9th Annual Ybor Festival Runs March 23rd To 27th

The 9th annual Ybor Festival of the Moving Image (FOMI) starts Wednesday March 23, and runs through Sunday, March 27. The festival, which is hosted by Hillsborough Community College (HCC), is known for its unique and eclectic performances.

"Our festival focuses on the filmmaker and the art of making film, not just showing movies in a theater," says David Audet, who founded and directs FOMI. "We have sculptures, installations and performances in addition to the films we will show."

Audet says that this will be the first year that the Ybor Festival of the Moving Image will partner with the Gasparilla International Film Festival (GIFF).

"We are happy to work with them and show a couple films together," Audet says. "We have several interesting films to show this year, anyone who is a film lover or cinephile is going to be entertained."

Students from HCC will be participating in the festival as well.

"Pat Oleszko, a performance artist from New York City, will be coming in and working with the students on a piece about the BP oil spill and the way we treat our environment," Audet says. "That performance will take place on the main stage Friday the 25th. This performance will be fresh as it has never been seen before, and may never be seen again."

The event is open to the public, and Audet says many of the performances or screenings are free.

"We try to offer as many venues for free as we can," he says. "Some of the events at the festival do cost money, but only $5 or $10 at the most."

The festival will take place at Hillsborough Community College, Ybor City Campus in the HCC Performing Arts Building located at 2122 North 15th Street in Tampa.

Source: David Audet, Hillsborough Community College
Writer: Kimberly Patterson

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Kimberly Patterson is a news editor for 83 Degrees Media in the Tampa Bay region of Florida.