Film Festival Panels

July 26, 2009

Film Festival Panels
Filmmakers share insights at City Opera House 7/27/09

How do you make a great movie? This week, daily panels of filmmakers,
documentarians, actors and participants will offer their insights into
what goes on behind the camera in the quest to make cinematic art.
Held free of charge at the City Opera House Wednesday through Sunday, July
29-Aug. 2, the panels offer firsthand stories and opinions from visiting
filmmakers as they mix it up with each other and the audience.
“These sessions range from the hilarious to the moving,” said Film
Festival founder and Oscar-winning filmmaker Michael Moore. “They’re
always spontaneous and lively -- so much so, in fact, that it’s typical
for the discussions to run over the time we have set aside and spill out
into the hallways and the streets because people just don’t want to stop
the conversation once it’s started.”
Free tickets are handed out beginning at 8:30 a.m. to guarantee seating
for the panels which start at 9:30. A maximum of two tickets per person
will be distributed.

The schedule includes:

Wednesday, July 29
“40 Years of Documentary Filmmaking”
It’s been 40 years since “Woodstock” and 20 years since Moore debuted his
documentary, “Roger & Me.” Meanwhile, great documentaries continue to be
made, with some of the best films in the 2009 festival being
documentaries. Some of the world’s top documentary filmmakers, in Traverse
City for the festival, will talk about the history of their craft and the
world and times in which they work. Joining Moore in the discussion will
be Aung Htun (“Burma VJ”), Joe Berlinger (“Crude”), Cathal Black
(“Learning Gravity”), Jim Czarnecki (“Soundtrack for a Revolution”),
Michelle Esrick (“Saint Misbehavin’: The Wavy Gravy Movie”), Emily
Kunstler (“William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe”) and Kevin McMahon
(“Waterlife”).

Thursday, July 30
“Palestine and Vine”:
This panel will explore what Moore describes as two of the best films on
this year’s schedule: “Rachel” and “Salt of This Sea.”
“Palestinian film had a watershed year in 2009, sending the world
cinematic voices we rarely get to hear in the U.S.,” Moore said.
Rachel Corrie’s parents, Cindy and Craig Corrie, and Palestinian
filmmakers Annemarie Jacir and Ossama Bawardi (“Salt of This Sea”) will
talk about making great art out of hard material.

Friday, July 31
“Michigan Film Office Advisory Council Meeting”:
The bi-monthly meeting of the Governor’s Michigan Film Office Advisory
Council will give the panel audience a look at how the state government is
working to bring the film industry to Michigan.

Saturday, Aug. 1
“Comedy, American Style”:
Festival-goers can expect to enjoy an hour or two talking and laughing
with filmmakers Robert Byington (“Harmony and Me,” “Registered Sex
Offender”), Larry Charles (“Bruno”), Jeff Garlin (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”),
Ben Steinbauer (“Winnebago Man”) and Wavy Gravy (“Woodstock,” “Saint
Misbehavin’”).

Sunday, Aug. 2
“Paul Mazursky Talks”:
The festival is honoring filmmaking great Paul Mazursky this year with a
special tribute. Mazursky will talk with Jeff Garlin about his films and a
life in the movies.

The Traverse City Film Festival runs July 28-Aug. 2. For more information,
visit
www.traversecityfilmfestival.org.