The economic crisis has been hard for everybody. Some of us have lost their homes; others have lost their savings or their retirement money. John McCain has probably lost the presidency. But, as usual, it's the film geeks who suffer the most, as word comes from Wyoming that the Jackson Hole Film Festival is no more.
We know what you're saying: "I didn't even know that there was a Jackson Hole Film Festival". Possibly you were also saying "I didn't know that there was such a place as Jackson Hole, Wyoming." A few of you were probably saying "Which one is Wyoming again? Is that the one that's totally square, or is that Utah?" I also think I heard a "Seriously? Jackson Hole? There's a place called Jackson Hole and they expected people to go see movies in it?" Okay, okay, settle down. That's enough jokes. The fact is, with the economy bad and getting worse, film festivals -- which once were sprouting like mushrooms -- are likely to become increasingly scarce, and that's not a good thing for movies in generally, and for independent film in particular.
Then again, Hollywood's so-called "Golden Age" began in the 1930s, when America was in the midst of the Great Depression. At a time of deep deprivation and misery, people wanted escape and entertainment more than ever, and the motion picture business thrived. So, what do you think, Screengrab readers? Will the economic collapse we're facing be the beginning of the end for cinema, or will it herald a new Golden Age?
Related Posts:
The Tribeca Film Festival Tightens Up
The 15th (and Final) New York Underground Film Festival
