AFF Tries New Date Venues Thompson Speaks

AFF
Continued from Page 1
“I just can’t fathom doing a festival
without (our) target audience around,”
Wardell says.
Another perk is avoiding competition
with the blockbusters that are generally released
in the summer, which makes it easier
to consolidate the festival in one venue.
In the past, IMAGE couldn’t get enough
screenings in one place to make a single
location work, which led to adventurous
filmgoers rushing around the city.
Aside from the opening night extravaganza
on April 19 at Atlantic Station’s
Regal Cinema, the entire festival will be
held at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema at
931 Monroe Drive.
“Our centralized location is going to be
an adventure – but in a good way,” Wardell
says. “We hope it inspires people to see
more features.”
Festival
director Dan
Krovich, who
arrived in October,
agrees that
settling in one
location is necessary
to push
the event forward.
“Having one
central hub should
help enhance the
‘festival feel’ instead
of it seeming
like a bunch of
Atlanta Film Festival
Director, Dan Krovich
film screenings around town,” says Krovich.
“There’s a lot to do in the area of the
theater, and with a one-stop destination,
people can come to the festival and see
several movies, get something to eat and
just hang out instead of driving from one
venue to another and having to find parking.
It should allow for more opportunity
for conversations about the films and a general
coming together of film fans.”
With several dining options within
walking distance of Landmark, Wardell expects
the centralized location will be a welcomed
feature.
“This festival environment is something
new to Atlanta,” he says. “It will make a
world of difference for audiences.”
The audience is a key factor in helping
the Atlanta Film Festival gain a reputation
like the well-known festivals in San Francisco,
Cleveland, and Seattle, according to
Krovich.
“Those festivals have a world-class profile
because they show world-class films,
and the world-class films want to screen at
those festivals because they provide great
audiences for their work,” he explains.
“Given the
size and scale of
the city, coupled
with the growth
of the industry
within the region,
I’ve often
wondered why
the Atlanta Film
Festival doesn’t
have the kind
of national profile
of a South
by Southwest or
strong city-wide
festivals like San
Francisco, Cleveland or Seattle,” Wardell
admits.
Wardell says he believes the Atlanta
Film Festival possesses a strong reputation
already, “but we need to better define what
makes this festival unique.”
“We’ve been around for 30 years,”
he adds. “Only a handful of festivals in
this country have this type of reputation
to fall back on. We’ve got an active
filmmaking community, exceptional
corporate partners, solid arts funding
and an expanding audience eager to
support independent film and international
cinema.”
However, gaining a prominent national
profile, he says, all depends on press coverage
and word of mouth
from visiting industry
guests, jurors, and filmmakers,
“who will serve
as our ambassadors to
the world.”
Locals also play a
role in building the festival’s
reputation. Wardell
urges Atlantans to showcase
their Southern hospitality
for the event’s
out-of-town guests.
Gestures such as this, he
“Given the size and scale of the
city, coupled with the growth of
the industry within the region, I’ve
often wondered why the Atlanta
Film Festival doesn’t have the kind
of national profile of a South by
Southwest or strong city-wide festivals
like San Francisco, Cleveland
or Seattle,” Wardell admits.
says, go a long way towards establishing a
festival’s legitimacy.
Another factor in Atlanta’s success is
the burgeoning film industry within the
city.
Although Krovich has only been in
town for a few months, he says, “I’ve
already seen that there is a great film
community in Atlanta. There is a lot of
filmmaking at all levels of budget and experience
and a strong audience for independent
film.”
Tyler Perry Studios has added clout to
the city’s standing in the film industry, as
well as the horror flick The Signal. Filmed
in Atlanta with hordes of local actors, The
Signal sold for more than $2 million at
this year’s Sundance
Festival,
along with rave
reviews.
It’s Atlanta’s
blossoming film
industry that’s
partly responsible
for tempting
Wardell back
to the city and to
IMAGE, where
he once served as
festival director
in 1997.
“The idea of
coming back to Atlanta after nine years was
attractive to me,” says Wardell, who moved
to his native state of Maryland to work
with its film festival. “I always respected
IMAGE and continued to keep an eye on
Atlanta over the years. I think Atlanta is a
fantastic market.”
Krovich also found Atlanta and its festival
appealing.
“I had been at the Maryland Film Festival
for six years and was happy there, but
when the opportunity came up to be part of
IMAGE, it felt like a good next step for me
to take,” he says. “What intrigued me most
was that there was a good foundation in
place, but also the opportunity for change
and growth.” §
Page 8 March 2007 www.screenreport.com