Let s converge...at Fest Forward

When it comes to Festivals and Convergence, SXSW came early to the game. In 1994, they broadened their focus from a strictly music industry event to include interactive technology and film.

Come celebrate 30 years of SXSW with Executive Director Mike Shea and hear him speak on "SXSW's Past, Present and Future” at FestForward Convergence.

Richard Glasser started his career as a young Motown recording artist (who still plays a mean piano) and since then, he has enjoyed a highly successful career in the music and film industries as the Head of Music at The Weinstein Company. In addition to his work on the film Crash, which received the Academy Award for Best Picture, Mr. Glasser has served as Music Supervisor for major motion pictures such as Silver Linings Playbook, Butter, Hostage, Painted Veil, The Illusionist, First Snow, Gray Matters and lots more.

Be sure to ask him what's on deck at FestForward Convergence!

From greeting his Holiness The Dalai Lama to partnering with charities such as WaterAid, Oxfam and Greenpeace, while listening to The Who,Robert Richard's job is a convergence in it’s own right. In addition to contemporary music, the festival hosts dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret, and other arts.

Come converge with Robert Richards only atFestForward Convergence.

Founded in 1957, San Francisco International Film Festival is among the longest running film festivals in the Americas. Organized by the San Francisco Film Society, the festival is held every spring for two weeks, presenting around 200 films from over 50 countries annually. The Festival highlights current trends in international film and video production with an emphasis on work that has not yet secured U.S. distribution.

In March 2014, Noah Cowan, former executive director of the Toronto International Film Festival, became executive director of the SFFS and SFIFF. Hear his thoughts on Film Festival Survival atFestForward Convergence.

The Hawaii Food & Wine Festival is the premier epicurean destination event in the Pacific. The Festival takes place over two weeks on multiple islands, featuring a roster of over 100 internationally-renowned master chefs, culinary personalities, and wine and spirit producers.

Come hear and meet Festival Co-founder and Celebrity Chef Roy Yamaguchi and the accomplished dynamic Festival Executive Director,Denise Yamaguchi at FestForward Convergence.

"We are working to see a world without extreme poverty by 2030, which involves leveraging the voices of Global Citizens to achieve large scale wins for the world’s poor and building events such as the Global Citizen Festival where these wins can be announced and celebrated.”

Hear visionary Justine Lucas, Global Director of Programs at Global Citizen, speaking on "Working with Charities: The Festival As Change Agent” atFestForward Convergence.

Shep Gordon has had a profound and positive impact on music, film and the culinary world. His career is punctuated with converging new ideas and amazing people. Gordon, the subject of Mike Myer’s 2014 documentary “Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon” will be honored as FestForward’s Best of the Fests inaugural “Lifetime Achievement Award” recipient.

Look up the word convergence in the dictionary and you might find a picture of Shep Gordon - better yet…converge with him as he receives his Lifetime Achievement award at FestForward Convergence.