r/indikin

We were there for the October 1 screening of Whistle Down Wind (dir. Andie Morgenlander, co-written by and starring Julia Christgau). For weeks, searching for the festival only brought up the 2027 submissions page. The schedule didn’t appear until around September 21, and the venue changed the day before opening. The “venue” turned out to be a mostly empty corporate/mall-type building. The screening area was pipe and drape in the middle of a vast empty floor, with folding chairs, a small screen, and a projector. Almost no signage, and no talkback, closing party, or awards to speak of. When the film ended, the projectionist had left. The volunteer who came in didn’t know how to turn the lights on or the projector off, so I found the switches myself so we could have a short discussion. I’ve been part of festivals from New York to Edinburgh to Tbilisi and have produced events my whole adult life. The lack of a legitimate venue alone should disqualify an event from calling itself a film festival. Filmmakers, think carefully before submitting. — Terrence Christgau (Julia’s father)