True/False Film Fest: A New Breed of Film Festival

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Parent Category: Film Festivals

Category: Previews

Published on Thursday, 08 March 2012 16:48

Written by Renzo Adler

For its 9th installment, the True/False Film Festival (March 1-4, 2012) returns to Columbia, Missouri for a unique combination of film festival, carnival, summer camp and political discussion. True/False brings a unique blend of films,some discovered at Sundance or Toronto, others making their premiere, but all deeply engaging and provocative.

The theme of the festival deals with documentaries, but also films about discovery or unearthing the truth. Rather than just a few movies in a dark room with a bloated party and pedantic step-and-repeats, True/False is a festival with a sense of purpose along with a sense of humor.

To simply call True/False a film fest does not totally do it justice as it also has an extensive programing that includes over 30 bands that perform through the course of the festival, field trips, campfire stories (really!) with film makers, stand-up comedy, breakfast, parades, folk and outsider art exhibitions, and celebration of “Buskers” (antiquated colloquialism for street-performers).

True/False features a whopping 40 feature films covering everything from artistic expression in the face of political oppression (Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry), shocking horror (V/H/S), to charming looks into the psyches of nerds (Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope).  Special free screenings happen outdoors at the Great Wall, a wall outside a Methodist Church, that offers a unique viewing experience. There are also 20 short films and panel discussions which are free and open to the public that cover politicals, film making, technology, and more.

True/False also created the True Life Fund. Fesitval organizers state that "The True Life Fund demonstrates that documentaries can create change by offering tangible assistance to the real-life subjects of a new non-fiction film. And it acknowledges that documentary filmmakers and festivals thrive because of the stories given to us by people often of limited means."  

This year the True Life Fund focuses on Bully, which chronicles a year in the life of five kids and their families who courageously share their stories to inspire change in how society deals with bullying.  To assist the True Life Fund is the True Life Run marathon, in which participators can win prizes from local businesses and passes to next year’s festival.

Never before has a film festival had such a varied and wild assortment of programming.  True/False is a festival in the truest sense of the word.  Combining film, documentary, arts, and performance, True/False dares to do more than simply pander to big studios or pigeonhole itself.  True/False is a new breed of film festival that believes in re-invention.

To learn more, go to www.truefalse.org

True/False Film Festival
March 1-4, 2012

Columbia, Missouri

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