(Me and Mike Relm, Chief C23FF Programmer and Co-Coordinator.)

C23FF WRAP-UP

What a festival.

When I founded the CREDO 23 stamp, and had the good fortune of Matthew Weiner, Reed Morano, Juliette Lewis, and Arianne Phillips joining me on the CREDO 23 Council, there was a single purpose. We wanted to provide a kind of “organics” stamp for human films to let the audience know that no AI was used.

Soon after that, we watched the studios go all in on AI, the streamers go all in on AI, and then some of the major film festivals go all in on AI. This broke the hearts of many independent filmmakers, because film festival have long been the champion of innovative human filmmaking, and the primary delivery system of those films to the public. With their focus pulled to “content” made with regurgitative GAI instead, I knew it was time for the CREDO 23 Film Festival.

(Photo by Steven Meiers Dominguez)

How else were filmmakers going to get their innovative, creatively bold, daring work out into the world? The new, long-delayed genre in the Arts is not going to come through the studios, nor the streamers, and now had a decreased chance of coming through the established film festivals. The CREDO 23 Film Festival can be that tunnel through for the New genre.

The two and a half day CREDO 23 Film Festival was successful beyond our expectations. The following people were instrumental in its success:

• The Programmers: Thank you to all my friends who volunteered to watch the submissions. There were a lot to go through, and I’m very grateful for your time and expertise in film viewing.

• The Venue: The American Legion Hall, Post 43 was my first choice for the festival, and I’m glad that we were able to make a deal with them. Big thanks for Aaron Carew, Jere Romano, Brendan Early, Carlos, and the Board and staff of Post 43. The festival attendees loved the building and theater just as much as I knew they would.

• The Sponsors: I am so grateful and humbled that our sponsors supported this endeavor. Fathom, The Teamsters, Kodak, Keslow Camera, Final Draft, Custom Sync Slates, Titlepool, and Film Threat were not only financially and professionally supportive, but they did so in the true spirit of the festival. They were all there to support the New genre, which is very human and real, and refuses AI.

• The Filmmakers: I’m very glad these filmmakers not only made these films, but were true to their gifts in order to produce these unique and creatively-forward projects.

  

  (C23FF ‘25 Grant Awarding. Photo by Steven Meiers Dominguez)

• The Filmgoers: People came from all over the nation to attend the festival. Some had never been to a film festival before, but wanted to be part of The New. We were very happy to have them all.

• The Volunteers: We had incredible volunteers. My friends - Nina Gregory (Merchandise Manager), Ozzy Bates (Snack Bar Manager), Veronica Radaelli, Steven Meiers Dominguez (C23FF photographer), Peggy Schnitzer, Stef Dillon (Opening Night Pass Manager), Stefania Rosini, etc. There were also those who came from far and wide to help out - Ben Panama, Bobby Clarkson, Eli Harris, Jonathan Auxier, Julie Mitchell, Marly Phillips Nicol, Michael Brazed, Mila Wigram, Susan Kaplan, Taylor Flaim, etc.

• The Speakers: Matthew Weiner and Reed Morano spoke on the “What’s Keeping You From The New” panel, while Cassian Elwes and Arianne Fraser gave insights on the Distribution panel. I am very grateful my friends took the time to share their wealth of experience, artistry, and expertise. The audience was very thankful for the candor and information.

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• The Staff: I could not have done this festival with out Jackie Carlson (House Manager), Mike Relm (Chief Programmer and Co-Coordinator), Mike Messex (Decor Manager), Bob Fitzgerald (Technical Director), Vincent Twinn and Sam Wayne (Parking Management), Greg Campbell (Merchandise), Richie Rich (Opening Night DJ), Andrew Schnee (C23 Foundation accountant)

• Logistic Support: Grateful to Deborah Croft (Insurance), Norm Kinard (Hollywood Bowl Parking), Guru Printers (pass printing), 4inLanyards (lanyard printing), Squarespace, and Film Freeway.

• Gifts and Grants: The accepted filmmakers were given some incredible gifts by some of our sponsors. Custom Sync Slates brought beautiful, personalized slates for every one of the filmmakers (and the sponsors). Final Draft gifted copies of Final Draft software, and Kodak hosted a welcome reception, gave film strips with an image from every festival film, as well as $3300 grants to the feature film directors.

• Which brings us to the C23 Foundation grants. Every short film director was granted $2300, and every feature film director was granted $6000.

The two goals of the CREDO 23 Film Festival are to showcase films using no GAI and reaching into The New, as well as to grant all the festival proceeds to the filmmakers, after costs, so they can continue filmmaking in The New. Our sponsors, including the very generous Fathom organization and The Teamsters, made those grants possible.

C23FF into The New.