A while ago I put out a query to filmmakers asking them to recount their experiences at film festivals and what to do and what not to do at them. I intended to submit it to Submittable, which had a blog I occasionally wrote for, but Submittable put the kibosh on the blog for reasons unknown to me. It’s a shame, the posts offered great advice for artists of all kinds.
Anywho, my intention was to collect some stories from filmmakers and write a post around selected quotes. But I revisted the quotes and thought it would be better to include all of their words instead of a few I pulled.
So here you go!
A Filmmaker Writes…
- If you go to a film festival without a movie, be prepared to be equal parts inspired and depressed. Use those feelings to motivate and create and commit to not returning until you have a film in that festival.
- If you go with a movie to a festival, there are endless opportunities for meetings and parties. Most of these will lead to nothing, but if someone buys you lunch, awesome. Considering how many meetings accomplishing nothing, SEE MOVIES. Seriously, make time to see movies and stay for the Q+As. Also go to panels. LEARN. Don’t waste all of your time talking and partying.
- Don’t run yourself ragged. Enjoy the experience, and make the most of it by not being exhausted the entire time. Remember that you are extremely lucky to be there, and that there’s no guarantee it will ever happen again.
- On a more humorous level, if that festival is Sundance, bring the right footwear. I wore Chuck Taylor’s to my first Sundance and after half a day they were soaked, torn up, and essentially useless. Someone offered to buy me boots but I stood my ground out of pride, stating no less than 10 times, “I’m from Michigan, I’m fine.” It was a lie. I soaked my feet every night in a hot bath to recover. Don’t do this!
Sean O’Grady
Another Filmmaker Writes…
I did Cannes once and had a feature at the Marche screening there.
The Cannes Film Festival can be quite hard on the mind. There are a lot of parties, excitement and it is a bloody long festival. During my first year in Cannes (when Death Proof was screening), I got a bit drunk during the middle of the festival.
Now, I was a huge Rodriguez fan, had even had his book with me. And because I was tipsy, I did not even realized he was standing 10 feet away from me, waiting for his ride to a boat. Friends of mine kept whispering that Rodriguez was standing next to me, but I had none of it.
So yeah, don’t get drunk.
Dare to invite people. Dare to invite judges and guests. People at festivals love films and if your story resonates with them and they have time, they might pop up to your screening. For example I had Tarantino show up at mine.
There are a lot of egos going around at festivals. Be nice, and don’t be cocky. Everybody inside the festival is a professional. And most of the people are going from meeting to meeting, meaning they are very busy and don’t have time for bullshit.
Pedro Chaves, Reiki.
And Another Filmmaker Writes…
If you are attending a film festival in a foreign country, make sure to be culturally prepared – know a few basic words, as well as basic etiquette and anything that could be seen as offensive – for the country that’s hosting you. I had an experience once in the north of Greece at a film festival that graciously provided free meal and drink vouchers to be used at a number of participating local restaurants and bars around the town. We were each given a whole pack to be used throughout the week. And then there was one guy, as there always seems to be, a filmmaker from the U.S. who would become particularly rowdy after drinking in these local places. I vividly remember him speaking *very* loudly in English, dominating the small, local establishment we were all having drinks in and clearly disrupting the locals. Not the best impression to make in front of the locals as well as the festival organizers. Conversely, a little goes a long way, and appearing respectful to residents, maybe knowing a few words, would certainly be seen favorably in the eyes of the festival organizers.
Katrin Kalketenidis, Bitter Taste