STIFF is a lot more relaxed than its name

I received this message from former Spokane resident Marshall Peterson a couple of weeks ago. This is the first chance I’ve had to post it, so I’ve had to edit it a bit to make it timely.

But Marshall has an offbeat and entertaining way of describing his adventures, so I thought it was worth the effort.

By the way, after driving more than 1,000 miles in two weekends, I decided to pass on the final two weekend of the four-week 32nd International Film Festival (which means that Marshall has won our friendly competition; he’s seen far more films than my 17.). But when Marshall was writing, I was still en route for the second weekend.

Here’s Marshall:

Word on the street has it that Spokane Dan The Movie Man has gassed up his ship and is now piloting at warp speed toward Jet City in a desperate attempt to reclaim his title as Hardest Working Inland Empire Film Critic of the Week, recently handed over to me, Marshall Peterson (split decision in appellate court). Dan’s frightened foot is pushing his pedal to the metal as we speak – good to know there’s some dog left in that fight! His bid is laudable, but it’ll surely prove to be inadequate: while Dan may be smart, I’m strong (strength trumps intelligence hands down, right?).

While my victory will be sweet (and soon!), the contest itself is becoming a bit bitter – seeing 20-plus films in a week is not as savory as it sounds; truth being that anything (and I do mean anything) done three times a day will thrill for the first few days, but after a week? Exhausting. Spend time in Spokane and any sane person is gonna start jonesin’ for independent film, anything besides “Scary Movie 14,” but as those who pass their days in a chocolate factories know, even the most flavorful thang can turn sour if done to excess.

Win assured, I can afford to be generous and generous I’ll be.

(At this point, Marshall wrote about attending STIFF: or the Seattle Truly International Film Festival , which was held over the weekend of June 2-4 and is kind of the Slamdance of Seattle – or, as Marshall calls it, “Seattle’s answer to the behemoth – albeit a beautiful behemoth – that SIFF has become.”)

Just as Butch Cassidy has his Sundance kid and Sundance its Slamdance, Seattle now has its own STIFF. (Motto: “Like a film festival…WITHOUT THE BORING PARTS”).

Headed to Opening Night held in the Rendezvous , an unpretentious Belltown bar with a stage in a back room used to host films and bands. While one commonly hears complaints about Belltown being overrun by yuppies, I didn’t find that to be true at the Rendezvous, a wise location choice. The night began with a strong shorts program, equal to many that I’ve seen in other big fests, with filmmakers in attendance and excited to talk with anyone about their movies; no handlers in sight, they sat down with audience and watched the movies side by side with us.

After the shorts came “One Night in Portland,” a feature shot using “rotoscoping,” the same animating-over-live-action-footage technique made famous in Richard Linklater’s “Waking Life.” It was one of the better $5,000 films I’d seen in awhile and had a truly independent feel to it. Director Lance Barton was more than happy to listen to my suggestions (which I give only when I truly believe it necessary and helpful). Cool guy, said that he’d learned a ton during the process of shooting the film and we agreed that the best way for budding cinema freaks to learn to get out there and shoot their film – don’t sit around and talk about making a film, get out there and do it!