The Festival — TAYLOR STANTON

THE FESTIVAL is a documentary about a Michigan town that has been repeatedly invaded by a type of bug, known as the fishfly. Fishflies live only 24 hours, just enough time to lay new eggs, before they die and leave a rotting fish smell. Determined to make the most of their short lives, the town celebrates them with a carnival, The Bay-Rama Fishfly Festival. THE FESTIVAL is a portrait of the unique celebration, the small-town that hosts it, and those who come to visit — human and insects alike. Filmed over the course of one week, this documentary has enjoyed a successful festival run, including the following honors: Winner of FilmShop's Breakthrough Artist Award of 2016, the 2016 Gottlieb Environmental Award of Excellence, and Official Selection of The 25th Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival. Taylor Stanton, Director/Cinematographer Haley Shaw, Audio Mixing William Stanton, Original Music Ben Duchan, Additional Camera

THE FESTIVAL
This documentary explores a Michigan town’s fraught relationship with “the fishfly”, an aquatic bug that swarms ashore each June before dying. Unfortunately, this natural cycle coincides with the town’s summer carnival. THE FESTIVAL is a portrait of the unique celebration, the small-town that hosts it, and those who come to visit — human and insects alike.

It won FILMSHOP’s Breakthrough Artist Award of 2016 and premiered at an industry screening moderated by Beau Willimon (creator, House of Cards) and Tom Jennings (PBS's Frontline).

Screenings & Accolades
Winner, FilmShop's Breakthrough Artist Award of 2016 (NYC Collective)
Winner, the 2016 Gottlieb Environmental Award of Excellence, G2 Green Earth Film Festival
Official Selection, The 25th Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival (Hot Springs Arkansas)
Official Selection, Great Lakes Environmental Film Festival (Milwaukee, WI)
Official Selection, ArtPrize (Grand Rapids, MI)
Official Selection, Urban Institute of Contemporary Arts' Open Projector Night (Grand Rapids, MI)
Official Selection, Freep Film Fest (Detroit, MI)
Official Selection, Northwest Fest (Edmonton, Alberta)

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