Twice as nice
<p>FLIC co-chairs Daniel Smith and Frank Tyro share a laugh during Sunday's awards ceremony.</p>
<p>The marquee at Polson's Showboat Cinemas that had proudly announced the second annual "Flathead Lake International Cinemafest" gets changed by Gary Dupuis after what was an entertaining weekend for movie-goers.</p>
POLSON — The success of a film festival can be reflected in the numbers and Flathead Lake International Cinemafest (FLIC) exceeded all expectations in online sales, attendance, numbers of films screened, and the number of filmmakers and crew members in attendance.
“It is hard to believe this is only FLIC’s second year,” says Daniel Smith, FLIC co-chair, reflecting on last weekend’s festivities.
“It already feels as if this film festival has been around a lot longer.”
The year-round Envision Polson! Committee that created the film festival to enhance the local economy during the offseason, can feel good about the influx of folks into Polson for the weekend.
Thirteen filmmakers, four producers, four actors and one screenwriter, from California, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, South Dakota, Utah and Canada, mingled with film lovers during the three-day festival.
“I don’t want to leave,” said Greg Benoit from Las Vegas. Benoit arrived Thursday and says he will be back next year - a familiar statement heard from several filmmakers.
“This is a beautiful town and the staff and audiences are great,” said Carlsbad, Calif filmmaker Stevan Turk.
“I’ve been to other film festivals and you can tell that this festival is well organized, and the friendliness of the people is genuine.”
The mission of the festival is to provide makers of all film genres a venue through which they enrich themselves and their audiences by engaging with film. Eighty films, ranging from two-minute shorts to feature length, from 16 different countries including 41 world premieres filled the weekend.
The short film “OK Breathe Auralee” from local filmmaker Brooke Pepion Swaney, of Polson, kicked off the weekend, playing in the opening time slot on Friday night.
Another regional submission came from Eureka’s Gary Henderson, whose work, “Ruby’s Doll,” received a Best Picture Short Honorable Mention Award. The piece intends to increase awareness of Human Trafficking.
“Dakota 38” received two awards at FLIC. The feature- length film received the Best Documentary and the People’s Choice awards. Filmmakers Alberta Iron Cloud Miller and James Miller, of Porcupine, S.D., answered questions after their film screened to a packed house.
Jeff Chiba Stearns from Vancouver, Canada, has presented his films at FLIC both years. This year the Canadian animator also provided FLIC with an Animated Film Program that filled two theaters at Showboat Cinemas.
“It says a lot that this festival, in its second year, needed to open a second theater. Jeff continued, “That is a true testament to how the festival is being run.”
The festival ended with a closing ceremony where FLIC judges named the “Best Of” awards.
In addition to “Dakota 38,” which can be viewed on YouTube, other award winners were: The Best Feature Length, “Heroes of Arvine Place,” Best FLIC Jr. “Evolution;” Best Actress: Brynn Samms, “88 Miles to Moscow;” Best Actor, Cullen Moss, “The Heroes of Arvine Place;” Best Director, Karen Glienke “88 Miles to Moscow;” Best Animation, “Home Sweet Home,” and Best Short, “88 Miles to Moscow.”
Information about FLIC films can be viewed at www.flicpolson.com.