Only two days until the festivities begin. Some of you may not realize that there is so much more happening than just trying to decide which of the 34 documentary films to see.
There will be concerts at the theater prior to films and a whole slew of events going on around the city including concerts, filmmaker talks and an Oscar Party. For a complete list go to the site’s Events page, but here are a few.
Friday night, meet award-winning filmmaker Les Blank at the VIP reception that kicks off the festival.
Friday, February 26 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at the CinemaSalem Café
Later that evening, head over to Victoria Station, overlooking historic Derby Wharf and chat with filmmakers while listening to Guitar Center King of the Blues finalist, 18 year old Graham Whitford, whose father is a member of the band Aerosmith…which you may have heard of.
Friday, Feb. 26th, 9:30 p.m. Victoria Station – 82 Warf St on Pickering Wharf
Real film lovers love hearing filmmakers discuss their work. Visit Salem Theater Company’s exciting new performance space while listening and conversing with visiting filmmakers as they talk about their experiences. Currently scheduled to appear: Les Blank (All in This Tea, Burden of Dreams, The Blues According to Lightnin’ Hopkins), Rosie Dransfeld (Broke), Jeremy Levine (Good Fortune, Walking the Line), Bari Pearlman (Smile ’til it Hurts, Daughters of Wisdom), Kristian Fraga and Mike Scotti (Severe Clear).
Saturday February 27 from 10-12 at the Salem Theater Company, 90 Lafayette Street
The Sunday morning breakfast has historically been the most intimate of all the events. Filmmakers want to meet locals and locals want to meet filmmakers. Share a waffle with a globe trotting filmmaker and give them some of your insider Salem tips. Relax and eat, while discussing what elements comprise a great documentary, should coffee be drunk black, what’s the future of internet distribution, and how to recognize the perfect scrambled egg.
Sunday February 28 from 9:00-11:30 a.m. at Caffe Graziani, 133 Washington Street
We must have a wrap party to look back over the festival and plan for 2011! Art Throb, the North Shore’s hip arts journal, hosts this one on the last night of the festival.
Thursday, March. 4th, 9:30 p.m. at CinemaSalem Cafe
And there’s one final reason to come together again! Meet at CinemaSalem once again on Sunday, March 7 and cheer on your favorite performances at the Oscars.
