Buffalo International Film Festival

The Buffalo International Film Festival was founded in 2003, and takes place in October of each year in Buffalo, New York. It is also known as the Buffalo Film Festival.

The film festival became a 501c3 not-for-profit charity in January 2005.

In 2007 it was responsible for the discovery of the Vitascope Theater, part of Edisonia Hall, the first purpose-built movie theater in the world which opened in 1896. The festival now sponsors a yearly event celebrating the creation of the Movie Theater in Buffalo.

It also made Buffalo the first city in the world to declare UNESCO World Day for Audio-Visual Heritage.

In 2013 the BIFF hosted a meet and greet book signing with children's author Keith White Jr. for the screenings of Magic Camp and Dear Mr. Watterson. White was again present at the 2014 BIFF.

The board of Advisors includes: Tom Fontana, Lauren Belfer, Lawrence Block, A.R. Gurney, Nancy Kress, Herbert Hauptman, Jim Steranko, Howard Bloom, Edward Summer, Lloyd Kaufman, David Shire, Mort Walker, Bill Prady and others.

Its other activities include: The Buffalo Film Society (founded 2008) along with the Niagara Falls Film Society, Buffalo-Niagara Film Society; the New York State Movie Theater Corridor (founded 2006); The Buffalo Walk of Fame (founded 2006); The Buffalo Movie Hall of Fame (founded 2006); The Buffalo; and the Buffalo Cinematheque.

The inaugural festival was June 13, 2007 and included "Student Films Across America."

In 2008, it screened more than 25 films including regional and national premieres. These screenings included a Harold Lloyd Film Retrospective (with personal appearance by Suzanne Lloyd and "Hollywood 39" a retrospective of great Hollywood movies from 1939.

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