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Interview with Festival Director Jennifer De Carolis (RedCorner Film Festival)

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RedCorner FilmFestival is an event not to be missed for international filmmakers. There is the opportunity to compete with the best emerging and famous artists, making you achieve a higher level of international filmography. They decided to encourage filmmakers that use film. A wide area of the event will be dedicated to all those who make films with 35 mm and 16 mm camera. Section 35 mm will also have special prizes.

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

Jennifer De Carolis: The RedCorner Film Festival was created with the intention and ambition to promote the works of filmmakers in a historical and international context, giving the possibility of securing international awards and certificates of merit on the part of a multi ethnic jury. The major developments concerning the possibility to compete in the category of films in 16 -35 mm. We have divided the festival into two six-month sessions, each of them with a live screening appropriate, in order to facilitate the promotion of the submitted work, guaranteeing the filmmakers of the more chance than other festivals.

MT: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2017)?

JD: First of all I expect professional success and that the filmmakers can feel pleased to have participated. What I am learning is that most every movie / script entered has its own soul, this makes me proud and is giving me extensive experience to make the tough eligibility decisions.I also hope that the synergistic relationship that is being created between the staff and the filmmakers become increasingly close.

MT: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

JD: The difficult process of selection of films is very complex and in several stages. Initially there is a visual assessment, evaluating the quality of the film (do not accept low-resolution film). Subsequently evaluating the audio quality and finally the average level of acting. are frequent cases in which, improvised filmmakers, have of the work which are too far apart from acting and look like small movies filmed in the family. Then our judges (are from 8 varying number 10) viewing the film and give a 1-5 rating, this is called “preliminary report”. Usually the next step is to relate the film a second time to confirm or deny the assigned rating. different however is done for scripts. The judges are chosen from a week earlier in odd numbers and attribute in a first phase a pass, or a YES / NO on the script. When the majority of the judges expressed positive assessment the script passes the evaluation phase, otherwise it is excluded from the festival.

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

JD: I think that not all festivals are equal. Many festivals tend to a more economic aspect not valuing the filmmakers and their films. The RCFF is a partner and supporter of filmmakers, promoting their initiatives and acting much on social networks. We think that the small productions also in this way can have their spaces.

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

JD: I have always loved the cinema. Ever since I was a little girl. The reasons arise independently. I carefully chose my staff, element by element, working with my partner Alexandre Di Martini (director and stunt). Alexandre, thanks to his experience, he helped me a lot to manage the different directors who have signed up at the festival. Actually RCFF cooperate with USA Directors, Producers and actors.

MT: How has your FilmFreeway submission process been?

JD: Through the site FilmFreeway, one of the best in terms of promotion and filmmakers, we assign our judges some categories of registration. Some will have films and documentaries, other scripts and other trailers. Alexandre Di Martini has its film category in 16-35mm he cares a lot and we are honored to be one of the few to have this category Festival. The selection process is quite difficult. 70% of judges must agree on the choice of the film. In this way we avoid that the value of a film is only linked to an arithmetical average

MT: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

JD: I hope with all my heart that the RCFF can aspire to great international stages. Our goal is to organize the festival in the most important cities in the world.

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

JD: Resident Evil. I love Milla Jovovich in action films

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

JD: The plot, the acting level of the cast and what is transmitted to the viewer. In one sentence: the soul of a movie!

MT: How is the film scene in your city?

JD: Generally they shoot films that have themes those linked to the Mafia. Not infrequently, we witness some detective film. Although our local producers, such as the Unconventional Movies, produced by years of quality indie horror themes and action. I myself am making a short film on violence against women entitled “Unloved” and is due out in March.

 

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 20-50 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto, and Los Angeles at least 2 times a month. Go to www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with Festival Director Travis Legge (Forest City Comic Con Film Festival)

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The Third Annual FC3 (Forest City Comic Con) Film Festival takes place in Rockford, Illinois May 26-27, 2017. The festival will be held at the Rockford Public Library Nordlof Center Performing Arts Theatre

Submit via FilmFreeway

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

Travis Legge: The Fc3 Film Festival provides a networking opportunity for filmmakers in the Northern Illinois/Southern Wisconsin area, as well as access to a broad audience of film fans from the greater Rockford area who may not normally be exposed to the work of these filmmakers.

MT: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2017)?

TL: We will be holding multiple screening blocks in the beautiful Nordlof center in downtown Rockford. There will also be an opportunity for networking and socializing in the spacious theatre lobby between screening blocks.

MT: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

TL: We have a panel of judges who determine which films will screen based on 10 metrics of storytelling, including pacing, cinematography, sound quality, performances and more.

