The Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival (MSPIFF) is an annual springtime film festival in the U.S. state of Minnesota that has been held since 1981. It began as the Rivertown Film Festival of Pine City and eventually grew to become the largest film event in the Upper Midwest, with an annual attendance that exceeds 40,000.
Historically lauded for being one of the world's finest showcases of Scandinavian films, the festival features an eclectic lineup of films from more than 70 countries and cultures around the world. Locally produced material is also highlighted through a series called Minnesota Made, or MN Made.
Organization
The Festival is organized by the MSP Film Society, a 501(c)(3) non-profit film exhibition organization that also operates The Main Cinema along the Mississippi River on historic Main Street across from downtown Minneapolis. Several other venues around the Twin Cities also participate in the film festival.
In addition to film screenings, the festival also hosts a number of panels and discussions. Some of these panels relate to a specific film included within the festival lineup, with others pertaining to general industry topics.
Reception
In December 2014, the Film Society attracted national attention when it became one of the few distributors in the country to exhibit the controversial film The Interview after Sony Pictures reinstated the film's theatrical release after scrapping it amidst threats from hackers purportedly associated with the North Korean government.
Awards
Audience Choice Awards
- Fiction Feature
- Documentary Feature
- Fiction Short
- Documentary Short
Juried Competition Awards
- Feature Documentary
- Emerging Filmmaker
- Fiction Short
- Documentary Short
- Cinedance Award - Special Jury Award
- Creative Nonfiction Award - Special Jury Award
References
- Becca Most (December 23, 2020). "Al Milgrom, 'founder' of Twin Cities film scene, dies at 98". West Central Tribune. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
- "43nd Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival - APRIL 11-25, 2024 – MSPIFF42 PARTIES / PANELS". MSP Film Society. Retrieved 2024-02-06.
- "Mpls. Film Society to screen 'The Interview'". KARE. December 23, 2014. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
- "43nd Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival - APRIL 11-25, 2024 – MSPIFF42 AWARD WINNERS". MSP Film Society. Retrieved 2024-02-06.
External links
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