Wonder Valley Film Festival

Starting Thursday, March 7, the Palms Restaurant in Wonder Valley will be presenting their 2nd annual “Wonder Valley Film Festival”, a collection of locally produced short films covering an array of genres but connected by the love for Wonder Valley and its neighboring desert communities.

Last year’s WVFF spawned from an idea to show films that captured the essence of the area and the artists who live in the area. No competition, no “high-brow” attitude..just providing a place where filmmakers of any level could bring what they’d created to an attentive audience.

The screenings included documentaries, music videos, drama and comedy, older “pulled out of the closet and dusted off” college projects, and even one full-length feature film, the gripping “The Ascent” by local filmmaker Tom Murtagh. The original plan for two evenings of films grew to a total of four weekly showings as films came in and the audience wanted more.

Similarly, this year’s WVFF will show a variety of styles and formats (including some fun short films by young and wildly imaginative art school students!). Filmmaker Ted Meyer will be one of a few returning artists this year, with a film that you’re not going to want to miss: an interview with the amazing and visionary artist Cathy Allen, not long before she was taken away from us from a battle with Cancer (screening on Thursday, 3/7). More information on each individual screening night will be shared on the Facebook event page: “Wonder Valley Film Fest ‘24”, as well as on Instagram.

Doors for the WVFF ‘24 will open at 6:30, with a full bar as well as a vegetarian meal option offered. The screenings will begin in the back room at 7 pm. Following each evening’s screenings will be a Q&A with the filmmakers. Admission is only $5, at the door. As there is limited seating, reservations are highly recommended (and can be made at bonykev@gmail.com”). More information as well as submission inquiries can also be directed to this email address.