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

TL: I do, I believe a lack of diversity in some judging panels can lead to certain films being judged unfairly. As director of Fc3 I am bending every effort to ensure that’s not an issue we have. All genres, subject matters, and levels of content are welcome.

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

TL: I like watching movies. I like sharing the experience. Also, as a filmmaker in Rockford, it is in my interest to support the film community in any way that I can.

MT: How has your FilmFreeway submission process been?

TL: Excellent. I love working with FilmFreeway. It’s truly made this herculean task of setting up the festival manageable.

MT: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

TL: I’m honestly not sure, but I am excited to find out.

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

TL: That’s an excellent question. If I had to hazard a guess I’d probably say Big Trouble in Little China, but ask me again next week and I might recall differently.

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

TL: Great storytelling makes a great film. Everything else is window dressing.

MT: How is the film scene in your city?

TL: Vibrant. Diverse. Beautiful.
 

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 20-50 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto, and Los Angeles at least 2 times a month. Go to www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with William Greer (Cinema Touching Disability, Festival Director)

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 Now in its fourteenth year, the Cinema Touching Disability Film Festival helps dispel misperceptions about disability by screening films that portray people with disabilities living full lives. Film entries should avoid stereotypical representations. Instead, the festival seeks imaginative, multifaceted portrayals of people with disabilities.

http://www.ctdfilmfest.org/

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

William Greer: Cinema Touching Disability gives filmmakers a chance to show their films about and starring people who have disabilities. We focus on films that have a positive and accurate representation of disability. cinema Touching Disability puts a central focus on these films, and events surrounding them.

We featured, for instance, an interview with Dr Temple Grandin, the most famous person in the world with Autism the year we featured a dramatic biography about her. We had a guest appearance by Jessica Cox, the only licensed armless pilot in the world when we featured “Right Footed”, the documentary about her. We had a live demonstration of American Sign language (ASL) poetry when we featured “Deaf Jam”, a documentary about ASL poets who compete alongside spoken word poets in 2016.

MT: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2017)?

WG: This year we are featuring films that focus on service animals and animals with disabilities. we will have live service dogs at the theater before the festival. People will have an opportunity to see the winners of our short film competition, the feature film and a chance to meet service dogs.

MT: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

WG: The films need to have an accurate, interesting and compelling story about disability. We feature films that dispel common misperceptions about disability, entertain the audience and are informative.

The films must not have stereotypical representations about disability and show honest and accurate portrayals of people who have disabilities.

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

WG: Some films definitely do not get a fair shake. There would not be film festivals that specialize in certain genres, such as science fiction, horror, asian and disability if all of these films had an equal chance at festivals. There are so many films being made that the sheer number of them makes it impossible for every film to have an equal opportunity.

In the case of disability there is simply a lack of interest in the subject. Many people do not think disability films will be either interesting or entertaining. This, combined with the history of bad representation of disability and people who have disabilities, makes it very hard for disability films to gain an equal opportunity.

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

WG: We are motivated by the desire to give people with disabilities equal opportunities and to raise awareness about disability. Our organization is a non-profit dedicated to promoting equal civil and social rights of people with disabilities, so the festival is a natural outgrowth of this.

MT: How has your FilmFreeway submission process been?

WG: Outstanding. Tracking and receiving the submissions has been incredibly easy. The submission process is also improving steadily.

MT: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

WG: I hope to see the festival expand to include an additional evening and the audience to grow enough to require a larger theater.

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

WG: That is a difficult question to answer because I have seen so many films. I might have seen “The Empire Strikes Back” the most times because I was so young when I first saw it. This is an excellent film that I have had an opportunity to see for 27 years. I have had many chances to see it, in other words.

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

WG: An interesting, thought provoking and engaging story.

MT: How is the film scene in your city?

WG: Incredible. Experimental, international and mainstream films are regularly featured at many theaters here.

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About the interviewee: I became legally blind at the age of 17 as the result of an open skull wound. Since then I graduated from college worked in a variety of political campaigns, gained a job at a non-profit organization and started running marathons.

I created a film festival as one of the fund raising projects for the disability advocacy organization I work for. The festival has grown to take place on multiple evenings, include an international short film competition and have stars of our feature films visit as speakers.

I also oversee various other fund raising events, ranging from hand cycle marathons to participation in annual fun runs.

For recreation I run in marathons. The 15 I have run so far include the 2013 Boston marathon and the Prickly Pear, a 30 mile ultra marathon.
Cinema Touching Disability (www.ctdfilmfest.org)

Cinema Touching Disability is designed to raise awareness of and dispel common misperceptions about disability. This festival, which started in 2004, features films, has guest speakers and often has special events.

