Philadelphia Film Festival

This annual Festival has a well-​deserved inferiority complex, one that in some instances it takes out on its primary demographic: mature Philadelphians. As noted by other reviewers, the problem is most extreme at the Ritz East Location, where various petty tyrants project their feelings of low status onto an easily targeted population. As an early-​30-​something person, I was not personally the target of the staff’s ageism, but I witnessed multiple instances of it at the Ritz East in particular. It was disturbing to see the pain caused to many older *patrons* by this dehumanizing form of bias. As someone who has attended many film festivals in NYC and abroad, both showing films and serving on selection panels, I must say that (as others on Unilocal have noted), this problem is only one of several that mark the festival as dysfunctional and, in my view, place it among the bottom three that I have experienced over the past 10 years. To focus on one egregious manifestation of this problem: the managerial and volunteer staff at the Ritz East are rude, extremely condescending toward patrons, and heedlessly incompetent. They seem to express their own feelings of inferiority by forcing *ticket-​holding* patrons, including some with canes and walkers, to stand out in the whipping wind and freezing rain for 30 minutes, when there is ample room for them indoors. Like Stepford attendants in a memory clinic, the manager and volunteers seemed to take sadistic delight in repeatedly asking anyone approaching the theater, in a fake-​chipper, extremely condescending voice, «Hello sir, do you have tickets for X Film? Are you a MEMBER, sir?» For anyone who PURCHASED A TICKET for as much as $ 12, if the response is «No, I’ve bought a ticket, but I’m not a member or badge holder,» the creepy fake-​happy Stepford response is then «Well, then, Sir, you’re going to need to step to the rear of the ticker-​holder line.» Said end-​of-​line is in the freezing, pouring, rain and wind! As those in the line then rightly note, repeatedly, with increasing distress, that there is plenty of room to line up INdoors out of the rain, the Stepford staff ignore this point and proceed to try to gaslight the more vocal members by brightly, condescendingly asking, as if they fancy themselves healthcare attendants who must redirect and manage the attention of the «misbehaving» «old folks,» «So, are you having fun? What films have you seen so far?» This is not helpful (to put it charitably), and if you’re (PFS) putting people in contact with the public who have no more social or emotional intelligence than that, you should take a careful look at how you’re running a «Festival.» You are alienating, not gaining, prospective patrons when you effectively disrespect those who are not «badge holders» or «members.» This is not «red carpet treatment»; it’s foolishness. You are damaging your image and *losing* business and prospective patrons by allowing anyone at the Ritz East or PFF to treat even one person this way. Not to mention that it’s simply mean and wrong to do so. Opting to use volunteers is no excuse – it’s your responsibility to select and use them adequately. In one of the above instances, after being treated as described above, these lowly «ticket-​PURCHASERS» were then subjected to the inane ramblings of the manager, who appeared before the curtain and undertook to tell them the basic facts about the film they were going to see. They know about the film! That’s why they’re here! Then –irony of ironies– after the staff’s /​volunteers’ behavior – he exhorted the audience in a William H. Macy voice to «stop and thank our volunteers» because «they are not being thanked enough» (what?) and «they are doing a great job.» Uh, it’s time to consult opinions other than your own about that one. The attempt to emphasize the «Star Bellied Sneeches» type distinction between those who have badges etc. «upon thars”– and those who simply (gasp! what losers!) *paid* you for a ticket to one of your festival films– is having (to put it mildly) the opposite effect. Wake up, or kindly leave the stage.

I want to start this review by making clear this review is NOT based on the films featured in this year’s festival. Instead, it is based on the organization/​execution of one night of the festival at Ritz East.
I had prepaid for tickets and specified I would pick them up at will call. We arrived over 20 minutes before the film. Ticket holders were told to line up for the movie, and will call was directed to the box office. Although there were two volunteers in the box office, only one window was open. The one volunteer at the one window was apparently responsible for both will call pick ups for multiple shows and for purchases for showing and future films. As such, my partner and I stood in line for over 20 minutes (it bears noting the line was only five or so people deep), as this one woman confusedly sold tickets for shows playing later that night and week, fumbled over a faulty computer system, and searched for will call lists for other films.
After asking multiple volunteers for assistance and informing them we were there to see a movie that was about to start, someone finally took our name down on a post it and sent us into the theater. It was ridiculous. I have been to other film festivals at this very same venue and never had any problem with organization. PFS really needs to streamline their procedures so everyone can get straight to what the festival is all about — great film.

I recently attended two Philadelphia events 1) The Philadelphia Film Festival and 2) A Taste Of Philly. On both occasions I encountered that dreaded disease that is infecting Center City: Hipster Rude. You’ll know it when you see it. People of a certain age who think their shit is ice cream and everyone should be running for a spoon. The film festival this year for the most part was decent .I have nothing but praise for the volunteers. BUT the people who ran the event need customer sensitivity training and manners. You know who you are. Please learn to acknowledge those who may want to write a check to finance your new project on Samson street.2) Taste of Philly not as many vendors this year. as last year. I suspect because the current economy. That I can understand. Again rude guests who could not wait in line to get their fill for $ 25.00. This is first time in three years I’ve encountered annoyed vendors, and rude servers. Next year I’ll write a check for 25.00 to the charity and stay home.

After a traumatizing first try with the movie ‘Leap Year’, I finally let my defenses down and went back to check out LA NOSTRA VITA. And I have to say that the Italians never let me down.
Like the Neorealist films of Italy’s past, La Nostra Vita is etched with raw emotion seen in everyday circumstance. Elio Germano who plays Claudio the film’s main character is charismatic and invoking. He truly brings to life the emotions and simple actions we’ve started to take for granted in our daily lives.
I give this film 5 stars and highly recommend it to all. One word of caution, the film blares with the realistic sarcasm of present day racism that is PURE ITALIA. If this tiny yet powerful detail of the film offends you then you’ll be missing out on a beautiful film.