Music for the Weekend: Major Tom by Peter Schilling.
A classic song, befit for my homecoming. Big news as I’ll be world premiering Lilith in January in my hometown of Denver. After many options and choices, it just felt right to do it this way.
In the past few months we’ve been fighting the battles and navigating the waters of festivals and international distribution, and foremost the altogether-too-tricky preservation of Lilith’s world premiere status. With a second rejection from Sundance (it was close, but no shock there), my hands have now been freed to show the film as I wanted, and I will be premiering Lilith at the 5th edition of the Festivus Film Festival in Denver on January 15th.
Why -and what -the fuck is Festivus? Well, besides from the fact that it was named one of the ‘25 Coolest Film Festivals in the US’ by MovieMaker Magazine and that its namesake is from one of my all-time favorite episodes of Seinfeld, I also loved that as a festival they really do support indie filmmakers who stick their neck out and take bold risks. The festival has been growing every year in both size and reputation, and I absolutely love what they represent, the same kind of brash, blatant disregard for conformity with which we made Lilith. They’re a filmmaker and fan festival first, and the input I’ve received from other filmmakers that have shown there tells me that it’ll be a perfect fit for Lilith. It’s a smart, receptive, artistic crowd that appreciates something different and bold.
I’d be lying too if there wasn’t some nostalgia involved. Lilith will be shown during Festivus at the Oriental Theater in Denver, and when I was a kid my family used to drive by the Oriental to go to the grocery store. It was such a cool place, a classic art-deco movie palace that was equal parts glamor and chintz. Ever since then I always dreamed of showing a movie in one of my hometown movie palaces, and now I get that opportunity, and it’s my own movie to boot. The theater has been renovated and upgraded, its sound system pimped out, and now it houses one of the nicest screens in the state. It’s kind of how I always imagined showing my movie, in front of my people, in the place I adore. It’s pretty much perfect.
I’m thrilled with my decision, and I can’t wait to hit the road with Lilith, and hopefully come to a town near you. It’ll be a festivus for the rest of us, indeed.
Have a great weekend!
