The Boise Film Festival supports and promotes film arts for the local community and for filmmakers and their audiences world-wide. Through the production of an annual film festival and year round events and educational activities, the Boise Film Festival engages the entire community in the appreciation of the film arts. Now in its 2nd year, the Boise Film Festival celebrates innovative and original filmmaking for the Treasure Valley Community.

Interview with Lana Westbrook:

Matthew Toffolo: What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

Lana Westbrook: Boise Film Festival strives to not only provide a spotlight for local-to-Idaho films and filmmakers, but to redefine how film festivals interact with filmmakers. Ultimately, we hope to be a monetary resource for any films and filmmakers wanting to film within Idaho and continue to expand from there. Currently in our second year, we’re working towards our big goals by bringing filmmakers to and highlighting their work in an exciting and thriving film community here in Boise. Filmmakers – local, national or international – interacting with each other and discussing how we continue to make films and the film industry great: that’s what we seek to provide for filmmakers.

MT: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2016)?

LW: A strong, intimate connection with all other Festival filmmakers, team members, volunteers, and audiences. The Boise community’s affinity for film is incredibly prevalent and exciting right now, but we want to direct that passion in a productive and balanced way. It’s a fascinating time to come and check out the film scene here. For more insight, check out this story from the team behind “How to Be Cute and Break Hearts” after they came to our inaugural Boise Film Festival last September: http://www.boisefilmfestival.org/blog/2016/3/23/htbcabh-filmmaker-perspective.

MT: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

LW: We’re excited by an local-to-Idaho submissions, but are also thrilled when we receive submissions from near and far places. We look for diverse stories filled with real storytelling talent that shines through any kind of technology.

MT: Do you think that some films really don’t get a fair shake from film festivals? And if so, why?

LW: Sometimes. There are a lot of politics involved in creating a public event that is sponsored by various individuals/groups but highlights incredibly detailed, emotional, and/or personal content. BFF works hard to keep an independent and open mentality when watching our submissions.

MT: What motivates you and your team to do this festival?

LW: The love of film and our passion for shining the spotlight on Idaho as a production destination. We’ve all been filmmakers, writers, actors, etc. on a project before and that excitement for telling “Not the Same Old Stories” is what drives us to put on BFF. We want Boise and the rest of Idaho to be known not just for our potatoes, but also for how great those potatoes (and other amazing parts that make up our community) look on camera.

MT: How has the festival changed since its inception?

LW: We’re constantly trying to extend our outreach through community fundraising events and even adding an additional arm to this year’s Festival through the Idaho Comedy Film Festival, scheduled for January 2017. Any collaboration we can do with local productions and performers is what we’re interested in and we tend to follow that wherever it takes us while still focusing on the ultimate goal of BFF.

MT: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

LW: BFF would love to be everyone’s BFF by 2020 – filmmakers, writers, actors, investors for film, etc. from all around the world. BFF2020 will be our fourth year and it would be amazing to see how far we’ve come in terms of size, where our submissions come from, and we hope to have a featured reel of films made through our newly set-up production fund.

MT: What film have you seen the most times in your life?

LW: Lucky Number Slevin… Josh Hartnett and Lucy Liu are a match made in James Bond Heaven and that extra spice is added by a perfect redemption plot twist with the help of Bruce Willis, Sir Ben Kingsley, and Morgan Freeman.

MT: In one sentence, what makes a great film?

LW: A great film is one that makes you forget it’s a film at all.

MT: How is the film scene in your city?

LW: Exponentially growing! There are multiple film festivals the community relishes throughout the year and we’re so excited to be one of them. Production and industry is also growing with the help of a few production companies and film initiatives led by various local groups who know how incredible Idaho is as a landscape and backdrop for our stories.

Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 10-20 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto on the last Thursday of every single month. Go to www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.