Film, with its ability to blend music, literature, acting, dance, and many other artistic fields, is without a doubt one of the most influential and impactful art mediums of our time. Indeed, we all know how a great movie can remain in our brains and shape our perception of the world. A good example to mention here is the movie ‘A Thin Blue Line’, which was based on the true story of a man who was sentenced to death after he was wrongly accused of murdering a police officer. Released in 1988, this was one of the first movies to bring the injustices of the legal system into the spotlight. By influencing public opinion, this film helped contribute to the man’s eventual freedom, showing how powerful cinema can be.
Apart from influencing public opinion, film can also help communities who might be underrepresented in the art world to understand their actions and learn more about their culture and their place in the world, which in turn, can help them be more involved in their communities. Let’s have a closer look at why this is so and how film festivals can help with this.
Film & Digital Film Festivals: How Culture Unifies People
The power of cinema to inspire, educate, and unite people is truly a remarkable feat; research has shown that communities with thriving cultural scenes tend to have stronger and more tightly-knit communities. Access to cultural events fosters a strong sense of community, connecting people through shared experiences and helping them understand one another better.
Unfortunately, though, not everyone has the opportunity to live in cities that support the arts, such as films, and in many places, they simply aren’t as celebrated as they should be. Thankfully, in the digital age, one does not need to live in a specific city to be exposed to various art forms. With the internet, people can regularly expose themselves to great art, which can significantly improve their quality of life.
When it comes to film, digital film festivals are an excellent way to bring the power of cinema to a global audience, and one fantastic platform that’s doing this is The Monthly Film Festival (TMFF).
Much like how you can find a great list of online casinos sourced from www.mybettingsite.uk/casino, all of which offer great games and bonuses, on the TMFF platform, you can find access to a selection of films from all over the world, all of which are excellent.
More About The Monthly Film Festival
The Monthly Film Festival is a digital film festival competition founded in 2015. Qualified by IMDB, TMFF has an ever-growing selection of over 3000 films, attracting hundreds and thousands of people to its platforms monthly. Filmmakers worldwide can submit their works on this platform, and every month, judges will go through the submissions and carefully select which ones they think are fit to showcase on their site.
This way, this fantastic platform gives emerging filmmakers a chance to gain visibility and recognition. During its years in operation, TMFF has received over 15,000 projects, awarding over 1000 films from different parts of the world. But beyond providing a stage for new talent, TMFF’s impact extends into local communities in ways that go far beyond the screen, as I’ll look at in the next sections.
Shaping Local Communities Through Film
As mentioned, films have long been powerful vehicles that can promote social change and encourage people to reflect on serious issues. Through film, viewers can get a first-hand experience of what specific individuals from underrepresented countries go through daily, fostering empathy and understanding. However, for emerging artists—especially those from underrepresented or financially disadvantaged backgrounds—it can be difficult to have their voices heard in traditional film festivals, which are often expensive to enter and require travel to major cities.
This is where digital platforms like TMFF are making an important impact. TMFF provides a digital place for budding filmmakers from all over the world to have a chance to show their art. The costs to submit films here are a lot less than traditional film festivals, and directors and viewers don’t have to visit a specific location to be part of the action. Again, this accessibility ensures that important stories from all over the world are heard.
Empowering Local Talent and Economy
The impact of digital festivals such as the TMFF can be profound for local communities. As you can expect, films by local filmmakers often reflect the unique traditions and issues of that particular area. In turn, this helps viewers feel more connected and understand more what this particular culture stands for and the struggles and successes they might be facing.
Moreover, the success of a local filmmaker can then have a domino effect on the local economy. If a budding filmmaker from an unknown town or country gets recognized, more people are interested in that particular location. This, in turn, can foster tourism and other creatives to explore that area filmically. Indeed, enriching the local cultural landscape can also improve community among the residents of that particular place.
Conclusion
The power of film is a feat unlike any other in the arts, and digital platforms like TMFF can truly help indie filmmakers gain more recognition. By making submission criteria less tough, TMFF encourages budding filmmakers to share their films and stories, which, if not published, might remain untold. Indeed, the digital age has undoubtedly made it easier for up-and-coming directors to leave their mark on the world and whose stories might have the potential to foster a sense of community that transcends borders.
