The Chattanooga Film Festival offers up another stellar lineup of films
It’s almost time again for the best event in Chattanooga. April 6–9 will once again feature the Chattanooga Film Festival—four days packed with great films and events rarely seen in this part of the country.
While Chattanooga has proven that it has a rabid base for quality independent film, distributors still see the market as one fit for wide release comic book films and mass marketed Hollywood, surefire hits. The only smaller, independent films that manage to come here regularly are religious in nature—think the pandering God’s Not Dead or anything involving Kirk Cameron.
But even religious films aren’t always a sure thing—Martin Scorcese’s Silence, a film about Christian martyrs in Japan, was nowhere to be seen upon its release. Instead, every local chain filled their theaters with screenings of Monster Trucks. But once a year, this problem fades into the background. The Chattanooga Film Festival brings truly wonderful selections to the region, offering true film fans a chance to see movies that would never be screened under any other circumstances.
The CFF announced the first wave of programming, as well as opening night films, last week, and the always enthusiastic Executive Director Chris Dortch II had much to say about this year’s lineup.
“As a lifelong cinephile I can confidently say I think we’ve constructed one of the most incredible and eclectic lineups of any American film festival this year,” he says, “Add in a CFF keynote speech by the partners of Company X, the newly formed entity founded by SpectreVision’s Elijah Wood, Daniel Noah, Josh C. Waller and Lisa Whalen, our traditional CFF Secret Screenings—including a special workshop and secret screening presented by boutique production company Snowfort Pictures, live podcast recordings and cast-filled special screenings.”
He continues, “Then remind yourself that this is only the first wave, and I think you’ll start to see what we’ve got on our hands here this year. We think this is nothing short than one of the coolest and purest celebrations of movie love in the country. To say we’re proud parents is an understatement. We hope our audience will love this year as much as we love them.”
Special events will include performances from fan favorites Everything Is Terrible, another incredible seminar by the patron saint of the festival Joe Bob Briggs, and a retirement party for divisive filmmaker Uwe Boll (no word yet on any potential boxing matches with local film critics. I’ll decline in advance as I have no interest in getting beaten up).
But as always, the films are the star. The full list can be found on the CFF website— chattfilmefest.org—but here are a few that stand out:
Dave Made a Maze / Director: Bill Waterson
Dave, an artist who has yet to complete anything significant in his career, builds a fort in his living room out of pure frustration, only to wind up trapped by the fantastical pitfalls, booby traps, and critters of his own creation. Dave Made a Maze is Goonies meets Gilliam meets Gondry and we can’t wait to share it with our CFF 2017 audience on the giant downtown IMAX screen.
On the Sly: In Search of the Family Stone / Director: Michael Rubenstone
Director and super-fan Michael Rubenstone sets out in search of long-time reclusive funk legend, Sly Stone. Along the way, he meets with some success, but finds countless more failures in trying to capture a man who refuses to be contained.
My Entire High School is Sinking into the Sea / Director: Dash Shaw
An earthquake causes a high school to float into the sea, where it slowly sinks like a shipwreck in this animated film which features the voices of Jason Schwartzman, Lena Dunham, Reggie Watts, Maya Rudolph and Susan Sarandon.
David Lynch—The Art Life / Directors: Jon Nguyen, Rick Barnes
David Lynch takes us on an intimate journey through the formative years of his life. From his idyllic upbringing in small town America to the dark streets of Philadelphia, we follow Lynch as he traces the events that have helped to shape one of cinema’s most enigmatic directors. David Lynch—The Art Life infuses Lynch’s own art, music and early films, shining a light into the dark corners of his unique world, giving audiences a better understanding of the man and the artist.
As Lynch states “I think every time you do something, like a painting or whatever, you go with ideas and sometimes the past can conjure those ideas and color them, even if they’re new ideas, the past colors them.”
These are just four of the fantastic films announced the first wave. Further waves are coming. There is always something for everyone at the Chattanooga Film Festival.