Casting Networks Sponsors the Across the Globe Film Festival

Casting Networks is pleased to be an official sponsor of the Across the Globe Film Festival, a young film fest in New York City that’s on a mission to put a spotlight on the filmmakers and project creators of the future. We sat down with festival co-founder John Fessler to learn more about it.

When was the festival founded?

Across the Globe Film Festival (ATG) was founded in 2020, before the pandemic started, but we kept it alive throughout the pandemic because we understood the importance of the community we were building.

It was a rocky start. Covid impacted our ability to reach people in the beginning, especially since we were founded in 2020. People were hesitant to submit their films to an unknown film festival, but we believed in our mission and were determined to push through. We also hoped a new and exciting film festival would bring some levity and entertainment to an otherwise tough time. We are still building, despite COVID, and hope to continue growing and have our first in person event next year.

What is the vision behind Across the Globe?

The mission of ATG is to showcase the filmmakers of tomorrow and to celebrate the art of cinema through creativity, diversity, and independence. We named it Across the Globe because we want to reflect the cultural diversity of our films from all over the world.

What qualities do jury members look for when making film selections?

The first [quality] is great storytelling. Do the characters move the audience? Does the film elicit emotion- laughter, sadness, fear, empathy? Are the performances believable? Does an actor or actress stand out?

The second factor is the technical elements of each film. Is the cinematography well-composed? Are the images captured interesting? Does the music, sound, and cinematography move the story forward? Did the editor craft the tightest, most compelling cut?

The third factor is the point of view. Does the director have a point of view? Does he/she tell the story in a way that is unique to them?

Tell us more about the Student Ambassador program.

A key part of our mission is to encourage the next generation of filmmakers. The Student Ambassador program is a natural reflection of that goal. We have events on campuses to give students a place to learn about the different areas of the entertainment industry – whether it be the creative side or the business side. We will continue to have events on campus and look forward to growing the program to more schools.

How do you feel ATG is able to inspire young filmmakers to pursue their dreams?

ATG wants to demonstrate to the filmmakers that they are on the right track. We have some amazing judges from other film festivals like Tribeca and Heartland Film Festival. We have also had judges from HBO and Regal. We want to be an integral stop on the filmmakers’ journey. We are that nudge to keep going, keep trudging on, keep the dream alive, and a celebration of the hard work and creativity it takes to dream big.

How has ATG transformed from its first outing to present day?

Everything is a learning experience in the beginning. During COVID, we were in survival mode. We did not want the festival to end before it even began. The second year we remained true to our message and created a better experience for our filmmakers at our online event. Our social media presence grew substantially on all accounts, especially on TikTok. We love creating and finding videos that other filmmakers will love to watch, and we love engaging with our viewers and filmmakers year round, not just at the time of the festival.

How do you hope to see ATG grow into 2023 and beyond?

We have many plans, but it’s all about focus. First, we want to have a great selection of films. This starts with our amazing programmers finding fun, exciting, and inclusive pieces of content that share in our mission. We want Across The Globe to be the film festival in Williamsburg that people look forward to year after year.

How can filmmakers and project creators submit their films?

We are planning to have creators submit their films for 2023 in the spring, but stay tuned and follow us on social media to learn the exact day and time submissions go live! It means the world to us to continue our mission and keep growing. We want to be a top film festival in New York, and are excited about seeing all of our submissions in the years to come!

For filmmakers and enthusiasts alike, please check out our website to find out how you can get involved. We’d love to have you!

The Across the Globe Film Festival will be held online at Filmocracy on September 29, 2022 beginning at 12pm ET. Follow Across the Globe on Facebook or Instagram for more information.