Soo Film Festival showcases Great Lakes filmmakers
SAULT STE. MARIE — This year’s Soo Film Festival, to be held Sept. 13-17 at the historic Soo Theatre and Bayliss Public Library, will feature more Michigan-made films than ever.
“We’re looking forward to this year’s lineup,” said Soo Film Festival President Jason Markstrom. “Our mission has always been to showcase the work of independent and emerging filmmakers from the Great Lakes region while bringing movies back to downtown Sault Ste. Marie and the historic Soo Theatre.”
Markstrom added that this year especially, the festival prioritized selecting a mix of narrative, documentary, full-length features, shorts and animated films made in Michigan by Michiganders.
“We’re proud to put Sault Ste. Marie on the map as a place for Michiganders to see films made by someone they might know, filmed in locations they’ve probably been to before,” he said.
The festival accepts submissions from other parts of the U.S. and other countries. But, organizers said there’s a deeper message and mission behind this year’s lineup.
“Michigan has real potential to be the next ideal location for filmmakers to live and work, to create beautiful art right here in the Great Lakes State,” said Markstrom. “Michigan has incredible film locations and a wealth of talented young filmmakers. Why send them all off to Los Angeles and Atlanta? The Michigan Legislature incentivized filmmaking in the state once before. I hope we can do it again, and I hope the Soo Film Festival inspires just that.”
Back in 2008, former Governor Jennifer Granholm signed legislation designed to grow the film industry in Michigan. That legislation invited hundreds of millions of dollars in private investment and created jobs for residents.
“Michigan’s film incentive program is now the most aggressive in the nation,” Granholm said in a 2008 press release.
Between 2008 and 2015, some projects that were awarded incentives include "Grand Torino," "Real Steel," "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," "The Five Year Engagement” and "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice."
Those film incentives were removed in 2015 under then-Governor Rick Snyder’s leadership.
New film incentives might be on their way back, though, and this time they may serve as direct incentives to Michigan-based filmmakers and producers. For example, two bills are making their way through the Michigan Senate, referred to as the Michigan Multimedia Jobs Act. If passed, they would provide state tax credits to films and media made in Michigan by Michigan companies.
“What that means is that it (the credits) can only be used to offset Michigan taxes, so only a Michigan company can benefit,” said Michigan Film Industry Association’s Legislative Action Committee Chair Alexander Page.
The organizers and volunteers at the Soo Film Festival hope the legislation will pass. In the meantime, they’re committed to doing their part to get Michiganders excited about making and supporting local films while also enjoying the talented work of filmmakers worldwide.
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Festival passes and individual tickets are available now. Ticket prices are $7 for General Admission (per block) and $5 for seniors and students (per block). Daily passes and festival passes are also available. Films screened at the Bayliss Library are free of charge.
On Saturday, Sept. 16, after the last film of the day has been shown, Soo Film Fest organizers will host a light reception in the lobby of the theater for filmgoers to get a chance to chat with filmmakers and ask questions.
A full list of the films and their descriptions, as well as the showtime schedule and ticket information, is available on the festival website at soofilmfestival.org.
“We are grateful to still be here to celebrate 10 years of Great Lakes, Great Movies,” said Markstrom. “Our selection of films and filmmakers for 2023 is terrific and we can’t wait to share them.”
Ren Brabenec is a Brimley-based freelance writer and journalist with The Sault News. He reports on politics, local issues, environmental stories, and the economy. For questions, comments, or to suggest a story, email hello@renbrabenec.com.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Soo Film Festival showcases Great Lakes filmmakers
