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Groups make peace, throw one film fest

OK, let's try this one on for size: Philadelphia Film Festival/CineFest. The litigious dispute and internal bickering that had promised to throw Philadelphia film festivalgoers into a state of uncertainty - with the potential of dueling festivals hitting the city - have been put aside. Peace has been reached between the TLA En

    by Steven Rea, Inquirer Movie Critic | Columnist
    Published 

OK, let's try this one on for size: Philadelphia Film Festival/CineFest.

The litigious dispute and internal bickering that had promised to throw Philadelphia film festivalgoers into a state of uncertainty - with the potential of dueling festivals hitting the city - have been put aside. Peace has been reached between the TLA Entertainment Group, organizer of the annual spring festival since 2001, and the Philadelphia Film Society, the nonprofit group that owns the "Philadelphia Film Festival" brand and had made noise about mounting its own festival in the fall.

"Our only goal during these negotiations with the Film Society was to present a quality festival to the city of Philadelphia," Ray Murray, TLA president and CineFest artistic director, stated in a news release.

So, what does this mean for attendees? That the planned March 26-April 6 festival is all systems go, with venues including International House, the Prince Music Theater, and the Ritzes, and more than 200 films from 39 countries set to unspool.

Programming and ticketing information will be forthcoming at www.phillycinefest.com.