Media Rolls Out the Red Carpet for 12th Annual Media Film Festival

The 2019 Media Film Festival will once again take the stage at the historic Media Theatre April 4 – 6 for a three day showcase of short films. Continuing a tradition of elevating exceptional storytelling, this year’s 52 film lineup includes the work of emerging talent from as far away as Croatia, New Zealand and Iran alongside that of homegrown filmmakers from Media, Havertown and Philadelphia. The program includes dramas, comedies, documentaries, animation and student films as well as a Friday Late Night Horror Fest.

Now a dozen years old, the Media Film Festival continues to evolve as a regional cultural happening, mirroring the growth and vibrancy of the place it calls home. According to Brian Hall, Chairman of Media Borough Council it is also a celebration of community, “The Arts, in all their variety, are a big part of Media’s success story. The success of the Media Film Festival is a great example of that. Borough Council congratulates the Media Arts Council on a 12th year of this signature event.”

Local films of note include “The Mayor of Graterford”, a look at how one man transcended decades of incarceration after being given life without parole; “Little Fig”, a portrait of a Syrian refugee trying to survive in Los Angeles; “Why We Fight”, a Delaware County woman’s passionate expression of concern with the Mariner East Pipeline; “Redcoats”, shot at the Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation in Newtown Square, the story of British soldiers pillaging a family’s home during the Revolutionary War; and “Going Forward” a documentary following an openly LGBT, African American candidate in the final days of his run for the State House in North Philly.

With evening showings at 7pm Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the Late Night Horror Fest on Friday and an extended Saturday matinee, film enthusiasts will be able to take in a selection of handcrafted independent films. “Everyone loves a good blockbuster, but the MFF also believes that there’s a place for smaller, lesser known films. The independent short films that comprise our festival offer a unique, more intimate film experience that can be as exciting and moving as anything Hollywood has to offer” says Dave Scheivert, Festival Chair.

The next generation of great movie makers will also be screening their work at the 2019 Media Film Festival as the Media Youth Film Initiative (MyFi) premieres four original shorts. Since 2012 MyFi has been giving Delco teens the opportunity to learn film-making by making films. These young storytellers have taken on some thought-provoking topics including gun violence in school with “Closeted”, the experience of Muslim Americans post 9-11 with “Acceptance” and a young man’s battle with mental illness with “Internally You.”

Tickets are $15 for a daily pass, the All Fest pass at $30