In the Home Stretch

May 5, 2008 Posted by Festival Director David Holbrooke"Let go" they tell me ...We had a staff meeting earlier this week and everyone on the MF staff told me it was now time for me to let go.After taking in a whole LOT of films/books/articles/conversations we have finally got the matrix as they call it around here locked. It has been quite a wild process to see - particularly as a filmmaker myself. I have to say the programming came about through a strange elixir of fortunate happenstance, late night hunches, and listening to as many, many, many wise people as I could. It also came about from a whole lot of time thinking about this.

So then, with this behind Emily (one of the wise people by the way) and me, the staff tells me I no longer have control over this festival. They said the schedule was in place and it was time for me to let the people who actually know what they are doing (as opposed to me) do their jobs - that the festival takes off from here on out and that I could relax. Even though I don't think I am a control freak (probably not hard to find someone to disagree) I have to admit hearing that unsettled me.It also left me with the question - what in hell do I do now? There are a bunch of emails and phone calls to return but I figured the first thing I'd do is something I could control - which is this post.I don't have a lot to say, having said most of it writing the program (which Lise, Anne and Casey have done a great job putting editing/designing). However, I will keep trying to fill this space with really interesting things you might want to read or see that are part of our program.

First check out this Huffington Post by Laurie Garrett. She is part of our Village Green initiative (we will have a really strong explanation of this potentially exciting new idea on our website soon). But what she really is: a brilliant thinker and passionate writer who is a leading expert on infectious diseases. She is finishing a book about global health in a post-9/11 world and has written this really important piece about what is happening throughout Asia. Besides the Village Green - where she will be talking about leading the charge to retrofit her 80 year old, 30 story Brooklyn building, you will also be able to see Laurie at a breakfast talk where she will blow your mind with what is happening with the food crisis in Asia right now. In the meantime, check out her article here.

I am going riding in Fruita tomorrow and am going to have dinner at the Hot Tomato and visit with Anne Keller (who will be showing her photos of Tara Llanes at MF and who blogged for us earlier).Now with all of this free time, I will have more good stuff soon.DavidDavid Holbrooke is in the full depths of his first year as Mountainfilm festival director.