony Island (film), Stony Island'', and in 1981 starred in the fantasy film ''Quest for Fire (film), ...

and featured Dan Carey, Juston McKinney, Kris Meyer, Brandt Sersen and

Jordan Vogt-Roberts Jordan Charles Vogt-Roberts (born September 22, 1984) is an American film director, film producer, screenwriter, and television director. His feature directorial debut, ''The Kings of Summer'', screened at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. The film ...

. Since then, comedy panel alumni include

Tommy Chong Thomas B. Kin Chong (born May 24, 1938) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian, musician, activist. He is known for his marijuana-themed Cheech & Chong comedy albums and movies with Cheech Marin, as well as playing the character Leo on Fox's ' ...

, Adam Jones,

T.J. Miller Todd Joseph Miller (born June 4, 1981) is an American actor and comedian. In 2008, he made his acting debut in ''Cloverfield'', and from 2010 to 2014, he voiced Tuffnut Thorston in the first two '' How to Train Your Dragon'' films. From 2014 to ...

Jimmy Tingle Jimmy Tingle (born April 9, 1955) is an American comic and occasional actor. Life and career Tingle was the American correspondent for David Frost’s show for PBS and the BBC, ''The Strategic Humor Initiative''. He completed two seasons with ...

and

Jeff Tomsic Jeff Tomsic is an American film producer, writer and director. His short film ''I'm Having a Difficult Time Killing My Parents'' debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011. Following this, he was attached to a number of projects which remaine ...

(2011), Precious Chong,

Dale Launer Dale Launer (born May 19, 1952) is an American screenwriter, film director and producer, best known for his work in comedy films. His films include '' Ruthless People'', ''Blind Date'', '' Dirty Rotten Scoundrels'' and ''My Cousin Vinny''. Biograp ...

and

(2012),

Tom Bergeron Thomas Raymond Bergeron (born May 6, 1955) is an American television personality, game show host, comedian and actor, best known for hosting ''Hollywood Squares'' from 1998 to 2004, ''America's Funniest Home Videos'' from 2001 to 2015, and ''Danci ...

and Greg Kretschmar (2013), Jimmy Dunn and

John Michael Higgins John Michael Higgins (born February 12, 1963) is an American actor and comedian whose film credits include Christopher Guest's mockumentaries, the role of David Letterman in HBO's '' The Late Shift'', and a starring role in the American versio ...

(2015), Josh Meyers (2016),

Cole Escola Cole Escola (born November 25, 1986) is an American comedian, actor, and singer. They are best known for their cabaret work and their appearances on the television series '' Jeffery & Cole Casserole'' (2009–2010), ''Difficult People'' (2015– ...

and

Peter Mackenzie Peter Mackenzie (born January 19, 1961) is an American actor. Career He co-starred in films ''Good Morning, Vietnam'' (1987), ''Torch Song Trilogy'' (1988), ''Lorenzo's Oil'' (1992) and '' Trumbo'' (2015). He is also known for his television ro ...

(2017),

Tim Herlihy Timothy Patrick Herlihy (born October 9, 1966) is an American screen actor, film producer, screenwriter, and Broadway musical bookwriter. Films written or produced by Herlihy have grossed over $3 billion at the worldwide box office. He frequentl ...

and

John Viener Jonathan David Viener (; born July 10, 1972) is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. Early life Viener was born in New York City, New York. Career He is a writer and producer on the television series ''Family Guy'', where he also ...

(2018),

Hayes MacArthur Hayes MacArthur (born April 16, 1977) is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He starred in the TBS comedy series ''Angie Tribeca''. Early life MacArthur was born in Chicago to Bruce and Shelley MacArthur. His stepfather is businessman ...

(2019), Robert Kelly, Aaron Lee,

Laura Silverman Laura Jane Silverman (born June 10, 1966) is an American actress and the older sister of actress and comedian Sarah Silverman. She acted in '' Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic'' and ''The Sarah Silverman Program'' portraying a fictionalized versi ...

and

Gary Valentine Gary Joseph Knipfing (born November 22, 1961), better known by his stage name Gary Valentine, is an American actor and comedian. He is the older brother of actor Kevin James. He starred as Danny Heffernan in ''The King of Queens'' (1998–2007 ...

