
Putting a new spin on our Critic on the Spot series, this week we feature an ongoing exchange with festival co-directors Heidi Durrow and Fanshen Cox because, let's face it, the gatekeepers are critics at heart. Aren't they?
Let's see... First up to query Heidi and Fanshen are Rolando Teco and David Licata:
Q (from Licata):
Your festival has a very specific focus. Do you find you have to be
forgiving in certain areas (for example, the production value of a film) in
order to accommodate that focus?
A:
We started the Festival to create a forum for artists like ourselves who
have been marginalized and locked out of traditional venues because the
gatekeepers believed that our story wasn't universal or appealing to a large
audience. Well, look at us now: in the age of Obama, and everyone is
talking about the Mixed experience. But you're right in that because our
stories have been shut out, we have to coax our storytellers out in the
open. Luckily, there are some incredible filmmakers and writers who have
been writing and telling stories of the Mixed experience whether they gained
great recognition or not. We found those people last year and we're sure
we'll find a new batch of them again. The films we screened were
fantastic--in production quality and story. The writers we featured were
great readers and had powerful work to share. We expect an even stronger
batch of submissions for this year's Festival.
Q (from Teco):
How much time do you spend on rejection? In other words, how much thought
goes into the language and tone of rejection letters and do you offer
feedback to those poor souls who don't make the cut?
A:
We are really mindful of how we let people know that we won't be able to
feature their work in the Festival. Mind you we've only done this once so
far and are in our submission process again now, but we don't like rejection
--receiving it or giving it. We hope that the response the artist gets is
respectful. And if the artist asks we're happy to give some constructive
feedback.
About Mixed Roots:
The annual Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival, a two-day free public
event, showcases stories of the Mixed experience to encourage a dynamic
conversation about the connectedness of all races and cultures. Through
film screenings, readings, workshops and performance, the Festival provides
a safe, positive forum for honest discussions about race/culture; encourages
emerging storytellers' careers; and promotes the Mixed experience as a
valuable prism with which to view issues of social justice and change.
The Festival is a recipient of the 2008 Social Justice Works! grant from the
Larry Aaronson Fund.