What is it that would get you on a ferry...to an island...on your vacation...just to check out a film festival.  Well, that is actually it.  When you make plans to come to the Nantucket for the film festival, you are simultaneously planning a relaxing vacation.  Forget running around a bustling city from theater to theater and party to party as you would with festivals in the city.  To keep "up" with the locals here you have to slow down.  Grab lunch at an outdoor restaraunt then stop at the homemade ice cream shop.  Then  think about heading to the next screening.  The screenings have a very casual feel as well.  People who live on the block will be tearing tickets in the foyer of a church.  Even with the leisurely pace, there is alot going on.  Friday night was the most unique event that Nantucket offers.   Jetty's Beach becomes a gathering for celebrities and filmgoers alike during "Late Night Storytelling".  Friday was attended by many of the prominent filmmakers and actors who had work screened during the course of the festival including Peter Farrelly (Dir. of  THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY, ME, MYSELF AND IRENE, KINGPIN), Anne Meara lead in "IRISH WHISKEY REBELLION" , Joe Pantoliano, ( supporting roles in MATRIX, MEMENTO, RISKY BUSINESS), Brian Williams (NBC Nightly News), Steven Weber   (actor in TV series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip) and John Shea (FRAMED, THE INSURGENTS) Six storytellers tell their tales without the benefit of notes or scripts. Past storytellers include; Jim Carrey, Jerry Stiller, Tina Fey, Laird Hamilton, Jesse L Martin, Brian Williams, Mos Def, Olympia Dukakis, Ted Hope, Paul Rudd, Celia Weston,  Kristin Johnston, Bobby Farrelly, Rosie Perez, and Alan Cumming. 

Also on Friday evening, the festival introduced the first annual Adrienne Shelley Excellence in Filmmaking Award, a cash prize awarded to a female filmmaker in honor of the late director.  Joe Pantoliano presented the award to Annie Sundberg and Ricki Stern, co-directors and co-producers of “The Devil Came on Horseback.”

 Thursday through Sunday mornings  begin with "Morning Coffee With..."  This is another Nantucket exclusive.   Everyone rises early and heads down to have a casual Q & A with the featured guest.  This is a challenge for some of us considering all the free partying Nantucket provides for pass holders.  This year featured Matthew Galkin (co-producer and director, I Am An Animal), Bill Haney (co-producer and director, The Price of Sugar), Catherine Ryan (co-producer and co-director, Soldiers of Conscience), Gary Weinberger (co-producer and co-director, Soldiers of Conscience), and Luke Wolbach (co-producer and director, Row Hard No Excuses).

A little further along in the day there was a stage reading of Steven Weber’s screenplay “Filthy Dirty Twisted Lust.”  Events of this nature are not uncommon on the island.  Nantucket gives much attention to the screenwriting element of the filmmaking process.  During this reading, film enthusiasts can see an intermediate stage of a film.  They can see it coming to life before their eyes.  This can be a real eye opening experience. 

Later on in the evening there was a tribute to the prolific writer/director Robert Benton (BONNIE AND CLYDE, KRAMER VS. KRAMER).  Press was not admitted due to the exclusivity that NBC enforced with their coverage.   There was another opportunity, however to hear the experiences that have shaped Robert Benton's life in the industry.  He was featured in the "In Their Shoes" event on Sunday morning.  His modest and sarcastic attitude would lead you to think that he only was blessed with luck to get where he has.  Obviously this is not the case.  In addition to being an inherently talented writer and director he seemed to always take risks and put himself out on a limb even if he had no idea what he was doing.  I think this is something that many blossoming fiilmmakers can add to their to-do-lists. 

I think the nature of these events and the guests who are featured continually show the dedication that the organizers  have to drawing attention to the elements that are needed to make for great  writing and film.  The interaction with these guests is truly inspiring and leaves the audience ready to return to work after their vacation with a renewed enthusiasm for film and their involvement with it.  This festival is a spectacular start to any filmgoer's summer.