Q: How long has the Portable Film Festival been around?
A: We launched the festival in 2006 and it’s still one-of-a-kind.
Q: Where do the films come from?
A: People submit them as part of our official call for entries. We review each film (over 1000 this year) and put them into a shortlist. Meanwhile, we are hunting through video sites and film festivals looking for stuff that we like. So part of the festival is made up by invitations. It allows a healthy mix of curation and competition. into a 10MB file.
Q: Where do babies come from?
A: We’ll tell you when you’re old enough.
Q: What if I don’t have a portable video device. Will I be left out in the cold?
A: No. The festival is viewable from any portable device, so that includes your laptop or your computer.
Q: Why can’t we download the program this year?
A: It was too much of a pain in the arse for us to keep making thousands of different formatted films when most people can view films from their phone anyway. Downloading is so 2005.
Q: What about the filmmakers’ copyright?
A: Filmmakers retain the copyright of their films. Under our terms and conditions they allow us to distribute, exhibit and publicise their film as part of the festival.
Q: How many people are involved in the festival? Do you use interns as slaves like everyone else does?
A: Our interns are the least tortured and malnourished interns in the world. They are part of a larger team that includes Brodie Lancaster, Ashley Parker, Kate Colquhoun, Flavia Brown, Jessica Njoo, Sarah Gilchrist, May Tusler, Dewani Shebubakar, Sarah Alexander, James Thompson, Alex Ford, Mereki Beach and many more. We also miss our dear friend Al Cossar who programmed the last two festivals but has now moved on to greener pastures. If you want to intern with us and you’re talented, please get in touch at jobs@portable.tv
