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---- — Outtakes also features tweets from the film festival. For complete, ongoing coverage, including the official guide, schedule, photos and more, go online to record-eagle.com/filmfest.
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Take a break from the film festival and go see ... a movie. "Xingu" premieres Sunday at 1 p.m. at Insideout Gallery, 221 Garland St., in the Warehouse District. The film stars local talent, including Brad Aspey, Sheryl Hayward, Kit Wiener and Jim Foley. It's a comedy about a band of pseudo-intellectuals in Traverse City. The screenplay was written by Angeline and Michael Piotrowski of Traverse City's Kids Creek Productions. The screening is free; the movie runs about 20 minutes.
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@cbotbyl: "awesome!!! filtered water, filtered ice, and compostable (!) plastic cups. no bottled water sold at #tcff venues. thank you!!"
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Downtown stores are getting creative with popcorn. And the Beatles. And Andy's hat from "Toy Story" and other fun, yet logical movie-themed displays. The TV screens on the windows at Red Ginger frame the people at the window seats.
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This year's "Michael Morsel" features yellow cake drizzled with chocolate, caramel and topped with cinnamon popcorn. Morsels Bakery and Cafe, at the corner of Front and Cass, comes out with a different bite-size treat every year. Other big sellers for the film festival include Ninja Turtle (a brownie with caramel, chocolate and pecans on top) and Roll Out the Red Velvet (red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting).
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@jimmydoestea: "I'm pretty sure the entire auditorium cried for most of 'Cherry Blossoms.' Pretty smart film."
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About a dozen people held a "PARK(ing) celebration" in downtown Traverse City in front of Zakey Thursday inspired by the international movement PARK(ing) Day. It's a way to draw attention "to the public right-of-way for human enjoyment instead of car storage." They said they used the same amount of space that one car would use and still had room for bikes, plants, seats, a table and snacks. They fed the meter for two hours' worth, plus the free half-hour.
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@julielyn: "Damn, lots of film muckety-bucks flying to Detroit to head up to the Traverse City Film Festival."
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Info ambassadors, the volunteers at the shuttle stops, have been called upon to do everything from point out kitchen stores to putting bikes back together.
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"What would you do if I sang out of tune?" Listeners at the Beatles karaoke before "Help!" at the Open Space Thursday night clapped along. Several of the singers were under 20, saying they'd been raised on Beatles music. Participants got tickets for a raffle that included prizes like dessert at Amical and film festival merchandise.
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Following Thursday's screening of "Viva Cuba," director Juan Carlos Cremata Malberti took the stage — and took the microphone away from Michael Moore. In the middle of a fairly lengthy Moore monologue about Cuba, Malberti grabbed the mic. "So Michael," he said. "Do you have a question for me?"
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The Cuban filmmakers speak mostly excellent English, but when a translator is needed, Bryn Lynch helps out. During the summer, she's the film festival's box office manager. During the school year, she teaches Spanish at Central High School.
