The 2024 Poppy Jasper International Film Festival will take place April 10-17, with an opening night celebration set to take place at Gavilan College.
The festival’s April 10 opening ceremony, scheduled to begin at 8pm, will feature local guests and dignitaries, including a land acknowledgment by Kanyon “Coyote Woman” Sayers-Roods and performances by the Gavilan College music program.
The opening day of the local annual film festival will also feature four blocks of youth and student films, from 3-7pm and from 8:30-10:30pm April 10, according to Gavilan College.
The 2024 Poppy Jasper International Film Festival will include a program of 267 original films from 30 countries. This includes works submitted by Gavilan film students, as well as a range of features, documentaries, short films, music videos and panels.
“The Poppy Jasper International Film Festival is dedicated to supporting new and diverse storytellers,” said festival Director Mattie Scariot. “We pride ourselves on celebrating film and how the art form can bring audiences together, regardless of what else is going on in the world. I am so excited and grateful to have Gavilan College host our Opening Ceremony and showcasing our local and international student films!”
The April 10 festivities will take place at Gavilan College Theater, 5055 Santa Teresa Blvd.
Gavilan College Superintendent/President Dr. Pedro Avila added, “Mattie has built such a successful and inclusive film festival experience in our community. We at Gavilan College are so honored to host and invite everyone to our Gilroy campus theater for one of the most monumental days of this festival – the Youth and Student Film Showcase and
the opening ceremony. We are also grateful our students and staff will be attending the ceremony for FREE!”
Throughout the eight-day festival, submitted films will also screen at the Morgan Hill Community Playhouse, the District Theater in Gilroy, the Barn at Mission Farm in San Juan Bautista and the Granada Theater in Hollister.
The Poppy Jasper International Film Festival is also known for its speaker panels that will be scheduled throughout the week. These include a filmmakers’ panel, women’s panel, emerging technology panel and an LGBTQ panel. Details about the times and who will appear on these panels has not yet been released.
For more information about the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival, and to order tickets, visit the festival website at pjiff.org.
