The inaugural Tallahassee Film Festival (TFF) May 15-17, 2008, presented by Florida Commerce Credit Union, attracted nearly 2,600 film lovers and festival novices curious about indie films. Funded by sponsorships and small grants, Tallahassee's first festival presented more than 65 film screenings, competitions, lectures and a community "Downtown Get Down" to Florida's Big Bend Region.

Through social events, educational seminars and Q&A's with filmmakers, festival goers interacted with 15 filmmakers from across the country, including Los Angeles, Seattle and San Francisco. The TFF was pleased to offer several travel stipends to deserving filmmakers to defray the cost of attending the TFF. According to a festival survey, attendees reported an overall excellent or good experience citing the educational seminars and range of creative films shown at the festival to be an asset to the Tallahassee community.

The festival celebrates Tallahassee's talent and harnesses the creativity of university students and industry professionals, showcasing excellence in production, cinematography, acting, directing and everything in between. An economic driver for the Big Bend Region of Florida, the festival attracts visitors to Tallahassee who see and explore the community's many exciting highlights.

The festival showcases Tallahassee as an emerging stakeholder in the film industry to filmmakers and industry professionals. The city is home to one of the country's top film schools-Florida State University's College of Motion Picture, Television and Recording Arts as well as top performers Florida A&M University and Tallahassee Community College.

In January 2007, the Knight Creative Communities Initiative (KCCI) worked with three regions in the nation, including Tallahassee. The KCCI Tallahassee Catalyst Team established four key initiatives to help draw and retain young professionals and sustain the area's high quality of life, including the Tallahassee Film Festival. In addition to an outpouring of support from Tallahassee's business and film lover community, the TFF was awarded a $60,000 grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. In our second year, we expect to greatly expand the festival's scope and reach.