There's something impossible to explain about the magic of a film festival, and while watching movies with the artists who made them is part of it, it comes down to the personal moments even more. Every year I say something along the lines of, "Oh, this was by far the best year," but I can't be blamed for hyperbole if the festival does indeed keep improving with each passing year.
From Selin Sevinc's expert festival curation, Christina Rosetti's tireless and inspiring logistics and operations direction, Elise Furgurson's endlessly inventive design and branding, Doone Williams' innovative music video program, RJ Quiris and his awe inspiring ambassadorship to the guests of the Fest, to Todd Looby for making the bones strong and the heart healthy and to Todd Leiser, Robert Marquez, Frank Groundwater, Gary Loddo, Greg Babush, Alexandria, Sage, Jayna, Eight, Stephanie and the board members, endless volunteers and special experts that made each day of the festival run like a dream...the team executed a film festival with precision. I know I'm forgetting so many people that were so integral to the running of this weekend, but I'm not sure my brain is back in working order yet.
I spent most of the festival as a floater, just filling pockets of space where I was needed. A majority of the time I was in the HUB at Scalehouse Gallery, leading anyone who came in to where they needed to go. Doing that led me to the most remarkable moment I had across the entire weekend: meeting and grabbing a coffee with Chuck Dickerson, the subject of the documentary "The Orchestra Chuck Built" and founder, conductor and artistic director of ICYOLA, the Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles. Talking to Dickerson about conducting and traveling around the country with a film he's the subject of was honestly one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. He is one of the most fascinating and kindest humans I've spent time with. Being in his presence was like being in the same room as a living legend and I'm not sure I was cool enough for the honor.
From the overwhelming success of the opening night shorts program that instilled rapturous applause in the sold-out Tower Theater, to the closing night party where all the guests of the festival danced between the joy of the weekend they had and the melancholy of saying goodbye, the 20th anniversary of the festival felt like its biggest year yet. But, as Lead Shorts Programmer, you shouldn't take my word for it. Here's what a few of our guests had to say:
Tiger Ji: Writer/Director of "Death & Ramen"
"It's a rarity to find film festivals that extend such warmth and hospitality to filmmakers and Bend truly surpassed most of my previous festival experiences by a significant margin. While it may not be the biggest festival, it more than compensates with its intimate atmosphere and the sense that every filmmaker is genuinely looked after. Having our film "Death & Ramen" close out opening night was a delight. Selin and her team are the f**king best!"
Elisa Levine: Director of "Sweetheart Deal" and 2023 Bend Film Fest Juror
"After an unforgettable experience playing my feature documentary at Bend Film last year, I had the privilege of returning this year as a juror (Documentary Shorts) with the fantastic Nekisa Cooper and Michael Workman. The top-notch programming did make it difficult to choose award winners, as all of the films were wonderful. The care and love that the Bend Film programmers, staff and volunteers put into creating a magical and welcoming experience for filmmakers and audience members alike is unparalleled. I love Bend Film!"
Emma Suits: 2023 Fest Juror and Theatrical Distribution coordinator for NEON
"Big kudos to the festival's programming team for squeezing a solar eclipse into this year's lineup."
Tara Jayn: Producer of "Miss Brown"
"The town is absolutely beautiful and so welcoming; every single film I've seen has been outstanding and the questions from the local attendees at the Q&As have been so thoughtful; the kind of questions you always hope you'll get. As a whole, this experience has been wonderful and the inspiration I needed to dive back into work when I get home."
As glowing as those few reviews are, I think it's Bend Film's own Selin Sevinc that captures those ineffable words I was unable to find at the top of the article. "To call this year's fest unforgettable falls short," says Sevinc. "I was so moved by the gratitude I saw throughout the weekend. I'm so intensely involved in the planning phase for so long that when the festival begins and I connect with filmmakers and audiences, it always hits me by surprise that what we're doing nurtures people's souls and they come away from the experience exhilarated, inspired and overjoyed. I'm stunned that we are able to do something so big and important. I should take a moment to rest now, but I honestly can't wait for the next fest already. I'm thankful beyond words."
— Some quotes edited for space.
