There is an endless supply of film festivals both internationally and domestically-some you may have heard of others you probably haven't unless you're a filmmaker, actor or other industry related individual. There are of course, the familiar ones: Cannes, Sundance, South By Southwest, Toronto International, etc. What separates the Central Standard film festival from them and other festivals across the country is its home-grown type of style, which is readily apparent to the filmmakers and the viewers.
In its infancy three years ago, Central Standard impressed filmmakers and film goers alike-the former with the venues, and the professionalism and "can do" attitude of the festival's organizers; the latter with the quality of the shorts and features they viewed and the Q & A sessions with the filmmakers that followed some of the screenings. Now, in its third year the organizers have continued to impress the filmmakers by making the festival about them and their films, not about ego. Even though we are not in a buyers market, the festival's organizers attract filmmakers to Central Standard by the presence of a good film community, great connections and an intelligent viewing audience that will give an honest opinion of their films and ask great questions at the Q & A sessions.
Even though it is called Central Standard, the festival does not cater to this region alone. Films are submitted by and accepted from a wide variety of filmmakers across the nation. Central Standard is not an international film festival, it is strictly a national festival accessible to U.S. filmmakers only. This year there are about twenty filmmakers. Films include twenty-three feature length and thirty-seven shorts of which nineteen are Minnesota made.
Something new the organizers are doing this year to help promote the festival is to air clever television ads on channel 45. The ads, which were directed by John Nowak, who had a film in last year's festival, feature "fiercely independent filmmakers that make fiercely independent films". When asked how IFP would track how instrumental the ads would be in increasing audience attendance, Todd Hanson, the festival's Programing Director, stated that one of this year's sponsors, Film Buzz, a company that does market research at film festivals, will be on hand to survey attendees as to how and where they heard about the festival.
Why, you might ask, would I be interested in attending the Central Standard film festival? Well, because you can see creative, interesting, different work, that's exciting and off the the beaten path. Also, you can't beat the price of $35 for the entire festival!
Schedules for the Central Standard Film Festival, are available at Dunn Bros.(one of the festival sponsors), or online at http://www.ifpmsp.org/cs_schedule04.htm
