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- Newburyport Documentary Film Festival, Newburyport, MA.
2024 Festival September 20-22 Our 20th year! Newburyport Documentary Film Festival NBPT DOCU FEST FESTIVAL Submit a Film YES Film Submissions Festival Archive Festival Awards Home PROGRAMS Events Watch Club Archive SUPPORT Donate Become a Sponsor Sponsors Volunteer ABOUT About Us Card To Culture Plan Your Visit JOIN OUR MAILING LIST We are the Filmmakers' Film Festival What is THE WATCH CLUB? Keep the conversation going throughout the year in THE WATCH CLUB. It's like a book club, but for documentaries. Each month we'll recommend a new documentary to stream, then invite you to join us on YouTube and Facebook for a live online Q&A with the filmmaker. Archive Congratulations are in order for NBPT Docu Fest alum Arthur Musah, who has been hosting special screenings of his debut film, BRIEF TENDER LIGHT, this month in New York and Los Angeles, just in time for Oscar consideration. If you missed it when we hosted the film’s world premiere in 2023, BRIEF TENDER LIGHT follows four M.I.T. students from Africa as they weigh their experiences in America against their hopes for positive change in their respective countries. The Pulitzer prize winning author and creative writing professor at M.I.T., Junot Diaz called it “one of the finest films I’ve seen in years in any genre.” Back in January, BRIEF TENDER LIGHT aired as part of the prestigious PBS documentary series “POV.” The film is available to stream on the PBS website for a limited time, through the end of November. Watch BRIEF TENDER LIGHT on the PBS website through November 30, and watch the interview with director Arthur Musah. THE WATCH CLUB: The Interview THE WATCH CLUB November Our 2024 Festival Winners Young Emerging-Filmmakers Showcase celebrates new and emerging filmmakers. Winner of the 2024 YES Award Sponsored by We are excited to be featured in the current issue of Newburyport Magazine! KEEPING IT REEL Newburyport Documentary Film Festival slides into 20th year “It started here.” Joanne Morris’ remark comes toward the end of two free-ranging hours of conversation on the Newburyport Documentary Film Festival. It’s a Monday afternoon in July at a sidewalk table outside The Screening Room, and Morris, the festival’s longtime executive director, and program director James Sullivan are talking about the event’s origins and growth and where it has landed in its banner 20th year. Invariably, moviegoers, filmmakers and film festival hosts enjoy talking about movies, especially moments that transported or moved them one way or another. “A big thing we do is talk about them,” Sullivan says. The festival, which welcomed more than 2,000 attendees last year, regularly hosts roundtable and other discussions with filmmakers. Last year, after the free showing of five shorts by students, the Young Emerging-Filmmakers Showcase, the new Port Vida restaurant hosted a dinner for the filmmakers. The students, including the winner of the $1,000 YES prize for best film, Xudong Liu, whose Boston documentary, “Gund Kwok,” about the first female troupe to perform the traditional Lion Dance, sat at a long table sharing impressions and ideas and toasting the evening. In addition, throughout the year, the festival’s version of a book club, the Watch Club, invites viewers to stream a film on their own, then join Sullivan and the film’s director online for a Q& A. On July 23, Watch Club watchers talked about “The Blues Society,” a Memphis Country Blues Festival documentary directed by Augusta Palmer, whose father was a musicologist and writer of the book “Deep Blues: A Musical and Cultural History of the Mississippi Delta.” At the 2017 festival, Sullivan emceed a Q& A after the screening of “True Conviction,” a powerful documentary by Jamie Meltzer about falsely accused and convicted people who were later exonerated, released from prison and then worked to free others in situations similar to theirs. The central figure in the documentary, Christopher Scott, was imprisoned for murder in Texas from Oct. 23, 1997, until Oct. 24, 2009. He was given a new trial and subsequently released seven years after the man who had committed the murder admitted to the crime. The festival brought Scott to Newburyport for the Q& A, and the audience was moved by his peaceful and positive demeanor. Setting the scene Back at the State Street table, Morris’ “It started here” thought resonates — like a pithy observation that begins a book. The “here” that Morris refers to has multiple meanings and the added significance that comes with reflecting on an approaching milestone, the Sept. 20-22 festival’s 20th anniversary. The Screening Room, where many of the 500-600 films have been shown, is physically right here. Moreover, her “here” points to a person, festival founder Michelle Fino, who, in a slice of serendipity, happens to amble past the table this very afternoon and, graciously, joins the conversation. She was here in the beginning. That was in 2004, along with Hailey Klein. They assembled and unrolled the do-it-yourself documentary film happening, with more than a little help from their friends. They called it the Northern Lights Documentary Film Festival. Fino recalls the early excitement that organizers felt, the festival being the first in Massachusetts to screen only documentaries. At its core, the attraction that Fino and others felt came from simply seeing movies, whether they were shown in a class, living room, art theater or megaplex. Especially those out-of-the-mainstream films not shown in traditional cinemas and on niche topics by independent filmmakers often working on a shoestring budget. Sullivan says that the past 20 years or so have been a golden age of documentary filmmaking. Digital technology and its relatively inexpensive cameras and other tools of the trade, along with shared learning, have democratized filmmaking. Still, the biggest challenge to hosting a film festival, if you are not a big, well-heeled operation and want it to last, is funding the