Sunday, May 19, 2002
By Moira Macdonald Seattle Times movie critic
You've seen them, the bleary-eyed fanatics who think nothing of seeing five films a day for three weeks straight. We're not advocating that level of commitment, but we did ask them for some tips for the rest of us.
Earlier this month, I found myself explaining the Seattle International Film Festival to a curious 12-year-old. Although she was a movie fan (she's seen "The Lord of the Rings" 11 times), she wondered why anybody would go to a "festival." Well, I said, suppose you went to the multiplex and "Rings" director Peter Jackson was there to introduce the movie and answer questions afterward and mingle with people in the lobby - that's kind of what a film festival is like. Her eyes shone. This, in 12-year-old parlance, sounded totally fun.
SIFF, the largest film festival in the country, is indeed totally fun - and last year, more than 150,000 ticket buyers joined in. This year's fest begins Thursday and continues through June 16, screening more than 200 feature films from all over the world. And yet, some local movie lovers have never attended. Too overwhelming, say some. Too crowded, say others. What if I don't like the films, ask the worriers.
Never fear - with the right approach, festing can be a pleasure. Read on for helpful tips on navigating the mammoth cinematic smooch that is SIFF from those who know best: festival staffers and longtime full-series passholders. Don't be intimidated by the latter group, made up of dozens of hardcore movie lovers who take vacations from work during SIFF - the better to see 80 or 100 or even 120 movies. Yes, they tend to look a little worse for wear by the end of the festival. But they're a friendly bunch whose affection for SIFF is contagious, and they've got plenty of advice for those interested in just dipping a toe into the festival waters.
Don't be dissuaded by the fest's size - just grab the Seattle Times SIFF guide and browse with an open mind. "It's really just a matter of asking yourself, 'What are you interested in?' says festival director Darryl Macdonald. For example, if you're considering a trip to Spain, check out the Spanish films. If you want to see just G-rated films, try the Films4Families series.
This year's '70s archival showcase is a great choice for filmmgoers who weren't quite old enough to experience the last Golden Age of Film. "And for the really edgy filmgoers," says Macdonald, "we've got our midnight series - action and violence."
Macdonald also encourages use of the SIFF Web site, www.seattlefilm.com. There, you can find films listed by category, rather than just alphabetically - so you can, for example, browse all the documentaries together, or all the '70s films. Also, SIFF publishes a program guide with detailed notes and indexed listings, available for a $5 donation at the box office and festival venues (and handed out free on opening night).
Longtime SIFF passholder Paul Feavel encourages would-be festgoers to dive right in. "Don't worry about picking the perfect film - just decide you're going to see one, or five, or 10. Pick them because you like the country, you like the director, you heard something good, or the description sounds intriguing. You'll see something you like, something you hate, a few in between, but you'll see an interesting film that you won't see anywhere else."
Several passholders recommended skipping any SIFF movie that's likely to have a later theatrical release. Consider, though, that often those films arrive at the festival with guests in tow. John Sayles' "Sunshine State," for example, will open in theaters later this year, but to hear Sayles himself introduce the film and answer questions, check it out at its SIFF premiere.
Other SIFF-goers choose a looser strategy. "I like to see a movie without knowing what it is," says veteran passholder Steve Smith. He loves the surprise element of seeing a movie without expectations, and recommends it to newcomers: "The movie you should go to is not the one you think you'd like, or the one you'd normally go to, but the one you don't know anything about - to learn something new."
Another possibility is to focus on one theater. "You can see a great festival just hanging out at the Egyptian," says Feavel. Some prefer the Harvard Exit's gracious lobby, or Pacific Place's convenient parking, or Cinerama's matchless screen.
Finally, a word to the wise: "Never see more than 100 movies," warns Larry Glickman, a passholder since SIFF's early days. "You become totally crazed. I try to not see more than 80."
