Before driving up to Birmingham for the Flatpack Film Festival, I pored over the events calendar, watched numerous trailers, marked out the films on my iCal and staked out the venues on my phone maps; yet despite all the extensive itinerary prep, none of my expectations could have prepared me for the amazing experience that laid ahead. On the first night, I checked into a hotel and then went to the first venue to check out the documentary, “Who is Bozo Texino.”  The outside of the building was modest, described simply with a sign that read, “Floodgate Kino.” Stepping inside, I was warmly greeted by the hospitable volunteers as I quickly took in the view.  The warehouse had been transformed into a chic venue, including a bar that served a variety of drinks and cakes. The furniture inside was luxurious, if not a touch homely.  A casual blend of filmmakers, students and cinephiles were in attendance, all intently discussing their common interest (which of course lied in cinema.) When we had a chance to get our drinks, coffees and cakes, we made our way to the screening area to watch “Who is Bozo Texino.”  The film had thrown out all of the orthodox rules of documentary filmmaking, creating in its place an intense and powerful look at a group of hobos who had rejected society creating, instead, their own subculture. The film had managed to explore so much, discussing art, American culture, lifestyles and norms.  With that much information divulged, I was surprised to learn at the conclusion of the film, that only an hour had passed. The following morning I attended an event called “Unpacked” which was held at the beautiful Fazeley Studio. The show brought together a range of filmmakers for an insightful look at their work. I was truly swept away.  (The full, written review can be viewed here.) That evening, I also went to “The Electric Cinema”, a small but beautiful space in the heart of Birmingham. They served hot drinks, alcohol and cakes which actually proved a pleasant transition from the fizzy drinks and sweets found in traditional theatres.  They had a modest screen with standard seats, as well as sofa seats nestled in the back of the theatre, again exuding a pleasant and intimate vibe. It was here that I viewed the film, “One Night in the City.” (The full review can be viewed here.) Next on my agenda (on a Saturday morning) I returned to The Electric Cinema to watch the film, “Paper Cinema and Red Balloon”. I was first introduced to the directors behind, “Paper Cinema” at the event “Unpacked”, which gave me an insightful look into the history and techniques of paper animation.  I was equally entertained by the live performances that were in conjunction with the film.  The attendees were primarily composed of young children with their parents (the obvious target audience.)  However, as an adult, I was simply mesmerized by the performances.  It furthered my pleasure to also witness the young audience laughing and cheering exuberantly at the spectacle. That scene was a stark contrast to the next film on my schedule for the night.  When I went to the theatre in South Birmingham College, I came into a space which housed an audience principally composed of teenagers and young adults. The film entitled, “Style Wars” was an entertaining and informative retrospective on New York graffiti writers from the 80s.  Then after that one, I also got to see “In A Dream.” I have to say, that this film was seriously one of the best I've ever seen. It's not out in theaters until Spring, and I'm so grateful to Flatpack to have had the chance to watch this cinematic gem. (Read the full review here.) Finally, the last film I watched at the festival was “Megunica” back at the Floodgate Kino.  As we all sat down to watch the film, some people were sitting on their seats drinking beer, some had got out of their seats to sit on the floor with their coffee, it felt less like a formal screening, and more like an intimate gathering of friends.  Whilst watching the final screening on my press itinerary, I thought about how much I would miss the festival.  Sure enough, as I went into my car and started the engine, I felt the slight pang of post-partum. The Flatpack Festival had taken my breath away with its amazing venues and quite simply this event brought out the best of Birmingham.  The festival was diverse in that it had a great selection of inspiring films that not only covered a wide range of genres and mediums, but attracted an array of festival goers of all ages and divergent interests. The festival proved that cinema is still a thriving and pure art form (against the grain of commercial boxoffice fares), and the curators presented an amazing library of films and that continued to exceed my expectations and push the cinematic envelope.  Far more than simply viewing great works, the festival was also a platform for the education and discourse of modern-day cinema, attracting film students, filmmakers and cinephiles alike. An overall standout event that should not be missed; if you haven't made it out to this year's festival, please look out for the Flatpack Film Festival of 2010! *** For more info on the festival, visit: “Flatpack Film Festival” official website. For more Photos click here.