The second annual edition of Film Fest Tucson is set to take place October 19-22 in downtown Tucson, Arizona. The festival will feature a total of 30 different films, both narratives and documentaries in short and feature-length format. The screenings will again take place in the historic 101 year-old Scottish Rite Cathedral, located at 160 South Scott Avenue, as they did last year.

A new addition to the festival this year is the inclusion of two free outdoor screenings. Friday, October 20 the festival will present a special 60th anniversary screening of the 1957 sci-fi/horror classic “The Incredible Shrinking Man” which will screen at 7pm on the North lawn of the Children’s Museum. Saturday, October 21 there will be a “drive-in/walk-in” screening of the 1983 film “The Outsiders” in the south parking lot of the Scottish Rite. Both films are first come, first served and will be screened on the festival’s new 24’ inflatable screen.

As was the case last year, one of the primary missions of Film Fest Tucson is collaboration, and to further that mission, the festival has partnered with nine different Southern Arizona non-profit arts and culture organizations to present programming which highlights the connection between art, film, culture and community. “All of the feature screenings, except the outdoor presentations, are either Arizona or Southern Arizona premieres giving Tucson audiences the first chance to see exciting, timely and powerful films for the first time,” said Film Fest Tucson director Herb Stratford. We’re thrilled to be able to partner with our peers and to use film to tell stories that resonate with our audiences.”

Special events this year include a new Film and Television Pitch competition called “Desert Pitch” with a $1,000 cash prize, a filmmaker panel with three visiting directors, and the presentation of a 1914 silent film (The Girl Stage Driver) with live piano accompaniment by Jeff Haskell. This screening will also feature the debut of a “lost film” entitled “The Bisbee Screen Test” from 1939 that was recently found at the Lyric Theatre in Bisbee, AZ.

Guests this year include actor/director Jim Rash (The Descendants, Community, The Way, Way Back) directors Dan Mirvish (Slamdance film Festival founder), S.J. Chiro, Barri Chase, Eric Schefter and Frauke Havemann who are all at Film Fest Tucson with new films and will be present for events. Films in this year’s program include documentaries such as; House of Z, about fashion designer Zac Posen, Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story, The Case of the Three Sided Dream, about musician Raashan Roland Kirk, A Suitable Girl, about arranged marriages in India and Supergirl, which tells the tale of a 9 year-old

Orthodox Jewish powerlifter. Narrative features include Bernard and Huey (with Jim Rash & David Koechner), The Watchman’s Canoe, Lane 1974, Barracuda and Delinquent. The shorts program features eight films including three from recent UA School of Theatre, Film and Television graduates.

Tickets to all Film Fest Tucson screenings are just $10 each, with a $60 pass also available which is good for all screenings and admission to the special 3rd floor VIP lounge at the Scottish Rite. Visit FilmFestTucson.com for the full schedule and to buy tickets.