The SXSW Film Festival has nearly come to a close, and everyone from the "Humboldt County" team who was involved considers our experience to have been nothing short of spectacular.
As I mentioned in the last update, the premiere was incredible. We figured that night would be the highlight of the festival for us. But there were other moments that turned out to be even more memorable.
The word-of-mouth around Austin about the film was so strong that for our second screening, we had hundreds more people waiting in line than could fit into the theater. So, rather than turn away a multitude of eager film-goers, the festival decided -- at the urging of our resourceful sales rep -- to take-over an adjacent theater and show the film on two screens simultaneously. We proceeded to sell out the second theater as well and had to turn away scores of others still in line.
For our third screening, which was in the middle of the day after most of the festival attendees had left town or had their fill of movies, we tempered our expectations. But again we sold out our assigned theater and had to project in a second one to accommodate the crowd. (And many were still turned away.)
If all of that wasn't enough reward for the last 4-5 years of work, the response from the audiences and the critics who have written about the film thus far has been overwhelming. While we try not to pay too much attention to reviews, it is gratifying to know that your efforts to make a compelling film are appreciated, even by those who are inclined to be a bit jaded. Though we are awaiting more, I will include a sampling of the press we received (thanks in large part to our amazing publicity team) below, in case you are interested.
For our next trick, we will try to secure a distributor for the film, so those of you who couldn't make it to Austin, or were unable to attend a screening, can see it in the comfort of your local theater or home.
Best,
Jason
NB: As always, you can find a more colorful play-by-play of our experiences at the Directors' Blog.
REVIEWS
- "...a pitch perfect directing debut"
The Austin Chronicle - "Good things ahead, no doubt, for both the film and its creators."
Twitch - "Humboldt County is just the type of small film that, if given a chance to be seen by audiences, could become somewhat of a hit for grownups ala Sideways or The Squid and the Whale."
FilmThreat - "...a singularly enjoyable coming-of-age story"
IndieWire - "...the film is genial and pleasant"
IFC - "...it's nice to see a film were you can actually see a character grow and change throughout a movie."
Newsvine
ARTICLES/INTERVIEWS
