Jacksonville’s Unique Film History
In the early 1900’s, Jacksonville became the Winter Filmmaking Capital of the world as 27 + film studios set up shop at the end of Flagler’s railroad – what is now the prime Osborne Convention Center. Jacksonville presented Filmmakers with a warm climate to film during the winter months, when lack of sunlight and the freezing cold proved to limit production in New York. After a series of events, including the loss of the filmmaking workforce to the World War I effort, political changes in Jacksonville and a bourgeoning film business out west, Los Angeles won out and Hollywood as we know it today became the film Mecca of the world. But for over two decades, Jacksonville was flush with many silent filmmaking stars and filmmakers. One pioneer, Richard Norman, whose studio was based in Arlington, produced the first films to ever star African American talent. Anchored with this unique history, the Jacksonville Film Festival was founded in 2003 by Joan Monsky and Karen Sadler and has made a continuous cultural impact with the Jacksonville community. The Festival has a history of showcasing great films like Richard Norman’s The Flying Ace (courtesy of the US Library of Congress), Napoleon Dynamite, Once, CHOPS and Crude (2010 Cinema for Peace top prize, Berlin). We have also been honored by the presence of special guests such as Bill Murray, Graham Greene, Linden Ashby, Emmy winner Michael Emerson, John Waters, John Landis, Paul Cohen and Academy Award winning producer, Michael Hausman.