Wade on Birmingham

EXCLUSIVE: The reshuffling of Sidewalk

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Gay film festival moves to fall; new hires in the works

Wade on Birmingham - Sidewalk Moving Picture FestivalThe Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival has made major moves for 2010. Its parent organization, the Alabama Moving Image Association, has filled out its event calendar, shuffled a festival and made room for two new positions. Executive director Chloe Collins shared the details via e-mail.

• Birmingham Shout, the organization’s springtime gay/lesbian film festival, will move to fall, specifically Sept. 24-26. So, both Shout and Sidewalk 2010 will take place on the same weekend in downtown Birmingham.

Collins says that the move allows for “exciting cross promotions, audience development, important interactions and a stronger focus on serving each event’s mission.

“Though the dates and footprint will be the shared, Shout and Sidewalk will be distinct events with unique marketing, community steering, volunteers, parties, events and, of course, programming. Shout will have its own venue — screening films both Saturday and Sunday — allowing patrons more opportunities and flexibility compared to last year which offered two screens on one day, forcing patrons to choose one film experience over another.”

Shout started in 2006, having grown and shrunk in its previous four runs. (Coincidentally, Sidewalk started in 1999 as a spring festival before moving to the fall the following year.) The festival’s revenues and financial health remain unclear.

Collins and other staff members will oversee Shout, while the festival’s programmer will be Billy Ray Brewton, co-founder and president of Theatre Downtown.

Two-day passes will allow entrance to both festivals. Filmmakers submitting movies with gay/lesbian themes will choose which festival or festivals to enter, rather than the programming committees. Collins added that the two festivals will work together to avoid double-programming any film.

• With the approval of the 2010 budget, Sidewalk is looking to hire a development/communications manager (a newly created staff position) and an education and outreach coordinator (a contract position).

The festival terminated the project coordinator position, most recently held by Natalie Hummel.

After the 2009 event, the organization went from a $10,000 deficit to a $20,000 surplus.

Update: Rebecca Pugh is the new development/communications manager. She previously worked as an assignment editor at NBC 13 before spending the last 3 years in a similar role at Tampa’s ABC affiliate.

• Upcoming Sidewalk events include:

  • Tonight | monthly Sidewalk Salon, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Rojo on Southside, featuring Mark Stricklin of the Birmingham-Jefferson Film Office
  • Thursday | Pre-Oscar Bash fund-raiser, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Kress Building, 301 19th St. N., downtown. $20, $15 for Sidewalk members. For tickets and more information, visit the site.
  • March 9 | Sidewalk Silver Screen Encore Series, featuring “That Evening Sun,” 7 p.m., Virginia Samford Theatre, 1116 26th St. S., Southside. $8. For tickets and more information, visit the site. [Review from Wade on Birmingham]
  • March 15 | deadline for submissions for Sidewalk 2010.

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Action! Complete Sidewalk Festival coverage.

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  1. Wade on Birmingham » EXCLUSIVE: Shout 2010 — the lineup
    Tuesday, August 24, 2010, 10:02 am
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    […] if (hours>12){ hours=hours-12 } if (hours==0) hours=12 if (minutes Sphere: Related Content Also see:EXCLUSIVE: The reshuffling of SidewalkShout: The scoopPrepare for the Ultimate Summer Movie GuideSidewalk Moving Picture FestivalWeekend […]

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