FEATURE

Boston Underground Film Festival
A Week Of Visual Debauchery

by Erika Hahn

David Klieler, Executive Director, Kevin Fennessy, Judge, Dorothy Dwyer, judge, Kaj Wilson, judge, and Bill Plympton, Judge at the Jorge Hernandes Cultural Center in Boston's South End following the awards ceremony for the Boston Underground Film Festival. photo: Erika Hahn, courtesy BUFF.
If someone told you they "like to see films in the buff" you might think they had a thing for nudism. Perhaps they went to the 3rd Annual Boston Underground Film Festival, or B.U.F.F. The acclaimed fest ran at the end of February and gave audiences a chance to see films that warp perceptions of normalcy to the brink.

Celebrating "the devious, defiant, and disturbing" the curated fest, run by Executive Director David Kleiler and Managing Director Kat Thomas, gave audiences a feast of films exposing the dark side and exploring the seedy underbelly of humanity with a sense of humor.

The opening night Shorts Program at Fenway's General Cinemas (a BUFF sponsor) was attended by 125 people. It included HEART OF THE WORLD, Guy Madden's film that packs a whole movie into 5 minutes, and REJECTED, a hysterically funny animated short nominated for a 2001 Academy Award and winner of the BUFF Best Animation award. Only at BUFF would people laugh at the thought of something that would make the average filmgoer want to reach for the Preparation H.

I STAND ALONE, a 35 mm French film with subtitles screened at General Cinemas, is a feature that walked away with the BUFF Best of Show award for its stark portrayal of a French man filled with rage at his ruined life. The horror of handgun violence and incest is vividly portrayed, coming uncomfortably close to recent media headlines. So intense at times, people walked out.

Kat Thomas, Festival Director, with
hosts' of the opening night party of the
Boston Underground Film Festival - Lilli
of Lilli's in Somerville where the event
was held, and Adam Lewis, President
of Planetary Group.
photo: Erika Hahn, courtesy BUFF.
Kleiler and Thomas were very ambitious this year extending the festival from 3 to eight days with multiple weekend venues. Only one venue had projection equipment. In what Kleiler calls an "act of unparalleled heroism" John Prendergast, Technical Director, had to scurry between The Footlight Club in Jamaica Plains to the Revolving Museum in the South Boston to the Jorge Hernandes Cultural Center (JHCC) in the South End to keep the programs running.

While Prendergast was making sure films ran on time, Ed Slattery, Volunteer Coordinator, was making sure venues had ticket takers and concessions help. Judy Laster, Director of the Woods Hole Film Festival, ran the Revolving Museum event over the weekend. Kleiler called Laster an "angel" for her ability to create order out of potential chaos during the sold out success on Day 5.

Kleiler credits his Managing Director Kat Thomas with making BUFF a success. "It couldn't have been done without her. Her perseverance with organizing and taking care of detail was incredible. She was heroic. This was basically a two-person operation for most of the planning." Kleiler said.

One of the celebrity filmmakers on-hand was Bill Plympton from New York. His feature animation MUTANT ALIENS was a 2001 Sundance Film Festival screening and BUFF was the East Coast premiere. Plympton said he came upon the idea for it after reading an article on the first Soviet space dog. He said, "Those space animals are probably still up there floating around the earth and they must be really pissed off." The result is animation with an astronaut who enacts his revenge on the bureaucrat who betrays him by meeting up with the other spacecraft animals. After genetic tinkering, they return to earth years later to hilarious results. This writer found the film lewd, funny, and well executed.

BUFF guaranteed at least 40% of films screened would be local filmmakers. Many filmmakers were in attendance to do Q&A after their screenings at the various venues. Makers of apocalyptic films such as James Holland, director of HUMPTY DUMPTY LAND, and Ellie Lee, DOG DAYS director, and Stephen Fromkin, director of THE STATE'S CONCEPTION were there. Filmmakers of comedy/dramas such as Andrew Mudge, LIKE NELLIE LIKE NED director, and Rex Dean, director of THE ADVENTURES OF SPACE BABY & MENTAL MAN made numerous appearances. All the way from New York City came Jacqueline Gary, director of THE CURSE, a film about a PMS/werewolf connection.

BUFF Sponsor Christy Scott Cashman
of Saint Aire Productions chats with
Mary Chiochios, Boston film producer,
Marvin Kaplan, Entertainment Insurance
Agent, and Kevin Fennessy, Festival
Judge, at the opening night party for
the Boston Underground Film Festival
at Lilli's in Somerville.
photo: Erika Hahn, courtesy BUFF.
Kleiler explained that this year the level of ambition was such that people asked him repeatedly: "Are you insane?" He said "The answer is self-evident" a little tongue in cheek, perhaps, but added "in order to get the support a film festival like this deserves you have to pull the event off at this level". He said, "BUFF became a cultural event in Boston. In spite of some glitches people had a great time. This is one of the few genuinely curated shows."

What would a film festival be without the parties? After the opening night screening, people ambled over to Lilli's in Somerville for local bands hosted by BUFF sponsors Planetary Group. Judging by the crowd who stayed until last call everyone had a good time.

The closing party was hosted by the Linwood Grill, just steps from General Cinemas where URBAN GHOST STORY closed out the festival. While BUFF audience mingled with filmmakers a best-of-fest was broadcast on the TV including TOKYO ELEVATOR, winner of BUFF's best experimental film - you'll never think about elevators and cheesy lounge acts the same way.

Kleiler and Thomas gave out the 2001 BUFF awards: the infamous 'Bacchus the evil vibrating bunny'. John Prendergast won one for his outstanding TDing. The runner up best of fest was Rex Dean's SPACE BABY & MENTAL MAN. Kleiler said it's the only underground festival with a children's component. Best Short was a tie between GEORGY PORGIE and ZEN AND THE ART OF LANDSCAPING, both twisted relationship stories. Rick Beausoliel's BIRTH OF INDEPENDENT FILMMAKING, a spoof on young filmmaker's, won the Jury Award.

For more information visit BUFF on the web at www.bostonundergroundfilmfestival.com.

Erika Hahn is a freelance writer and photographer in the Boston area. She loves film festivals and currently assists with the Boston Underground Film Festival and Woods Hole Film Festival. Contact Erika via email: ehahn@capecod.net.