Frequently Asked Questions
Please note that although an indication of the topics covered is provided, many questions apply to several topics. If you have additional questions, please call the office (302-645-9095, x1).
GENERAL FILM SOCIETY INFORMATION
1. Where is the Rehoboth Beach Film Society office?
2. What are the Film Society’s office hours?
3. Can I purchase tickets on the internet?
CINEMA ART THEATER INFORMATION
5. What is the Cinema Art Theater?
GENERAL MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
6. Why should I join the Rehoboth Beach Film Society?
7. What does a Membership offer me?
8. Is my membership tax deductible?
9. How long is my membership good for?
10. Must I bring my membership card to all events?
11. Can I join or renew my membership at the Festival?
12. Should I join or renew my membership if I am not attending this year’s Festival?
13. Does next year’s decision have to be the same as the decision I make this year?
FESTIVAL AND FESTIVAL PASS INFORMATION –
15. How are the films selected for the Festival and who selects them?
16. Where is the Festival held?
17. Why do I need a Festival Pass to attend the Film Festival?
18. Is the cost of a Festival Pass tax deductible?
19. Why are there so many Festival Pass levels?
20. Do I have to buy a Festival Pass now or can I purchase it later?
21. When will I receive my Festival Pass?
22. What Festival Pass allows me to purchase tickets before the Festival?
23. How many tickets can I purchase with a Festival Pass?
24. I don’t understand the rule about purchasing tickets for overlapping films.
25. Can I purchase tickets for a friend with my Festival Pass?
27. If I purchase a Festival Pass, when can I purchase my film tickets?
28. When will I receive my Festival program?
29. My partner and I each purchased a Festival Pass, will we each receive a Festival program?
31. Why do I have to allow 30 minutes between screenings I want to attend?
32. Why do I have to show both my Festival Pass and my ticket at the theater?
33. What if I only want to see a few films at the Festival?
35. Can I buy more than one Mini Pass?
36. What if I don’t want to buy a Festival Pass?
37. What are Rush Ticket Sales?
38. If I don’t buy a Festival Pass in advance, how can I get a program before the Festival?
39. What else should I know about?
GENERAL FILM SOCIETY INFORMATION
1. Where is the Rehoboth Beach Film Society office?
The office is located at 107 Truitt Ave, Rehoboth Beach (directly behind Farmer Girl on Coastal Highway). Truitt Avenue is accessed by Route 24, just west of the Route 1 intersection. When visiting, please park in our driveway on Paynter Ave. (Click here for map) Films do not screen at the office. To watch a film go to the Cinema Art Theater.
2. What are the Film Society’s office hours?
9 am – 5 pm, Monday – Friday.
3. Can I purchase admission on the internet?
For year-round programs, you can purchase admission on the RBFS website.
There are many opportunities to become involved with the Rehoboth Beach Film Society:
CINEMA ART THEATER INFORMATION
5. What is the Cinema Art Theater?
The Cinema Art Theater, or CAT, is the Film Society’s own theater where we screen all our selected films. The theater phone number is 302-313-4032. The theater address is 17701 Dartmouth Dr. in Lewes. More information is available here.
GENERAL MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
6. Why should I join the Rehoboth Beach Film Society?
Becoming a member of the Rehoboth Beach Film Society is a wonderful way to support a community-based arts organization that strives to bring quality cinematic arts to southern Delaware. Click here for information about membership and benefits.
7. What does a Membership offer me?
A Membership provides:
- Discount admission to various film events throughout the year
- Email notices of upcoming events
- A discounted subscription to Delaware Beach Life magazine for new subscribers
- Satisfaction of supporting a nonprofit organization which provides quality programming
Click here for more information about Membership benefits.
8. Is my membership tax deductible?
Yes, the Rehoboth Beach Film Society is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, therefore membership dues are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Click here to view tax deductible amounts.
9. How long is my membership good for?
A membership is good for one year. Renewal dates are March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31 of each year.
