Kansas City FilmFest International returns for its 30th year with longtime festival juror Melanie Addington as its new head programmer.
For three days, KC FilmFest International will welcome local and international filmmakers alike. Alongside the approximately 100 feature-length films and shorts the event typically screens, Addington says this year features an expanded lineup of panel discussions and educational programming. “Early on Saturday, we’ll have a panel where people can listen to the filmmakers pitch what their stories are about before even watching anything,” Addington says.
Tying into the anniversary, the festival will also screen Robert Altman’s Kansas City, a local classic—largely filmed at Union Station and in the Jazz District—that debuted years ago. “1996 was an amazing year for cinema, especially independent filmmakers,” Addington says. “We’re inviting a lot of the cast and crew that still live in Kansas City to come join us.”
Among this year’s recent releases is Sharon Leise’s Seized, an investigative documentary with regional relevance. The film, which premiered at Sundance Film Festival earlier this year,follows the police raid of the rural Kansas newspaper Marion County Record and the stress-induced death of the publication’s 98-year-old co-owner that followed.
Through a partnership with the Kansas City Film Office, viewers will also get a first look at previews from two unreleased films that were shot in KC: Tim Gagliardo’s Broken Ones, a legal thriller starring Terrence Howard and Kate Bosworth, and Mike Luciano’s dark comedy Transcending, a project written by KC native Raleigh Cain that features locals like Saturday Night Live alum Heidi Gardner and singer-songwriter Kevin Morby.
To celebrate its 30th anniversary, the festival will also display a retrospective exhibit. “We’re showcasing the history and the future of the festival and independent film,” Addington says. “It seems like a really great time to look ahead.”
GO: September 18–20. Times vary. AMC Ward Parkway. Visit kcfilmfest.org for tickets and a full schedule.
