And…Action! The Fort Myers Beach Film Festival – in its 11th edition – raises the curtain April 26-30 to screenings of some of the best independent films the industry has to offer.
Screenings take place a several Fort Myers Beach locations, including and especially The Beach Theater, Fort Myers Beach own renowned movie house. And, if you’re lucky, a screening or two right on the beach. Check out the 2017 Schedule of Events.
It’s a great time to visit Fort Myers Beach and we have a few vacancies available for that late April week. Check our availability.
Since its premier in 2001, the Fort Myers Beach Film Festival has grown larger and more creatively diverse over the course of its first decade and with the 11th edition coming up organizers promise the best year ever. The 2016 festival featured over 40 films and more than 50 film makers, including film makers from Fort Myers and the surrounding region and student film makers.
The actual line-up for the 2017 festival has yet to be announced but its Facebook page will be a good place to check for the latest news.
Winners of the 10th Anniversary 2016 festival were films that ranged from regionally produce short films to a documentary about the history of the legendary rock-n-roll (with horns) band, Chicago.
Sponsors for the annual celebration of cinema include The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel, The Town of Fort Myers Beach, Beach Theater and the Fort Myers Beach Friends of the Arts.
Last year’s winners:
People’s Choice: “Now More Than Ever: The History of Chicago” (the band)
Best Local Film: Hanging Millstone
Best Short Film: Immunity
Best Student Film: Coming to Terms
Best Feature: Is That A Gun In Your Pocket?
Best Documentary: TIE “Conversations with Alan Ladd Jr: It’s Always About the Story” and “Now More Than Ever: The History of Chicago”
Rising Star Award: Peter Pardini, director of, “Now More That Ever.”
Star Achievement Award: Rena Sofer
The official trailer for, “Now More than Ever: The History of Chicago”…
Now More Than Ever: The History of Chicago… by filmow
“Film festivals have become an increasingly popular method of generating economic benefit to communities…,” wrote Western Carolina University professors Sandra Grunwell and Inhyuck Steve Ha in a 2008 research project. “Seen as a meeting place between filmmakers, distributors, and viewers, film festivals can be an important factor in enlivening local cultural life, building a town, city, or region’s image, and fostering its attractiveness for tourism and thus its economic development.
“In addition to providing a cultural experience for the local community, and providing economic benefits as a tourist draw, film festivals provide a service to the film industry by supplying a forum for filmmakers to show their films and film buyers and distributors to view them.”
Fort Myers Beach residents and visitors know the film festival is a great way to see cutting edge films right in our own back yard – or beach.