Some fun news here for me that hopefully will end up being informative for all of you as well.
I sat down with Pierre Corbeil from Fantasia this past Friday to talk about ways we can help each other out. Two things came out of that that are of interest here. First, in addition to programming Toronto's inaugural After Dark Film Festival I'm going to be doing some programming for this year's Fantasia, mostly around this year's regional spotlight. I'll leave it to them to spill what country that will be but if you ask yourself to name emerging film cultures that I've shown an interest in over the past while you'll probably be able to figure it out. Second, and likely more interesting - and helpful - to you folk is that I am going to take a good run at advance-reviewing the entire festival. Yep. I will be reviewing every single title to screen at the festival - at least as many as I can get my hands on - and will be running the reviews a week or so before the films actually screen which means you'll have at least one person's opinion on the film before deciding whether you want to drop your coin on tickets. Part of me says I've bitten off a ridiculous amount of work in this, but the rest thinks that part is weak and feeble and fit only to be ignored. Should be fun ...
Very cool. I always take the month off to assault Fantasia :) Can't wait for this year's edition!
I wanted to go so bad last year, but it was right after my band got back from a week long Midwest tour, and quite frankly I couldn't get up enough courage to drive all the way to Montreal from Milwaukee. This year, though, I'm there.
Hey Todd,
You do realize that's like 80 feature film reviews for you to write PLUS watch. If you need a hand, just lemme know!
80 films? Shit,I'd offer to lend a hand but I think I'd go blind watching even half that many films. An impressive undertaking Todd. And one that deserves praise. Good Luck in choosing which films get the showcase.
Man, I'd love to see some of those movies on the big screen - or at all.
Heh ... I'm going to get a healthy head start on them, though. A lot will be films I already know of from running stuff on them here and Fantasia's going to set me up with advance screeners as they get things locked in. I'll be reviewing things for months in advance and then stashing the reviews away until the week before the festival ... it's a lot, but it's managable, I think.