Here are Arizona film festivals not to miss in 2020

Nicole Ludden
The Republic | azcentral.com

Film fanatics across Arizona are in for a treat this year. Film festivals with a wide array of genres, venues and topics are offering something for all types of moviegoers to enjoy in 2020. 

With themes including an international display of works from more than 40 countries, to screenings solely from the western genre, film festivals in 2020 will provide a variety of cinematic experiences. This year’s venues range from Harkins theaters around metro Phoenix to the Willcox Historic Theater in the southern part of the state.

Whether you're an avid cinephile, or just looking for an enriching movie-going experience, here are the film festivals across Arizona you won’t want to miss in 2020.

Sedona International Film Festival

The 26th annual Sedona International Film Festival will feature a diverse array of independent features, narrative shorts, animated shorts and documentaries at three Sedona venues. The nine-day line up of more than 170 international films will feature three Oscar nominees: "For Sama," "The Cave" and "Honeyland." The festival's opening day will include a sneak preview of the narrative feature "Heartland," with special appearances from several key members of the cast and directors Josh and Rebecca Tickell. For a full list of films and screening times, visit the Sedona International Film Festival website

Details: Saturday, Feb. 22-March 1. Participating venues. $15 tickets, priority passes available. 928-282-1177, sedonafilmfestival.com

Participating Venues:

  • Mary D. Fisher Theatre, 2030 W. State Route 89A, Suite A-3, Sedona. 
  • Harkins Theatres Sedona 6, 2081 W. State Route 89A, Sedona. 
  • Sedona Performing Arts Center, 995 Upper Red Rock Loop Rd., Sedona. 

Admission:

  • Platinum All Access Priority Pass: Grants access to all activities, films and events, includes priority seating. Nonmembers: $1,325, Members: $1,193.
  • Gold Priority Pass: Priority tickets, seating to all films and a pass to one of the evening parties. Nonmembers: $625, Members: $562.
  • Individual Tickets: $15 per screening.

Tickets can be purchased online at sedonafilmfestival.com/purchase-passes or at the Sedona International Film Festival office at 2030 AZ-89A in Sedona. 

Phoenix Film Festival

As Arizona's largest film festival, the Phoenix Film Festival shows nearly 300 films every year. The 20th year of the festival runs March 26-April 5, and all films are screened at the Harkins Scottsdale 101 theater. Within walking distance, the Party Pavilion will host networking events, workshops, DJs and other film-themed booths.

Opening night will feature "The Lovebirds," a romantic comedy directed by Michael Showalter that follows a couple who become unintentionally entangled in a murder mystery. On March 28, the festival will show the Arizona premiere of "The Personal History of David Copperfield," a reimagination of Charles Dickens' Victorian-era novel.

New this year is a horror series, "Faith, Fear and Film," that showcases religious-themed horror titles like "The Wicker Man," "The Conjuring" and writer-director Rose Glass' debut film "Saint Maud."

Tickets and passes go on sale Feb. 27 at phoenixfilmfestival.com

Details: Thursday, March 26-Sunday, April 5. Harkins Scottsdale 101, 7000 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. 480-513 3195, phoenixfilmfestival.com.

Ticket and pass prices:

  • Single ticket: $15. 
  • Flex Pass: One ticket to any four different films excluding opening night and Saturday night prime screenings, may purchase $5 tickets to pass-restricted films. $45.
  • Super Flex Pass: One ticket to any 10 different films excluding opening night. $120.
  • Festival Pass: Tickets to any film and access to all events excluding opening night $200.
  • VIP Pass: Priority seating at any film or event excluding opening night. Includes a  Phoenix Film Festival T-shirt. $400.
  • Platinum Pass: Priority seating at all films and events. Includes a Phoenix Film Festival T-shirt. $450.
A young aspiring filmmaker learns about sound design at the 2016 Phoenix Film Festival.

Southern Arizona Independent Film Festival

The Southern Arizona Independent Film Festival will showcase short films from student and other independent filmmakers at the historic Willcox Theater on April 10 and 11. The festival is free and open to the public, and all screenings are family-friendly films under 15 minutes. The seventh year of the festival, geared toward student filmmakers, also includes film workshops, student film critiques and a live-streamed awards ceremony. The deadline to submit short films to the festival is Feb. 28. 

Details: Friday-Saturday, April 10-11. Willcox Historic Theater, 134 N. Railroad Ave., Willcox. Free. 520-766-3333, willcoxfilmfest.com/SAIFF.

The winners of the Southern Arizona Independent Film Festival take home 3D-printed replicas of vintage 8 millimeter cameras as trophies.

Arizona International Film Festival

As the longest-running film festival in Arizona, the 29th annual Arizona International Film Festival will show indie features, documentaries and animated shorts from more than 40 countries. Films play at venues throughout Tucson, including The Screening Room. The festival hosts independent filmmakers looking to bring awareness and share voices from around the world.

There also will be Q&A sessions with filmmakers, panels on topics relevant to the community and an opening night celebration at Hotel Congress. The festival's full schedule will be announced March 23.

Details: Wednesday-Sunday, April 15-26. Several Tucson venues. Single admission $6-$10. 520-401-4328, filmfestivalarizona.com

Audience members celebrate at The Screening Room during the 2016 Arizona International Film Festival.

Desperado LGBTQ Film Festival

The Desperado Film Club, a student organization at Paradise Valley Community College, will put on its 12th Desperado LGBTQ Film Festival in October. The festival will screen diverse films depicting experiences of the LGBTQ community. The lineup will be announced about a month prior to the opening night. 

Details: Friday-Sunday, Oct. 23-25. Paradise Valley Community College Center for Performing Arts, 18401 N. 32nd St., Phoenix. $10 general admission. 602-787-7276, desperadofilmfestival.com

The Wild Bunch Film Festival

The fifth year of this festival will screen independent films in Western genres and sub-genres. Hosted at the Willcox Historic Theater, the Wild Bunch Film Festival is a competition for experienced and novice filmmakers to submit original Western works. There will be Q&A sessions and an awards show.

This year, the Wild Bunch festival takes place in conjunction with the 70th annual Rex Allen Days, a three-day festival of parades, rodeos and fairs celebrating the famed "Arizona Cowboy." Ticket prices for the festival will be announced in early September. The early bird deadline to submit works to the festival is Feb. 29, and the last day to enter a film is Aug. 1. 

Details: Friday-Sunday, Oct. 2-4. Willcox Historic Theater, 134 N. Railroad Ave, Willcox. thewildbunchfilmfestival.com

John Carter Cash, his wife Ana Cristina Cash and Eric Hamilton pose with Wild Bunch Film Festival trophies for "Dragon Song," a film John wrote, produced and won several awards for at the 2019 festival.

Scottsdale International Film Festival

The Scottsdale International Film Festival will celebrate its 20th year with award-winning cinema from around the world. The festival aims to celebrate humanity by sharing the diverse stories of global filmmakers. The lineup of more than 55 films will be released Oct. 1. 

Details: Friday-Sunday, Nov. 6-15. Tickets are $14-$28, subject to change. 866-811-4111, scottsdalefilmfestival.com.

Participating venues:

  • Nov. 6: Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale.
  • Nov. 7-8 and 13-15 : Harkins Shea 14, 7354 E. Shea Blvd., Scottsdale.
  • Nov. 9-12: Harkins Camelview at Scottsdale Fashion Square, 7014 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale.

Reach the reporter at nicole.ludden@arizonarepublic.com.