I've probably submitted two or three films to CUFF in years past and they've not been accepted. I remember a brief period when CUFF had some money to fund filmmaking (mid-2000s?) and I wasn't accepted into that, either. I think Bryan's done incredible work keeping that festival going for so long. Thanks, Kelsey, for your part in that, too. Even though Bryan and I have never met face to face, I enjoy being a social media pal of his; it gives me a window into happenings in my hometown.
A few observations, them, decoupled from the CUFF conversation. Systems like FilmFreeway had better make festival programmers' lives easier through streamlining and standardization. Organizers miss an opportunity when they don't use the capabilities of those systems to build relationships with makers, accepted or not. The sort of stats Dominic mentions – we've selected X films out of a record-setting Y submissions! – are useful. Inviting people to tune into virtual screenings or emailing them a PDF of the program when it's finalized, encouraging them to submit next time around, those are generic efforts that payoff well in terms of goodwill. I was rejected by a festival earlier this year and I received a FilmFreeway email just saying "Not Selected: Project was not selected to be included in festival." and nothing else. No other followup. Now, no realist expects even the tiniest critique but "we hope you're able to attend or that you'll tune in to our streams starting on such and such date" with a URL just seems polite. And easy. I'll likely apply to that festival again but only because I'd like to visit the city where it's held; my attitude now is sorta "fuck those guys¹ change my mind". I'm also under the impression that many festivals will reduce the application fee or waive it entirely if you ask and, perhaps, provide some justification. The worst thing that will happen is that they say "no"; you wouldn't want to be in a festival run by people so petty as to blacklist you for asking for a waiver. Eric ¹ Even though I'm from the Midwest I don't typically use "guys" in a gender-neutral way. It fits the tone here. On Mon, Jan 10, 2022 at 1:55 PM Dominic Angerame <[email protected]> wrote: > Whatever. > > d > > On Jan 10, 2022, at 12:00 PM, Kelsey Velez <[email protected]> wrote: > > I think it should be understood that in the digital, all-in-one era in > which we are living, if a festival of any size transitions to using a > website which compacts all of the activity involved in submitting, > screening and judging entries onto one platform, it should come as no > surprise that notifications are to be received through that portal as well. > > If your sole complaint about a major and reputable festival is that you > didn’t hear back from them when they rejected your entry when that > rejection was easily to be found on the portal through which you submitted > your film, my estimation of that complaint is basically null. > > I’ve been the house manager for CUFF (once) and a screener for several > years, and I can say that the festival is run professionally and with > integrity toward the filmmakers. It takes a lot of work to run a festival > of its size and Bryan and everyone who works on CUFF deserve nothing but > praise for the work they do (to say nothing of the spectacular quality of > entries we have received year after year). > > Viva CUFF. > > On Mon, Jan 3, 2022 at 6:59 PM Dominic Angerame < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> To add some details to my negative post. I have entered dozens of >> festival around the world for more than 40 years. In these days of covid >> where many of us are underemployed and funds are scare the entry fee for >> CUFF is high at $40. This year after entering CUFF I have noticed that most >> festivals are offering major discounts for entry fees. >> >> I also never received direct communication from CUFF that the work was >> rejected. I have received hundreds of rejection letters during my life as a >> filmmaker. In fact I made a comedy about it called Hit the Turnpike! Which >> can be viewed on Vimeo, just search by my full name and u will find it >> along with many others. I found out about the rejection from a notation on >> Film Freeway stating the film was not considered. I have no idea how many >> films were entered, nor how many were shown at the festival. >> >> Festivals always state the because of the volume of films being entered >> that there was not enough screening time to show the film. If entries have >> increased, so too should the amount of screening time should be increased. >> Increased entries mean more funds for the festivals, yet they never >> increase the amount of screenings to compensate. >> >> So when a festival refuses to send me even a rejection letter I question >> the integrity of the festival. >> >> Dominic >> >> On Jan 3, 2022, at 2:46 PM, mary billyou <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Hear Hear Fred >> Civil discourse takes effort >> >> On Mon, Jan 3, 2022 at 2:49 PM Warren Cockerham < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >>> I agree. The programming is probably the most eclectic out of all >>> “underground” film