2019 Philadelphia Film Festival: Important information you need to know
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- With the 2019 Philadelphia Film Festival days away, we want to make sure you are ready.
So we have some information you will need to know to navigate the 10-day festival.
IMPORTANT DATES
Badges are currently on sale
Festival lineup reveal on October 4
Individuals tickets go on sale to PFS members on October 4
Individuals tickets go on sale to the public on October 7
Programmers Panel, an inside look at the PFF27 lineup and tips on how to get the most from your Festival from the PFF programming team, will take place at the Philadelphia Film Center on October 7
Opening Night - October 17 at the Philadelphia Film Center
Young Friends Party - October 24 at The Deacon
Closing Night - October 25 at the Philadelphia Film Center
BADGES
The Philadelphia Film Festival offers 3 badge levels - Weekend, All Access, and VIP - to fit all festival-goers' needs! As a badge holder, you never need to buy a ticket, receive priority admission* to all screenings, and get special perks at the Festival Lounge. Whether you're just visiting the Festival for a weekend or want to arrive in VIP style every time, we've got a badge for you!
Weekend Badge - Can't make it to the whole Festival? Then the Weekend Badge is for you. Choose Weekend A (October 18-21) or Weekend B (October 25-28), and get the PFF experience for 4 days!
All Access Badge - The All-Access Badge is your ticket to a star-quality Festival experience! Grab a seat for the full Festival, plus special perks.
VIP Badges - Arrive in style for the 11 days of the Philadelphia Film Festival with reserved seating at every screening, a ticket to M. Night Shyamalan's Halloween party, and more!
For badge perk details visit: http://filmadelphia.org/badges/
TICKETS
Regular screenings $15 | PFS Members $10
Weekday matinees (before 5 PM) $8 | PFS Members $6
How To Purchase
o ONLINE - Purchase tickets anytime HERE. There is a $1.75 per ticket convenience fee on all tickets purchased online. Online sales end 30 minutes prior to scheduled showtime.
o PHONE - Tickets to the festival can be ordered via our Festival Call Center by calling 215-422-4588 Mon-Sat 12 PM - 5 PM prior to the festival and up to 30 minutes before showtime, subject to availability, during the festival. There is a $1.75 per ticket convenience fee on all tickets purchased by phone.
o IN PERSON - October 4-17: Philadelphia Film Center Box Office - buy Festival Badges, PFS Memberships, and tickets without convenience fees, Monday-Saturday, 12 PM-5 PM.October 18-27: Any Venue Box Offices - box offices open 30 minutes before the first scheduled screening of the day and close 15 minutes after the last scheduled screening begins.
VENUES
Philadelphia Film Center - 1412 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19102
Landmark's Ritz East - 125 S 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Landmark's Ritz Five - 214 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Festival Lounge - Khyber Pass Pub (upstairs, 56 S 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA 19106)
Opening Night Party - Fitler Club (24 S 24th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103)
Closing Night Party - SugarHouse Casino (1001 N Delaware Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125)
Young Friends Party - The Deacon (1600 Christian St 2nd Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19146)
FILM CATEGORIES
With 100+ films,and more than 200 screenings, plus parties Q&A's, special events, and free tickets, the PFF program can be overwhelming even for the seasoned Festival-goer. The films are split into categories to help organize the Festival experience.
Opening Night
Closing Night
Galas (use to be called Centerpieces)
Masters of Cinema: The latest films by a new generation of acclaimed auteurs and established directors who continue to reshape the cinematic landscape.
Spotlights: This year's highly anticipated titles featuring some of the biggest names in front of and behind the camera.
World View: Works that demonstrate the diversity and vitality of contemporary international cinema from some of the globe's most exciting filmmakers.
Cinema De France: Sharing a language with some of cinema's most revered classics and legendary auteurs, these new films have that certain je ne sais quoi.
Visions of China: These films capture the complexity and dynamism of the world's fastest growing and most populous country and its citizens.
