Traverse City Film Fest

Since Fahrenheit 9/11...since Bowling for Columbine...since Roger & Me...well, since he began making movies, Michael Moore has been on many people's shitlist. His way of filmmaking---his in-your-face documentaries---haven't sat well with many who find his films to be "unpatriotic" or "full of lies". It should not surprise anybody than that his idea to hold the Traverse City Film Fest from July 27-31 was met with some serious opposition. Everyone swore he was going to bring his politics into this festival. For the record, he did not and stood by his word.

The event that he concocted in his mind was performed by the community for the community. Thirty-one films were shown on a giant, inflatable under the stars in an area known as the Open Space where about 6,000 could seat themselves. Seven of the films happened to be world premiers.



The State theatre, which had become virtually defunct, was brought back to life by about 30 members of the community. They, "scrubbed floors and toilets, washed windows and patched holes. Painters painted, and electricians brought the place back to life". As the event came closer,"about 400 people volunteered to pop popcorn, take tickets, sweep the floors and generally do whatever it took to make the festival a success." People from both sides of the aisle had come together for one reason ---to see great movies. Everyone went home happy unlike the people at the fest that was competing against Moore.

A Suttons Bay woman and some conservatives from Texas chose to run an "alternative" festival called the FreedomFirst Festival. Ten minutes into the film they chose to run, "Michael Moore Hates America", it was turned off. Why? Because the first minutes were filled with profanity including the F-word. Apparently, Aldrich, the woman who chose to run the film, hadn't viewed it. She claimed there was an edited version, one without "filth", but to me, it doesn't matter what version. They are both filthy.

Nothing like a bunch of conservatives promoting hatred. And nothing like a successful bipartisan film festival built around appreciating classic movies to make Moore and the community of Traverse City look better than the conservatives who tried to provide an "alternative" to it and failed.

Good job, Moore and members of Traverse City. While coming together and putting politics aside, you also managed to make a political statement. Conservatives tend to have a tough time dealing with their hatred for certain individuals in America.