The inaugural Sheridan WYO Film Festival will be held October 5-7th at the Whitney Center for the Arts and at the WYO Theater. With 38 films from around the world, special events, and VIP parties, there’s sure to be something for everyone.
The festival arrived out of the desire to increase tourism and provide the Sheridan community with a fun event during the shoulder season. “I think there is a crowd of people who would be interested. There is a great art scene in Sheridan and many film lovers,” said Justin Stroup, the Festival Director. After a year of Justin researching what it would take to make a festival happen here, the Sheridan WYO Film Festival was born.
Featuring 38 films from around the world, the festival will offer people the chance to see films that they otherwise may have never even heard had the opportunity to see. In a rural location like Sheridan, where one often only gets the opportunity to see mainstream Hollywood movies, the chance to see independent films showcased at the festival is a special opportunity. There will be three screenings on Saturday, each showcasing 8-10 short films. The opening film on Friday and the closing film on Sunday are both feature-length films.
One of the stand out films, Miss Snake Charmer, is a documentary about a small-town Texas pageant that revolves around a rattlesnake round-up. It will be the film’s world premiere at the festival. Another film that will leave audiences talking is the closing night film, Rodents of Unusual Size. This film is a documentary that showcases the invasive species nutria, a giant rodent that is destroying the wetlands of Louisiana.
There will also be other fun events outside of the films, including a virtual reality exhibit where people can watch immersive films through virtual reality goggles. The festival will also be holding a “women in film” panel with the female filmmakers and actors of the festival. One special event of the festival is that an animator that has worked with Disney and Mattel will be doing an animation and character design demonstration. He will show the audience how to create an animated character for a cartoon or film, and will actually design a character in real time with input from the audience. The festival will also be hosting VIP events including an opening reception and a closing party.
“We built the ticket structure with different budgets in mind,” stated Justin. Some of the events like the Virtual reality exhibit and panels are free and open to the public. Tickets are $10 to attend an individual screening and a $50 festival pass will give you access to all screening events during the festival. The VIP pass is $100 and will get you into all screenings, as well as parties and mixers where you can mingle with the filmmakers. No matter what your budget is, the festival was created so that all film lovers will be able to enjoy it.
When asked what he wanted the festival to provide Sheridan, Justin replied, “I hope they just have fun and experience something new. There are a lot of movies at the festival that are miraculous!” The Sheridan WYO Film Festival is a great opportunity for the community to come together and enjoy film.
To learn more about the Sheridan WYO Film Festival and event details please visit www.sheridanwyofilmfest.org and to stay updated follow us on Facebook at sheridanwyofilmfest Tickets can be purchased online and in person at the WYO Theater.
