PORT TOWNSEND — After a slightly overcast beginning, the 15th annual Port Townsend Film Festival finished on a warm note, with comfortable evenings setting the scene for watching outdoor movies on the festival’s giant inflatable screen.
After crowds jammed the Taylor Street outdoor screening area for Friday’s “The Secret of Roan Inish” and Saturday’s “The Black Stallion,” the event was scheduled to wrap up Sunday night with a showing of Woody Allen’s “Annie Hall.”
“We just keep getting better,” film festival Executive Director Janette Force said Sunday afternoon.
“People are going to films they’d never thought about seeing because they couldn’t get into the ones they wanted to see.
“And that’s my secret plan, because they are exploring and everybody’s happy.”
While attendance figures weren’t immediately available, Force said crowds increased this year and attributed the growth to the presence of this year’s special guests, John Sayles and his filmmaking partner and wife, Maggie Renzi.
Sayles and Renzi spoke at several screenings and participated in an outdoor interview session Saturday afternoon, and they also interacted informally with attendees and other filmmakers.
“There is no separation here between the attendees and the filmmakers,” said the festival board’s chair, Kevin Elliff.
“People come here because they love movies. This is not a place where a lot of deals are made.”
Elliff echoed the views of many attendees who said Port Townsend’s sense of community gave the event its special flavor.
Rose Theatre owner Rocky Friedman credited Sayles and Renzi’s presence as a contributor to the festival’s success, adding that marketing efforts by Jan Halliday also helped to bring in attendees.
Halliday, who is finishing her first year as development director, said she contacted dozens of film and travel journalists with invitations, not only for this year but as a way to get people interested in next year’s festival.
One of her goals was to make enjoyment of the festival a walking experience as all six venues, as well as the Taylor Street events, were within walking distance of each other.
“The festival provides insight into the world from a lot of different perspectives,” she said.
“It’s international — it covers everything from the environment to world politics to the history of classic film.
“I always feel like I’ve returned from vacation when I go to work on Monday after the festival.
“It’s like I’ve gone on a long journey and come back with a fresh perspective on life.”
While people come from all over the country for the event, some say it has a decidedly local flavor.
“It’s like hometown week but has all kinds of other people as well,” said Port Townsend resident Carla Main.
“It still has integrity. It still is a festival that has community spirit.”
Bainbridge Island resident T.J. Faddis favored the quality of the festival’s offerings.
“I like coming here because the films have been well curated, and every one has substance,” he said.
“The other best part is standing in line and talking to people. I’ve made a lot of new friends.”
The final event of the festival was Sunday’s award ceremony, which recognized best features and shorts in the narrative and documentary categories.
Information on the winning films was not immediately available Sunday.
Additionally, there was an audience award, determined by ballots collected at each screening.
For this distinction, attendees would tear their tickets in certain places to signal how much they liked, or didn’t like, a particular movie.
The next edition of the Port Townsend Film Festival is scheduled for Sept. 25-27, 2015.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