OK, you've picked a few movies. Now head down to the brand-new SIFF box office on the fourth floor of Pacific Place downtown, or visit www.seattlefilm.com, or call 206-324-9996.
Yes, you can just show up at the theater and buy your ticket there before the show. But if your movie of choice is already sold out, you're out of luck, unless you can score a last-minute rush ticket (more on that later). Best to buy ahead of time, if you can.
And do the math: Single tickets to most SIFF evening screenings are $8; matinees and midnight shows are $5.50. If you'll be attending more than, oh, 46 movies, a Full Series pass ($375) is financially wise. More realistically for most, if you'd like to see six films, or three in the company of a friend, try a Cinematic Six-Pack - six tickets (maximum of two tickets for any one film) for $42.
A wealth of other ticket options is available; see the article below for more detail.
Show up 45 minutes early, recommends SIFF operations manager Holden Payne, and get in the right line. All SIFF venues will have three lines forming: for passholders (easily distinguishable by the passes dangling around their necks, and the fervor with which they consult their SIFF schedules), ticket holders and rush tickets. A certain number of seats are always held for passholders; moments before the movie starts, leftover passholder seats are released to rush ticketbuyers.
Waiting in line is part of the whole experience, so if you're alone, bring a magazine or make new friends. ("Seen anything good yet?" is always a fine opener.) Rumor has it that many a romance has begun in a SIFF line.
About 20 minutes before showtime, passholders will be allowed in, followed by single-ticket holders. Do not go straight to the snack bar - claim your seat first. For this, says Smith, bring an extra jacket: "You want to carry a jacket that you don't care about, to leave to save your seat. Then if someone steals it, it's no big loss."
Speaking of the snack bar: SIFF venues have varying policies on bringing in outside food. In Broadway Performance Hall and Pacific Place, the rule is no outside food at all (although you might get away with a discreet water bottle). At the Egyptian, the rule is "no food that smells," says Payne, who once had a burrito thrown in his face by an irate moviegoer who didn't like this rule. When in doubt, eat after the movie.
As for what else to bring, it's up to you. Smith recommends a cushion for extra comfort. Feavel brings along several pairs of sunglasses - the contrast between the dark theater and a sunny afternoon can be startling.
Most of us know where we like to sit, but passholder Dan Roben offers this tip for the Egyptian: "It's best to sit four rows above the crossover aisle. Anything below that, you run the risk of having a head in front of you, and you might not be able to read subtitles."
If you're planning on doing the fest in a big way, Smith - who once postponed surgery for a brain tumor until SIFF was over - has more advice. Buy extra underwear - you won't have time to do laundry. Arrange with your friends to celebrate birthdays and holidays before or after the fest. And warn your dad that you'll be busy on Father's Day - or take him with you.
And never hesitate to ask a friendly passholder for help. "We're always hanging around the front (of the theater)," says Roben. "We kind of look upon ourselves as goodwill ambassadors to the festival."
SIFF, undoubtedly, requires more planning than a trip to the multiplex, and there's no guarantee that you'll like what you see. But the fest can provide cinematic pleasures you'll never forget.
Feavel recalled legendary director Michael Powell's visit to the festival in 1989, bringing his personal prints of "Black Narcissus" and "Stairway to Heaven." "To see the amazing brilliance of those colors, and the freshness of those prints, with the director sharing them, is a magical experience," he said," "and one that you will only have at the film festival."
And passholder Amy Lally, via e-mail, offered this eloquent description of the communal experience of the fest: "Festivalgoers are universal comrades in the subtle elegance of pushing, shoving and elbowing their way into the theater for best seats. They bond like thieves in the dark (no pun intended) and commiserate passionately on every minutia. The language of film is a powerful aphrodisiac for cinema togetherness, at least for the duration of the festival."
Now, doesn't that sound worth waiting in a few lines?
Moira Macdonald: 206-464-2725 or mmacdonald@seattletimes.com.
Copyright © 2002 The Seattle Times Company