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07/12/2007Making the list: 60-plus choicesDocumentaries, foreign films lead the packThe 2007 Traverse City Film Festival list is out. It's heavy on documentaries. Foreign films are well-represented, as are American independent films. For the first time, there's an animated film. Of the more than 60 offerings, four to be shown on a huge portable screen at the Open Space downtown nightly starting Aug. 1 are free. A children's matinee is also free to those under 18. Several screenings mark opportunities to view classics from the recent as well as distant past on a big screen, in some cases with a special print provided by a Hollywood studio for the occasion. Oscar-winning filmmaker and festival founder Michael Moore has been working with festival manager Deb Lake, who attended the Sundance Film Festival scouting films earlier this year, to screen and decide on films. The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians helped make the final selection for a Native American matinee, "Miss Navajo.” Moore said narrowing the field was difficult. One thing that emerged, he said, is the strength of documentary films this year. He compared documentaries to literature, saying that good storytelling makes compelling watching, whether based on fiction or fact — like books. Today's documentary filmmakers get that, he said. "Those who have chosen to make documentaries have finally understood the importance of making a movie first,” said Moore, also a documentary filmmaker. "In other words, don't think about the fact of whether you're making a nonfiction film, think about the fact you're making a film. There are strong (true) stories being told with compelling characters and exciting plotlines.” In fact, Moore ruefully noted that some of the documentaries coming to the Traverse City Film Festival July 31-Aug. 5 will go head to head with his recently released movie, "Sicko,” for an Oscar nod next year. He declined to specify which ones, however. There's a category of "forgotten films” that never made it to Traverse City last year, or maybe came to the Bay Theatre in Suttons Bay, which frequently shows independent and smaller-run films. Moore said this year's cadre of foreign offerings is strong, including the 2007 Oscar winner for Best Foreign Film, "The Lives of Others.” Some films are being shown in tribute. Robert Altman, Kurt Vonnegut and the producer-director partnership of D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus all get nods. Those who enjoyed the mega-hit, "Borat,” which made its North American debut at the Traverse City Film Festival last year, may want to sign up for an evening in which producer and director Larry Charles goes behind the scenes on the making of the film. He'll be showing footage that never made it into the movie, and giving a preview of his next project. Daily industry panels will be held again this year, at 11 a.m. instead of last year's earlier time. Admission to those is free. There's a new venue this year — Lars Hockstad Auditorium with 700 seats. Moore hopes that addition, along with 200 extra seats at the renovated City Opera House, times four showings a day, will help take the edge off early ordering that opens Friday for members of the Friends of the Traverse City Film Festival. Membership has its privileges, and in this case, it's the chance to buy a limited number of tickets per film before the general public. Friends start ordering tickets at noon Friday. Tickets to the public go on sale next Friday, July 20.
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