An interesting time in the life cycle of a film festival. Yes, it does quiet down a bit at the AIFF offices, as our staff is back to the core of five, and there are so many less volunteers around (we miss you!). The pace slackens a little, we have room to breathe, and the time to put into place improvements, new ideas and systems - we actually get to check off (some) of the items on our "to do" lists that we keep during the crazy busy months... And budgets, grant writing, etc. etc. don't really care which season it is! As a result, staff remains busy all summer long.

On the programming side, it's time to start the cycle again. I recently created a new spreadsheet for 2010-11 to track all the films I'll see this year. I attended the Los Angeles Film Festival and Palm Springs International ShortFest in June and have a long list of films to add to the list. Programming was excellent overall at both fests. Hopefully, some of the films will be coming to a theater near you this summer (WAITING FOR SUPERMAN, FREAKONOMICS) or to a festival near you next Spring (TBA!).

I was on a "Meet the Programmers" panel in Palm Springs with fellow programmers from American Cinematheque, Outfest, SXSW, Seattle, and Sundance, moderated by John Anderson of Variety. We covered lots of topics, including the "personality" of our festival, helpful hints when entering films, what makes programmers happy, and not (hate mail!). We fielded a number of questions from the very full house. Filmmakers wanted to know all kinds of things from whether there is a length of film more likely to be considered (no agreement on this from the panel) to whether hard copies of press kits are still necessary (unanimous "no") and the future of on-line submissions (exciting potential).

Last, but certainly not least, we are looking ahead to April 7-11, 2011 and our 10th annual festival. It's definitely a milestone for us, and we are in the midst of planning the celebration. Save the date - it should be a great year to attend the AIFF!

"Last day at Ashland, and I don't want it to end! It's everything you could want from a film fest - beautiful town, amazing hospitality, intelligent audiences, awesome movies, great filmmakers...what a treat."
Diane Bell, Director, OBSELIDIA

The 9th Annual Ashland Independent Film Festival concluded its most successful festival yet, with amazing films, filmmakers, special guests, jurors, our incredible audience filling theaters to capacity, and the town with excitement. And of course, our unbelievably hard working volunteers, staff and Board making it all happen.

Yes, lots of new records were set this year (tickets distributed, screenings sold-out, filmmakers in attendance) but most extraordinary was the sense of community that the AIFF brings to Ashland for 5 days, embracing film lovers AND filmmakers.

"A filmmakers film festival. You couldn't cast a better community to support independent films."
Michael Nash, Director, CLIMATE REFUGEES

"So happy, and so sad its over...but all the more reason to get another one in the can."
Chris Byrne, Producer, OBSELIDIA

It is hard to believe it is over, and that we are already planning for our 10th Anniversary Festival, April 7-11, 2011. Save the date!

But in the meantime, we will be continuing to present some of the best of independent film at our Monthly Film Series at the Varsity Theatre:

First up is Calvin Marshall opening on Friday, April 30.  The director and producer will return to take audience questions and the 6p and 8:40p screenings will benefit the AIFF thanks to Coming Attractions Theatres, Inc. Tickets are available at the theatre box office now.

The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers will be our 2nd film in the Series and opens on May 21 at the Varsity.  More information on the screening will be available soon.

Please stay in touch!

View photos and videos of the 2010 Festival on our website.

Sign up for our e-newsletter here: ashlandfilm.org.

When we first heard the world premiere of a stage adaptation of Akira Kurosawa's THRONE OF BLOOD was in the 2010 Oregon Shakespeare Festival line-up, the AIFF programming team knew a screening of the acclaimed film was in order. It's my favorite filmic adaptation of any Shakespeare play I've seen! This classic is showing at the Ashland Historic Armory on Friday 4/9 at 3:00 pm. Don't miss the opportunity to see this beautiful film on the big screen with great sound, followed by a Q&A with OSF production members, Christopher Acebo, Associate Artistic Director and Scenic Designer, and Gina Pisasale, Dramaturg.

Here is the blurb about the OSF production from their website: An epic theatre event not to be missed In 1957, legendary film director Akira Kurosawa created a landmark version of Macbeth. Set in the remote, ritualized world of feudal Japan—where haunted woods and mysterious spirits work their macabre magic on the warrior Washizu and his ambitious lady—it is Shakespeare’s story as you have never seen it before. Theatrical and cinematic artistry merge in this first-ever stage adaptation of Kurosawa’s masterpiece, which moves to the lauded Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Next Wave Festival after its run in Ashland.

AIFF PROGRAMMING BLOG

Festival tickets went on sale online and at the AIFF box office this week, and the office is bustling with volunteers helping our amazing staff with preparations for opening day on April 8th.  The full schedule is online, with links to film synopses and trailers, or view a "carbon neutral" version of our 80 page program here.  And over the next few weeks our Facebook page will have lots of info about festival events and films, trailers and more.  

In conjunction with our screening of ED HARDY: TATTOO THE WORLD, visionary tattoo artist Ed Hardy's works will be on display at Bohemia Gallery.  The show opens on First Friday, April 2, and continues throughout the month.  Ed Hardy will be at the screenings of the film, and also at a reception at the Gallery on Saturday April 10, 6-8p.  More details on the screenings and reception here.

We also have a great line-up of free TALKback panels scheduled on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 10:30a.  On Sunday 4/11, Shawn Levy who has been writing about film for The Oregonian since 1992, and is the author of five books of biography and pop culture history will talk about his newest book Paul Newman: A Life. Levy will discuss how the life of a movie star can become a means of discussing a larger cultural story, and describe Paul Newman's singular place in American movies and American life.

