By Dinah Cardin
Marilyn Mulford on a snowy street in Salem.
Visiting filmmakers tell us that the Salem Film Festival is different because it focuses so much on the individual filmmaker. We tracked down filmmaker Marilyn Mulford at her home in San Francisco to recall for us her experiences at last year’s festival, when she attended with her film Archeology of Memory.
What did you find was different about the Salem Film Festival that set it apart from other festivals you’ve attended? How about the hospitality?
For me the Salem Film Festival was different than most I attended because it was geared exclusively towards giving the filmmaker a positive experience. I think it was really important that Joe Cultrera is also a filmmaker and really understands our needs and what gives a positive experience.
The hospitality was great. We stayed in a wonderful hotel in the center of everything, where we could walk to the theater, small bistros, museums, etc. At the theater we were provided a hospitality room with food, and also a table where someone from the festival would sell our DVDs. ( I’ve suggested this to other festivals.)
The filmmakers were taken out together, and got a chance to socialize both in the hospitality suite and more intimate settings. We had passes to all the other films, which were excellent. I spent a lot of time at the theater. We also had access, both to solve any problems and to socialize with the film festival organizers.
Because Salem’s a small town and has an enthusiastic viewing audience, people would come up to me on the street, or in restaurants/stores and talk to me about my film. This is always great for filmmakers because a lot of people don’t speak up in Q&A. Also at the theater got to know some local people just attending the other films.
In spite of one of the largest snowstorms in your history, I got a change to wander around town, go to museums, and a few restaurants. Wish I’d had more time!
What are you working on now?
As for “Archeology,” it’s now in educational distribution with Berkeley Media, was on national PBS on the ITVS series ‘Global Voices’ and just had a screening last week at the Pacific Film Archives here in Berkeley where Quique and his group played. Last year it got an award for Best Film in the Arts from Medocino Film Festival and was nominated for best use of music in documentary film by IDA. So it’s out there doing it’s own thing.
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courtesy image
ARCHEOLOGY OF MEMORY follows exiled Chilean musician Quique Cruz from the Bay Area to Chile and back as he creates his masterwork: a multimedia installation to heal the wounds inflicted by Pinochet’s torturous regime.
