PHILADELPHIA ASIAN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL 2009 I was bumped. Like the insignificant neophyte comedian that’s booked on “The Tonight Show” but never performs cause they run short on time. An exaggeration of course, but I was told by PCA that I would be giving a plug for La Cinematheque prior to the screening of PAAFF’s opening night film Children of Invention. So I of course dressed to impress, practiced incessantly and basically gave it way more of my day than I should have, only to be told when I arrived that there wouldn’t be time. Of course, I would have had to follow Sharon Pinkenson, Exe. Dir of the…

As a member of the Host Committee for Philadelphia Cinema Alliance’s new French Film Series – La Cinematheque, I created marketing e-blasts, worked the phones, worked the box office, and agreed to be a temporary “Girl Friday”, but the one thing I didn’t get to do, much to my displeasure, was actually SEE THE FILM! For a new series without much lead time, the attendance was pleasing. A crepe concessions, by La Creperie was substituted for the original Food and Film french buffet, I may have missed the film, but I made it my mission to steal a minute to sample the Gâteau de Crêpe au Jambon (Ham, Swiss Cheese,…

Because this is an equal opportunity Film (and Food) blog. I’m not going to ignore the fact that the Philadelphia Film Society is producing the 18 1/2 Philadelphia Film Festival, even though I have ties to the original producers of The original Philadelphia Film Festival, which is now called CineFest under The Philadelphia Cinema Alliance. Confused? Well, the reason the Film Society is calling it 18 1/2 is because they co-produced last April’s CineFest 09 as an agreement with PCA before the final split. So, basically, Philadelphia is lucky enough to have two 501c3 film companies vying for the same grants and audience! Have you picked a side? The PFF…

I was in Toronto for Volver so why am I not there to see Pedro Almodóvar’s second vehicle for smoldering Penelope Cruz Broken Embraces? I have a friend who is at the Festival for business, I asked her to be my SMPT corespondent, but I don’t believe she’s going to write in. One day I will be the next Steven Rea, movie critic for the Philadelphia Inquirer, and I will be expected and paid to be at all the important film festivals. But until then, here a link to his blog coverage during TIFF (Sept 10 – 19th) http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/onmovies

Well, it looks like my QFest internship has come to an end, although I still need 60 hours to complete my credits. I’ll work that out. I’ve learned a lot from “top” to “bottom” and drank way too much QFest sponsored booze! The Jury Award for First Time Director went to Nancy Kissim, director of Drool, which I had already chosen as my favorite film of the festival. To view the list of Jury and Audience Awards click HERE The festival staff all seemed to agree, that the Loews Hotel was wonderful to work with for accommodations and the closing night party. I was on the door for the closing…