Mount Gretna International Film Festival (MtGIFF)

News
Release

Contact: Janice Balmer
janicehallbalmer@msn.com

MT.
GRETNA – The 50th annual Mount Gretna Art Show will feature an inaugural Film
Festival, Sunday, Aug. 18, 12-3pm, in the historic Mt. Gretna Playhouse.
Details and application can be found at mtgretnaarts.com.

Mount Gretna International Film
Festival (MtGIFF) will support and celebrate
emerging and established filmmakers in their shared passion for cinema as an
all-encompassing art form. It is being held in honor of Michael Evan Deitzler, who lived fully and
passionately, loving family, friends, film and all things Mt. Gretna – which
has raised artists, like Evan, for generations.

MtGIFF
will coincide with Mount Gretna’s most celebrated event, the nationally ranked
Outdoor Art Show. The county of Lebanon declared 2024 as the “Year of the
Arts” for the 50th show. The festival will include a screening of selected
films and an awards ceremony.

MtGIFF
accepts shorts only (5 minutes or under in total running time.) Entries must
have a genre designated by the filmmaker of drama, comedy, horror, or
documentary/video essay. High school and Lebanon County Spotlight categories
also exist for eligible applicants. Entering filmmakers must be 14 years of age
or above. Details and entry information can be found at mtgretnaarts.com.

Awards
for MtGIFF are possible because of generous gifts that were made in memory of
Evan whose dream was to start a regional film festival in the hometown that he
loved.

Cash
prizes of up to $1,000 will be awarded for Best Drama, Best Comedy, Best
Horror, Best Documentary/Video Essay, Best High School Entry, Hometown
Spotlight (for Lebanon County filmmakers), and Best of Festival (the “Vita
Maxima” award, “The Greatest Life” in honor of Michael Evan Deitzler).

Craft
awards will also be announced at the festival for Best Direction, Best
Cinematography, Best Writing, Best Editing, Best Sound Design, Best Acting, and
Audience Choice.

The
Art Show has an admission charge of $15 for adults and includes Film Festival
admittance on Sunday, Aug. 18. The admission fee includes parking in designated
parking locations.  Please note that no pets are permitted on the Art Show
grounds.

Mt.
Gretna is located on Pennsylvania Route 117 approximately three miles north of
Exit 266 on the Pennsylvania Turnpike; seven miles south of Lebanon; 15 miles
east of Hershey; or 20 miles north of Lancaster.  GPS address is 101
Chautauqua Drive, Mt. Gretna, PA, 17064.

###