There is no shortage of film festivals in West Michigan. In fact, with such a thriving film community full of storytellers and technically gifted craftsman, it is nice to see a new festival emerge on the scene that is not only showcasing young talent in our region, but also making huge strides in being inclusive of diverse voices.
The Mosaic Film Festival, debuting at Celebration Cinema South, has been pitched to me from about six different people (as early as February 2012) and each one is unique in their reasoning as to why they love this film festival.
I, too, was moved by the description of the featured works: “Compelling. Thought provoking. Even redemptive. Real issues & real opportunities for real dialogue.” I leapt at the chance to curate a title into the Friday, 1 p.m. short film showcase around the topic of teen bullying and the LGBT. The film, Trevor, is a comic and heartfelt short about gay teen suicide.
The weekend will give students a chance to interact in workshops with film directors as well as listen to panels after many of the films presented. Even indie darling Beasts of the Southern Wild will be screened often throughout the weekend. The films reflect the diversity of our region through a deliberate program meant to reflect theme of "mosaic," a beautiful representation of the many that make up the whole.
There will even be a nice amount of prize money awarded, so be sure to check out the schedule for when the student films will be released. On Sunday night you can see all 6 award-winning films at the awards ceremony at the end of the day's programming.
One last item (and a bit of criticism): At press time, the Mosaic Film Festival's website is slick-looking, but lacking some of the most basic of information when trying to interact with the site. Try not to let that negative of not knowing exactly what is showing and when keep you from seeking out the nuggets contained within this three-day event. It shows incredible promise.
Now, about my wish to bring this event to the Celebration Cinema North...
Admission: Free - $8.00 depending on the program. See website for details.
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