Fun with FLIFF
The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival
Turns 21,
and Everyone’s Invited to the Party
By Mary Damiano
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Penelope Cruz, star of Pedro Almodvar’s new Film Volver,
the opening night film of the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival |
If the Fort
Lauderdale International Film Festival were a person, it would be coming of
age this year as a full-fledged adult.
As
FLIFF—as it is affectionately
and efficiently known—turns 21 this year, it shows that it’s still at that
awkward in between age—old enough to be considered grown up, yet still
displaying the passionate recklessness of youth.
Case in point: This past August, the folks who run FLIFF
announced that the festival would be shorter. For years, FLIFF has been billed
as the longest film festival in the world—it even said so in the Guinness Book
of World Records. But this year, they announced, FLIFF would be trimmed by 14
days. Apparently, there would be less fluff in FLIFF.
The decision to shorten the festival, they said, grew from
FLIFF’s evolution from a once a year film festival with some film screenings and
events throughout the year to a year-round purveyor of art films and foreign
fare.
“With the advent of our year-round art house, Cinema
Paradiso in January of 2000, we began to create, in a sense, a year-round
festival,” said Gregory von Hausch, president and CEO of FLIFF. “Now, six years
later, our outreach has also become year-round with mini-fests and outdoor
movies taking place in a variety of cities throughout four counties. It was
essential we shorten our major event.”
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A scene from David & Layla, a romantic cross-cultural
romantic comedy, part of the FLIFF line-up |
Well, that was then and this is now. As preparation for
FLIFF was heading into the homestretch, von Hausch decided to lengthen FLIFF,
and bring the film total in at over 200. As far as von Hausch is concerned,
there are just too many worthwhile films to shorten the festival.
This means that FLIFF will retain its wacky scheduling
dates. The official opening film and opening night party is Friday, October 20,
and the closing night film—make that films, because now there are three closing
night films—and wrap party happens November 12. The festival, however, actually
begins on October 16 and ends on November 14.
But such is the nature of FLIFF. The pre-opening films are
just as compelling as those screened during the meat of the festival. Dixie
Chicks: Shut Up and Sing is a documentary by filmmaker Barbara Kopple
following the group in the wake of lead singer Natalie Maines anti-George Bush
comment. Guide to Recognizing Your Saints is a coming of age story about
a boy growing up in 1980s New York; as his friends die or end up in prison he
comes to believe he’s been saved from a similar fate by various so-called
saints. The cast includes Robert Downey Jr., Rosario Dawson, Chazz Palminteri,
and Dianne Wiest.
FLIFF’s official opening night film is the latest film from
Pedro Almodovar, Volver, family mystery film starring Penelope Cruz. The
film will be shown Friday, October 20, at Parker Playhouse, and the opening
night party will be held at La Playa Mediterranean restaurant at Oakland Park
Blvd. and the Intracoastal in Fort Lauderdale.
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A scene from Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, which
screens October 19 at Cinema Paradiso |
The final film on closing night is Local Color,
starring Samantha Mathis, Trevor Morgan, Charles Durning and Ray Liotta. Based
on a true story Local Color concerns a successful artist who looks back
on the summer of 1974, the defining year in his life. Writer/director George
Gallo, Mathis and Morgan will attend the screening at Parker Playhouse. The
closing night wrap party will be held at The Sand Bar, just south of Las Olas
Blvd. along the beach.
In between the opening and closing nights are more than 200
films—old films, new films, Florida films short films, foreign films and home
grown films.
But even with all the wackiness, the last minute changes,
the irreverent scheduling, I love FLIFF, and I have great memories of FLIFFs
gone by. I volunteered at the very first fest, thrilled at the prospect of such
an event in Fort Lauderdale. Back then, the office was in a charming little
house in downtown Fort Lauderdale. I remember a few years ago, when Matt Damon
walked the red carpet for a fundraiser and did a Q&A with the
audience, and then the house party afterward, where the poor guy got mobbed all
night. That’ll teach you something about the downside of fame.
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Barbra Streisand as Fanny Bryce in Funny Girl, part of a
day-long Streisand salute at FLIFF |
But my personal favorite FLIFF moment came in 2003, when Jacqueline Bisset came
to promote a film and was honored by FLIFF. I was scheduled to interview her at
one of the big galas. We met, but the room was too noisy for the interview. As
the publicist and I scanned the room for a spot that would work, Jacqueline
suggested a spot way in the back, away from the party, and said we’d just need
chairs. Then, much to the chagrin of the publicist and myself, beautiful,
elegant, classy Jacqueline Bisset grabbed hold of a chair, picked it up and
carried it across the room. It was the classiest thing she could have done. I
grabbed a chair, followed, and had one of the best and most interesting
interviews in my career. That’s FLIFF, for you.Some
FLIFF
highlights include:
A Salute to Barbra Striesand
Sunday, October 29, Cinema Paradiso
Funny Girl, What’s Up Doc?, Yentl and Prince of Tides—a
mini-fest that will go down like buttah
Movies for the Young, Not So Young and Young at Heart
FLIFF will screen Mary
Poppins, The Sound of Music and Willie Wonka and the
Chocolate Factory ( the original one) on Saturday mornings of the festival
free of charge to kids. There will also be free weekday screenings for seniors,
including Theda Bara: Woman with the Hungry Eyes, The Making of
a President 1960, Rossellini and Life of Reilly.
Several other films, including The King and I, will be screened free for
everyone.
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A scene from Mary Poppins, one of movies for kids at
FLIFF |
Sunshine Celluloid
A popular FLIFF feature,
Sunshine Celluloid is the name given to those films by Florida filmmakers or in
which Florida plays a signifigant role.
Luna Fest
Sunday, November 12, Cinema Paradiso
A FLIFF feature for several years, this program presents nine short films by,
for and about women. Proceeds from Luna Fest benefit the Breast Cancer
Fund
The Centerpiece Film and Reel Magic Gala
Friday, November 3, Parker Playhouse and War Memorial Auditorium
The centerpiece film comes halfway through the festival. This year’s centerpiece
film is Pittsburgh, starring Jeff Goldblum, Ileana Doglas and d Begley Jr. The
film will be screened at Parker Playhouse and afterwards the Reel Magic Gala
will take place just up the drive at War Memorial Auditorium. Guests can glam it
up for a night of old Hollywood, where they can enjoy an elegant buffet and
hobnob with the stars and filmmakers.
FLIFF Film Venues
Cinema Paradiso
503 SE 6th Street
Fort Lauderdale
954-525-FILM
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Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr in The King and I, one of
the free movies in the FLIFF line-up |
Parker Playhouse
707 NE 8th Street
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
Sunrise Cinemas Las Olas 15
at Riverfront
300 SW 1st Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Museum of Art - Fort
Lauderdale
One East Las Olas Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301
African American Cultural Center
2650 Sistrunk Blvd
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
Most films cost $5-$10 at the door, with special events higher in price.
Festival passes can be purchased from the FLIFF office. For a full schedule of
films and parties, visit
fliff.com.
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