I had a GREAT time at the Tampa Bay Independents’ Film Festival this past weekend. Lucy Griggs, the festival’s director, did a phenomenal job and was my new best friend. I met many wonderful filmmakers from the Tampa Bay area as well as fans of films.
The opening movie, a Keanu Reeves produced documentary called Side By Side, was one of my favorites. It discusses the history of film and its new competitor: the digital era. As an editor, I was especially interested in the past process of my career and happy to be part of the future of my medium (although they did neglect to discuss the impact of indie documentaries). Another feature documentary I enjoyed was Nothing Like Chocolate, for bringing awareness to child labor issues surrounding the chocolate industry. My favorite narrative feature was Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life for it’s child-like, magical adventure through New York City. This film was very well produced and reminded me a lot of Big (with Tom Hanks) not only because of the fortune teller in Coney Island element, but for it’s sense of wonder and discovery. Several shorts were also very impressive, including A Little Push, The Lone Warrior, Venus vs Mars, Pathways, Heads Up, and Vibrations.
Congrats to all of the filmmakers and thank you Tampa!