The 18th year of the Boston Film Festival (BFF) screened 38 feature films. 30 of them came already having secured distribution by majors with names like Miramax, Lions Gate, and Universal. Of the 8 remaining feature films, a few had lesser distributable names attached. And while this would be considered a boon for any other film festival this side of anywhere, it made for less of a film "festival" and more for a week of theatrical sneak previews for people eager to see films first, before anyone else.
 
This BFF seemed more concerned with photo opportunities and TV coverage for the local press than for the needs of aspiring independent filmmakers and the film going public. And I suppose that's all well and good and encourages attendance, however it may do the festival (and certainly Boston) more justice in the long run to say what it is, and move into more of a market type mode, where agents, producers and potential distributors could discuss business and let the world know that the Boston Film Market screens and drives good content, unlike the more traditional film festival that offers the community an opportunity to interact and discuss film with filmmakers.
 
It did indeed seem that the typical BFF audience is made up of people who are looking for a film that they can see early in its life, ask a question, catch a glimpse of a celebrity and be on their way. Where the BFF is centered in the Boston Common area, the films are easy to get to and are surrounded by major communications programs on 3 sides. Perhaps the film students at Emerson, Boston University and Harvard are too busy studying to come or to do much more than ask a couple of questions and split to the local over-priced and far too self-involved watering hole.

The well laid-out and proper catalog (designed by saywhat? Mediadesign) lists only four staff names. As a veteran of 3 major festivals, a major regional and one festival I helped to create, I find it incredibly difficult to believe that this particular staff cared not to mention the support of volunteers, assistants, audiences or the filmmakers themselves!
 
The films and the filmmakers themselves are, of course, very good. (See sidebar interview with director Error! Bookmark not defined.) I guess that's why 30 of them have been picked up and paid for. Of the movies I saw, the (full) audiences were interested and attentive. Q&A˜s were less astute than those I had attended elsewhere, and filmmakers and actors alike made comedic use of the material offered. These 15-20 minute Q&A interactions, one Saturday panel, and the lone invitation one producer offered to an entire audience were the available opportunities I witnessed for a patron to approach or discuss film with other BFF patrons or participants. I would have appreciated more.

I had some trouble getting my press tickets, (the BFF doesn't have a press pass). Some of the filmmakers I spoke with told me they had little to no interaction with the actual festival staff probably due to time restraints.
 
Festival Excellence Award winner, William H. Macy was on hand to receive the award, be interviewed at a reception at the Lenox Hotel, and answer questions with the directors of the new film WELCOME TO COLLINWOOD. He was very cordial, as were the directors Anthony and Joe Russo. This duo had a good team behind them, including a score by Mark Mothersbaugh. The film was well received by the audience and although simplistic in it's humor, this author had many laughs.
 
Overall, the BFF screenings were a good time, and the Lenox is a killer venue to host a reception, good food and nice staff. And believe me, anyone whose ever been staff at a festival knows it's understandable that a ball gets missed once in a while, however the BFF came off to this author as more a self-involved testing ground for already established films rather than the lively festival type atmosphere of discussion and constructive criticism found at many other regional and national festivals.