I made it to Friday night of the film festival, and was glad to have done so. Relix Theatre is a venue that's a bit more relaxed than your typical movie house; you can buy beer if that's your thing, pizza was on sale for food, and the seats were either church pews or folding chairs. I'm happy to report that the turnout was good; I had no idea how many people might show but it looked liked the place was filled, yet we weren't stacked on top of each other like cordwood.
The organizers had collected an impressive selection of 25 short films to present, ranging from local productions from here in "Knox Vegas" to international choices from France, Argentina, and Germany. They were arranged in six blocks, and in between were breaks where people could get more beverage or could win items from an equally impressive amount of booty that the festival's sponsors donators provided. I'm happy to report that I got a part of the bounty; knowing horror trivia CAN be a good thing.
Like any film festival, the selections ranged from wonderful to not so wonderful to just plain odd, but what I found encouraging was simply the amount of local people making what were very obviously labors of love. I guess I've been living under a rock, but I'm learning we have a thriving film community. I'm also quite refreshed to see the amount of support the festival got in terms of sponsorship and turnout. Hopefully there's enough to see the festival continue.
Some notes for people who may attend the Fest next year: if you're a person who can't stand distraction when viewing films, the relaxed atmosphere may not be condusive to your peace of mind: despite the organizers' best efforts, there are still people texting in the middle of selections, and people come and go from their seats to talk to others, get more beverage, and generally rummage about. Some of it has to happen, of course, as the staff has to keep supplies stocked...but it's fair warning I'm giving. Also, sometimes things don't run so smoothly...certain films just refuse to run without problems...and the event didn't end until about 1 to 1:30 in the morning, so be prepared to stay late if you want to see everything.
I must reiterate and stress: the whole Knoxville Horror Film Fest is obviously a labor of love, and that passion shone through the whole night. So, hats off to everyone involved, and I hope that next year I can attend both nights!
No comments:
Post a Comment