Film festivals have become an integral part of cinematic culture in many parts of the world.  In addition to just being a great way to show movies to the public, film festivals have also become a way for movie creators beyond the major companies to get their films out to the world.  There are a handful of different types of film festivals, each highlighting a special aspect of cinema.  These festivals have been taking place for a while and continue to grow in popularity and importance.

A film festival is a gathering of people who create movies and the public that devours them.  They are organized and long presentations of numerous films which can take place in any screening location, indoor or even outdoor.  These festivals are generally for movies that have just been released, but can also be a celebration of older films.

Film festivals haven’t been around for a historically significant amount of time simply due to the fact that movies themselves really haven’t been around for very long either.  The first notable festival took place in Venice in 1932.  The Edinburgh International Film Festival, the longest continually running film festival in the world, started in 1947 and has been going ever since.  Other significant film festivals that laid the ground work for their greater popularity took place in 1946-1951.  These early festivals helped make the modern ones possible.

The year 1953 marked the first North American Film festival, the Colombus International Film Festival.  Four years after that, the San Francisco International Film Festival was held in March 1957 and emphasized feature-length dramatic films.  This festival played a significant part in making film festivals a cultural icon that introduces foreign and independent films to the public who might otherwise not see them.

One of the greatest aspects of film festivals is that there are so many different types all over the world.  There are film festivals which celebrate the noir films of past and present.  There are terror filled festivals that display the gory and suspenseful horror films.  There are festivals dedicated to independent films which help make it possible for movie creators outside the major production companies to become known.

All of these different types of film festivals do far more than just show off movies.  They actually enhance culture by widening the scope of movies that are known and available to the world.  Especially in the early days of film festivals, it was difficult, if not impossible, for the majority of people to experience foreign films.  The film cultures of other countries simply wasn’t accessible to the general public.  Film festivals played a major role in changing this.

Modern cinema wouldn’t be what it is today without the contributions of film festivals.  In addition to being great entertainment, they allow the creative minds that exist beyond major film companies to share their work with the world.  It is because of this contribution that film festivals are a significant cultural resource which must be appreciated by anyone that enjoys a good movie. As the title goes, film festivals have come of age and are no more a merely event that is run for promoting films of different culture but an opportunity in which film aficionados gather together with a common interest- to appreciate quality movies.