The events range from a demonstration of martial arts by a team of people with disabilities. This demonstration included Jessica Cox, the only armless pilot in the world, since she also holds two black belts in Tae Kwan do. Another special event featured a demonstration of people in wheelchairs demonstrating mobility dancing, which happened before a film about wheelchair dancers.
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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 20-50 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto, and Los Angeles at least 2 times a month. Go to www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with Nathan Ludwig (GenreBlast Film Festival, Festival Director )

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 GenreBlast is an upstart film festival that had a very successful first year at the revitalized state-of-the-art State Theatre in wonderful downtown Culpeper, Virginia. Our second year will emanate from an exciting, soon-to-be announced venue! They celebrate the finest in true genre cinema and are looking for your best features, shorts, music videos and screenplays in the categories of horror, action/adventure, sci-fi, fantasy, martial arts, exploitation, documentaries, animation, grindhouse, suspense/thriller, international, experimental and more!

http://www.genreblast.com/

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

Nathan Ludwig: We pride ourselves on creating a completely welcoming experience for both filmmakers and movie lovers alike. It’s all about the movies and it’s all about the artists who make them. In our first year, we had about half of our official selections represented by either directors, writers, producers or actors. We had about 19 features and around 80 shorts as well as over a dozen screenplay finalists – so to say we were pleasantly surprised by the response would be an understatement. The bottom line is we take the time to get to know all of our filmmakers and their passions. We are also independent film makers and screenwriters in our other lives and we have been to many festivals as official selections, awards nominees and just as moviegoers and we know what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to putting on a fun weekend of movies, parties and networking.

MT: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2017)?

NL: We are moving to a new venue this year – the Alamo Drafthouse Theater in Winchester, VA. Last year, our first year, we emanated from the historic State Theatre in Culpeper, VA. It was a newly restored classical movie theater originally constructed in 1938. We were literally the last event to play there before it closed its doors due to problems with fundraising. It’s currently in turnaround to new owners and the fate of the State Theatre is up in the air so we decided to change locations and get the word out as soon as possible. We were very lucky to secure the weekend of Sept. 8-10 of this year for GenreBlast 2. Andy Gyurisin is the Creative Manager at the Alamo Winchester and he was on board from the beginning for what we are offering to film nerds and film makers with out upstart fest. We really hope to make the Alamo the official home of GenreBlast for the foreseeable future. It’s such an amazing venue and extremely conducive to events like GenreBlast.

This year, there will be plenty of networking parties, discussion panels and Q&A sessions after each and every screening, for both shorts and features. The owners of the Alamo Drafthouse Winchester also own the neighboring Country Inn & Suites and will be providing room discounts for fest attendees. They also own the adjacent Green Turtle bar & restaurant which will also be at our disposal the entire weekend. The Alamo itself has a full bar and a huge food menu. You’ll be able to eat and drink to your heart’s content all weekend! It’s going to be one long, continuous party for artists and lovers of film and screenwriters to come together and celebrate what we all love the most. Movies!

MT: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

NL: I’m not quite sure what you mean by this question. Do you mean what do the selected films all have in common or what do you need in order to be a selected film? Or something else?

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

NL: I truly believe, at this level of film fests, the cream rises to the top. It just does. If your film is worth a screening, it will find an audience. Not everything gets into every fest, that’s just unrealistic. You just have to know what you have, know your audience and do your homework as to which fests to submit to. Don’t submit your shot-on-VHS zombie ninja movie to an indie film fest that focuses on straight-up dramas and comedies. You’ll end up frustrated and disappointed. Stay informed and keep up with the festival scene on a regular basis.

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

NL: We are obsessed with movies. It has been a dream of mine to hold an annual film fest curated by myself and my closest friends. For a handful of years, I kept making excuses as to why it wasn’t possible or feasible. One day, I just decided to get up off my butt and actually do it. Lo and behold, it happened and the whole thing went off without a hitch. We had an amazing turnout and many attendees commented it was the best run first year film fest they’ve ever been to. If you check out our reviews on FilmFreeway, you’ll see we’re not lying.

At the end of the day, all I care about is movies – whether it’s watching them, writing them (or about them) or making them. I wanted to channel my unconditional love and idiosyncratic passion for that into one yearly cinematic event. The fact that two of my closest friends agreed to come along on this weird, crazy ride is one of the biggest rewards so far.

MT: How has your FilmFreeway submission process been?

