The Yellow Springs Film Festival (YSFF) takes place October 4-6, 2024, in the historic village of Yellow Springs. The village played a role in the abolition movement of the 19th century and in the mid-1850s became the home of Antioch College, with the distinguished scholar Horace Mann as the college’s first president. The town’s utopian roots grew into a community with an activist culture that is known worldwide.
Famous film names from the area and the college include documentary filmmaker Julia Reichert; “Twilight Zone” creator Rod Serling; actor Leonard Nimoy; actor and comedian Dave Chappelle; and screenwriter Jon Korty, who wrote the Emmy-winning “Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.”
The YSFF hosts a compelling annual three-day event celebrating creativity, diversity and community. Centralized in the heart of the village, the festival is a walkable experience for attendees to take in cutting–edge cinema, engage with their favorite filmmakers and artists, experience live music, attend special events and immerse themselves in the vibrant offerings of Yellow Springs. The screenings take place at the Little Art Theatre, with additional events at the Foundry Theater and Crome Architecture.
The 2024 festival kicks off with an opening night party featuring a live performance by comedian and musician Reggie Watts, who most recently starred as the bandleader on CBS’s The Late Late Show with James Corden. The weekend of narrative and documentary films will include conversations with filmmakers, directors, writers and actors, highlighted by a Q&A with Jim Jarmusch after the 25th anniversary screening of the film, “Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai.
How did the film festival get started?
With the village’s rich history of supporting the arts and social justice, it seemed fitting that Yellow Springs would host its own film festival, and so in 2023, Eric Mahoney moved to the area and took up the challenge.
After nearly 15 years living in New York City, Eric and his family relocated to Yellow Springs, which is near Dayton where he grew up. His personal and professional connections to the Miami Valley played a role in the formation of the Yellow Springs Film Festival. The area’s rich history of supporting the arts and social justice was another major factor. After plugging into the community and serving on the Board of Trustees for the historic Little Art Theatre, he decided that the village would be an ideal host for an annual film festival.
“So many small towns have launched incredibly successful and influential film fests. Given the Yellow Springs community’s interest in art, the warmth and beauty of the village and the supporting organizations already in place, I knew this would be a fantastic place to launch a new annual gathering to celebrate film, music, art and comedy,” Eric said.
Now the founder and executive director of YSFF, Eric has been involved in filmmaking and the entertainment industry for close to a decade. He is a director and producer of the documentary, “North Dixie Drive.” He produced the global anthology film, “Madly,” which won Radhika Apte the Best Actress award at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival. Most recently he directed and produced the documentary, “Brainiac: Transmissions After Zero,” which premiered at the 2019 South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival. In addition to his film work, Eric hosted the Kon-tiki Podcast, a show dedicated to interviewing prominent artists, musicians and filmmakers to talk about their favorite movies. He is also co-founder of the Brooklyn–based film and TV production company Hotshot Robot Productions.
What drives the organization’s passion for film?
After the pandemic, Eric believed it was of the utmost importance to fully re–establish social gatherings – in particular events where people can experience art together. “It helps mental health, enriches lives and promotes discourse and connectivity. Movies, and seeing them together, is a long-standing tradition that brings people together to engage in one of human’s most cherished traditions, storytelling,” Eric said.
What’s new at this year’s festival?
The YSFF’s second year is very similar to the first: three days in duration, three venues and a mix of narrative and documentary features, live music and comedy performances, and shorts programs. New this year, film students and the public can attend free educational seminars to inspire them on their creative journey. In addition, the festival will award the first $3,000 prize, presented by PNC Bank, to an emerging female documentary filmmaker in honor of director/documentarian Julia Reichert.
At this early stage of the festival’s history, what has been the highlight?
Eric said he was particularly pleased with how the inaugural festival was received by those who attended. “I am proud not only that the inaugural festival happened, but that the response from the local community (and surrounding cities of Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton) was so incredibly positive. Every time I walked down the street for weeks after, people would stop me and say thanks or express what an incredible experience they had. I’m so proud our launch was a massive success. Our volunteers and partners were incredible. We now have the trajectory to move forward and grow the festival in a meaningful way,” Eric said.
What can a festival newcomer expect?
Eric encourages those who have never attended the festival to come to the village and experience all it has to offer. “That, in conjunction with being able to engage with a walkable, finely programmed arts festival, is a restorative and wonderful way to spend a beautiful fall weekend in Ohio,” he said.
“The films we program are not available to see anywhere, so you get a first look at cutting-edge movies (most fresh off their world premieres at places like Sundance, Tribeca, Cannes and SXSW). We are bringing exciting performers and speakers to the festival that would not be here otherwise. It is an incredibly warm, relaxed and fun environment where you can take in world-class entertainment.”
ABOUT YELLOW SPRINGS
Take in historic Yellow Springs
The charming village of Yellow Springs represents the liberal spirit of educator Horace Mann. While in town, take some time to visit Antioch College, which was founded in 1850 as a center for a rigorous liberal arts education. Enjoy the street buskers, sample beers at the local Yellow Springs Brewery and visit the shops of the village artisans and makers. If you are interested in viewing the seasonal autumn colors, check out Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve and John Bryan State Park.