Bethlehem, Lehigh Valley, PA., March 6, 2025 – ArtsQuest is thrilled to host The Greater Lehigh Valley Filmmaker Festival on Friday, March 21 and Saturday, March 22 at the Frank Banko Alehouse Cinemas, located in the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks. A Student Showcase featuring the work of students at The Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts will take place on Friday evening. Saturday’s festivities are organized into three adjudicated blocks highlighting the work of the Greater Lehigh Valley’s finest filmmakers. The festival will feature over 27 short films directed by local filmmakers and film students. On Saturday night, an awards ceremony will honor the festival’s standout films.
Viewers who intend to watch all three blocks of films on Saturday may purchase a $24 festival pass, giving them access to the entire festival. The price for each individual block of films is $11.
Friday, March 21, 7:30 p.m. – Student Showcase
- Price: Free
- Runtime: 90 minutes
As part of the Literary Arts curriculum at The Lehigh Valley Charter High School for the Arts, students study Screenwriting, Film Studies and Advanced Film Theory across their four years in the program. The students in these courses produce various film projects under the direction of instructor Heath Mensher, including the “Ciné-Roman,” the “One-Shot Film,” and the final culminating “Final Short Film Project” from the Senior Class. These films are specially designed to be shot using smartphones, with “no budget/high concept” expectations where writing and vision are paramount. Join us in celebrating the future of film!
Saturday, March 22, 2:00 p.m. – Block One
- Price: $11
- Runtime: 97 minutes
- Rated – Equivalent to R
Please note: All selections are listed alphabetically by film title per block, and not necessarily in the order in which the selections will be screened.
- Ad-Lib, Cinematographer Rachel Alexander
- Banana Tree, dir. Sarah Bui
- A Coward’s Legacy, dir. Derek Rahm
- Eva & Fern, dir. Daniel Paashaus
- Happy Sadurday, dir. Hannah Mittermeier
- It Drops at Midnight, dir. Raymond Ceres
- Mother Earth Mother Death, dir. Thom Peeler *OUT-OF-COMPETITION*
- A Wednesday in Hershey, dir. Matt Ward
Saturday, March 22, 4:30 p.m. – Block Two
- Price: $11
- Runtime: 96 minutes
- Rated – Equivalent to R
Please note: All selections are listed alphabetically by film title per block, and not necessarily in the order in which the selections will be screened.
- exception(al), dir. Michelle Bossy
- I Love Monroe, dir. Steven Liiro *OUT-OF-COMPETITION*
- In Sickness, dir. Daniel de Bruyn
- NORJAK, dir. Mason Leaver
- Our Shared Curse, dir. Eve Polek
- Rivercobble, dir. Burls & Bramble
- Rubbing Sticks, dir. Raymond Ceres & Charalampos Bakirtzis
- Terra Luna, dir. Scott Lentz
- The Trunk, dir. Tony Susi
- Who’s Crazy Now?, dir. Samantha R Kennedy
Saturday, March 22, 7:00 p.m. – Block Three
- Price: $11
- Runtime: 98 minutes
- Rated – Equivalent to R
Please note: All selections are listed alphabetically by film title per block, and not necessarily in the order in which the selections will be screened.
- My Hair, dir. Alison Loeb & Sam Guncler
- The War is Over, dir. Andrea Kramer & Dave Lamm
- Gardener of the Galaxy, dir. Nick Natalicchio
- ON THIN ICE, dir. Chelsea Komorowski
- One Night, dir. Ryan Tocci *OUT-OF-COMPETITION*
- Remembrance, dir. Colin Lawville & Aiden McKee
- Simmer, dir. Joshua Afiriyie
- The Capsaicin Clash, dir. Mason Leaver
- Weighted Blanket, dir. Jeffrey Harvey
Saturday, March 22, 9:15 p.m. – Awards Ceremony
- Price: Free
The Greater Lehigh Valley Filmmaker Festival wraps up with an awards ceremony honoring the festival’s standout selections. In addition to the Best in Show Award and a $500 cash prize, the GLVFF Jury will present accolades for Best Director, Best Performance, Best Editing and more.
About ArtsQuest
ArtsQuest’s mission is to provide access to exceptional artistic, cultural and educational experiences using arts and culture as key elements of economic development for our urban communities. ArtsQuest™ supports this mission via the presentation of performing and visual arts, film, arts education classes and outreach, youth programming and cultural events. Through festivals such as its flagship event, Musikfest; the ArtsQuest Creative Factory powered by PPL; and the ArtsQuest Center at SteelStacks arts and cultural campus, ArtsQuest’s programming reaches more than 1.9 million people annually. The organization’s programs and events, of which nearly 50 percent are free to attend, have a combined economic impact of more than $136 million annually in the region.
Information provided to TVL by:
Marie Tohill