endeavor and limiting expenses. Money comes from grants, ticket sales, program ads, individual contributions and sponsors. Festival volunteers, then, as now, carried the day. Fino remembers how Matt Bowen of Aloft Group Inc., a Newburyport advertising company, made the festival’s logo, brochures and posters and created a website, all for free. Fino also remembers a wildly successful recruiting effort one morning when she walked, on a lark, to Middle Street Foods and found among friends and acquaintances the needed festival help, the ticket takers, ushers and other volunteers. Comeback story The first year, 2004, the festival showed 28 films, including “Touching the Game: The Story of the Cape Cod Baseball League” and “Chisholm ’72: Unbought & Unbossed,” about New Yorker Shirley Chisholm’s campaign as the first Black woman to run for president. Multiple venues showed the festival’s feature-length and short films. Two places remain mainstays, the 99-seat Screening Room and 191-seat Firehouse Center for the Arts. Fino says that the festival was running out of energy after five or six years. They had no office, so they held meetings wherever they could, including a walk-in closet. Morris’ “here” also means this exact place along the sidewalk on State Street where a chance meeting revamped and reinvigorated the festival six years after it began. One day, in 2010, when the festival was on pause and uncertainty loomed over whether it would resume, Fino was walking her dog past The Port Tavern and saw Morris, who had been a festival volunteer in many capacities since 2005. Morris broached the idea of restarting the festival. Fino encouraged her to have at it, take the reins, and it turned out to be a fortuitous endeavor. “It survived because Joanne took it over,” Fino says. Morris has a background in operations, marketing, administration and film. She was a film major in college and got her master’s in filmmaking at Boston University. What she found she really liked, however, was the logistics of putting a film together, the inherent problem-solving that goes with it. “Oh, we need a car or lighting,” Morris says, ticking off common logistical asks. Here, there and everywhere On another level, the “here” that Morris refers to connects tangentially to the array of documentary films shown at the Newburyport festival. They include coastal and regional stories but also those from corners of the globe, diverse perspectives and wildly varying subjects enriching life and cultivating understanding in Newburyport. Sullivan and Morris take turns sitting at the table, periodically leaving for photo shoots inside and outside The Screening Room, then sit together, leave for more photos and return. Kristin Schaller, dressed as festival mascot Popcorn Patty in a bright red wig and popcorn box costume, poses with the principals outside the theater. Tourists and locals, including kids on school vacation, pad over the sidewalk. They slow and throw casual glances as the photographer aligns Popcorn Patty and the film festival organizers and snaps close-ups and photos from farther away, and at multiple angles. It’s a snapshot of a day in the life of Newburyport, a small city where film, music, theater, dance and literature add to its sense of place. Sullivan, back at the table, says that the festival has the advantage of being in a place that filmmakers like to visit. Some 75% of those whose works are festival selections come here for the weekend of films and discussions and dinners. They roam the city’s red-brick streets and alleys, covering the waterfront and inhaling the ocean air and history. “We put them up at the Essex Street Inn, right over there,” Sullivan says, pointing toward Market Square and south. The Federal-style buildings run in a row along State Street, their hipped roofs and symmetrical fronts a style that cannot be reproduced. “We are here for the long run,” says Sullivan, an Emerson College professor, author and culture junkie, a longtime arts and features writer for The Boston Globe. “Every year, the quality of the film goes up,” he says. “We have doubled down on this. We are only going to show the higher- quality films.” Pictures of truth Sullivan and the committee members who screen and select the festival movies from hundreds of submissions seek to bring the world to Newburyport, and its viewers to far-flung places they may never see. Of course, if there are good films close to home, they join the lineup. This year, the festival will show a David Abel film, “In the Whale,” about a Provincetown fisherman who was swallowed, briefly, by a whale. There will be a movie about female long-haul truck drivers. “We have a film about the explosion in Beirut,” Sullivan says. It is told through the lens of a film company that was making a feature film in Beirut in 2020 during the pandemic, and struggling to complete the movie, when a massive blast devastated the port, killing more than 200 people. The festival has shown films from Cuba and Eastern Europe. This year’s lineup will also include “Porcelain War,” about Ukrainian artisans and everyday life in the war-ravaged nation. Sometimes a film combines politics, distance a nd the strange ways in which events can lead to a movie — and change. “Letter From Masanjia,” Newburyport’s 2018 showcase film, a documentary thriller, tells about a handwritten letter that arrived between foam tombstones in a cheap Halloween kit bought at Kmart by a women in Oregon. The message came from a man named Sun Yi, in forced servitude because he was a practitioner of Falun Gong, an ultraconservative spiritual pursuit banned in China. Filmmaker Leon Lee learned about the letter and traveled to China with a hidden camera. Heart-pounding scenes ensue, and, ultimately, the letter and movie become a catalyst to free people from forced labor camps, according to Lee, who traveled to Newburyport for the festival. A random letter had an unimaginable impact. The story of the Newburyport Documentary Film Festival has grown thanks to both seemingly random good fortune but also planning