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greensparty · 1 month

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2024 IFFBoston Wrap-Up

From May 1 to 8, I got to attend my favorite film festival in Boston, in New England and possibly the world, the Independent Film Festival Boston (read my previous coverage here). I have a special place for this festival: in 2014 my documentary Life on the V: The Story of V66 had its World Premiere at the festival, and in 2015 I was on the Documentary Jury. This was one of the best line-ups in a while. There was a common theme from a number of the films I saw (both narrative and documentary) about disabilities, conditions and anxieties. It was nice to see the amount of inclusion and accessibility represented in this year's fest. Here is my lightning-round of this year’s fest:

Wed. May 1:

Sadly I missed the opening night, just stopped by to pick up my badge :(

Thurs. May 2:

I went to the Brattle to see one of the most highly-anticipated movies of this year, I Saw the TV Glow about two teens who bond over their fandom of a mysterious TV show. I caught director Jane Schoenbrun’s last film We’re All Going to the World’s Fair when it was was at the 2021 IFFBoston and while I had a mixed response to the film, I was excited about this new one. Taking place over the course of 27 years, we see young teen Owen in 1996 who be-friends Maddy, a few years older as he takes an interest in the TV show The Pink Opaque, a 90s WB-type series (a serious Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Charmed reference). As time goes on, Maddy leaves VHS tapes of the show for Owen since his parents won't let him stay up for it. A few years later, the show gets canceled and Maddy leaves town. The lines between fiction and reality begin to blur after that. I choose to not give away much more to avoid spoilers. I've thought about this film every day since I saw it and all I can say is OMG - Wow, this movie rocks! Much has been made about how this movie is an allegory for Schoenbrun's own experience of transitioning, but even without that backstory, it is truly the work of an artist who is using film to comment on our relationship with pop culture. There have definitely been times for me as a teen (and since) when I related more to fictional characters than IRL people around me, which is what's being presented with Owen. Schoenbrun is showing how pop culture can be something that brings people together as they sit silently watching a show, while connecting with that show. Whether the show was actually good is another story altogether, but the point is it spoke to you at a time when you needed it. There are definitely parts when this is bowing at the altar of David Cronenberg or Donnie Darko, but when this works, it's on the level of Twin Peaks for a depiction of suburbia not being what it seems. It's also one of the rare times when you see a character return to pop culture that they loved when they were young and when they are older they have a different view of it. As someone who has addressed pop culture and nostalgia in all of my work, it's no surprise that I was moved by this, but it truly is a film that lives up to the hype. Side note: Schoenbrun is receiving the Coolidge Breakthrough Artist Award from Coolidge Corner Theatre tonight!

Fri. May 3:

I caught up with some filmmaker friends and press friends at the after-party. Good times!

Sat. May 4:

I caught the documentary The Road to Ruane about Billy Ruane. Let me back up: After my friend Michael Gill passed away in 2022, my hope was that his long in the works documentary about Ruane, the eccentric promoter of legendary Boston rock club The Middle East (actually Cambridge, but a big part of the Boston music scene), would somehow get completed and released. I met up with Gill a few times before he moved around 2017 as I had heard about his doc and there was a lot of overlap with his doc and my doc Life on the V: The Story of V66 in terms of interviewees and subject matter (both of us filmed interviews with Ben Deily of The Lemonheads, Dana Colley of Morphine and Kay Hanley of Letters to Cleo and there's loads of overlap with other bands too). I am thrilled to see that co-director Scott Evans completed the doc and it is finally premiered. The fact that the doc features loads of Middle East archival footage and interviews with a who's who of Boston rock got my attention.

Ruane was a Harvard-educated trust fund child (Warren Buffet was his Godfather) and when he stayed in Boston he took to the local music scene and began booking and promoting bands at The Middle East. But beyond the "this band got their start and played there before they were famous" stories (of which there are many) it's really a story of someone who couldn't hide from his family trauma compounded with his bipolar disorder. It serves as a cautionary tale of money can't buy happiness. But beyond just being a tribute to Ruane, it is also a tribute to Gill and his own connection to The Middle East as an employee and with his band The Damn Personals, covered here too. This is a music doc for Boston music geeks!

