Going? Going? Go!

It’s still philanthropy when you get something in return,  right? I like to think so. When it comes to donations, it’s the thought that counts… as much as the items you win. That’s how I rationalize my charitable auction excesses anyway. The Northwest Film Forum’s  5th Annual Online Auction is a morally and materially rewarding opportunity for movie-lovers and movie-makers to support one of Seattle’s most significant cinematic causes. Read on for why it’s better to be a bidder than a bitter show-bizzer.

NWFF’s Online Auction is live! Now in its fifth year, our online auction is a great opportunity to find some amazing services and unique opportunities for all ends of the filmmaking spectrum (camera rental packages, post production time, meetings with local gurus, etc). In past years, we’ve seen $20,000 worth of services sell for less than a quarter of their cash value!

Visit www.nwfilmforum.org/go/onlineauction/index.html to see the full listing of items. The auction ends sharply at 7pm, Thursday, April 16. All proceeds from the online auction go to support the cinematic efforts of NWFF.

For those of you not familiar with the NW Film Forum, here is an organizational overview:

Northwest Film Forum (NWFF) is a Seattle-based non-profit organization dedicated to becoming the nation’s leading center for film artists. Founded in 1995, NWFF now operates the region’s first and only non-profit center for the film arts. NWFF programs a true cinematheque, embracing film production as well as film exhibition, with two cinemas, film production and post-production facilities and equipment, educational workshop space, filmmaker offices, a film vault containing over 1,000 titles and a filmmaking library in its space at 1515 12th Ave.

Nearly 1000 members strong, NWFF aides 250 filmmakers in the production of nearly 80 films, and offers more than 60 workshops annually. Our innovative Start-to-Finish grant program partners with a local artist to produce a feature length film, using both for and non-profit funding, a model unique in the non-profit world. The most recent film, THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF LITTLE DIZZLE, premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.

Our cinemas showcase the best in American and international cinema, 360 days a year, as well as quarterly world premiere live performances. Recent highlights include: a 27 film retrospective of Japanese filmmaker Yasujiro Ozu that included ten commissions for live musical scores; Children’s Film Festival Seattle; a lecture and class by legendary designer/filmmaker Pablo Ferro; a retrospective of the documentaries of Ross McElwee that included a visit from the artist; and the strongest music film programming in the nation.

In our new 8,000 square foot facility are housed:

- A 120-seat 35mm Dolby-equipped cinema and mainstage live theater
- A 49-seat 35mm Dolby-equipped cinema and theater
- Dedicated workshop space/ filmmaker lounge with free WiFi
- Two film and video post-production suites
- A dedicated animation studio
- Production gear rentals
- A vault, housing our 1,000 title film archive