For one weekend each year, Birmingham is treated to the flair, artistry and personal touch of indie filmmaking.
The Alabama Moving Image Association’s 2012 Sidewalk Film Festival will overtake Birmingham’s downtown from August 24-26, screening a variety of independent films across seven localized venues.
Opening night will begin with a screening of “Supporting Characters” by Daniel Schechter on Friday at 8:00 p.m. in the Alabama Theatre. The weekend features a plethora of screenings, musical and culinary offerings throughout “sidewalk central” on 18th Street, between 3rd and 5th Avenues North, and a mix of panels and smaller events.
Sidewalk debuted in 1999 as a showcase of local to international film, as well as an opportunity for engagement between filmgoers and makers alike, according to festival co-programmer Rachel Morgan, the event has steadily grown in size and esteem.
“We only get a very small amount of the films released here in this area,” said Morgan. “And here we have the opportunity to bring important and interesting films to Alabamians.”
The film selection process begins two months following each festival with a call for entries. The announcement brings in between 500-800 films, ranging from two-minute shorts to three-hour features, Morgan said. Forty Birmingham residents of varying backgrounds watch the films and assign them ratings.
After that, Morgan and her co-programmer Kyle McKinnon watch every positively scored film, this year viewing 40 of the films over a two-week period in June. Beyond this, the staff shops for films around regional festivals and seeks out indie films important to Alabama viewers.
“To me, it brings the opportunity to engage with and see a film personally,” Morgan said. “Seventy or 80 percent of the time, you’re seeing it with someone who made or was in the film.”
Executive Director of the Sidewalk Festival Chloe Collins said she was pleased with the opportunities the festival provides surrounding communities.
“In Birmingham, we don’t have a single screen that’s dedicated to independent film,” said Collins. “We bring some of those films to town.”
She noted efforts made, not only over the weekend, but throughout the year through educational efforts and screenings, such as the quick “Sidewalk Scramble” film competitions, challenging teams to create short films.
Collins was most impressed by the effect the festival had on those from outside the state.
“[Outside filmmakers] come to Alabama with preconceived notions about what the state will be like, what the city will be like, what the people will be like,” said Collins. “And I think the festival is a really great ambassador for this part of the state.”
She cited the festival’s equality in its treatment of all films and filmmakers, the diversity of its films and attendants, and the local experiences the event staff provide them with.
Friday’s opening film, “Supporting Characters” by Daniel Schechter, is a buddy comedy with a film industry centric flair balancing a peek into the industry and human relationships, according to the festival’s website.
“Eating Alabama,” a documentary by Andy Grace, Tuscaloosa resident and University of Alabama professor, will show on Saturday at 6:15 p.m. in the Alabama Theatre. The film follows Grace as he and his family eat only local food for a year and explore the culture of farmers and producers in Alabama.
The Closing Night Film at 6:15 p.m. on Sunday is the feature “Fat Kid Rules the World”, a film based on the K. L. Going novel of the same name. It follows the unexpected friendship found between 17-year-old fat kid Troy Billings and a high school dropout and “local guitar hero,” according to the festival’s website. The film is scored by Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready and recently won the SXSW Audience Choice Award.
Sidewalk 2012 Sidetalk Panels and Workshops will be held in the Spotlight Lounge in downtown Birmingham and will be free and open to the public. The panels will run from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday and will include an on-camera acting workshop with Birmingham Film Actors Lab and Faith in Film.
Prizes are awarded in seven main categories, ranging from $500-1,000, as well as additional cash prizes for Audience Choice Awards.
Passes can be bought on site or via sidewalkfestival.com. VIP passes are $225.00 and give patrons the same access as filmmakers, including parties, screenings and early access. Weekend passes are $67 and grant access to all films and the opening night party. Day passes are $27.00, and a single screening ticket is $15.00.
Students can receive a 15 percent discount on any pass or ticket when purchased over the phone. The event will close with the Sidewalk Awards Celebration on Aug. 26 at 9:00 p.m.
