Regional filmmakers are invited to submit G-rated, three-minute films for the competition. The top films will be screened right before red carpet coverage begins.
Rebecca Stanze, associate director of the theater, said the event was designed to bring the community together for Hollywood’s biggest night and to let local filmmakers’ work be appreciated.
“We consider it to be our big celebration of film,” she said. “This building was originally built as a silent movie theater for the majority of its life, so we do some specific things to celebrate that legacy.”
This year marks the third year of “A Red Carpet Affair.”
Admission to the screening is free. Attendees may also purchase a $15 VIP reception ticket, which comes with free food from Grazie! Italiano and free beer, wine or soft drink, all to be served on the theater’s mezzanine and balcony.
Stanze said the funds raised from this event will go toward subsidizing local artists who wish to rent out the theater.
“Diversity is a thing we talk a lot about,” she said. “We want the stage to be accessible to anybody who has an interest.”
The film competition is open to Bloomington filmmakers. Regional artists are encouraged to submit as well.
Films must be registered and submitted by Feb. 15. A $5 entry fee is also required.
“People come to the theater to see events from Terre Haute and Cincinnati and Louisville,” Stanze said. “Since that’s our patron-base, it makes sense to include those folks.”
Stanze said attendance has been slowly increasing over the years, and she said she hopes for a large turnout.
“We try to make it a fun celebration for the super-fans of film and people who are just looking for a chance to get out and dress up and have fun with their friends,” she said.
Although it is encouraged to dress up, Stanze said the event has no official dress code.
“You can wander in and watch for ten minutes after you have dinner down the street, or you can rent a gown and be all fancy,” she said. “It’s completely up to you.”
Jess Levandoski, a local filmmaker and director of the MiddleCoast Film Festival, said her team will submit a film discussing the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’s snubbing of people of color from major awards.
“We are going to be live-tweeting about each category as they come up, offering up options for the category that our team feels were overlooked by the Academy,” she said.
A panel of judges and a vote from the audience will determine which film will win the grand prize: a rent-free use of the Buskirk-Chumley for this upcoming summer.
Stanze said small tech fees will still apply, but at a reduced price compared to what it would usually cost.
“The field is wide open,” Stanze said. “Anyone can win at this point.”