(2022),

Eliza Coupe Eliza Kate Coupe (born April 6, 1981) is an American actress, comedian and model, known for playing Jane Kerkovich-Williams in the ABC comedy series '' Happy Endings'', Denise "Jo" Mahoney in the final two seasons of the medical comedy-drama '' ...

and Jon Rineman (2023). 2011 narrative films included ''

Puncture Puncture, punctured or puncturing may refer to: * a flat tyre in British English (US English "flat tire" or just "flat") * a penetrating wound caused by pointy objects as nails or needles * Lumbar puncture, also known as a spinal tap * Puncture ...

'' and ''

Happy, Happy ''Happy, Happy'' ( no, Sykt lykkelig, lit=Insanely Happy) is a 2010 Norwegian comedy film directed by Anne Sewitsky. The film was selected as the Norwegian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards, but it did not mak ...

''. Documentaries included '' Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey''. Short films included ''I’m Having a Difficult Time Killing My Parents'', directed by

and starring

, which won the festival’s Best Short Comedy Award. The 2012 festival program included ''

Certainty Certainty (also known as epistemic certainty or objective certainty) is the epistemic property of beliefs which a person has no rational grounds for doubting. One standard way of defining epistemic certainty is that a belief is certain if and ...

'', ''

Quartet In music, a quartet or quartette (, , , , ) is an ensemble of four singers or instrumental performers; or a musical composition for four voices and instruments. Classical String quartet In classical music, one of the most common combinations o ...

'', '' Side by Side'', '' Fairhaven'', and '' Hello I Must Be Going''. Writer-director

Austin Chick Austin Chick (born 1971) is an American film director, screenwriter and producer, who made the films '' XX/XY'', released in 2002, and ''August'', which premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Early life Although born in Hartford, Connec ...

returned to the festival with his new film, ''

Girls Against Boys Girls Against Boys is a post-hardcore band which formed in Washington, D.C. and subsequently relocated to New York City shortly after their formation in 1989. The band released albums on the labels Adult Swim, Touch and Go Records, Geffen Record ...

''. In 2013, ''

MovieMaker Magazine ''MovieMaker'' is a magazine, website and podcast network focused on the art and business of filmmaking with a special emphasis on independent film. The magazine is published on a quarterly basis. See also * List of film periodicals Film period ...

'' named the festival one of the "Top 50 Festivals Worth the Entry Fee." The festival would receive this designation again in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2023. The film roster in 2013 included ''

Prince Avalanche ''Prince Avalanche'' is a 2013 American comedy-drama film written and directed by David Gordon Green and starring Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch. The screenplay is based on the 2011 Icelandic film ''Either Way'' (''Á annan veg''). The film was shot i ...

'', ''

Blackfish Blackfish is a common name for the following species of fish, dolphins, and whales: Fish * Alaska blackfish, (''Dallia pectoralis''), an Esocidae from Alaska, Siberia and the Bering Sea islands * Black fish (''Carassioides acuminatus'') a cyprin ...

'', ''

Touchy Feely ''Touchy Feely'' is a 2013 film directed by Lynn Shelton and stars Rosemarie DeWitt as a massage therapist who develops a phobia to touching skin. Other cast members include Allison Janney, Ron Livingston, Scoot McNairy, Elliot Page and Josh Pais ...

'', ''

The English Teacher ''The English Teacher'' is a 1945 novel written by R. K. Narayan. It is a part of a series of novels and collections of short stories set in "Malgudi". ''The English Teacher'' was preceded by '' Swami and Friends'' (1935), ''The Bachelor of Arts ...

'', and ''

Drinking Buddies ''Drinking Buddies'' is a 2013 American comedy-drama film written, directed and edited by Joe Swanberg, and starring Olivia Wilde, Jake Johnson, Anna Kendrick and Ron Livingston. The film is about two co-workers at a craft brewery in Chicago. T ...

''. Other spotlights included ''

Labor Day Labor Day is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the first Monday in September to honor and recognize the American labor movement and the works and contributions of laborers to the development and achievements of the United St ...

