Nooooooo, This Cannot End...

It is with a tear in eye that I write this entry. As I reflect on the past week''s activities I am just so proud of what we as a team have accomplished. I''m NEVER good with goodbyes and certainly not when I am truly having such a grand time: meeting new friends, creating networks, and in general just bringing some great programming to the Lehigh Valley. Why is it that all good things must end?

Sunday''s routine was similar to Saturday''s, only a bit more compact, and much more punctuated, as tonight is our "Wrap" party. We began with a
wonderful Filmmakers'' brunch hosted by Jeff and his wife at Deja Brew. This event ROCKS, with a wonderful group of people digging in and taking over the Deja kitchen, preparing a breakfast feast fit for a king. There is ANYTHING you can imagine for the breakfast fancier: from fritatas to french toast, or fruit salad to wonderful pastries, it''s all here and it''s ALL good!!! NO, I take that back, it''s all GREAT (in my best Tony the Tiger voice). And though the food is beyond compare, the best thing about this brunch is the spirit of our Fest, as the many filmmakers in attendance mix and mingle, and are genuinely surprised with our hospitality. What a great way to kick off a Sunday morning.



As the screening schedule unfolds today, I find myself again commuting from venue to venue on my bike. The early afternoon crowds are light in attendance, but as the day progresses so does our attendance swell. One of the true highlights of my day was, and I apologize for the self-promotion, that my mom and dad were able to attend a screening of MY film "The Forgotten". As it was Father''s Day, it had even greater meaning for me, giving me an opportunity to show my parents the fruit of my filmmaking labor. Happy Father''s Day Dad! But I digress, and it''s time to move on to the next venue for some intros and a Q&A. Everythings running smoothly.



As the day winds down, I CANNOT, but I can certainly feel that empty feeling coming on and it feels like the last day of summer camp or the day a good friend moves away. Can I somehow stop time and make these final moments last forever? How do you leave such a great thing behind? I know there is next year, but what about THIS year? With only minutes before the official closing I must begin the goodbyes, and first among them is a farewell to two very dear friends Mel Halbach and Clayton Farr , and as I write this I struggle to hold back the tears. Mel and Clayton were our instructors for our first ever Documentary Filmmaking Workshop. Their tireless efforts certainly helped to make this educational program the success I believe it was, and I know we could not have succeeded if not for their involvement. Funny how it all started while I was in Sundance this past January, as Mel and I (and Clayton) began to formulate our ideas while borrowing from Mel''s previous experiences with FilmTreks. These gentlemen deserve more than an ''ataboy, as they truly exemplify our Festival and also the SouthSide Film Institute. I had the good fortune of spending every day with these gentlemen, sharing laughs and a few drinks, and I certainly feel blessed to have been a part of their efforts with our Workshop. This goodbye may have been the hardest hit of the day, but I say goodbye knowing that a goodbye will only be the end of one chapter, and I''m sure we will have VOLUMES of chapters as the years pass. This is not a "forever" farewell, but just a "see you next time" departure. I think these gentlemen know how much I admire their efforts and abilities, but if they need some validation let me just say YOU GUYS ROCK!!! Mel was a guest at last year''s fest and knew of our hospitality, but Clayton was a newbie and I believe we showed him the BEST the Lehigh Valley has to offer. Farewell gentlemen.



As I introduce the final films at each venue I truly have a hard time letting go, and at Whitaker I find myself telling the audience to continue to view more films after this, but Dr. Foster sits at the back of the auditorium waving her hands in a "NO, this it" manner. Finally I admit my error, blaming it on my enthusiasm and my inability to want to say goodbye to this year''s fest, the filmmakers, AND the audiences who have graced our venues. And with only one more Q&A to introduce, I am feeling that door closing on another successful Festival. My final introduction and actually quite appropriate, is for Shanti Thakur, this year''s guest filmmaker. With her gracious manner and wonderful intellect she fields questions, and though the audience is small in size, they certainly are not lacking in intrigue and intelligent questioning.



After an extended Q&A Shanti and I walk down to the final punctuation of SouthSide Film Festival 2005, a closing party of Looper''s on Third Street. We mix and mingle, present each filmmaker with a Michael Beletti framed photo, a little something we have made a tradition here at SSFF. The night winds down and we begin to say goodbye to our guests, and finally to each other in one final HOORAH. There are many things I''ll miss about this year''s Fest, but again I know we''ll soon be busy beginning our plans for SSFF 2006. Let''s put this baby to bed. So it is with tears in my eyes that I write these final words, but I promise in the next day to have one more entry, a reflection on what was SouthSide Film Festival 2005, but for now I feel the pride of a father and the knowledge that next year will only be better. Maybe I can finally get some sleep. Bye for now!!!



Jeff!