Looking to shake things up a bit, the organizers of the Waterfront Film Festival allowed Michigan cities other than Saugatuck to bid for the annual event. The result was a smashing bid by Saugatuck's neighbor, South Haven, only a couple exits away.
This added excitement, according to organizers, is bringing new energy to the festival. Organizers are expecting to increase their attendance beyond the 16,000 they counted last year.
Each year, WFF hosts a live music concert and outdoor cinema presentation in the street for the public. This year, they will showcase a collection of short films and welcome headliner Andy Frasco, a jazz/blue pianist, and his accompanying band, fresh off their European tour.
Prior to Frasco taking the stage, the audience will be entertained by singer/actress E.G. Dailey, who is known for her '80s dance hits "Say It, Say It," "Love in the Shadows," and "Mind Over Matter." (She also played Pee Wee's girlfriend in Tim Burton's
Pee-wee's Big Adventure). Dailey is there to help kick off WFF's newest addition to the festival, the Flashback Film Series, a curated collection of cult classics from the last century.
But the main course of the weekend is the chance to see more than 70 feature films, documentaries, and short format films in the perfect Michigan setting: the lakeshore. Every year, the festival packs a lot of surprises in programming and this year, they do not disappoint as they welcome the Midwest premiere of
Blood Brother, the acclaimed film that won both the 2013 Sundance Grand Jury Prize as well as the Sundance Audience Award.
Tickets can be purchased for individual films, or you can purchase a festival pass for a day or the whole weekend, thus bypassing the lines. It is truly the closest I have ever come to replicating the lush and creative experience of the Sundance Film Festival's early days, but without the icy cold of Park City and the annoyance of L.A. agents talking on cell phones anywhere and everywhere.
Plot your path to the films you want to see here by visiting Waterfront's
site.
Admission: $10 for the Thursday night outdoor street party