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Why I Don’t Like Most Film Festivals
By Lerone D. Wilson | July 1, 2007
OK, I’ll admit it. I am a bad filmmaker. ‘Colored Frames’, my most recent documentary undertaking premiered at its first film festival last month in Hollywood of all places, and I wasn’t there. Go ahead and gasp, everyone does it. I’ll even wait a moment.
[Pause for gasps]
Hopefully you’ve calmed down enough by now to allow me to explain. I really don’t like film festivals. Here’s why:
I think at some point in the past (prior to when I got into film making) the film festival was truly a local event. People from the community came to cheer on the local films, and get a sense of what was being made, and taking place around the country. It was a beautiful afternoon of the finest in independent film, and I’m sure someone hosted a barbecue afterward.
Then at some point someone decided that film festivals attracted attention, and money… for the festival organizers. At some point, a lot of festivals became essentially a way for the sponsoring entity to get into the newspaper, at the cost of the filmmakers involved. Let me take a moment here to make clear that this isn’t the case with all film festivals. Rather, I see a growing trend towards the festivals that essentially provide a room and a projector for an exorbitant entry fee, in which you are expected to bring your friends to watch the movie (hitting them with a high priced fee as well upon entry). It quickly occurs to you at this point that you could’ve rented a space and projector for just as much (or less in many cases), but never mind that - you’re in a film festival!
A few years ago withoutabox.com entered the scene. I was recently impressed with their new, clean, and edgy web design which seems to be a surface deep call to action for what I feel they presume the independent community is. Unfortunately this only reminds me of what it should be. On one hand Withoutabox has brought the independent a uniform and fairly simple method for keeping track, and applying to film festivals around the country. However on the other hand, it has in many ways contributed to the homogenization of film festivals all over. I feel much is lost now that I can attend the New York International Film Festival, and the Smithtown International Film Festival (by now the word ‘international’ being a part of a festival’s title is about as awe inspiring as the word used in front of the nearest airport) and see the same films, the same traveling film makers doing the circuit, and none of the locals for whom presumably the festival is for.
There is a light at the end of the tunnel however. As earlier stated, there are many quality festivals out there. Of particular note, I must credit the East Lansing Film Festival which I was thrilled to be a part of in 2005, as well as the Detroit Docs Film Festival, which after taking 2006 off is back in 2007. There are many others, however unfortunately my recent no shows on the summer circuit does limit my reccomendations. However I’m sure there are many others as well, perhaps even the few that my films have attended… but I haven’t.
Topics: Film/Video |
July 4th, 2007 at 8:21 am
I can’t say I’m surprised at your feelings or that I don’t understand where they come from — it’s a common feeling among filmmakers. However, I will say that it betrays an ignorance of the inner workings of the typical film festival. In the course of my job I work with about 100 different film festival directors and the vast majority of them are genuinely concerned with providing the best experience possible for filmmakers and audiences. Most of them struggle to keep their organizations alive from year to year despite the entry fees and ticket money they collect. Many sponsorships involve far less money than you’d think (some, none at all). My guess is that this is another case of squeaky-wheel syndrome: filmmakers who have positive festival exposure don’t think to report them as often as those who have negative experiences. Not that there aren’t disorganized and/or self-absorbed festival committees, but the suggestion that festival organizers are making money on film festivals outside the top 25 or so is simply untrue.
I totally agree with you on the “international” thing — I think it started as a way to indicate that one’s festival accepts entries from outside one’s own nation, but there are plenty of festivals that showcase foreign films without the addition to their monikers.
I hope you reconsider your stance on attending the festivals to which your films are accepted. If you don’t go you’re missing out on most of the benefits of the festival circuit.
July 8th, 2007 at 1:20 am
You are absolutely right Chris, in retrospect I was a bit too harsh on film festivals. However, understand it wasn’t my argument that they make out with dump trucks full of money from these festivals. Rather what I believe they get out of it is the increased attention to their group, and/or sponsors.
In any regard the biggest pet peeve I have with most festivals is how they choose a few films to publicize, leaving the rest of us to essentially bring our own audience. I’ve been on both sides of this, and either way its not fair.
In any regard, you are right… and I will resume attending festivals. I’ve simply been out of it for a while and these are the main reasons why.