FILMFEST NEW HAVEN - BURSTING WITH ENERGY
Earlier this week I had the good fortune to meet the new directors of FilmFest New Haven, two lovely and energetic women: Heidi Hamilton, Executive Director, and Melissa Bisagni, Artistic Director. The former Artistic Director and good friend Nina Adams invited me down to meet them wanting to make sure that my annual shorts program "Best of the Boston Underground Film Festival," always a hit, would be a part of this year's program. And, thankfully Nina is staying on as "Artistic Advisor."
For a while, it had looked like the festival was in trouble, what with higher overhead due to its internationalization (increased shipping costs with no funding to bring in filmmakers) and also to unrealistic staff salaries. And there was not a proportionate increase in advertising and sponsorship. It was not an atypical regional film festival scenario.
But the Festival found these two highly motivated (and attractive) women to take over. Heidi, with a business background specializing in marketing, wants to keep the New Haven community festival base, while expanding outreach for films that might have more specialized audiences. New Haven doesn't need to be a Mecca for anyone other than the filmmakers who attend. She will focus on developing the core base. On the other hand Melissa has the necessary ingredients that too many administrators of regional film festivals lack: passion and knowledge. Melissa not only knows film, not just historically, but aesthetically. She once took a master's class with Christopher Doyle (HERO, IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE) , but she knows her way around contemporary and historic film. This enables her not only to communicate with the filmmakers, most of whom bring a similar knowledge and passion, but allows her to bring a context to the screening and selection process, that can increase the audience and critical respect the Festival already has. The only other regional festivals that cultivates such people are Maine, where Ken Eisen puts together a superior program, and the Boston Jewish Film Festival, with the incredible Kaj Wilson as Program Director. And I'm reminded of the qualities that led me to bring aboard and transfer power to Anna Feder and Kevin Monahan for the Boston Underground Film Festival. Their passion, knowledge and zeal are saving the festival.
Whatever process or wisdom or accident the Board of Film Fest New Haven came up with these
two women, I don't know. But with Heidi focused on marketing, sponsor development and audience development, and Melissa, focused on programming, the festival has a shot. To be sure , the Festival is in a transitional process. Because of the time frame, there was no call for entries. It is the 10th anniversary of the Festival, and they have decided that there will be three components: highlights from the previous festivals, a stronger presence for Connecticut filmmakers (always a wise move, both politically and financially) and some curatorial work on the part of Melissa, Nina, with a little prompting from others.
I feel good about their future and look forward to going there and participating again. In the final analysis, as Almodovar would agree, it's all about passion.
For a while, it had looked like the festival was in trouble, what with higher overhead due to its internationalization (increased shipping costs with no funding to bring in filmmakers) and also to unrealistic staff salaries. And there was not a proportionate increase in advertising and sponsorship. It was not an atypical regional film festival scenario.
But the Festival found these two highly motivated (and attractive) women to take over. Heidi, with a business background specializing in marketing, wants to keep the New Haven community festival base, while expanding outreach for films that might have more specialized audiences. New Haven doesn't need to be a Mecca for anyone other than the filmmakers who attend. She will focus on developing the core base. On the other hand Melissa has the necessary ingredients that too many administrators of regional film festivals lack: passion and knowledge. Melissa not only knows film, not just historically, but aesthetically. She once took a master's class with Christopher Doyle (HERO, IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE) , but she knows her way around contemporary and historic film. This enables her not only to communicate with the filmmakers, most of whom bring a similar knowledge and passion, but allows her to bring a context to the screening and selection process, that can increase the audience and critical respect the Festival already has. The only other regional festivals that cultivates such people are Maine, where Ken Eisen puts together a superior program, and the Boston Jewish Film Festival, with the incredible Kaj Wilson as Program Director. And I'm reminded of the qualities that led me to bring aboard and transfer power to Anna Feder and Kevin Monahan for the Boston Underground Film Festival. Their passion, knowledge and zeal are saving the festival.
Whatever process or wisdom or accident the Board of Film Fest New Haven came up with these
two women, I don't know. But with Heidi focused on marketing, sponsor development and audience development, and Melissa, focused on programming, the festival has a shot. To be sure , the Festival is in a transitional process. Because of the time frame, there was no call for entries. It is the 10th anniversary of the Festival, and they have decided that there will be three components: highlights from the previous festivals, a stronger presence for Connecticut filmmakers (always a wise move, both politically and financially) and some curatorial work on the part of Melissa, Nina, with a little prompting from others.
I feel good about their future and look forward to going there and participating again. In the final analysis, as Almodovar would agree, it's all about passion.
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