The Inaugural IFFS Excellence Awards will be presented at the December program and for the first time, will honor and pay tribute to the dedicated professionals and executives managing film festivals. Festivals continue to provide a vital intersection where the major stakeholders in the entertainment industry converge. For decades the tireless work of the film festival professional has made monumental impacts on the industry for individual filmmakers, buyers, sellers, and countless organizations involved in entertainment.

There are three categories each containing two awards.  The categories are for International, National and Regional film festivals, and the two awards presented in each category are the Director Award and Professional Award. A total of six awards will be presented in December.   

Nominations can be made online at the IFFS website (http://server1.streamsend.com/streamsend/clicktracker.php?cd=3947&ld=5&md=86&ud=d4ea476c94bb185d836d2c03b3d921f4&url=http://www.filmfestivalsummit.com) and must be completed in their entirety.  The deadline for entries is October 30th 2007.

2.)  Featured Presentation

Hot and Bothered: Censorship in Festival Programming

In the summer of 2006, the Ann Arbor Film Festival's programming was censored by the state government of Michigan for being too controversial for taxpayers' money.  Without watching the programming, state legislators deemed that films from the AAFF were "pornographic," and the festival's state funding was revoked by legislators.  In addition, the festival was asked to alter its programming in order to receive continued support from the state.  In response, the Ann Arbor Film Festival sued the government, and the festival is currently the plaintiff in a Federal lawsuit against the state of Michigan over First Amendment violations. 

Join AAFF executive director Christen McArdle to learn more about the First Amendment lawsuit that has taken the festival community by storm, and discuss how your festival can prevent and respond to similar issues in the future. 

Moderator: Chris Gore, President, Film Threat 

Christen McArdle, Executive Director, Ann Arbor Film Festival
                                               
3.) This year's agenda will be the most dynamic and informative to date! You'll interact with other industry professionals addressing sponsorship, programming,  working with the media, digital technology, executive management and much more.  

Speakers Include:

AFI Fest Presented by Audi
Ann Arbor Film Festival
Atlanta Film Festival 
Atlantic Film Festival
Ashland Independent Film Festival
Austin Film Festival
Bend Film Festival
B-Side      
Cinekink
CIT Group
Independent Film Festival of Boston
Indie Flix
Indiepix
Film Threat
Festival Media Corporation
H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival
Limelight Networks
Mountainfilm in Telluride
Nelson Madison Films
Nevada Film Office
Palm Springs International Film Festival
Persistent Entertainment
Film Threat
San Diego Film Festival
San Francisco Film Society
Seattle International Film Festival
Slamdance Media Group
SXSW
Tallgrass Film Festival   
Toronto International Film Festival
Withoutabox
and many more.......