From the Desk of the Festival Directors

Festival Directors: Christi Hille, Alix Watson, and Amanda Hille

It’s time for the 8th annual Hobnobben Film Festival! We’re so happy to bring you this amazing showcase of films from all over the world. Over the last few years, we’ve appreciated everyone who has supported us. We truly believe that Hobnobben can be a catalyst to bring folks together to learn and grow as a community, and we are so incredibly humbled to have you along for the ride. Hobnobben continues to break records every year, surpassing last year’s number of submissions to the festival.

First things first, we want to highlight some of the new features of this year’s festival.

1.  We’ve taken a pause on guidebooks this year. Why? As a festival, we want to be respectful to not only people but our planet as well. Our guidebooks took a lot of paper to create, so this year, our schedule is available online in addition to a printed schedule that you can receive at Cinema Center upon arrival.

2.  We have a new way to purchase tickets which we believe will be more user friendly than our past point-of-sale system. You can purchase individual film tickets or passes online or at the Cinema Center box office. This year, your passes will have a QR code on them that our ushers can scan to allow you into the theaters and event spaces. This means no more printed tickets (hello sustainability), reduced concession lines, and a new way to view our schedule online and reserve tickets.

3.  The festival has been extended a week! In case you miss the first weekend of the festival, we’ll be re-screening our award winners and both Fright Night blocks the following weekend, October 27-29. We also have the entire festival available to screen virtually from the comfort of your own home until October 31, 2023. 

4.  We’re also excited to share some new partnerships with you. First, we’ve partnered with JK O’Donnell’s to bring you a Friday night after-party at their new outdoor space, The Pitch. The after-party is free and open to the public. We’re proud to have our Sunday Filmmaker Brunch supported by Creator Space, a free monthly networking and social event hosted at Cinema Center each month. Make sure to check out both events during the festival.

Finally, thank you to everyone who is involved with Hobnobben. Our volunteers are seriously some of the most talented and kind people in Fort Wayne and beyond. We’re constantly humbled by our filmmakers and their craft, which we are honored to showcase during our festival. We could not do what we do without our sponsors and supporters in the Fort Wayne business community. And finally, thank you to all of the wonderful community members who continue to show up and support Hobnobben. We couldn’t have made it to 8 years without you.