V –0 08 - Rehoboth Beach Film Society

WelCome leTTer
8
FRiTz SchRAnck
President, Board
of Directors, Rehoboth
Beach Film Society
dear frIends and supporters of the festIval,
Welcome to the first year of Rehoboth Beach Film Society’s second
decade as one of Delaware’s premier cultural events, and thanks for
your part in its continued success!
As we finished the Society’s tenth anniversary
celebration last fall, we took stock of what
worked well for our film-loving patrons, and
what could be improved.
For example, hundreds of movie buffs flocked
to the first Locals Night, and so this year
we’re repeating it. Sixteen Wednesday night
screenings give our local audience a special
chance to see films while also freeing up
weekend viewing opportunities for out-of-town
visitors.
We were also deeply pleased with the
immense reaction to the weekend morning
screenings at the last Festival, so this year we
expanded morning viewing options to include
Friday, and also added more screenings on
Saturday morning.
None of this is easy or inexpensive, of course.
Film Festival proceeds barely cover the
significant production costs, such as tent
rental, tent utilities, film screening fees, and
film shipping charges. We’ve added a page to
this year’s program [102] to illustrate some
of these challenges, and of course will always
appreciate your additional financial support.
While the Festival is our premier event, the
Society does so much more throughout the
year. If you’re in the area between January
and Memorial Day, or between Labor Day and
the Festival, please take advantage of our Art
House Theater programming. In cooperation
with the fine folks at the Movies at Midway,
the Art House brings the finest in independent
films to the Cape Region on a regular basis.
The Society also sponsors or co-sponsors
many other events throughout the year, as
part of its community outreach efforts. In
cooperation with such partners as the Lewes
and Rehoboth Public Libraries, the Rehoboth
Art League, Delaware Technical & Community
College, the Milton Historical Society,
CAMP Rehoboth, and others, film-related
programming is offered for children, teens
and adults.
Our dedicated staff handles all the work of the
Society, led by Executive Director Sue Early,
Educational/Outreach Coordinator Wendi
Dennis, Film Programmer Joe Bilancio, along
with administrative support from Malcolm
Keen and Marie Sardone. The Festival and
year-round programming couldn’t happen
without them, in addition to more than one
hundred dedicated volunteers who collectively
contribute thousands of hours each year.
If you’d like to be a part of this community
contribution as a volunteer or in some other
way, we’d be happy to oblige!
The Society also deeply appreciates the
significant backing of its sponsors and
benefactors, including the Delaware
Division of the Arts. Please help us show
our appreciation by visiting and supporting
the many fine businesses and professions,
who sponsor this Festival or support us with
advertisements in this Program.
We’ll continue to work to improve our
service to the film-loving community,
including expansion of our online presence at
rehobothfilm.com. Check our website often
between now and the next Festival, and see
what else we have to offer!
Please use the comment form (in this
program) or on our website to share your
suggestions for additional improvements
— suggestions of events, operational
enhancements, and additional funding sources
we should explore. Your input will be an
important element to the mix of ideas we’ll
consider adopting, as we work to keep the
Rehoboth Beach Film Society in the forefront
of Delaware’s cultural offerings.
Enjoy the Festival!
FRiTz SchRAnck
President, Board of Directors