NL: The response on FilmFreeway has been positively insane. We are already outpacing last year’s submissions by a ridiculously wide margin. However, that shouldn’t deter anyone from submitting. We watch EVERYTHING from start to finish, even if you submit it at the very last second of the final deadline. If you care enough to submit, we care enough to watch/read and evaluate your work fairly and accurately. We have a very eclectic taste in movies and there’s nothing that really offends us or turns us off (except for poor filmmaking).

MT: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

NL: By that time, we will be in our fifth (!) year and by then, we want to be one of the premier genre film fests in the country. We want to be a destination fest for audiences and artists alike to converge and mingle amidst a killer lineup of genre films. We want to be like Fantastic Fest when we grow up.

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

NL: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. Or maybe Scarface. Or was it Casino? Maybe it was one of the Godfather movies. If it’s three hours long and features tough fellas being tough, I’ve probably seen it several dozen times.

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

NL: A great film is one you can’t go without recommending to anyone who will listen.

MT: How is the film scene in your city?

NL: Winchester has a fiercely intelligent as well as warm and inviting film community – from the Winchester Film Society to Andy Gyurisin’s Film Club 3.0, which screens eclectic selections at the Alamo Drafthouse itself on a regular basis. GenreBlast will be right at home in this picturesque Virginia town.

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 20-50 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto, and Los Angeles at least 2 times a month. Go to www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with Jorge Gonzalez, Launch Pad Screenwriting Competitions

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The Launch Pad is a place dedicated to launching writing careers. Going well beyond what other competitions offer, we have created a platform that has helped more than 180 writers launch their careers. Utilizing our three competitions – pilots, features and manuscripts – as well as our advanced coverage services, we provide a hub that reaches far beyond a simple prize with your name listed on a site. The Launch Pad is a community of writers, executives, agents, managers and producers working together with one focus in mind – THE WRITER.

https://tblaunchpad.com/

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

Our competition has been able to get more writers signed in the last 4 years then any other competition out there. We pride ourselves in using our deep industry relationships with agents, managers, and executives to give writers the necessary exposure to take the next step in their writing career.

MT: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2017)?

If you enter our competition we guarantee that your script will receive at least two complete reads from professional readers who have read or currently still read for major agencies, management companies, studios, and production companies. A large number of scripts receive additional internal reviews as well. We take great pride and responsibility in the submissions we receive and so we work tirelessly trading hundreds of emails, texts, and phone calls with reps to help everyone from our Top 75 to our Winners get the recognition they deserve.

MT: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

Our competition is open to writers of all levels. Their script needs to be an original work, which must be their sole property and not have previously sold or placed Top 25 or higher in one of our previous competitions.

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

That’s a really great question. I know for some of the bigger festivals that carry a lot of prestige like Sundance, TIFF, SXSW, and Austin, they are flooded each year with a huge number of entries. So the competition is fierce and many great films still may not make the cut. That said, I think those festivals really pride themselves in curating their films with thought provoking and unique films while simultaneously looking to identity new and emerging creators. There are also countless other respected festivals that are great ways for creators to gain recognition and get the exposure necessary to help their career. These festivals may be more accessible and a good first step along the journey.

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

For many of us here we come from a writing background and have also worked at management and production companies. Having been on both sides of the business we’re able to understand the needs of our writers and the reps that we work with. What gets us fired up is working with writers who if it weren’t for our competition may not have access to Hollywood and couldn’t otherwise get their material in the hands of some of the industries biggest agencies and management companies. The way that we see it is we’re here to try and help people jumpstart a professional writing career, and instead of climbing up from the bottom of a ladder we want to give them a boost so they can start half way up. With each of our competitions we’re able to help dozens of new writers land representation or set up their projects. Writers who have placed or won our competitions have sold six-figure spec scripts
to studios like Fox and Paramount and are currently writing for shows like Timeless, i-Zombie and Stranger Things amongst others. We’re truly humbled by the amount of success our writers have been able to achieve as a result of our competition.

MT: How has your FilmFreeway submission process been?

Film Freeway has been great. They have such a streamlined and easy way to connect with writers and have become the premiere hub for festivals and competitions.

MT: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

In space! Just kidding. We’ve been fortunate enough in the last year to partner with some of the biggest companies in the business. Just last year we partnered with Ridley Scott’s – Scott Free Productions, Roy Lee’s Vertigo Entertainment, and Brooklyn Weaver’s Energy Entertainment to name a few. These partnerships give us an opportunity to offer entrants prizes that include guaranteed signing and guarantee option opportunities from some of the biggest names in Hollywood. As we continue to grow we want to find new and innovative ways to partner with more companies to offer writers unique career opportunities that can’t be found anywhere else.

