Fayetteville, NC - Jan Johnson and Pat Wright have always been keen on the importance of film. As accomplished filmmakers in their own right, their love for the craft led them to start planning for how they could start a film festival in Fayetteville. But how would they spark interest for an event like this in an area that isn’t known for its film community?
In 2014, the duo launched the MoonShadow Film Society, which brought indie filmmakers to the CAMEO Art House Theatre once a month to screen their projects and have a dinner discussion around the films. The success of MoonShadow allowed space for Johnson and Wright to begin the Shooting Stars Film Camp, which was a week-long camp for kids to learn the basics of screenwriting, cinematography, editing, audio, and special effects.
These engaging ideas sparked a demand for film in Fayetteville that was palpable. With the support of a Project Support Grant, their nonprofit, Groundswell Pictures, launched the inaugural Indigo Moon Film Festival in 2016. Unfortunately, the arrival of Hurricane Matthew limited the debut to the opening night film.
“We had a successful opening night , but then we started off on Saturday with our all day films, and things just went downhill from there,” expressed Wright.
However, the storm led to a unique experience for patrons who were caught in the flooding downtown. “The power was out. We lit candles, and everybody sat around talking about their stories, filmmaking and things,” shared Johnson. “It was a real kumbaya moment. And I think it really made everybody feel a love for Indigo Moon and for Fayetteville.”
Since 2016, that love has led to a run of successful festivals. Indigo Moon has become the premiere film festival for the Fayetteville/Cumberland County area, attracting films from around the world to screens right here on Hay Street.
Wright and Johnson have also been very intentional about how they manage the profits from the festival. This year’s proceeds recipient is Miller’s Brew Coffee Shop, located in Haymount.
Make sure you buy tickets for this year’s opening night screening of “LUTHER: Never Too Much.” Purchase passes using this link.
Struggling to figure out which films to watch? Try out their fun Movie Matchmaker to help you decide!
Event Details:
What: Indigo Moon Film Festival
Where: Various Locations (CAMEO Art House Theatre, The Capital, SkyView on Hay)
When: October 11-13, 2024
Price: Varies (View ticket prices here)
Project Support Grants increase cultural arts programming in Cumberland County with awards to 501(c) agencies, Colleges/Universities, and Municipal Entities. For more information on Project Support Grants, contact Michael Houck.
Michael Houck
Director of Grants and Allocations
(910)323-1776 (Ext. 1012)
ABOUT THE ARTS COUNCIL OF FAYETTEVILLE | CUMBERLAND COUNTY
The Arts Council of Fayetteville|Cumberland County is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization based in Fayetteville, NC that connects our communities, embraces diversity, promotes individual creativity, advances economic development, and fosters lifelong learning through the arts. As the primary steward of public and private funding for arts, cultural and history activities in the Cape Fear Region, the Arts Council and the agencies it supports are known for the core values of excellence, accountability, transparency, collaboration, and innovation. theartscouncil.com
Grants, programs, and services of the Arts Council are funded, in part, by contributions from community partners and through grants from the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, and the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural & Cultural Resources. ncarts.org
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