Arts & Entertainment Community
That’s a wrap on 2023 Gig Harbor Film Festival
The 2023 Gig Harbor Film Festival drew hundreds of cinephiles to the Galaxy Theatres Uptown for its four-day run last week.
“We truly had a memorable event and it was our most successful yet. Filmmakers came from as far as Connecticut and one even drove up from Texas,” said Pam Holt, the festival’s executive director. “We were really feeling the love from the filmmakers and they told me how special they feel when they come to Gig Harbor. It’s just been amazing.”
Highlights included an appearance by veteran actor Tom Skerritt, promoting his film “East of the Mountains”; and the premiere of “The Lost Angle,” a short documentary featuring never-before-seen footage of the 1940 collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.
Founded in 2007, the Gig Harbor Film Festival brings hundreds of visitors as well as filmmakers and actors to town every year. The 2023 version included more than 60 independent films and sold more than 2,100 seats at Galaxy Uptown.
Justin Zimmerman, a director whose film “Kids for Kidnapping” was a GHFF award-winner, commented on the industry website FilmFreeway:
“There simply isn’t a better film festival. Gig Harbor has great screening spaces, a huge and enthusiastic audience, incredible communication, and awesome gatherings. They take care of their filmmakers in every way imaginable.”
Award winners
Gig Harbor Film Festival 2023 award winners include:
- Best Actor: Cardi Wong in “Golden Delicious“
- Best Director: Allison Otto for “The Thief Collector“
- Best Narrative Short: “Kids for Kidnapping,” directed by Justin Zimmerman
- Best Documentary Short: “Resurgence,” directed by Krushan Naik
- Gig Award: “Corky,” directed by Christine Caruso
- Best Narrative Feature: “Balloon Animal,” directed by Em Johnson
- Best Documentary Feature: “Sam Now,” directed by Reed Harkness
- Best Washington Made: “The Lost Angle,” directed by Brandon Hendricks
The 2024 Gig Harbor Film Festival is scheduled for Sept 26 through 29.