Hell's Half Mile Film & Music Festival

Hell's Half Mile Film & Music Festival is an annual independent film and music film festival held each September in Bay City, Michigan. The four-day festival includes feature and short film screenings and live music events.

Hell's Half Mile
Film & Music Festival
LocationBay City, Michigan
Founded2006
LanguageEnglish
Websitehhmfest.com

History

The festival was founded in 2006 by festival director Alan LaFave and Tommy Jenkins. It was initially conceived as a way to bring independent film and music to Bay City.[1] Drawing approximately 600 people in its first year, by its ninth year the festival drew 3,600 people.[1] The festival is named after a stretch of downtown Bay City's riverfront known as Hell's Half Mile in the mid-to-late 1800s, when it was lined with saloons and brothels. At the time, Bay City was a big logging community. Loggers and shipmen would come into Bay City to spend their paychecks, gamble and get into fights on the Hell's Half Mile strip.[2][3]

In addition to independent films and indie bands, it includes social events, workshops, panels and a half-mile race.[4] Starting in 2015, the festival partnered with Seed&Spark for a Crowdfunding Rally, where filmmakers can submit upcoming projects for potential audience funding.[5] Films are screened at venues included the State Theatre, Delta College Planetarium and the Historic Masonic Temple.[4] Past jury members include Damien Chazelle and Rider Strong, and past musical acts include Matt Pond PA, Jamaican Queens and the Detroit Party Marching Band.[1][6][7]

With 2020 being cancelled caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, only the pop-up cinema & certain other events will be done remotely.

Award Winners

Jury Award: Best Feature

Audience Award: Fest Best

Programmers' Standout
  • Bad Dog and Superhero (2007)
  • More Shoes (2008)
  • Lebanon, PA (2010)
  • Maria My Love (2011)
  • Louder Than Love: The Grande Ballroom Story (2012)
  • Things I Don't Understand (2013)
  • Universal Language (2014)
  • Stuck (2015)
  • Creedmoria (2016)
  • Bark (2017)

See also

References
  1. Cole Waterman, "Hell's Half Mile Film & Music Festival set to celebrate 10th year in Bay City," Bay City Times, September 18, 2015.
  2. David Nicholas, "Hell's Half Mile Fest Marks 10 Years in Bay City," WCMU-FM, September 24, 2015.
  3. Brandy Abraham, "Hell's Half Mile is reborn," The Valley Vanguard, September 30, 2013.
  4. Robert E. Martin, "Festival Overview: Opening the Lens on the 10th Annual Hell's Half Mile Film & Music Festival," The Review, Issue 815, September 3, 2015.
  5. Kaeli Van Cott, "Attention, Midwest Filmmakers: Submit Your Film to This Crowdfunding Rally," Indiewire, August 21, 2015.
  6. Cole Waterman, "Hell's Half Mile Film & Music Festival announces recipients of jury, audience awards," Bay City Times, October 2, 2013.
  7. Ryan Solecki, "Interview with Jamaican Queens at Hell's Half Mile Indie Music Showcase May 31st," Sound & Silence, June 13, 2014.
  8. @FunnyStoryMovie (September 30, 2018). "🏆WINNER🏆 "Funny Story" wins the GRAND JURY AWARD for BEST FEATURE FILM at the 2018 Hell's Half Mile Film & Music Festival (@HHMFEST) 🎬🎉🍿 Thank you, Michigan! 🤗 @matthewglave @EmilyBett @janawinternitz @TotallySketch funnystorymovie.com #hhmlucky13 #funnystorymovie" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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