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It’s Film Festival Season
March 10, 2013 Leave a Comment
The Oscars are behind us – Jennifer Lawrence no longer dominates the headlines of every website, and Ben Affleck has regained his street cred. So what’s a film lover to do now that we’re officially in the dark months between Oscar buzz and summer blockbusters?
Seems like a good time for a film festival. We’ve got three of ’em (and you don’t even have to leave the couch to enjoy them).
#SheDocs Online Film Festival
In celebration of Women’s History Month, #SheDocs Online Film Festival brings you the best independent documentaries that tell the stories of women and girls defying odds and rising to leadership positions throughout history. (Could it be the first film fest that’s also a Twitter hashtag)?
If film festivals were known for their headlining acts, in the way summer music festivals are, MAKERS would be the #SheDocs headliner. MAKERS: Women Who Make America, a 3-hour film narrated by Meryl Streep, debuted on WPT Feb. 26 to much fanfare and it dominated the social media landscape thanks to engaged viewers like you. A lot of you called in to WPT Audience Services to tell us you want to share MAKERS with parents and children alike. This tweet sums it up best, “Watching agn! w/my mom (born ’52) & even had the attn of my daughter (born in 2006) 4 a moment!”
Other highlights from the festival include Solar Mamas and Strong! from Independent Lens.
One of the best ways to enjoy the #SheDocs festival is by participating in an upcoming Ovee screening. Ovee offers a way to watch your favorite public television films and connect with other viewers during the screening via social media. Check out all the upcoming #SheDocs Ovee screenings.
PBS Online Film Festival
PBS, this month, happens to be running its own little festival – the PBS Online Film Festival – showcasing 25 short films that feature a diversity of subjects, voices and viewpoints. I’ll plug CatCam. In a short 16-minute film you’ll find out what happens when an owner straps a camera to a cat that constantly disappears from home.
Watch CatCam below and browse all the selections in the 2013 PBS Online Film Festival.
Wisconsin Film Festival
After #SheDocs and the PBS Online Film Festival wrap this month, you’ll have a few days to recover before the Wisconsin Film Festival (WFF) swings into action. The official kick-off (in public tv land, at least) is 9 p.m. Friday, April 5, when Director’s Cut airs it’s annual preview of the WFF. The official lineup will be announced later this month. Stay tuned to wifilmfest.org for details.
Ok careful readers… I fibbed a little bit earlier. You can preview the WFF from your couch, but if you want to see the films, well, that requires changing out of your pajamas and making the trip to downtown Madison for some engagement with the community. The WFF is no SXSW or Sundance, but there’s always a special buzz in the restaurants and theaters the week of the WFF. Hope to see you out there, or online.