Behind the scenes, our AIFF Jurors have been screening the films in competition in preparation for our Awards Celebration on Sunday April 11.  We have a really impressive group of jurors.  Check out the line-up and their bios here.

Hope to see you at the Varsity, Historic Ashland Armory and around town soon!

Just 6 weeks to go!  
hold on to your hats...

Filmmakers have been notified,
travel plans are being made,
Oscar Night Gala next weekend,
AIFF Program written, and readied for the printer,
Schedule goes live March 9,
Volunteer training meeting March 11,
Box Office opens on the 16th,
special gallery event on First Friday, April 2!!!

Looking forward to seeing you April 8 at the Varsity Theater for Opening Day of the 9th annual Ashland Independent Film Festival, and five days of great films, panels, special events, parties, and people.

I'm getting ready to go to the Sundance Film Festival later this week with Darrel Pearce, fellow AIFF Programming Team member.  Preparing for Sundance takes hours of advance planning: thoroughly reading through the line-up, sending out congratulatory emails to filmmakers we know and love whose films will be screening there (and we look forward to seeing), cross-referencing what has been submitted to us already, checking in with distributors, and following up on recommendations from friends and colleagues. Once there, rarely do we attend screenings together, but we split up and try to see as many different films as possible. Of course, there are lots of opportunities to meet and trade notes, attend panels and special events, and yes, go to some great parties! The AIFF Programming Team of Tom Obrich (Executive Director) and Jane Sage (Managing Director) Darrel Pearce, and myself, have been screening films for months now, and spending long weekends in January meeting together to discuss films for the 2010 festival.  This past weekend we put our "grid" (schedule) up on the wall and started piecing together the intricate puzzle that will become our program of films, special events, panel discussions, parties and more.  We'll have lots to report in the weeks to come.

NEW STAFF JOINS AIFF IN JANUARY:

With the 2010 AIFF opening in just 15 weeks(!!!), major preparations are under way.  To help make it all happen, we have new staff joining our team.  A big welcome to our new staff members who start in January.  We are thrilled to have Jennifer Brian as our Filmmaker Liaison.  She has been involved with the AIFF in many different capacities over the past few years including Special Projects, Publications and Film Screening.  Jill Sachs is our Special Projects Manager. She recently moved to Ashland from Chicago, with some adventures in Namibia on the way.  And last but absolutely not least, is long-time volunteer Judy Plapinger who will be working in Publications. She has devoted countless hours to film screening for many years, and is our AIFF Facebook posting queen! (become a fan of our AIFF Facebook page if you haven't already.  It's a great way to stay in the loop about AIFF events and more).

Happy New Year!

We began receiving submissions for our 9th Annual Festival, April 8-12, 2010 in August and our final Withoutabox extended deadline was Friday, Dec. 11.  We are now deep into screening the mountains of DVDs we have received, as well as the films submitted through Withoutabox's new On-Line Screening option! 

We take our submission and screening process seriously - it's very respectful and thorough!  All films are viewed by at least two experienced screeners, many films are seen by 4-6 people, and films programmed in the festival are often seen by as many as 7-8 programmers and screeners.

If you entered a film for consideration for our 2010 festival, thanks so much for submitting to the AIFF.  Our notifications will be made on Feb. 9th, 2010.

If you have any questions, please contact us at entries@ashlandfilm.org
 

Chris Holland of Film Festival Secrets is doing a series of profiles on film festival programmers. Our Director of Programming, Joanne Feinberg was featured this week.  To read her profile, here is the link to his blog.

The "late entry postmark" submission deadline for entering your film for the 2010 AIFF is Friday, Dec. 4th. Following that there is one more chance to submit.  The Withoutabox extended deadline is Friday Dec. 11th. The Filmmaker Page on the AIFF website has more information about entering. 

Our Call for Entries is open, submissions are flowing in, and programming at the AIFF is on a seven month trajectory towards April 8, 2010.  Of course, we are consumed with the nuts and bolts of putting on a film festival, but as programmers we are also thinking about the creative impact of this endeavor.

As we immerse ourselves in the new crop of films from filmmakers around the globe, we are continually impressed by their inventiveness and determination.  We are not only in awe of what it takes to make a film, but of the mounting challenges filmmakers face as they move from finishing their film to getting it seen.  Ondi Timoner (Director, DIG! AIFF '05) had this to say recently about her plans to self-distribute her most recent film WE LIVE IN PUBLIC:

"You can't just be a documentary filmmaker and focus only on the creative side anymore," she said. "I spent ten years making this film, I would be stupid if I just moved on and I just started shooting my next film."

Like running a marathon, filmmaking is an extraordinary challenge that takes courage, and mental and physical stamina that we applaud and greatly admire.  And our hope is that we are part of the support system to keep this effort going.

"The Ashland Independent Film Festival is an amazingly warm and wonderful place to be both a filmmaker and an audience member.  At no other festival in the world did people come up to me on the street after my screening and give me a hug."          -Sascha Paladino, Director, THROW DOWN YOUR HEART (AIFF '09)

We have an extraordinary audience here with open hearts and minds, eager for new experiences and creativity, and ready to line up at our theaters to see new work and cheer "our" filmmakers on...  I am excited to head down the road to get there!

This month, members of the AIFF staff and programming team will be at the Toronto International Film Festival, Independent Film Week in NYC, and the Port Townsend Film Festival.  More on them when we return.