A new film/media/art festival to replace outdated boring LGBT Film Festivals and so-called independent film festivals that refuse to show provocative, underground, radical, f**ked-up, politically incorrect, sexually explicit, offensive, interesting etc. Like a virus we will infect these other festivals and either take them over or destroy them. [email protected]
INFEST MANIFESTO
Not that long a
go film festivals were pulsating, interesting events where you could see/experience films and videos that you could not see anywhere else. You could discover a new film or filmmaker, discuss/debate films, get in a fight or even start a riot. Festival programmers had personalities, visions. That has all changed as festival programmers and administrators have become more concerned with attendance, appeasing an audience rather than shaking them up or, challenging them. While most pure artists/filmmakers laughed off political correctness years ago, festival programmers have only become more afraid of offending anyone. Instead of telling more and more intrusive corporate sponsors to f**k off, they have lubed-up and let them f**k them into irrelevance. More interesting, challenging, innovative work is being rejected in favor of safe, tried and true, audience-friendly, boring work already has an audience and will be released with or without festivals approval. So why not just let them die? Festivals do (or rather should still) serve a purpose. As DVD/video sales continue to plummet, the promise of on-demand still remains elusive for edgy filmmakers, and theatrical has become nothing more than a vanity money pit, the festival circuit is a way of reaching and connecting with an audience (at least it should be.) SOME DEMANDS FOR FILM FESTIVALS:
Stop complaining about how many submissions you get: “We received over 5000 films this year blah, blah…” and yet you have programmed all the ones from some other festival or from established filmmakers. If you receive so many submissions then why isn’t everything you show a world premiere? Why aren’t you showing anything new, experimental and/or interesting? If a corporate sponsor or any funder makes demands of you tell them to f**k off. If you need to downsize then f**king downsize. Don’t compromise your integrity for cash. We would rather watch (and show) interesting/challenging films in a dingy club, abandoned building, basement, etc. than see some boring star studded red carpet premiere of some movie that is going to open in megaplexes in two weeks anyway. Stop stifling creativity. Filmmakers are human; they want their work to be seen. If you only show boring inoffensive crap they will dumb their work down to get it in festivals. There is enough pressure from the commercial world; film festivals should be a place where wild and crazy filmmakers can show their work. A CALL TO ARMS FOR FILMMAKERS AND FILM LOVERS:
This is all not new; critics, filmmakers and film lovers have challenged and effectively protested film festivals though the years. At the Berlin Film Festival, the Panorama and Forum sections were created as protests to the main program. The same with Director’s Fortnight and Un Certain Regard at Cannes; the many “dances” challenging Sundance, etc. But things are different now, as big festivals become bigger and smaller festivals, rather than distinguishing themselves with their own programming just copy bigger festivals. It is not enough to just start another festival (only to be swallowed up by a bigger festival down the road) we must OCCUPY festivals, INFEST them and take them back. INFESTATION:
As filmmakers, film lovers, and critics, we must stand together. Our goal is to be a presence at every festival we can be, to show films at unconventional places, to make ourselves known and effect real change in the real world and online. Boring, commercial, conventional films shown at festivals should be protested, booed, disrupted. Don’t worry about offending the filmmaker, we are encouraging them to be innovative, challenging. Encourage the non-commercial, challenging, un-conventional, disturbing films if they happen to slip into a festival. Support them by buying tickets, telling people to go see them. Let festivals know that we would rather see messy interesting films than boring technically perfect ones. Bring your own films. If a festival won’t show anything interesting bring something, a portable projector, a smart phone or tablet. Project a film on the screen before or during a movie, show it in the lobby, in the bathroom, on the wall of the building, wherever you can. Get thrown out, cause a scene. Let people know there are more interesting FILMS out there. Create a counter festival. During another festival find a space, a bar, basement, apartment, hotel room, anywhere and show other films. Make people aware of this alternative with INFEST flyers, pamphlets Xerox’s, stickers, e-mails, social networks, etc. If people show up that’s great but if no one shows up don’t be discouraged. The important thing is that people (and the festival itself) are aware that an alternative exists. We know we are small but we can change things. WHAT IS INFEST:
Infest is not for conventional, commercial, safe films. It is for challenging, innovative, messy, avant-garde, explicit, politically incorrect, gay, le***an, transgendered and straight films. It is for films/videos of all lengths, genres, web media, installations, art, etc. Become a part of INFEST. Help us plan actions, events, disruptions. Help us find venues and spread the word. Submit your work. If accepted, we will find a place (or places) to show your work and give you the INFEST stamp of approval if you want to plan an event. We don’t charge entry fees and we can’t pay screening fees because we are broke and we want to keep events free (or as cheap as possible). We are not doing this to make money we are doing it to show/expose films that don’t get shown! We need volunteers to help with events, disruptions, websites, pamphlets, etc. To enter your film or volunteer please send an e-mail to: [email protected]
Infest is also a place to expose festivals/programmers who have screwed films and filmmakers over. Share your stories with us. As festivals have become global it’s not enough to protest one festival we must INFEST them all. www.facebook.com/infestusa
[email protected]
Todd Verow founder of INFEST. www.facebook.com/toddverow
