NANTUCKET FILM FESTIVAL

Pound for pound, this relatively small festival has attracted some interesting and significant talent. The festival is centered on Screenwriting and the tributes are to oscar winning behind the scenes folks rather than actors. Some quirky events like Comedy Roundtable includes some of the best comics around. Colin Quinn, Ben Stiller, Seth Myers, and Jerry Seinfeld for example, on the same stage up close and personal to the audience.

A Storytelling Event includes other major names in the entertainment and media industries. We saw a movie last night called BUCK. It was an 80 minute documentary about the guy who was the inspiration for Robert Redford's "The Horse Whisperer." Sounds like a yawner unless you are into horses but not so. The movie was more metaphorical than that. It was about how to get what you want from a horse, other people, or life, without beating it out of them and causing fear and "an equal and opposite reaction."

Nantucket is a small place and the people I see in town, or at the Wharf Rats are some of the same folks I see at the festival. They are members of the Historical Association, the Film Festival, the Wine Festival, The Comedy Festival and lots of other artsy-fartsy things. Not that I am a star-gazer, but it is not uncommon to be at a cocktail party and be introduced to an understated and outgoing person who happens to be the CEO of Google, or Adobe, or some other VISIONARY that has moved and shaken the way we live. I am having a good time so far, and other than some torrential rain last night and having to wade to our car in 6" deep water, I could not ask for more. Many of the more interesting venues in town are utilized for the various events. The Westmoor Club has hosted two. The Whaling Museum rooftop was amazing for a joint event between the Film and Historical groups. Next year, the Dreamland Theater will be open and will be the central focal point.