TRAVERSE CITY -- Mull moviemaking with Michael Moore or chuckle with Larry Charles at five free discussion panels scheduled for the Traverse City Film Festival.
Moore, festival president and founder, announced the lineup and topics for this year's panels. The discussions start at 10 a.m. at the City Opera House in downtown Traverse City and finish in time for participants to make it to a noon film. The panels provide festival-goers with a chance to see filmmakers "up close and personal," Moore said.
"It's another way for people to participate in the film festival," he said.
Tickets to the panels are handed out for free starting at 9 a.m. at the opera house. The panels, subject to change, are:
-- Wednesday -- "Front and Vine: Showing Movies at the State, Making Movies in Michigan." Panelists include Christine Lahti, an Oscar winner and the festival's 2007 Michigan Filmmaker Award winner; actress Gretchen Mol; a representative of the Michigan Film Office; local filmmaker Rich Brauer; Russ Collins of the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor; and Moore. Panelists will discuss the increased moviemaking action throughout the state and the success of the festival's State Theatre on East Front Street. Talk includes: "What we've learned in our first year of running a movie theater that other theaters can learn, and what Hollywood can learn about bringing people to the movies," said Moore.
-- Thursday -- "Who Are These Terrorists, and Why Do They Make Movies?" Panelists include filmmakers from Muslim countries and Christopher Trumbo, whose stage play is the basis for the movie "Trumbo" about his father, blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo. "That will be our big political movie day," Moore said.
-- Friday -- "The Phil Donahue Show, Live From Traverse City." Panelists include Donahue, who will screen his Iraq war documentary "Body of War" at the festival; Stanley Donen, of "Funny Face" and "Singin' in the Rain" fame; and Moore, who expected a lot of talk about "old Hollywood." "Perhaps we'll turn the tables on Phil and interview him," Moore said.
-- Saturday -- "All-Star Comedy Panel." Panelists include "Borat" director Larry Charles, who brings his new film "Religulous" to this year's festival; Elaine May, whose writing credits include "Primary Colors" and "The Birdcage" screenplays; and John Lyons, head of Focus Features.
-- Sunday -- "I Worked With Michael Moore and Lived to Make This Movie." Panelists include Gini Reticker of "Pray the Devil Back to Hell," Carl Deal and Tia Lessin of "Trouble the Water" and Jason Pollock of "The Youngest Candidate."
The festival also added a 3 p.m. Wednesday screening at the City Opera House of "Up the Yangtze," and a noon screening Thursday at Milliken Auditorium of "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly."
Moore also singled out several "horror" films that are not the slasher variety. "Them" is a French thriller, "Let the Right One In" is a Swedish vampire/romance story, and "The Substitute" is a humorous horror flick from Denmark that ponders what happens if a substitute teacher is an alien.
"The best way to have fun at this festival is to take risks. Take a chance and see something that you have no clue what it's about," Moore said.
This year's festival is garnering plenty of media attention. Press requests to cover the event have quadrupled, but there are still films with many tickets available, Moore said.
"We haven't even mentioned the "M"-word here," he said.
And, "M" is for Madonna, the entertainment superstar scheduled to appear Aug. 2 at the State to introduce her documentary "I Am Because We Are." An overflow audience who obtained tickets will view a simulcast at the City Opera House.
The film festival runs July 29 through Aug. 3. For more information, including ticket purchases, go to www.traversecityfilmfest.org.
Ticket Swap
New to the film festival this year is an online way for film buffs to get the tickets they want -- think sold-out screenings -- and get rid of others they can't use.
An addition to the festival's Web site allows users to create an account and make ticket requests of others. Festival-goers already posted pleas to buy, sell or exchange tickets to various movies, said festival volunteer Jerry Stauffer. Many posters included an e-mail address so they can be contacted directly. The social networking site also allows users to post pictures, blog, discuss festival related news and items and invite friends to join."In the past, people have gone to the movie venues and sold tickets on the streeet, so to speak. With this, they don't have to," he said. "It's a great way to hook up with people who want to buy or sell tickets."
To check out and register for the online feature visit www.traversecityfilmfest.org and look for the "Ticket Swap" link under the "Festival" area of the site.
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