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Mar 21, 2008 9:23 am US/Eastern
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Curators Offer A Peek At The 17th Phila. Film Fest
Ted Scheid
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
Cinema is in the air as the 17th annual Philadelphia Film Festival is just two weeks away. The curators of this year's fest offered a glimpse at what attendees can expect during a roundtable discussion at the Philadelphia Art Alliance Wednesday.
With over 260 films from 49 countries being shown at this year's fest, the experience can be a little intimidating to the average viewer.
To help guide attendees through the celluloid forest, curators offered a few selections highlighting the unique, experimental, controversial and thoroughly entertaining films being show this year.
If you have never experienced the Philadelphia Film Festival, the films are grouped into several distinct categories including: American Discoveries, World Focus, Documentary Tradition, Film Noir, Lights! Camera! Music!, Danger After Dark and more.
Documentaries have a strong presence this year as they are the focus of the festivals opening and closing night films.
Jennifer Steinberg, the documentary curator, said the Documentary Tradition program features a wide variety of films focusing on topics ranging from the Iraq War to the history of sex toys.
For the curious, Steinberg recommended German documentary called "Dust" which examines the history, science and philosophies behind…well…dust. While some may take a more light-hearted approach to the subject, Steinberg said the German filmmakers looked at the minuscule material, "without a sense of humor."
On the opposite end of the spectrum sits the Animation Festival presented by the University of the Arts.
Animation series curator Michael Enright said the shorts and features in the program range from the beautiful to the absolutely bizarre.
"This really is art, moving art," he said. "If I had to pick a favorite, I'd say a film called 'Candid' from Portugal. It's all done in extreme abstract close up; it's hand drawn. It's this very voluptuous woman having a nervous breakdown."
Local filmmakers are also given a bit of the spotlight during the Festival of Independents presented by DIVE. Curator Scott Johnson said the quality of submissions this year led to some powerful selections.
"I can't say I really choose the films, they choose themselves," he said. "They just rise up, they're right in your face.
Johnson said one of the more impactful entries is a look at the Iraq war from the camera of a Pennsylvania filmmaker Jeremy Zerechak, who was sent overseas with the Army National Guard.
"It's a tremendous documentary made at great expense," Johnson said.
The festival favorite Danger After Dark is back; bigger and bloodier than ever.
"We've expanded our program this year, we have 19 films and 11 countries are represented from Chile to Spain to Hong Kong to Canada," said curator Lewis Tice. "It's for anyone who likes a lot of blood, a lot of goo, a lot of gore and lots of action."
While 260 films may seem like a lot to choose from, its nothing compared to what the curators filed through to end up with this year's selections.
Associate Festival Programmer Michael Lerman said he personally reviewed over 1,000 films in the past year. Amongst his many favorites is a Chinese film called "The Sun Also Rises."
"It's a little experimental, but it's incredible fun to watch," he said. "It's well worth the risk you take going into it."
The Philadelphia Film Festival, produced by the Philadelphia Film Society, runs from April 3-15. A complete listing of films along with ticket information is available at
www.phillyfests.com.
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