Elliot Grove: Festival Was Listed by Variety as One of the World’s Top 50 “Unmissable Film Festivals”

Location(s) London, New York City, Vancouver, Montreal, Toronto, Berlin, Brussels and Budapest
Website https://www.raindance.org

Raindance is an independent film festival and film school that operates in major cities including London, Los Angeles, New York, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Budapest, Berlin, and Brussels.[1] The festival was established in 1992 by Elliot Grove to be the voice of British filmmaking,[citation needed] and it showcases features and shorts by filmmakers from around the world to an audience of film executives and buyers, journalists, film fans and filmmakers.[2]

In 2013, the festival was listed by Variety as one of the world’s top 50 “unmissable film festivals”.[3]

Tell us about yourself?

elliot was denied watching movie in his Amish Mennonite background in Ontario. HGe was told that the devil lived in the cinema.

Elliot Grove founded Raindance as a thought experiment: Can you make a film with no money, no training and no experience?

In 1993 he founded the Raindance Film Festival, the British Independent Film Awards in 1998, Raindance TV in 2007 and Raindance Film School in 2017.

His production company Raindance Raw Talent has produced six features since 2013.

Elliot has written three industry standard texts in filmmaking and screenwriting and teaches writers and producers in the UK, Europe, Japan and America.

www.raindance.org

If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?

I have failed to keep archives of all the events and people I have met since 1992

What problem does your business solve?

We are always trying to attract sponsors. At Raindance we eat what we kill. As a social enterprise it has ben challenging to get the messaging right without sounding desperate.

What is the inspiration behind your business?

We dont teach filmmaking. We make filmmakers! Our film school has been a resounding success. And we now operate in London, Dubai and Mexico.

What is your magic sauce?

No other film school, in the world is attached to a mojor international film festival. Our film school staff are NOT teachers – they are working industry professionals

What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?

We have the vision for a community of like-minded creatives willing to share and to help each other

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?

Responding to the challenges by global economic crises (2008) and the pandemic (2020-22) has meant that we have had to continually re-invent ourselves

How do people get involved/buy into your vision?

We nhave a membership scheme that starts with FREE! raindance.org/membertship/