Thank you to NewFilmmakers NY for including my film in the program. While I had an amazing time in New York visiting from another country, I have to express my disappointment with the screening turnout. I understand that much of the attendance was expected to come from the filmmakers' promotional efforts. Perhaps in the future the short film program should play right before the features, so we can benefit from the same audience turnout that the features gather considering that 9pm is a more attractive time to see a show. I wasn't expecting a gap between the shorts and the feature.
Sure, I should just take this as an experience as a young filmmaker, but it is indeed disappointing coming from out of town as it isn't exactly cheap to pay to submit to film festivals, make travel arrangements and stay in New York city to show up to an empty theatre with people running the festival who look like they don't even want to be there and look half asleep. There has to be more of an effort on the festivals part to trumpet and gather audiences to their screenings especially if they are accepting international films while filmmakers who actually choose to show up to their screenings and don't necessarily have an established network of people for support. Asking my network of people from my own city to come with me to New York is simply out of the question.
I'm not sure my message will come across with the program directors as I've sent the same message expressing my disappointment only to receive a 5-word response. I believe this is the reason why it was difficult for me to get a testimonial from other filmmakers who have screened their works at NFNY - perhaps they faced the same disappointment and afraid to let people know what the real deal is.
I can't advise other filmmakers to make the same effort as I did especially if you're not from New York. Unless you are thick-skinned enough for a harsh reality check and more lessons for you to learn about this industry and the lack of consideration for your hard work for this kind of festival. It just isn't enough to see my work on the big screen. It's not justifiable for this series festival to rest on the laurels of it's New York caché and real estate--therefore not much effort on their part just because they have the reason of us being at the beginning of our careers. What good is it if you can't share your work with other people? read more