Tucson's Loft Cinema is hosting a series of competitions for local filmmakers called "First Friday Shorts." Incredible things have been brought about by the digital revolution: one of them is opening up the art of filmmaking to the masses. For better or for worse. On the first Friday of each month, local artists screen their films of 15 minutes or less before an audience posing at judge and jury of their work. At the 3-minute point during each film, a huge gong is illuminated and the audience can stay silent to allow the film to continue or stop it by yelling "Gong" to Max Cannon, the local columnist and host. At the end of the evening, a show of applause for each title determines the winner of a $100 prize and automatic entry into the local Short Film Festival in May.
What results is an atmosphere of encouragement and appreciation for the budding artists. While a few films are truly horrible, the majority are fun, interesting and surprisingly well done. One can see exercises and experimentation with different techniques, avant-garde writing, animation and technical exploration. It is a lot of fun to watch groups of supporters cajole the audience into voting for their choice and cameraderie among the filmmakers.
A friend and I went last night on a lark, and both of us plan to attend as often as possible! The $5 price of admission is paltry compared to the enjoyment to be had. Who knows, perhaps one of these young artists might become our next Fellini, Capra or Spielberg. The fun is watching the process of growth and discovery along the way.
The Loft is a Tucson cultural icon quickly becoming recognized nationally and internationally for its support of and contributions to the art of film. Started in 1972, the Loft has transitioned from the typical "only place in town to see foreign films" to a dynamic non-profit cultural force and educational resource in the community. A diverse lineup ranges from low-budget productions to the screening of art films from around the world. Directors of note often host screenings of their work, some even soliciting critique from attendees. Recent and planned events include screenwriting & filmmaking workshops, a showing & discussion of The Fisher King with Oscar Winner Mercedes Ruhel, Q & A with Bobcat Goldthwait, David Lynch, The Jewish Film Festival, Tucson Childrens Film Festival and a selection of award-winning films, cult classics and more. Check out their web page: Loft Cinema Tucson
Philip Seymour Hoffman John Cameron Mitchell "Betty Page-O-Rama"
Stuart Gordon Monte Hellman
John Waters
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