October 11-18, 2007
Atlanta, Georgia

• Attendance
• Opening Night
• The Films
• Projection Problems
• Closing Night
• Awards

by Jay Blodgett

 Projection Problems

There were two dozen or so short subjects that screened in six programs. I can tell that I've been VERY busy the past year or so, as I had already seen nearly half of these at previous festivals!

However, having seen these previously gave me the opportunity to have seen them WITHOUT the projection problems that occurred throughout the OOF festival. Though not as nearly disastrous as the situation was during the Atlanta Film Festival in April, it still continues to amaze me that an organization named "IMAGE Film and Video" would screen something in the wrong aspect ratios and even allow the projection to 'black out' in the midst of a shorts program -- and not be aware of the technical difficulties that were occurring. Not to mention the continuing sound distortion in theatre #6.

For example, there was a blackout during the last 5 minutes of the film, GROUCHO (Dir. Medardo Amor, Ángel Luis Rodríguez Suárez, Spain, 20 min.) which denied this audience the 'punchline.' (I saw GROUCHO earlier this year as part of San Francisco's LGBT Film Festival.)

Although the projectionist made an attempt to back up the film and rescreen "the last 7 or 8 minutes," the film was restarted just before the end credits. Argh. I eventually found out who the projectionist was (and who will remain anonymous here), and I would STRONGLY encourage that IMAGE make some sort of budgetary inclusion for a projectionist for the Atlanta Film Festival this spring! Perhaps a promotional deal could be made between one of the many high-end home theatre stores I have run into around the area to supply either equipment and/or personnel?

Read on for more about Closing Night with Ru Paul!>>