DAY 0/PORT TOWNSEND FILM FESTIVAL

DAY 0
Thu 27 Sep 07

!NOW WE ARE EIGHT!

Well, the PTFF begins!

Officially tomorrow? Not as far as the volunteers are concerned. As Nancy Sendler, Toby Jordan, and Peter Simpson made clear at the first party of this year's fest – tonight at the Uptown Theatre, where the volunteers get 1st payback in advance, a screening of EDEN – we are the "superheroes" of the PTFF.


Nancy (operations manager) welcomed us, mentioning the "superhero" theme of the Outdoor Movies this year (SUPERMAN, DICK TRACY, SPIDERMAN 2) and wondering if Peter chose these at this time when we could all use some new – or old – hero role models. She then introduced board chair Toby, who brought up the members of the board of directors.


Next Peter (artistic manager/director) spoke a bit, and gave us the current weather forecast. We are all keeping fingers crossed.



Peter also told us that our beloved Sherry Grover won't be attending, much less working, this weekend at the Fest. We are all so looking forward to her return!
(Here's a photo of Sherry the G, the "publicity still" she, husband artist Max, Nancy Sendler, and I all collaborated on for the "Oscar" Night Fundraising Gala back in February; in flannel jammies with popcorn with the small screen – that's just where and how we hope she's spending her recuperation!)

Director MICHAEL HOFMANN of Berlin introduced his 2006 film briefly, saying, "Unlike so many films these days, animals HAVE been killed in the making of this film!" And even though I'm a vegetarian (at first exactly because I couldn't stand that animals died for my food) nothing in this film bothered me. I think because I keep working to accept what is, and in this case, because the chef so clearly revered everything about cooking, start to finish, and it was all about love.

So yes, EDEN is great, getting a standing ovation from the nearly full house. As he took the stage for the Q&A after, Hofmann said "i've never been up in front of so many superheroes before!"


Later there's a party down at Water Street Brewing Company, where Elliott Gould made a brief, most friendly appearance. I spied Michael Knowles at the screening and at Water Street, at a table in the back where already filmmakers from around the country, and the world, are talking and exchanging e'mail addresses.

Frank & Kelli Ross and I "close the joint" around midnight. Must get some rest before the big weekend.

!LET THE WILD RUMPUS BEGIN!
































Free Counter