26th ANNUAL REHOBOTH BEACH INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL

PLACES EMPHASIS ON DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

2024 PROGRAM UPGRADES AND A THIRD SCREENING VENUE

The Rehoboth Beach Film Society (RBFS) is thrilled to unveil the dynamic plans for this year’s 26th anniversary – Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival (RBIFF). Staying true to its mission of sharing powerful visual storytelling with the diverse audiences of Sussex County, we are evolving our festival format to be more inclusive and engaging to a broader audience base.

Today, Helen Chamberlin, Executive Director announced an exciting return to the Film Society’s roots of featuring diverse program tracks as part of the annual RBIFF. “This inclusive event will welcome and engage all residents, celebrating the rich tapestry of our diverse community. An added benefit, the programmatic changes will offer filmmakers a fantastic platform to share their works with a wider more inclusive audience while enhancing their reach, and impact.”

ANNOUNCING THE (NEW!) 2024 RBIFF PROGRAM TRACKS:

BLACK INDIE VOICES (community partner, Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice)

OUT LOUD LGBTQ+ (community partner, CAMP Rehoboth)

BLUE HEN SHOWCASE (supported in part by Fierberg Family Foundation)

YOUR WORLD Youth (supported by WSFS Bank)

Thirty titles will make-up the RBIFF program and incorporate the new programming tracks (above) to replace the Spring mini-film festivals hosted over the past five-six years by the Society and its partners.

With the new changes to the RBIFF, the Film Society will shift in Spring 2025 to produce an annual special screening event (one show) with each of its current community partners around the calendar month celebrations, which will include Black History (February), and PRIDE (June) with plans to identify new partners to expand special screening events around Women’s History (March), and National Hispanic Heritage (September 15 – October 15). The one remaining Spring mini-festival, the Rehoboth Beach Jewish Film Festival, will continue as a separate standalone four-day program celebrating its 10th anniversary February 27 – March 2, 2025 at the Cinema Art Theater.

ANOTHER INCLUSIVE ADDITION TO 2024 RBIFF: New Venue Partnership

The RBFS has formed a screening venue partnership with the Possum Point Players Theatre in Georgetown, DE to host five RBIFF film screenings during the 2024 November film festival. This is the third screening partner joining the Cinema Art Theater (host venue) and Unitarian Universalists of Southern Delaware (west Lewes). The focus on west of Coastal Hwy reaffirms the film society’s strategic goal to be more inclusive with the surrounding communities.

“Possum Point Players are very excited to be a new screening venue addition for the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival. Not only does this cooperative effort between Sussex County arts organizations expand the scope of the Film Society’s presenting opportunities, but it also will give new audiences an opportunity to see our beautiful facility.” said Possum Point Players Board President, Kenney Workman.

ABOUT REHOBOTH BEACH INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL (RBIFF)

Each year, local artists in Sussex County compete for the opportunity to design the artwork and set the theme of the iconic, award-winning annual mid-Atlantic Independent Film Festival confab. We’re pleased to announce the winner, Michael Mulanphy of Lewes and his winning festival illustration, entitled “Bubble Feature.” Festival attendees can select from 30 first-run film titles (documentaries, features, foreign films and the Blue Hen Showcase and a series of shorts) over five days at the Society’s Cinema Art Theater (host theater), Possum Point Players Theatre in Georgetown, and the Unitarian Universalists of Southern DE in west Lewes. VIP passes will go on sale to the public in late-September and then individual tickets go on-sale by early-October. Be sure to sign-up to receive Film Festival updates at www.RehobothFilm.com.

ABOUT REHOBOTH BEACH FILM SOCIETY (RBFS)

The Film Society cultivates and shines a light on the next generation of filmmakers, which benefits the community and raises awareness on the positive impact of cinema as a performance art. The organization values integrity, accessibility, and accountability.

RBFS is funded in part by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts (DDOA) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).