Now in its 19th year, the Gig Harbor Film Festival (Sept. 24-27) will open with “The Big Cheese” with cheese monger and film participant Courtney Johnson and film editor Nick Weiss-Richmond.
“The Big Cheese” is one of 90 films featured at the festival and includes U.S. and world premieres, locally produced films, and curated shorts. More than 65 filmmaker teams are expected to be in attendance.
After the film’s 6:30 p.m. showing on Sept. 24 at Galaxy Theatres in Gig Harbor, Johnson, who is the co-owner of Seattle-based Street Cheese (which has been previously featured in West Sound’s sister publication, 425), and Weiss-Richmond will be available for a Q&A session with the audience.
“The Big Cheese” takes its viewers into the dog-eat-dog world of artisanal cheese-mongering, following competitors like Johnson as they gear up for the “Olympics of cheese” — the Mondial du Fromage in France.
“We’re so excited to have ‘The Big Cheese’ team here,” said Pamela Holt, executive director of Gig Harbor Film Festival.
This year, the festival expanded its Workshop and Conversation series to include four sessions on Sept. 26. The series is open to all passholders and is led by industry professionals who, in previous years, have offered insight on the roles of directors, scene setting, performing in action sequences, and more.
In response to growing attendance, the festival has additionally broadened its daytime programming on Sept. 24 to include more feature-length screenings throughout the day.
General-admission passes are on sale July 1 for $50, along with VIP passes for $500. Starting Aug. 1, general admission passes may also be purchased in person at Galaxy Theatres in Gig Harbor.
Each pass grants admission to every film screening (every film is shown twice) in addition to the festival’s awards ceremony and its “Festival Favorites” screenings on Sept. 27. “With over 90 films, we’ve got something in the lineup that everyone will enjoy,” Holt said.