From left: Anne Golden, Alek Gruszczynski, Brad Colbourne, Karina Mariano, Mario DeGiglio-Bellemare, Zoë Brown, Kris Woofter, Allan Brown | Photo credit: Lyn-dah-Kicks
MUFF champions an array of film genres — from offbeat and “trashy" to experiemental and provocative, says festival programmer Mario DeGiglio-Bellemare, BA 93.
Last year’s festival screened more than 70 short works from Brazil to Russia and beyond. This year’s entrants are encouraged to submit creative works in upwards of 90 categories.
Filmgoers can expect a few surprises, says Karina Mariano, BFA 06. “Movies they wouldn’t discover in everyday life.”
Screenings are typically shorts that run fewer than 10 minutes. Yet movie submissions span the globe, says DeGiglio-Bellemare “We have a diversity of films. That’s what makes our festival interesting.”
Mariano, a co-founder of the festival, hopes film presentations will generate an emotional replay of her Concordia days. “Most of us had our mouths hanging open watching all these interesting weird films,” she recalls, adding that her goal is to create an “‘Oh my god this is so cool!’” feeling among festival-goers.
The festival is run on a tight budget and is supported mainly through ticket sales. For DeGiglio-Bellemare, it’s all about participation. “The most important thing is to come to the festival,” he says.
The remaining members of the collective are: Kristopher Woofter, PhD candidate; Anne Golden, BFA 84, MA 07; Allan Brown, BFA 94; and Zoë Brown, BFA 99.
The 2014 Montreal Underground Film Festival takes place May 23-25 at Peut-être Vintage in Montreal’s Mile End district. Tickets are $5 and $7.