10. Must I bring my membership card to all events?
Yes, bring your membership card because many times the card entitles you to a discount admission fee.
11. Can I join or renew my membership at the Festival?
Yes you can, but limited resources make renewing or joining at the Festival time consuming. Please check back for more details on Festival Box Office hours of operation and plan accordingly. We encourage you to join or renew online before the Festival. Click here for online renewal. From the membership pages you can renew/join online or you can print the application, fill it out and mail it to the Film Society office.
12. Should I join or renew my membership if I am not attending this year’s Festival?
Yes! Membership includes more than just Festival benefits, it includes discount admission to year-round programs, and a weekly email notice of upcoming events. In addition, your membership support helps the RBFS to continue bringing quality cinematic arts to Sussex County throughout the year.
13. Does next year’s decision have to be the same as the decision I make this year?
No, this year’s decision does not impact next year’s decision.
FESTIVAL AND FESTIVAL PASS INFORMATION
FESTIVAL PASSES WILL NOT BE REQUIRED FOR THE 2022 REHOBOTH BEACH INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL
The Festival is usually held in early November.
15. How are the films selected for the Festival and who selects them?
The Rehoboth Beach Film Society hires a professional programmer to curate films for the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival. This person has experience with programming other festivals as well as relationships with numerous distributors.
16. Where is the Festival held?
The multi-day event is held at several locations in the Rehoboth Beach area, including the Rehoboth Beach Film Society’s Cinema Art Theater, the Cape Henlopen High School Theater and the Unitarian Universalists of Southern Delaware. All venues are within a few minutes’ drive of each other.
17. Why do I need a Festival Pass to attend the Film Festival?
A Festival Pass provides benefits that range from simply buying tickets each day, to eligibility for pre-Festival purchasing, to priority admission privileges. A person must display the Festival Pass and the ticket to enter the theater. Click here to read more about the specific benefits of each of the six different levels of Passes available.
18. Is the cost of a Festival Pass tax deductible?
Yes, the cost of a Festival Pass is tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
19. Why are there so many Festival Pass levels?
The Rehoboth Beach Film Society strives to make quality cinematic arts affordable to all, while at the same time generating sufficient revenue to support the event’s production costs. Six levels, each with a different set of benefits, allow each film enthusiast to select a package that meets his/her individual interests and budget.
20. Do I have to buy a Festival Pass now or can I purchase it later?
A Festival Pass can be purchased at any time. If you are a member it makes sense to do it at renewal time in order to avoid delays in processing as the Festival approaches. Please note that only those who have purchased Festival Passes will be mailed a copy of the Festival Program when it becomes available in October.
21. When will I receive my Festival Pass?
Festival Passes will be mailed to buyers in early October with the Festival Program and ticket purchasing information. To avoid possible delays due to processing, be sure to buy your Festival Pass well in advance. Do not lose your Pass! Keep it in a safe place—treat it like cash. You will need the Pass to purchase tickets, and you will need to show your Pass at the Festival.
22. What Festival Pass allows me to purchase tickets before the Festival?
Producer and Director level Festival Pass holders may buy tickets between Oct 14 and Oct 26. Screenwriter Pass holders may buy tickets between Oct 28 and Oct 30. Click here for more information.
23. How many tickets can I purchase with a Festival Pass?
Each Festival Pass holder may purchase one ticket per film title according to the following terms:
- no tickets can be purchased for films with screening times that overlap
- there must be at least 20 minutes between the ending time of one screening and the starting time of the next film you wish to see to allow time to exit the theater and get to the next film.
24. I don’t understand the rule about purchasing tickets for overlapping films.
Tickets may not be purchased for films that overlap because the Festival Pass holder cannot be in two theaters at the same time. Generally this means that only one film ticket can be purchased in a two hour period, taking into consideration a film’s runtime and the required 20 minute interval between films.
