The future looks more certain and year-round for the Waterfront Film Festival now that they have a new permanent building in Holland.
Festival co-founder Hopwood DePree says the non-profit organization is looking at year-round events, probably focusing on a summer film series.
The facility near Holland’s downtown is a former auto body repair shop. DePree says the roll up bay windows will allow for an indoor-outdoor creative space. DePree says space will be versatile, and chairs will be movable. In addition to movies, it can also hold workshops and other events.
The Waterfront Film Festival ran from 1999 through 2012 in Saugatuck every June. It moved down the coast to South Haven in 2013. After two years, the festival staged a film competition in Grand Rapids as part of ArtPrize. DePree says they are moving away from a four-day festival to year-around events.
Despite the lack of a multi-day film screening event, DePree says they are keeping the title – Waterfront Film Festival. He says it’s a recognized name, and will now apply to a year-round celebration.