Richard, what a thoroughly compelling and informative essay. I hope I can write like you when I grow up! I was especially intrigued by your experience with your jury experience with audiences trained to sit through credits. Imagine!! Having just come from TIFF myself, such behavior would be like a breath of fresh air.
Maya   posted 27.09.09

Good to see someone take a hard look at the film festival circuit. It has changed greatly over the past 15 years or so. One festival which is still serious about cinema and does a great job for the films, the industry guests and the public is Karlovy Vary. Alas not too many Americans are running to see films from the former USSR, Eastern Bloc countries or their amazing archives. Thus the work of the new generation in all these countries is hard to distribute here, and not well known. After many years of festival going, I really prefer ( when possible) the smaller more specialized ones like KV -- where you can still find some gems.
wb22   posted 08.09.09