TUNKHANNOCK, Pa. — Get your ticket, grab that popcorn and candy, then pick a seat in the theater. The lights are about to dim at the "Sundance on the Susquehanna," officially known as Winter Fest, the Winter Film Festival at the Dietrich Theater in Tunkhannock.
The festival brings 20 independent and foreign films to Wyoming County every year.
"I love that we get to see the independent films that aren't so Hollywood," Sandra Austin said.
"Winter Fest we love because it is right before the Oscars, so there is lots of buzz on the movies, lots of discussion of people's picks in the area on the Oscars," said Erica Rogler, the Dietrich's executive director.
Several Oscar-nominated films are in the lineup, like "Maestro" and "Anatomy of a Fall."
Ronnie Harvey is the general manager at the Deitrich. He's the one who books the films.
"I've been doing it for many years, and I've gotten to know the audience that comes and what they like to see," Harvey said.
Sandra Austin from Tunkhannock has seen 17 of the 20 movies and plans to see them all. Her favorite so far is "The Holdovers."
"I like movies that start out showing you what the problem is and solving it in the end."
Movie buffs say that while the films bring them back year after year, their favorite part is what happens when the lights come back up. The day after the final film is shown, the Dietrich hosts a roundtable discussion focused on the year's features.
"You get to see the different people's perspectives, something you may have missed, or it's completely different than what you thought. That's the fun part of it," Harry Sweppenheiser said.
"After the films, people will get up and start conversations with strangers, and those conversations turn into friendships, and they gather at the festivals each time we hold them. So it is a real celebration of community," Rogler said.
"It makes Tunkhannock such a wonderful place, and the Dietrich Theater is the heart of our town," Austin added.
The last day of the winter film festival is Thursday, March 7.
More information is available HERE.