PORT TOWNSEND — In its 16th year, the Port Townsend Film Festival hasn’t lost the sense of purpose and enthusiasm it had in the beginning, according to a film critic who has been to all but two of the events.
“The festival has the same spirit as when it started out with. They’ve streamlined it a little bit, and everything works better,” said Robert Horton, who conducts public interviews of filmmakers.
“It gives people a chance to concentrate on films for a weekend and see each other and be transported by movies and be part of a highly charged atmosphere.”
The festival is screening 84 films in eight locations in downtown Port Townsend through Sunday. It began Friday.
Most of the films require pass purchase and waiting in line for available seats, but the public is invited to see free showings of “Ratatouille” today and “Cinema Paradiso” on Sunday.
All begin at about 7:30 p.m. on an inflatable screen on Taylor Street between Washington and Water streets.
This year’s festival features three special guests: actors Beau Bridges and Chris Cooper and actress-writer Marianne Leone Cooper.
Cooper won the best supporting actor Oscar in 2002 for his role in “Adaptation.”
He is joined by his wife, Marianne, who appears in “The Thin Blue Line” and “Goodfellas.”
Bridges is well-known for his part in “The Fabulous Baker Boys” and many other movies.
Bridges interview
Horton interviewed Bridges at an assembly at Port Townsend High School Friday afternoon, a tradition because the special guest always takes time on the festival’s first day to interact with students.
Horton said that while the guests are usually not well-known to the students, there is a gratifying exchange of information.
“It’s inspirational. The students might go away thinking about how the guest actually pursued things they really wanted to do,” he said.
“The kids appreciate all the stress and hard work that went into getting where they are, which helps them to consider their own goals even though they don’t have anything to do with film or acting.”
Horton said the Port Townsend Film Festival is one of the few that gives documentary films the respect they deserve.
In addition to documentaries, the festival also presents a wide selection of short films.
“The people who come to the festival are really into the films and the idea of a weekend-long event that celebrates film and filmmakers on every level, whether you are Beau Bridges or you are there with your first short film,” said author and filmmaker Jon Gann.
Shorts presentation
Gann, who runs the DC Shorts festival, is presenting “WA 2 WA Shorts,” which he characterizes as “a cultural exchange” between the nation’s capitol and the state that shares its name.
The 90-minute program includes nine films ranging from three minutes to 20 minutes about various topics.
“Short films don’t follow a formula,” Gann said.
“You can start in the middle as long as the audience can figure out how you got there and end right before the climax if the audience understands where you are going.
“They allow you to be more creative and experiment with storytelling and the kinds of stories you can tell.”
A short film can be viewed as the best scene from a full-length film, for which the audience has different expectations, he said.
An audience isn’t going to want to sit through a 90-minute film about mourning, a topic for which 15 minutes seems about right, he said.
“If you don’t like what you’re seeing [at a presentation of short films], you just close your eyes, and two or three minutes later, there will be another movie going on,” he said.
The festival’s features often address contemporary issues.
Marijuana story editors
“Rolling Papers” traces the story of The Denver Post’s Richard Baca and the obstacles he faced when he became the first marijuana story editor on a major metro daily.
The position was created in 2013 after Colorado voters legalized the recreational use of marijuana in 2012 and information was needed during the transition.
Washington legalized marijuana at the same time, and The Seattle Times’ marijuana editor, Evan Bush, will be on hand to introduce the movie and moderate a post-film question-and-answer session.
“It’s one of those classic stories about misfits banding together,” Bush said of the movie.
“There are some experienced journalists along with people who are from the cannabis industry who are doing journalism for the first time.”
Film passes
The film festival’s least expensive passes, the $35 one-off and the $100 six-pack, are sold out.
Still available Thursday were 50 passes distributed between the $185 festival pass, the $650 director pass and the $1,250 mogul pass.
The festival pass includes first-come, first-served access to all films, while the more expensive passes add concierge service, special receptions and discounts.
For more information and to buy passes, go to www.ptfilmfest.com or call 360-379-1333.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
