FEATURE

The Alternative Film Festival Cometh

by Kat Thomas

Boston's alternative film scene has finally found its answer to generic Hollywood films: the Boston Underground Film Festival (B.U.F.F.). As David Kleiler, Executive Director of the festival, states, "although our promotional material calls the Boston Underground Film Festival (B.U.F.F.) a celebration of the devious, depraved, and defiant our true purpose is to showcase the incredible variety of films that cause us to look at ourselves and our reality differently. Sometimes this look will be outrageously funny, sometimes it will be offensive and disgusting, sometimes it will be enlightening, and finally sometimes it will be painful."

The third annual Boston Underground Film Festival runs from February 20th to the 27th throughout the City of Boston. As Kleiler states "This years festival is above and beyond anything that we could have ever imagined. In the past it has been met with critical acclaim, but was not seen by many people" continues Kleiler, "but this year the festival will retain its aggressively underground program, but be less invisible to the Boston community." This year's festival has seen record submissions. Due to this expansion, the number of films being shown this year is increasing by more than 50%. But even with these larger numbers the Boston Underground Film Festival still promises that at least 40% of the films being shown are made by New England filmmakers.

The festival will be shown in a variety of locations throughout the Boston area; these locations include the Jorge Hernandez Cultural Center in the South End, Footlight Theatre Club in Jamaica Plains, the Revolving Museum in the Fort Point Channel district, and a yet to be determined 35mm venue. There is a wealth of technical knowledge allowing the festival its variety of locations helmed by Technical Coordinator John Prendergast, who is aided by Assistant Coordinator Ed Slattery.

One of the festival's major coups is the national premiere of Canadian filmmaker Guy Maddin's HEART OF THE WORLD. Especially, commissioned for the Toronto Film Festival, HEART OF THE WORLD has been described as the undisputed triumph of Toronto Film Festival. A mixture of Soviet montage and German Expressionism it is one of the most astonishing short films ever made, and it even ends in the underground. Another film that will be shown at the Boston Underground Film Festival is New England premiere of Jem Cohen's BENJAMIN SMOKE. It is a forceful documentary focusing on the life of "Benjamin," an artist, drug addict, and occasional drag queen. A legend in the underground musical genre of Southern punk, Benjamin's work with the bands "Opal Foxx Quartet" and "Smoke" served as inspiration for Patti Smith and R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe. Other films includes the gay-themed comedy STRAIGHTMAN, as Casevettes style comedy between the friendship of two roommates, one of whom is gay, the other straight. As Kleiler states, "Besides bringing the best alternative films that we can find, we also specialize in discovering undiscovered talents including the soon to be talked about short film TRACE, by Thom Long and a much anticipated Test Screening of THE ADVENTURES OF SPACE BABY & MENTAL MAN, (Director Rex Dean will be present)."

The festival is also excited to welcome five jurors for this year's festival. This panel includes quirky animator Bill Plympton, Casting Director Kevin Fennessy, Deputy Director of the Massachusetts State Film Office Tim Grafft, Artistic Director for the Boston Jewish Film Festival Kaj Wilson, and a yet to be disclosed fifth juror. These jurors will determine such categories as Best of Festival, Best Narrative, Best Non-Narrative, Best Experimental, and Most Offensive. The Boston Underground Film Festival is proud to bring back for its second year the acclaimed Bacchus the Bunny, as featured in the February issue VANITY FAIR and the December issue of THE INDEPENDENT. This bunny definitely captures the spirit of the Boston Underground Film Festival with its demonic fiery eyes and its ability to vibrate with the push of the button.

The festival has found support from numerous Boston companies and filmmakers alike. One of the festivals major sponsors is Newbury Comics. Other companies who have are helping the festival include Saint-Aire Productions, Boston Camera Company, Scout Productions, and Robbins Entertainment. B.U.F.F. is also getting aid from the Fort Point Entertainment Group, with their wealth of music knowledge, is helping to plan the soon to be infamous festival launch party.

"Even though we are the new kid on the block at the moment," comments Kleiler, "I think everyone realizes that what we are doing isn't only about this year. It's about creating something that will become a permanent fixture on the alternative Boston cultural scene. Something that we can all be proud of."

Kat Thomas is the managing director of the Boston Underground Film Festival.