A few weeks back, Film Annex asked me to give some insight into my experiences with film festival Premieres.
For each of my past films, the Premiere has been of great importance to me but has also taken on a different significance for each film because of the evolution of the stage in my career and the changes in perspective.
Sherry, like the Drink
My first screening of Sherry, like the Drink was somewhat unofficial. Tony Tarantini, my Sheridan College Layout teacher asked to present the graduating Sheridan films of that year after an official screening at Sprockets, the children's film festival in Toronto.
It was a bit nerve racking wondering what kids would say about our films, but they were very curious and happy to watch what he had to present. My perspective back then was just to look for any venues to screen my films. There was always a feeling of apprehension that each screening could be the last. Wondering throughout if the film would make an impact or elicit a response.
At that early stage in my career, watching my film play in front of an audience for the first time was really valuable. Many questions during the Q&A were simply about the technique or how long it took to make. But the most interesting question was: "What will your next film be about?" I was stumped with that question, because I never thought that far ahead, I always assumed that after I finished my student film, there'd be no other filmmaking opportunities, and I'd try to get a job in a studio. But I liked that question because it made me think, if I could make another film, what would it be about?
Asthma Tech
Fast forward several years later, I had just finished my first professional film Asthma Tech, a full production with the NFB. Throughout the production of the film, I had often thought to where my film would play in the festival circuit, and once again, the Premiere screening starts to become more important in my mind.
Unfortunately, I was unable to make it for the French language premiere at a children's film festival in Rimouski QC, and it was also looking like I would have to miss the English premiere at the Chicago International Children's Film Festival. But after some lobbying, I managed to convince the NFB to send me to Chicago to represent my film and also to speak on behalf of other NFB films in the festival.
It was an incredible experience. My first film festival abroad. Chicago's film festival was always spoken of so highly by the festivals department at the NFB. But what I found was a very intimate and community based festival that attracts international high quality films. I loved that combination. I really felt I was able to connect with the audience and age group of my film.
Above is a picture from the screening of my film Asthma Tech at the Chicago Children's International Film Festival, also pictured, Matthias Hornschuh, the director of The Delivery from Germany. Matthias' film won the top prize at the festival, while Asthma Tech won the Certificate of Excellence.
Floor Kids
Premiere at the Animation Block Party 2007 in Brooklyn. When this Premiere came along, I had been working all kinds of professional freelance contracts while making the Floor Kids animation, and I felt like heading to Brooklyn, for a festival called Animation Block Party, was simply an excuse to go off somewhere and party.
And it was exactly that, and it was awesome. For me the Premiere was no longer about nerves or first time jitters. It was just about sharing my latest work, and meeting lots of cool people in a cool city. It was at the Premiere after party that I met the New York based animator Phil Lockerbie, who worked on Triplets de Belleville, but I didn't reconnect with him until about 5 years later after he had moved to Montreal and we worked together on Le Jour des Corneilles, and now we've become good friends.
(Phil Lockerbie pictured on the far left)
Requiem for Romance
At some point the idea of having the Premiere at home rather than abroad becomes more enticing. It allows you to have more members of my crew present. My Premiere of Requiem for Romance was held in Montreal at FFM (Festival des Films du Monde) and I invited everyone in Montreal that worked on it.
But it's possible to have bad experiences at Premiere events as well. FFM programmed my short film in front of a feature film, which was great, I've never had a problem in such situations. I touched base a week before with the organizers of FFM, they told me that it would be a great screening, well attended, both directors (me and the feature director) would be there, and we would both have Q&As.
Then on the day of the screening, it seemed that the two women in charge of hosting the FFM screening (who were not the organizers that I spoke to) were interested solely on welcoming the feature director and his delegation from Italy. When I touched base with them about having the Q&A they instructed me I wouldn't even have one and that there was no basic right to have one for a short film, and went on to tell me that no one would ask questions about my film, which never happens to me. The lady seemed to be incredibly nervous about offending the Italian feature film delegation by having me share the stage with them.
I thought it was pretty outrageous for that to happen in my own city, especially with my crew in attendance, and I told them to call the organizer. The organizer instructed the two hostesses to give me my Q&A, but even that did not solve the problem. The hostesses were so afraid of how it would look, they asked me to stand outside after the screening to connect with people.
I was disappointed and offended on the basis of film format-ism, some kind of new category of discrimination. Unfortunately some film festivals don't realize that they are not there to arbitrate and segregate, although that is often what happens. I feel they are there to integrate and bring together those of us who are lovers and creators of cinema, regardless of technique or format.
Some festivals try to maintain a (false) sense of hierarchy and importance, prestige and fame. And they try to protect that image so much, that often short film directors, and especially animated short film directors, take the brunt of this dismissive treatment.
Premieres have a significance, but it's not the end of the world if it doesn't go as planned. The main thing for any kind of film screening experience is to have things turn out positively, and have great fruitful discussion after, meet lots of great people, kick off a good festival run and promote the next project.
