Festival > Media > Press Release 08.17.05
Festival to Showcase Freshman Movie Making
Port Townsend Film Festival's 'First Features' segment to explore the effect modern technology has had on the art of making movies.
Port Townsend, WA, August 17, 2005: While Hollywood touts multimillion-dollar blockbusters this summer, a dedicated group of independent filmmakers will screen their low-budget features during the sixth annual Port Townsend Film Festival.
Film festival curators will showcase three independent movies in a new segment called "First Features."
The full-length films represent what is becoming commonplace in the independent film genre: low budget and high quality, according to Peter Simpson, film festival executive director.
"With digital video equipment, anybody can make a movie for practically nothing these days," he said.
First Features will make its debut as a film festival event on Saturday during the weekend-long event taking place throughout Port Townsend Sept. 23-25.
Seattle film critic Warren Etheredge will interview directors and screenwriters of the showcased features starting at 10 a.m. at the Wind's Eye Design Rosebud Cinema, 235 Taylor St.
Etheredge is founder of www.TheWarrenReport.com, which reviews movies under the belief that "smarter audiences make smarter movies."
He also curates the 1 Reel Film Festival at Seattle's Bumbershoot celebration and a founding faculty member of TheFilmSchool in Seattle. As a writer or director, he has stages more than 40 theatrical productions.
After each first feature, Etheredge will host a question and answer session between the filmmakers and audience.
Etheredge will interview Sean Ackerman, who acted in, produced, directed and edited "Straight Line," the first movie highlighted in the segment.
Lehani's Deli & Coffee, 221 Taylor St., sponsors the film about a Chicago boy who falls in love after moving to Montana with a girl who soon leaves for Panama. Ackerman and his colleagues use 18 months of real time and three photographic formats to bring the touching story to life.
Before "Hank Williams First Nation," sponsored by Holly's Fine Flowers, 825 Water St., and Maestrale, 821 Water St., Etheredge will interview director Aaron J. Sorensen about creating a film that bridges the generational gap of a tribal family in Alberta.
The mundane life of the Fox family is interrupted as 75-year-old Martin suddenly decides to travel to Nashville in search of evidence that Hank Williams, his longtime hero, has really died. He is accompanied on his journey by his young niece who uses the experience to learn about herself and her heritage along the way.
Lastly, Etheredge will talk with the crew of "Ocean Front Property," sponsored by Mimi's Sun Spa, 1300 Water St.
The feature's main character, Rick Noonson, attempts to gain perspective after being dump by his fiance by visiting the beach house where they spent many summers together. Instead of nursing old wounds, however, Noonson is forced to cope as the situation gets progressively worse.
In the discussion forum that follows, audience members will get a chance to interact with a panel moderated by Etheredge, a man whose film knowledge is rarely rivaled, Simpson said.
Event passes are available from the festival's Web site or by calling the festival office. All festival passes include access to film screenings, question and answer sessions and panel discussions on a first-come, first-seated basis. Each pass includes the Friday Night Taylor Street dinner provided by the Silverwater Café.
Day passes go on sale Sept. 1 and tickets for individual movies will be available throughout the festival.
The Port Townsend Film Festival is an annual event envisioned as "a film lover's block party celebrating great films and filmmakers." The event was spearheaded by a group of volunteers in 1999 and modeled after the popular film festival in Telluride, Co. Now in its sixth year, the Port Townsend Film Festival is constantly revising and re-visioning its programming in response to the availability of films throughout the world and cinematic responses to the topical issues of the day.