True/False Film Festival 2015

My husband and I are big fans of documentary films.  We became such big fans because the town we lived in for many years hosts a documentary film festival called True/False.  Bob has gone every year since it started in 2003, but I was a late bloomer not joining the fun until 2007.

The Festival does many community minded events, such as raising money to support one film maker through the True Vision Award, and the True Life Award, which gives money to a social issue that is being made aware through film. Last year Pay the Artist was added, giving financial assistance to film makers, producers and others to attend the festival and offer an opportunity to attendees to ask questions about the films.

The community spirit for this event is amazing.  Over 900 volunteers help with the daily management, local restaurants beef up staff so that movie goers aren't waiting too long for food, local schools raise funds for the various awards, and all the musicians who play at each venue.  True/False is a well received event from the locals.

Musicians, called buskers, are at each venue before the film starts.

This year we saw an amazing list of films.  Ones that really stuck with us were:  Going Clear, a film about the inside workings of Scientology, Best of Enemies, a film about the political debates between William Buckley and Gore Vidal during the Nixon years, Meru, a film about the efforts of three rock climbers to scale Meru, The Measure of All Things, a film about the lives of those in the Guinness Book of World Records, Tea Time, a film that chronicals the life of six women from Chile who had monthly tea parties for over 60 years, and Tales of the Grim Sleeper, a film that shows the alleged killing spree of Lonnie Franklin who remained in the worst part of LA, killing for years, in plain sight.  All films that were able to move you in ways that you didn't know you had in you.  Making you think about things in this world in a different way.

Our daughter and her husband joined us a few years ago and now it is an annual family outing.  We see some of the same films, some different, and we have such interesting discussions about what we learned. 

There are some traditions of course... it is vital that we have pierogies made by Café Poland.  So

Governor and Mrs. Jay Nixon

One of the movies where we all attended!

Ernies for breakfast

Jimmy Chin, was in Meru. It was COOL to see him up close.

Ashley and Mom, with Dad photobombing!

good, portable and inexpensive!  We have to shop at the True/False merchandise areas.  This year I found darling earrings made by Lee Elementary School students, where I taught for many years, and my favorite notebooks with the T/F logo on them.  Also purchased a banner for the Mizzou Room!
We must have lots of coffee from Kaldi's and have breakfast at least once at Lucy's and Café Berlin.

This was another fabulous year.  We are looking forward to next year, which is already on the calendar.  March 3-6. 2016.  If you are a Columbia native and haven't gone yet, then this is the year that you go!