All good things come to an end and I ended my three days at True/False 2012 in Columbia, MO intentionally early. The docs I was most interested in seeing were later in the afternoon and most of them I believe I’ll be able to catch later this year as they either have distribution or soon will.
That said, my experience at True/False was a great one. The festival is extremely well run which makes everything that much more enjoyable. Kudos to all the volunteers who were both behind the scenes and front and center. They’re dedication to the event made it a great one. Everything ran so incredibly smooth.
A pleasant surprise with the fest was the music performed by various bands from all over the country before each movie started. The music was solid and made time fly. It makes me wonder if movie theaters could learn a lesson here. Maybe instead of blasting people with ads, you go with music videos from local bands or lesser known artists who want to publicize their latest release? Sure, it might seem like advertising in a way but it’s far more enjoyable than the drivel that I’ve seen the past few years that proceeds most theatrical screenings.
I’d like to go the festival again next year and have my wife join me. I think she’d enjoy it. It’s a year away so we’ll see. I’d consider going Thursday through Sunday next year, as I think that would allow more opportunities to see some of the films and not feel the crunch of one immediately after the other. Plus, I’d like to attend some of the other panels/workshops next year that I didn’t get a chance to attend this time around.