Boston Latino International Film Festival

December 8, 2009

I have been doing volunteer marketing for BLIFF. There had been a lot of buzz about a movie called The Devil’s Tail, self-described by the filmmakers as the story of a man who abandons predictable life in Toronto, dashing off without a plan to find his best friend, a charming Texan ne’er-do-well, and plunged into a world far darker than the familiar tourist images of Cancun. I hadn’t seen it, so I decided to attend Sunday’s screening at Cambridge College.

The film blew me away. It was filmed beautifully, well-acted and the story had me on the edge of my seat for the whole 2 hours (literally, although with the folding chairs at the Cambridge College location, a little tighter editing would have improved the experience). The most interesting part of the evening for me was meeting the filmmakers in attendance: director Christoper Comrie, writer/actress Samantha Swan, and actor Arthur Pellman. When I found out from them that this entire film was made for about the cost of a well used car, it impressed me even more.

I attended the screening with 3 friends, and we spent the greater part of dinner afterward discussing the movie, its underlying meanings, our varied perspectives and impressions of the well-developed characters, and interpretations on the film’s story.

As an amateur film buff, I’ve been really impressed by the quality of the films that have been screened at this festival. I’m not saying I’ve loved every one, but I don’t like all the big box office hits either, its a matter of personal opinion. What I do love about them all though, is the chance to support these dedicated artists in telling their stories and pursuing their passions and dreams while making films.

The festival continues this weekend, December 11-13 at Cambridge College, and I will be there to check out a few more…I know its the holiday season and I have about 1,000 other things I need to get done, but this festival is only happening for a limited time – so I won’t miss it!