25. Can I purchase tickets for a friend with my Festival Pass?
A Festival Pass holder may only purchase film tickets for him/herself, therefore tickets cannot be purchased for a friend.
26. I want to attend films with a friend. How can we get our tickets together before the Festival starts?
Any two Festival Pass holders may submit one combined ticket order; however, both Pass holders must be eligible to purchase tickets at the time the order is placed. A single shared mailing address is not required. For example, a combined order from a Producer and a Director will be processed when submitted between Oct 14 and Oct 26 because both levels are eligible during that sales period. A combined order from a Producer and a Screenwriter would be processed between Oct 28 and Oct 30 because the Screenwriter Pass may not purchase until that sales period.
27. If I purchase a Festival Pass, when can I purchase my film tickets?
The level of the Festival Pass purchased determines when the holder can purchase film tickets.
- Director and Producer Pass holders may purchase tickets October 14 – 26 (ending at 5:00 pm).
- Screenwriters may purchase tickets October 28 – Oct 30
- Film Buffs and Students buy tickets on the day of the screening, but may purchase tickets on Nov 1 for films screening Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Nov 1-3, and on Nov 8 for films screening Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Nov 8 – 10.
- Mini Pass purchase tickets on the day of the screening.
(Click here for more information about Festival Pass levels and benefits.)
28. When will I receive my Festival program?
Festival programs are mailed to Festival Pass purchasers starting the first week of October.
29. My partner and I each purchased a Festival Pass, will we each receive a Festival program?
Yes, each Festival Pass buyer will be mailed the Festival program with his or her Festival Pass in early October.
30. If I purchase Festival tickets during pre-Festival sales, am I allowed to buy more tickets when I arrive at the Festival?
Additional tickets can be purchased starting on the first day of the Festival. You may purchase additional tickets only for yourself, therefore those tickets cannot be for film titles already purchased, for films that overlap with already purchased film tickets, or for films that have less than 30 minutes between the ending time of previously purchased tickets and the beginning the new film.
31. Why do I have to allow 30 minutes between screenings I want to attend?
The 30 minute break allows time for each pass holder to exit the theater and get to their next screening without missing any part of the film and disturbing audiences. With screenings being held at several different venues, it is particularly important to allow time for possible travel to another location.
32. Why do I have to show both my Festival Pass and my ticket at the theater?
In order to maintain equitable ticket distribution, proof of having purchased a Festival Pass is required to enter a theater.
33. What if I only want to see a few films at the Festival?
If you only want to see 1, 2, or 3 films, then you can purchase a Mini Festival Pass. Once you enjoy the Festival experience, you may want to see more! Please remember that reduced inventory may limit ticket availability on same-day sales.
The One-Day Pass has been replaced by the Mini Pass, which allows the purchase of four single tickets (one ticket per film title) for films on any day(s) of the Festival that the Pass holder chooses. Tickets for the selected films may be purchased only on the day(s) each film is screened. Mini Passes will be available for purchase online before the Festival.
35. Can I buy more than one Mini Pass?
Yes, after you finish using a Mini Pass you can buy another one for yourself, but you may find there are more benefits if you purchase a Film Buff Festival Pass.
36. What if I don’t want to buy a Festival Pass?
Those who choose not to purchase a Festival Pass can “take a chance” with Rush Ticket Sales (see below) for films that are not sold out. Festival Passes offer the benefit of purchasing tickets prior to the screening, and provide the best chance of getting a seat.
37. What are Rush Ticket Sales?
At all screenings 10 minutes before the start of the film, any available seat can be purchased for $15 with exact change, cash payment only.
38. If I don’t buy a Festival Pass in advance, how can I get a program before the Festival?
Festival Programs are distributed locally beginning in mid-October. The program is also made available online at that time. Previous programs are also on the website (click here).
39. What else should I know about?
Planning is underway to continue the trend of making each year’s Festival better. Stay tuned for more exciting news as details are finalized. Please check back frequently for more information!