Has the Berkshire International Film Festival (BIFF) gotten too big for its britches and too swank for the Berkshires?
That would seem to be the case when it comes to the way it treated at least some of its local fans this weekend.
One movie buff had acquired a $150 pass – and at that, a bit of a stretch for this person’s budget — for the four-day festival that included a ticket to the achievement award ceremony honoring filmmaker and special effects wizard – and sometime Berkshire resident – Doug Trumbull. It included a seat at the screening of “The Tree of Life,” Terrence Malick’s film that won the Palme D’Or at Cannes and for which Trumbull had been visual effects advisor.
Not only had our acquaintance purchased the ticket, she had put in about 50 hours of volunteer work on behalf of the festival.
All that didn’t matter when the Trumbull’s celebrity status went through the roof – at least in the BIFF contingent’s eyes – due to “Tree of Life.”
Suddenly, the price of her pass went up to $250. And our friend was notified to pay up another hundred bucks or stay home – well, not quite. She was told she could stand in line for a ticket – if there were any last minute cancellations.
“Suddenly, I didn’t want to see that movie,” she said.
David Scribner