2008 Bearded Child Film Festival Info PageIntroductionAye! We’re back for a {gulp} 8th year of programing independent & experimental films in Minnesota! That’s an awful long time, but rest assured the Bearded Child is sneaking ample amounts of Just For Men, Viagra, and pure-grade Columbian cocaine into its morning Coco Puffs to stay up and hip with you kids. Let me tell you! All the rumors are true, though: this will be a great year. We are expanding to include a multi-day event in Minneapolis that will combine film/video, installation, music, and live visual performance into one major multimedia explosion. This will mix and match various venues, including legitimate art/performance spaces and more underground establishments, to fully utilize the vibrant potential of Minneapolis. We will invite the most innovative performers we can find to attend, and will screen only the most unique works of cinema available to us. In addition, we will also include the usual weekend stint in Grand Rapids, Minnesota this year. Grand Rapids, listed at pop. 8000, has been our home base from day one. It is truly a unique and unusual environment for viewing independent film, and the fest will once again be held at the beautiful Myles Reif Performing Arts Center. In addition, Grand Rapidians like to party. Bearded Child's "secret space" after-parties have become the stuff of legends over the years, as well as infamous post-fest VFW karaoke nights.
What we look for in filmsAt it’s core, the Bearded Child champions bizarre, absurd, and wacky wonders that most festivals wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole. We are much more interested in creativity and innovation over big-budget production and traditional cinematic values. At the same time, we have become a popular destination for “non-wacky” experimental and more personal films, due to the fact that few festivals accept such “oddities.” Basically, we want anything that challenges the norm, whatever the genre. Heart is key. If you are submitting for ulterior motives (like using it as a “springboard to Hollywood” or simply to please your university employers), we probably won’t be interested. Selection ProcessYour entry will be reviewed by our festival staff, and you will receive notification by email if the work has been selected. If your work is not selected, you will receive a personal notice from festival staff expressing our condolences and giving a brief explanation for the omission. In general, submitted work is not screened because it doesn’t fit with the mission of the festival, doesn’t fit the vibe of the program, its too long, or we simply don’t like it. (Don’t feel bad, its all extremely subjective and it doesn’t make you a bad artist.) If a submitted work is obviously in or out of the program, you will be notified immediately. In most cases, official notices will not be sent until the weeks following the entry deadline. All submitted work is eligible for film tours, television broadcast, or inclusion in a potential DVD compilation. You will be notified by festival staff if your work is a candidate for any future opportunities. Entry FeesThe Bearded Child does not require a mandatory fee to be considered for our festival. If you are willing and able to contribute, free-will donations are gladly accepted and will be put to good use. We recommend a suggested donation of $10 per applicant. Paypal payments are encouraged. Check or money orders made out to The Reif Center. For ease of use, the Bearded Child prefers PayPal payments if possible. Back to topTechnical InfoWe typically screen most of our work on digital video, but are also capable of showing work on film. Please email us if you’re interested in showing work on 16mm, super 8mm, regular 8mm, or slides. We can screen DVD, VHS, or miniDV on digital. No BetaSP is currently available. If your work is selected, you will be asked to provide a digital still image through the website (more info on this when the time comes). Performers are encouraged to provide their own equipment if possible. However, we will do our best to accommodate your needs. Make sure to ask if you need something specific! Attending the FestivalThe Bearded Child places high priority towards encouraging filmmakers to attend the festival, and will do all we can to help you get here. If you are coming for the Minneapolis segment of the festival, we will try to find you a couch or other free good-will lodging. This, of course, is “first come, first serve,” and depends on the availability and generosity of volunteers. Otherwise, we recommend the Minneapolis International Hostel for inexpensive lodging. Plenty of pricier options are available for heavy-wallets. Grand Rapids, Minnesota (pop.8000) is approximately 200 miles northwest of Minneapolis, and currently has no form of public transportation into or out of the city. Please let us know if you’d like to attend from somewhere afar, and we’ll do our best to arrange ride-shares. Visiting filmmakers typically stay at the Festival Director’s mother’s house in downtown Grand Rapids, close to all the best local diners, thrift stores, and bakeries. The cheapest motels in town are in the $40 range, and there are also several camping options nearby. If you plan to attend, please let us know as soon as possible. Film Tour?After the ’05 festival, the Bearded Child went on a massive 30+ city, cross-country film tour. Plans for another tour are tentatively in the works. Please let us know if you may be able to suggest or provide a venue—we have all the needed tech supplies. Tour films are the weirdest of the weird, and it is generally much more selective than the regular festival. Volunteers!This year, we need ‘em! We are currently searching for funding that will, in part, provide a small stipend for volunteers, but most likely it will be out of the goodneed in your heart. Perks include a bombass resume addition, free admission and festival merch. What we need:
If you’re really ambitious, we could also use a PR director to help get all the various obscure logistics and details together. Contact Dan Anderson for possibilities: bcfilmfest@gmail.com About UsDan Anderson is the festival director and founder. He first began curating experimental films at age 16, and is currently working towards a career as a penniless vagabond. Martin Latimer is the Bearded Child's Chairman of the Board. He is founder of Hi-Fi Custom Longboards, and is considered a savant of obscure knowledge and dapper streetware. Edward Dassmesser is the Webmaster. He makes everything you see on this page look... nice. He is currently attending college to become a freelance elevator restrictor systems designer. If you see any mistakes on the page, contact him, as soon as he's out of college. |
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