Post-Cucalorus Reflection Blog

Now that Cucalorus has passed, it has given me plenty of time to reflect upon the event. Overall, I was disappointed with how the event was run this year. There were problems with giving passes to guests, projection issues, cringey opening acts, and some "offensive" performances. Despite these issues, I had an unforgettable experience with the festival this year. As a filmmaker, I learned that being able to listen to other filmmakers is much more valuable and important than trying to promote your own work. I learned so much from other filmmakers, including where they're from, what content they produce, their opinions on the industry, and where they see the industry heading in the future. I also learned that there are a lot of alcoholics in the industry. That isn't very surprising though. My favorite experience throughout the festival was probably attending the 10x10 screening since I got to see my commercial played in front of an audience. It was a great time because I got to see a ton of different commercials from various other people and groups, giving us all the opportunity to speak about our commercials at the end of the screening. I was surprised by the lack of cohesive unity of the event throughout the city. Although the event was lively and filled with color, passion, and films, the rest of the city felt very bland. It felt as if the city did not really care that Cucalorus was a thing, and pushed it off to the side. I wish that next year they would at least try to make a half assed attempt to recognize Cucalorus and what it does for the city. As a filmmaker presenting at the festival, I learned that I need to stop biting my nails in front of a crowd. Besides that, projecting a voice of confidence will allow your audience to know what you are taking about and will respect you more for that. Overall, I had a fun time with Cucalorus, but I did expect more from it. Hopefully the festival will kick some more butt next year!