FILM

This page is about an evening at the movies or perhaps an afternoonn matinee; maybe even movies outdoors in a beautiful city park.  In addition to the ubiquitous multiplexes and neighborhood movie theaters, Central Oregon has much to offer the film buff with a yen for a cinematic experience beyond the usual first run flicks. 

Outstanding among these offerings is the annual BendFilm Festival.  Held annually in October, BendFilm showcases independent filmmakers, with awards for Best Documentary film, Best Short, Best Student Film among the many categories. MovieMaker Magazine cites BendFilm Festival among the top twenty “worth the entry fee.”  For more information, click the web link above.

McMenamins Old St. Francis School screens classic and infrequently shown independent films--Pulp Fiction, The Full Monty, and Reservoir Dogs are among the 2007 offerings-- as well as showing a full schedule of first run movies.  It’s best to check the website (above link) and go to Old St. Francis School under hotels,  for current schedules, and don’t let the name fool you.  Food, drink and entertainment take precedence over homework at McMenamins.  They also present a rich and varied schedule of musical performances.  

An offshoot (pardon the pun) of the BendFilm Festival is the Sprout Festival, a very special kind of film festival produced by and designed for persons with developmental disabilities.  In addition to the above link, details for this late spring festival are also available at http://www.fullaccess.org/. 

Then there’s The Series, presented by Bend Living: Excellence in Film.  Held in the restored Art Deco Tower Theater, The Series features such films as “The Magnificent Seven,” “It Happened One Night,” and “Who Killed the Electric Car?”  Click the above link for times and ticket information.

For a “can’t be beat” price and family fun, try Munch and Movies in McKay Park in Bend or Sam Johnson Park in Redmond.  Held in August and September, selections may include Superhero Night, Chick Flick Night and even Foreign Film Night.  

But if a familiar, standard first run movie is your thing, check listings for Regal Pilot Butte Theaters, Regal Old Mill Theaters, Redmond Cinema, or Sisters Movie House.  McMenamins Old St. Francis School also shows first run movies.