Previous Fests

Feast your eyes on a “mostly comprehensive” list of films just posted on the Program page. More titles will be added in the near future, so check back often for updates.

The 2009 films will be announced tomorrow at 10 am, but for you faithful followers obsessively checking the web site for a morsel of news (or using Twitter to stay informed), we offer a sneak preview of the film program just leaked from the programming inner sanctum: (read more »)

Calling all Missouri filmmakers, come on down!

We’re a little over a month away from the deadline for Gimme Truth!, and to tell the truth, we’re looking for entries. Gimme Truth! is our annual filmmaking contest and game show extravaganza that’s open to all Missouri residents. Fantastic prizes, fame and glory are up for grabs. If you’re interested in participating, check out our Gimme Truth! page or join the Gimme Truth! Facebook group.

The True/False 2009 website has actually been up for several weeks, as you’ve probably noticed by now. The banner and splash page art (and poster, when it’s done) were created by David Friesen, and Mary Nguyen & Jonny Pez built the flash elements. We’ll be adding more content as it becomes available.

In the meantime, there are several opportunities to get involved with True/False via this website. You can purchase passes online. (OK, that’s not exactly “getting involved”, but I’m plugging it anyway!) You can volunteer to help out before and during the festival. Use the volunteer form to get signed up — we still need a couple hundred more volunteers, so don’t be shy. Volunteering is a lot of fun, you get to meet a lot of great people, and there are other perks as well.

Speaking of meeting new people, this year we’ve added two Twitter profiles for T/F news. Follow @truefalse for general updates and random stuff, and @TFBoxOffice for ticketing, reservations, and other box office updates. During the Fest, we’ll be posting frequent ticket availability updates to @TFBoxOffice, so although there’s not much traffic there now, there will be lots more to come.

Another new social-networking feature we’re trying out this time is the T/F Ning network. If you haven’t tried Ning before, it’s a way to combine things like forums, chat, blogs, photo and video sharing, into a single place. Give it a try!

A nice surprise: director Stefan Schweitert says he can make his way to the festival after all to answer questions after the fabulous “Echoes of Home.” We thought we’d have to test our technical abilities by setting up an Ichat with Berlin, so this will make it much easier, and homier. Get one, lose one category: Michael Cleverly, the author of a book on Hunter S. Thompson, will not appear on Friday with “Gonzo,” as promised in the program. However, new Oscar winner Alex Gibney will appear with “Gonzo” on Saturday as well as “Taxi to the Dark Side” on Sunday.

Lux and Silver Circle passholders, remember when we said we’d give you guidance on this show? Ok, now is the time. To claim your tickets, go up to the Blue Note box office, on 9th just north of Broadway, and flash your pass. Their hours are: Wednesday until 9pm, noon to 5pm on Thursday, and noon to 9 on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. If you’re wondering if you can go to “Man on Wire” and then make it to the TMBG show on time, you’re in luck. Rumor has it the band won’t be on stage until 9:30pm or so on Sunday.

The True/False crew is hundreds strong now, and has been working marathon shifts, so that means that some of the senior staff can actually read the newspaper on Sunday morning. Unprecedented. Here’s some good stuff we dug up at one of the newspapers in town: http://www.columbiatribune.com/2008/TrueFalse/index.asp

We wanted a nice little fest, real boutique-like, but then it became clear you wanted to wear out your eyes watching movies, so we had no choice. We added shows.

The big ticket item: “Man on Wire” is now the Closing Night Film. Check it out. A nail-biter of an adventure, plus it’s one of the most deeply emotional films of the last few years. This will have you on the edge of your chair, as they say.

We’ve also added these shows: “Please Vote For Me” on Sunday at 5:15pm; Gonzo on Friday at 10pm; “Oscar Shorts” on Friday at 10pm; “Carny” on Saturday at 10pm.

By popular demand, we moved “The Man Who Ate Badgers” to a larger venue, Macklanburg, on Friday at 10.

And now because you’ve been so patient, we can announce the titles of the TBAs. Most prominently, our Friday night opener 7:30pm at the Blue Note is “American Teen.” This is the second and final screening of this Sundance favorite, so if you want to see it, this is your chance. “How I Am” gets its third screening on Sunday at 1pm. “Lucio” plays Sunday at 3:30PM; “Working Title” is now Sunday at 6pm. “I Think We’re Alone Now” is the final TBA Sunday at 8:15.

Wish we could say, “Come and get it,” but you’ll need to wait til we open our box office on Thursday to claim or purchase these tickets. Can’t wait to share this line-up with all of you.

We can’t tell you the names of the secret screenings, but we can give you a clue about the prominent TBA listed at 7:30pm Friday at the Blue Note. Door #1 says: “American Teen.” Door #2 says “Stranded.” By mid-week, the correct door will be revealed, so check this space. We know that’s not as helpful as it could be, but we are endeavoring to present the freshest films possible, and sometimes that means waiting just a little bit longer. Also stay tuned for news about our other prominent TBA — our Closing Night Film at Jesse Auditorium, which starts 7pm Sunday.

Here we go again. The year ends, holidays are celebrated, lists are made. “Best of . . .” & “Worst of . . .” and all the rest. And True/False has again been named Best Film Fest by St. Louis’ The Riverfront Times.

We’re seriously honored. For real. But we also must point out that the venerable St. Louis Film Festival is a great event, albeit with a wholly different mission and form than T/F. So let’s give thanks to the RFT for the high praise and props to all the fests around our fine state that keep the spirit of independent film vital.