and a setting that welcomes and enjoys independent filmmaking. It started here. By Terry Date Our Sponsors The Newburyport Documentary Film Festival is supported in part by grants from the local cultural councils of the surrounding towns as well as our local sponsors. If you would like to become a sponsor, please visit our Sponsors page Social Media GET OUR NEWSLETTER Receive Our Latest News Join our mailing list for announcements, ticket sales, special events, monthly documentary recommendations and year-round programs. JOIN OUR MAILING LIST Best Feature: HOLLYWOODGATE Best New England Feature: FAR OUT: LIFE ON AND AFTER THE COMMUNE Best New England Short: THE KATZ TAPES David Kleiler Cinephile Award: DANCING ON THE EDGE OF A VOLCANO Best Short: FROM GOD TO MAN Best First-Time Filmmaker: DRIVER Audience Award: PINK BELT Young Emerging Filmmakers: THE PAHLEVAN ON 5TH AVE Under missile strikes and roaring fighter jets, Ukrainian artists Slava, Anya, and Andrey choose to stay behind and fight, contending with the soldiers they have become. Defiantly finding beauty amid destruction, they show that although it’s easy to make people afraid, it’s hard to destroy their passion for living. https://www.porcelainwar.com @porcelainwarfilm PORCELAIN WAR - Filmmaker Interview
- About Us | NBPT DOCU FEST
2024 Festival September Our 20th year! NBPT DOCU FEST About Us FESTIVAL Submit a Film YES Film Submissions Festival Archive Festival Awards Home PROGRAMS Events Watch Club Archive SUPPORT Donate Become a Sponsor Sponsors Volunteer ABOUT About Us Card To Culture Plan Your Visit Newburyport Documentary Film Festival The Newburyport Documentary Film Festival (NDFF) is held every September, with additional year-round programs, in Newburyport, MA, a destination seaport city 40 minutes north of Boston. Since 2004 we have been bringing the highest caliber documentary films to our community. In addition to weekend screenings at historic venues, we also hold filmmaker receptions, after-parties, panel discussions, Q&As, and workshops. September’s festival features the YES Award (Young Emerging Filmmakers Showcase), works by filmmakers who are current or recent graduates of higher education institutions. Please see our past award winners of our festivals and stay up to date on our latest filmmaker interviews on YouTube. We are the filmmakers' film festival. Our objective is to present thought-provoking, high-caliber, and entertaining documentary films to the vibrant cultural community of greater Newburyport. WE BRING THE WORLD to the Clipper City by curating the best of documentary film. With each showcase, we encourage meaningful interaction with our neighbors about social issues, current and historic events, and sometimes the sheer delight of life on planet Earth. MANY OF OUR FILM SCREENINGS are enhanced by intimate discussions with relevant experts and, whenever possible, the filmmakers themselves, providing our audiences with a unique immersive experience. Our Mission Our History In 2004, the Newburyport Documentary Film Festival (NDFF) had its humble beginnings with founder Michelle Fino at the helm. Fino's vision was clear - to showcase the best in documentary films, setting the stage for what would become a significant cultural event. The festival's identity underwent several transformations in its early years. From its inception as the Northern Lights Documentary Film Festival, it evolved into the Newburyport Film Society, later becoming the Newburyport Film Festival. Finally, in 2018, the festival officially adopted the name "NBPT DOCU FEST." While "Northern Lights" was a title that resonated, the festival embraced the preference of its supporters, media, and community, officially adopting the moniker "Newburyport Documentary Film Festival" to emphasize the importance of a sense of place. Contributing to the festival's journey were two key figures: Lois Smith and David Kleiler. Lois Smith, a board director, brought her expertise as an entertainment publicist, having represented luminaries including Marilyn Monroe, Martin Scorsese, Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, Whitney Houston, Warren Beatty, and Liza Minnelli. David Kleiler, co-founder of the Boston Underground Film Festival, played a pivotal role in the nonprofit Coolidge Corner Theatre Foundation's founding, contributing significantly to the rescue of the theater. We honored Kleiler's legacy by establishing the David Kleiler Award after his passing in 2019. In 2011, Michelle Fino departed from her role, paving the way for the appointment of a new executive director, Joanne Morris Biggio, who has since led the festival. The festival's commitment to its mission was further solidified in June 2016 when it transitioned into a nonprofit organization, ensuring its sustainability and impact. The challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 did not deter the NDFF. The 16th annual festival persisted in a virtual format, leveraging platforms like Eventive to continue bringing exceptional documentaries to its audience. Over its rich history, the festival has showcased a remarkable 300+ films. With two venues to present films, the NDFF has created a unique space for interaction between filmmakers and the audience. Dubbed the "Filmmakers'Festival," this aspect of the event emphasizes the importance of fostering connections and dialogue within the filmmaking community. The Newburyport Documentary Film Festival stands as a testament to the power of storytelling and the enduring spirit of those committed to the art of documentary filmmaking. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Anne Crays | Executive Director James Sullivan | Program Director George Araneo | Treasurer Laura Azevedo | Board Secretary Joanne Morris Mark Davis COMMITTEE MEMBERS Kari Bernard Steve Cahill Peter Carzasty Becca Fundis Ben Fundis Brian Greenberg Sharon Kennedy Sherry Moore SELECTION COMMITTEE Mark Davis Rebecca Fundis Sherry Moore James Sullivan FUNDRAISING Anne Crays | Executive Director Kari Bernard | Event Planning Steve Cahill | Technical Director Michelle Fino | Founder GET OUR NEWSLETTER Receive Our Latest News Join our mailing list for announcements, ticket sales, special events, monthly documentary recommendations and year-round programs. JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
