My Blog: The Massachusetts Film Festival

Welcome! Every Friday I'll try to provide an update of my current ongoings and goals for the week. These posts are less formal than my lessons and hopefully, provide a bit more personality to the website.

With that said, last week I attended the Massachusetts Film Festival a Brattle Theatre in Harvard Square. As this was my first film festival experience, I decided to watch as many movies as I could in the three days...and I had no idea how exhausting that could be! My feature-length screenplay Sarah was a screenplay selection for the event, but unfortunately didn't win the grand prize. Oh well, maybe next time? It was a great experience overall and I met some new friends.

Some of my favorite movies of the festival included Solitary, Chalet, Healed, East of Hollywood, and Neptune. I thought there were great performances in the leads for Death on a Rock, Solitary, Neptune, and Jasmine. Unfortunately, I felt the writing for Death on a Rock and Jasmine under-served the actors. I hope many of these films get a wider release and get much success! All of the films at the festival had great production values.

I was also lucky enough to have some time to explore American history while in Boston. In particular, I was able to visit the African American Meeting House on Beacon Hill, and walk the heritage trail. Anyone who makes their way to Boston should certainly make time for the heritage trail walking tour. It shed much light on a dark time in American history from a perspective that isn't in the history books. Our guide, Dana Smith, was top notch. If you go, ask for him!

Here's a selection of photos from the event and my outgoings in Boston. 

This is me standing at the podium of the African American Meeting House. Great people like Frederick Douglass spoke here, and it was quite humbling to stand in the same place.

This is the outside of the Brattle Theatre.

Again, outside.

A picture of a couple of filmmakers from the after-party at Tasty Burger.

The Robert Gould Shaw Memorial. Compare the horses face with the men's faces. I learned so much about this memorial thanks to our ranger Dana Smith, there's no way I can go into detail here.

Inside the Brattle Theatre.

Another picture from the after party.

 This is the Home of Lewis Hayden and the ranger pictured is Dana Smith. Apparently, Hayden was a tough cookie, and during the fugitive slave legislation (situation from the movie 12 years a slave), he would house runaway slaves and put his guns in the windows along with his gunpowder. Anyone who tried to take the runaways back would have to go through him.

 This is a street view of Beacon Hill.

This is the inside of the African American Meeting house, the oldest black church that we know of.

 A close-up of one of the soldiers from the Shaw Memorial. Look at the detail.

 This is the oldest house on Beacon Hill.

This was the first black school in America. It was also instrumental in Brown vs. Board of Education, which desegregated schools. Today, it's expensive condos.

Have you been to Boston? To a film festival? Feel free to share your experiences and comments below!