WELCOME

Director’s Journal

Featured on A Year Without Rent, fest director Johnathan McFarlane wrote a “journal” of his experience with the fest this year. It’s an interesting look behind the curtain at the operations, trials, and tribulations of a film fest. Check it out by clicking HERE.

POST FEST BLUES

With the fifth annual Festivus Film Festival wrapped up, it’s with bittersweet feelings we say goodbye to yet another amazing year.

Be on the lookout for some post-fest filmmaker Q&A’s to help shed those blues, and our list of award winners this year. Until then, we just want to give a shout out to everyone who was a part of our staff that made it such an amazing experience–AGAIN! And last but not least, a gracious thank you to the filmmakers who spent their weekend with us. We saw familiar friends and met new ones. It just goes by way too quickly…

We’ll see you next year!!

DAY FOUR!

Today is day four, the inevitable conclusion to an incredible weekend of films from all over the globe. The plan is to kick things off a little later today to give everybody some recuperation time after last night’s Awards Party. The response so far from filmmakers about their festival experience has been incredible. You guys are the reason we do this!

Today, we’re getting into rehab mode with our Rehab Sunday Shorts block at 3PM. That’s followed by Ross McQueen’s Blockhouse Blues and the Elmore Beast at 5PM. You can read our interview with Ross here!

And last but not least, at 7PM we have our Locals Only Shorts Showcase, to give you a taste of our homegrown filmmaking talent.

It’s all happening at the Bug Theatre. So get down here! Day four starts…now!

DAY THREE!

We still haven’t fully recovered from yesterday, and Day Three begins just moments from now. With a full day and night of films there’s a lot to tell you about!

It all gets started at 2PM, with a block of experimental short films at the Bug Theatre, just to blow your mind early.

At 3:45PM we proudly present the world premiere of Sridhar Reddy’s Lilith at the Oriental Theater, with guest Julia Voth in attendance! We promise you will not want to miss this amazing horror film, then stay for the post Q&A.

It will be followed by a block of shorts called Twisted Tales at 6PM, and then at 8PM we have the very funny detective comedy, Searching for Sonny by Andrew Disney.

Over at the Bug, we kick off a matinee shorts block at 4pm, followed by the ice-cool skiing documentary Facets of Winter at 6PM.

Whatever you decide to see, we will unite everyone at the Blake Street Tavern in downtown tonight at 10:30PM for our awards party presented by Buffalo Trace Bourbon. German electro kraut rockers Total Ghost will provide the soundtrack to the festivities, and we’ll give out our famous skull awards. We plan on celebrating until we can’t feel our legs anymore.

And then it all starts again tomorrow!

Join us?

DAY TWO!

Festivus 2012 has officially begun! Last night we screened our Opening Night film, Heaven Strewn at the Bug Theatre. Director JT Gurzi was on hand to answer questions about his feature debut. We couldn’t have asked for a better opening film and it’s been a blast to have JT with us. Audiences really enjoyed it, along with our fun shorts block, with several of the filmmakers in attendance. This year we’ve set a record filmmaker attendance!

There’s still much more to come, with Day Two tonight at the Oriental Theater.

If you want laughs and good music, get a seat at 6:45pm. We kick things off with an offbeat buddy comedy, Cell Mates, followed by a block of Laugh Track Comedy Shorts. Then for your listening pleasure, we have Wire Faces joining us to finish the night strong with a great live set. If you haven’t checked out this band, tonight is the night!

Come one, come all!

The Science of Death

One of our short film programs we’re really excited about is called Twisted Tales Short Films. Among the tales of the twisted is “The Science of Death” by Daniel Bury. We asked him a few questions about it.

You can get tickets for Twisted Tales Short Films by clicking here.

Festivus Film Festival: What is “The Science of Death”?

Daniel Bury: At some point in each individual’s life, the reality of our mortality and eventual death suddenly becomes evident. Each person deals with the powerful truth of death in different ways. Many bury it deep away and ignore it, carrying on with their everyday lives. Others create elaborate myths and fairy tales to soften the truth with Romanticism. But what happens when one attempts to understand death through science? Will they forever remain overwhelmed by the harsh reality of our short existence? Or is there something deeper waiting to be discovered? “The Science of Death” is a film for those in this third category.

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Coverage from Yahoo Movies!

Check out Jason Congialosi’s coverage over at Yahoo Movies! Thanks Jason!