The North Carolina Film Awards is not a festival but the honor of recognition of quality filmmaking for the winners.

Matthew Toffolo Interviews Artistic Director Anthony Dowling:

Matthew: What is the goal of the Film Awards?

Anthony: The Mission of the North Carolina Film Awards is to strengthen the independent film, television and video industry. The NCFA shall identify and recognize an array of talented filmmakers and their movies from across the state, region and nation. Features and shorts, are welcome at the North Carolina Film Awards, bringing in the widest array of artists from different disciplines.

Matthew Toffolo: How has the festival changed since its inception until your upcoming 2015 festival?

Anthony: The North Carolina Film Festival started in Chapel Hill, North Carolina in the mid 1970s. By 1979, a departure of the founding members created an opportunity for the Festival to run under the auspicious of the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh until the mid 1980s. In 1995 through 1997, the North Carolina Film and Video Festival was its successor. The North Carolina Film and Video Festival carried on the work of the original North Carolina Film Festival in one hugely important sense that gave it a very clear identity nationally and internationally: It was the nation’s ONLY festival (and juried competition) devoted to the filmmakers of a single state. In 2010, The North Carolina Film Awards revives the efforts of the original North Carolina Film Festival, staged in the late 1970s and early ’80s, and its successor, the North Carolina Film and Video Festival, 1995-97 with an up to date technological advantage. The North Carolina Film Awards focuses on the honor of recognizing quality work by industry winners in filmmaking instead of a festival – venue event.

Matthew Toffolo: How many films are you showcasing at your Film Awards?

Anthony: Our last season saw 27 entries and 25 winners. We had submissions from the United States, Sweden, Taiwan, Italy, Canada and Greece.

Matthew Toffolo: Can you give us a sneak peak of what to except for the 2015 Awards?

Anthony: The Staff and Judges of NCFA look forward to a very sustainable event. We expect NCFA to grow by 20% each year until it gets to a level where both the Staff and Judges deem it just the right size of submissions. The structure of the program is such that as Judges and Staff see opportunities for improvement, we will implement them. We would look at our state of affairs in 2020 and make serious decisions at that time. Ultimately, we would like to see an actual film festival conducted in Raleigh, NC in the next 10 years.

Matthew Toffolo: Is there going to be an overall theme for the 2015 festival?

Anthony: No. We will market the event a bit more, but no overall theme.

Matthew Toffolo: Where do you see your film awards in 5 years?

Anthony: Fairly large with a good reputation in the festival circuit. We value our reputation now, and want to keep it and grow it into a serious player in the independent movie industry.

Matthew Toffolo: What’s the current status of the Film Scene in your city?

Anthony: Raleigh has had several small film festivals. Nearby Durham, NC has the Full Frame International Documentary Film Festival which is awesome!! Additionally there is Cucalorus Film Festival in Wilmington, NC and RiverRun International Film Festival; both of which are excellent venues and have excellent participation.

Matthew Toffolo: What film have you seen the most in your life?

Anthony: ET and Close Encounters of the Third Kind are in a dead heat.

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Matthew Toffolo, Interviewer BIO

Filmmaker of over 20 short films and TV episodes, Matthew Toffolo is the current CEO of the WILDsound Film and Writing Festival. He had worked for the organization since its inception in 2007 serving as the Short Film Festival’s moderator during the Audience Feedback sessions.

Go to http://www.wildsound.ca and submit your film, script, or story to the festival.

Go to http://www.wildsoundfestival.com and watch recent and past winning writing festival readings.