For several years, Clint Bowie has served as the programming director for the New Orleans Film Festival. In 2017 he was promoted to the role of artistic director, giving him more influence on the indie films and studio submissions that screen at the festival.

Selecting what will get screened is a process that takes months and a great deal of discussion amidst the programming team. After the New Orleans Film Festival became an Oscar-qualifying festival for short films, the task load increased exponentially. This year they had to sift through over 5000 submissions to figure out which films would get included in the festival.

The selection process often seems opaque and mysterious, but it might seem a little less so after hearing Clint's interview. He does into some detail about how the selection process works and some processes that they have in place to ensure that every film gets a fair shot. Some of the things that we discuss include

• The guiding philosophy behind the festival's selection process
• When it pays to get out there and dance
• What filmmakers can do to improve their chances of getting their films selected
• What, if any, supplemental materials should filmmakers include in their festival submissions
• How films can impact society for good or for ill, and whether there is such a thing as films that go too far
• How filmmakers can take advantage of the opportunities that film festivals offer to develop their careers

This year New Orleans Film Festival happens on Oct 11-19, and Clint also shares some recommendations about what to check out. After the interview concludes, I mention some festival screenings and events that caught my attention. I then elaborate on some things that came up in the discussion and share my thoughts on what makes a film worth celebrating and how the films we embrace can influence society at large.

 

 

Sponsor for this Episode Instead of using this section for a promotional announcement, I would like to encourage you to donate to those affected by hurricane damage from Harvey, Irma, or Maria.   You can make a donation to the Red Cross for a specific region or just for general disaster relief. If you make a donation of at least $50 and want to be a good example to other, let me know and I'll give you a special shoutout on a future episode: [email protected]

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Related Things

• New Orleans Film Festival
• NOFF 2017 schedule and program
• NOFF on
  • Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
• Some of the festival highlights that Clint mentioned include
  • Bangaologia - The Science of Style  
  • Catching Sight of Thelma & Louise
  • IF/Then Documentary Short Film Program, a partnership between NOFF, the Tribeca Film Institute, and the MacArthur Foundation. The winner of the competition will win a year of mentorship and  $20,000 to make their project.
  • Love and Saucers
  • Watermelon Women
• Some of the films that caught my eye include
  • Current War
  • Darkest Hour
  • Last Flag Flying 
  • the Louisiana short film blocks
  • Mudbound 
  • Power of the Glove 
• Other notable events at the festival include a conversation with Patricia Clarkson,  International Screenwriters Association table read and reception. New Orleans Video Access Center's Filmmakers Welcome Party, the tropical pool party at the Drifter Hotel,  and a Michael Jackson Thriller-themed party at the Art Garage
• Jordan B. Peterson's video message to millennials relates to a number of things I discuss in my concluding comments. Discovering it was an encouraging nudge to go forward with the episode.
• "The Art of Disagreement" from New York Times columnist Bret Stephens
• The Wired piece about the temp workers moderating content for companies like Google and Facebook and the trauma they experience after prolonged periods of watching extreme content
• PragerU on the downfall of Venezuela
• My blog post on John Ford and his films
• Past podcast episodes mentioned
  • Larry Blake, the re-recording mixer and supervising sound editor who has worked on most of Steven Soderbergh’s films
  • Bradley Greer, the colorist who has worked on films like 12 Years a Slave, Iceman, and The Looper
  • Richard Matson from The Orchard, the distribution company behind Oscar-nominated films like Cartel Land and Life, Animated

 

Other Films & Shows Mentioned

• 12 Years a Slave
• Braveheart 
• Clockwork Orange 
• Forgotten Bayou 
• Gray Gardens, directed by the Maysles brothers. (Clint also singled out the Maysles brothers as some of the filmmakers that he admires. Other well-known films from them includ e Gimme Shelter and Salesman.)
• Leviathan (2012)
• Lost Bayou 
• Hari Kiri
• Irreversible
• Queen Sugar 
• Raging Bull
• Searchers 
• Thelma & Louise

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