- Watch Club Archive | NBPT DOCU FEST
Collection of Filmmaker Interviews THE WATCH CLUB Filmmaker Interviews NBPT DOCU FEST FESTIVAL Submit a Film YES Film Submissions Festival Archive Festival Awards Home PROGRAMS Events Watch Club Archive SUPPORT Donate Become a Sponsor Sponsors Volunteer ABOUT About Us Card To Culture Plan Your Visit Gluten-Free Vegan Vegetarian Sugar-Free Plant-Based Nut-Free GET OUR NEWSLETTER Receive Our Latest News Join our mailing list for announcements, ticket sales, special events, monthly documentary recommendations and year-round programs. JOIN OUR MAILING LIST VIEW MORE
- YES Film Submissions | NBPT DOCU FEST
Y oung Emerging Showcase YES Film Submissions NBPT DOCU FEST FESTIVAL Submit a Film YES Film Submissions Festival Archive Festival Awards Home PROGRAMS Events Watch Club Archive SUPPORT Donate Become a Sponsor Sponsors Volunteer ABOUT About Us Card To Culture Plan Your Visit YES Film Submissions for 2024 First and Last Name* Email* Phone Number* School Name* Graduation Year & Degree* If currently a student, status level Film Name* URL Location of Film for Viewing* URL Location to Download* Film Duration* Description of Film* How did you hear abut YES* Submit YES (Young Emerging-Filmmakers Showcase) celebrates new and emerging filmmakers. The program features films showcasing the work of current and recent graduates from colleges and universities as perhaps their first opportunity to present finished work to the general public. Award finalists attend and participate in Festival activities, including a filmmaker's roundtable in September. A first-place prize of $1000.00 is awarded to one individual helping to fuel the winner’s next creative endeavor. Rules & Eligibility: Entries are limited to either current students or recent graduates up to three years post-degree. All entries are non-fiction or documentary in nature and execution. The Film should be no less than 5 minutes and no more than 25 minutes in duration. The Submission deadline is June 7, 2024. ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED Please fill out the form below and click Submit. We look forward to reviewing your submissions. Winner of the 2024 YES Award GET OUR NEWSLETTER Receive Our Latest News Join our mailing list for announcements, ticket sales, special events, monthly documentary recommendations and year-round programs. JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
- Photo Gallery | NBPT DOCU FEST
Flickr Album Photo Gallery NBPT DOCU FEST 2024 Festival September Our 20th year! FESTIVAL Submit a Film YES Film Submissions Festival Archive Festival Awards Home PROGRAMS Events Watch Club Archive SUPPORT Donate Become a Sponsor Sponsors Volunteer ABOUT About Us Card To Culture Plan Your Visit Brief Tender Light GET OUR NEWSLETTER Receive Our Latest News Join our mailing list for announcements, ticket sales, special events, monthly documentary recommendations and year-round programs. JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
- Volunteer | NBPT DOCU FEST
Volunteer NBPT DOCU FEST 2024 Festival September Our 20th year! FESTIVAL Submit a Film YES Film Submissions Festival Archive Festival Awards Home PROGRAMS Events Watch Club Archive SUPPORT Donate Become a Sponsor Sponsors Volunteer ABOUT About Us Card To Culture Plan Your Visit Help Bring the Festival to Life The Newburyport Documentary Film Festival needs volunteers for our upcoming events! If you're passionate about documentary filmmaking, join our inspiring community event. Volunteers are essential to our festival's success and will gain new skills, meet like-minded people, and enjoy free access to screenings and events. You'll help organize and set up the festival, as well as assist with events and activities. As a volunteer, you'll be part of an exciting community of documentary enthusiasts and filmmakers, expanding your skills and meeting people who share your passion. Make a difference, gain new experiences, and contribute to an incredible event by signing up today. Let's make this year's festival the best one yet! Email* First name* Last name* Phone* Skills - Insterests Usher Y/N Project Management Y/N Registration Desk Staff Y/N Runner-Erands Y/N Computer Skills Y/N Graphic Design Y/N Videography Y/N Photography Y/N Social Media Y/N Hours per week your available* Experience and Comments Submit GET OUR NEWSLETTER Receive Our Latest News Join our mailing list for announcements, ticket sales, special events, monthly documentary recommendations and year-round programs. JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
- Programs | NBPT DOCU FEST
Programs NBPT DOCU FEST In addition to NDFF we offer year-round programs and events FESTIVAL Submit a Film YES Film Submissions Festival Archive Festival Awards Home PROGRAMS Events Watch Club Archive SUPPORT Donate Become a Sponsor Sponsors Volunteer ABOUT About Us Card To Culture Plan Your Visit World-Class Documentary Films Year-Round GET OUR NEWSLETTER Receive Our Latest News Join our mailing list for announcements, ticket sales, special events, monthly documentary recommendations and year-round programs. JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
- Thank You Page | NBPT DOCU FEST
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- Member Page | NBPT DOCU FEST
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- Ethics | NBPT DOCU FEST
