Official Rejection

As someone who has visited a couple of film festivals, I have always been curious about how they find the films for the festivals. This film lets you in on some of the secrets and shows you just how competitive it is. It's interesting, but only really for hard-core indie film fans. You could probably add another star or two, if you're a filmmaker yourself and this is more your milieu.

I had a chance to see this movie at the Idaho Film Festival in Boise, Idaho this weekend. As an emerging filmmaker, I thought it would be great to know the inner workings of the festival circuit. Paul and Scott take the audience on the journey of submitting their film "Ten Til Noon" to various festivals around the country. You get to see what life is like after the cameras are put away, and the work truly begins. Independent filmmakers are unique, because they have to sell their work themselves. This film taught me more than I hoped! I would highly recommend it for anyone who makes films. However, it is also entertaining for those who are not in the business. One woman at our screening loved it -- and she does not make films.

Paul and Scott are amazing. I had a chance to meet them this weekend, and they have a passion for making films. Check out this documentary -- not a dull moment. It's out on DVD in November.

Just caught this amazing and brutally honest doc at the Hell's Half Mile Film Fest in Bay City, Michigan. And having worked the fest circuit with two features now, I can say this film rings so true that's it's almost painful to watch in places (and I mean that in a good way).

This is the indie filmmaker's life, this is our humiliation, this is our reward, this is our freakin' angst! OFFICIAL REJECTION plays like the film companion to Chris Gore's Film Festival Guide. It covers the life (and sometimes death) of mainly one feature as it aims for Sundance, then reevaluates. As it aims for Slamdamn, then reevaluates. As it aims for SXSW, then...well you get the picture. And it's not all doom and gloom. (Well, OK, there is a film fest meltdown that has to be one of the most uncomfortable moments I've ever seen on film.) But...there is a (somewhat) happy ending here.

If you have any plans to make a film, watch this movie! Learn from it. These are the rules of film festivals. Realize that you will not be the exception.

I love OFFICIAL REJECTION. It is my life. If you are a filmmaker (or are close to any filmmakers), it is your life too!

Official Rejection is the true story of a group of filmmakers from all parts who are trying to accomplish a single goal: To get their film in a festival. The focused stars of this documentary find themselves quickly rejected by certain big-name fests, despite the effort required to even be considered for them. Disheartened, but not easily broken, the filmmakers keep sending out their films, to smaller screenings across the U.S.

The journey of this film achieves something big that is a rarity in the documentary genre. It's smirk-out-loud funny from beginning to end. With hilarious animated cut-scenes, to the visible struggles of average Joe directors, to astute observations from the front lines and the flashbacks of everyone involved; every piece of this film makes you grin from ear to ear.

So, it's strange that this same film is also one that tells the horrifying story of self-publicizing, penniless movie creators. O.R. is eye-opening, and easily bests all other attempts at revealing an inside view of the movie industry (notably This Film Is Not Yet Rated). It's one of the only films I know of that even mentions the independent film industry in a truthful light.

Painful it may be, but if your head stops shaking at the absurdity of the festival industry long enough to hear the story being presented, it will completely change your opinions on how you absorb and critique films.

Funny and great if a bit overlong towards the end. Very revealing and intimate doc about the filmmakers own personal struggle in bring their film to the world. I was shocked to see just how much everything costs and emotionally,perhaps the price is too high. One poor gut seemed to have buy tickets to his own film in some festival just to stop them form taking it off and replacing it with another. Jeesh - what's that all about?! Poor them and thank god I'm not one!! My niece was thinking of becoming a director and on the way out she said no way! We did talk for a long time afterwards about it and if that is the mark of a well put together doc then they certainly succeeded there. A great film and we had a great night. Well done guys and keep shooting!