Waterfront Film Festival

Entertainment professionals from Los Angeles, New York and Michigan created the Waterfront Film organization in 1999 to provide a "middle coast" venue for independent filmmakers eager to show their work to sophisticated audiences. Since that time, Waterfront has been bringing unique film experiences, education and opportunities to Michigan.

Based on the shores of Lake Michigan, Waterfront founded one of the leading destination film festivals in the Midwest, screening many premieres of Academy Award-winning and nominated documentaries. Recognized as a top five film festival, the Waterfront Film Festival is a volunteer event committed to celebrating the Independent Filmmaker and promoting their works of art while further enhancing the cultural draw of West Michigan.

Waterfront also operates a year-round screening and event venue created to further their mission and help raise awareness of arts, education and philanthropic causes.

Waterfront is a non-profit organization. All donations and proceeds from ticket and merchandise sales go directly to the operational budget. All donations are fully tax deductible and allow us to continue the tradition of supporting quality projects, artists and opportunities. We thank all sponsors and attendees for their help in this mission!

History
The Waterfront Film Festival was founded in 1999 by siblings Hopwood DePree, Dori DePree, and Dana DePree, along with Kori Eldean and Judy Smith. The founders, with help from L.A. and New York entertainment professionals, created the Waterfront Film Festival to provide a “middle coast” venue for independent filmmakers eager to show their work to sophisticated audiences. The festival is not judged or adjudicated but rather an opportunity for filmmakers to informally connect with their audiences.