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

Oh man this is a tough one! I’d say its a tie between Toy Story and Gladiator. Two widely different movies but both were staples during different times in my life. Toy Story was definitely my go to VHS movie growing up, and Gladiator was the first DVD I ever bought. The movie is a masterpiece!

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

Strong characters who are led by their convictions regardless of their morality.

MT: How is the film scene in your city?

LA is the movie capital of the world. You really can’t go anywhere without running into someone who isn’t connected to the entertainment industry in some capacity. There is such a wealth of talent and creativity here that is remarkable. You never know who you’ll meet and as far as the the entertainment industry is concerned, there are so many chances to work or collaborate with amazing people. Los Angeles is one of those special cities where you can truly see your dream and passion come to life. Oh and lets not forget the never ending sunshine!

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 20-50 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto, and Los Angeles at least 2 times a month. Go to www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with Patrice Francois, Festival Director IMAGINE THIS WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

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Imagine This Women’s International Film Festival: Imagine This Productions is dedicated to providing aspiring women storytellers and filmmakers a space to encourage and develop creative projects by women. ITP’s goal is to support women by sharing their work to the public, promoting equal opportunities, encouraging professional development, and serving as a resource informative network. 

http://imaginethisprods.com/
 
Matthew Toffolo: What is your Film Festival succeeding at doing for filmmakers?

Patrice Francois: I believe our film festival is succeeding at proving a platform for underrepresent women filmmakers from all over the world. We’ve showcased films from Afghanistan and Palestine. Our 2016 Best Documentary short film, “Shireen of Al-Walaja” by director Daz Chandler, is about an intimate portrait of a dynamic and popular Palestinian resistance leader, who left her full-time job at the UN to return to her home village of al-Walaja and fight for her community. And one of the attendance thanked us for being risky and showing the film. He told us that many other platforms wouldn’t dare screen the film because of the sensitive subject. We feel that We’re not here to play politics, if you do good work and you have a great story to share, your story deserves to be seen no matter what.

MT: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2017)?

PF: A very divers selection of films of unique and compelling stories. A number of films will touch on themes related to personal struggles within political and social conflicts across the world. Oh, a great after party with attendees and some of the filmmakers.

MT: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

PF: That’s easy. Must be made by a women filmmaker either directed, produced or written. And of course, a great story.

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

PF: Definitely. I’ve done the whole submit your film to film festivals and had endless discussions with other women filmmakers, so I know first hand how “un-fair” it can be sometimes. One of the main reason we started Imagine This. I think there’s just a lot of politics involved, I mean there’s politics involved in just about everything, but I’ve been to local film festivals that are supposed to be focused on indie, low budget films and some of the selected films have been made with well known actors and/or their budgets didn’t fit in “low” category.

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

PF: We understand the obstacles that exist for new and up-and-coming filmmakers. We decided it was important to help cultivate an appreciation for a wide range of unique and compelling stories, especially those from women who have been traditionally underrepresented in film.

MT: How has your FilmFreeway submission process been?

PF: We’ve seen a tremendous response, and are quite frankly blown away by the quality of submissions we’ve seen. We’re trending to doubling the amount submissions from last year.

MT: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

PF: It’s clear that there is tremendous female filmmaking talent out there, but there is still so much work to be done to create an inclusive environment that supports women storytellers, so I guess a bigger and better festival that’s more established in the NY film festival scene.

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

PF: Let see, I would say “Heat”. That scene between Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in the diner scene is one of my all time favorite scenes. Plus I love Val Kilmer, he’ll always have a special place in my heart as well as my mother’s, lol

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

PF: A film should have a great story and it should be compelling, it should be able to capture the mind of the audience, it should strike a chord, actors should run with the story and own it. the actors and the visuals should have a nice balance.

MT: How is the film scene in your city?

PF: Oh gosh, I live in the “country”, so there is no film scene in my town. I have to head down to the city to get my dose of art and culture, lol

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Interviewee Patrice Francois is an actor, screenwriter, filmmakers based in the Greater New York area. She is the co-founder of Imagine This Production and the festival director for Imagine This Women’s International Film Festival.

Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 20-50 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto, and Los Angeles at least 2 times a month. Go to www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with Eric Simonson, Creative Director DOOR KINETIC ARTS FESTIVAL

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Oscar-winning “Lombardi” playwright Eric Simonson is bringing some major creative talent to Björklunden for the inaugural Door Kinetic Arts Festival in June. The week-long festival will provide Door County residents and visitors a peek at the creative process through two staged readings, a dance presentation and the premiere of a commissioned film by Campbell Scott, an award-winning filmmaker and actor, best known for “The Amazing Spiderman,” “Big Night” and “Longtime Companion.”

http://www.doorkinetic.com/

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

Eric Simonson: Like all film festivals, the most important thing we do is give a filmmaker a platform. We also invite artists to participate in the festival, which also includes art, dance and theatre. The point of DKAF is to encourage cross-polynization of artistic mediums. As the moving arts become more sophisticated, so does the way in which we express ourselves. DKAF offers 9 days in which which artists from all disciplines come together, see one another’s work, and exchange ideas — all in the inspirational environs of Door County, Wisconsin.

MT: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2017)?

ES: Really innovative and rich storytelling experiences from filmmakers, playwrights, directors, actors, artists, choreographers and dancers. We also host several workshops and seminars — all open to the public — headed by internationally renowned artists.

MT: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

ES: Good story-telling, inventiveness in story-telling, economy, a willingness to branch out and express oneself in innovative ways.

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

ES: Yes. I believe that most festivals have challenging selection processes. There are so many good films out there, but screening committees are often too ad hoc and not fair. We strive for a thorough vetting of quality films at DKAF.

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

ES: We love a good story. We love creating and presenting things in Door County, which is an artist’s home for many working in different mediums. We want people to experience Door County first hand and to find inspiration to create more and better art.

MT: How has your FilmFreeway submission process been?

ES: Pretty Great. The folks FilmFreeway are always coming up with intriguing ways to make the submissions process easier, and allow the filmmakers to find the festivals that are right for them.

MT: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

ES: We’re new and very young. We don’t want to become an overly big festival, but we want the quality of our work to improve annually. We want to pack as much art and inspiration as we can in 9 days!

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

ES: 8 1/2 by Frederico Fellini. Hands down my favorite film of all time. Though CITIZEN KANE is up there too.

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

ES: GOOD STORY!

MT: How is the film scene in your city?

ES: I live in LA (if that’s what you mean). It’s hopping. In Bailey’s Harbor WI, there’s not much going on, though there is a growing local interest in filmmaking. Why not? The medium is becoming easier and easier every year.

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 20-50 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto, and Los Angeles at least 2 times a month. Go to www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with Festival Director Kanithea Powell (Queer Hippo International LGBT Film Festival)

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Queer Hippo is a celebration of queer cinema that brings together authentic stories and audacious audiences for its annual program of original documentaries, dramatic films, original teleplays, music videos and shorts. With filmmaker forums and panels, live music performances, distributors, engaging community and student programs, Queer Hippo brings together today’s most original storytellers to a place where they can collaborate and connect.

http://www.queerhippo.com/

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

Kanithea Powell: Queer Hippo provides an amazing platform for queer independent filmmakers. We have had films premier at our festival and go on to win major festivals as a result of winning in Queer Hippo. That says a lot about our ability to choose quality films that tell compelling stories.

MT: What would you expect to experience if you attend the
festival this year (2017)?

KP: Another great year of queer films. Last year Queer Hippo represented over 19 different countries. That’s huge. Expect 2017 to give you nothing less than diverse authentic stories, amazing shorts, moving features and documentaries.

MT: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

KP: The subject matter must be queer.

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

KP: There are so many great films out there looking for a platform.

If you are a small indie film with a great story, you may not get the attention you deserve when you are up against a larger film with major cast. You can get lost in the shuffle, and that’s unfortunate.

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

KP: We love cinema. Being able to provide a safe space for our audience to come and enjoy our selection of films means everything. We are in an environment where it is important to tell those stories and continue to show people we are more alike than we are different.

MT: How has your FilmFreeway submission process been?

KP: FilmFreeway has made this process simple and affordable. The platform works flawlessly for the festival programmer and the filmmaker. The site was easy to navigate and gave me exactly what I needed. This allowed us to get about the business of finding great films for our audience.

MT: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

KP: Queer Hippo will be the best place to experience queer cinema.

We will be leaders in providing educational and distribution opportunities for filmmakers.

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

KP: Shine & The Color Purple

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

KP: Storytelling is the beginning and end to a great film.

MT: How is the film scene in your city?

KP: Houston has a small, intimate film scene. Austin gets a lot of the work but I think that will change over the next few years.

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 20-50 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto, and Los Angeles at least 2 times a month. Go to www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with director Paul Verhoeven (promoting Golden Globe winning film “ELLE”

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elle.jpgAs of this writing, “ELLE” was the winner of 2 Golden Globe Awards (Best Actress, Best Foreign Film), and the lead actress Isabelle Huppert was just nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress. A must see film from a legendary director.

