I’ve been wanting to do more with the fest but the past week or two I’ve been watching and re-watching submitted films. I swear, it’s like we’ve developed a “brand” at this point, and every year there are so many more films that hit closer to that target. I think a lot of it has to do with the increased openness and conversations surrounding mental health. As usual there will be some truly PAINFUL cuts to be made, so please don’t be discouraged if we couldn’t screen your film this year please do consider submitting in future years. In addition to film quality there are also several other factors at work like diversity of culture, area of mental health portrayed, tone, etc., where I feel like something that doesn’t fit into the “zeitgeist” this year might some other year.
Anyway, all those who were brave and generous enough to submit should look for a notification by tomorrow night at the latest. Filmfreeway is good about many things, and one is absolutely requiring you to notify your submitters either way. Just to express how seriously I take these final decisions, they have an “auto” function for that, but I don’t use it. I go to each film, one by one, and click the button. I try to remember any jury feedback, and I try to remember what I can about it and if it offered anything unique for that particular year, and if I should give it a re-watch. I want to make sure everything is an informed and heartfelt decision. (And again, submitters should not take this the wrong way if not chosen for this year, there are always selections it PAINS me to pass over).
So….look for a little fairy delivering something in your inbox by the end of tomorrow night. Sadly not a tooth fairy with money, but a film festival fairy with love. And whatever the notice might be? It will be delivered with love. Trust me, we watched your film, we were most likely moved by it, and if not, we were moved that you cared enough to seek us out and submit. Maybe that fairy is just saying, please submit again!
Mental Filmness 