A Gothic Tale - Boise International Film Festival
a 'festival moment"
Justin Ritter, director of A Gothic Tale and I had a chance to chat over beers before his screening. The characters in this film and the acting in general? Powerful. Raw emotion. I wanted to know about the narrator, former pro wrestler, Roddy Piper. He's grizzled and plays the part of a wastrel by the fire barrel waxing poetic about emotion about feeling.... "How did you know this was *the* guy?" Justin tells me that he's sure that if someone has "done something passionate with life" that this comes through in his films. He's not kidding. These performances are a rare opportunity to see the soul scream. Apparently schedules had been tight and he only met up with Piper once over burgers and beer in a hotel room before the twelve hour, single day of shooting . "I told him. If you do this... for twelve hours you're *with* me and I just want to ask one thing. You do it *all!* You give me everything you've got!" Piper looked him in the eye and said "I'll do it! (thumping his chest with a closed fist) From the heart!" This Q&A was also "from the heart," and what can only be described as a 'film festival moment.' This is the magic. Midway into our discussion on the stage at The Egyptian Theater in downtown Boise there was a tangent. The standard volley of Q&A and neat pre-fab questions blew to pieces. I think it started when Marshal Hilton, the actor on stage with us, began to thank Justin. There was mention of genius... Justin took the mic and addresses the crowd. Forgive me for a paraphrase here, but I was not up there taking notes as the theater began to shake... "You people!! You see this film!!!? This is not a piece of me. This is not a small part! This is all of me! This is 100% from the fucking heart!!!" The Q&A continues. There's the drunk dude in the back and he feels the love. Really, drunk yes, but getting it. "You're real, man, you are *fucking* real." There's a couple of timid comments from the back. "this is my first film in my first ever film festival..." This is a long moment of absolute perfection. It just flows. You don't plan this. You can't anticipate this. This is the best it gets. Raw power and emotion. We are not talking the standard issue Q&A here. No chance of a "What was your budget for the film?" We are not having a Netflix moment here. Justin's film came roaring to life up on stage for this Q&A with the howl of a banshee, A Gothic Tale, out beyond the confines of the screen. Trust me, I have never seen anything like this and there's no discounting this. "Oh, he'd been drinking." Perhaps. But this is as relevant as saying he wore a blue sweater (he didn't) Or that he is thirty three (he is) This was a full blown rant. And? As he told me earlier in the day if you do anything "with passion it comes out on film." I've seen the film. It does. A 'festival moment' where the audience got to rub shoulders with a roaring howl. It does not get better than this!
Come out to the festival! It goes beyond a chance to see a film. Hang out with the cast and crew. You'll have a chance to see what makes it real. It's a rare opportunity to mix it up with the people who made the film happen. Yes, you can buy them a drink after the screening! You can and you should. This is your chance to hang out and get the scoop. There's crazy stuff going on in Boise this week and you want to be a part of this. Haven't seen this film? Plan on it! Wondering what all the fuss is about? It's a film festival. You need to be here!
www.agothictale.com
Justin Ritter, director of A Gothic Tale and I had a chance to chat over beers before his screening. The characters in this film and the acting in general? Powerful. Raw emotion. I wanted to know about the narrator, former pro wrestler, Roddy Piper. He's grizzled and plays the part of a wastrel by the fire barrel waxing poetic about emotion about feeling.... "How did you know this was *the* guy?" Justin tells me that he's sure that if someone has "done something passionate with life" that this comes through in his films. He's not kidding. These performances are a rare opportunity to see the soul scream. Apparently schedules had been tight and he only met up with Piper once over burgers and beer in a hotel room before the twelve hour, single day of shooting . "I told him. If you do this... for twelve hours you're *with* me and I just want to ask one thing. You do it *all!* You give me everything you've got!" Piper looked him in the eye and said "I'll do it! (thumping his chest with a closed fist) From the heart!" This Q&A was also "from the heart," and what can only be described as a 'film festival moment.' This is the magic. Midway into our discussion on the stage at The Egyptian Theater in downtown Boise there was a tangent. The standard volley of Q&A and neat pre-fab questions blew to pieces. I think it started when Marshal Hilton, the actor on stage with us, began to thank Justin. There was mention of genius... Justin took the mic and addresses the crowd. Forgive me for a paraphrase here, but I was not up there taking notes as the theater began to shake... "You people!! You see this film!!!? This is not a piece of me. This is not a small part! This is all of me! This is 100% from the fucking heart!!!" The Q&A continues. There's the drunk dude in the back and he feels the love. Really, drunk yes, but getting it. "You're real, man, you are *fucking* real." There's a couple of timid comments from the back. "this is my first film in my first ever film festival..." This is a long moment of absolute perfection. It just flows. You don't plan this. You can't anticipate this. This is the best it gets. Raw power and emotion. We are not talking the standard issue Q&A here. No chance of a "What was your budget for the film?" We are not having a Netflix moment here. Justin's film came roaring to life up on stage for this Q&A with the howl of a banshee, A Gothic Tale, out beyond the confines of the screen. Trust me, I have never seen anything like this and there's no discounting this. "Oh, he'd been drinking." Perhaps. But this is as relevant as saying he wore a blue sweater (he didn't) Or that he is thirty three (he is) This was a full blown rant. And? As he told me earlier in the day if you do anything "with passion it comes out on film." I've seen the film. It does. A 'festival moment' where the audience got to rub shoulders with a roaring howl. It does not get better than this!
Come out to the festival! It goes beyond a chance to see a film. Hang out with the cast and crew. You'll have a chance to see what makes it real. It's a rare opportunity to mix it up with the people who made the film happen. Yes, you can buy them a drink after the screening! You can and you should. This is your chance to hang out and get the scoop. There's crazy stuff going on in Boise this week and you want to be a part of this. Haven't seen this film? Plan on it! Wondering what all the fuss is about? It's a film festival. You need to be here!
www.agothictale.com
posted by skurko at 10:29 AM
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