2nd Dunedin International Film Festival Kicks Off Wednesday

DUNEDIN, FL — Dunedin isn't letting its lack of a movie theater in town get in the way of its love of films.

The second annual Dunedin International Film Festival will kick off Wednesday and run through Tuesday, Jan. 14, highlighting some of the best short and feature films from independent filmmakers around the world.

This year's nonprofit festival will include films from 89 filmmakers shown on five screens throughout downtown Dunedin.

Prizes will be awarded for best film, best short film, best female performance, best male performance, best documentary, best cinematography, best score, best editing, best screenplay, best animation and the audience award.

Films submitted this year and the screening times include:

Jan. 8 at 7:30 p.m. at Soggy Bottom -- "Ashes to Ashes," the story of Winfred Rembert, the only living survivor of a lynching, who befriends Dr. Shirley Jackson Whitaker whose mission is to memorialize the forgotten 4,000 African-Americans lynched during the Jim Crow era.

Jan. 8 at 9 p.m. at Blur Nightclub -- "Madame," a documentary in which Caroline, a flamboyant 90-year-old grandmother, and her filmmaker grandson Stéphane explore the development and transmission of gender identity in a patriarchal environment.

Thursday, Jan. 9 at 4:15 p.m. at the Dunedin Art Cave -- "Rustic Oracle," directed by Sonia Bonspille Boileau, follows a young Ivy as she searches for her sister who went missing from the Mohawk community.

Friday, Jan. 10 from 9:15 to 11 p.m. at Dunedin Art Cave -- "Baseball Buddies: The Tampa Tides Movie," a documentary about the Tampa Bay area's men's baseball team.

Saturday, Jan. 11 from 1:30 to 1:45 p.m. -- "My Landline," a documentary about how a landline telephone became a life line for island dweller of the Florida Keys durig Hurricane Irma.

Saturday, Jan 11 at 2 p.m. at the Dunedin VFW -- "Scattering CJ," a documentary about mental health and a mother’s journey to scatter her son’s ashes across the world. This screening is free and open to the public. Preregistration is required due to limited seating.

Sunday, Jan. 12 at noon at Dunedin Art Cave - "Dancing as One: The Greek Community of Tarpon Springs."

Sunday, Jan. 12 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at HOB Brewing -- "Rachel's Law," the story of a 23-year-old college student from Safety Harbor who was mishandled by the police department in her college town.

Monday, Jan. 13 at 9:30 p.m. at HOB Brewing -- "Broken Land" by Stephanie Barbey and Luc Peter tells the story of seven American citizens living in the shadow of an iron fence that separates the United States from Mexico.

Jan. 14 at 3:30 p.m. at the Fenway Hotel -- "Steak Break," a movie about an entertainer trying to find his purpose produced by the Tampa Bay News Force.

Film lovers will be able to view some entries for free during the week at Pioneer Park, Dunedin Public Library, VFW Post 2550, Dunedin History Museum and Andrews Memorial Chapel (click here for the schedule).

A seven-day all-access pass is $100 and a two-day pass is $50.

This year's festival will kick off at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Soggy Bottom Brewing, 660 Main St., Dunedin, with DJ music followed by short and feature films, including "The Silver Age of Zanzibarian Cats," a surreal adventure about a loner who lives in a big house, whose life changes when he unexpectedly hears his doorbell ring. This film directed by Max Gutierrez was shot locally at Honeymoon Island.

Simultaneously, Blur Nightclub, 325 Main St., Dunedin, will host film fans Wednesday starting with a social hour at 5 p.m. followed by short and feature film screenings.

See related story: Dunedin To Host International Film Festival This Weekend

Other events include:

Thursday, Jan. 9

3 to 5:30 p.m. A live interactive performance of the Mad Hatter's Tea Party at Andrews Memorial Chapel, 1899 San Mateo Drive, with tea and finger sandwiches. Garden party attire is required.

4:30 p.m. A live DJ set at Pioneer Park, 420 Main St., Dunedin, with Vlad the Inhaler.

Friday, Jan. 10

6:30 p.m. Grand Opening of the Soggy Bottom Haunt.

6:45 to 9 p.m. Haunters: The Art of the Scare documentary and other horror entries at Soggy Bottom.

Saturday, Jan. 11

Noon to 1:15 p.m. Claymation Shorts at Eichar Woodworking & Salvage,500 Douglas Ave., Dunedin.

12:20 p.m. A kids' acting class at Sea Sea Riders, 221 Main St., Dunedin.

2 p.m. A class on How to Make a Movie on Your iPhone at Sea Sea Riders.

3 to 5 p.m. Wine Under the Oaks, a filmmakers networking event, at Sea Sea Riders

3:30 to 4:30 The Business of Acting: Chat with an Agent and a Casting Director at Sea Sea Riders.

4:30 p.m. Vlad the Inhaler live DJ set at Pioneer Park.

5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Growth of Women in the Film Industry presented by Women in Film & Television Florida – Tampa Bay at Sea Sea Riders.

6 to 6:30 p.m. Free movies in the park and a filmmaker's Q & A at Pioneer Park.

6 to 6:45 p.m. Austen van der Bleek will host a live DJ set in the lot of the Dunedin Art Cave, 351 Albert St., Dunedin.

8 to 10 p.m. French artists Fred & Nico will perform their Movie Mix DJ Set at Pioneer Park.

Sunday, Jan. 12

8 to 10 p.m. Zach Deputy performing live at HOB Brewing Company, Monroe Street, Dunedin.

10 to 11 p.m. Charlie Hustle live DJ set at HOB Brewing Company.

11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Networking and a Bloody Mary bar at Sea Sea Riders, 221 Main St., Dunedin.

Noon to 1:30 p.m. Story to Screenplay with scriptwriter Brian Edgar at Sea Sea Riders.

3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Actor's Class with John Parsonson at Sea Sea Riders.

5 to 6 p.m. Master Class with Hollywood producer Carole Gordon at Sea Sea Riders.

Monday, Jan. 13

12:30 to 2 p.m. Actuality Media Showcase of International Shorts at HOB Brewing.

1 to 2:45 p.m. Virtual Reality Viewing Pods at Caledonia Brewing Co., 587 Main St., Dunedin.

3 to 3:30 p.m. Panel on How to Make VR 360 Films with Tod Stephen at Caledonia Brewing.

3:30 to 4 p.m. Panel on the Future of Augmented Reality Zoos with Big Cat Rescue at Caledonia Brewing.

4:30 p.m. Red Carpet Live Stream Viewing Party at Caledonia Brewing.

6 to 6:45 p.m. Undersea Movie by the Dunedin Film School at Caledonia Brewing.

7 to 9 p.m. Nerd Night St. Pete Special Addition at the Dunedin International Film Festival at Caledonia Brewing.

9 p.m. Official Filmmaker After Party at Caledonia Brewing.

Tuesday, Jan. 14

2 p.m. Workshop on the Idea Graveyard: Where Ideas Go to Die with Kristin Campbell, creative lead at BuzzFeed Manhattan, at the Fenway Hotel, 453 Edgewater Drive, Dunedin.

4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Red Carpet Party at the Fenway Hotel.

6:30 to 8 p.m. Awards ceremony in the Caledesi Ballroom at the Fenway Hotel.