NBPT DOCU FEST Code of Ethics & Bylaws FESTIVAL Submit a Film YES Film Submissions Festival Archive Festival Awards Home PROGRAMS Events Watch Club Archive SUPPORT Donate Become a Sponsor Sponsors Volunteer ABOUT About Us Card To Culture Plan Your Visit NDFF's Charity Registration Search for NDFF Filings Use NDFF's Employer Identification Number (EIN) 81-3196192 to search for NDFF's filings. Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General Code of Ethics We, as volunteers of the Newburyport Documentary Film Festival (staff and board members) dedicate ourselves to carrying out the mission of this organization. We will do the following: 1. Recognize that the chief function of the Newburyport Documentary Film Festival (NDFF) at all times is to serve the best interests of our constituency. 2. Accept as a personal duty the responsibility to keep up to date on emerging issues and to conduct ourselves with professional competence, fairness, impartiality, efficiency, and effectiveness. 3. Respect the structure and responsibilities of the board, provide them with facts and advice as a basis for their making policy decisions, and uphold and implement policies adopted by the board. 4. Keep the community informed about issues affecting it. 5. Conduct our organizational and operational duties with positive leadership exemplified by open communication, creativity, dedication, and compassion. 6. Exercise whatever discretionary authority we have under the law to carry out the mission of the organization. 7. Serve with respect, concern, courtesy, and responsiveness in carrying out the organization’s mission. 8. Demonstrate the highest standards of personal integrity, truthfulness, honesty, and fortitude in all our activities in order to inspire confidence and trust in our activities. 9. Avoid any interest or activity that is in conflict with the conduct of our official duties. 10. Respect and protect privileged information to which we have access in the course of our official duties. 11. Strive for personal and professional excellence and encourage the professional developments of others. BYLAWS OF the Newburyport Film Festival, Inc. Commonwealth of Massachusetts BACKGROUND: The name of this non-profit organization: Newburyport Film Festival, Inc. (aka Newburyport Documentary Film Festival, NBPTDocuFest or NDFF). This organization is organized in accordance with the General Law of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Title XXII, Chapter 180, as amended. The organization has not been formed for the purposes of making profit or obtaining personal financial gain. The assets and income of this organization shall not be distributed to or for the benefit of the trustees, directors, or any other officers. The assets and income shall only be used to promote non-profit purposes as described below. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to prohibit the payment of a modest and reasonable compensation to employees and contractors for services provided for the benefit of the organization. This organization shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried out by a non-profit organization exempt from federal income tax. The organization shall not endorse any candidate or contribute to or work for or otherwise support or oppose any candidate for public office. This organization has been created exclusively for purposes subsequent to section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. PURPOSE: We are the ‘filmmakers' film festival. Our objective is to present thought-provoking, high- caliber and entertaining documentary film to the vibrant cultural community of greater Newburyport. We bring the world to the Clipper City by curating the best of documentary film. With each showcase, we encourage meaningful interaction with our neighbors about social issues, current and historic events, and sometimes the sheer delight of life on planet Earth. Many of our film screenings are enhanced by intimate discussions with relevant experts and, whenever possible, the filmmakers themselves, providing our audiences with a unique immersive experience. ARTICLE I. MEETINGS Annual Meetings. An annual meeting shall be held once every calendar year for the purposes of electing officers, directors and transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting. The annual meeting shall be held at the time and place designated by the Board of Directors and shall be open to all officers, directors and committee members. Unless it falls on a holiday or otherwise is designated by the Board of Directors via written notice, the officers/directors shall meet for their annual meeting on the first Monday in February each year. If this date falls on a holiday, the Board shall select an alternate date and send an electronic notice Revision .6 February 2, 2021, 1 of 9 at least two weeks in advance of the meeting. The quorum will be determined when full membership is established. The following orders of business shall be addressed during the annual meeting unless decided otherwise by the Board of Directors via written notice: • Election of new directors • Reviewing the annual report • Reconciling the balance sheet • Any other transaction of such other business as may be properly brought before the meeting. Regular Meetings. Regular meetings shall be held monthly in order to address ongoing operations which fall under the purview of BOD members. Regular meetings are held on the first Monday of the month and may be suspended as determined by the Executive Director a minimum of 48 hours in advance. Special Meetings. Special meetings may be requested by the Board of Directors. A special meeting of members is not required to be held at a geographic location if the meeting is held by means of teleconference or another form of electronic communications in a manner pursuant to which all members have the chance to read and/or hear the proceedings substantially concurrent with the occurrence of the proceedings, raise points on matters submitted to the members, pose questions, and make comments. Notice. The following amount of written notice of all regular meetings shall be provided under this section or as otherwise required by law: one month. The following amount of written notice of special meetings shall be provided under this section or as otherwise required by law: 48 hours. The notice shall include the date, hour, and location of the meeting and, if for a special meeting, the purpose of the meeting; no other business shall be