'' and Grand Jury Award winner ''All That I Am'', with star

Christopher Abbott Christopher Jacob Abbott (born February 1, 1986) is an American actor. Abbott made his feature film debut in ''Martha Marcy May Marlene'' (2011). Abbott's other notable films include '' Hello I Must Be Going'' (2012) '' The Sleepwalker'' (2014) ...

and director Carlos Puga in attendance. The short film line-up included the world premiere of ''Here and Now'' from New Hampshire native Julian Higgins, selected by director-producer-actor

Ron Howard Ronald William Howard (born March 1, 1954) is an American director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. He first came to prominence as a child actor, guest-starring in several television series, including an episode of ''The Twilight Zone''. He ...

as the winner of

Canon Inc. is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, specializing in optical, imaging, and industrial products, such as lenses, cameras, medical equipment, scanners, printers, and semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

’s ''Project Imagination'' Short Film Contest. In 2014,

Flea Flea, the common name for the order Siphonaptera, includes 2,500 species of small flightless insects that live as external parasites of mammals and birds. Fleas live by ingesting the blood of their hosts. Adult fleas grow to about long, a ...

of the band

Red Hot Chili Peppers Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea (musician), Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates element ...

attended the festival in support of ''

Low Down ''Low Down'' is a 2014 American biopic directed by Jeff Preiss and based on the memoirs written by Amy-Jo Albany (portrayed by Elle Fanning) about her father, famed jazz pianist Joe Albany (portrayed by John Hawkes), and his struggles with drug ...

'', a film he executive produced and appears in. Blues legend and

Blues Hall of Fame The Blues Hall of Fame is a music museum located at 421 S. Main Street in Memphis, Tennessee. Initially, the "Blues Hall of Fame" was not a physical building, but a listing of people who have significantly contributed to blues music. Started in 1 ...

inductee

Otis Clay Otis Lee Clay (February 11, 1942 – January 8, 2016) was an American Rhythm and blues, R&B and Soul music, soul singer, who started in gospel music. In 2013, Clay was inducted to the Blues Hall of Fame. Early life Clay was born in Waxhaw, Miss ...

attended the screening of music documentary '' Take Me to the River'', in which he is a subject. Other films included '' Men, Women & Children'' starring actor-comedian

Adam Sandler Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, producer and singer. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1990 to 1995, before going on to star in numerous Hollywood films, those of wh ...

, who hails from New Hampshire, ''

Animals Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals consume organic material, breathe oxygen, are able to move, can reproduce sexually, and go through an ontogenetic stage in ...

'', '' Boyhood'', '' Manhattan Romance'', ''

Match A match is a tool for starting a fire. Typically, matches are made of small wooden sticks or stiff paper. One end is coated with a material that can be ignited by friction generated by striking the match against a suitable surface. Wooden matc ...

'', and '' Two Step''. Short film '' The Phone Call'' went on to win the

Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film The Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film is an award presented at the annual Academy Awards ceremony. The award has existed, under various names, since 1957. From 1936 until 1956 there were two separate awards, "Best Short Subject, One- ...

. The last day of the 2014 festival featured a tribute to James Foley, a journalist from New Hampshire who was kidnapped and executed in

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

. A screening of the documentary '' E-Team'', which was partially shot by Foley, was followed by an award presentation for Best Documentary to co-director Ross Kauffman. Kauffman in turn presented the film’s Cinematography Award from the

Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival (formerly Utah/US Film Festival, then US Film and Video Festival) is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with more than 46,66 ...

to Foley’s parents. Foley’s father announced the creation of the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation. In 2015, writer-director

returned to the festival with his first feature ''

The Witch A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft. Witch, WITCH, or variations thereof may also refer to: Animals * Witch (lefteye flounder) (''Arnoglossus scapha''), a Pacific flatfish * Witch (righteye flounder) (''Glyptocephalus cynoglossus''), a Euro ...

''. He took the stage to discuss the film’s production, reception and upcoming distribution. The film won the festival’s Best Feature Award. Other films in the program included ''

Manglehorn ''Manglehorn'' is a 2014 American drama film directed by David Gordon Green and written by Paul Logan. The film stars Al Pacino, Holly Hunter, Harmony Korine, and Chris Messina. It was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 71st Venice In ...

'' and ''

Anomalisa ''Anomalisa'' is a 2015 American adult stop motion animated psychological comedy-drama film written and directed by Charlie Kaufman, who co-directed with Duke Johnson. It was based on Kaufman's 2005 audio play of the same name under his alias Fr ...

''. In 2016, actress-producer

Alysia Reiner Alysia Reiner is an American actress. She is best known for playing Natalie "Fig" Figueroa in the Netflix comedy drama series '' Orange Is the New Black'' (2013–2019), for which she won a Screen Actors Guild Award for her role as part of the ...

attended the screening of her film ''

Equity Equity may refer to: Finance, accounting and ownership * Equity (finance), ownership of assets that have liabilities attached to them ** Stock, equity based on original contributions of cash or other value to a business ** Home equity, the dif ...

