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| Pandemonium at the Filmmakers Lounge at BIFF 2012. 47 films, 4 days -- how do you pace yourself? Adam Rowan provides the answers. [Photo courtesy Peter Wayne] |
BIFF DigiComm Commando
Running February 14-17 on and around Boulder's scenic Pearl
Street Mall, the Boulder International Film
Festival (BIFF) provides an opportunity to check out not only dozens of
great films – from shorts to documentaries to features – but the beating heart
of a beautiful city, too. Nestled against the Flatirons and lined with shops
and restaurants, Pearl Street is the perfect place to get a taste and look at
Boulder while mingling with everyone from local families to university
students, not to mention colorful street performers and merchants.
BIFF is probably unlike just about any event you've
attended, film festival or otherwise. That said, it still pays to be prepared.
BIFF 2013 Must-Have #1: Good Walking Shoes
Pearl Street is a pedestrian mall, so getting to and from
screening venues on or off the mall makes pounding the pavement the most
practical method of transportation. Plan to park your vehicle nearby (Pearl
Street has both metered parking and garages) and hoof it to screenings and
events of your choice.
Walking the cobblestone and seeing the sights is a fine way
to spend a weekend, but it's essential to have the strong sole and sturdy arch
support to keep your feet from aching in line, in the theater or elsewhere.
BIFF 2013 Must-Have #2: Stay Hydrated
Whether you prefer water or sports drinks, it's important to
keep the liquids flowing regularly to fuel the aforementioned walking and
standing. Beyond keeping your body in peak fitness for a film festival, though,
hydration is crucial for another, environmental reason: altitude.
Boulder is situated 5,430 ft. above sea level. It doesn't
tower above the Earth like Park City, but the change in atmosphere at BIFF
might come as a shock for out-of-town attendees more used to a Tribeca or
Toronto.
Altitude sickness can take its toll on anybody’s body,
especially those unaccustomed to such heights; symptoms
include a throbbing headache, fatigue, loss of appetite and nausea.
Drinking liquids and avoiding alcohol, overexertion and large meals (sorry,
foodies) are keys to avoiding altitude sickness and making sure your stay at
BIFF isn't spent catching your breath.
BIFF 2013 Must-Have #3: Energy
Whether you prefer coffee, tea or energy drink, staying
energized is vital to maintaining the rigorous schedule necessary to get the
most out of your BIFF experience. Though you'll spend a lot of time sitting,
whether in a darkened theater, amphitheater, restaurant or one of Pearl
Street's many park benches, you might be surprised how much a film festival can
take out of you.
I attended BIFF 2010, taking in roughly half of the films on
the program and attending many of the festival's signature events. Upon
returning home at the end of the final night, I was surprised to find my body
undergoing what felt like severe jet lag. While it's true my mind was also
reeling with positive memories and the excitement of seeing so many engaging
movies, I probably would have benefited from a little extra protein (and
probably an extra dose of caffeine) to prevent the post-film festival “crash.”
BIFF 2013 Must-Have #4: Cash
[NOTE: City Of Boulder Parking Services offers three hours
of FREE parking on Thursday night and all day Friday at the parking structure
at 15th and Pearl Streets during the Festival. Present your same-day
BIFF ticket or pass to the lot attendant! Parking is free there Saturday and
Sunday.]
Metered parking stations on Pearl Street will take credit
cards, but change might be just as practical if you can't find a garage. Parking
for an hour along the Mall costs five quarters, with a three-hour limit in
place for street parking every day except Sunday.
In addition to currency, save time by arriving early:
parking garages issue tickets that are payable upon leaving, so you won't have
to race or interrupt your film festival activities to feed the meter. And, on
weekends, some garages are free.
BIFF 2013 Must-Have #5: Enthusiasm and an Open Mind
Beyond the theater or auditorium, though, BIFF brings
visitors from across the country and around the world to an eclectic city with
much to see. Take time to check out must-see locations like Pearl Street Mall,
University Hill and the University of Colorado campus, and keep an eye open for
attendees who want to talk movies.
And be on the lookout for celebrities wandering around: You
never know when you might find a stray A-lister checking out the sights around
Boulder!
