Missing: Michael Moore. The film festival founder did not attend Wednesday's documentary filmmaker panel, even though he was listed in programs as a participant. Moore is busy working on his own latest doc so we'll count that as an excused absence.
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Quipped: Michelle Esrick of "Saint Misbehavin': The Wavy Gravy Movie" told Wednesday's panel crowd that some might know her movie's muse "as a Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavor." She, however, "was completely inspired" by the Woodstock legend.
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There's a book stall upstairs at the City Opera House -- and a book cart traveling to the other venues -- stocked by Brilliant Books of Suttons Bay and featuring "all the books on all the movies" at this year's festival, plus more. There are sections about the environment, the Mideast, Woodstock and cooking, plus numerous titles about filmmaking itself.
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Two films about Judaism will screen at Insideout Gallery, 229 Garland, Friday, beginning at 5:30 p.m.
The films, by Chuck Davis, chronicle his return to Judaism -- the religion of his birth -- after practicing Buddhism for 20 years. Tickets are $5. Davis will be on hand for questions. The family-oriented event will end before sundown on the Sabbath.
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Left Foot Charley, a winery at the Grand Traverse Commons, hosts a special TC Film Festival tasting Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $20 per person for food and wine pairings, live music and winery tours. Call 995-0500.
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The screening of "Hair" tonight at the Open Space is essentially a brand-new movie. There wasn't a decent print of the 1979 musical left, said Deb Lake, executive director of the film festival, so a new print was made and it will be put in a film archive after the festival.
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"Troubled Water," the opening night film by Norwegian director Erik Poppe, was inspired in part by a tragic car accident that took the life of Poppe's young cousin, the director told audiences after the screening. Poppe, who rarely attends festivals, earned sustained applause for the intense drama about forgiveness, redemption and the choices people make. He sought special permission from musician Paul Simon to use an organ arrangement of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" in the film.
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A Shutterbooth photo booth drew crowds at the opening night party at the Wade-Trim parking lot. The machine churned out a complimentary strip of four photos with a film festival logo at the bottom. The booth could hold 20 people at once; 14 crammed in at one point Tuesday night.
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The balloon sculptures from the opening night street party showed up later at the Wade-Trim parking lot party, dancing their way through the crowd. Jazz North broke into an impromptu version of "99 Luftballons."
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Osama Bawardi, producer of the Palestinian film "Salt of This Sea," screening tonight at 9 at Milliken Auditorium and Friday at 6 p.m. at the State Theatre, is in the U.S. for the first time. He said he had no problems getting through customs. He arrived here from Jordan.
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A brief power blip Wednesday morning turned into a 10-minute break from "Azur and Asmar," that day's selection for the Kids Film Fest. The sound reel had to be rewound, but Deb Lake, executive director of the film festival, said, "I think the kids liked it. They got to go to the bathroom and buy popcorn."
