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July 22, 2005Counting down to Film FestivalTicket sales, financial support keep growingByRecord-Eagle features editor TRAVERSE CITY - If the Traverse City Film Festival was keeping track of ticket sales with a thermometer like those that monitor snowfall, the mercury would be nearing the top. As of Thursday, sales had topped $100,000 out of a possible $142,000 total for 27 films with paid admission. At least 10 screenings had sold out, among them one each of "Grizzly Man," "A Good Woman," "Downfall" and "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room." That's on top of news that the Herrington-Fitch Family Foundation of Elk Rapids just came forward as a founding sponsor with a $30,000 donation. The foundation has supported such other local causes as Goodwill, the Grand Traverse Bay Watershed and Traverse Symphony. Earlier in the week, the opening and closing night films, "Mad Hot Ballroom" and "Broken Flowers," had also sold out. "The demand for opening and closing night has been huge," said festival founder Michael Moore. For those, extra showings were added, one each, at 10 p.m. July 27 and July 31. For sold-out showings of other films, the best aspiring movie-goers can do is try to get tickets for another screening of the same film, or barring that, hope for a last-minute reprieve. "We've now decided there will be a standby ticket line forming 10 minutes before every sold-out show," said Moore. "There are always a few seats, somebody doesn't show up. "We'll hold your seat until like, five minutes into the movie, and after that, you might lose your seat," he said, explaining empty seats will be sold once the movies get underway. More than 50 local businesses have signed up to be sponsors. "All but two of our films now have sponsors," Moore reported Thursday. "That's over 50 businesses in the community who are shelling out some big bucks to make this a reality for their neighbors. This has just been amazing." About 420 volunteers have come on board to do everything from usher to work concessions. Requests for media credentials are pouring in. Outlets expressing interest include the national cable networks, E Entertainment, MSNBC, alternative newspapers and press from the Midwest including the Chicago Sun-Times. "Partly it's me," Moore said, "but nine of the films we're showing, we're showing before the rest of the country gets to see them." Congressman John Conyers (D-Michigan) is coming to attend a screening of "Home of the Brave," which is a documentary about the 1965 murder of Detroiter Viola Gregg Liuzzo, who traveled to Selma, Alabama to participate in a Voters' Rights March. Liuzzo's son Tony will also be attending, Moore said. Directors coming include Marilyn Agrelo of "Mad Hot Ballroom," "Enron" director Alex Gibney, "Tarnation" director Jonathan Caouette and Andrew Wagner, who did "The Talent Given Us." Some of the children who appeared in "Mad Hot Ballroom" will be here for opening night and attend the screening. Rob Tappert, producer of the "Spiderman" movies, is coming to participate in a panel on Saturday, July 30. The head projectionist for the Sundance Film Festival, Bill Hill of Santa Fe , New Mexico, has been hired to come and be in charge of projection and sound. "This is a real coup to get him to come because he's the best guy in the country and he does the big festivals," Moore said. "All of these rooms (at the venues, which include the State Theatre, Traverse City Opera House and Old Town Playhouse) are going to have full brand new Dolby surround sound. We've got the best projectors we're bringing in." A company out of suburban Washington, D.C. will be in town early next week to erect a giant inflatable movie screen at the Open Space on the bay in downtown Traverse City. Free films will be shown nightly there: "Jaws" complete with divers with shark fins circling nearby in the bay on Thursday, "The Princess Bride" on Friday, "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" on Saturday and "Casablanca" on Sunday, July 31. Meanwhile, renovation of the State Theatre continues at a breakneck pace, with an army of volunteers working nearly around the clock to get it ready. At least 30 people have joined the effort, with several coming back day after day. Some have offered expertise in carpentry or electrical wiring or plumbing, while others have helped wherever needed. They've scrubbed out the popcorn maker and butter machine, replaced lights on the marquee, sorted and washed marquee letters, replaced floor tiles where needed, painted the back of the auditorium and made several other permanent fixes. "There's been a stupendous amount of work going on there and it's really transformed the place," said Lori Hall Steele, a member of the festival committee. Other events include: - A fund-raiser Founders Party this Sunday including a screening of one of the film festival movies at The Bay Theatre in Suttons Bay at 2 p.m. to be followed by a reception at nearby Ciccone Vineyards at 4. Tickets are $100. For reservations, write: tcff@seeglass.com. - An opening night party at the Opera House at 10 p.m. Wednesday. Tickets are $25, available where film festival tickets are being sold. - A closing night party is set for 9 p.m. in Building 50 above Stella Trattoria July 31. Tickets are $25, also available at the box office. Tickets for all films except opening and closing night are $7. The additional 10 p.m. screenings of "Broken Flowers" and "Mad Hot Ballroom" are going for the opening and closing night price of $25. Tickets are available at Bravo! in downtown Traverse City or through the Interlochen Center for the Arts box office, 276-7800 or (800) 681-5920.
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