2008 Woodie Awards
Phoenix Film Festival showcases local, national talents
Kyle Patton
Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: Entertainment
The Phoenix Film Festival hit Arizona last week and did not disappoint.
From April 3-10 the festival took over the Scottsdale Harkins Theatre and half of its 14 massive screens to show films brought to the Valley by all kinds of moviemakers.
Some of the local film makers included John Humber, a former SCC Student that made his major directorial debut with his film "Dakota Skye."
Bob and Patty Hersh of Scottsdale were very pleased with this year's festival.
"I came here to see a lot of films," said Patty "but 'Dakota Skye' was especially phenomenal."
Bob said, "All the people working here at the festival have been great. All the movies have been starting on time and I don't think Patty and I have had a problem yet."
George Love, director of Theater Operations for the film festival explains that keeping everyone happy is not always easy but well worth the time it takes.
"The logistics in keeping the movie times working is just mind blowing. We have seven theaters running all at once, movies ending and starting, people coming and going," says Love, "and everything has gone smoothly."
Love says that the film festival this year is one of the best he has worked on since becoming one of the festival's directors in 2003.
"One of the best parts about a festival like this is the Q&A that all viewers can take part in after the first showing of a movie," says Love. "I mean, the first showing you are going to run into the director of the movie you just watched."
For those who want to be part of the festival next year, Love says that volunteers are welcome. If someone is interested in working at the festival, there are roughly two requirements: contact the festival on its website a few months before the ball gets rolling and, of course, you must love movies.
Some of the winners this year included, "Little Chenier" for best feature film; best documentary went to "Golden Days," and Jordan Albersten won best director for his film, "The Standard."
Love received a co-award for volunteer of the year.
Fran Brilliant of Phoenix said she only found one problem with the festival.
"The website," Brilliant said, "The website for the festival was just awful. It was like there was no communication between pages. The links just ran you in circles."
Luckily, Brilliant said, "The movies I saw made me forget about my technological difficulties."
The Phoenix Festival has called the Valley home since 2000. It is the largest festival of its kind in Arizona.
For more information on the winners, or anything else about this or next year's festivals, visit www.phoenixfilmfestival.org.
From April 3-10 the festival took over the Scottsdale Harkins Theatre and half of its 14 massive screens to show films brought to the Valley by all kinds of moviemakers.
Some of the local film makers included John Humber, a former SCC Student that made his major directorial debut with his film "Dakota Skye."
Bob and Patty Hersh of Scottsdale were very pleased with this year's festival.
"I came here to see a lot of films," said Patty "but 'Dakota Skye' was especially phenomenal."
Bob said, "All the people working here at the festival have been great. All the movies have been starting on time and I don't think Patty and I have had a problem yet."
George Love, director of Theater Operations for the film festival explains that keeping everyone happy is not always easy but well worth the time it takes.
"The logistics in keeping the movie times working is just mind blowing. We have seven theaters running all at once, movies ending and starting, people coming and going," says Love, "and everything has gone smoothly."
Love says that the film festival this year is one of the best he has worked on since becoming one of the festival's directors in 2003.
"One of the best parts about a festival like this is the Q&A that all viewers can take part in after the first showing of a movie," says Love. "I mean, the first showing you are going to run into the director of the movie you just watched."
For those who want to be part of the festival next year, Love says that volunteers are welcome. If someone is interested in working at the festival, there are roughly two requirements: contact the festival on its website a few months before the ball gets rolling and, of course, you must love movies.
Some of the winners this year included, "Little Chenier" for best feature film; best documentary went to "Golden Days," and Jordan Albersten won best director for his film, "The Standard."
Love received a co-award for volunteer of the year.
Fran Brilliant of Phoenix said she only found one problem with the festival.
"The website," Brilliant said, "The website for the festival was just awful. It was like there was no communication between pages. The links just ran you in circles."
Luckily, Brilliant said, "The movies I saw made me forget about my technological difficulties."
The Phoenix Festival has called the Valley home since 2000. It is the largest festival of its kind in Arizona.
For more information on the winners, or anything else about this or next year's festivals, visit www.phoenixfilmfestival.org.
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