When is the Big Water Film Festival?
The 14th Festival will start on-line on January 7, 2022. All screenings this year will be free and online. We will post links to BWFF Films of Week on our Facebook page. Please be sure to like or follow us on Facebook to receive notifications of these posts.
Where does the Big Water Film Festival take place?
the 14th Big Water Film Festival will take place in your living room, bedroom, or wherever you want to relax in front of a screen. We hope to be back in our usual venues next time. Here they are:
The Big Water Film Festival usually takes place at the Bay Theater in Ashland, Wisconsin. The Bay Theater is in the center of Ashland’s business district, close to numerous restaurants, shops, bars, and coffee houses, and one block from Lake Superior and Ashland’s lakeshore walking and biking trail.
Our screening in Bayfield is at the Bayfield High School Library.
Our Drummond Night is held at the the Drummond High School Auditorium.
Our Washburn show was at the Harborview Event Center (former Steak Pit Restaurant site).
Our Friday Night Gala Reception will is usually held across the street from the Bay Theater at The Office Bar.
The Vaughn Public Library, across the street from the Bay Theater, is our host for Cinema and Cinnamon Rolls on Saturday morning.
How do I get there?
The Bay Theater is located at 420 Main Street West, at Vaughn Avenue, in the center of Ashland, Wisconsin , one block south of U.S. Highway 2. The Bayfield High School Library is at 300 North Fourth Street in Bayfield, up the road from Ashland on Highway 13. Drummond High School is located off of Highway 63 between Ashland and Hayward. The Harborview Event Center overlooks the Washburn waterfront, off of Bayfield Street.
What is the deadline to submit films for consideration for this year’s Big Water Film Festival?
The deadline for film submissions for 2022 is July 15, 2022.
Can I submit my film online?
Yes. All entries must be submitted through FilmFreeway. Our listing is here. The deadline for 2022 is July 15 and there is a $10 entry fee. Please go to the FilmFreeway site for more information. We will open our site to start taking submissions early in 2022.
What are the criteria used to accept films?
We are looking for films that are “as fresh as the water of Lake Superior.” The Big Water Film Festival selects a wide range of films. We actively support the creative efforts of regional and local filmmakers, as well as national and international films. BWFF welcomes features, shorts, documentaries, and animation.
How can I participate in the Big Water Film Festival?
There are many ways to participate.
As a film fan, you can attend the Festival on-line.
As a filmmaker, you are invited to submit your films for consideration for the next film festival. The deadline for film submissions is July 15th, 2022. The Committee encourages early entries. All entries must go through Film Freeway.
As a sponsor of the Big Water Film Festival, your financial backing will help put on the show and bring filmmakers to the Festival. The Big Water Film Festival is a project of the Bay Area Film Society, a 501(c)(3)-recognized non-profit organization, so any personal donation is tax deductible. Become a sponsor today.
As a fan of film, you might be especially interested in Cinema and Cinnamon Rolls, our Saturday morning event where filmmakers discuss various aspects of the craft. (Cancelled for the 14th Festival.)
Volunteers are usually needed for the Festival weekend, from set-up on Friday through awards on Sunday. Volunteers who work during one block of films can see another film block of their choice for free. Let’s hope by the 15th BWFF we will need you again. Click here to become a volunteer.
How can I buy tickets?
The easiest way is to book right here through our website. (Our ticket sale feature will be getting an upgrade by mid-October.) Tickets may be reserved through the Bay Theater office number, 715-682-3369. Tickets will also be available at the door throughout the Festival weekend.
BUT, in 2021, no tickets are necessary. Everything is free and online.
What do tickets cost?
In 2021, zero! Just follow the instructions we will post for registering to watch the films and click on the links we will provide each week.
What awards are offered at the Big Water Film Festival?
Usually, everyone who attends any block of the Festival is eligible to vote for the films they view for the Audience Favorite Award. You will receive ballots for each eligible film as you enter the theater. In 2021, there will be no Audience Favorite Award.
BWFF also awards prizes for Best Feature Film, Best Documentary, Best Short Film, Best Short Short and the Loren Savitsky Young Filmmaker Award. Each award comes with a certificate, a $150 check, and (usually, although not in 2021) an award bowl hand-thrown by the potters at Stone’s Throw in Bayfield.
What is the Loren Savitsky Young Filmmaker Award?
The Loren Savitsky Young Filmmaker Award is given each year to one filmmaker age 25 or younger whose work screens at the Festival. The award is offered in honor of cinematographer and Washburn native Loren Savitsky who tragically died in a 2009 motorcycle accident in L.A. at the young age of 23. A graduate of Brooks Institute of Photography, Loren was cinematographer on the short film, Just One of the Gynos, which screened at the 2008 Big Water Film Festival, and earned Best Short Film honors.