For filmmaker Charles Marinaro, the Catskills aren’t just where he makes movies. They’re home.

Marinaro lives in Sullivan County, films throughout the region and works with local artists. About eight years ago, he helped launch the Catskill International Film Festival (CIFF).

Founded in 2018, CIFF began with a curated showcase at SUNY Sullivan before moving to the Callicoon Theater. Now, the festival is moving into its next chapter in Hurleyville, with 45 films, live music, comedy, workshops and more.

Marinaro says creating a festival in the Catskills was always personal.

“I live in Sullivan County. I film throughout Sullivan County. A lot of the artists I work with are in Sullivan County. So, it was very important to me to have a festival in my own backyard, something someplace where I find home.”

That local connection runs through this year’s festival, from a documentary about Catskills boxing history to Marinaro’s own film, Where the High Ends, shot throughout Sullivan County.

The festival has grown considerably since those early days. It now includes a digital component, allowing audiences to watch films, workshops and Q&As online for free.

Marinaro says the festival emphasizes contemporary filmmaking, with an emphasis on films made within the past year or two. He says that gives audiences a chance to see what filmmakers around the country and the world are thinking about now.

Among the films with a strong Catskills connection is Ringside in the Mountains, a documentary about the history of boxing in the region and its connection to the Borscht Belt era.

Marinaro is also premiering Where the High Ends on opening night. Because he’s a festival co-chairman, the film is being presented outside the competition.

Shot throughout Sullivan County, it features local talent both in front of and behind the camera. The film explores drug addiction and the way its effects ripple outward, affecting families and communities as well as the person struggling with addiction.

“It’s a story of redemption,” Marinaro says.

The weekend includes live music, comedy, networking events, workshops and parties, culminating in a masquerade ball Saturday night.

“You’re going to find something to enjoy in this festival,” he says. “I’m a film lover, but I know it’s challenging just to sit in one spot for three days. So, we made this event as interactive as possible.”

This year’s festival also carries particular significance for the local arts community. It will be the final major event at the Hurleyville Performing Arts Center.

Marinaro calls the venue “a pillar, a beacon of hope” for local artists, musicians, poets and people with intellectual disabilities.

The Catskill International Film Festival runs Oct. 9–11.