COVID Statement
Tryon International Film Festival abides by all federal, state, and county laws, mandates, guidelines, and recommendations in regards to the prevention of spreading the COVID pandemic. As a public event, the Festival will change its procedures as needed. Face masks will be required for all indoor activities. If you don’t have a mask, one will be provided. In addition, guests are encouraged to practice social distancing and frequent handwashing. We are committed to the safety of our guests and partners as we celebrate the best cinema the world has to offer. Please be mindful of the everchanging COVID situation and use common sense, supported by science.
~ Sept. 7, 2021
Oct 11-Nov 11
Oct 11-Nov 11
Introducing: Alex Scott Your TRIFF 2021 Master of Ceremonies!
Festival MC
Alex Scott is known for the quick wit he brings to the stage. Scott’s ability to come up with jokes off the top of his head and connect with the crowd keeps him winning open mic competitions. The first time Scott ever touched the mic, he won second place in the DC Comedian of the Year contest. This was the motivation that drove Scott to move to New York City. Homeless and alone, Alex slept in Central Park for two days. Not giving up on his dream, Alex ended up staying for three years, performing at some of the hottest clubs in New York, such as Stand Up NY, Boston Comedy Club, and the Uptown Comedy Club. Born and raised in the Washington, D.C. area, Alex moved back to D.C. and won the 2003 Kings and Queens of Comedy contest. Scott has appeared on BET’s Comic View and Grins, a local D.C. cable TV comedy showcase. He is becoming one of the hottest comedians in D.C. and can be seen performing in clubs and colleges from New York to Atlanta.
This Year’s GALA Selection
Chuck Connelly – Into The Light
by Director Benjamin Schwartz
Once a key figure amongst New York’s neo-expressionist painters in the 1980s. His work was featured in gallery shows across the city and sold to both private collectors and the MoMA alike. Bold and densely layered, Connelly’s prolific paintings are richly imbued with his own varied life experiences, created as frantically as they are thoughtfully. By the mid-2000s, however, the artist was a man in decline; his marriage was over and most of those closest to him had been driven away by his rampant alcoholism, fiery temper and destructive attitude.
But Connelly kept painting.
In Chuck Connelly Into the Light, the artist is revisited as a man in his 60s, as intense and commanding as ever, if tempered by decades of reflection and solitude. Into the Light seeks to discover what becomes of a tortured artist when the pain subsides, how far talent can carry even the most difficult creatives, and if it’s ever too late to emerge from the darkness.
TRIFF 2021 !!!
The Tryon International Film Festival
proudly presents season seven, October 8, 9 & 10, 2021.
While life as we knew it changed in 2020, advancements in technology ushered in capabilities the likes of which we never thought we would soon utilize, all in the form of virtual meetings.
The world may have been sequestered to their homes and humanity suddenly shrouded in protective masks, yet creativity never took a rest.
Even more, in 2021 you will be able to invite your friends, crew and supporters to visit the Tryon International Film Festival.
Few festivals compare visually to TRIFF, which for three days, the entire town of Tryon, North Carolina lights up like a sparkler. Six screening venues operate seamlessly, including a bonus evening amphitheater screening that features music, food, drink and a special film.
The Tryon Fine Art Center along with The Tryon Theatre, a vintage, state-of-the-art cinema, which has been in continuous operation for more than 80 years, play host to the opening gala and award ceremony as the retail shops, bars and dining establishments embrace visitors.
Plan to spend the entire festival at one of our exclusive B&B’s along with your fellow filmmakers. Introduce your own film, attend a breakout session, walk the streets or hang out at our complementary VIP lounge in the center of town.
During the year of COVID-19 the Tryon International Film Festival had the strongest international participation ever. So much so, that regardless of whether the 2021 season will be live or not, we will continue to use our online platform from now into the future.
By virtue of the number of high-quality submissions received over the years, our film selection process has matured as well. We select highly crafted films of sophisticated workmanship in the full-length features, short films and documentary categories. We are also known for our Human Rights & Dignity category which has been a cornerstone performance grouping since our inception. Films submitted in this category also have a good chance of also being screened in our sister festival in Gstaad, Switzerland.
