Homegrown YYC launches first short amateur film festival with big hopes for future

Have you ever made a short film with some buddies for fun but weren’t sure what you could do with it next? Homegrown YYC is hoping to help with that answer.

Homegrown is a new community launching in Calgary that seeks to connect underdog student and amateur filmmakers to make that next step more accessible, to create equity in film-making and art, and connect people to opportunities.

Homegrown’s first full film festival, The Homegrown Short Film Showcase, runs Oct. 17 and 18 in Calgary. This year’s venues include Stonyslope Brewing Company and West Gate Social at Mount Royal University.

Director Guillermo Barraza says the festival seeks to celebrate the imperfections and learning processes of people’s first productions. Films are selected based on their imperfections.

Showcasing the process to friends, family, and the public. Barraza says there are plenty of great film production schools in Calgary, at SAIT, Bow Valley, and U of C, but not a lot of opportunities to showcase efforts developed academically.

But, despite the goal of using short films that may not be perfect, Barraza says he is seeing very polished submissions.

“People I am seeing that are in their first year of production blow me out of the water… they know so much,” he said.

This year, the showcase features screenings, panelists, Q and As, and an international collaboration with a group live from Ecuador.

Barraza says that will include an announcement about a cultural exchange program and the launch of something called the Two Tierras Film Challenge.

In future iterations, the Homegrown Short Film Showcase will also feature an online component to share the work of participating artists more broadly.

While it is not a competition, each night of screenings will feature an ‘audience choice’ award.

In the future, there are big plans for Homegrown YYC to become a hub between what pre-existing arts organizations offer and what aspiring film makers need.

Barraza points to programs and events hosted by  The Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers and EmMedia Calgary arts society, hoping Homegrown YYC can be a conduit for artists to find those programs.

Someday, Barraza also hopes the organization can help connect learners with professionals, with the potential for practical hands on opportunities through mentor/mentee experiences.

For more information, visit wearehomegrown.ca/