''. She also received the Pioneer in Filmmaking Award and participated on a Women in Film panel discussion. Actor

returned to the festival for an on-stage presentation discussing favorite clips from his films. Director

Michelle MacLaren Michelle Maxwell MacLaren is a Canadian television director and producer. She has directed episodes of ''The X-Files'', ''Better Call Saul'', '' Breaking Bad'', '' The Walking Dead'', '' Game of Thrones'', and ''Westworld''. MacLaren won two bac ...

returned to the festival in 2017, having attended previously in 2014, along with studio executive Steve Mosko for a moderated behind-the-scenes discussion of television shows ''

Game of Thrones ''Game of Thrones'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for HBO. It is an adaptation of ''A Song of Ice and Fire'', a series of fantasy novels by George R. R. Martin, the first ...

'', ''

Better Call Saul ''Better Call Saul'' is an American crime and legal drama television series created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould. Part of the ''Breaking Bad'' franchise, it is a spin-off of Gilligan's previous series, ''Breaking Bad'', and serves as a ...

'', '' The Deuce'', ''

Westworld ''Westworld'' is an American science fiction- thriller media franchise that began with the 1973 film ''Westworld'', written and directed by Michael Crichton. The film depicts a technologically advanced Wild-West-themed amusement park populat ...

'', '' The Walking Dead'', ''

The X-Files ''The X-Files'' is an American science fiction on television, science fiction drama (film and television), drama television series created by Chris Carter (screenwriter), Chris Carter. The series revolves around Federal Bureau of Investigation ...

'', ''

Breaking Bad ''Breaking Bad'' is an American crime drama television series created and produced by Vince Gilligan. Set and filmed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the series follows Walter White (Bryan Cranston), an underpaid, overqualified, and dispirited hig ...

'' and ''

Kevin Can Wait ''Kevin Can Wait'' is an American television sitcom starring Kevin James that aired on CBS from September 19, 2016, to May 7, 2018. The series was created by James, Rock Reuben, and Bruce Helford, and marked James' second starring role in a CBS ...

''.

also participated in the festival again, this time as a member of the narrative grand jury. The film line-up included ''

The Florida Project ''The Florida Project'' is a 2017 American coming-of-age drama film directed by Sean Baker and written by Baker and Chris Bergoch. It stars Willem Dafoe, Brooklynn Prince, Bria Vinaite, Valeria Cotto, Christopher Rivera, and Caleb Landry Jon ...

'', '' Lucky'', ''

Marjorie Prime ''Marjorie Prime'' is a 2017 American science-fiction film written and directed by Michael Almereyda, based on Jordan Harrison's play of the same name. It stars Jon Hamm, Tim Robbins, Geena Davis, and Lois Smith. Footage was screened for buyers a ...

'', and '' The Square''. The festival also introduced its own

mobile app A mobile application or app is a computer program or software application designed to run on a mobile device such as a phone, tablet, or watch. Mobile applications often stand in contrast to desktop applications which are designed to run on d ...

in 2017. In 2018, actor-comedian

David Spade David Wayne Spade (born July 22, 1964) is an American actor, stand-up comedian, television host, and writer. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' in the 1990s, and he later began an acting career in both film and television. He also s ...

attended the festival for a question-and-answer session and screening of his film '' Father of the Year'' with director

Tyler Spindel Tyler Spindel is an American comedian, actor and director. He is best known for his work on ''The Wrong Missy ''The Wrong Missy'' is a 2020 American romantic comedy film directed by Tyler Spindel which was produced by Happy Madison Productions ...

, who hails from New Hampshire. The film is set in the state. Also in 2018, the festival screened

virtual reality Virtual reality (VR) is a simulated experience that employs pose tracking and 3D near-eye displays to give the user an immersive feel of a virtual world. Applications of virtual reality include entertainment (particularly video games), educ ...

films for the first time. Shown were four short films packaged together as ''This Is Climate Change'': ''Melting Ice'', ''Famine'', ''Fire'', and ''Feast''. Other films in the overall program included ''

Eighth Grade Eighth grade (or grade eight in some regions) is the eighth post-kindergarten year of formal education in the US. The eighth grade is the ninth school year, the second, third, fourth, or final year of middle school, or the second and/or final ye ...

