Wednesday Soapbox - Go To A Film Festival!

Film Festivals Not Named Sundance, Toronto, or SXSW

So I thought I’d just step on the soap box today to throw a little love to the smaller film festivals.

When folks think of a film festival they immediately go to the big boys. Sundance, Toronto, South By Southwest, Tribeca, even Telluride are all film festivals that many have heard of, even outside the film world.

So what if you are a film buff and you want to go to a festival, but can’t afford to trek to the big guys? The obvious option is to check out something a bit closer to home.

Some of the best experiences you may have are at a hometown festival.

I bring this up as the Wisconsin Film Festival kicks off in Madison, WI. This week many filmmakers will show their wares AND chat not only with members of the press but also with movie fans. I still remember being a fledgling critic in 2002 and being treated pretty good by all the staff and volunteers in Madison even though I didn’t carry a major newspaper, magazine, web site, or television station backer in with me. The staff was there to help and even though I had some long days, it was some of the more rewarding days I had. I still remember the film Rocks With Wings that I had a chance to experience. I even had a one on one with the director afterward. Not planned, just in passing in the hall. These are the moments that festivals bring.

It’s at festivals like the Wisconsin Film Festival or the Milwaukee Film Festival or over at the Indy Film Fest or up at the Flyway Film Festival (in Pepin, WI), out in Omaha or down in Florida or Atlanta for each of their festivals. All the “lesser” name festivals are amazing places to see great films PLUS get up close with the filmmakers that are working to promote the product.

And if you like them, you can go to places like http://www.kickstarter.com to help fund pictures for the folks you may see the next festival in town.

As a critic, I love these festivals, and unfortunately I get to attend too few of them. I don’t have major outlets funding these excursions, but I still like to go on my dime to experience some great film making with some great people.

So get out to Madison this week or Milwaukee in the fall. Go to Indianapolis this July or hit up Central Florida in early April. Not on the East Coast, try Tucson in April for the Arizona International Film Festival or get up to Seattle in May and June.

No matter where you go, you are in line for a great treat!