So finally the day arrived for us to screen our final thesis films and enjoy a self imposed and imaginary public humiliation after every single line that our actors would say!
I had the experience of having my film screened on a large screen before, but given the racial connotations in this story I could feel drops of sweat appearing on my forehead after each edgy scene.
As for the festival, it was great having several friends and family in the audience next to total strangers, because I felt safe and sure that if my film pisses off anyone, there are people who would stand for you in case a fight brakes out!
At the end of the festival we were bestowed some glass made awards and took photos next to a backdrop that reminded us of how close we’ve gotten to Hollywood. The festival continued for a few more days and I was lucky enough to rewatch all those movies that we’ve worked on throughout the year.
Here’s the festivals opening night briefing from TFT website: Opening Night kicks off the week-long festival with screenings of several student films chosen by a group of their peers during an intensive three-day selection process. The films are picked based on originality, depth, talent and imagination. In 2014, filmmaker Ana Lily Amirpour (M.F.A. ’10) was honored with the Distinguished Alumna Award. Her film, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2014 and was the opening night selection for New Directors/New Films Festival, a co-presentation of The Museum of Modern Art and the Film Society of Lincoln Center.