PORT TOWNSEND — Along with its cultural opportunities, the Port Townsend Film Festival generates significant income to city merchants, according to information presented to a business audience Monday.
“We found that each attendee spends at least $400 during the three days they are here, which is huge,” PTFF Marketing Director Jan Halliday said.
“We take over the town for that time, which is a good deal because they are spending money.”
Halliday estimated this total adds up to $500,000 that is spent in Port Townsend businesses.
Halliday and PTFF board member Jeff Youde addressed about 50 people at the regular meeting of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce at Fort Worden Commons.
This year’s 17th annual festival will show 93 films from 19 nations and will take place Sept. 23-25 at various locations in downtown Port Townsend.
Janette Force, the festival’s executive director, was scheduled to speak Monday but was unable to attend.
Sponsoring films
Halliday said that attendees’ spending habits have made it easier to sell sponsorships, as local businesses can sponsor individual films.
The festival also has a long-term economic benefit, Youde said.
“We have found that people who come in for the film festival continue to visit and invite others to come with them,” he said.
“Many of them choose to stay here because many people seek a cultural connection a community has when looking for a new home.”
The festival also draws people who are connected to the film experience rather than choosing their entertainment options from a variety of devices.
Youde questioned whether the age of going to the movies has passed.
“We think about the evolution of the small screen from Betamax, VCR, DVD [and] Blue Ray and wonder if people still want to go to the movies,” Youde said.
“But there is a hunger to see great motion pictures on the big screen, documents that inspire and contain quality acting, directing and production.”
Youde said attendees trust the festival to curate a great slate of films to enjoy.
No special guest?
In past years, the festival has invited a special guest, accomplished and respected members of the entertainment industry, but none are scheduled as of yet for this year.
Previous guests were Tony Curtis in 2000; Eva Marie Saint, 2001; Patricia Neal, 2002; Shirley Knight, 2003; Jane Powell, 2004; Debra Winger, 2005; Malcolm McDowell, 2006; Elliott Gould, 2007; Piper Laurie, 2008; Cloris Leachman, 2009; Dyan Cannon, 2010; Buck Henry, 2011; Bruce Dern, 2012; Karen Allen, 2013; John Sayles and Maggie Renzi, 2014; and Beau Bridges and Chris Cooper, 2015.
The festival guest is usually secured in the spring and announced in June, which means Force is well beyond the nervous stage, but is resigned to possibly not having a special guest at all this year.
That won’t make the festival any less interesting, she said.
“Each year when we contract with a guest, there is always the caveat — the qualifier — if something comes up that is too good to pass up, professional obligations are more important than guest appearances,” Force said in an email.
“This year we had a commitment, but our guest was offered an important role. They are working mightily to convince the crew of the film that their shooting schedule should allow three days to be in Port Townsend in September.”
Force said the waiting period can’t go on much longer “but the opportunity to host this guest is important enough to us that we have left one slot open and one outdoor movie available, just in case.”
‘Fascinating people’
In the meantime Allen, the 2013 guest, is attending the festival as a filmmaker.
“We have so many remarkable filmmakers, film professionals and returning friends of PTFF, our hunger for a special guest has been satisfied with our excitement about these other fascinating people.” Force said.
“We have proven our track record, and if our guest can magically arrange the schedule to join us, that will be great, too.”