SIFF begins on Thursday and my first screening is (I think) a Romanian film on Saturday morning. I’m pretty sure this is my tenth year attending* and I love it all, from the strategic schedule planning to the ticket holder line to the voting (“5 is Citizen Kane, 1 is Ishtar”) to the frequent director Q&As (yes, Kip Koenig, I really -do- want your autograph).
It is one of if not the largest and best attended film festival in the US, but it’s not as buzzed about as it overlaps with Cannes and isn’t an industry festval. It’s not about the celebs and swag; it’s all about getting the films out to the people. Which is -awesome-. (Not to say that there aren’t going to be luminaries here, but it’s more foreign film directors and less Paris Hilton.) There are 277 features in this year’s line-up, I’m going to 17 of them, and you’ll all hear about them here whether you like it or not.
Now I just need to make sure I have my in-line knitting projects ready to go. Eee!
* Yes, it is. Research shows Colin Fitz played the 97 festival, and I definitely saw that there. One of those great films that no one else has ever seen.
wicked jaws 