Marking its 15th anniversary in Charlotte, the Charlotte Film Festival (CFF) is set to enthrall filmmakers, cinema enthusiasts, industry experts, and Independent Picture House members this upcoming weekend. The festival agenda is packed with screenings, filmmaker interactions, panel discussions, and ample networking opportunities for attendees to engage with directors, producers, actors, and fellow film aficionados. All events are scheduled to unfold at The Independent Picture House, the city’s dedicated venue for independent, community, and foreign films.
Taylor Montalto, the Programming Director of CFF, expressed excitement over the remarkable number of submissions received this year, marking it as the second-highest in the festival’s history. Montalto is particularly thrilled about the diverse range of films slated for this year’s showcase, encompassing local, regional, national, and international entries across various categories including animated shorts, documentary shorts and features, narrative shorts and features, along with special presentations. This diverse lineup, especially the contributions from local and regional filmmakers, underscores the vibrant creative pulse resonating through the Carolinas, with Charlotte being a notable hub.
The festival is set to screen over 130 films, surpassing last year’s count, with contributions pouring in from 17 countries. The global representation includes entries from Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, Iran, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, United Kingdom, Venezuela, and the United States.
OPENING NIGHT FILM: WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 27
BLACK BARBIE: A DOCUMENTARY
“Black Barbie” is a documentary that explores the untold story of the first-ever Barbie doll designed to represent a Black woman, highlighting its impact on representation in entertainment and children’s play.
An intimate portrait of William Shatner’s personal journey over nine decades on this Earth, “You Can Call Me Bill” strips away all the masks he has worn to embody countless characters, and reveals the man behind it all.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 30
ALL DIRT ROADS
TASTE OF SALT
“All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt” is a story about a decades-spanning exploration of a woman’s life in Mississippi and an ode to the generations of people, places, and ineffable moments that shape us.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 30
PERFECT DAYS
Director Wim Wenders returns with a poignant character study and a deeply moving, poetic reflection on finding beauty in the everyday world around us.
CLOSING NIGHT FILM: SUNDAY, OCT. 01
ROBOT DREAMS
A story about friendship, its importance, and its fragility. This animated, dialogue-free story about the miracle of true friendship between a dog and a robot is suitable for every family member.
The Charlotte Film Festival continues to be a significant platform, propelling independent filmmaking into the limelight and fostering a robust dialogue among the global and local film community.
Marking its 15th anniversary in Charlotte, the Charlotte Film Festival (CFF) is set to enthrall filmmakers, cinema enthusiasts, industry experts, and Independent Picture House members this upcoming weekend. The festival agenda is packed with screenings, filmmaker interactions, panel discussions, and ample networking opportunities for attendees to engage with directors, producers, actors, and fellow film aficionados. All events are scheduled to unfold at The Independent Picture House, the city’s dedicated venue for independent, community, and foreign films.