covered. Such notice shall be deemed effective when sent by ordinary U.S. mail, properly addressed, with paid postage or by electronic mail with return receipt requested. Quorum. A quorum of the Directors shall be the following: 66.6% In the absence of a quorum, a majority of the directors may delay and reschedule the meeting to another time without further notice. If a quorum is represented at a rescheduled meeting, any business may be transacted that might have been transacted at the meeting as originally scheduled. The directors present at a meeting represented by a quorum may continue to transact business until adjournment, even if the withdrawal of some directors results in a representation of less than a quorum. Revision .6 February 2, 2021 2 of 9 ARTICLE II. BOARD OF DIRECTORS and OFFICERS All members of the Board shall be identified as “directors”. Role of Directors. The Board of Directors shall be responsible for having the authority of managing the affairs of the Nonprofit directly and/or by delegation. The Board of Directors is not compensated. Number of Directors. The organization shall be managed by a Board of Directors consisting of 5-11 directors, three of whom are also officers. The remaining members will serve as At-Large Directors (voting). There may be an Advisory Director (non- voting). Two or more offices may be held by one person. Number of Officers. The Officers of the organization shall be as follows: an Executive Director; a Secretary, and a Treasurer. Two or more offices may be held by one person. The Executive Director may not concurrently serve in another position. Officer Roles. The Officers shall have the following responsibilities in their roles: Executive Director -- The Executive Director shall develop agendas and preside over all meetings of the Board of Directors, sign all corporate documents unless they delegate that responsibility to another Officer, and direct the process of the creation and implementation of resolutions. Secretary -- The Secretary shall provide notice of any and all meetings to the Board of Directors, keep an updated list of the membership of the Board of Directors, keep and organize minutes for all regular and special meetings, and certify and arrange the official records of the organization. Treasurer -- The Treasurer shall be responsible for conducting the organization's financial affairs as directed by the Board of Directors and shall prepare and present reports regarding the organization’s finances as required, but no less often than at the annual meeting of the Board of Directors. The Treasurer will have signature authority as does the Executive Director. Election and Term of Office. There will be a call for nominations each year in November to all officers, directors, committee members, and volunteer members. At closure of the nomination process, the current BOD will deliberate and create a new slate of officers/directors to be voted on at the Annual Meeting. The new slate shall be presented for a majority vote at the annual meeting. Each officer/director shall serve a three year term with the ability to run again when the term expires, or until and unless a successor has been elected and qualified. Revision .6 February 2, 2021 3 of 9 Timeline: • November: the BOD establishes a volunteer base to participate in the process. • November: call for nominations to the volunteer base. • December 31st: Nominations are closed. The BOD (acting as a nominating committee) creates a slate of officers and presents it to the BOD, Steering Committee, and select volunteers for vote on the slate of officers at the Annual Meeting. Quorum. A quorum of the Directors shall be the following: 66.6%. Regular Meetings. After their election, the Board of Directors shall commence monthly, operational meetings for the purpose of electing its new officers, appointing new committee chairpersons, and for transacting such other business as may be deemed appropriate. The Board of Directors may cancel, by resolution, regular meetings without notice other than the notice provided by the resolution. Special Meetings. Special meetings may be requested by any member of the Board of Directors. A special meeting may be requested by providing 48 hours written notice by United States mail or electronic mail with return receipt requested, effective when sent. Minutes of the meeting shall be sent to the Board of Directors within 48 hours after the meeting. A special meeting of members is not required to be held at a geographic location if the meeting is held by means of the internet or other electronic communication in a manner pursuant to which all members have the opportunity to read and/or hear the proceedings substantially concurrent with the occurrence of the proceedings, note on matters submitted to the members, pose questions, and make comments. Procedures. The vote of a majority of the Directors present at a properly called meeting as dictated by these Bylaws at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors unless the vote of a greater number is required by law or by these Bylaws for a particular resolution. A Director of the organization who is present at a meeting of the Board of Directors at which action on any matter before the BOD is taken shall be presumed to have assented to the action taken unless their dissent shall be entered in the minutes of the meeting. Revision .6 February 2, 2021 4 of 9 The Board shall keep written minutes of its proceedings as long as the content is material (generally three years). The minutes will include, at the least, names of all members present, resolutions proposed and voted upon, and any Director abstentions or objections to resolutions. Parliamentary procedure will be employed using “Robert’s Rules of Order”. Vacancies and Removals. A Director shall be subjected to removal, with or without cause, at a meeting called for that purpose. Any vacancy that occurs on the Board of Directors, whether by death, resignation, removal, or any other reason, may be filled by a majority vote of the remaining Directors. A Director