by Lexi Bissonnette
A small group of movie buffs, theater aficionados, journalists and business men and women filled the back side of Postiano’s Restaurant, sitting in huddled groups looking over spiral bound notebooks and chatting about the announcement of the films to be included in the 22nd Annual Philadelphia Film Festival.
The party was to let the community know a bit in advance some of the great things they could look forward to at the film festival on Oct 17-27th, 2013. While the full schedule was not out at the party, attendees could look through the spiral books that were scattered around and see just what was being offered.
“We have an incredibly diverse program this year, and more than ever before.,” says Michael Lerman, artistic director for the film festival. “We have strong films this year so it suits to have a strong festival.”
Many could be overhead chatting about selected titles, expressing interest and marking it down on their calendars which even would be for them. The 22nd festival will showcase more than 100 films, 35 of which will be premiering at the event. Lerman expressed that this was more premiers than they’ve ever had before.
This year the festival will take place in five theaters- Ritz East, Ritz a the Bourse, Prince Music Theater, Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center and Rave University City 6. For 10 days these locations will be teaming with movie goers and industry workers.
Categories that will be featured this year include American Independents, Eastern European Cinema, World Narratives and Masters of Cinema. Within each category there will be short films, full length films and some centerpiece showings – titles played during best viewing hours.
To highlight a few of the featured movies, let’s take a look at opening night, closing night and the featured “centerpiece” shows. Both the opening and closing films are by American directors- All is Lost by J.C. Chandor opening the festival and Labor Day directed by Jason Reitman ending the festival. A few centerpiece films include Nebraska directed by Alexander Payne and Philomena by the UK’s Stephen Frears.
“I’m excited for the diversity- that people can sit in one theater and see a small artsy piece and then see a big name in the next theatre,” says Lerman in regards to not only what he is excited about but what a great feature of the event will be.
The full list with times will be available beginning Monday September 30th throughout the city as well as online here.
