We're now over halfway through 2007–and the Third Annual Traverse City Film Festival is only 2 1/2 weeks away! Already it's been an exciting year, and we look forward to letting you in on the rest of the surprises lined up for this year’s festival.

To keep you up-to-date on the latest news and developments, we are launching the official TCFF blog today, packed full of exclusive content, in-depth features and insider reports. It's your one-stop shop for all of the latest festival information. Most importantly, it's also a way for us to start a dialogue with each of you. We hope you'll utilize the "Comments" feature on these blogs to share your feedback with us on how the festival's going, along with your ideas for how we can make things even better.

Keep an eye on the website for other interactive features coming soon–and check back regularly for new blog posts. In the meantime, here are some of the highlights of the year so far…just in case you missed it.

Larry Charles and Terry George Join Board of Directors

Filmmakers Larry Charles (“Borat”) and Terry George (“Hotel Rwanda”) join Michael Moore, John Robert Williams and Doug Stanton this year on the TCFF Board of Directors. Both Charles and George attended last year's festival–Charles to give TC residents an exclusive sneak peek at his smash hit "Borat," and George to screen his “Some Mother’s Son” and co-host the Student Filmmaking Workshop with Michael. The board will remain locally-controlled, but as Michael said, the addition of Charles and George “will go a long way in helping TCFF become the world-class film festival we hope it will be.” We welcome these talented directors onboard and look forward to having them with us.

TCFF Internship Program

It takes an army of dedicated volunteers to make the festival a reality—and this year, we’re adding 25 brave interns to the mix. Our TCFF Internship Program (new for 2007) gives college students an opportunity to gain real-world, hands-on experience in festival management. Assisting with everything from running the venues to organizing volunteers to creating signs and displays, the interns are learning exactly what goes into executing a successful film festival. College students interested in participating next year should check the TCFF website this winter for details.

Trailer Competition Open to the Public

Anyone with a camera and a little creativity is invited to submit their most entertaining and original TCFF trailers for possible inclusion in this year’s festival. The winner(s) will be announced shortly before the festival begins. For contest rules and regulations, click here: http://www.traversecityfilmfest.org/archives/?page=2007news-043007

TCFF Acquires the State Theatre

May 30 was an emotional day for many of us in Traverse City. The press and public gathered in front of the historic State Theatre that morning and watched the TCFF founders accept the keys to the long-slumbering moviehouse from Rotary Charities. The moment was a culmination of years of hard work, negotiations, fundraising and thwarted efforts by various local organizations and groups to reopen the State’s doors. None were successful—until now.

It’s been a dream of many in the community to see the State restored to its former glory—and now, thanks to the generosity of Rotary Charities, Michael Moore, Buzz Wilson and the many contributors and volunteers currently stepping forward—that dream is about to become a reality. The film festival finally has a permanent home…and the people of Traverse City finally have a place to see independent, foreign and documentary films year-round.

As Michael said at the press conference, this isn’t the festival’s moviehouse—it’s the community’s moviehouse. It belongs to all of you. And we could definitely use your help in getting it ready for opening later this year! To find out how you can get involved, please call 231-392-1134.