When asked how this year’s Sedona International Film Festival went, Executive Director Patrick Schweiss wasted no time in answering. 

“It was spectacular,” he said. 

“We had more sold out shows than we’ve ever had. SPAC [Sedona Performing Arts Center] was fuller more often than it’s been in the past. I’m not saying ‘sold out’ because it’s hard to sell out SPAC. We got so much praise for being such a user-friendly festival.” 

This year marked SIFF’s 25th anniversary and the 15th year with Schweiss at the helm. In all, more than 170 films were shown from Feb. 23 to Sunday, March 3. 

The festival began just two days after one of the biggest snowstorms Sedona had seen in decades. Instead of taking it negatively, Schweiss and his team saw it as just the opposite. Normally, the final days before the event are pretty chaotic, with people constantly coming in and out of the SIFF office at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre. 

However, since most Sedona residents stayed indoors, the team was able to get all those last-minute items finished. The snow had positive impacts in others ways, as well.

“It was a blessing we never expected,” he said. 

“Because it was so beautiful out, people were in good moods on opening day because they were out of their homes after being stuck for two days. 

“Secondly, Sedona was spectacularly beautiful because of the snow. People were also very forgiving because they knew we couldn’t control the weather. Everyone came together and decided to make the best of it. So, the weather put everyone in a really good mood and they were ready to sit in the theaters and watch some amazing films.” 

Schweiss said that, along with the high number of ticket sales, came praise for the variety and quality of the films that were chosen. This year, they front-loaded the festival with some of their bigger films, including award winners from other festivals and a pair of Academy Award nominees. 

In terms of how they decide what movies are shown at the 750-seat SPAC, Schweiss said there has been one major factor aside from what they feel will draw large crowds. 

Up until this festival, SPAC was equipped to show just Blu-Ray films, as opposed to Harkins Theatres and the Mary D. Fisher Theatre, which offer digital cinema packages where films come on a hard drive. Some even come with an electronically-locked hard drive to prevent tampering or pirating. Currently, he said 50 percent of the films submitted to SIFF arrive that way. A week before the festival, Schweiss decided to invest in the cost of digital cinema packages. 

This way, they now have the option of it or Blu-Ray at the SPAC. 

“When a film is shown at SPAC, to make it fair, we show it just once,” he said. 

“And it makes it more of an event when it’s shown there. The SPAC is a beast to fill. But, as long as we go over 245 tickets sold — that’s more than the largest Harkins screen — it justifies our decision to show a film there. Luckily, all 

of our films out there this year went over that threshold.” 

Along with the good often comes the bad. Schweiss said there was little that didn’t work this year but said he wished more celebrities were able to make it. He said it’s the nature of the beast when dealing with their schedules and availability. 

Some years they have seven or eight celebrities compared to this year’s three — Billy Zane, Ed Asner and Mariel Hemingway. 

Schweiss praised all three for their willingness to stay after their films to sign autographs and take pictures with fans. 

“With fewer celebrities, it did put more of the focus on the films because people noticed how great the films were and they weren’t concerned with which celebrity was showing up where,” he said. 

“They were genuinely interested in the films and it didn’t become about the celebrities. For the independent filmmakers, that’s a dream because they want it all about the films.”

So what keeps Schweiss excited about the festival year after year? He said it’s simple — the audience’s reaction and him knowing that he and his team chose the right films. 

“I love being outside the theaters when people leave and they have seen a film that changed their life, made them laugh or made them scratch their head and think,” he said. 

“We have great parties, great VIP events, the Q&As, but my favorite part is the audience’s reaction.” 

Even though Schweiss is the face of the festival, he said it’s truly a team effort. 

“Because I have the microphone, I get a lot of the praise but it’s so much more than just about me,” he said. “It’s about the flawless experience that our team is able to give to the filmmakers and moviegoers. From the staff to the volunteers, everyone is of the same idea that, if we do our job, that means a better experience for everyone else.”