So Ebertfest is over, but I’m still telling stories about it. Especially my Herzog experience, which of course, I’m about to share with you.

I was sitting in the same row as Werner Herzog, famed director of Stroszek, Fitzcarraldo and Grizzly Man among many others, but across the aisle from him at the Virginia Theater. We were waiting for the next film to start showing and a few of my friends told me to go chat with him. I didn’t want to bother him, so instead I popped one of his films I had on DVD called Even Dwarves Started Small into my laptop. I was messing around trying to get his attention with the screen, and my friends told me to go sit next to him and see what he does. I couldn’t be more thankful for their peer pressure because when I finally decided to do it, he looked at me, surprised, and laughed.

The next thing I know, he invited me to a special screening of his latest film that he shot in Antarctica. So I found myself spending my Saturday morning in the English Building watching clips from Herzog’s newest picture. After that we watched director Paul Cox’s newest feature as well. It was such an amazing experience. For those of you unfamiliar with Cox, you have to check out his films Innocence and Man of Flowers. He’s a director who knows how to make very moving films.

It was awesome to meet both directors and they had many encouraging words for a young filmmaker like myself. As I get ready to graduate in two weeks, and begin to try and carve out my own niche in the filmmaking world, it was great to talk to these seasoned artists and gain a new perspective on the craft.

I guess that’s just another bonus of Ebertfest. I think it does a lot for our community in general, providing exposure to some really neat movies and getting to hear from the people involved with them. What’s cool about the festival is that it’s not just movies for moviegoers. I think there is enough to appeal to many different types of audiences—people who go to the cinema all the time, people who go once a year, people who’ve seen all the films before, and people who’ve never heard of them or the guests that are invited to chat about them afterwards.

My own experiences at Ebertfest have been very warm and it was fun to get to see the movies on the big screen. Blake and I had a blast covering the festival and encourage you to check out the movies if you haven’t seen them. Well, that’s a wrap for the Silver Screen Madmen on Ebertfest, but don’t forget to look for us over the summer!