Adventures in Idyllwild

This was just one of the lovely views I passed as I navigated the steep and windy 2-lane, 23-mile road through the Mt. San Jacinto State Park that led from I-10 into the village of Idyllwild. When I left LA I had no idea I was in for such an adventure - I was delighted to say the least. When I first turned onto the road I passed a sign that said "chains may be required for passage." I was unmoved until I began to notice the piles of snow lining the sides of the road... luckily that's where it stayed. I arrived in the center of town just after dark. The film festival took place in the village's Rustic Theatre, an adorable little venue that doubles as a DVD rental store. The lobby, which has all the makings of a log cabin in the woods (apropos of its name), is adorned with couches and throw rugs. The wall of DVDs and VHS tapes for rent are framed by posters of the various indie films of present festival fame. The snack bar, which takes up most of the room, serves various unique sundries like Tejava, normal-sized packages of candy (for normal prices), and even beer. The intimate setting really reflected the soul of the festival, which I found to be warm and inviting. 

This year, their headliner filmmaker was Joe Dante, best known for directing Gremlins and The 'Burbs. The film I scored (The Visitation) was paired with two other shorts, a 10-minute drama commissioned by Idyllwild, and the other a 30-minute alien conspiracy horror. Q&A with the cast and crew was held after each picture, which (to my surprise) ended up including myself - quite a thrilling experience to say the least.  For dinner I was accompanied by the cast to what was unanimously hailed as the best restaurant in the village, Cafe Aroma, where my table was joined by the previously mentioned Joe Dante (!!) for a an evening of spectacular food and tremendous company. 

Needless to say, my brief journey was a smashing success. I gave away nearly all the business cards I went with, which is always a good thing. Perhaps most importantly I was reminded just how easy it is to meet anyone anywhere, particularly in the film industry. Having a film in a festival is the ultimate good excuse to travel, shake hands, and give out those business cards, no matter how small and seemingly remote a venue may seem. And if nothing else, adventure is never insignificant.