Marfa Film Festival: Day 4

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Marfa Film Festival

As I mentioned in the previous entry, my original plan was to get up relatively early on Sunday, grab a bite of breakfast, and then drive home from Marfa at a leisurely pace. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Instead, I got up relatively early, packed my car, checked out of my hotel, and headed out for a brunch sponsored by the Texas Film Commission. The brunch was held in an area of town that used to be Fort Russell -- my grandfather was stationed in Marfa during WWII and I wonder if he'd recognize the area now. He might recognize the building we were in, as it's being restored to its former decor from the time when General Patton was stationed there. The building currently houses the International Woman's Foundation.

It was a lovely brunch, meant to honor Mother's Day but all us females received corsages. I chatted for a little bit with various people I'd met over the weekend and realized I wasn't quite ready to go home yet. But I couldn't spend the whole day in Marfa ... I had nowhere to stay Sunday night, and meetings scheduled for Monday, among other considerations.

I decided to stay for just one film, the first of the day. Luckily, it was the premiere of A Young Couple -- a short film from Barry Jenkins, who directed the feature Medicine for Melancholy, which you might remember I adored after seeing at SXSW 2008. A Young Couple seemed like the perfect movie to end my Marfa experience (plus, I could still be on the road by 1:30). Fortunately, it was.

Jenkins and his film crew spent an afternoon in the San Francisco apartment of Jenny and John, who hadn't been living there together for very long, interviewing the couple and photographing their little home. A Young Couple was a sweet little short that left me wanting a bit more -- a longer feature with similar characters, perhaps, or maybe just another viewing of Medicine for Melancholy. Still, it felt like a good movie for me to finish Marfa and hit the road. As I'd hoped, I was back on Highway 67 by 1:30 pm, and back home in Austin by 8:30 that night.

Marfa was an interesting experience for me. In some ways, it reminded me of the very first year of Fantastic Fest -- a small crowd of happy filmgoers, many of whom know each other or are willing to make friends, and films that aren't big marquee draws but fit together very well. I never had to wait in line, I never felt rushed, I took my time and enjoyed nearly everything I saw in one way or another. The festival staff seemed bent on ensuring that everyone had a good time.

I have a sunburned back, a wooden festival badge and a few other souvenirs from the trip. I also have a lot of photos posted to Flickr. And I had a wonderful time in Marfa. I missed a lot of things I would have enjoyed seeing, like the Chinati Foundation's art collection, the Prada Marfa installation, and some other art exhibits in town. That just gives me an excuse to go back next year, right?