elected to fill a vacancy shall serve the remaining term of their predecessor or until a successor has been elected and qualified. If all Directors resign or are removed, any Officer shall hold a special meeting for the purpose of electing a new Director or Board of Directors. If this does not occur, the Newburyport Documentary Film Festival is to be dissolved (see Article V). Resignation. If a Director wishes to resign from their directorial position, they shall do so in the following manner: • Two months written notice shall be provided allowing time to solicit nominations. • A special meeting will be scheduled to confirm a replacement. Committees. To the extent permitted by Massachusetts law, the Board of Directors may appoint from its members a committee or committees, temporary or permanent, and designate the duties, powers, and authorities of such committees. The committees shall have a specific purpose and the Board of Directors, in creating a committee, shall outline the parameters of the committee, including, but not limited to, meetings, notice, quorum requirements, and all other pertinent procedures. ARTICLE III. TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY Budget. The Board should assure that a realistic annual budget is set and that it is developed early enough that the entire board can be involved in its review and approval at the beginning of the fiscal year. Accounting. The Board should assure that the NDFF has adequate internal accounting systems and controls, and should consider requiring Board action on large or especially significant contracts or grants, and on all transactions involving real estate, borrowing, or sale/disposal of large assets. Board members should expect the treasurer to produce income/expense statement, balance sheets and/or budget status reports as required. Revision .6 February 2, 2021 5 of 9 Spending Guidelines Financial Filings. Upon request, the NDFF commits to providing copies of the most recently filed annual information returns (IRS Form 990) and the organization's application for tax-exemption correspondence between the organization and the IRS related to the application. Documentation Retention. Foundational documentation (Bylaws, Mission Statements, etc.) is kept as permanent records being amended over time as required. The reporting of our BOD will be retained for as long as the contents are material (generally three years) consistent with Massachusetts Non-profit requirements (830 CMR 62C.25.1). Documentation Disposition. Informal documentation can be scrapped and recycled. Formal documentation (policy and contract documentation, grant proposals, budget and financial statements) shall be shredded; deleted if electronic. Relationships. The NDFF utilizes practices that demonstrate accountability and respect for donors (thank-you notes, donation visibility when as requested, etc.). Before committing to spend money via signing a vendor contract, submitting an invoice, or proceeding with payment via credit card: Spending Threshold Action < $100 Contact treasurer if you have any questions; otherwise, proceed with spending. $100 to <$500 Discuss (phone, text, email) with treasurer the nature of the expense and amount to confirm spending is planned within budget. $500 and greater Discuss (phone, text, email) with treasurer the nature of the expense and amount to confirm spending is planned within budget. Seek BOD approval even if within the approved budget. Executive Director - unplanned discretionary spending Discuss (phone, text or email) with treasurer the nature of the expense, the rationale for spending. The Executive Directors can commit to a maximum of $250 in unbudgeted discretionary spending no more than four times within the fiscal year, Without seeking be BOD approval. After spending is committed: Spending threshold Action All amounts Submit invoice to treasurer for check payment; provide any related documentation. If an NDFF credit card purchase or a personal reimbursable expense, provide treasurer with all receipts and any related documentation. Revision .6 February 2, 2021 6 of 9 Conflict of Interest. The NDFF directors, officers and volunteers must recuse themselves when they have a conflict of interest regarding a transaction over which they have authority on behalf of the NDFF and are intent on preventing any business agents or volunteers from advancing their own personal interests with or against the interests of the NDFF. Procedure. • When an actual conflict of interest is found, any transactions that may have been affected will be reviewed retroactively and affected parties both within and outside the NDFF will be notified. • As all conflicts of interest will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, a review may result in disciplinary action. The Board of Directors has full discretion to deem what disciplinary action is both fitting and necessary, including removal from any NDFF position. Whistleblower Policy. The NDFF Requires directors, officers and volunteers to observe high standards of business and personal ethics in the conduct of their duties and responsibilities and comply with all applicable laws and regulations. Reporting responsibility: This Whistleblower Policy is intended to enable board members and volunteers to raise serious concerns internally so that the NDFF can address inappropriate conduct. It is the responsibility of all board members, officers, and volunteers to report concerns about violations of the NDFF’s code of ethics or suspected violations of law or regulations that govern the NDFF’s operations. No Retaliation: It is contrary to the values of the NDFF for anyone to retaliate against any board member or volunteer who in good faith reports an ethics violation, or a suspected violation of law. Reporting Procedure: The NDFF has an open door policy and suggests that volunteers share their questions, concerns, suggestions or complaints in writing with the identified Compliance Officer. Compliance Officer: The NDFF’s Compliance Officer is responsible for ensuring that all complaints