The Films Are Good, The People Are Friendly and There’s a Bar Serving Stella Beers
When it comes to film festivals, I am hardly as savvy as I am when it comes to, say, beer festivals.
In fact, about the only reason I found myself at the Beverly Hills Film Festival on a Friday night was that they were serving Stella Artois, one of my favorite beers.
There also happened to be a Beatles movie as one of the features, so it seemed a good enough reason to check out the event.
It being in Beverly Hills, I figured it had serious high-brow potential, so I put on my best PubClub.com shirt, slacks, Italian shoes and prepared my mental state to stand equal among the anticipated elitists. The event’s website posts a strict dress code for the nightly after-parties – “button down shirts required, no sneakers” – so I was prepared to be peppered with attitude.
Well nothing could have been farther from the truth. I was welcomed with handshakes and smiles by Adam and James, two people at the ticket table who could not have been nicer. I was quick to notice that James was wearing not a designer suit, but well-worn jeans and had the look of, well, an independent film director.
They handed me my pass and suggested I go grab a Stella in the lobby. I did, and the girl handed me a cold bottle, then turned away to handle another customer. What, I thought, the Stella is included with the ticket price!? Nice!!!
The only bummer, Adam and James told me, was that you can’t take beers into the theater. Oh, well!
When the movie that was playing let out, about 100 people came out for their share of Stellas. Everything was so casual, so low key, I thought perhaps maybe I was Manhattan Beach instead of Beverly Hills.
It was now 9 p.m., time for the Beatles movie. It was something called Come Together – A Beatles Tribute, and it was one of 11 movies in six blocks on this single day. All were in the same location, too, a nice office complex with a cozy 200-seat theater, at Clarity Properties (100 N. Crescent).
I was wondering if they would flicker the lights in the lobby to signal the start of the movie, or have someone come out with some chimes. But I just happened to catch a group of people heading to the theater out of the corner of my eye, so I joined them. I mention this only to alert you to the fact that it’s up to you to get to the seats, even though you can come and go while the movie is playing.
The movie began with an introduction and then an Ed Sullivan look-alike got up and did a little comedy stick. What a great touch it was, and it really put is all in the perfect frame of mind for the flick.
The movie turned out to be a feature on Beatles tribute bands, and it was excellent. It went to The Cavern, the Liverpool bar where the Beatles played their first shows; John Lennon’s childhood home; Strawberry Fields; Abby Lane and other Beatles landmarks in Liverpool. It featured 20 tribute bands from Japan to Las Vegas and included interviews with band members who passionately talked about what it’s like to play the music of the Fab Four and the parts of John, Paul, George and Ringo.
It was narrated, in part, by Lennon’s sister. And, of course, it featured a lot of Beatles music.
Earlier, I caught the last half hour of another movie, The Fallen Faithful. What I saw was a bit dark, but it would have been much more entertaining from start to finish. It’s about a religious man who gets caught up in violence for a mobster.
I arrived at the Beverly Hills Film Festival somewhat in doubt, and left it feeling completely energized and satisfied. Tickets are as low as $12 for a block, and prices range up to $275 for a VIP pass for all five days of the festival. Plus, there are nightly post-movie gatherings at Beverly Hills-area bars.
The busiest days are the opening (Wednesday) and closing (Sunday), with Saturday also being popular. But don’t ignore Thursday or Friday, because as I proved, these can be gems, as well.
The 2011 event’s dates were April 6-10. It’s website is BeverlyHillsFilmFestival.com.
kevinwilkerson says
Festivals are showcases for film makers, fans of independent films and critics. They are good for all those parties. — PubClub
Gordon Hall says
Is this Festival a Scam? I mean, now many award winners have actually advanced their careers because of it? Did it help them obtain an agent?
pubclub says
Yes. @pubclub
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