It was a crowded building filled with film lovers for the launch of the Beloit International Film Festival.

“There’s kind of a magic that's going on down here that's really a bubbling under arts community and the corporate citizens really support the arts down here and huge volunteerism, “says Rod Beaudoin, BIFF Executive Director.

Four hundred volunteers will work the four day festival helping filmmakers like this UW student who submitted his film on Africa after working on it for nearly two years.

“I think so often portraits of Africa are very fatalistic you know you see the starving children and you just feel guilty and guilt isn't a very productive emotion so I tried to present it in a way that shows that there is some terrible things happening but there's also some beauty to the country as well," says filmmaker, Brian Ekdale.

The film festival features more than one hundred films from 26 countries with a number of topics.

“The works that are shown here aren't available for the most part in theaters so it's important to see what's being made but it's also important to hear people's experiences and struggles in making them and the decisions that have to make," says filmmaker, Salome Chasnoff.

It is the second year Beloit will host the festival and organizers say this year will be better than ever.

“I think we put a little more focus on the filmmakers and we took some special efforts to bring more film makers into Beloit because we found that the people last year really enjoyed interacting with the filmmakers," Beaudoin said.

The Festival Box Office Will Be Open
Thursday 9am-9pm
Friday 9am-9pm
Saturday 9am-9pm
Sunday 9am-7pm

To Purchase Tickets
www.beloitfilmfest.com
By Phone 608-365-4838 or 1-800-4BELOIT
In Person
1003 Pleasant Street

Prices:
Individual Pass $6
Student Pass $4