WriterGirls Gone Wild asked for an exclusive – then they discovered I’d already been part of their program. Quelle egg on their faces!
So, while MIA from the blogging world, was busy scribbling away for the Cleveland International Film Festival and the most wonderful things happened. In no particular order:
We saw 25 films in about a week! God, my ass hurt on some of those three and four movie marathons. But they were wonderful, for the most part. Where else can you go see a films about assisted suicide in Switzerland, a serial killer who likes to re-enact prom night over and over again and then sit yourself down for a lighthearted view of the 2006 governor’s race? Only at a film festival.
I interviewed great people: Jason Zone Fisher, Valda Lewis, Thomas G. Miller and Lawrence Hott, all with entries in the CIFF. It was Jason’s first movie, but trust me when I say he’s going to be someone to watch over the next few years. Maybe not in movies, and certainly not in politics, but somewhere soon Jason will be doing more great things. He’s just remarkable.
Valda, too, is remarkable. She’s on her way to direct a movie about the last days of the ERA and some of the women involved with marching and protests. Lawrence is already in Alaska working on his next project as I type, and Thomas…well, of all the people met during that fabulous event, Thomas has to be the most wonderfully kind and thoughtful. It was thrilling to see his One Bad Cat: The Albert Wagner Story win the Roxanne T. Mueller Audience Award. As much as I was rooting for Jump!, Tom’s film was equally incredible. He must’ve sent a half-dozen emails after our interview, and it was great getting to know him better. What a gracious, amazing guy.
Yesterday I got all misty-eyed over a card in the mail from Debby and Beth, the festival’s volunteer coordinators, saying how great it was to finally get to know me better (awww…) and how appreciative they were for all of us volunteers. It was only two weeks ago, but back into the grind of working nights in the silent high-rise tomb, it feels like a million years have passed. Loved it so much. Volunteering is a blast and both of them make it so seamless and effortless.
Consider myself lucky, too: over the course of those blizzard-ish days, I only got stuck in my driveway two times! First time was the first day of vacation, at 1 a.m. Took until almost 3 for the tow-truck to arrive, and cost $40. Second time was Sunday, March 9, coming back from the night at the Renaissance. That was $80 — weekend rates. Weekend rates?!? That should have come with a complimentary trial-size package of petroleum jelly, if you know what I mean.
But we managed to make it downtown on my birthday, that Saturday in the middle of a Northeastern Ohio whiteout. Every few feet down Lake Road, I found myself questioning the big and the small: why can’t I see two feet in front of me? Do I have on underwear suitable for showing at the nearest ER? Why didn’t I listen to mom’s sage advice on that subject? What’s the status of my relative sanity for doing this?
In 20 plus years of driving, had never experienced anything like that, ever before. But we soldiered on, getting stuck where the Detroit Bridge meets Huron Road. Got out of that and then skidded almost into a guardrail on the descent into the lower Tower City lots. I’m still a little freaked thinking about driving that day. We seriously could have been killed — and all so we didn’t miss World’s Greatest Commercials. Priorities, folks. Priorities!
This was the first year of having a media pass to the event. Basically, that cute little blue badge meant I could arrive at 8:30 am and leave at 2 am, seeing as many movies as wished, no questions asked – free. How cool is that?
Can hardly wait until next year. I really believe the film festival is one of Cleveland’s crowning achievements, rivaling nearly any other festival in America. Sure, it doesn’t have the same star power as Sundance, but it has to have the most diverse line-up of films. All thanks to Bill Guentzler, the festival’s programmer. He finds some amazing offerings throughout the world.
And now, back to work and reality. Only 11 months to go until it all happens again. In between, though, I’m going to join as a member and go to the quarterly Film Society events, just to hang-out with everyone again.
