I’m still not sure how it happened, but the first ever Destiny City Film Festival is now just about 3 months away! That is just 1/4 of a year. That’s it! And that means the last 3/4 of the year we’ve spent thinking, planning, strategizing, thinking, planning and thinking some more, better start paying off now, because now is the time for everything to start coming together. I’m happy to say we’re in a good spot, and we’re getting really pumped for the inaugural DCFF! We’ve got some exciting things in the works – including an all-star jury (names to be announced this summer), a not-to-be-missed storytelling workshop with one of the smartest and most talented writers and teachers we know (more information coming soon), parties, post-film Q&As, a reading for the winner of this year’s short screenplay competition, an amazing poster design, community partnerships with restaurants, press coverage, merchandise, parties, and more parties! In between watching dozens of films (we have over 100 to consider!), reading short screenplay entries, party planning, and trying to decipher what experiences DCFF-goers will want most, we sometimes don’t take time to realize how much we’ve already accomplished over the past several months. We wouldn’t be at this point in the process (visualizing the festival’s structure, lining up special guests, choosing films, training volunteers and getting the word out) if it weren’t for the last 3/4 of the year worth of work that we’ve already dedicated to the cause. There is still a lot to be done and we constantly remember how close July 31st really is – but my goodness, I know we’re ready for it!
Within the walls of “DCFF Headquarters,” Brook and I get wrapped up daily in what needs to be done for the festival. Our minds are constantly churning out ideas, concerns, suggestions, thoughts – no matter how outlandish they might seem. While this is the first time we’re doing something like this on our own and we definitely want things to go as smoothly as possible, this is also our opportunity to take chances. That’s what is going to make the first annual Destiny City Film Festival stand out, and to be a “success” in the end. I regularly try to remind myself that because we’re putting on this festival out of our passion for film and storytelling, and because we’re committed to pushing the boundaries for the betterment of our festival, we have already succeeded. We’re not turning back, and so far, we truly know that we’ve got a real bona fide festival on our hands! Before we know it, we’ll be able to enjoy the fruits of our labor, to share some amazing films with our friends and fellow Tacomans, to celebrate storytelling and the art of film, and to inspire our community to tell their own stories. We believe in our mission and why we’re doing this crazy thing, and we know the people of Tacoma will believe in it, too.
There are just a couple of weeks left to submit your films and screenplays! More information about tickets, events and programming will be released in May and June. Stay tuned! We can’t wait to celebrate the wonder of storytelling with you this July 31 – August 3.
