The recession has not been kind to film festivals, and VIMOOZ can confirm that the Reno Film Festival has also fallen to the economic downturn and has decided to end.

The press release:

After careful review and consideration, evaluation of past 12 years performance and economic conditions, including grant availability, the Board of Directors of the Reno Film Festival has voted unanimously to cease operation and dissolve the organization effective June 30, 2012.

“Naturally we’re very sorry to make this announcement,” said Festival President Scott Birmingham, “But the current board—and speaking for past volunteer boards through the years—is very proud of the films, competitions, seminars and programs we’ve brought to our area for more than a decade.  Looking back, we’ve hosted a ‘who’s who’ of those involved in the film industry to interact with local and visiting film fans,” he added.

Screenings of the finalists in the Lumiere All School Film Fest, the Reno Film Festival’s competition for elementary to some college level students, will take place as scheduled May 16-18.  The location for these evening screenings will be announced on the Festival’s website, www.renofilmfestival.com and all three screenings will be free, courtesy of a grant from the DP Foundation.

Reno Film Festival sponsors this year are KTVN-Channel 2, Reno News & Review, Reno Media Group, Bea-Design for Marketing, KUNR Public Radio – FM 88.7 and Red Machine Multimedia.  Grant support has been received from the City of Reno Arts & Culture Commission, DP/Dermody Properties and the E.L. Cord foundations.  All eight City of Reno Advisory Boards also support the festival:  Ward 1, Southwest Reno. Wards 2, Central and South Reno; Ward 3, East Reno; Wards 4, Northeast and North Valleys; Wards 5, Old Northwest and Northwest.