Fargo Film Festival Brings Thousands Into Area

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The Fargo Film Festival kicks off as thousands of film enthusiasts make their way to the Fargo Theatre for the five day event.

People from around the country and around the world are making their way to the festival’s 15th anniversary.

Austin Keeling is a filmmaker from Kansas City, Kansas.

He and his friends traveled to Fargo with their latest work called, “The House on Pine Street.”

They began filming in 2013 and wrapped up this year.

“It’s about a pregnant woman who has to move back to her hometown in Kansas after a mental breakdown, and she starts to think that the house they’ve moved into might be haunted,” said Keeling of Kansas City.

They won an honorable mention award and a best in show award for the film actress here at the festival.
They say they are excited to show the film in Fargo.

“We’ve never been to Fargo before, we’ve heard a lot about it and so far the town seems to be a really great place to be, a really warm environment. All of these people are so nice,” said Keeling.

The film festival is growing every year.

This year the festival had over 300 film submissions.

It was only a few years ago that the festival had just over 100.

“I think downtown Fargo is just kind of a buzz this week. It’s so exciting, it’s such a wonderful time to be in downtown Fargo,” said Fargo Theatre Executive Director Emily Beck.

The Fargo Film Festival isn’t only about watching movies; it’s also a chance for people with similar interests to connect.

“I’ve met a lot of different people from all over the United States that have come to these events and things like that,” said Kelly Binfet of Fargo.

Some have been naming another festival along with Fargo’s.

“Sundance Film Festival is you know something that I’d like to attend soon but this is very comparable. It’s exciting that it’s here,” said Dawn Prentice of Fargo.

These films just aren’t made overnight.

“From the beginning to the end it was about a year and a half process. We wrote for eight months five different drafts of the script and then we did two months of pre–production, shot it in 19 days,” said Keeling.

It’s just a chance for filmmakers like Keeling and his friends to showcase their hard work.

If you want to catch Austin Keeling’s film “The House on Pine Street,” you can attend the festival at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.