MARTINSBURG – Dozens of filmmakers, students and film fans gathered at the Apollo Theatre this weekend for the first-ever Martinsburg Film Festival, an event is designed to highlight local independent filmmaking while encouraging new storytellers.
The multi-day festival featured film screenings, workshops and discussions with industry professionals, giving aspiring filmmakers an opportunity to learn about the craft and business of filmmaking.
Among the featured speakers was Hollywood writer, producer and actor Darrell Fetty, a West Virginia native known for the miniseries “The Hatfields and McCoys,” and the current series “The Gray House,” who shared stories from his decades-long career in the entertainment industry and offered advice to emerging filmmakers.
Fetty told attendees that storytelling has long played a central role in human culture.
“The world needs storytellers,” Fetty said during his keynote talk. “From the very beginning of human history, people gathered around fires and told stories about their experiences.”
Fetty said that tradition is particularly strong in Appalachia, where storytelling has historically been a way to pass down family history, humor and lessons about life.
“West Virginia has a strong heritage and a rich tradition of storytelling rooted in Appalachian culture,” he said.
During his talk, Fetty also described his own path from growing up in West Virginia to building a career in Hollywood. After graduating from Marshall University, he moved to California hoping to become an actor and eventually found work in the mailroom at American International Pictures.
That job led to an unexpected opportunity when he offered advice to a studio executive about a film project and was soon hired as a story analyst reading and evaluating screenplays.
Over the years, Fetty said he worked with or encountered some of the film industry’s most influential figures, including directors and writers who helped shape modern Hollywood.
Despite the challenges of breaking into the industry, Fetty encouraged the audience to remain committed to their ideas.
“When you’re looking for ideas, find one that really ignites you and makes you want to commit to it and put in the time necessary to make something good,” he said.
The festival also included screenings of independent films and opportunities for local filmmakers to showcase their work. Festival Director Brett Hammond, who previously hosted a similar film festival in Berkeley Springs, says the event is intended to help build a filmmaking community in the region while connecting local creators with professionals working in the industry.
For Fetty, seeing aspiring filmmakers gather to share ideas and learn about storytelling was a rewarding experience.
“It’s rewarding to see people who want to keep making movies and keep wanting to tell stories,” he said.