If you’re a lover of film, at one point or another you will have attended a film festival. If you haven’t yet been to one of these events but are considering it, think carefully about which festival you choose. All are different and special, but not every film festival is going to cater to your tastes. Before you purchase any tickets, use this guide to make sure you’re getting to most out of your experience.
Location
Some festivals only last for a day, a weekend or in some cases the entire week. If you don’t want to take any time off work to attend a film festival then it’s wiser to choose one that falls over a weekend. Additionally, it’s important to think about the location of the festival and how far it is away from you. Think about how long you want to spend travelling to and from the event, as six hours to get somewhere you’re only planning on staying for the day might not be worth it. This will all come down to how much time and money you want to invest in this experience.
Tickets
As mentioned above, some festivals last longer than others. Day tickets are usually available for the bigger events, or you could purchase a pass for the entire festival. The latter is more expensive, but if you have seen several films you want to see that are showing on different days, this type of ticket might be a better choice. There are usually extra events such as Q&As with directors, actors, screenwriters, etc. that you might want to attend, too. If your time is limited and you can only attend a single day, look carefully at the event’s program and select the one that has the most of what you want to see. Also, look at the tickets for sale and consider how much you want to spend.
Genre
A lot of film festivals focus on a particular genre of film, such as a classic film festival, Art house films, horror and so on. To get the most out of your film festival experience, it’s wise to pick one that covers a genre of film that you enjoy. Everyone has different tastes and it’s good to try new things, but ultimately sitting through films you don’t enjoy all day is going to be frustrating and a waste of money. Do some research into the festivals first to make sure you’re going to the right one for you.
Choose the Right Companion
If you’re taking a friend to the festival with you, make sure you’re bringing someone who is equally as excited about film as you. There’s nothing worse than attending an event with someone who is not enjoying themselves, and part of the fun is discussing the films you have seen and additional talks you might have attended.
There are many film festivals out there to choose from and events like these are great experiences – just make sure you choose the right festival for you.
