Become involved with the Traverse City Film Festival by taking part in one of the free panel discussions. Panel discussions at the Traverse City Film Festival typically begin at 9:30 am at the City Opera House, while the Clinch Park patio will host discussions after select ‘Cinema Salon’ screenings (find those screenings here). Join filmmakers from around the world to discuss the industry and hear moviemaking stories. Panel topics are subject to change and are free and open to the public. MyNorth would like to thank the Traverse City Film Festival for the following content, which was updated on July 28th, 2014.
Tuesday — Michigan Film Commission Public Meeting, 2:30 pm, Park Place Hotel
You are invited to come and participate in the part of your government that is set up to support the art of filmmaking. Attend the public meeting held bi-monthly by the Governor’s Michigan Film Office Advisory Council—TCFF founder Michael Moore is a member. Hear the latest news about the film industry in our fair state. Audience members are encouraged to come ask questions and share ideas.
Wednesday — Nixon/Obama: Some Things Never Change, 9:30 am, City Opera House
Republican or Democrat, in the post-Watergate era of Edward Snowden, Julian Assange, and Bradley Manning, we know that the long tendrils of government and corporate money reach into every secret—and not so secret—place, often with devastating consequences. Our panel comes to the table with harrowing and instructive stories that will give pause to just about everyone, no matter where they stand on the political spectrum.
Scheduled to Appear: Michael Moore, host; Johanna Hamilton, Bonnie Raines, John Raines, and Betty Medsger, “1971;” Brian Knappenberger, “The Internet’s Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz;” Todd Douglas Miller, “Dinosaur 13;” James Spione, “Silenced.”
Thursday — Foreign Thursday: Not in America, 9:30 am, City Opera House
What does Traverse City look like on jetlag and cherry wine? How do film festivals and filmmaking vary between the Congo and the great American Midwest? One of our favorite parts of festival week is meeting the moviemakers who come from farflung corners of the globe to share their stories and visions with us while we share our fudge and Walmarts with them.
Scheduled to Appear: Terry George, host; Sabine Lubbe Bakker and Niels van Koevorden, “Don’t Leave Me;” Mark Cousins, “Bag of Rice;” Emmanuel de Merode, “Virunga;” Shosh Shlam, “Web Junkie;” Jeroen van Velzen, “A Goat for a Vote.”
Friday — Music & Movies: The Revolution in Ones and Zeroes—One-on-One Conversation with Michael Moore and Tom Morello, 9:30 am, City Opera House
Don’t miss Michael Moore’s talk with one of the world’s leading guitarists and activists. A new member of the TCFF Board of Directors, Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, The Nightwatchman) spent the first part of this year touring with Bruce Springsteen, and continuing his work with Axis of Justice, which has earned him the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award. Moore and Morello share a passionate interest in the future of music and movies, not to mention the planet. Don’t miss this once in a lifetime chance to see two crusaders in intimate discussion.
Scheduled to Appear: Michael Moore; Tom Morello.
Saturday — The Comedy Panel, 9:30 am, City Opera House
Because there’s nothing a little laughter can’t fix, join Larry Charles, funny filmmakers, comedians Doug Benson and Geoff Tate, and friends for some morning wisecracks, witticisms, humor, and repartee as we explore the funny business of making comedy.
Scheduled to Appear: Larry Charles, host; comedians Doug Benson and Geoff Tate, Doug Loves Movies Podcast/Doug Benson’s Movie Interruption: “Road House;” Victor Levin, “5 to 7;” Geeta, Ravi, Champa, and Vasant Patel, “Meet the Patels;” Daniel Schechter, “Life of Crime;” Onur Tukel, “Summer of Blood.”
Sunday — Meet TCFF Visionary Award Winner Rick Prelinger, 9:30 am, City Opera House
Michael Moore will sit down with Rick Prelinger, the visionary San Francisco-based archivist, filmmaker, and educator whose work inspired and informed “Roger & Me” 25 years ago, and each of Moore’s documentaries that followed. Get a peek at Prelinger’s “Yesterday and Tomorrow in Detroit,” which sold out four TCFF screenings, and find out more about his life’s work, the Prelinger Archives, a collection of 60,000 advertising, educational, industrial, and amateur films, including an astonishing assortment of films chronicling the City of Detroit.
Scheduled to Appear: Michael Moore; Rick Prelinger, “Yesterday and Tomorrow in Detroit.”