The "Cowboy Awards"
How do you make a film festival stand out amongst 5,000 other mountain town festivals? Well, that's what I and my fellow co-founders set out to do with the
Jackson Hole Film Festival. We first had to establish our niche, which turned out to be what the idea of a film festival started out as - a true place where real independent filmmakers (not the ones with flicks starring Nicole Kidman) can showcase their work. The Festival lasted five years, successfully culminating its grassroots effort with an United Nations partnership and a keynote speech by UN Secretary General Ban
Ki-moon.
The Festival screened approximately 70 independent films competing in seven program categories including: Independent Features, Independent Shorts, Documentaries, World Program, Global Insight, Sports Action, and Student Voices. Representing more than 20 countries, the Festival was committed to creating a platform for global inspiration and change. In addition to its film programs, the Festival was also recognized for its extraordinary evening events and high profile forums that enriched the Festival and gave festival-goers the opportunity to interact with filmmakers in a casual and unique setting.
