Traverse City Film Festival – Day One
July 29, 2009 by Jane Boursaw
The Traverse City Film Festival is in full swing this week. I drove downtown last night to attend the opening night film and was greeted with a street party boasting balloon sculptures (yes, people dressed up in balloons of various animals and such), music, food, and just good fun.
I attended the opening night movie, "Troubled Water," a thoughtful film on redemption and forgiveness, Norwegian with subtitles. It tells the story of a young man just released from prison after serving eight years for a terrible crime. A gifted organist, Jan (Pål Sverre Valheim Hagen) is on a quiet path to redemption, playing in a church and even winning the heart of the church’s pastor and her young son. But he’s soon forced to confront his past when a woman whose life has been forever scarred by his actions visits the church with her class.
Plus, I sat next to a lovely gentleman who works for Warner Bros. in television sales, and when I told him I’m the assistant editor at TV Squad, he said, "Hey, we work for the same company!" The two companies recently merged. So we exchanged business cards and who knows, maybe we’ll meet up at another film this week! I make so many new friends at the film festival every year.
The director of "Troubled Water," Erik Poppe, was in the audience and answered questions after the screening. It’s always great to hear the inside scoop on a film that you’ve just seen, especially one as well-made as "Troubled Water."
Afterwards, I wandered down to the Traverse City Open Space, where they’re playing free movies each night — "Men in Black" last night — on a massive inflatable screen. How fun to see hundreds of people – families, couples, and children – on blankets and chairs watching a great movie. There were even boats moored in the harbor. How cool would it be to watch a movie from your boat?!
As always, the festival runs like a well-oiled machine, thanks to the efforts of founder Michael Moore and hundreds of volunteers promoting the cause of "Just Great Movies!"
Tonight: "The Answer Man," "Woodstock: The Director’s Cut," and possibly "Harmony and Me," if I have it in me to be cognizant enough for the midnight movie!
Image: Jane Boursaw
