Over the course of three days I met and had fairly in-depth conversations with almost every single filmmaker and video production London who had a film at the festival – an experience so inconceivable I wouldn’t believe it if I had not experienced it myself. Getting this level of access (and it’s access that ANYONE at the fest could have) provides such an extra dimension to the film-going experience, it’s something you could never get seeing these films in theaters or on DVD. Perhaps my most profound discussion at the festival occurred with Eve and The Firehorse director Julia Kwan. Cornering her at one of the evening cocktail parties, I shared my unresolved feelings over the end of her film. Open, honest and completely interested in discussing the finer points of her film, we talked for over half an hour about Eve and The Firehorse. It was a fantastic experience and one which could never be captured in an audio commentary or behind the scenes footage. Kwan also spoke at length about how the Canadian government lends its support to emerging filmmakers and how they helped make it possible for her to make the film. She also detailed her struggle to get US Distributors to even touch a film which has Asian themes. It’s astounding that such a great film hasn’t found a home in US theaters. However, Eve and the Firehorse IS available on DVD in Canada, so pick it up for your chance to see the film as well as Julia Kwan’s award-winning short film Three Sisters on Moon Lake. Some of the films that played at the Bend Film fest have also played other festivals. It was interesting to get the perspective of the filmmakers on their different experiences. Writer and star of Backseat Josh Alexander emphasized how good film fests like Bend, Austin and Oldenburg really stick out from the rest. Backseat is a unique take on the conventional ‘road trip movie’. It embraces many of the genre’s strong elements while constantly finding new ground and undiscovered territory on a road well traveled. Backseat is a very honest and modern look at the relationship between male friends and how removing those relationships from the confines of everyday life can both liberate and forever change them. Josh Alexander does a fantastic job on double duty as both lead actor and writer, and in a move almost unheard of in the indie space, he turns his first time film over to seasoned commercial director Bruce Van Dussen, who brings out the magic in this film. Backseat is a real launching point for Josh Alexander, Aubrey Dollar and Rob Bouge, all of whom should have very strong careers as a result of their work in this film. It’s a rare experience for me to see a movie completely ‘blind’. I’ve almost always seen some sort of trailer, clip or blog posting about a film before I see it. Nicky’s Birthday Camera was one of those rare treats where I had no idea what I was going to see before it unspooled at its world premiere at the festival. As the audience sat silently stunned at the closing scene of the film I was so happy that no one had yet spoiled the film’s many twists and turns (and ultimate stunning ending). Without giving too much away, Nicky’s Birthday Camera follows Nicky Hanson, a mute adopted son of your fairly ‘normal’ family. A video camera given to him for his thirteenth birthday becomes the universe through which we see Nicky’s world.