TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – After a two-year COVID-19 hiatus, the Traverse City Film Festival (TCFF), which was founded in 2005 by filmmaker Michael Moore, is back in business on Tuesday.
They are showing about half the number of movies they usually show due to anticipating a lower number of patrons as film festivals across the nation are slow to return to their pre-pandemic attendance numbers.
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The TCFF will be showing movies through Sunday at the State Theatre and other venues, many having a more liberal slant with themes of abortion, LGBTQ, inequity, capitalism, race, gun control and movies about Gabby Giffords and Colin Kaepenick. There will also be Michigan-themed movies in the mix as well as their usual “just great movies” that were chosen by the non-profit TCFF.
The TCFF also offers free movies in what is called the Open Space which is outside and overlooks the Grand Traverse Bay. This year’s offerings include The Wizard of Oz, Singin’ In the Rain, Alien, Dr.Strangelove, The Princess Bride and Star Wars: A New Hope.
Past attendees and visitors to the Film Festival have included Madonna, Susan Sarandon, Kathy Griffin and Lily Tomlin. The board of directors includes actors Jeff Daniels and Christine Lahti.
Due to budgetary constraints, the scaled back version of the festival, in addition to their own venues of the State Theatre, Bijou by the Bay and the Open Space will also be utilizing the AMC Cherry Blossom 14 theatre for some of their movies instead of the local venues in Traverse City like the Old Town Playhouse and the City Opera House as in years past.
The TCFF was able to stay afloat after cancelling the festival for two years and closing the State Theatre because of the pandemic thanks to the COVID-19 funding from the federal government. The organization received $933,000 in funding from the pandemic-relief package from Congress which helped with needed repairs, a new HVAC system and to pay off the debt of the organization.
During the closing, they relied on donations from their supporters in Traverse City and movie fans across the country kicking in funding, sometimes a dollar at a time.
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The State Theatre was acquired in 2007 by the TCFF to be a year-round theatre and venue for the yearly film festival. They acquired the property with a $600,000 mortgage owed to Rotary Charities that was forgiven after meeting specific criteria.
The State Theatre opened in 1949 and had been shut down since 1996 before the TCFF acquired them. The TCFF brings in many tourists and their dollars to the Traverse City community.
When Michael Moore spoke to 9&10 News in 2021, he said “the festival and the theaters contribute over $21 million a year to the local economy.”
The State Theatre no longer requires proof of vaccination or social distancing or even the wearing of masks. They have, however, ordered 10,000 masks for their guests and recommend wearing them inside of the 553-seat theatre. The COVID-19 positivity rate in Grand Traverse County is currently 15 percent.
