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bop_radar ([personal profile] bop_radar) wrote2007-07-13 08:56 pm
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MIFF 2007--The Plan

The Melbourne International Film Festival program came out today. It starts on 26 July.

The bad news: Through my own mindboggling stupidity (the details of which I don't want to go into because they make me cry) I am only actually able to go to four full days of the festival--plus two other weekends. 8 days in total out of 19. I am not happy about this but only have myself to blame, so I will suck it up. It means I'll probably just push myself to get as much out of those days and other evenings as I can, until I crash in a heap, ill, as I usually do each year. The idea was to avoid that this year... ah well. :(

The good news: The program's out, so I can begin the obsessive reading, circling, question-marking, planning, scheduling and liaising that accompanies it. I usually spend about a month doing this, but it's out late this year so my obsessing will be confined to two weeks. I'm currently drafting a 'priority viewing' list which I'll then compare with friends and see if we can see some together. There's a real art to picking the right festival movies. So many haven't been widely reviewed overseas yet, so it's hard to know which will be the surprise hits. And it's also really hard to get the right balance of movies. I have a great track record of picking all the truly soul-destroying depressing flicks, and I wound up seriously emotionally overwrought the last couple of years running. *g* This year, I'm instituting a 'one light film to every four heavy ones' policy. I may even up that!

If anyone out there is truly horrendously bored, you can browse to the festival website and tell me what I should see. ;)

And finally, I'll be keeping my own record of the films I go to see, but I wondered if others would be interested in hearing about the festival. Warning: the reviews may get more and more whacked as the Festival progresses. ;) You can read some from last year here.

[Poll #1020647]

[identity profile] katiebugs18.livejournal.com 2007-07-13 11:21 am (UTC)(link)
You should absolutely do reviews of the films you see! I for one would love to read them. I'm such a film junkie. I took a quick look at the website and it looks so fun. I'm so jealous though it's utterly ridiculous. I'm no more than 2 hours from New York, there is no excuse for my not going to film festivals if I really wanted to. My laziness and procrastination knows no bounds.

Have tons of fun and I'm anxious to hear about the films you do get to see.

And I know this is off topic but I've been rather out of it and haven't really been around but I hope you're feeling better. You seem to be dealing with caffeine withdrawal rather well. Which, speaking as a former Diet Coke addict can be very difficult. :-)

[identity profile] bop-radar.livejournal.com 2007-07-14 01:28 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, thank you! :) I'm delighted you'd be interested in my film reviews. And thanks for the sympathy regarding the caffeine addiction. I have managed a couple of days on just tea so am feeling rather proud. My main irritation now is that I sleep so much more. :( I'm not feeling very productive. ;)

[identity profile] katiebugs18.livejournal.com 2007-07-15 08:24 am (UTC)(link)
More sleep is good...though considering I'm responding to this at 4:30am should tell you something about my sleep patterns.

I realized I could give up Diet Coke about my junior year in college when it stopped helping me pull those week long all nighters. Ever since then I have one 12 oz. bottle a day to help combat the headaches this particular addiction has left me with.

Stick to the tea...it's much healthier. Oh and good for you!!!

And really looking forward to your first film review. :-)

[identity profile] bop-radar.livejournal.com 2007-07-16 01:45 am (UTC)(link)
4.30 am?! Eeep!

You've done well to cut down your intake. I know a lot of people who were seriously addicted to caffeine in uni, including one person who had a collapse and was hospitalised for caffeine overdoze--no joke.

Tea is beginning to taste more palatable... :-)

[identity profile] sadface.livejournal.com 2007-07-13 11:30 am (UTC)(link)
I love reading your reviews of things! ♥

I meant to get to at least one of the events at the Manchester International Festival (it wasn't just films there were plays and all other events and shops and things) but I never got around to it. :(

[identity profile] bop-radar.livejournal.com 2007-07-14 01:30 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you! I'm chuffed you enjoy my reviews. I'm excited about the idea of posting about the film festival now as it will make the experience less lonesome--you can go a little crazy watching movies on your own for two weeks. ;)

There are lots of festivals in Melbourne I never get round to. The Comedy festival is one I always mean to go to and don't. Also the food one.

[identity profile] proggrrl.livejournal.com 2007-07-13 12:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh goody, I love festival coverage from friends. *g*

[identity profile] bop-radar.livejournal.com 2007-07-14 01:31 am (UTC)(link)
Yay! Thanks. *g*

[identity profile] kdsch123.livejournal.com 2007-07-13 04:53 pm (UTC)(link)
I know I'd like to read your thoughts on what you see. :)

[identity profile] bop-radar.livejournal.com 2007-07-14 01:31 am (UTC)(link)
Cool! Thanks.

[identity profile] jude-judith82.livejournal.com 2007-07-13 09:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Umm do I want to hear about the films you're going to see? Hell yes! I live for this. Sad but true. ;-) Plus I was browsing the website and there are some pretty interesting sounding ones. Can't wait.

[identity profile] bop-radar.livejournal.com 2007-07-14 01:35 am (UTC)(link)
Cool! I'm glad people are interested. Yeah, they have a pretty brilliant selection each year, but it's hard to pick the highlights in advance. I'm looking forward to pouring over the program.

[identity profile] jude-judith82.livejournal.com 2007-07-15 03:27 am (UTC)(link)
I'm very jealous. We had a film festival here a while back and I was unable to go grr but I hope you have a wonderful time and I look forward to reading about it.

[identity profile] bop-radar.livejournal.com 2007-07-15 05:57 am (UTC)(link)
I'm often not organised enough to remember about festivals, but the film fest is one I always try to get to. And this year with having leave anyway because my house is being renovated, it's perfect timing... well almost. Work's going to be stressful either side of it, but I'm sure I'll still get lots of filmgoing in.

[identity profile] jessicaj703.livejournal.com 2007-07-15 07:18 am (UTC)(link)
I really want to see your reviews! And might I suggest the Kore-eda retrospective and September as possible additions? :) The latter sounds a bit like Beneath Clouds, which I saw when I visited 5 years ago and really enjoyed. ;) Have fun at MFF!

[identity profile] bop-radar.livejournal.com 2007-07-15 07:22 am (UTC)(link)
Oh thanks for the suggestions! *g* I had already circled the Kore-eda retrospective, but I'll add September to my list and see how it works with the schedule. :)