Elgin film festival to return

When Elgin held its first short film festival in September 2009, organizers didn't exactly know what to expect.

Would they have enough entries? Would enough people come to the Hemmens Cultural Center to watch? Would the movies be any good?

All of these questions were answered with a "yes," prompting officials at the Hemmens, city, and Elgin Area Convention and Visitors Bureau to plan the second festival for 7 p.m., Sept. 18.

"Most likely we'll host this event for years to come," said Pete Garlock, the festival's co-chair and bureau's sales director said Thursday at a kickoff event.

More than 700 people paid to watch five short films on a 30-foot by 20-foot screen last September.

Fifty-two films were entered and a panel whittled the list down to five finalists.

The winner took home $1,000; second place had a prize of $500 and third place garnered $300.

Prize amounts are the same this year, but 15 minutes is the maximum length instead of 20 minutes.

Films are $50 to enter and are due by Aug. 18. Tickets for the big night are $5.

Gwydnar Bratton, Chicago-area director of "The Visionary," which won third place last year, said the Elgin audience was probably 10 times the crowd of her previous largest showing.

"This one was such a great event because there were so many people," she said. "We came in third but I don't feel bad about it at all because the other films were so good."

Eric Bednarowicz, producer of "House of Cards," which took first place, said the festival was an "awesome experience" as organizers were professional and downtown Elgin establishments opened their doors for fun after-parties.

Bednarowicz and Bratton both plan to enter film again.

"We've got a very sharp comedy that audiences will love. It's called Carpe 'Millennium,'" Bednarowicz said, adding Max Lesser of the television series "According to Jim" and Steve Yeun of Second City in Chicago are two of the film's actors.

Garlock said organizers also have a fourth award, nicknamed "The Hattie" after Hattie Hemmens, who donated money decades ago to help the city build the Hemmens. The award will go to a film primarily shot in Elgin that conveys a positive message or story about the city.

"We are trying to make Elgin a destination for arts and culture and this event certainly helps us to do that," said John Steffen, an Elgin City Council member and Hemmens advisory board member.

For more information, visit hemmens.org/filmfest.