This year, True/False is partnering with the University of Missouri to host the Based on a True Story Conference (affectionately known as “BOATS”), which will take place from February 29–March 2 at the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) on the MU campus.
The conference is bringing an impressive group of documentary filmmakers, critics, and scholars to Columbia, including Andrea Meditch (executive producer of films including Man on Wire, Grizzly Man, and others), Betsy Sharkey (film critic for the Los Angeles Times, among many others), and Nathan Rabin (author and head writer of The Onion’s A.V. Club).
The full list of participants, as well as information about registration, is at the BOATS website.
The March March is the annual, (almost)-anything-goes parade that kicks off the True False Film Festival. At 5:30 p.m. on Friday, March 2, 2012, beginning at the Boone County Courthouse Square, the parade will rumble, trumpet, and clang down Ninth Street toward its terminus at the Missouri Theatre.
The parade is free to join: anyone and everyone is invited to make a costume, grab a few zithers and melodicas, and join the March. While you’re repairing your animatronic mega-baton, waiting semi-patiently for March 2 to arrive, you can RSVP for the parade on Facebook, read more about the March on the March March Page, or scroll through four zillion photos of the March March from years gone by on Flickr.
Victor Kossakovsky, the recipient of the 2012 True Vision Award, presented his “Ten Rules for Documentary Filmmaking” at the 2006 International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam (IDFA) when he was teaching the festival’s annual master class. The rules have appeared in various guises around the web; in eager anticipation of Kossakovsky’s appearance in fewer than two weeks at the 2012 True/False Film Fest (along with the screening of two of his films, The Belovs and ¡Vivan Las Antipodes!), we’re reproducing the director’s ten rules below.
Bicycles are the easiest, healthiest, most fun, most life-affirming, and least-heinous way to get around True/False. To wit: the good people of PedNet Coalition have teamed up with the T/F to offer three tremendous bike-related services:
Bike Valet at the Missouri Theatre on Saturday and Sunday: free, secure, covered parking for your wheels.
Bike Spa: mini tune-ups for your bike (tires inflated, chain cleaned and lubed, frame washed) while you’re “taking in” a nonfiction film (also at the Missouri Theatre; small donation requested).
Bike Share: PedNet, True/False, and Walt’s Bicycle Fitness and Wilderness Co. have joined forces to offer a free Bike Share on Saturday and Sunday. Register at the Missouri Theatre Bike Share station, choose a bike, and off you go! Henceforth, you’re set up to take a bike when you need one, and return it when you’re done at any of the four Bike Share stations: Blue Note, Missouri Theatre, Ragtag, Jesse Hall. (Be sure to read all the details at the True/False Travel Page.)
Late-breaking announcement: The Fifth Annual Purple Cow Lip-Synching Competition—a fundraiser for the True Life Fund— will take place tonight, Thursday, February 9, at Hickman High School (1104 N. Providence Rd., Columbia, MO 65203) from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Students will compete against teachers in an evening of unforgettable performances. In the rich and varied history of the Purple Cow competition at Hickman, teacher groups have won twice and student groups have won twice. Who will prosper this year?
Irish artist Caoimhghin Ó Fraithile is returning to Columbia to create a new large-scale art installation in time for this year’s True/False Film Fest:
The Columbia Public Library and 102.3 BXR are hosting a free True/False primer this Saturday, February 4, from noon to 1:30 p.m. According to the library, the program will include:
a step-by-step explanation of all things True/False, including a Q-and-A session with festival organizers. Plus, you’ll get an exclusive sneak peek at a few films before the schedule is released, and two lucky winners will receive a free pair of True/False passes.
In honor of T/F, the library is also screening two docs—Chris Rock’s Good Hair (2009) and Kati with an I (2010)—in their Center Aisle Cinema series, also free. A T/F favorite, Kati‘s director Robert Greene will be in attendance.
The final deadline for submissions to Gimme Truth!—T/F’s real-and-fake documentary game show—is fast approaching.
Send in your two-minute (or less) documentary profile of a 100 percent fake Missouri resident—or a 100 percent real one—by February 16 for a chance to make it into the top ten, and possibly all the way.
More information, including rules and regulations, is on the Gimme Truth! page.
Back for its second year, the Boone Dawdle brings together some of the best things in life — biking, music, food, nature, and film. It’s also a fun, outdoorsy way for you to show your support of True/False in the off-season. Can we call it a tradition yet? (read more »)
New to the True/False experience? Join 102.3 BXR at Ragtag Cinema this Sunday, January 31 at 1pm for a crash course on everything True/False. You’ll learn about passes and reserving tickets, plus hear about some of this year’s feature films. Just for showing up, you will be eligible to win a Simple Pass. This event is free and open to the public.
