One of the unique things about the Great Lakes Independent Film Festival is its home, Erie, Pennsylvania. Our forty-mile slice of Lake Erie waterfront bears no resemblance to the major urban centers of Pittsburgh or Philadelphia, being entirely low-rise and extremely leafy; indeed you hardly realize you are downtown until you find yourself in the shady park-like town square, on 6th Street between the main thoroughfares of Peach and State streets.
There are several places of cultural interest in the city, all within walking distance of our festival, several museums devoted to history, art and science; among these, the Erie Maritime Museum has a fascinating display on the geological and ecological development of the Great Lakes and also focuses on warships of different periods; the elegant US Brig Niagara is usually moored outside and is part of the museum.
Undoubtedly, Erie’s main attraction is the elongated comma-shaped peninsula of Presque Isle State Park, which bends east from its narrow neck three miles west of downtown until it almost touches the city’s northernmost tip. The park is maintained as a nature preserve and has wide sandy beaches good for swimming, backed by thick woods offering a series of trails.
Erie is perfect with all of its historic and picturesque locations, it is also ideal for filming, able to give the real look of any location around the world at a much lower budget cost for the struggling filmmaker.
The Great Lakes International Film Festival continues to seek out the best and brightest of independent film and filmmakers.
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