Paul Verhoeven is a director from my childhood. My friends and I used to love watching “Robocop” during out monthly slumber parties. Then “Total Recall” entered our world right at the time we all started getting interested in the supernatural and girls simultaneously. By the time “Basic Instinct” came along, I was a young teenager and let’s just say the movie made a deep impression on me. As I grew from a boy to a young adult, Verhoeven’s film grew with me.

So I have to say that I was a bit nervous meeting him in the staged interview hotel room at TIFF 2016. I had 15 minutes and when Paul walked in you could tell I was going to be around his 50th interview in the last few days and the hotel room backdrop is a very familiar site to him.

For my first question, I wanted to ask him something that was interesting and/or intriguing to him and perhaps a question he was never asked before, or at least not asked while he was promoting “ELLE”.

Matthew Toffolo: What movie have you watched the most times in your life?

Paul sat there motionless for more than a few seconds with his head looking at the ground. I thought I blew it right from the beginning. Then.

Paul Verhoeven: I’m thinking. I’m thinking.

Lawrence of Arabia. North by Northwest. Belle de Jour. Vertigo. Those are the films I keep going back to.

He smiled at me. I smiled at him. Then it was time to do the interview and let him move to the next one.

MT: You seem to balance your films between your European life and your Hollywood life. ELLE seems to strike a nice mixture of both. Was that your initial intention?

PV: Well in Europe, you have more power as a director. In Hollywood, you have more excess and money. Of course you like to have both, but that’s not the case. So yes, we were attempting to make a Hollywood type of film with ELLE using the European format.

MT: I heard your initial intention was to make this an English language film?

PV: Well it’s a French novel. The producer of ELLE, Saïd Ben Saïd, thought it could be an American movie. We went to an American screenwriter and wrote it as an USA movie, based in America. Then we found out that we couldn’t get the right funding. But the real problem was that we couldn’t find an American actress. None of them wanted to do it. From the A list down. They all turned the project down.

MT: Why do you think so many actresses turned down the film?

PV: It’s a different kind of movie. If this was a straight up “revenge” film, then I’m sure many would want the role. But this isn’t a revenge movie. It’s someone more. This is a film about a woman who refuses to be a victim. In fact, even after she discovers who the rapist is, she moves over that.

MT: Was Isabelle Huppert your first choice to play the lead when you decided to……?

PV: No. She was my first choice. She read the book and wanted to do the role. After the “American adventure” was over and I told the producer that we should make this movie in France, he immediately picked up the phone and called Isabelle and she accepted right away. So it was really her to chose me.

MT: There is no straight up genre in this film?

PV: No, there isn’t. This is a film about the discovery of this woman. Who she is. The book is a study of character and that’s the movie we wanted to make. All of her relationships in this movie, from her lover, best friend, her father, her rapist – the construction is about her and what’s around her. If I made this a straight up thriller, then it would deny what this story is all about.

MT: When did you novel read the novel?

PV: It was sent to me by the producer who asked if I wanted to make this into a film. I read it right away and told him “yes”.

MT: How long was it from the time you read the novel to the completed product?

PV: I read it at the Berlin Film Festival in 2015 and we started shooting a year later. The only obstacle was our initial intention to turn this into an English film. That was the only delay. Until I decided it was supposed to be made in French, we got the production rolling in a matter of months.

MT: In the novel she’s a literary agent. In the film, she’s a video game developer. Why the change?

PV: I was trying to find a profession that was more visual. My daughter came up with that. I was talking to my family at the dinner table talking about the film and my youngest daughter, who is a painter, suggested this which of course lead to the themes of the film.

The publicist entered the room and said it was time to go. I really could have chatted with Paul for another hour – but what can you do.

“ELLE” is an exceptional film. One of the best of 2016. I hope you go see it!

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 20-50 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto, and Los Angeles at least 2 times a month. Go to www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.

Interview with Festival Director Jerzain Ortega (Author’s International Film Festival)

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The FIC AUTOR (Author’s International Film Festival) was  founded in 2016 by filmmaker Jerzain Ortega. The festival is interested in unique and artistic films that exceed the limits of traditional storytelling. Feature and Short Films that reflect the director’s personal creative vision, and a style that is distinct enough to shine through the collective process. The first edition of the FIC AUTOR will take place from November 10 to 17, 2017 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, México. FIC AUTOR will present the very best films from around the world, and honor our first guest, Cannes Caméra d’Or award winner Michael Rowe.

