A tribute to De Anza College Flm/TV Department faculty & students who participated in this year’s Cinequest Film Festival:Samuel Cheung’s humorous short film “Laundry” and Gustav Asplund’s self-discovery short film “In Searh for I” was shown at this year’s event. Screenwriting instructor Barak Goldman co-chaired this year’s screenplay competition Film/TV Department chair person Zaki Lisha and film history instructor Susan Tavernetti judged at this year’s event for the winning films.

DAY 1: FEB. 28

My journey at Cinequest began Saturday, February 28. Armed with nothing but a press pass I made way to the San Jose Repertory Theatre. Overwhelmed with choices I decided to stay at the Rep and attend the “Marriage of Television and Internet Forum,” moderated by Kathleen J. Powell.

Before the forum began, Cinequest’s Executive Director Haldfan Hussey walked on stage to introduce the forum panel. The panel discussed and displayed the new and emerging technologies that filmmakers are going to be using in the future to market and distribute their films. I began to wonder how festivals such as Cinequest are going to stay relevant if the internet technology is advancing at such a fast rate. The forum ended and I decided it was time to check out my first film. A Russian film, “The Bet” was about to begin at Camera 12.

“The Bet” is a movie based on the short story by Anton Chekhov, in which an employee tries to prove to his boss that he would rather live a life behind bars than face a death sentence. This hypothetical conversation leads to a bet between the two. The young man agrees to become the boss’ prisoner for 15 years at the price of $15 million. However, if the employee cannot finish his time, he must work for free for the rest of his life. The bet becomes an obsession between the two men that imprisons them both. Although the end of the film was on the ambiguous side, it did a good job of portraying the pain of the original story.

When “The Bet” was over, I walked out of the theatre and spotted Hussey. Hussey spoke with me about some of the questions I had left over form the forum.

Although I had more questions to ask Hussey, he was busy and politely ended the interview. I continued my journey out of the theatre and back into the Paseo. Outside, I spotted a slightly unusual sight. A young man with a toy-microphone taped to his head was holding a sign that said “Free Couch Rides.” At the same time a young woman was taking pictures of two people who were ferrying patrons across the sidewalk on an old orange-wheeled coach. These strange young people turned out to be makers of the film, “Billy Was a Deaf Kid.”

The woman taking pictures was named Candyce Foster. She sat with me and granted me an impromptu interview about her experience so far at Cinequest.

After my interview with Foster, the group gave me free passes to see their Monday night screening of the film. By now it was time for grub.

After dinner I made my way to the newly renovated California Theatre to see the last movie of the night, “How To Be.” This film is directed by British newcomer Oliver Irving and stars British heart-throb Rob Pattinson (star of the film, “Twilight”). The movie follows the nervous breakdown of a young man suffering a quarter-life crisis in London.

Oliver Irving had made a high quality film. It was funny, smart and unique. Irving stuck around for a Q & A – which embarrassingly enough consisted of young girls gushing about Pattinson. Irving began to sign autographs, and thirty minutes later, granted me an interview, ending my first day at Cinequest 19.

DAY 2: MARCH 2

My girlfriend and I used the free passes to see the final screening of “Billy Was a Deaf Kid”. This film follows a relationship between a very bizarre young couple stuck in the middle of nowhere.

The movie played like Napoleon Dynamite and would be enjoyed by the same fans.

I found it funny that there is a new film genre emerging from Utah and Idaho that I can only describe as an Indy-Mormon-Comedy.

As per usual, the filmmakers were there to answer questions from the audience.

DAY 3: MARCH 8

This was the last day of Cinequest 19. I started my day by heading over to the Camera 12 theatres to screen “The Last Lullaby.” This movie stars Tom Sizemore and is the feature length debut of Director Jeffry Goodman. Before the movie began, Goodman came out and introduced his film. He spoke briefly about where the original story came from and how much this project meant to him personally.

The movie follows the last “job” of a retired hit man, who ends up falling in love with his target. Although the story isn’t very original, the actors gave the best performances out of all the films I saw. “The Last Lullaby” was the best movie I had seen so far. However, this was only my first film of the day.

After the Q & A session I met with Goodman to get his perspective on the festival and his experience as a director making his Cinequest debut.

With a couple hours to go until the finale of the festival I decided to pass the time by sneaking into the theatre next door which was screening the Mexican film “Euphoria.”

Even though it is a cliché to use the term “unique brand of humor”, I honestly do not know of another way to describe “Euphoria.” The over arching sympathy for an over the hill rock star as he comes face to face with his past demons is delivered in a way that makes anyone watching the film burst out laughing. This was a unique and funny film. Sadly, “Euphoria” was the only film where the filmmakers were not present to go through a Q & A with the audience.

Before the final film began, Haldfan Hussey made his way onto the stage to kick off the closing ceremony. All the filmmakers who were still in town were allowed on stage to receive an uproarious standing ovation for their films. After, Director Roger Nygard and producers Paul Tarantino and Billy Sullivan took the stage to introduce their labor of love, “The Nature of Existence.” Roger Nygard has worked in entertainment for years and is most famous for writing on the HBO series “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

“The Nature of Existence” is a documentary following Roger Nygard as he asks the most important questions about the nature of existence and the universe. In the film he speaks with leaders in religion and science around the world. This documentary is a great film to watch if you’ve ever asked yourself: “Why do I exist?”

The filmmakers stuck around for another Q & A session. What made this Q & A session special is that two of the people interviewed in the film (an evangelical street preacher and an atheistic Los Angeles comedian) stuck around for a live sequel to the debate they had within the film.

As the debate ended, we were told to make our way over to the E & O Trading Co. for the Cinequest 19 Closing Night Gala. There, press members and film fans were able to rub shoulders and dance with producers, actors and filmmakers.

During the drive home I reflected on my experience at Cinequest 19. Anyone who has not attended a film festival like this has truly missed out on a wonderful opportunity. It is rare that audience members have the opportunity to speak with the artists and visionaries so directly. The environment that a film festival provides is one that unites filmmakers and film lovers. I cannot wait until Cinequest 20.

Fun fact, take two

Over five million people have watched Cinequest distribution films online or on DVD since its formation in 2006.