'', '' Leave No Trace'', '' Love, Gilda'', and ''

Science Fair Science and engineering fairs, hosted by schools worldwide, offer students the opportunity to experience the practices of science and engineering for themselves. In the United States, the Next Generation Science Standards makes experiencing the ...

''. New Hampshire native

Victoria Arlen Victoria Arlen (born September 26, 1994) is a current television personality for ESPN, as well as an actress, speaker, model, and former American paralympian swimmer. Early life Victoria Arlen was born in New Hampshire, USA, on September 26, 1 ...

was on hand for a screening of her film ''Locked In''. The short documentary chronicles her story from paralyzed teenager to correspondent for

ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...

, ''

Dancing with the Stars ''Dancing with the Stars'' is the name of various international television series based on the format of the British TV series '' Strictly Come Dancing'', which is distributed by BBC Studios, the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the forma ...

'' contestant and award-winning

Paralympian The Paralympic Games or Paralympics, also known as the ''Games of the Paralympiad'', is a periodic series of international multisport events involving athletes with a range of physical disabilities, including impaired muscle power and impaire ...

. 2019 was spotlighted by '' The Lighthouse'' from writer-director

and ''

Uncut Gems ''Uncut Gems'' is a 2019 American crime thriller film directed by Josh and Benny Safdie, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ronald Bronstein. The film stars Adam Sandler, LaKeith Stanfield, Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett, Idina Menzel and Eric Bogosi ...

'' starring

, both of whom grew up in New Hampshire. The festival also featured '' The Cave'' from executive producer and New Hampshire native Matt Renner. Short film '' The Neighbors’ Window'' went on to win the

2020s

The festival’s 20th anniversary edition, originally slated for 2020, was postponed to 2021 and then postponed again to 2022 due to the ongoing

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

. In 2021, the

named the festival an

qualifying festival for the Short Film Awards. Short films that receive the festival’s Live Action Shorts Jury Award and Animation Shorts Jury Award may now qualify to enter the Short Films competition for the concurrent

Oscars The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

season. In 2022, the festival’s 20th anniversary edition, writer-director Julian Higgins returned with his first feature '' God's Country''. Other film titles included ''

The Lost King ''The Lost King'' is a 2022 British comedy-drama film directed by Stephen Frears and written by Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope, based on the 2013 book ''The King's Grave: The Search for Richard III'' by Philippa Langley and Michael Jones. It is a dr ...

'', ''

Aftersun ''Aftersun'' is a 2022 drama film written and directed by Charlotte Wells, starring Paul Mescal, Frankie Corio and Celia Rowlson-Hall. It was released in the United States on 21 October 2022 by A24 and in the United Kingdom on 18 November 2022 ...

'', and '' R.M.N.''. In 2023, producer

Ted Hope Ted Hope (born 1962) is an American independent film producer based in New York City. He is best known for co-founding the production/sales company Good Machine, where he produced the first films of such notable filmmakers as Ang Lee, Nicole Ho ...

attended the festival on the narrative grand jury, rounded out by actress-comedian

and Julian Higgins, and participated on an industry talk. He also supported the screening of his new documentary ''Invisible Nation'', which he produced with his wife and its director Vanessa Hope. Other films in the line-up included ''

Eileen Eileen ( or ) is an Irish feminine given name anglicised from Eibhlín and may refer to: People Artists *Eileen Agar (1899–1991), British Surrealist painter and photographer *Eileen Fisher (born 1950), clothing retailer and designer *Eileen ...

'' and '' A Little Prayer''. In 2024, the festival joined the nonprofit organization The Music Hall, which brings performing arts and film programming to New Hampshire year-round. The Music Hall, a festival screening venue since the move to Portsmouth in 2004, now runs the event. Nicole Gregg stepped back as the festival’s executive director with The Music Hall’s executive director, Tina Sawtelle, stepping in. Gregg continues in an advisory capacity, with a new title of founding director for her tenure as the festival’s first executive director. Other longtime festival team members also remain involved, including festival co-founder Dan Hannon and programming curator Ian McCarthy.

References

External links

*{{Official, www.nhfilmfestival.com Film festivals in the United States Film festivals established in 2001 Portsmouth, New Hampshire Festivals in New Hampshire