Afterwards I went upstairs to the Crystal Ballroom for the karaoke party and jury awards!

Sun. May 5:

In the afternoon I caught Tallywacker, which had already won a jury award before the screening. It's a comedy-drama about a two-person rock band Tallywacker. Guitarist-singer Aleister is disabled and drummer Emmett has been his friend and bandmate for 15 years. When Aleister gets a chance to tour with a major rock star he brings Emmett along to help out, but not perform with the band. This, of course, tests the friendship and the band. I out and out loved this movie! It got into the trope of movies about bands, but the trick was that the funny parts are really funny and the dramatic parts were really emotional and the indie rock soundtrack was really good too. There were a lot of films at this year's festival about disabilities and one of the common themes was the need for equality. While that theme is present in this film, it actually brought up an interesting question, which Emmett asks Aleister - are audiences liking and watching you for the right reasons or are you being exploited? It's an entertaining movie with some strong themes and ideas to it!

My friends director Dan Habib and editor James Rutenbeck were at the 2018 IFFBoston with the great doc Intelligent Lives. Now they are back with a new doc The Ride Ahead co-directed by Dan’s son Samuel about his own personal journey to becoming an adult. Samuel, a disabled young person, tells his story of figuring out what's next and making a film about it by talking with other disabled activists and entertainers. Dan is a very gifted filmmaker and it's truly beautiful to see he and his son Samuel open up themselves to share their story with the world. Talent runs in their family!

Mon. May 6:

My friend Mark Phinney’s film Fat was at 2014 IFFBoston when I was there with Life on the V: The Story of V66. We’ve remained good friends since then and this year he premiered his new feature Fear of Flying about a man struggling with his anxieties while trying to maintain his relationships. It is impossible for me to be objective about this film as Mark is a friend of mine and I actually read an early draft of the screenplay and gave him my notes. But I will say this, this is a good example of what a small character-driven indie film can do on a low budget and it has a lot to say about people who live with anxiety and the personal toll it can take and inhibit progress, relationships and career. The cast is solid and Mark made something really personal. Way to go Mark!

Vanyaland's Michael Christopher, director Mark Phinney and the cast/crew of Fear of Flying

Tues. May 7:

The fest moved over to the Coolidge Corner Theatre (one of their new cinemas I might add). In My Own Normal, director Alexandre Freeman turns the camera on himself: living with cerebral palsy since age two he is now an adult about to become a new father and how his parents react to this. My friend Ariana Garfinkel (she’s an IFFBoston alum as well) is a consulting producer on the film. The film gets deep into parenthood and what it is for someone with disabilities to become a parent, a husband and a filmmaker. Truly moving!

Wed. May 8:

The Closing Night film at Coolidge was the comedy Thelma starring Oscar-nominee June Squibb as an elderly woman who is scammed by a caller claiming to be her grandson and goes on a city-wide quest to get back what’s hers. Of all the films I saw at IFFBoston this year, this was easily the lightest and dare I say, most commercial. But there was a charm to it and it's constructed with a lot of the tropes of action movies but adapting them to an elderly cast. I was especially excited to see Richard Roundtree (who passed away last October) in one of his final roles as Thelma's friend who helps her out with his scooter and is also the voice of reason. The cast definitely elevated what could have been a sitcom-ish premise. Watch for it when it opens in June. Afterwards I swung by the party in one of the new spaces at the Coolidge.

me at 2024 IFFBoston

Congrats to all my pals who had films this year and to the IFFBoston team for swinging it out of the park once again!

For info (and ways to support) IFFBoston

#independent film festival boston #iffboston2024 #i saw the tv glow #jane schoenbrun #the road to ruane #michael gill #tallywacker #the ride ahead #fear of flying #mark phinney #my own normal #thelma #richard roundtree #film festivals #film geek

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