For all the movies that début at countless US film festivals, there are exponentially more people discouraged to go see them. For some people, it's a lack of experience that dampens their idea of going to a fest. For others, the exclusiveness of such an event is what kills the excitement of attending. But there is an entirely new breed of film festival being born in the shape of the Gen Art Film Fest, who will be hosting their 11th annual New York event April 5th through 11th, 2006. It's a balanced course of weeklong cinema and events: seven days, seven feature films, seven short films, and, of course, seven parties. And even if you only appreciate the world of innovative filmmaking, it's for you.
I got the chance to speak Jeff Abramson, the head of Gen Art's film division, about the dynamic and vision of the Gen Art Film Fest. He's got a lot to be proud of, and it shows. If ever there was a man completely enthused with the films he's behind, it's this guy! Following are Abramson's insights, his perspective on the films Gen Art premiers, the relationship between his emerging directors and his audience, and the potential he sees the organization soaring to fulfill in the future.
EL: 'You run the film division at Gen Art, which means that you oversee the fest. What goes into your job?'
JA: 'A lot of checking and replying to emails! I'm a liaison with the film industry, so I am constantly making sure that I am on pulse with what's going on in the industry, and that I have my fingers in the talent pool. And I am also on things like myspace, looking at people's short films. I do informal consulting and non-scripted day to day work. Then, of course, I am talking to distributors and building promotional programs around their films, so that the distributors can communicate with our audience. Gen Art has offices in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami and Chicago, and I also oversee programs for the film related decisions for all of our cities.'
EL: 'How do the people at Gen Art relate to their audience?'
JA: 'Bigger festivals have the same weight of responsibility for each individual. We put on a much bigger show for the amount of people we have! Everyone around here wears a lot of different hats. I am the big boss but I also go into myspace and reply to emails. But I like it. I like to see how people are reacting with what we are doing; it's really important to me. The Gen Art audience is our bread and butter; we have been blessed by them over the years so we like to stay close to them.'
EL: 'What makes Gen Art's film fest stand apart from any other?'
JA: 'We only showcase seven shorts and seven features. We want it to be easy to digest! Now, it's up to you. You just have to read the descriptions to figure out what you want to see, and you don't have to worry about missing anything! It's an easy film fest and a starter film fest. We help start out emerging artists, but we also start out emerging filmgoers. We bring these two worlds together; that was the original spark that started Gen Art.'
EL: 'Describe your audience for us.'
JA: 'Our audience is made up of young taste makers, who are the peer leaders in their social circles. They are not necessarily in the film industry either; they might be doctors, bankers, or social workers. And at Gen Art they get the chance to interact with the film community. We believe that sets us apart, so it's important that every ticket buyer gets to go to the parties. At other fests, the parties are exclusive, but not at our event. Anyone can walk up to the directors and talk to them.'
EL: 'What determines which features/shorts will be featured in the fest?'
JA: 'There are some very set criteria: all films are from North American film directors who are emerging talent only. That means first or second time directors. But the more important point is that we want a program with a diverse slate. All the films should create a rainbow of genres and ideas and ways they impact the audience. It's also about speaking to our audience. I keep them in mind when I program. For example, I have had people submit documentaries about things like how Prozac affects little kids. It's important stuff, but that's just not appropriate for our festival.'
EL: 'So, is it most important that your films be unique?'
JA: 'It's really important for me to look beyond the film, and at the talent of the filmmaker. I'm not saying that the seven films that we premier are the best films that we get, but I want to pick filmmakers who make bold decisions and do something original. The shorts are programmed a little differently than the features. I have a group of industry professionals that pair the shorts thematically with the features. There are so many more things that I wish I could program, but I can't because of our limitations. For example, this year the short, 'This Morning' would not have played our fest if not for the feature, because it needs the feature. They are a package deal. The feature is called F*CK.'
EL: 'I'm pretty interested in seeing F*CK! Which feature on the roster is your favorite?'
JA: 'That's like asking a mom about her kids!'
EL: 'Well what do you like about each of your 'kids'?!'
JA: 'I like what F*CK does. It's important, but it's funny, so the accessibility is broad. It's going to have long legs. But Wristcutters is such great acting and it's like being in another world. Shut Up and Sing was something I really wanted to program right off the bat, because it really said something to me. Dreamland is a stunningly beautiful film; the director is an artist and also a musician and the film just plays like a piece of artwork. It is going to be unreal; I can't wait to see it projected. Neverwas is this original drama with so many Oscar nominated cast members all doing a small film; it's a real feat. There are so many layers to this movie and it is with actors that people know. The closing night movie, Live Free or Die, is definitely for our audience. It's a very tongue and cheek, funny film in the way of Napoleon Dynamite. It speaks to the young, new, hip audience. But, overall, everything has its place and I can't say I have a favorite; they are all great.'
EL: 'How about the after parties?'
JA : 'They are an opportunity for audience and filmmakers to come together. We are really blessed to have our sponsors to put these parties together. It is great being able to just 'let the libations flow!' That brings down the inhibitions of everyone. And my audience is very respectful; these parties are fun, but they aren't out of control and they are at some of the coolest places in New York too. The thing I have found in my years at Gen Art is that the social element of a film festival is crucial. A festival is an environment not only where independent filmmaking is fostered, but also independent thinking. People can talk about things they wouldn't usually talk about and form creative collaborations, business collaborations, or romantic collaborations. The film fest should really encourage the idea of people coming together and doing something together.'
EL: 'Where do you want to see Gen Art film fest in 5 years?'
JA: 'Well, the great thing about Gen Art is that we have been very good at riding the waves of what's going on in the world of art and individuals. Part of me doesn't want to answer this question because our goals are so flexible. It's not about just the events. We also have a website to give emerging artists attention. We would love to see that grow and see people catch on to it. This year we also threw a party at Sundance with myspace. We found out myspace isn't just a fad and we built a relationship with them. We will continue to look for those things and build the company with other peoples' growth as well. I am also launching a video pod cast. We have been all about pod casting since it came out, but we haven't done it until now because we are trying to figure out how to tackle that world - you will see more with that very soon. Personally, I would like to see us have more content. We have audience and we have a brand that means something. Of course, we have access to new talent and we have such great sponsors. But, we do need more staff and human resources.
We can't go mainstream, because our audience is very particular. But we can do other things to grow our audience. I think the concept of 'online vs. other media' is going to go away because they will all converge anyway. So it's about what we are delivering, more than how we are delivering it. We eventually want a whole Gen Art channel out there.'
EL: 'Anything else we need to know?'
JA: 'It's important that people know that the film part of what we do is just one slice. We were first in the world of visual art and we are forging full steam ahead into the world of music and fashion. We are a force to be reckoned with! If I go to Central Park and I target someone and hand them a flyer, usually half the time people will say, 'Oh, Gen Art!' The awareness is significant, so it's clear that our growth now is just the tip of the iceberg. Right now we are just very organic.'
