About + History
Dedicated to serving filmmakers and their audiences by celebrating excellence in filmmaking, the Columbus Film Council believes in educating and entertaining people with the art and experience of film and video.
Founded in 1950 by a group of progressive educators, the Film Council, through the Columbus International Film + Video Festival (a 6 day event in downtown Columbus), continues their legacy, honoring and screening the work of makers whose creations of vision, beauty and power help us understand the complexities of our world by using their committed artistry to touch our minds and hearts.
The CIF+VF, now in its 61st year, is the longest running film festival in the United States.
Through the years, the Festival has honored thousands of films, film makers, and producers. The Chris Award — our top honor (a reference to Christopher Columbus) — is proudly displayed in production offices around the world. The Chris Award has also at times been a qualifying festival for the Academy Awards.
The historical progressive mandate of the CIF+VF has prepared us well for the current digital revolution. The revolution might be put thusly: digital video democratizes film production, the internet stretches and expands the boundaries of distribution, and the combination of these two factors leads to radical aesthetic cross-pollination. We are witnessing a revolution on par with the first printing press in 1439. The CIF+VF will not be a witness, we will be a leader.
The CIF+VF will also continue to support professional, educational, and corporate filmmaking. That is a key part of this digital revolution-for the first time in history, every person, group, or cause has an equal voice, and these voices can and inevitably will inform each other. The result will be a new visual culture with new languages, pedagogies, thrills, and resonance.
Staff
Susan Halpern, Executive Director
(614) 444-7460
Executive Director: Susan Halpern
Email is the preferred form of communication.
Phone: (614) 444-7460 (please only 9-5 EST)