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allentown film festival
important note
Special Thanks to Alan Youngkin for taking time, last minute, for the interview!
interview / article
Allentown, Pennsylvania - The first-ever Allentown Film Festival, scheduled to take place from April 13 to 16, 2023, promises to be a blockbuster event that will showcase some of the finest films from Pennsylvania and around the world.
Alan Younkin, the Festival Director, explained that the festival evolved from his experience of co-producing a documentary titled BROKE(N) with his partner Michael Schelp. BROKE(N) was selected in 16 film festivals. The duo's exposure to film festivals inspired them to form the Allentown Film Festival in August 2022. Allentown did not have a film festival despite being the third largest city in Pennsylvania.
The Festival has received almost 600 film submissions from 50 countries worldwide, which is a testament to the global appeal of the Allentown Film Festival. The Festival has also created a short 1 to 5 minute film contest for local Pennsylvania filmmakers .
To make the Festival a reality, Younkin and Schelp negotiated screening agreements with six major cultural institutions in Allentown: The Civic Theatre's 19 th Street Theatre, Theatre514, the Allentown Art Museum, Miller Symphony Hall, The Dowtown Allentown Market, and the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Center.
The Festival organizers formed a corporation and subsequently achieved IRS 501c3 non-profit status, which allowed them to accept donations and apply for grants from charitable organizations. Michael Schelp, the President of the Allentown Film Festival, oversaw the marketing outreach, which includes TV and radio ads, a robust social media campaign, and outdoor billboards.
Fifty judges were recruited to view and rate the films,150 of which were accepted and curated into 16 screening blocks, each a different cinematic genre. Selected films vary in length from 1 minute shorts all the way to 90 minute features.
“One of the most talked-about films in the Festival is Married to the Mayor, a world premiere that explores the extraordinary life of Karen Turek, the wife of Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk, says Younkin. “Karen met her future husband when they were both teens living in Colorado. Their unexpected journey makes for a compelling documentary.”
The Allentown Film Festival promises to become a cherished annual tradition. The organizers look forward to showcasing the talent and diversity of local and international filmmakers.
Alan Younkin, the Festival Director, explained that the festival evolved from his experience of co-producing a documentary titled BROKE(N) with his partner Michael Schelp. BROKE(N) was selected in 16 film festivals. The duo's exposure to film festivals inspired them to form the Allentown Film Festival in August 2022. Allentown did not have a film festival despite being the third largest city in Pennsylvania.
The Festival has received almost 600 film submissions from 50 countries worldwide, which is a testament to the global appeal of the Allentown Film Festival. The Festival has also created a short 1 to 5 minute film contest for local Pennsylvania filmmakers .
To make the Festival a reality, Younkin and Schelp negotiated screening agreements with six major cultural institutions in Allentown: The Civic Theatre's 19 th Street Theatre, Theatre514, the Allentown Art Museum, Miller Symphony Hall, The Dowtown Allentown Market, and the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Center.
The Festival organizers formed a corporation and subsequently achieved IRS 501c3 non-profit status, which allowed them to accept donations and apply for grants from charitable organizations. Michael Schelp, the President of the Allentown Film Festival, oversaw the marketing outreach, which includes TV and radio ads, a robust social media campaign, and outdoor billboards.
Fifty judges were recruited to view and rate the films,150 of which were accepted and curated into 16 screening blocks, each a different cinematic genre. Selected films vary in length from 1 minute shorts all the way to 90 minute features.
“One of the most talked-about films in the Festival is Married to the Mayor, a world premiere that explores the extraordinary life of Karen Turek, the wife of Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk, says Younkin. “Karen met her future husband when they were both teens living in Colorado. Their unexpected journey makes for a compelling documentary.”
The Allentown Film Festival promises to become a cherished annual tradition. The organizers look forward to showcasing the talent and diversity of local and international filmmakers.