In spite of the economy, the march to war, and the general state of uncertainty, there is a surprising vitality in the region’s film and video community. Although people always say what a “small” community this is, you wouldn’t think so from the attendance at three recent events. Though the seventy-five or so of the film types journeyed to the warmer climes of Park City for Sundance Film Festival, there were plenty of others who stayed behind and braved the New England cold to attend several diverse film events.

Producers Lynne Adams and Mark Donadio presented the Boston premiere of their coming-of-middle-age comedy, MADE-UP, before a virtually sold out audience at the Museum of Fine Arts on January 16th. The film stars Brooke Adams, Tony Shalhoub (who also directed), Gary Sinise, and someone with the improbable name of Light Eternity.

Sadly, this highly entertaining comedy of manners has yet to find a distributor in spite of its success on the regional and national fest circuit. The Museum audience was no exception. True, attendees did include its share of people involved with the making of the film and friends of the filmmakers. Donadio said he thought the film would be a “lob” in terms of success. Perhaps. However, more than half the audience had no connection to the film or the filmmakers. As Lynne said, “I didn’t know most of the audience.” And THAT audience laughed and applauded. Many of them attended the post-screening party at Stars on Huntington.

The near-capacity audience at the screening did not go unnoticed by legendary film programmer George Mansour, certainly New England’s most astute evaluator of niche films. A rarely attendee evening screenings, George did come to see MADE-UP after hearing of its festival successes. Later, he met with the producers and has offered to help get the film sold and seen in any way he can.

MADE-UP didn’t make it into Sundance last year. That may not be so bad – it might have gotten lost in the chaos that is Sundance. Maybe the film’s locally based success might get it to a wider audience after all.
 
On a frigid, wind-chilled Monday ending a holiday weekend when most people would rather stay at home, found another sold-out film community event, the BF/VF benefit screening of a restored print of John Cassavetes’ SHADOWS in the almost- three-hundred seat upstairs space at the Coolidge Corner Theatre. Historically, SHADOWS marks the beginning of the modern American independent film movement, and the audience was filled with aspiring filmmakers, students, BF/VF members, and cinephiles. BU professor and Cassavetes expert Ray Carney was there to introduce the film (his own department chair, Bill Lawson, couldn’t get in.) Also there was Tony Ray, courtesy of his friend John MacNeil of Boston Camera and Uncommon Films’ GIFTS OF THE GAME, also a BF/VF board member. Ray was one of the stars of this groundbreaking film. He is also producer of several Paul Mazursky films (MINNIE AND MOSKOWITZ, DOWN AND OUT IN BEVERLY HILLS) and the son of Hollywood director Nicholas Ray (REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE). Although Bill Lawson (Carney’s department chair) and Shandor Garrison (whose new film MacNeil in producing) couldn’t get in, almost three hundred others stuck around for an engaging and provocative Q&A with Carney and Ray.

The third event actually happened before these and two days before the start of Sundance (although only two people there went to Sundance). The event was the Imagine party, a benefit cocktail buffet at TK’s Jazz Café in Quincy Market. In the past, I’ve occasionally found such events to be attended by the usual suspects and some wannabes. Instead, it was a surprisingly healthy mix of industry pros, actors, and even a sprinkling of academics. It was a terrific party.

What was interesting is that there were very few people who went to more than one of these packed events. At MADE-UP, only three of us had gone to the Imagine party. At SHADOWS, only three of us had been at either of the events of the previous week. What does one make of this? On the one hand, it seems that this “small” community is larger and more diverse in their interest than one might think. After all, if you count Sundance, about a thousand film-related people participated in significant film events within a week. Then I think of the people I know who were at none of these events, and of how many I still don’t know. There are probably about five thousand people connected to the local industry in some way.

I have said before that there still needs to be leadership and direction to build upon the diverse talents that our community has. That may come. But with the vitality, energy and variety I encountered during this seven-day period, I can only say that in this new year, I see hope for a better realization for the talents in this community.

David Kleiler is the founder and CEO of Local Sightings, the organization that helps films get made, sold, and seen. He also programs the Boston Underground Film Festival, the Woods Hole Film Festival, and the Northampton Film Festival.