Let the Season Begin! Launch Party at Koto Grill Kicks off SFF 2016

By Shelley A. Sackett

About fifty volunteers and sponsors of Salem Film Fest 2016 schmoozed, boozed and snacked at Koto Grill on Washington Street at the traditional launch party that signals the festival’s imminent arrival. A large screen projected a continuous loop of trailers from all 35 feature documentaries that make up this year’s line up as Annie Liu, who owns Koto Grill with her husband Leo , refreshed platters and served drinks.

“We have so many films that will knock your socks off,” promised Jeff Schmidt, SFF Program Director. Although he said trying to name a favorite film was like “naming a favorite child”, Schmidt did say that “Driving with Selvi” stood out both as a film and because Selvi will attend the screening at PEM Morse Auditorium. “This is very special,” he said.

Acknowledging that 2017 will mark SFF’s tenth anniversary, Rinus Oosthoek, Executive Director of the Salem Chamber of Commerce, which sponsored the party, joked that he didn’t want to think about that until after this year’s ninth was over.

Oosthoek and Schmidt thanked all the volunteers and festival sponsors who “have gone the distance this year” in donating their time and money to make the festival happen year after year. The Lius generously hosted the launch party this year.

SFF is known for inviting filmmakers to spend time in Salem and join the festival community while they’re here. With a long list of parties, galas and meet-and-greets, SFF 2016 promises both exceptional films and the opportunities to meet filmmakers and hang out with fellow film lovers in intimate and fun settings. The A-Beez featuring Sarah Seminski  will rock the Saturday night dance party at Sea Level. For those able to rise at 10:00 am Sunday morning, there’s a filmmaker breakfast at Caffé Graziani where film lovers and filmmakers from all over the world can continue the discussions of the night before.

New this year, Mary Beth Bainbridge has curated a special exhibit at the CinemaSalem Gallery featuring images from the documentary KEDI, a film that views Istanbul through the eyes of the millions of cats (and their caregivers) who live there. “It doesn’t mean you have to hate dogs,” she said with a laugh.

Oosthoek reminded everyone to attend — and bring their friends — to the Salem Film Fest Kickoff Reception at Old Town Hall on Thursday, March 3 from 5:00 – 7:00 pm, where the coveted official SFF 2016 program book will be available for the first time this season. After the Kickoff Reception, the opening night film, CURIOUS WORLDS: THE ART & IMAGINATION OF DAVID BECK will screen at the PEM Morse Auditorium.

Before the official presentations ended, and the partygoers returned to the conversation, food and drink, Schmidt looked out at the group and thanked them again. “We’re blessed to have community and industry involvement,” he said.

Best job at SFF: Picking up filmmakers at the airport!

I Would Have Paid THEM!!!!

Little did Salem Film Fest realize in 2014, when I volunteered to be a driver to pick up filmmakers, that I would have paid them for the thrill and honor of having an hour alone with a filmmaker whose film I made sure I saw before meeting them.

That was the year of the March snow dump. When I picked up Londoner Dan Demissie, producer of the riveting (and subsequently award-winning) "Town of Runners", he was wearing a thin coat and sneakers. We talked about his Ethiopian heritage and his reasons for choosing to explore his heritage through film. I later brought him boots, hat, gloves and a warm coat left by one of my sons. We continued to email all that year.

Sasha Friedlander, director of "Where Heaven Meets Hell", ended up having coffee with my daughter, who was also then living in San Francisco. Sasha and I got to chatting about more than her film and realized her parents and I had a lot in common, so it was likely she and my daughter would.

Leo Chiang, director of "Mr. Cao Goes to Washington", was generous in sharing small details about his project and also his favorite, off-the-tourist-radar-screen restaurants in New Orleans.

So, while there are still unfilled slots, don't be left out of the BEST gig SFF offers volunteers. SIGN UP TODAY!

Shelley A. Sackett, volunteer driver.

Salem Film Fest returns in March

To see a great general background article on Salem Film fest that was published Friday, February 12, 2016, written by Shelley A. Sackett of the Wicked Local Media group, please click here.

Excerpts:

"What do local filmmaker Joe Cultrera, businessman Paul Van Ness, and Salem Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Rinus Oosthoek have in common? The answer goes back to 2007, when the three founded Salem Film Fest (SFF), the week-long festival that sustains cinephiles each March through the long, bleak slog of New England winter. The largest all-documentary film festival in New England, SFF 2016 will run March 3-10."

“Come to Salem, see the world” has been the SFF catch phrase since its inception, both as an homage to the old Salem merchant ships that established trade with the rest of the world and in tribute to the films from dozens of countries the festival has screened over the past nine years. “The festival’s strength has always been its programming and community feel, but the scope of our programming reaches far beyond the local,” Cultrera said.

Getting ready to assign sponsors to films

It's that time of the year! The selection committee has finalized the 35 docs that will screen at Salem Film Fest 2016, the schedule is almost done, and now all sponsors will get an opportunity to be matched with a film!

Salem Film Fest 2016 - Opportunities to sponsor and underwrite

Salem Film Fest 2016 will take place March 3-10, 2016, and if you have been a sponsor in the past, or would like to become a sponsor, we are looking forward to hearing from you. There are a great number of ways in which you can get involved, from helping underwrite a documentary film, or becoming a location sponsor, to immersing yourself into the festival as a major or title sponsor. Click on this link to see all Sponsor and Underwriter Information for Salem Film Fest 2016.