Photos from the first day of the Traverse City Film Festival are now online in our 2007 Photo Gallery.
With the opening ceremony just a few days away, we would like to introduce you to some of the filmmakers and guests who will be presenting their films at this year's festival. Director John Laurence is first up in our TCFF Filmmaker Spotlight series. John took a few moments out from his busy schedule to talk to us about filming “I Am an American Soldier: One Year in Iraq with the 101st Airborne,” how he came to be embedded with American troops in both the Vietnam and Iraq Wars, and what he’s looking forward to most at this year’s festival.
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Christine Lahti to Receive Michigan Filmmaker Award at Tomorrow's Opening CeremonyJuly 30, 2007 – 5:51 pm
After months of dedicated preparation and hard work, we are now only 24 hours away from the festival's kick-off opening ceremony! We are so excited to have you all with us this year and are looking forward to your feedback on how things go this week. You've waited in long lines for tickets, asked us how you could get involved and volunteered your time and money–now is the time when all that effort comes together for one great week of movies, panels and parties. Speaking of which, be sure to come downtown tomorrow afternoon and help us get the festival started with a bang. Oscar-winning director and actress Christine Lahti will be receiving this year's Michigan Filmmaker Award at 3 p.m. downtown in front of the State Theatre. Our entire board of directors will be on hand to present her with the award, including Michael Moore, Doug Stanton, John Robert Williams, Larry Charles and Terry George. We will also be joined by Former Michigan Governor William Milliken, Rep. Kevin Elsenheimer, Rep. Howard Walker, and Michigan Film Office Director Janet Lockwood. It's going to be a great event–one that will be followed by a special V.I.P. reception at Federico's Design Jewelers, catered by Grandview Catering. You can purchase tickets for the reception, which are $50, through our Main Box Office downtown or here through the website. The opening ceremony itself is free for all to attend.
In case you don't know, Christine has a celebrated film and television career, spanning from her Best Supporting Actress nomination in 1984 for "Swing Shift" to her 1995 Oscar win for Best Live Action Short, "Lieberman in Love," to her Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning performance as Dr. Kathyrn Austin in "Chicago Hope." Most recently, Christine has had starring roles in such hit shows as "Jack & Bobby" and "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." She was a natural choice for our second Michigan Filmmaker Award, and we're honored she'll be in attendance at this year's festival. We hope you'll join us tomorrow in giving her a proper welcome, as well as ringing in the start of the third annual Traverse City Film Festival! We look forward to seeing you there! TCFF Filmmaker Spotlight: John LaurenceJuly 28, 2007 – 4:37 am
TCFF: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your film background. JL: I was a foreign correspondent for CBS and ABC News and made documentaries and long-form stories for Nightline, 20/20 and other TV programs for many years. [TCFF Note: John's work has won every major award in broadcast journalism in the United States, including ten Emmys.] “I am an American Soldier” is my first feature film. TCFF: How did you come to be involved with this particular project? JL: Leaders of the 101st Airborne regiment invited me to come along on their second tour in Iraq after I wrote a long piece for Esquire Magazine about their adventures during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. They promised not to censor us in any way and not to look over our shoulders while we were working. Since the film came out, scenes we shot have been forbidden for other journalists and filmmakers to take. You won't see them again, because the Pentagon has banned them from being filmed. TCFF: In what ways was this a departure from other work you've done? In what ways was it similar? JL: The 14 months we were embedded with the regiment represent the longest and most intimate of any journalists or filmmakers in this war. The experience was similar to the making of a film with an American unit during the Vietnam War called "The World of Charlie Company" when my camera crews and I lived with a squad of American soldiers in the jungle for four months. TCFF: What do you hope viewers will take away from this film? JL: Our goal was to present an inside look at the war entirely from the soldiers' point of view, rather than that of the spokesmen, other journalists or public relations people. From this, we hope viewers will discover a particular truth about the conflict that they have not seen in other media. TCFF: In terms of the festival, what do you hope to experience while you're here? JL: I hope to see some films that won't make it to Britain, meet members of the filmmaking community, talk to film lovers and get a little sunshine. All it does where I live is rain. "Talk to Me," "My Best Friend" Win Over CriticsJuly 19, 2007 – 1:07 am
Two films playing at this year's festival are already garnering early rave reviews among critics. "Talk to Me" and "My Best Friend," both currently playing in limited release, received enthusiastic praise from Richard Roeper and guest critic Dave Karger (senior writer at "Entertainment Weekly") on this weekend's "Ebert and Roeper" show. Karger calls “Talk to Me,” the story of popular radio personality and ex-con Ralph “Petey” Greene, a “powerful twist on the buddy movie,” noting that “it is tough to mix comedy and drama together, but ‘Talk to Me’ pulls it off.” Roeper went a step further, predicting Oscar nominations for the cast and saying “the film didn’t hit a single false note in any scene.” Both men were equally admiring of “My Best Friend,” a French film about an unlikeable businessmen who discovers that his friends all secretly despise him. Desperate to learn the art of charming others, he enlists a charismatic taxi driver to teach him some much-needed social graces. Roeper remarked that the film has “a perfect touch” and “is done so well;” Karger called it a “an absolute gem of a comedy.” (To watch the full reviews for both films, click here: www.ebertandroeper.tv) Tickets are currently available to both of these great films. To order yours today, go to http://www.traversecityfilmfest.org/tixSYS/2007/filmguide/title/detail/ New TCFF LocationsJuly 18, 2007 – 6:23 am
For those of you who went looking for us at the State last Friday, you probably quickly realized: we’ve relocated! To help catch you up to speed, here’s a quick tour of our new box office space, as well as our newest venue. Main Box Office & Festival Store
Our box office location tends to change from festival to festival; this year we hope you’ll want to come and stay for a while. Our new Main Box Office & Festival Store, located at 300 E. Front St (next to Crema, one block east of the State Theatre), is a roomy, inviting, sunlit space, provided through the generosity of WCCW Radio Oldies 107.5 and Art Van Furniture, the good people who have furnished it beautifully. Here you can purchase tickets, shop for official TCFF gear, rest on couches, enjoy complimentary Crema coffee and watch trailers for this year’s films, or enjoy a snack with friends. Open every day of the week from 12-8 p.m., we hope this will be a refuge in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the festival, a place you can connect with fellow moviegoers and discuss the films you’ve seen. Of special note: The Art Van Furniture/WCCW Cybercafe will be up and running before and during the festival. Wireless capabilities throughout the building will allow the tech-savvy to get their Internet fix between screenings. Lars Hockstad Auditorium
As the festival continues to grow, we’ve begun scouting new venues into which we can expand. While there are a variety of options in Traverse City, the list is made smaller by our main criteria: that festival venues remain within walking distance of each other. This year, thanks to the generosity of TCAPS (this event is not sponsored by TCAPS) and a number of very smart and generous people including those listed below, we’ve been able to make a lot more tickets to great films available by securing a new venue that fits the bill: Lars Hockstad Auditorium. Engineers and architects and AC experts and theater specialists have come together to turn this historic auditorium in Central Grade School into a temporarily-air conditioned movie theater that will be chillier than normal during the festival. The auditorium promises to be a great addition to our lineup of venues; we look forward to hearing your thoughts on the new digs. With Many Thanks to: And Special Thanks To: Welcome to the Traverse City Film Festival Blog!July 12, 2007 – 9:32 am
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. Winner of Trip to NYC “Sicko” Premiere Discusses HighlightsJuly 12, 2007 – 8:43 am
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 |
