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SATURDAY April 3 , 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels April 2, 2004 Downtown Films bring fascination to Ashland Andrew Scot Bolsinger They were putting on the Ritz at the Ashland Springs Hotel Thursday night as the red carpet, independent style, flocked to Ashland. Directors, actors, producers and others associated with independent filmmaking came out for the start of the Ashland Independent Film Festival, a five-day moviefest that continues through Monday at the Varsity Theater. In all, 73 different films were chosen for this year's lineup, which is a tremendous leap from the first couple of years. Most everyone associated with the event is well aware that this year could be the seminal moment for the burgeoning festival. "It took several years just to make the first one a reality," Tom Olbrich, executive director. Now the effort seems to be gaining steam, drawing hundreds of filmmakers wanting to be in the festival and thousands of area residents turning out for movie-watching gluttony. For Olbrich, the event is a reintroduction to Ashland after a short hiatus in Hawaii, following two decades of promotional work here. He couldn't be happier heading up the impressive volunteer-driven organization. "It's amazing," he says more than once. "This is 99.9 percent done by volunteers." Including orchestrating places for the filmmakers to stay, including bed and breakfasts, hotels and even in some cases, private homes. The cast Perhaps the best part is the mix of costumes and characters this event attracts. Big hats, dreadlocks, ponytails, and earrings, mostly all on the men. Type A Gen-Xers press the flesh and pass out promotional material about their movies. Documentary filmmakers talk about the importance of their respective subjects, while swapping trade tips. They all share the common passion of seeing their movies on the big screen. The wild creativity each uses to pursue that passion is really what defines the festival. Paul Kelleher touts his first movie, a documentary that depicts the power of "gifting" at its core, he says. It's bare naked core, to be exact. Kelleher filmed partner Ted Mattison's arrival at Burning Man in Nevada - completely naked, carrying nothing in the summer heat. The story is how others come to his aid. The rule they impose: He can't ask for anything. Kelleher and Tomas McCabe, co-filmmaker of "Bum's Paradise," swap methodology. McCabe enlisted Robert "Rabbit" Barringer, a homeless resident of a California landfill, in his film. He and Rabbit enjoy an easy friendship developed over three years of making the film. Annabelle Frost produced "Side Show," an 18-minute movie about "a washed-up magician [who] faces the choice of selling out or walking away," according to the promotional material. "It should be nice and pretty," Frost says, encouraging people to see the film. Most of these movie-makers parachuted into Ashland on Thursday, just as the Varsity was opening for its first showing. They know little about the town, but are genuinely impressed with the effort to promote independent filmmakers. Many are just as quickly headed to another film festival, in another part of the country, all part of getting their films in front of audiences. Another thing they all share is a clear understanding of the tremendous amount of work, time and money they are pouring into this dream. A good vibe The vibe throughout the night is an unstated reality that this festival has arrived. Good things lie ahead in the future. Olbrich says his crew is just beginning to assess the impact of the festival on the local economy, but ticket sales are steadily rising. Like all fledgling festivals, there are kinks to iron out. An event planned for young filmmakers never gets fully coordinated and is dropped for the schedule. Technical problems at the Varsity Theater angered some who watched their hard work tainted by problems beyond their control. Still most are thoroughly pleased. Olbrich also senses the vibe. This thing is taking off. But he is too busy enjoying every minute of his first festival to start worrying about the future. "You know the grow-and-build thing is a piece that I don't have a thing for right now," Olbrich says. Whatever it is, it's probably good. Shortly before midnight, the event draws to a close. But the party is not over. The crowd makes plans to shift from the hotel to the Hong Kong Bar and Grill, which has extended its hours until 2 a.m. to accommodate the last movie-goers of the night. It's the first night of the independent film festival, and the celebration is just beginning, because there is clearly so much to celebrate. Andrew Scot Bolsinger is the editor of the Daily Tidings. Contact him at [email protected] or 482-3456, ext. 3025. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Site Search: The new search is here! Click here for more information. .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - ODOT Road Cams