Go to the website at: http://www.ficautor.com/

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

Jerzain Ortega: FIC AUTOR makes a very fair selection; we don’t select films
because they have celebrities or a well-known director. Our selection is based on which films are THE BEST, but don’t get me wrong, if a film like “Whiplash” was submitted to the FIC AUTOR, I would accept it, no doubt, because that film is a piece of art, so we are not anti-celebrity, but we are very objective and we won’t be dazzled over a famous face. Also, the filmmaker can feel confident that the jury watched his/her film entirely, because we send the comments from the
jury for free. And we give beautiful rings and trophies made of silver, and we will try our best to sell the films to Mexican distributors.

MT: What would you expect to experience if you attend the festival this year (2017)?

JO: A fantastic selection of the best films from around the globe, highly artistic, yet entertaining; a close connection between and with the artists, because everything happens in the same venue; a nice award ceremony open to the public where we will award the best filmmakers of the moment and our first honored guest, Michael Rowe, who will also present his film “Early Winter” and will have a Q&A segment with the
audience.

MT: What are the qualifications for the selected films?

JO: Directors must have a style that stands out from the others and the stories must be close to original. The market is full of the same crap, thanks to Hollywood. The audience knows exactly how the guy is going to lose and win back his girlfriend in a comedic love story; they know who is going to die first in a horror movie, or when to expect a lazy jump
scare, etc. A good filmmaker, an author, chews all of those clichés and spits them in the sink, way far from his delicious gourmet dish.

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

JO: No, I don’t. Film Festivals are business, sounds bad, but they are. And they all earn money from fee submissions and tickets and sponsors and government grants, so most of them, many of them, choose films with a nice cast so they can connect with the audience, sell tickets, have sponsors, increase the tourism –or allow politicians to take their pictures with the stars-, and of course, fabricate the dream almost every filmmaker has, win something and be at the same level of these “great, well-known filmmakers.” But this is bullshit. Every honest filmmaker knows deep inside them, that their dream, our dream, is to have one more night with the audience, in the dark, listening to the laughter, the connection with the characters we create and at the end, hear the applause and feel like an undercover cop hearing the comments on the way out of the theatre. And if you don’t believe me, check the list of the winners of the past editions of the 50 best film festivals, yes you will find a few good ones, but most of them, are public relations, or advertising, or copy-paste selections from other festivals.

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

JO: I write a personal email to each filmmaker that submits to the festival. Sometimes this email turns into 10 emails of conversation, most of the filmmakers write me back telling me that it’s very rare to receive a personal letter from a festival director, or that this is the first time a festival treats them like a person. THIS MOTIVATES ME. We built a film festival that treats filmmakers like people and not like
numbers, a festival that is transparent and has its feet on the ground. This is a business, yes, but our business is to celebrate and encourage the emerging and real authors that are out there, to continue making great films. We want to build a festival that every filmmaker in the world can feel proud to participate in.

MT: How has your FilmFreeway submission process been?

JO: The response from the filmmakers has been amazing, we have more than 500 submissions and we expect to have many more. And most of these submissions are an amazing quality.

MT: Where do you see the festival by 2020?

JO: Here, in Guadalajara, Mexico, but with more sponsors and stronger relationships with distributors so we can help and give more to the FIC AUTOR submitters.

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

JO: This one is hard… ROCKY and THE BOURNE IDENTITY, but when I see either of these, I can’t stop; I have to watch the rest of the films from the franchise.

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

JO: The passion that flows through the hands of the artists of each of the film departments, who understand and share the unique vision of a talented writer-director.

MT: How is the film scene in your city?

JO: Guadalajara has a strong independent filmmaking community that is growing and producing more and more films each year of our own merits. We don’t have too much support; most of the local government budget for cinema goes to filmmakers from Mexico City, so it is unfair, but we are warriors and we don’t sit with our arms crossed. We figure it out and we
continue producing films.

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Jerzain Ortega began his film career as a makeup artist in Mel Gibson’s “Apocalypto.” Following this, he studied cinema at Centro de Estudios Cinematográficos INDIe, and worked on a second film as chief makeup artist in Alejandro Ramirez’ “Todos Hemos Pecado.” Later, he financed his first independent film by his own means, “Journal d’un inadapté;” a film made almost entirely by him (one man crew in almost every scene.) He is now producing his second feature film, “Telephone,” a film that will be shot with only one assistant as well. He is also the founder of FIC AUTOR (Author’s International Film Festival.)

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Interviewer Matthew Toffolo is currently the CEO of the WILDsound FEEDBACK Film & Writing Festival. The festival that showcases 20-50 screenplay and story readings performed by professional actors every month. And the FEEDBACK Monthly Festival held in downtown Toronto, and Los Angeles at least 2 times a month. Go to www.wildsound.ca for more information and to submit your work to the festival.