September 24, 2009
Much like Owning a Piece of Original Art, this Thing to Do is also easily accomplished. I think people typically think of Hollywood premieres for this one, but there are LOTS of film festivals all over the world.
For this Thing to Do, I count attending the film premiere of my good friend Sumner’s film Jack of All Trades at the Blue Ridge Film Festival in Roanoke, VA in 2003. To complete her graduate degree in Film from American University, Sumner chose our other good friend Courtney as the subject for her final student film. (We all three met at Hollins).
The original premise of the film set out to examine a contradiction in terms: a female fire fighter who was also an artist. Through the course of the film, Sumner and Courtney are interviewed about their friendship, and evolves into a film that also considers their relationship when they are seemingly from different worlds.
Behind the scenes, Sumner traveled from DC to Southwest Virginia numerous times to capture different moments, including a Bluegrass Convention , Courtney painting a mural, and multiple attempts at answering a fire call (they never managed to get a fire call on tape, although Courtney’s mad dash to the fire station attempting to catch the trucks is peppered with some colorful language everyone in the audience enjoyed). The stories from behind the scenes were just as entertaining as the film itself.
The film screened late on a Saturday evening and there were a good number in the audience, many friends and family of both The Star and The Director attending. Afterwards we held an impromptu “post-screening” party at the nearby TGIFridays (classy, I know, but it was a regular hang out when we were in college).
While this was my first film premiere, I’ve been to several since at local film festivals. Here in North Carolina, there are many. Have you ever been to a film premiere? A big-time Hollywood premiere?
Charlotte Film Festival
Charlotte, NC
September 25-28, 2008
Real to Reel Film Festival
Kings Mountain, NC
July 22-25, 2009
NC Gay & Lesbian Film Festival
Durham, NC
August 14-17, 2008
That’s Not Mine! Film Festival
Durham, NC
February 20-21, 2009
Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
Durham, NC
April 2-5, 2009
Nevermore Film Festival
Presented by Carolina Theatre
Durham, NC
February 20-22, 2009
Blu Moon Film Festival
Greenville, NC
April 28 – May 2, 2009
ECU Film Festival
Greenville, NC
April 24 - 25, 2009
Carolina Film & Video Festival
Presented by UNC-Greensboro
Greensboro, NC
February 25-28, 2009
RiverRun International Film Festival
Winston-Salem, NC
April 26-29, 2009
Cape Fear Independent Film Festival
Wilmington, NC
May 1-3, 2009
Cucalorus Independent Film Festival
Wilmington, NC
November 12-15, 2008
Asheville Film Festival
Asheville, NC
November 6-9, 2008
“Asheville Rejects” Film Festival
Asheville, NC
November 6-9, 2008
I’m relocating from Texas to the East Coast next month and plan to attend plenty!
Do they have a lot of film festivals in Texas? I think we probably have a lot in NC.