about unethical or illegal conduct are investigated and resolved. The Compliance Officer will advise the Board of Directors of all complaints and their resolution. Accounting and Auditing Matters: The NDFF’s Compliance Officer shall immediately notify the Board of Directors of any concerns or complaints regarding corporate accounting practices, internal controls or auditing and work with the committee until the matter is resolved. Revision .6 February 2, 2021 7 of 9 Confidentiality: Violations or suspected violations may be submitted on a confidential basis by the complainant. Reports of violations or suspected violations will be kept confidential to the extent possible, consistent with the need to conduct an adequate investigation. Handling of Reported Violations: The NDFF’s Compliance Officer will notify the person who submitted a complaint and acknowledge receipt of the reported violation or suspected violation. All reports will be promptly investigated and appropriate corrective action will be taken if warranted by the investigation. Compliance Officer: The Compliance Officer may be a board member, the Executive Director, or a third party designated by the organization to receive, investigate and respond to complaints. ARTICLE IV. AMENDING BYLAWS Amendment Procedure. The Bylaws may be amended, altered, or repealed by the Board of Directors by a majority of a quorum vote at any regular or special meeting. The full text of the proposed change shall be distributed to all board members at least fourteen (14) days before the meeting where the change is to be voted on. ARTICLE V. DISSOLUTION Dissolution Procedure. The organization may be dissolved only with the authorization of the Board of Directors given a special meeting called for that express purpose and with the subsequent approval of a supermajority (2/3rds) vote of the members. Liabilities. All liabilities and obligations shall be paid, satisfied, and discharged, or adequate provisions shall be made, therefore. Distribution of Assets. Assets not held upon a condition requiring return, transfer, or conveyance to any other organization or individual shall be distributed, transferred, or conveyed, in trust or otherwise, to a charitable and educational organization, organized under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, of a similar or like nature to this organization, as determined by the Board of Directors. Revision .6 February 2, 2021 8 of 9 CERTIFICATION I, ______________________, Executive Director of Newburyport Documentary Film Festival certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the Bylaws of the above- named organization, duly adopted by the Initial Board of Directors on ______________. _________________________________ Executive Director I, _______________________, Secretary of Newburyport Documentary Film Festival certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the Bylaws of the above-named organization, duly adopted by the Initial Board of Directors on ______________. _________________________________ GET OUR NEWSLETTER Receive Our Latest News Join our mailing list for announcements, ticket sales, special events, monthly documentary recommendations and year-round programs. JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
- Calendar | NBPT DOCU FEST
FESTIVAL Submit a Film YES Film Submissions Festival Archive Festival Awards Home PROGRAMS Events Watch Club Archive SUPPORT Donate Become a Sponsor Sponsors Volunteer ABOUT About Us Card To Culture Plan Your Visit Every September we invite you to share in the NBPT DOCU FEST experience. Our charming seaport village is forty minutes north of Boston. NBPT DOCU FEST Calendar Preview Event: September ? Festival: September 20-22nd Film Submissions May 1 - July 30 Important Dates Visit the Event's page Better way to display dates vers the calender format at the bottom which loads slow. GET OUR NEWSLETTER Receive Our Latest News Join our mailing list for announcements, ticket sales, special events, monthly documentary recommendations and year-round programs. JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
- Plan Your Visit | NBPT DOCU FEST
FESTIVAL Submit a Film YES Film Submissions Festival Archive Festival Awards Home PROGRAMS Events Watch Club Archive SUPPORT Donate Become a Sponsor Sponsors Volunteer ABOUT About Us Card To Culture Plan Your Visit Every September we invite you to share in the NBPT DOCU FEST experience. Our charming seaport village is forty minutes north of Boston. NBPT DOCU FEST Plan Your Visit Gather to Experience Thought-provoking Films in an Intimate Seaside Setting Film-lovers gather to experience films on the big screen. Celebrate films in historic Newburyport, alongside the Directors that made them. About Newburyport, MA Newburyport is a small coastal city in 35 miles North of Boston. A historic seaport with a vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island. We invite you to enjoy your visit with visits to our Parks, Beaches and Outdoors, Tours, Museums, and vibrant downtown. Resources For Your Visit Restaurants Dining Other Resources Newburyport Chamber of Commerce Parks https://www.fws.gov/refuge/parker_river/ https://www.mass.gov/locations/maudslay-state-park https://www.newburyport.com/waterfront-park/ https://www.facebook.com/Moseley-Woods-Park-178007698921774/ Beaches and Outdoors https://www.newburyport.com/plum-island-beach/ https://www.fws.gov/refuge/parker_river/ https://www.mass.gov/locations/sandy-point-state-reservation https://www.newburyport.com/clipper-city-rail-trail-videos/ https://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries/joppa-flats https://www.mass.gov/locations/salisbury-beach-state-reservation Tours http://captainsfishing.com/ https://www.plumislandkayak.com/ Museums http://www.customhousemaritimemuseum.org/ Downtown https://www.newburyport.com/downtown-shopping/ GET OUR NEWSLETTER Receive Our Latest News Join our mailing list for announcements, ticket sales, special events, monthly documentary recommendations and year-round programs. JOIN OUR MAILING LIST