BUFF 2004

BUFF 2004 - Underground and Loving It with George Romero and Company

By Erika Hahn

Guaranteed to cause hand wringing among even the most hardened FCC censors, the 6th annual Boston Underground Film Festival (BUFF) in early May captured the hearts of alternative vision film fans with feature length goodies like DEAR PILLOW which has been generating a buzz nationwide, and a special presentation of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD with George Romero in attendance.

Once again David Kleiler and his capable managing Director Christina Sartori put together an incredible variety of films that push the boundaries of good taste and sanity.
A showcase for the daring, subversive, and frightening, BUFF is a fest that attempts to “provoke, stimulate, and disturb,” said Kleiler.

George Romero made a special appearance this year at his 1968 cult classic screening May 7th at the Regent Theatre in Somerville. The musical group, Bentmen, entertained the audience before the show. On May 8th Romero appeared with Brother Blue at the KNIGHTRIDERS event at the Somerville Theater. Brother Blue, who is a performer living in Cambridge, was a star in the film. The two had a lot of catching up to do. That evening Kleiler and Co. feted Romero and Brother Blue with dinner at Gargoyle’s in the Square in Somerville. “George was really professional, very willing to hang out with fans, had a really good Q & A session. It was fun to see him interacting with Brother Blue” Sartori said.

Curated programs included ones by Signe Baumane, maven of sex themed films, Rusty Nails, Chicago’s short film expert, and filmmaker Jim Jarmusch’s Favorite Shorts Program. An experimental and animated shorts program included SON OF SATAN, based on a story about bullies by Charles Bukowski, and Kleiler’s infamous Festival of the Bizarre and Insane, featuring DELIVERANCE THE MUSICAL, a hilarious romp thru the scene in the movie where the redneck hillbillies capture the two friends after they land their canoe looking for directions.

This year’s fest Kleiler and Sartori, said was a step up from last year in terms of quality of programming and overall success. Premieres by New England filmmakers accounted for 40 percent of the BUFF programming.

This year also saw the arrival of all new designs of the BUFF Award Bacchus the Evil Vibrating Rabbit, created by artist Lee Vodra. “These are more demonic than the old ones,” Kleiler explained. Another local artist, David Sutherland, is working on a demonic pig award concept.

The awards ceremony was held in Central Square in Cambridge. Best of Fest went to SON OF SATAN, an animated short by Jean-Jacques Villard, based on a demented story by Charles Bukowski. Best Feature went to DEAR PILLOW by Bryan Poyser and Jacob Vaughan, a psychosexual drama of a young man with no sexual experience who is mentored by a pornographer on writing. No good comes of this, of course. Best Narrative Short was DIARY OF AN ORDINARY MAN by David Hudacek, utilizing old black and white film clips the narration of a man’s diary of his affair with his brother’s girl while he is fighting in World War I. Best Animation Award was for RED THINGS by RISD filmmaker Max Porter. Best Promising New Filmmaker award went to ODIOUS makers the brothers Nicholas and Richard Gervin. Best Documentary was awarded to MOVE’s Benjamin Garry and Ryan McKenna for their look at the radical organizations violent end in Philadelphia.

Most Effectively Offensive was a tie between UNICORNIMATION, an animated short by Chris Mullins. Ever wonder what unicorns do with their horns, you’ll never think of those lovely virginal creatures the same way again after you’ve seen this twisted flick. And OVERSERVED, the Boston-based film comedic feature about the lives of bar staff both on and off the job by Joe Gatto. For more information on BUFF, which will be held in February 2005, visit their website www.bostonundergroundfilmfestival.com.

Erika Hahn is a freelance writer and photographer. She loves local film festivals and working on television and film projects. Contact her at erika_hahn@emerson.edu.

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