Since the establishment of film festivals; academics, journalists and cinephiles have found themselves in a state of contention surrounding the intent and direction in which film festivals must operate, and ultimately their purpose in defending film. Like all aspects of the developing globalised world, film festivals cannot operate in a cultural or economic vacuum independent from the rest of society. They must operate within the constraints of a broader process.
“in the 1930s, Mussolini launched the world’s first film festival, Venice, to celebrate fascist ideas and aesthetics. To counter this, two alternative festivals were launched, one in a former fishing town, Cannes, and one in the ‘Athens of the North’, a centre of the Enlightenment, Edinburgh.” (Cousins, 2012). Cousins opening quote within the manifesto highlights opposing ideologies and the difficulties facing film festivals.
Cousins (2012) argues that most international film festivals have evolved into new ideations, however are fundamentally the same as those of which were launched in the 1930s. They are masked in ‘glamour and ubiquity’, often not able to connect with the core premise of film festivals. Too many of the festival elite are concerned with attaining premiere films and celebrity appearances. Koehler (2009) also describes these material issues and also extends his argument to encompass a detachment and aversion of cinephilia at the centre of festival activities; therefore believes the scope of festivals have become dissipated in their outreach and adaption.
Just as we look at films, music and art as authored concepts, Cousins (2012) argues that we should also look at film festivals the same way. Albeit over a series of days or weeks. Film festival organisers need to author themselves as stylists and storytellers; removing objects such as red carpets and VIP booths. Considering more about the impact they can make on a spatial and temporary space within society. Elsaesser in Ma (2017) argues the notion that festivals in the international festival circuit have adapted to a globalised and homogenous operational model. Whether this model is beneficial to film festivals and films on a wider scale is still a site of contention. Cousins (2017) believes they are in a state of formal torpor which needs to fundamentally change in order to create a joyous, innovative, divine, political, and honest film festival experience.
Furthermore, Koehler (2009) states that film festivals impact in defending the purity of cinema has dissipated due to a growing marketisation of the process, turning the experience into trading exhibitions rather than sites of meaning. Quite simply tho, without marketisation film festivals would not survive in modern society. To truly defend and support film, festivals must extend their capacities and be open to change when change is genuinely needed.
References
Cousins, M 2012, “Film Festival Form: A Manifesto” on “The Film Festival Academy” website, accessed 12 April.
Ma, R 2018, Asian documentary connections, scale-making, and the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival (YIDFF). Transnational Cinemas, vol. 9, no. 2, pg. 164-180.
Koehler, R 2009, “Cinephilia and Film Festivals” in Dekalog 3: On Film Festivals, Wallflower Press, London, pg. 81-97.