Founders Preview Party to Launch Traverse City Film Festival

Traverse City, Mich. -- A sneak-preview matinee and vineyard reception will kick off the inaugural Traverse City Film Festival on Sunday, July 24.

The film festival's founders invite the public to this fundraising event, which includes a 2 p.m. film screening at Suttons Bay's Bay Theatre and a 4 p.m. reception at nearby Ciccone Vineyards. Shown at the matinee will be one of the biggest hits from the festival's 31-film roster of independent and award-winning movies.

Tickets are $100. To make a reservation, please send e-mail to tcff@seeglass.com, or send a check to TCFF, c/o See Glass, P.O. Box 469, Elk Rapids, Mich. 49629. The Bay Theatre is located at 214 St. Joseph, and Ciccone Vineyards is at 10343 East Hill Top Road, both in Suttons Bay.

Film sponsorships are still available for $1,000, and include tickets to your sponsored film, the founders party, and opening and closing receptions. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Sondra Shaw-Hardy at 231-947-7189 or sondrash@sbcglobal.net.

The Traverse City Film Festival, founded by filmmaker Michael Moore and headed by a committee of 20, will bring 31 independent and classic movies to four venues in Traverse City on July 27-31. Highlights include the renovation of a historic downtown movie theater for use by the festival, and free starlit showings of "Jaws" and "Casablanca" on a 49-foot inflatable screen at a waterfront park.