Made in USA: Lo-fi gems and new indie classics that offer a fresh perspective on today's America.
Non/Fiction: Compelling and provocative, these contemporary docs encourage viewers to see the world through a different lens.
Filmadelphia: Showcasing the most dynamic and talented voices from the greater Philadelphia area.
State of the Union: Stories of some of the most significant figures and events in American politics and diplomacy, which continue to shape the future of the nation's democracy.
After Hours: Bringing together the odd, eerie, thrilling, and downright weird, this is the home of cult classics in the making.
From the Vaults: Film classics come alive as they were meant to be seen - on the big screen!
Shorts Program: This year's most enjoyable, surprising, and memorable short films from around the world
RUSH LINES
No screening during PFF is ever 'Sold Out,' some are just 'Rush Only.'
'Rush Only' means that there are no advance tickets available for that screening, i.e. between guests, badge holders, and people who bought individual tickets, there is a patron for every seat in the house, so we can't promise you one ahead of time. That doesn't mean you're not seeing that movie!
You see, those guests, and badge holders, and people who bought tickets - they don't always show up. Plans change, babysitters call and bail - it happens to the best of us. In fact, 99% of the time, a portion of people with seats won't claim them. They have until the scheduled showtime to get their butts in seats, but if they don't appear, that seat is up for grabs again. This is when you want to be in a rush line.
A limited number of Rush tickets may be released at showtime for purchase in person on a first-come, first-served basis. The Rush line forms 30 minutes before showtime and is cash only.
CURATED SUBSCRIPTIONS
Curated Ticketing Packages - a guided Festival experience. You can pick from FOUR great options once individual tickets become available to purchase
Learn more about curated subscriptions here, http://filmadelphia.org/curated-subscriptions/
PFF28 PREGAME: INSIDE THE GUIDE
With PFF28 Pregame: Inside the Guide, the Philadelphia Film Society's programming team will give the inside scoop on this year's festival. They'll share their personal favorites from the lineup, shine a light on some under-the-radar gems, and let you know which film is appropriate for Mom and which might be better suited for your horror-obsessed friend. We'll also share the ins and outs of how to Fest best including tips on free screenings, discounted deals at local bars and restaurants, and how to take advantage of the Festival Lounge.
PFF28 Pregame Fountain Porter (1601 S 10th St, Philadelphia, PA 19148) - October 8
PFF28 Pregame Martha (2113 E York St) - October 14
PFS on US
PFF is proud to offer select films free of charge during the festival.
All films in Made in USA and Non/Fiction are FREE.
COLLEGE PROGRAM
The Philadelphia Film Society is extremely dedicated to providing as many opportunities and film screenings as possible to students in the Philadelphia area. Three large key components of getting those students involved include the College Program, our student rush for the Philadelphia Film Festival, and our PFS On Us program.
PFF Student Rush:
The Philadelphia Film Festival offers tickets at some of the most anticipated screenings of the year for a discounted price to students who partake in our Student Rush.
Show your student ID at the box office and get tickets for just $7. Even if a show is not "Rush Only," you can wait in the RUSH line and get a discounted tickets at showtime
PFS On Us:
Many of the screenings part of the PFS on Us program have guests attend and partake in a Q&A session post screening, this is a wonder opportunity for students to learn from industry professionals.
VOLUNTEER
Volunteer for the Philadelphia Film Festival!
From scanning badges and tearing tickets, to counting ballots and driving guests, festival volunteers are a necessity - we literally can't do the Festival without our volunteers! To find about volunteer opportunities, visit filmadelphia.org/volunteer
Tickets go on-sale for Philadelphia Film Society members on Friday, October 4 and to the general public beginning Monday, October 7.
Tickets may be purchased through the Festival website, www.filmadelphia.org/festival, in-person at the main Box Office at the Philadelphia Film Center, or over the phone at 215-422-4588 (Monday - Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.).
