Press Launch Report

The SIFF press launch was held early this year (May 1). And it was pretty toned down in comparison to previous such events.

When I first began covering SIFF, the press launch used to be a much more well lubricated affair…basically, a happy hour with film trailers. It even started at happy hour, around 4 pm. This was when SIFF’s HQ was at the Egyptian. You drank merrily, had some snacks, then you were corralled into the theater (with your drinks), Dan Ireland and Darryl MacDonald came out to say how wonderful this year’s SIFF would be, then they screened a bunch a trailers. Afterwards, you went back out and drank up whatever alcohol was left.

They began getting a bit spiffed up as the years went by. They moved it to noon. Your press kit was in a three ring binder. They began to give you your press pass at the launch. They finally started showing a film after the trailers, usually the opening night film, on the pretext that they then didn’t have to get you an opening night ticket. There was plentiful food, gift bags of swag, and of course the all important alcohol (champagne).

Then the offerings began slimming down a bit. No more swag bags. The press kits now come in a folder. They didn’t show the opening night film last year (or this year), though they did show a film. The food became increasingly minimal. But you could always count on the alcohol.

No more! Or at least not this year. I had a small breakfast as I didn’t want to wait until 11 am to eat, and I’m glad I did as the food selection was pretty spare. Bowls of salad, small slices of French bread and butter, and cookies. A rather odd assortment, and certainly not close to the “brunch” specified in the press release. There was coffee, Vitamin Waters (presumably a sponsor), and Bibi Café, little bottles of what SIFF senior publicist and all-round nice guy Ted Fry (who was dressed especially spiffily) described as “coffee soda,” and that’s essentially accurate. But no champagne! Or any other alcohol. I was shocked. Stunned. A SIFF event without alcohol is like a cat without whiskers. A hand without a thumb. It’s not right. It’s unnatural. It just…shouldn’t…be.

But it was. I half thought about stepping out to get a drink for old time’s sake (I could’ve picked up a split of champagne at the QFC down the block, as we were at SIFF Cinema on Mercer) but decided against it. I would struggle through the event sober as a judge.

My press pass picture (taken by Diana Adams, whose new venture is the Vermillion Gallery on 11th Ave E) was much admired. I had samples of everything (including the Bibi Café), and then spent some time hobnobbing. One fun thing about these events is that they’re rather like reunions, catching up with folks you haven’t seen for a while. No scintillating chat to report, other than some crits griping about Hillary’s proposed gas tax holiday. I said since it was “proposed” only and not likely to pass anyway, what difference did it make? I received no response. I also got to see the other SIFF press person I’ve been emailing, Cal Ledbetter, in person, and that’s always nice.

No programs available, but the press kits did have lots of info. The full schedule will be out 5/8, so all will be revealed then. I was interested in Alexender Nevsky (live accompaniment by the Seattle Symphony!), Song Sung Blue about a Neil Diamond and Patsy Cline impersonator team, Hair: Let The Sunshine In which I assume must be about “the great American love-rock musical,” In Search Of Kennedy, and Patti Smith: Dream Of Life to mention a very few. Oh, and the opening night, Battle In Seattle. I was actually downtown for a few hours on the first day before decided I really didn’t want to experience tear gas personally, so I stayed home the rest of the week and actually left town to avoid the mess, so it’ll be interesting to see how they rework real life for “the cinema.”

We got the usual chat from various SIFF staffers on the fest, then a raft of trailers. The one that most caught my eye was Mongol, about Genghis Khan, about whom I know virtually nothing. Oh, and Baghead a horror film about young irritating people at a cabin in the woods being terrorized by a man with a bag over his head. Of course, the trailers were for films that have distribution, and most films in the fest don’t, so it was a bit of a skewed view. But I didn’t stay for the film they showed, the “closing night” film, Bottle Shock. Oddly, it’ll be shown on the last Saturday night of the fest, instead of Sunday…how on earth are people going to get through the final day of SIFF with that raging hangover from the “closing night” party? Or will the staff party that followed the closing night party now because the real closing night party? Time will tell.