Hudson Valley residents can enjoy an international film festival for free this weekend, from the comfort of home.

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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Catskill International Film Festival will be held virtually and for free this year. The weekend-long event of independent films from all over the world kicks off at 7 p.m. on Friday and runs through Sunday. A schedule of films can be seen below.

Catskill International Film Festival
Catskill International Film Festival
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"Anthony Gagliardo and I wanted to plan an event free of charge open to the public that would inspire others to get creative during this challenging time," Charles Marinaro told Hudson Valley Post in an email." COVID-19 hadn't broken our spirits instead it made filmmakers challenge themselves and think outside the box creating their best work yet. Many filmmakers speak for the times as many projects deal with Covid-19, Social Injustice, Mental Health Issues and the Opioid Crisis. There is literally something for anyone to enjoy!"

This year's film festival will feature a variety of 52 films of various categories and genres ranging from shorts, documentaries to feature-length productions, officials say.

"We will be hosting two VIRTUAL Workshops to inspire creators to push themselves. One workshop dedicated to navigating a tight budget on an indie film and the other about stretching resources and wearing multiple metaphorical hats on a set. We will also be hosting many Q & A sessions to give the audience the opportunity to discuss the film in great detail. The audience also has the power and ability to vote for 4 different awards during the event choosing who they think the winner should be. (Best Picture/Comedy/Sci-Fi/Documentary) The event will conclude with a Virtual Award ceremony Sunday, Oct 25," Marinaro told Hudson Valley Post in an email.

The entire event can be accessed at catskillfilmfest.com and on https://www.facebook.com/catskillsfilmfest

In the past, the Catskill International Film Festival has been hosted at the Callicoon Theater and Western Hotel in Callicoon. Prior to that, the event was known as the Hudson Valley International Film Festival which was held in Monroe.

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