Pennsylvania Film Festival Ranked One of the Best
Going to the movies in Pennsylvania is always a fun activity, and as the years go by, it becomes more of a classic activity. Believe it or not, back in the day, movie theaters were the only way people could see big flicks when they came out. Then, came the home video, and people could see the movies in the theater and then catch them at home on VHS months after they debuted. Now, we’re spoiled, and with home streaming services, we can watch new movies all the time from the comfort of our homes.
But, there’s something special and nostalgic about going to see a movie in the theater. It’s even better if you actually go to a film festival to catch that niche flick that’s getting so much buzz online. Now, one Pennsylvania film festival is getting rave reviews from USA Today.
Pennsylvania Film Festival
The experts at USA Today have released their roster of the best film festivals in America, as part of their 10 Best series. This series has experts picking spots for which to vote, and then readers voting for their favorites. “Film festivals can be as astonishingly varied as cinema itself, showcasing everything from glossy premieres to daring independent productions to underground cult films,” USA Today notes in the feature.
Coming in at No. 4 is the Pittsburgh Shorts Film Festival in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. That’s a trek from Philadelphia, but it’s true that people travel from all over for this event. “For those who just can’t budget the time to sit down for hours of feature films, this festival is for you — there’s nothing but short films from around the globe being screened at the landmark Harris Theater in downtown Pittsburgh,” USA Today raves. “The festival is diverse, mixing local and international shorts, and hosts a filmmaker conference, red carpet interviews with guest filmmakers, and live readings by local actors of the festival’s script competition winners.”
As for some history on film festivals, according to Britannica, the very first festival took place in Venice in 1932. “Since World War II, film festivals have contributed significantly to the development of the motion-picture industry in many countries,” they note. “The popularity of Italian films at the Cannes and Venice film festivals played an important part in the rebirth of the Italian industry and the spread of the postwar Neorealist movement.”