festivals. Even some of Dominic Angerame’s films have >>> played in the past. But CUFF shouldn’t just be a mouthpiece for the old >>> garde. Like Roger, I’ve seen work that I’ve never seen anywhere else. >>> Consistently, CUFF has been a platform >>> for new discoveries and bold premieres. I don’t always love the liquor >>> sponsorship requirements…. Fucking Jameson preshow reels a feel years back >>> hurt my soul… and I don’t love seeing feature films from a distributor >>> appear in the programming. But the genre-less, anti-academic approach from >>> CUFF is refreshing. Sometimes these things can be a big tenure-track jerk >>> off in the states. Glad CUFF has avoided that route. Programming >>> non-commercial films for 30 years in the U.S. takes some doing. >>> >>> Cheers to Bryan and CUFF for hanging on abs for giving a voice for >>> thousands that wouldn’t have had an outlet otherwise. >>> >>> Warren >>> >>> On Jan 3, 2022, at 10:32 AM, Beebe, Roger W. <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> >>> >>> Not every festival is for everyone, but I’ve had great experiences at >>> Chicago Underground, where I’ve screened regularly over the past two >>> decades, including this fall’s in-person festival. The festival has good >>> projection, solid audiences, is well attended by accepted filmmakers, and I >>> always discover some interesting new work when I go. I’m planning on going >>> again this summer (pandemic permitting). I’d encourage folks to look at >>> what has screened there in past years and assess whether it looks like a >>> potentially good fit for your work. If it does, I’d encourage you to >>> submit. >>> >>> >>> >>> There aren’t that many experimental-focused festivals out there, and for >>> my money, this is one of the really good ones. >>> >>> >>> >>> FWIW, >>> >>> Roger >>> >>> >>> >>> *From: *Frameworks <[email protected]> on behalf of >>> Bruce Cooper <[email protected]> >>> *Reply-To: *Experimental Film Discussion List < >>> [email protected]> >>> *Date: *Monday, January 3, 2022 at 8:16 AM >>> *To: *Experimental Film Discussion List <[email protected]> >>> *Subject: *Re: [Frameworks] Call For Entries - 29th Chicago Underground >>> Film Festival >>> >>> >>> >>> I completely agree Dominic. >>> >>> >>> >>> On Sun, Jan 2, 2022 at 11:05 PM Dominic Angerame < >>> [email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> Do not waste ur time with this festival. >>> >>> >>> >>> Dominic Angerame >>> >>> >>> >>> On Jan 2, 2022, at 4:55 PM, Bryan Wendorf <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> >>> >>> >>> Submissions are now open for the 29th Chicago Underground Film Festival >>> to be held July 13-17, 2022 at the Logan Theater In Chicago. >>> >>> >>> >>> Deadlines >>> >>> February 1, 2022 Earlybird Deadline >>> >>> March 5, 2022 Regular Deadline >>> March 25, 2022 Late Deadline >>> >>> >>> >>> https://filmfreeway.com/ChicagoUndergroundFilmFestival >>> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/filmfreeway.com/ChicagoUndergroundFilmFestival__;!!KGKeukY!ijaBBucmbwsT-2GhcY146R2pj_KTjlYbQ7wydeZvqgUDpqt6_PTwikqQhVgsaPY3$> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Bryan Wendorf >>> Programmer and Artistic Director >>> Chicago Underground Film Festival >>> www.cuff.org >>> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/www.cuff.org/__;!!KGKeukY!ijaBBucmbwsT-2GhcY146R2pj_KTjlYbQ7wydeZvqgUDpqt6_PTwikqQhZ0uXkdk$> >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Frameworks mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> >>> https://mail.film-gallery.org/mailman/listinfo/frameworks_film-gallery.org >>> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/mail.film-gallery.org/mailman/listinfo/frameworks_film-gallery.org__;!!KGKeukY!ijaBBucmbwsT-2GhcY146R2pj_KTjlYbQ7wydeZvqgUDpqt6_PTwikqQhciCBsiv$> >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Frameworks mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> >>> https://mail.film-gallery.org/mailman/listinfo/frameworks_film-gallery.org >>> <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/mail.film-gallery.org/mailman/listinfo/frameworks_film-gallery.org__;!!KGKeukY!ijaBBucmbwsT-2GhcY146R2pj_KTjlYbQ7wydeZvqgUDpqt6_PTwikqQhciCBsiv$> >>> >>> -- >>> Frameworks mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> >>> https://mail.film-gallery.org/mailman/listinfo/frameworks_film-gallery.org >>> >>> -- >>> Frameworks mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> >>> https://mail.film-gallery.org/mailman/listinfo/frameworks_film-gallery.org >>> >> >> >> -- >> >> www.marybillyou.com >> >> -- >> Frameworks mailing list >> [email protected] >> https://mail.film-gallery.org/mailman/listinfo/frameworks_film-gallery.org >> >> >> -- >> Frameworks mailing list >> [email protected] >> https://mail.film-gallery.org/mailman/listinfo/frameworks_film-gallery.org >> > -- > Frameworks mailing list > [email protected] > https://mail.film-gallery.org/mailman/listinfo/frameworks_film-gallery.org > > > -- > Frameworks mailing list > [email protected] > https://mail.film-gallery.org/mailman/listinfo/frameworks_film-gallery.org >
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