Loving Film Festivals

I’m particularly excited about film festivals right now.  If I’m honest, probably partially because we seem to be cleaning up, but also because I’m just generally having a blast.

So far this year, of the ones I’ve attended, I’ve found Florida, Breckenridge, Cannes and Palm Springs to be incredibly useful.  I’ve met really cool people who also happen to work at WME, The NY Times, Huffington Post, Focus Features, Magnolia, Paramount and a ton of great independent producers and festival programmers.  All people I am eager to share my work with and hopefully collaborate with at some point in my career.  All people I did not know or have access to two months ago.

As everyone has heard a million times, this business is all about relationships.  And I don’t mean in that smarmy “here’s my card” sort of a way.  (Though absurdly you do still need business cards in this digital age.)  What it means is that you could be the most talented filmmaker in the whole wide world, but this sport is a group effort and if you don’t have anyone to show your work to you’re most likely going to be stuck.

So although I may not have anything of interest for some of these people at the moment (but of course I do because I’m not one to let an opportunity pass), I’ve cleared the very important she’s-not-a-freak-I-can-take-her-email-test because I shook a hand, said hello and shared a drink.  Or, as in most festival cases, shared a few.

Oh, and we were chosen as Best of the Fest at Palm Springs, Best Drama Short at Breckenridge and Grand Jury Prize for Best Short Film at Florida so that doesn’t hurt either.

Breckenridge last weekend, Palm Springs this weekend

Well readers, last weekend TOUCH won Best Short Drama at the Breckenridge Film Festival and it was a blast.  Unfortunately, I had to fly in Saturday morning and fly out Sunday afternoon but the short time I was there was well worth it.

It was a great festival in a lovely little town nestled into the mountains.  Sunday morning it even snowed!

The reception to TOUCH was amazing and the other filmmakers I met there were a blast.  I was so pleased I made the trip.  The programmers chose really interesting films and I was not disappointed by anything I saw.  Keep your eyes open for a fantastic feature called NORMAN.  I think it’s the best thing I’ve seen this year.  Just excellent.

This coming weekend TOUCH screens at Palm Springs so if you’re in the area please come and check it out.  Sunday, June 27th, 11:30am in the When Strangers Meet program at The Camelot.