As Traverse City prepares to host its thirteenth annual film festival later this month (July 25), a town in Northeast Michigan is working to host its first.
The Thunder Bay Film Society is planning its first film festival, later this month, called the Sunrise forty-five.
The name comes from Alpena being on the sunrise side of the state, and at the forty-fifth parallel, halfway between the equator and the North Pole.
Organizers said the festival has about forty entries so far. Many have come in from overseas.
Joseph Rybarczyk is the Director of the Thunder Bay Film Society. He said Alpena is a good location for the three day event.
“I feel like Michigan has a lot to offer, as far as just a lot of different unique spaces for settings for film and I think we have a very creative community. For such small community, there’s a lot going on.
Rybarczyk said the festival will accept all genres of film. It will also have live music and art galleries.
The Sunrise 45 film festival is scheduled for August 18-20.