Comments on: Who Is Ann Arbor, And Why Are There So Many Movies About Her?

By: Christen Lien (McArdle)

Christen Lien (McArdle) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:42:41 +0000

Dear writer of this story (I don’t see your name on this page…),

Christen here, ex-director of the Ann Arbor Film Fest. Hellow! (I now go by Christen Lien and am pursuing my music career full time. http://itsnotaviolin.com)

I just found this article and wanted to thank you for saying such warm, supportive and rockin’ comments about both the AAFF and my tenure there as Exec. Director! I appreciate it. The first amendment lawsuit was a fantastic experience to share with the Ann Arbor community, and I was having so much fun thanking everyone at the judges dinner. One of the best parts of the job – thanking.

So on that note… thank you for the kind words.

And please let me know your name cuz I’m going to tweet and Facebook this and I want to give you props!

In gratitude,
Christen

By: admin

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:19:58 +0000

Thanks for your thoughts Slim. I personally would have a hard time specifically assessing the content of the festival over the years. I’ve loved film since my teens, when I was lucky to be living in Ann Arbor during the years when the biggest struggle was selecting ONE film from the wealth of classic/foreign/art films being shown every night at places like Lorch Hall, Angel Hall, MLB, and the Michigan Theater. Although I’ve never made a living from film, I’ve had a screenplay optioned out, sold soundtrack material, and worked on three low-budget films. What I love about a festival like the Ann Arbor Film Festival is not that they they showcase “good” material, it’s that they (even during “bad” years) have consistently managed to showcase material that generates dialog and an ongoing interest in the art. In spite of my humorously snarky tone about Ann Arbor, the festival will always have a sweet spot in my heart. Glad to hear that the 2010 material is looking promising!

By: Slim

Slim — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:40:28 +0000

As a long-time festival goer, I have to say that AAFF is one of the best festivals around and the last couple of years have been really good, but 2006 was the worst edition of the festival in decades. Christen McCardle seemed nice and fought the good fight against censorship, but the quality of the films that year really sank. The festival has definitely rebounded, the 2010 edition looks really exciting.

By: admin

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:41:55 +0000

Aha! One of RoosRoast's paid shills strikes the comment threads again! Lemme help you out a little though. You forgot to link to his site . I'm a little partial to the "churched up" version just linked to, having helped design it. But you're right. Roosroast was excellent fuel for the festival.

By: Kim

Kim — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 05:30:48 +0000

One of the other keys to the 2006 festival, and one that I hope continues this year, was the addition of RoosRoast as the official drink.

I am off coffee on my doctor’s orders but every time I fall off the wagon, I wish for RoosRoast in my cup!