Wow, Why Didn't I Know?

HOW SHALL I BEGIN...
I feel as though I have suddenly come "alive", amidst a stormy need to express my feelings about films. Why have I been awaken? Because films need a voice and my mind has been programmed to that end. I am NOT a monster, though after hours in dark theaters, I too have trouble with BRIGHT LIGHT and angry mobs. So begins another journey with a fresh start, an alter-ego matched only by my true self. I am here to serve my master.... FILM.

THE AWAKENING:

Shit man, I just read yesterday's Morning Call and noticed the article in the Sports scetion for some film fest in South Bethlehem. Man how th f*** did I miss this shit. I remember reading about this last year. How did a film junkie like me manage to miss this. It ain't so bad now, cuz I grabbed an All Access Pass at Deja Brew on Fourth. How freaking cool, a film fest in my old home town.

As a former grappler, I was stoked to see that SouthSide was screening "Veritas": The Jon Trenge Story" at Packard Auditorium. Holy crap, and then I get there and thert are HUNDREDS o fpeople standing around waiting to get in. Finally the previous film was over and we were excorted in by the friendly volunteers. WOW, what a film, which was preceded by some "dance" film "Cornered". I ain't no dancer, but damn is this wasn't an amazing film.

Anyway Veritas was NOT a disappointment. I had seen this filmaker's previous film "The Last Game", and remember diggin his style. The film was heartbreaking, but inspirational as well. Good show SouthSide.

Decided to hang out and see the next film as well: "American Visa". Not sure how SouthSide managed, but this film was again amazing. Apparently somebody did their homework for this fest, as they got tons of flicks from around the world, and apparently are paying particular focus on Dance and also So America. Can't wait for tomorrow.

Apparently there was some filmmaker sitting behind me, and they even have "after hours" stuff for the filmakers. How cool? I suggest you check their SouthSude Film Festival website or just get your ass to So Beth for 2 more days of this cinamtic madness they call SouthSide Film Festival. As a matter of fact, I went online last night and found their website at SSFF dot org, and there are some blogs focusing on the fest activities: southsidefilm.blogster dot com and filmolina.blogster dot com. So I whipped up this blog last night.

As a Film junkie, I wish they'd do more festivals like this... low key, not much celebrity, all about the films and filmmakers and the quality of the product. Today and tomorrow they're scxreening films at 3 venues from noon til 1pm. I also saw they're doing som after hours party tonight at a cool little coffee shop, Wildflower. I heard of the one dude, Cory McAbee, as he did one of my favorite cult classic films: American Astronaut. This dude rocks and has a band, the Billy Nayer Project, They rock and I seen em in NYC twice. Tonight Cory's doing solo shit and is followed by paragon park and DJ Juicy. Gotta stay out to check this gig.

I'll give ya shorter snippets later, but was just STOKED to hear about this fest and all this awesome film stuff. If last night was any indication, I'm in for 22 hours of AWESOME filmmaking today and Saturday. I hope I can stay awake to crash their party. Pretty sure the chick at the ticket saels at Deja said my pass would get me in, we'll see. I hope so. I would love to meet some o these filmakers in town, more than 2 dozen from all over this globe.

Check out those other blogs, check out SouthSide Film Festival and their website. Here's to keeping the crap out of the theaters, here's to independent filmmaking. I'm loving this. Maybe I can find interenet in between my screenings and poost on my blackberry. I'll give that a shot. Just get the couch potato up aqnd out to SouthSide.

flicking all the way