WE'VE TAKEN ONE MORE big step toward shedding our image as a "cow town," as one former local politician once dubbed Ventura. We now have our own Film Festival. And it's shaping up to be quite an event.

The event will run March 27-29, 2009 at the reconstituted Elks Lodge in Ventura, a venue which is part of Project Encore's efforts to revitalize both our Downtown and enhance our local arts scene. Two screening rooms will be set up there.

"We're trying to elevate this concept of home-grown festival, but it's not an amateur thing," explained festival organizer Lorenzo DeStefano, who is himself a filmmaker. "It's trying to blend local voices with global visions," he said.

I've posted a preview on top from one of the festival's featured filmmakers, Andrew Huang, a Los Angeles video artist. It's a nice piece of work. He's a USC film school graduate and hugely creative. "Doll Face" has received more than 2 million hits on YouTube. He'll be on hand to explain his vision along with the other featured filmmakers.

Another interesting entry is a film called "The Women's Kingdom," about a matriarchal society in China. Now this one really caught my attention!

THE FESTIVAL IS ALSO giving local filmmakers a chance to showcase their work, DeStefano said. The work of Brooks Institute students will be featured, plus "we're encouraging other people who aren't filmmakers to tell their stories on film," he said. These folks will be working with CAPS-TV's production capabilities.

The event has a pretty stellar lineup of locals behind it, too, people who are very good at getting things done in our town. I wish them much success and hope it becomes an annual event. DeStefano is also hoping to launch a Ventura Film Society from it.

As with any other event, it takes money to put it on, so the Ventura Film Festival is planning a fundraiser for this Sunday, Dec. 7 at 5 p.m. at the Candlelight Kitchen & Bar, 211 E. Santa Clara St., in Ventura. A $20 suggested donation will be taken at the door. Students with I.D. are $10. The event will feature previews of the festival lineup, guest directors and speakers, food, drink and a silent auction. Ojai/Ventura singer songwriter Emy Reynolds will entertain. For more information please visit www.venturafilmfest.com

"People are really geared up," DeStefano said, "I think Sunday's going to be something else."