You're in the midwest and you didn't even know it.

I'm taking a break from the Rotterdam Recap in lieu of illustrating a bit about my recent weekending at the Ann Arbor Film Festival in the great lake state of Michigan. Christen M. (the best dressed film festival director I've met so far) and her wonderful film festival staffers flattered me by inviting 'The Adventure' to screen in this very liberal Detroit suburb. It was the US/North American premiere, whatever you prefer. In addition to pictures, I captured a few short videos. Here was my first glimpse of the Detroit airport.

In broad strokes, the good 'ol USA of is made of four parts: the South, the Northeast, the West and the Midwest. I didn't even realize I was traveling to the Midwest until I was on the phone with a friend of mine from Illinois, who said, when I told her I where I was going, "Enjoy the Midwest." Lo and behold, when I arrived, this was corroborated by the relatively flat, snowy landscape laid out before me. It was strangely reminiscent of McCarthy's The Road, if only briefly. Ann Arbor celebrated its 46th birthday this year and they share this anniversary wealth with all the filmmaker attendees. A shuttle driven by Nick was there to meet me upon arrival and take me to Ann Arbor, about 45 minutes west of Detroit. This was the beginning of Nick's last week in Ann Arbor and by the time I finish this he will be on his way to leading sea-kayaking tours off the coast of Alaska. He's been an outdoors tour guide for several years in the Rockies and elsewhere. There is documentation that a German canoeist named Oscar Spreck who, after losing his job, left Germany via kayak and decided to 'see the world'. The year was 1932 and in 1939 he finally arrived in Australia and was promptly imprisoned as an enemy combatant.

The Ann Arbor Film Festival's giving spirit is fully supported by the local residents, as volunteer hosts often house filmmakers visiting from out of town. My hosts, Jane Allen and Mark Doman, lived on picturesque Brooks St. and my home for the weekend was their daughter Christine's(sic) room, who stays on campus at the University of Michigan, where the collegiate blood is equal parts blue and maize. Jane made breakfast for me every morning and I only saw Mark once because he and Christine were involved in some French trapper inspired outdoor society and they had several initiation functions that weekend. After dropping my bags off, Jane gave me a ride downtown to the Michigan Theater, AAFF's main venue and check-in. As always, I was early and the doors were shuttered, but I did see a sight that brought a great smile to my face. Talk about prime real estate. My first stop was an informative copyright/fair use panel moderated by Chris Gore at a small art gallery a stone's throw from the Michigan Theater, AAFF's cerebrum. After that, it was movies, movies, movies.

My first screening was a juror presentation of Bill Brown's work. I hadn't heard of him either, but I quite adored his three short travelogues shot on 16mm and they are really the films that stay with me most. Admittedly, my mind wandered about half way through the 'The Other Side', but as I sat there, Brown's eloquent, rich and reflective narration seeped through the cracks in my brain and heart and I was won. His photography is simplistic, functional, but quite gorgeous and at first, I thought these films were made thirty years ago, but then a shot of a sign that read "Terrorists Love Open Borders: Remember 9-11" appeared. A cursory visit to his website will undoubtedly hook you into his voice and compass. And he's kinda nerdy.

Later I saw the Animated Shorts Program and Bill Plympton's presentation of drawing and cartoons. Anyone will tell you that animated shorts programs are inevitable sellouts on the festival circuit, but I'm slowly realizing that I'm not that crazy about animated shorts. Admitting this makes me feel a bit like a monster. I mean, would you really like a person who says they don't like cartoons? I wouldn't and I do like cartoons, but I'm just not as amped about animated as live-action. I also went and saw a very amusing film at midnight called Leningrad Cowboys Go America by Kaurismaki. I enjoyed it very much and the movie was filled with college kids who resembled high school kids or perhaps the reverse.

Finally, I stopped off at the after party in hopes of befriending a fellow filmmaker or two. Instead, I met Google employees Lizzie, Lauren and Phil and non-Google employee Clint and we spent a good part of the weekend together. I find the best way to meet people is to look very lost. I really lucked out with this crew. When I arrived home, I went straight to bed and the house cat whose name escapes me was my companion.