As part of the launch of the Friends of the Festival program last summer, we held a drawing for new members to win a variety of great prizes, including a lifetime festival pass, a day on the set with Michael Moore, and a trip to a New York movie premiere. Tim Bloomquist of Traverse City was the winner of the trip to New York. He flew out with his daughter, Esme Bloomquist, on June 18 to attend the Manhattan premiere of Michael’s new film, “Sicko.” Below, Esme shares some of the highlights of their trip.

Traverse City Film Festival: When did you first learn your family had won the trip? What was your reaction?

Esme Bloomquist: We found out last summer, right after they did the drawing. (TCFF Manager) Deb Lake called and told me the news, and all I could say was, “Really? Are you sure?” I thought it was a mistake. We never win anything—no one in my family has ever won anything like that! Plus, my dad had turned in his donation form at the last minute. I brought the form home and he filled it out, but he didn’t turn it in until the last day of the festival. I remember him saying, “Hey, maybe we’ll actually win something.” But we never thought it would happen. It was crazy.

TCFF: How did you decide who would go?

EB: Well, my sisters were busy with marriages and their homes, and my mom wanted to make sure I had the opportunity to go to New York. Plus, you know, I was the one who brought the donation form home (laughs). So my dad and I went.

TCFF: What did you do first when you arrived in New York?

EB: We arrived in New York on Monday morning. After we checked into our hotel, we headed out into the city for the day. We were both so excited to be there; it was the first time either of us had been to Manhattan. For me, it was especially neat; I will be studying theater in Chicago this year, and NYC is the theater mecca of the country. My dad was happy because he got to go see Strawberry Fields.

TCFF: How was the premiere?

EB: It was great. It was at the Ziegfeld Theatre, which has a lot of historical significance in New York. The whole thing was exciting—lots of people dressed up, music, free popcorn and drinks. We didn’t walk the red carpet; that was reserved for actual famous people. But we still felt special, and we had amazing seats in the theater.

Actually, it was funny—before the movie started, I heard someone speaking behind me and I said, “I know that voice.” My dad turned and looked and said, “Yes, you do—that’s Kathleen Turner.” Kathleen Turner was sitting right behind us! I couldn’t believe it.

TCFF: So you had better seats than Kathleen?

EB: (Laughs) Yes, we did. And we saw Brian Williams from NBC there, and we had better seats than him, too. That was great.

TCFF: What did you think of the film?

EB: The movie was great, very well-received. It sounds cliché, but really, I laughed and I cried. It was moving. After the film, we walked to the after party. There, we got a chance to talk to Michael Moore and thank him for the trip, and he talked to us about “Sicko” and Traverse City.

It was fun to experience that lifestyle for an evening, to see what it’d be like to live in that world and maybe be a part of that industry. It was kind of a whirlwind—the whole trip happened so fast. From the time we got the notice we were going to the time we actually arrived, everything was a blur. We probably wouldn’t have been able to visit Manhattan without this trip—it’s not a trip I could afford right now, and we don’t have any family or friends there to stay with. If the prize had been just a trip to New York, that would’ve been enough for me. But to get to go to the premiere on top of that was incredible

TCFF: You won this trip as a result of joining the Friends of the Festival program. Why did your family decide to sign up?

EB: We knew we’d be helping out something that’s good for our town. We all enjoy the film festival and have attended the past two years, going to different screenings and panels and Open Space movies. And we like Michael Moore and his movies. We never thought we’d actually win anything—we just knew we were supporting a good cause.

Membership in Friends of the Festival helps the film festival purchase much-needed equipment and supplies, operate year-round and continue to bring special guests to Traverse City…all while keeping ticket prices affordable for the community. Members also get to purchase tickets a week before the general public, among other exclusive benefits. To find out how you can become a 2008 Friend, eligible for the Grand Prize Drawing to be held on August 5, 2007, click here: http://www.traversecityfilmfest.org/tixSYS/2007/memberships/selection.php