BoxFest Detroit Announces 2020 Online Festival Program

BoxFest Detroit, an annual women's directing festival has announced the program for its 2020 festival. BoxFest Detroit 2020 runs online October 10th - 18th, powered by Seed&Spark. Tickets are $12 per box or $40 for a festival pass.

Tickets are on sale now at the festival site, which can be found at http://seedandspark.com/festivals/boxfest-detroit. More information about BoxFest Detroit can be found at www.boxfestdetroit.com.

Before the Covid-19 crisis made it apparent that safe live theatre would not be resuming anytime soon, the production team planned to expand the 2020 festival to include film for the first time. As the ramifications of the pandemic became clearer, the choice was made to adapt the festival for the circumstances, rather than cancel it entirely. BoxFest Detroit recognizes the vital role it plays in supporting and creating opportunities for writers, actors, and especially, our women directors. This support is more necessary now than ever.

"BoxFest Detroit has always been a place where women directors can be in community with one another," said BoxFest Detroit's Artistic Director, Amanda Grace Ewing. "Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, we were adamant that this community stay intact as much as possible. We are thrilled that Seed&Spark was able to help us power this festival, so that we are able to continue advocating for women directors online and off."

BoxFest Detroit 2020 presents films of various genres, filmed theatrical performances, and additional free events featuring participating artists and staff. Audiences have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of 17 different films and theatrical performances, created by Michigan directors and BoxFest Detroit alumnae. They may purchase tickets for individual "boxes" of programming, as well as festival passes, giving them access to all festival programming.

Directors reshaping the box this year are Paige B. Alson, Sherrine Azab (and co-director Jake Hooker), Amanda Buchalter, Allie Costa, Madyson DeJausserand, Kristina Familara, Laura Kay Henderson and Sarah E. MacLean, Indi Jackson (and Vincent Augusto), Lexus Jacobs, Audra Jantz, Danielle Maus, Katelin Maylum, Shaun Nethercott (and Maurizio Dominguez), Krista Pennington, Leia Squillace (and director of photography Kyle Sorice), Adie Valavanis, and Alivia VanDale. The producing team for BoxFest Detroit 2020 includes Amanda Grace Ewing, Kelly Rossi, Molly McMahon, and Kennikki Jones-Jones. In addition to the performances, the festival will also feature a Kick Off Event, Directors Q&A, and an Awards Ceremony on closing night.

BoxFest Detroit produces festivals that allow women-identifying directors the opportunities to direct original shows of their choice and win awards to help further their careers in directing. Directors participating in BoxFest Detroit 2020 may also apply to the Mentorship Program. This program provides one or more directors financial support and the opportunity to connect with established women directors to receive mentorship and support toward achieving their career goals. Our 2020 mentors are Casaundra Freeman, Leah Smith, Sherrine Azab, and Angie Kane Ferrante. Our 2020 partner theatres are Detroit Repertory Theatre, Tipping Point Theatre, and A Host of People.

BoxFest Detroit 2020 Lineup:

BOX 1 -- Theatre Performance Shorts

Box 1 features three theatrical performances. Love at First Slice and A Cup of T were produced and filmed specifically for BoxFest Detroit 2020. These directors used their creativity to experiment with theatrical storytelling in a post-Covid world. Selections from Cleopatra Boy presents excerpts from A Host of People's devised production, Cleopatra Boy, featuring live music, projections, toy theater, and more to examine justice and representation.

BOX 2 -- Documentary Shorts

Box 2 features three compelling stories, all told through documentary film. Breaking the Cycle follows the private life of Indi Jackson, a record-breaking college athlete, revealing that life's biggest challenges are often encountered off the field. The Way of Art - Making the Diego Rivera Puppet shares the riveting and precarious journey of one theatre's quest to bring a giant puppet to life, and The Impact examines MSU students' responses to racially biased incidents.

BOX 3 -- Narrative Shorts

Box 3 features six narrative films that are sure to entertain. Chatterboxing! delights as the festival's only animated short. Personal trials take center stage in the substance-fueled dramedy, A Basement Film, and ASTRAY: The Justification of Grace, a story with faith-based themes. A Good Day is a surreal, existential trip, and Flame Out offers an apocalyptic tale of interpersonal strife. Day of Reckoning unsettles as the only horror short.

BOX 4 -- Narrative Shorts

Box 4 rounds out the festival with five more narrative shorts. The coming-of-age story, golden, and The Idler, a gloomy rendition, explore university life and beyond in very different ways. Future Shock is a time traveling romp of pandemic proportions, and unexpected romance finds its way in of Masquerade and Rhymes. The dark comedy Taco Soup shows that a holiday family dinner can offer more than any of the guests bargain for.

For 16 years and counting, BoxFest Detroit has produced annual summer theater festivals, which create the space and support for women-identifying directors of all experience levels to share their work with audiences. Learn more about BoxFest Detroit and how to support its programs at www.boxfestdetroit.com.

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