Spotlight on Business

5th Annual Dam Short Film Festival

by Lee Lanier

So, what is a short film anyway? A short film is any motion picture that runs less than 40 minutes. Short films can be dramas, comedies, documentaries, or animations.

Where can you see short films? Luckily, a few film festivals specialize in short films – including the Dam Short Film Festival.

The 5th Annual Dam Short Film Festival will take place February 11th-14th at the Boulder Theatre. The festival will feature 22 different programs with a total of 124 short films. The subjects are so diverse that everyone can find a program that suits their taste! We also rate the programs (G, PG, PG-13) so that no one is surprised by the films’ contents.

In addition to the regular film programs, we’re hosting several special showcases and events. For example, in honor of the festival’s 5th anniversary, a “5th Dam Year” Mixer will be held on Thursday, February 12th at 5:30 p.m. at the Boulder Dam Brewing Co. The first 50 guests to the Mixer will receive a free ticket to any program.

On Friday the 13th at 11:30 p.m., a special “Scream If You Can” horror program will be unleashed. On Saturday, February 14th at 4:15 p.m., Valentine’s Day will be celebrated with a “Love & Romance” program; the first 20 ticket-holding couples will receive a free box of chocolates.

In addition, the festival is thrilled to present a special showcase for filmmaker Jay Rosenblatt. On Thursday, February 12th at 7 p.m., “A Documentary Life” will share 6 of Mr. Rosenblatt’s short films.  Making films since 1980, Mr. Rosenblatt is a recipient of Guggenheim and Rockefeller Fellowships. His films have won over one hundred awards and have screened throughout the world. Mr. Rosenblatt will be traveling from San Francisco for a Q&A.

Local filmmakers are also highlighted by two programs.  The “Nevada Filmmakers” showcase will occur Friday, February 13th at 9 p.m., and will screen 7 films from up-and-coming Las Vegas filmmakers. The “Best of AI” Showcase will take place Wednesday, February 11th at 6 p.m., and will show off the student and faculty work from the Art Institute of Las Vegas.

Tickets are $5 per program. You can also purchase a 4-Day Pass for $40. For more information on programs, events, times, and tickets, please visit www.damshortfilm.org or call (702) 293-4848.