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MAINE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL: 'Mao's Last Dancer' most popular film

By Erin Rhoda erhoda@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

WATERVILLE -- With nearly 100 films in 10 days, the 13th annual Maine International Film Festival drew a total of about 9,000 admissions and culminated Sunday night with "Mao's Last Dancer" winning the distinction of most popular film.

The film, directed by Bruce Beresford and produced by Jane Scott, tells the true story of Li Cunxin, who rises from poverty in China's Shandong Province to become the top dancer of Madame Mao's ballet academy in Beijing.

Film attendees who saw three or more of the festival's films were eligible to vote for their favorites. There were more than 200 votes cast for 37 out of 42 eligible films, said Shannon Haines, festival director.

The award capped the film festival, which had a total of 8,000 admissions as of Saturday night; 1,000 more were estimated to attend Sunday's films, Haines said.

With last year's total reaching 10,554, "attendance is down just slightly from last year, but all in all it's been very strong," Haines said. Last year, about 750 people attended films at a satellite location in Portsmouth, N.H., which was closed this year.

Courtney Bolduc, of Waterville, saw two films during the festival: "Bride Flight," directed by Ben Sambogaart, and "Queen of the Sun," directed by Taggart Siegel. Her favorite, especially since she plans to attend school in the fall for apiology (the study of honeybees), was "Queen of the Sun."

"The way it was presented was outstanding," she said, adding that the question-answer session with the director was informative.

Because the director was available, "It makes it more meaningful," she said, and "shows he really cares about the issues."

One film director called the festival "one of the most pleasant festivals." Chris Ordal, of Los Angeles, is writer and director of "earthwork," a film based on the true story of crop artist Stan Herd, who creates massive environmental artwork on land owned by Donald Trump.

Ordal, who ate a sandwich Sunday at Jorgensen's Cafe on Main Street with actor Chris Bachand, of New York City, said, "I will be recommending this festival to all my filmmaker friends for sure."

He has already been to about 15 other film festivals around the country, promoting "earthwork," his first feature film.

What he likes most about MIFF is the quality of the films, the location, the organizers' hospitality and the "incredible audiences," he said.

Sam Ranger has been working double shifts this past week at Mainely Brews and Jorgensen's to keep up with the demand of customers.

The festival has generated a lot of business for the city, he said. "It's been an awesome, awesome thing for Waterville."

Katelyn Schimpff agrees. A waitress at the Grand Central Cafe, she said the cafe plans in advance for the festival. It extends its hours and orders more produce and beverages. It is "absolutely" good for business, she said.

Wanda Noonan, of Manhattan, N.Y., was an intern for the festival and viewed 24 feature films and six or seven short films, she said. "They've all been very different," she said. "I've enjoyed quite a few of them."

One of the most fulfilling aspects of the festival for Haines and the festival's staff is to see movie aficionados interact with filmmakers and each other, Haines said. "MIFF is a real opportunity for people to get together and have meaningful conversations about bigger issues in the world."

The festival had screenings at the Waterville Opera House, Railroad Square Cinema, the Skowhegan Drive-In Theater and the Colby College Museum of Art, drawing filmmakers from places such as Scotland and Kyrgyzstan and movie-goers from across the United States. There were also several multimedia performances, including an Indian dance clinic at the REM Forum.

Erin Rhoda -- 474-9534

erhoda@centralmaine.com