When I first covered the Renegade Film Festival in 2020, I did not anticipate it being my last communal experience theatrically until six months later, during our brief reopening at Regal during the pandemic. I also did not anticipate it being a film festival I would find myself looking to return to over the years. But the high of Renegade is not just in its programming; it’s in the community that the festival fosters between organizers, filmmakers, press and fans. This year, with the re-election of Donald Trump, Renegade was needed more than ever, and it delivered.
The politics of the time influencing horror has always been a fundamental truth of the genre, whether you’re referring to the German expressionist nightmares of “The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari” and “Nosferatu”; the underlying thematic material in “Bride of Frankenstein” and “Cat People”, or explicitly direct reactions to events like “Night of the Living Dead” or “It’s Alive”. One of the things I appreciate about Renegade is that it leans all the way in to the political nature of horror in its programming, with filmmakers of different backgrounds and life experiences, telling stories that mean something personally to them. That is one of the things that distinguishes Renegade from other film festivals I’ve covered- especially on the short film front, the filmmakers are sharing parts of themselves, and not just in the way we often hear about filmmaking as creative expression; often, when you hear these filmmakers discussing their work, it’s out of a profound need to share themselves on-screen.
I’m going to write about it more for a piece for In Their Own League, but there was one block of short films at this year’s Renegade that is- quite possibly- the best block of shorts I’ve ever seen curated at a film festival. It was entirely directed by women, and all about how women are demeaned by society in a variety of ways; when you listen to the podcast, you’ll hear from two of the directors from that block, and one of the things you’ll hear in those discussions is how each story came out of a desire to look at the larger world, while also being told on a smaller scale. Actually, the third interview I conducted this weekend touches on the same thing; the film was not in that block, but the filmmaker gave themselves specific challenges in that respect.
I could do a simple blow-by-blow of the two days, but the truth is, if you haven’t been to Renegade, it’s hard to quantify the energy of the festival in words. Even as press, covering the event, it doesn’t feel the same as when you cover a festival like Atlanta or Sundance (albeit virtually, for the latter). Because it’s centralized at The Strand, everyone congregates there when they aren’t getting rest or something to eat. Some people spend all day in the theatre, like I did; some split time between the lobby and auditorium; some come in for select showings; and some spend a lot of time just talking to others in the lobby, and honestly, I get each and every one. Because I’m covering the festival, I obviously am spending most of my time in the auditorium (though I did miss two of the features in the name of giving myself a break; I did watch every short film), but you also want to make sure to give yourself time to talk to filmmakers, as well, and while Renegade gives opportunities for that after the day’s festivities (as well as the night before the festival starts), sometimes you just have to interact after immediately seeing the film. If you’re like me, though, you’ll want to make sure to head your way back into the auditorium as soon as possible, as the movies start in rapid fire succession.
I’ve written and spoken over the past year how, with my change in career from Regal, I’ve been more isolated from the connections that tied me to my daily job over the years. Because I’m more by myself in terms of my career, I hold on to the connections I’ve made online over the years a little bit more for regular interaction. This was my first Renegade Film Festival since the career change, and you know what? It was like reuniting with a family I hadn’t seen in a while. Since it’s been two years since the last one, that is literally true, but it felt extra special to have that reunion this year, because I know I wasn’t the only one who needed it.
Sonic Cinema Returning to the Renegade Film Festival
Reviews
“The Rebrand”
“Bloody Bridget” (YouTube)
“Re-Animator”
“House of Ashes”
Thanks for listening,
Brian Skutle
www.sonic-cinema.com
