Marfa Film Festival: Day 1

I just laughed as I picked a category tag for this entry, because Marfa Film Festival is not at all local. (Since then, I added a new category for non-local Texas fests.) I had to drive for 7 hours or so from Austin to get here, nearly as long as it takes me to drive to New Orleans. I may still be in Texas, but it's a very different Texas than the one I left behind.

I left Austin a little late, but it was fortunate because I managed to catch Steve Wilson on KUT on Thursday morning. He's the curator for the "Making Movies" series at the Harry Ransom Center, and it was a good reminder that I haven't seen the exhibit yet and hope to do so soon. (And once upon a time, many years ago, I once adapted a scene from Cyrano de Bergerac for Wilson to shoot in his RTF production class at UT. But that's another story.)

The drive from Austin to Marfa isn't too bad, although it does involve some very dull stretches of I-10. I had my iPod on shuffle the whole time. The best road music was from soundtracks of Quentin Tarantino movies. I highly recommend Kill Bill and Death Proof to enliven your driving.

I got into Marfa later than I wanted -- about 5:45, which was unfortunate because I'd hoped to see a movie at 6:30. After picking up my badge -- it's made of wood! -- and my hotel room key -- it's a real key with a brass tag! -- I dumped my stuff in my very nice hotel room, then ran out to find the Crowley Theater. A fest volunteer suggested I simply walk outside, turn left, and I would easily see a crowd all walking in that direction. What I saw instead was a crowd milling around and looking at everything. I crossed the street, hoping that would somehow help ... and it did. I found myself practically nose to nose with Austin Chronicle film writer Kim Jones, who had been watching movies all day and knew how to get to the theater.

We saw the short film Art Elimination Project, made by Marfa artist/filmmaker and Austin native Adam Bork. Bork decided around 2002 or so that he had too much art in storage, and destroyed a lot of it -- in a very artistic manner and, of course, on camera. There are lots of explosions. I liked the short, but rather wished Bork used his own voice for the narration, or found a friend to narrate it, instead of a "robot voice" from Apple. The robot voice was sometimes difficult to understand. Bork did a Q&A afterward and sounds just fine; he's a pretty entertaining speaker, too.

One thing I noticed after Art Elimination Project, and again throughout the evening, is that the Marfa crowd at the film fest all seems to know one another. Bork knew most of the people who asked him questions. It seems like a tight-knit group here.

I skipped the next feature and walked around to find some dinner, ending up at a place called Pizza Foundation that had very tasty pizza (natch) and salad, in what appears to be formerly a vintage gas station. Besides, you have to like an establishment that has an old movie poster hanging for The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother.

After dinner and some unpacking/email checking in my hotel room, I decided to go to the 9:30 movie. This screening was scheduled at El Cosmico, a new hotel owned by Liz Lambert, who also owns the Hotel San Jose in Austin (and who made a fascinating film about it, Last Days of the San Jose). And when I say "hotel" I am not being strictly accurate -- El Cosmico is a string of vintage trailers, yurts and tents where you can semi-camp-out. The yurts light up at night and look very lovely. I'd be tempted to stay in a trailer if I'm ever back in Marfa again. El Cosmico also has a little grove full of hammocks.

Rolling Roadshow had set up in a big field near the hammock grove, and someone had even put out chairs. This was very fortunate because I didn't have a big blanket or anything to sit on the ground, and Marfa does in fact get pretty cold at night. A food trailer and a makeshift bar were in the back ... what else do you need for a fun night out?

Even in the dark, Austinist film writer Steph Beasley and I managed to run into each other. She'd been here since Wednesday and had the scoop on where to find breakfast tacos and eggs Benedict in Marfa. Very handy information.

The outdoor screenings started with a world premiere of Clouds, the latest short film from Marfa filmmaker Jennifer Lane. You may remember Austin Film Society showing a collection of her films earlier this year. This was a beautifully photographed film about -- yes -- clouds, and how the fit into our world. Marfa has some amazing clouds, certainly. Sadly, the sound was a bit off, but the Marfa Film Festival organizers say they plan to find a way to show Clouds again over at the Crowley this weekend.

Clouds was followed up by an odd film from 1969, The Sun Ship Game, directed by Robert Drew. This is a documentary about glider pilots who end up at a national championship in Marfa, although the structure and narration are non-conventional. The shots of glider planes were simply amazing. I'd love to see someone restore this film (ahem, Watchmaker) or at least screen it in Austin (ahem, Alamo).

That was it for Thursday night programming, which was good because I was exhausted. I headed back to my hotel room, wrote up most of this entry, and bundled myself into my bed, with great plans for Friday moviegoing.