Zeitgeist Excited To Launch ‘North By North International Film Festival’

DULUTH, Minn. – Excitement is building for the first film festival at Zeitgeist Arts Center in Duluth later this month.

The North by North International Film Festival will feature 80 films by up-and-coming filmmakers in the Northland and around the region.

The festival’s director, Matthew Koshmrl, said it’s all about giving a larger platform of support for filmmakers trying to make it outside Hollywood, while specifically focusing on minority groups that have not gotten the proper spotlight from the industry in the past.

“There are so many barriers when it comes to film making. It’s very expensive. Geographically, it’s hard to find education in film making if you aren’t living on the coasts. The industry has ignored groups of people throughout the history of Hollywood, the film industry in the United State. That’s something we are trying to acknowledge with our grants and with our programming,” Koshmrl said.

The North by North Film Festival has also launched an underwriting fund worth $18,000 to help support filmmakers who need a little boost to make their dreams come true.

The festival is April 27 through May 1.   It’ll also highlight Zeitgeist’s film programs for first-time film makers or those wanting to learn new skills.